Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-24
DEPRIVED OF LIBERTY
UNION SOLDIERS MIXED EXPERT
ENcE ON CHRISTMAS DAY.

Perhaps the most unhappy. and at the
same time most thoroughly enjoyable,
Christmas day of my experience was that
of the year 1861 remarked prominent
local official who wore the Union blue and
conducted himself most gallantly during
the war of the rebellion ''On the occasion
in question l was deprived of my liberty,
being an inmate of Libby prison.
Hundreds of the prisoners whAahad been
uneasily slumbering on the floors of Libby
aroused early that morning. and Merry
Christmas was the by-word of the restless
| throng of more than LOCO men. Some one
started to sing, and soon every voice Joined
| in The Star SpangIed Banner. land other
| appropriate Union airs. Soul-stirring strains
arose from every room of the big prison
building, and fioated out on the air Ia
grand chorus of enthusiastic and patriotic
voices unequaled in Richmond for a long,
long time.
Many a homesick soldier was transport
ed back to the days of peace and plenty
and home. when Aud Lang Syne' was
sung. Before very long quiet was restored.
and then there was evidence of elaborate
scheming and planning and meager prepa-
rations for Christmas dinner. AS is Well
known, the few prison rations furnished
were but a poor hope for a feast, and the
money In the prison scarcely sufficient
with which to make anything like extensive
purchases.
War Prices Prevailed.
Potatoes were then worth $50 a bushel,
wheat bread, 81 a loaf, sugar SO a pound
and eggs So a dozen, with tea and coffee
not procurable at any price. These figures
constituted mighty poor prospect for any
thing even remotely resembling a square
meal Very few. If any. of the prisoners
were compelled to go hungry. however, for
quite number of fairly good dinners ma
terialzed, and those who had plenty in
ytted their less fortunate neghbors to dine
with them
Visiting from room to room In an almost
formal manner ruft,-~tlasrfr,sr IT he
afternoon. and greetings were exchanged as
Freely as anywhere else in the country
During the evening. with tallow dips the
sole means to make the interior of Libby
only little less gloomy than utter dark
ness we had an elaborate Christmas enter
tainment in the kitchen. There was an or
cheStra. consisting of VIOLIN banjo bones
ana tambourlne, and several character
sketches, one being something on the order
OF what Is now termed rag-tIrne cake
walk The grandest entertainment ever
given in the finest theater in the world was
not more enjoyed than was that given in
the Kitchen OF Libby prison by and for
those cooped-up human beings
New Years Day Memorable.
New Year day. 1864. was also a memoir
able occasion in Libby. The long-drawn-
out cry of Twelve O'Clock! Post No. l.
ais well!' by prison sentinel aroused hum
dreds of the prisoners and notified them
that the new year was In. Quickly a GEN
eral shout of Happy New Year, went up
and singing was started. After the singing
had died away a few boisterous fellows
awoke the echoes by cheers yells and such
a mixture of unearthly sounds as would
have made one believe that a pandemonium
had arrived instead of new year. eau
lion from the guards below soon ended the
babel and quiet once more reigned thronnh
out the prison. = go 80
Again there was dinner out of the
| ordinary. and visiting, an entertainment
and grand ball. To see several hundred
men who had often graced fashionable bali
rooms in evening clothes, dancing with
other men and apparently enjoying them
selves was b sight to behold. 1t was the
only real stag dance / ever participated In
ana L never had any disposition for an
other.
When the Ball Was Over.
When the ball was over and the cry of
lights OUT was heard. the noise and con-
fusion of The early morning again was in
evidence. Every conceivable noise was
made Stamping, halloing and shouting,
amid deafening clatter of tinware. and
good limitations Of oil the domestic animals,
as Well as the denizeEs of the forest sound
ed through the halls OF Libby.
me more quiet and sedate among the
prisoners soon controlled this turbulent ele-
ment, and In a few minutes the usual quiet
year fairly began in that dready abode