Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-04
LOYAL LEGION MEETS
CAPT. LEWIS TELLS STORIES OF
LIBBY PRISON.

Libby Prison was the main topic con-
sidered at a meeting of the Military Order
of the Loyal Legion held last evening at
Rauscher's, corner of Connecticut avenue
and L street northwest. A paper on Lib
by" was read by Capt. John w. Lewis,
United States Volunteers. who had personal
acquaintance with the interior and work
ings Of the well-known place of detention
as prisoner, and his recital of the many
incidents of his stay there proved highly
entertaining The meeting was attended
by about 100 members. Plans are already
being made for the twenty-fourth annual
banquet of the District Commandery of the
Loyal Legion. The feast will be held on
the evening Of Thursday, February 1. and
IL Is expected that 1t will be attended by
many men of prominence in army and navy
circles. Maj ". p. HuXford. U. 8. A, re-
corder of the commandery will have com
piete charge of the arrangements for the
banquet.
After the regular business meeting of the
csoImnanoery was completed, which was pre-
SIDED over by Lieut.. Gen. Adna r. Chaffee,
y: 3. A, commander, and at which Mai
". F. Huxford, L. s. A., acted as recorder.
Sapt. JoEn W. Lewis was introduced, and
ne read his paper. His bright and easily
Followed account of his experiences in the
dience. INV GU
capt LAWS was with the troops of the
\
on the second day of the fighting his regI-
nent or LOCO men was cut off from the re-
manner or the army, and before thew knew
~. hao 1900 confederates between them
ana the main Union army Capt John r
weston, now major general in the army
was In the regiment and he proposed that
they make dash through the army thai
s spalated them from the United States
ttLoops. mat was vetoed, however and
lhey were taken prisoners Capt Lewis
was taken TO Libby prison, where he had
many exciting and amusing experiences. He
was fortunate enough to have a sister Nv
Ing In Richmond at the time ana she y,s,t
ea MN. My sister used to Come to see
n ne aoout once week, and would tell her
W Sa. Inc Snort rations In the prison. The next
day negro would come down WITH a re-
ketiul OF grub for me-" he said ~ wo,,id
uiviae with the other fellows of course and
'heh on Sunday we had jolly good Josh"
The Famous Tunnel.
while he was in the prison fifteen men
Jug tunnel from the prison to a shed
aoioss the road. The regular guard of the
PRISON We're specially good, but one night
'uSl peiore christmas, the guard was given
hisnt on and some soldiers were nut on
guard. On that night 100 prisoners passed
through the tunnel to the shed They Jeff
the shed In parties of three TO Ave ~.
new sentries saw the men leaving tha ~
Dut supposing that they were some soldiers
VINO mad been to the shed to DilIaee so-,a
o th the CHRISTMAS baskets for the prisoners,
Win tour companions They were a con-
sloerable distance away when a soldier
WI, vii shotgun appeared on the scene They
were unarmed and they started to run
away, but Lewis fell behind HIS COW
rades; though they did not know him.
would not go on without him, and they re-
turned He only asked that they make
MN comfortable, and they left him in the
W. warm a, sun. After g rest of several hours
ne started for the Union lines sixty miles
away. In crossing a river on the wav'
however, he made slight splash and was
captured by sentry. An officer from the
prison who happened to be there recog-
hizeu MN and he was taken back to Rich
mond. He finally procured his liberty
through the Intervention of a high off1cts1
or the confederate states. A letter to thai
official fell into his hands and he forwarded
onp %Ppeh1 r rspr that h. was given an
Following the reading Of the paper the
party adjourned to the banquet room and
there light refreshments were served AT
lne informal session which followed Brig
Gen George b. Davis, Judge advocate gen
eral of the army, presided. and he called
Tor informal talks That the bordering
states between the north and south saved
the nation in the time Of its peril was the
feature OF the sentiments expressed by the
speakers, startd by one and continued by
others. Gen. McKie of the LIST Virginia
Volunteers told of the organization OF the
LIST Regiment of Virginia Volunteers, when
enlistment officers of the two sides were
within block of each other in border
towns. Guns were ordered from distant
Massachusetts, because the Secretary of
War said that he had no guns for the regi-
ment, and with those they marched to bat
tie. John A. King. ex-assistant secretary
OF the navy, recounted some experiences
Old war songs were sung and old incl
dents were recounted. The meeting broke
up by the singing Of Aud Lang syne.