Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-14
WALKED OUT OF LIBBY.
II Took Lots of Nerve, Hut the or'
deal Was Passed SUCCESSFULLY

When General John Morgan, the famous
Confederate raider, visited Libby Prison
.sr,v in 1864 he sald There is no uh-
dertaking in the world that you nave not
men in the prison qualified Tor; tnat
why IL Is strange that more Oh you iei-
lows don't try to get away. u
In Libby Prison, at the time OF Mol
gan's visit. there were about 1,4oo oincers,
from beardless econd-neutendhts,
their teens, to grizzled leaders OF brigaoes
and divisions. These men came not only
from every State and Territory In our
own land. but they represented the armies
OF nearly every European nation. We
had lawyers, doctors. clergymen. college,
professors. engineers, editors, and every
variety of skilled mechanic. Among the
craftsmen was Captain cooper, OF ooil
necticut who had learned the trade or
tailor in his youth, and was conducting
n clothing store at Hartford, when
patriotism dominated profit and sent MIN
into the army.
Where every man "felt sick ana mean
to use an expression common at the time
only the very sick and helpless were sent
10 the prison hospital, the eastern ground
floor. or Libby. DIR. Sabal, the Confed-
crate surgeon in charge of the hospital
was rs generous and sympathetic as ne
was handsome and able, ana that is say
ing much This gentleman kept the hos
pital full. and the fact that II was mucn
warmer than the other quarters made 1t
a desirable place.
There is one ailment which. at the
front or in prison, "old soldiers could
assume without immediate fear or de-
lection, and that is rheumatism. Rheu-
matism Of the affected character has
xCf
than courage. out of the range Of the
enemy's rifles. 1 was myself In hospital.
recovering from typhoid-pneumonia,
when Captain Cooper was brought down
from the lower east ROOM rheumatism
I'm the legs had so crippled the captain
that he could hardly crawl, but his arms
appeared to be all right The nurses IN
the hospital were detailed Union soldiers
who had been confined In the Pemberton
building. a warehouse lower down and
across the street from Libby. Captain
Cooper proved to be jolly good fellow;
but II was noticed that when the Con-
federate authorities were not about MS
rheumatism did not seem to interfere
with agile locomotion. Where cooper
cor his needles and thread l cannot ina
CINE. bit he had those coveted appiiah-
ces and he used them to repair the da-
images IN tlc Oiu - ~
rade3. 100.
One day while Cooper was sitting
cross-legged on his cot repairing the rents
In Captain Bohannan's trousers, La
Touche. the prison adjutant came In ana
watched the flying needle with unusual
interest. La Touche was stout man.
whose thick neck and ford face bespoke
a love for good living He was very neat
In his nerson. a bachelor, and no end or
a gallant as we afterward learned.
"see here, Captain" called out Adju-
tant La Touche. after he had watched
Cooper for some time, "are you regu-
lar tailorY
..That Is my trade" replied Cooper.
.srbink YOU could make me a full-dress
uniform IL / furnished you the mate
rial?" was the next question.
'If had your measure and plate 10
go by"
ooh we have no plates, but l can give
Won the details; l know all about en-.
Then the Confederate adjutant went on
TO say that he had secured all the mate
riaIs hut that tailoring had become so
extensive In the Confederate capital as
to preclude the making OF the clothes.
"You see" continued La Touche, there
,s 70 he a ball at the State House In
TWO weeks. and IL i could have the suit
made ND at a reasonable price In time
for that event il would take great load
off my mind
confederate money had deprecated
very much at this time. so that the
prices Of articles. ordinarily plentiful.