Evening star., 1896-07-02
HE WAS AT LIBBY PRISON.
Capt. Holland, Who Slept Where the
Famous TRnael Ended.

OuVt. nOlAonOS W3O slept where the
Famous TNaael Ended.
Capt John M. HoHAnd Of Dickerson, Nd.
spent Tuesday in Washington. on the
mond. Capt. Holland was born in Freder-
ick county. Nd. but served through the
war In the confederate service. His expe-
rience while detailed under Capt. Turner
at Libby prison was exciting and impor-
tant. He enlisted with the Washington Ar
tillery of New Orle3hs. and served at An
tietam. Fredericksburg. Gettysburg and Pc
tersburg. He was also with Early in his
memorable attack Of Washington in 1884
1T was while lyins,in the trenches at Pc
tersburg. said Capt. Holland. that 1 was
truce goods sent the Union prisoners by
the federal government. 1 continued in
that work until Grant blcckaded the James
river and prevented the truce boat rum
ming. then shipped all goods on hand to
Andersonville TO Capt. Wirz, to whom most
of the Richmond prisoners had been trans
ferred
Il served in the Early raid as aid-de-
camp on the staff of Gen. w. r. Cox, now
secretary of the United States Senate. We
had our headquarters for several days in
the Roche House at Silver Spring We lost
from our brigade sixty-eight men there tine
last day of the fight. The graves of some
of these men have been found recently by
Mr.. Blair Lee Of this city. We intend soon
to erect a suitable monument to them The
Ridgely Camp Of Confederate Veterans has
received already quite subscription for
the purpose I was at Libby when the ia
nous tunnel was dug, and l made the ac-
quaintance of hundreds Of northern officers
there. of whom 1 shall always cherish a
kindly remembrance. While the flag o.
truce was flying over the stacked confed
crates arms Of Gen. Lees army, and while
Gen. Lee and Gen. Grant were at the noted
Mclean house arranging terms of surren-
u a;erhN
myself incuded left and crossed the
mountains and were eight days and nights
making our way to Gen. Johnstons army
which was then in North Carolina. We re-
ported to Gen. Johnston the very day that
the nag OF truce was raised to surrender
Johnstcn's army. There was some delay
for several days. preparing terms between
Gen. Sherman and Gen. Johnston. During
tnls delay Jefferson Davis and portion of
his cabinet passed through where we were.
He was captured few days later.
There were.' continued Capt Holland,
six officials on duty in connection with the
LIBBY, Bell Island and other prisons in
Richmond during the war. They were
Maj. Thos. p. Turner. commandant pris-
ons: Capt. Richard r. Turner inspector
prisons: Capt. George Ross, recorder, roll
caller and bookkeeper: Capt. c. .McRae Selph.
bonded officer to receive and distribute pri-
Vate boxes and goods received by fag of
truce; Capt. John W. Holland inspector of
private boxes and goods, and Lieut.. ]. Bos-
AS well as can be ascertained at present
but three Of those officers are now living
All of the survivors are expected to be
present at Richmcrd on this occasion The
three surviving officers are Mai. Thos P
Turner. Capt. Richard r. Turner and my
self.
Maj Thcs. P. Turner was born in Win
chester. Va, in 1910, and was a cadet at
west Point at the beginning of the war.
He entered the service of the conf .deracy
and was made commandant of all the pris-
{ ms IN Rlchmond at the age Of twenty-one.
Ills headquarters were at Libby prison.
winch was prison for officers. 1t often
contained as many as a thousand or more
prisoners at one time. He commanded the
prisons of Richmond from 1861 to 1875
Immediately after Gen. Lees surrender at
Appomattox ne left the country with Gen
Early and did not put foot on United
states soil for ten years after when he
returned and located at Memphis Tenn
WheFe he Is now practfcing dentistry He
IL eH Hpected to be present at Richmond this
week =.
Il received my appointment as inspector
or all private boxes received by tn. fla,
OF truce boats which came up to Richmond
on The James river from Col. Robt Ould
commissioner for the exchange of prison.
ers, and was located with Capt c. McRae
oeiph, the bonded officer appointed to re-
ceiNe the private boxes. His hea lquarters
were In the Pembertonj building adjoining
the Libby building square, and at the foot
or 2lst and Carey streets 1t was in the
yard of this building where Col. Rose ter
minated his famous tannel escape from
Libby in 1864. There were 100 officers who
came out through this tunnel just before
daylight and made their escape. The out
let of this tunnel was made up through a
hole in the ground within twenty-five
yards of where l was in bed asleep with
enc of my assistants. Out Of the 100 who
made their escape through this tunnel fif-
ty-two were recaptured and returned to
Libby prison. Col. Rose himself being one
Of the unfortunate ones to be captured
after many days tramping and hiding to
try and evade our pickets.
Il am now living in Maryland engaged
iE farming and dairying. 1 belong to the
Ridgely Brown Camp of Confederate Vet
Grams. ! am going to Richmond as the
guest of Camp III. L. c. v, of Washing
ton. l hope to meet many old comrades ut
Richmond and we shall all have a good
time"