Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-09
ESCAPED FROM LIBBY
THE STORY OF THE HAZARDOUS
UNDERTAKING.
Hard Work for Fifty-one Days Dig
ging the Tunnel-List of Those
Who Succeeded.

The escape of 100 Union officers from
Libby prison on the 10th of February, 1864.
was, perhaps of the most thrilling and
daring incidents of it's nature during the
war Of the rebellion.
Gen. B. f. Butler had failed to alleviate
the Union prisoners at Richmond. At the
time of the escape says the Army Journal
of 1864, the first and authentic source of
information in regard to it, "for prudential
reasons many particulars were withheld
from publication"
Yesterday, in discussing the adventures
and trying times of the war of the rebellion
in group of veterans the Libby prison
escape was referred to, which suggested
that rehearsal Of that hazardous incident
at this time might not be amiss.
1t required fifty-one days to make the
tunnel from the cellar of the prison to the
opening under the tobacco shelter. Case
knives, chsels and files were the instru-
ments used In making the tunnel. ''Hav-
ing managed to find access to the cellar"
said one of the officers, 1--WE commenced re-
l1eVlng one another as opportunity offered
Twice the work was abandoned on account
of impossible distractions The excavated
soil was drawn out in a spittoon which was
attached to cord; the soil was concealed
in shallow layers over the floor of the cell
lar and covered over with straw. The at
mosphere in the tunnel was close that
we could remain in 1t only for a short
time, and the candles would go out. At
one time got so close to the surface of
the street that a small hole broke through
but fortunately was not discovered by the
guards, and was Of great service. admit
ting air. The tunnel when completed was
about sixty feet long, and opened into an
old tobacco shed beyond the line of the
guards.
GAS soon as the way was clear the off,
GERS emerged slowly in small squads of two
and three, and sauntered off until they got
clear of the guards, making their way
toward the Williamsburg road by the short
est route. 1t was a dark night, and the
fact that all the rebel soldiers whom they
met were habited in army coats of Uncle
Sam, which they had taken from the sup
plies sent to the Union prisoners, was of
great help to them. In order to elude the
pursuers who they knew would soon be on
their track they scattered as much as pos
sible, and frequent were their hardships
and narrow escapes from the rebel cavalry,
who were bushwhacking the next morning
in every direction.
Those Who Escaped.
The following list is the official roster of
the officers who escaped: Col Streight, Col.
McCreary, Dist Michigan: Lieut. Col Ho-
bart, 21st Wisconsin,; Capt Wallack. 51st
Indiana; Lieut.. Harris, 9th Ohio; Col. w.
P. Kendrick, Sd Tennessee Cavalry; Lieut..
Col. George G. Davis, 4th Maine; Lieut..
Col Alex. Won Witzel, 18th Pennsylvania;
Lieut. Col. ]. F. Boyd; Maj. ]. o. Collins.
Goth Indiana: Maj. ]. w. Fitzsimmons, Both
Indiana; Lieut.. T. P. Williams. 73d Indi-
ana; Capt. Mathew Boyd, 73d Indiana;
Capt Morton Tower. 18th Massachusetts,;
Capt Michael Gallaher, I'd New York Cav
airy; Capt A G. Hamilton, 18th Kentucky
Cavalry; Lieut.. ]. c. Fisler, It'll Indiana
Battery; Capt. J. F. Gallaher, I'd Ohio:
Lieut. N S. McKeen 21st Illinois; Capt.
Isaac N Johnson, 9th Kentucky Cavalry;
Capt. w. S. B. Rundell, I'd Ohio; Lieut.. R.
Y. Bradford, I'd Tennessee Cavalry; Capt.
D. J. Jones, list Kentucky Cavalry. About
twenty-five were recaptured, who were as
follows: Col. Spofford. Dist New York;
Capt ]. Yates. Sd Ohio: Capt. ]. Stair,
10th New York; Capt Frank Irah, 45th
New York; Lieut.. H. Kinks, 9th Pennsyl-
vania; Lieut. w. n. Daily, Sth Pennsylva-
mia Cavalry; Lieut.. A. B. White, 4th Penn
sylvania Cavalry; Lieut.. E. Shredder, 14th
Pennsylvania; Lieut. w. L. Watson, 21st
Wisconsin; Lieut.. F. Moran I'D New York;
Lieut.. III. S. Chivester, SD Illinois; Lieut..
w. B. Pierce, 18th Kentucky Cavalry;
Lieut. A. More. 4th Kentucky Lieut. P. S.
Edmunds, 9th Pennsylvania; Second Lieut..
J. NJ Wilson, 10th Ohio; Second Lieut. S.
p Gamble, 63d Pennsylvania; Second Lieut..
G. S. Cord, S4th Pennsylvania; Second
Lieut.. S. P. Brown, 18th United States
Cavalry; Adjt M r. Small, 9th Maryland;
Isaac johnson, engineer steamer Satellite.
The following officers, reported in the
Richmond Examiner at the time as escaped,
were not heard from for some time after
ward: Col. w. G. Ely, 18th Connecticut;
Col C. w. Fidden, 10th Maine; Col. T. s.
west, oath Wisconsin; Col. D. Miles, 10Th
Pennsylvania; Maj. ]. H. Hooper, 18th
Massachusetts; Maj. B. B. Mcdonnell,
Tooth Ohio; Maj. ]. N. Walker, I'D Indiana,
and Maj. ]. Henry, 9Th Ohio.