Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1898-03-15


Three were in dungeon cast,
OF whom this wretIh is left tle last.
BYRON
After remaining several hours i
the Provost's office, an officer ap
peared. Qearned he was the Proves
Marshal, Col. Fish,) who seeing u
sitting there said, in an insoltnt AM
coDtenptuons manner, .'what are yol
doing here? Get out of here! Guarl
take tlleserehels 10 the guard-bouse.'
L longcd then to have chance to re
IpaN that scoundrel his gratuitous in
suit. But as he is now receiving TIL
just reward of his actions, can only
wish tire penitentiary may reform
him.
just here cannot refrain iron
giving an cxtgnct from my father
diary. of date January 25. 1864
while prisoner at Fort McHenry
He says:
''My paper was put iuto my ten
as usual, learned from it that tn,
former Provost Marshal, Col. Fish
was confined prisoner in his owl
negro Jail, where he had ruthIessIJ
confined so many of his fellow men
Retribution is sure. Vengeance i.
mine, will repay, saith the Lord.
Although Ihave reasons for believ
ing Col. Fish has been very vindic
tive towards me, 1 feel for him in hi,
suffering and degradation. 1t can
not benefit .me to have him pun.
ished, and if he has a family my
sympathies are with them.'
The station-house was a dirty
filthy place, and unfit habitation fol
human beings. Shortly after our in
generation there, two drunken won.
en- were placed in an adjoining cell,
separated from US by an iron-grated
door, and Coleman, who had never
seen a drunken woman before, seem
ed to enjoy their alternating extremes
of piety and wickedness.
About 6 p. m. our cell was un-
locked and squad of soldiers ap-
peared, conducted us to Fort Nc
Henry and put MS in an cid stable
there, used then as military prison,
where we met some thirty Confeds,
among the number, Strother Davis,
brother of ex-Sheriff Davis. This
building was full of vermin and /
roasted on a roof brace, prefe rring
to risk my neck Mt this altitude rath-
er than sleep in the infected quarters
below. Our fare here was exceed
ingly hard. Black water, called cof-
fee, and hard tack for breakfast and
supper, and bean soup for dinner
No meat was cooked with the beans,
none was necessary, for the worms in
the beans furnished the requisite
grease. The coffee was made in the
same camp-kettle as the soup, with
out rinsing, and appeared with greasy
scum on top. Is Moro Castle worse
than this?
On the second day after our in
Stdlldtion in this stable, most of the
privates, including Manning and
Coleman, were taken to City Point
for exchange, but in few hours
others took their places.
Imprisonment in this foul hole
soon became unbearable, and 1 de-
termined to attempt an escape. Pre-
paratory therefor, my jacket was
stripped of all insignia of an officer,
and dirt rubbed in where the braid
was torn of, to make it appear old
and shabby as the residue. My
intention was confided to a few of our
men, whom L felt could be implicitly
trusted, and who promised all help
possible. In few days another ex-
change boat appeared at the wharf to
take off prisoners for exchange, and,
as their names were being called and
they were passing out by the guard,
1 answered to one of the names and
passed the sentinel unchaIlenged.-
We were marched to the boat and
embarked for the trip. But au evil
genius presided over my destiny that
day.
/ had been on the boat about half
an hour, when was startled by a call
for me, and 1 looked up and saw it
proceeded from a Federal officer
1t so unfortunately happened that q
couple of ladies from Baltimore came
to the Fort and asked for permission
to see me, which was granted, and
the officer was sent to the stable for
me and found the horse out. Sus-
pecting that 1 had escaped among
the privates, he came to the boat and
called for me. No answer was made
him, and he then commenced tour
through the prisoners. Being small
and kept apprized of his movements,
eluded his vigilance, until his pa
thence was exhausted. Asserting that
he knew was on the boat, he order
ed all our men off. I went with
them and fell in the rear rank on
shore, trusting he would be unable
to identify me. On the first round
lie passed by, and my spirits rose !;
but on his second detour, he slapped
me on the shoulder and said, you
are my man," and my heart went
down into my boots. He ordered a
file of soldiers to take me before Gen.
Morris, the Commandant of the Fort,
which they did, andreported the fact
about my attempt TO escape. The
old General then turning to me said,
:. / am informed you have been try
ing to escape. Yes, General.
said, but you are too much of SOL
dier to blame me for that. Oh
no, I do not blame you, he said,
:. but we will have to take better care
of you. Guard put him into the left