The morning call., 1892-01-03

to report for duty in the latter part OF Octo-
Der as c0mmandant of Libby Prison. He
was the well-knUwn Dick Turner" held in
such detestation by those who enjoyed the
hospitality of Libby during tins war. He
is no relative Of Major Turner, and Is cow
nilLownpr and timber-GGtter in the Isle of
Wight County. Va. Adjutant LatOuche,
the remaining off Ger in charge OF the prison
at the time of the escape, died in Richmond,
Oct Der T. 1890.
l shall recall only enough OF the facts
conn cted with the escape of the Union
prisoners to make clear the statements that
follow. The buildings, since disintegrated,
taken to Chicago and put together again.
stood on the southwest corner of Cary and
Twentieth streets. On the east was va
cant lot, on the west were similar buildings
on the front Cary street and at the rear the
canal and James River. Between the rear
wall and canal was a roadway. Some of
pictures of Libby represent the lower pOr-
ton Of the building as whitewashed. No
whitewash touched the walls until after
the war. The accompanying Illustration
shows Libby exactly as it appeared in 1862
and 1863
The dungeons of Libby, so often referred
70, were three in number They were small
cOmDaTtments, boarded up on the lower or
basement floor, fronting on Dock street.
1t was not often that any one was confined
there, and then only those that were in
tTactable.
Thomas E. Rose, Colonel of the Seventy
seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, was cap
tured at Chickam 'uga and arrived in Libby
Prison October /, 1868 His first thought on
entering the gloomy building was how he
was to get out, and his fertile mind was
continually at work forming schemes of
escape. Major A. g. Hamilton of a Ken
lucky cavalry regiment shared his feelings
and 1t was not long before they agreed upon
plan They began tunneling. and perse-
vered in the face of discOuragements that
would have stopped almost any one else
A change OF arrangements prevented their
access TO the room by which the tunnel
could be dHg, and other obstacles were
found TO be absolutely insurmountable
The tOilers were at last forced 10 the belief
that but one desperate hope remained-that
was to tunnel underneath the vacant lot on
the east so as 20 emerge on the other side
of a fence seventy feet distant into a shed
at the rear of vacant office OF the Virginia
Towing Company. Could this be done they
could easily pass through the front into
Dock street.
The tunneling Of this passage was one OF
the most wonderful exploits OF the war.
The prisoners were not allowed on the
ground floor, on a level with Cary street,
nor in the cellars or floors on level with
Dock street IN the rear. The three sections
OF the building were distinct from each
other, with solid walls foot thick Separat-
ing them. The first floor of the corner
building contained the sleeping quarters
and Office OF the prison officials. From the
middle section of the building, used as a
kitchen, an entrance was made to the cellar
of the next or last section of the building
This room had two stoves, one within abont
ten feet of the door opening on Cary street
1t was always strongly bOlted, and a guard
was continually passing to and fro in front
of IL.
A hole was made in the fireplace wide
enough to admit the passage of man. Yet
it was not broken through, for il was In
plain view of the Confederates, and it was
necessary to keep the secret from the Union
prisoners, who would have spoiled every
thing by their eagerness to join in the effort
20 get away.
All tie tunneling was done between 10
O'clock and in the morning. Perfect
silence was necessary. for a sentinel was
never a dozen feet away The implements
at command were an old knife and a chisel,
the four sides of two canteens, which had
been unsoldered by melting on hot stove.
Besides these primitive tools they had per-