The Washington times., 1902-10-06

ene hampton LeBiou-apout 10000 men.
On the inside 1t was guarded by some
thousand or two Of boys. The inner for.I
tifications were only partially manned.
General Grant was preparing for his
final campaign, and General Lee needed
every available man. Secretary STAN
ton had announced that no exchange
Of prisoners would be permitted, az ID
would add materially to the strength
of the Confederate army. Thus the
Union prisoners were practically left. to
their Fate.
This was a hazardous undertaking.,
as, according to international laws OF
war, prisoner who sheds blood In st-I
tempting to escape is doomed to death
in case Of failure. Among my Cocoon
spirato.s were Captain Morley. one Of
the famous Six Hundred Of Balakiava In
the Crimean war, who wore the Vic.l
torta cross. and Capt Francis Irsch.
OF the Forty-fifth New York volun-l
teers. to whom was given the medal Of,
honor for distinguished gallantry at Get
tysburg. All were sworn to secrecyI
| in the proposed overpowerfng Of the
guards and seizing of arms.
Guards to Be Overpowersd. /.
The plan for doing this was to be put,
in operation during minstrel per-
formance In the prison. Several Of thu
Federal officers were excellent mimics.l
and by charring their faces made very
good imitation negroes. The guards
were in the habit of attending the per-
formances in scores. 1t was schemed to
get them absorbed in the entertainment
and then overpower them. This would
enable q large number of prisoners to
dress in Federal uniforms and to arm
themselves with rifles. They then
planned to overpower the guards, pro-
coed to the tobacco warehouse. and se-
cure q hundred or more CASTOR uni
forms left there by the Confederate
soldiers in looting.
One party was to march to the river
and by overpowering the guards secure
the boats and proceed to Belle Isle and
liberate the $4,000 Union men there.
Another party was to seize the arse
els and secure arms for the liberated
prisoners. while third was to seize the
capitol and Confederate congress, then
IN session in Richmond.
Night after night the minstrel show
was given, and night after night no word
came from Washington. They were
hoping against hope. Already more than
hundred prisoners had escaped through
the tunnel constructed under the direc-
tion of Colonel Rose. and the garrison
vas vigilant. Not hearing from Wash
ington. the prisoners determined to make
the attempt without outside aid 1t was
last resort. They were prepared to
sell their lives at dear price. Hun
dreds of the men were dying slow and
| torturous deaths in. the foul prison dun
1 geons. 1t was better to be shot than to
die in such manner. 1t was all ar
ranged on a February day, that they
should make the dash for liberty on the
| following night. Then came the cul de-
sac.
Betrayal and Failure.
| Di Cesnola arose the next morning,
Il
several battalions of extra guards
marching into the prison yard At each
corner of the building was stationed a
| field gun and ammunition. Some one
had given the plot away. Who had be-
trayed them? At first it was thought q
Confederate spy had been put among
them disguised as Union officer. All
that day was spent in trying to ferret
out the traitor. il traitor there was.
During the afternoon Major Turner ap-
| peared among the prisoners and began
his sardonic examination
The Federal officers noticed that Colo
mel - was absent from the room.
After Major Turner had retired this
Colonel - appeared. He was ques-
toned by some of the men. and did not
give satisfactory answers. During the
night ii was arranged by several Of the
prisoners to throw Colonel - from a
thirdstory window in the prison Di
Cesnola was not a party to the scheme,
but heard all about it. One or two of
the cooler heads interceded for Colonel
= by appealing to the men TO postpone
his death until absolute proof of his
| guilt could be adduced. This saved his
| life. as they were never able to secure
or bring forward enough proof to war
rant killing him. Thus failed coup de
main which promised everything for
nothing. Had Secretary Stanton co-op-
Grated with the Libby prisoners imme-
diately on receipt of the information he
received there Is hardly doubt but that
they would have captured Richmond and
ended the war Il year before the final
surrender at AppomattoN in April 1865.