Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-03-03


0odwin U.umpkins's old jaiD was the
confederate military prison, but In Au.
gust. 1889. this prison was closed and
some 20 prisoners therein confined were
removed TO Castle Thunder.
CASTLE THUNDER.
This prison was so named by Captain
a0Nander because. a. he said, he de-
Sreu It's very name 10 be a terror to
evii-doers. Castle Thunder became noto-
rious throughout the whole country. The
building was an old tohscco-factory, in
which the late John Endsrs had manu-
featured many thousand dollars worth OF
tobacco before the war II occupied one
half OF the square between Eighteenth
and Nineteenth streets. with it's front
on Cary street. facing the dock and the
river. running back 10 an alley In the
| rear. dividing the square The building
was OF brick. and In the shape OF par
! allelogrsm. three sides being occupied by
connecting houses, and the whole enclosed
by high wall. the interior space forming
large yard in which the prisoners were
allowed to take daily exercise. II had
the capacity to hold about 800 prisoners.
| and for the balance OF the war II avenged
| daily from leo to that number. The
books Of the prisons Will show that the
whole number OF prisoners incarcerated
\ therein during the war ives about 10000
| or more. Castle Thunder was divided into
compartments. in which Confederate sol
! diers who had committed any grade OF
| military offences were confined. and also
into rooms In which were placed disioyal
persons and civilians who were captured
as attaches Of the Federal army. and all
others not prisoners of war. these latter
being always confined in Libby Prison.
| two squares of, down Cary street.
| THE PRISONS SUPERINTENDENT.
| IL Is my purpose to speak mainly of
| Captain Alexander In his official capacity
| as the superintendent OF Castle Thunder,
and l DO not hesitate TO affirm. from an
| intimate knowledge, which n cognizance
OF the facts will warrant. that General
| Winder's discernment put the right man
| in the right place" Captain Alexander
was eminently qualified to discharge the
| responsible. arduous duties OF the superin-
tendent OF the prison, and he did dis
| charge them to the entire satisfaction OF
the commander-in-chief. j know that he
| made many enemies In Richmond, but
| he also had many warm friends. too.
| apprehand that my sketch of him Will be
| obnoxious to the criticisms OF many who
| knew him through the representations or
| his enemies. but still think that what l
| shall say Is the TRUTH and will be re-
| ceived as correct judgment by all who
1
sent. Captain Alexander was called upon
| 10 manage a congregation Of many or
| the worst men In the Southern Confede-
| racy. Perhaps there never was brought
| together In such close contact more
ungovernable. desperate class OF men.
| They were, for the most part the refuse
| of the southern army-men who would
| fight like tigers when the contest was on
hand but who would brook no control
II 49, l.. . H., L. Aaff
| men capable OF committing any crime
within the decalogue without the slightest
| computations Of conscience. A few ex-
| amples OF what they actually did viii
! exhibit these characters more plainly than
| any mere statements Of mine.
SOON TOOK HIS CLOTHES.
| On one occasion a prisoner was brought
| into the Castle upon the charge OF being
absent from his company without leave.
and, as usual. he was put into a room
where there were some 400 prisoners.
When he entered he was dressed In
| suit Of black cloth. with a beaver hat, and
| pair Of new boots, and at once the cry
| OF Fresh fish, fresh fish, greeted him
| from the threats of the whole crowd.
| Immediately after the officers of the
| prison had left him the poor fellow was
found with his eyes bunged up and blood
triCkling down his face. with his suit
OF clothes. hat, boots. and watch gone,
and he clad in his undergarments and
stockings. 1t was impossible to find out
the guilty parties. as none of the prison
ers would tell. On another occasion l
have known them to knock out
the eye Of an old prisoner without pro-
vocation. Then. again, a party or the
prisoners cut hole through a fioor
which let them into the room below.
where muskets were kept, and. arming
themselves, at night they approached one
sentinel, whose post was near the en-
trance within the prison. knocked him
senseless with the butt end of a musket,
then advanced and killed the sentinel on
the outside Of the building. and made
their escape before the necessary mea-
sures to prevent II could be carried out.
Again, upon two occasions, they en-
deavored TO set fire 10 the building ana
10 blow IL up by the explosion Of gunpow-
der. which they had secreted and intend
ed to use for that purpose.
These are some Of the instances OF ras-
calty and crime which this ever-chang
ing. ever-renewed mass OF desperate man
kind INDUCED in while they were in
prison. Such were the men whom Captain
Alexander had to manage and keep in
order as best he might. Educated in the
United States navy. he was trained 10
the necessity Of obedience to orders ana
exact discipline in military affairs; and,
therefore, he prescribed certain rules and
regulations for the management of the
prison. which, If violated by his subal-
terms or the prisoners, subjected them 10
prompt and certain punishment.
LIKE a MAN-OF-WAR SHIP.
He seemed TO look upon the prison as
a man-of-war-ship. From top to bottom
its floors were every morning washed by
the prisoners. and scrubbed dry, so that
all the departments were kept perfectly
clean. Once every week the whole prison.
inside and outside. was whitewashed. and
| II all the time presented neat appear
ance, and this cleanliness tended to
| promote the health and comfort of the
| prisoners But his prison discipline was
| immediate and certain, and in tile cases
of the graver offences Ii ~as severe but
necessary. Whenever a prisoner was
| found guilty of having committed one
| OF these offences the guilty party was
| at once taken down into one OF the large
rooms and stripped to his waist and then
| his hands were tied around post. The
guard of the prison was placed around
| him TO preserve order, and all OF the
| other prisoners were assembled in the
| room TO behold the infliction Of the
| punishment. Captain Alexander would
| then address them and tell them of the
| crime which the condemned man had
| committed, after which he would order
| a detective to give him thirty-nne lashes
| on his bare back. which were wen laid on.
OTHER WAYS TO PUNISH.
At other times l have known him TO
| have prisoners tied Up by the thumbs TO
| IA cross-piece overhead for a short time.
| so that their toes would barely touch the
ground, and sometimes ne would put
| them on bread and water for week or
so; sometimes keep them in solitary
| cells. chained by one leg. and punish
| them in Divers other ways. always suit
| ing the severity Of the punishment 10
! the magnitude of the offence committed.
| This course of punishment had the de-
| sired effect as all the prisoners saw II
| inflicted and were informed at the time
why il was done AS a prison discipline
| II was salutary to prevent the commission
Of crimes by the prisoners upon one an
other. as well as their escape from the
| prison.
But 1t aroused spirit c: indignation
among many people against the COM
mandant, and the report was spread
through the city that he was cruel
until at last II was brought to the
cognlzance Of the Confederate Congress.
The House OF Representatives, then
In session. appointed a special commit
tna. Of rhf lob, ha nAp al naia