The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-21
KUPP WAS A COOL ONE.
HE WALKED OUT OF LIBBY PRIsoH
WITHOUT A OUTER.


Escape ana seir-Posscasion In Making It
Lieut.. Kupp Of the Eighty.cighth Pennsylva
MIA Volunteers was captured. with many of hi
regiment, at Gettysburg. He was known rs
Pennsylvania Dutchman and he came from
Berks county, in that State. where German colo
nists settled nearly two centuries ago and where
their descendants cling to the old customs ant
the mother tongue oven unto this day.
As It was summer at tho time OF Gettysburg
the men captured in that battle were in light
attire. and tho long march down to Richmond
and tho wear and tear on their thin blouset
reduced them to rags, and this Pennsylvania
Lieutenant seemed to DO tho most ragged OF all
Kupp was considerably over six feet in height,
lank, long limbed, and inclined to DO round
shouldered. lie was about "a years old. and the
gray eyes, long, dark hair, and fuzz-covered face
gave him the appearance of a North Caroline
mountainoer. His comrades jokingly called him
tho tar hoel." but no took It good naturally.
The resemblance was much in his favor when he
made up his mind to leave Libby, and, to use his
own language. mako a bee line for Gods land
as the prisoners called the North.
The two subjects that engrossed the minds Of
the men were exchange and escape. Nearly
every day tho report spread that the exchange
cartel had been resumed, and that the men were
to be sent North under nag Of truce within
twenty-four hours. On such occasions groups
of excited mon would rush through tho six al.
visions Of the dark, dreary old warehouse. shout.
ing frantical1y:
Pack upi Pack upi All exchanged HuP.
rah for Gods landI'
Constant disappointment failed to lessen these
rumors, nor did It weaken tho hopes Of the men
who heard them. Perhaps Kupp was an excep.
ton, for he never got excited, was mover stirred
from his stold bearing by the cry of Pack upl''
=" Ihave nothing to pack" he would say with .
grim smile. and without raising his eyes from
tho bit of yellow bone no was trying to carve
into a crucifx with q broken jackknife.
Plans for escape were daring and innumerable,
Nearly all wero impractical, Jet, unknown to
their comrades, twenty-five men, pledged to
secrecy, were at this time digging in the dark.
ness the great tunnel through which subse.
quently ITO men escaped.
when I get good and ready Tn going 70
Light out"
This Kupp would say to tho men unfoldina
their schemes about him, but as he refused to
tell how he proposed getting away he was
laughed at and left to his bone carving.
Just before Christmas the Confederate author.
tiles, who had refused to receive supplies for
the prisoners from tho United States Govern
ment, permitted friends in the North to send
down q little food and clothing under flag OF
truce. Uniforms were contraband. so that all
the clothes that came through were Of the citi.
zen style and material.
Lieut.. Kupp received a huge box, full of hams.
sausages, preserves, cheese, and other good
things from the old farm, but neither the mem
DRY of past hunger nor fear Of the future pre-
vented his inviting the men who had no boxes to
help themselves. OF all the things in the big
box. the one that most delighted Kupp's sou! was
n suit of butternut clothes. evidently Of homo
manufacture, even to the cloth.
The lieutenant soon "shucked" his blue rags
and donned the new suit Thus attired. he strobe
up and down the upper Potomac room" a hunk
OF bread in one hand and a chunk of ham in tho
other. while his laughing companions demanded
TO know when he left North Caliny."
Hit don't mattah we'en / left" responded
with an inimitable mountaineer drawl,
" the thing that's a botherin' mo now is we'en
an how lie gwine ter git back"
As old soldiers will remember, the uniforms of
the Confederates were anything but uniform nj
about this time. The citizen clothing put aside
at the beginning Of the war was sent to the front
from home, though a gray hat, gray trousers, or
gray coat had been retained whenever possible.
of Confederates in "butterputs"
passed the prison along Carey street every day,
and many of the guards about Libby. and those
who came in every morning 10 count the prison.
crs. were dressed in the same material.
This prison roll call at this time was moro ex-
than efficient. Every morning. in the
gray. cold dawn OF that bitterly cold winter. tho
\ ankees were routed from the floors on which
hey lay and driven into the upper Potomac, or
upper east room-the latter was the name given
I by the Confederates. Through an opening in
he wall the men were counted into the upper
.~hickamauga, or upper middle room. where they
scribed limits. The men at the head Of the line,
and they were usually the ones who had some
hing 10 cook. made a swift rush to the lower
middle room. where there were four old-fash-
oned rusty Kitchen stoves.
When the count was over and no Yankee re.
ported missing. the guards filed down 10 tho
vest ground floor room. where " Black George"
he sergeant: and the prison clerk Little Ross"
to Major Turner, commandment Of the
One morning, it was early in January. 81. and
.bo4t ten days after he had received the cloth
vas usually among the first counted out, hung
o The rear. and on this occasion WAS the very last.
When kupp came into the upper Disadvantages
land Of n. Capt: Mas SkM OF his own regiment, who
Good-hy; Ed; I'm going TO mako q break for
As this was the first intimation Capt. Mas
tstounded TO make a reply. The next instant
iupp had caught step and fallen in behind the
'uard.
He kept safely to the rear until the Sergeant
+ the guard had reported, to the officer in
turner. who by this time was seated at his desk
inside or a railing. Hearing tho shutting Of
,et on tho floor, Turner looked up and do.
:" nv 'A' aIc NONf
:. I'm from North Caliny, responded Kupp.
nFnlered tho Cad, an Two been a waittn' To
AK y wid yo. Amt 30, Mistah Turnah r
al t ~ my name. Now. what do you wantr'
,oIH We been in hospital. Jest got ont yesday. an
1e Yankee primers, said Kupp.
90 10 the front. c%onfonnd you, and you'u SEQ
'ore Yankees than you'll like!" shouted Turner.
-" Then thar amt no show To- me to SEQ any OF
ranks helped Gobblc Mt Gettysburg or
hicklnaugy r.,
- No; get OUT and Turner pointed to the door,
here an armed guard stood listening and laugh.
Ig,..
=" Wal. didn't know you uns was so cusscd
lrticnlar." drawled .kupp.. as. obcying tho
indicated by Turner's extended hand,
Q made for the door.
kupp salutcd the guard. who exchange winks
I'm him as he passed out 10 freedom.
once beyond the guard, Il man OF ordinary
ervc, would have started Off with all speed. nor
iited until Libby was far behind and even tho
ceplcs of Richmond ont of sight; but Kupp
as not an ordinary man. Standing before tho
to Turner: ~
Say, mlstnh, hev ye any objections to a
1nRfA - ElsE 900. l.