The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-26
a PRISONER OF WAR
AT POINT LOOKOUT
Fifteen Months a Captive-A Thrilling Escape.
Prison Life and It's Incidents
By WILLIAM S. HUMPHREYS CO

sred at tho banquc. given at Lexing.
Ton. January 10, by the Sons OF Con
teoeratc Veterans 10 the Confederate
soldiers Of Rockbrdge county. on the
occasion of the cbaervunec1 OF Lee
Jackson Day)
II ! should give my remarks II tiuc
It would be Life Of Fifteen Months in
Prison and How ! Escaped from Point
Lookout Al the outbreak OF the war
3 did not want 10 enter the army. for
the reason that q widowed mother a,.l
Revcral brothers md sisters were de-
rcnden, on me. In part. fo, support:
but IN tho spring OF is62 ] was draft
Cd into service. and was assigned to
the College Company participated
In the campaigns OF the Valley undc CT
Stonewali Jackson, when Generals
Banks and Milroy We're frequently sur.
prised by Jackson and their stores and
supplies captured, which wcre appro-
priated By the Confederates Among
the engagements were the battles al
Winchester. Gross keys, Por, Repub-
lie. tho march from tho Valley to
Richmond. the seven Days ight, ba ok
70 Manassas. Cedar Mountain on to
Sharpshurg. returned 10 Fredorioks-
burg. and at Camp Winder for the
f-st time we stayed long enough at
enc place TO go into camp. up 10 that
siine the soldiers were subjected to
Auch rapid movements that ,herc was
no time for camp life.
The spring OF 1863 opened with
repetition OF forced marches and FREE
luent engagements, terminating with
the RAID into pennsylvania and tic
rattle OF Gettysburg. | shs captured
at that battle and with hundreds OF
other Confederate prisoners taken 10
Fort Delaware. Among the DrIsoneTs
vas John Med. Alexander OF Lexins-
ton.
one day hnn looking, noyrpons
OLD gentleman came into prison and
asked II any men Were there from
Lexington, Va, rud Mr. Alexander
came forward and said re was from
Lexington, The visitor was Dr.. jun
kin. formerly president OF Washing
ton College. Later ono of tho prison
officers came and inquired for Ma jor
J. Med. Alexander. snyinS ne had
letter for him. Mr. Alexander made
Tie officer. presumably 10 some other
part OF The prison. We thought II
was scheme 10 punish the Confcdcr
ate officers apart from the privates.
AIr. Alexander had some difficulty in
proving that 10 was not such an Off
ser
After three months Imprisonment
at Fort Delaware. we We're removed To
Point Look out sit,ntcd al the mouth
OF the Potomac River. and here were
huddled together something like a.
600 Confederate prisoners, The place
was low and marshy and unhealthy.
At first we We're put in an old field.
with cornstalks and wild onions. Many
prisoners were put TO work. some
working all day for rationa. rho
area was thirty-six acres fenced in
with high fence. ten feet from which
within the Enclosure was Z deep trench.
Outside. along the wall, was plat
form, on which paced the guards. Be
yond was another wall and still
further was the bay. The camp was
prisoners The aggregation Of men
composed all sorts. from the dude TO
the hobo. Great ingenuity was shown
by tho men to while away their time,
ind many beautiful trinkets We're made
With rude tools, such as rings from
buttons, fancy toys, etc. Numerous
games were played and some gamb-
ling The life was hard and some of
the men took the oath of the Federal
government and were given their free
dom, some joining the enemy's army
and lighting against their own friends.
* few tried to escape.
"a number OF prisoners operated a
brick ma king plant inside the prison,
men tunneled under the wall ana tried
to escape. They came up Just inside
tho wall and five OF them We're shot.
Their bodies were loft on the ground
for a whole day IN order to show oth-
srs what they might expect should
they attempt TO get out. Or another
occa sion the late Captain 3. G. Raw
lings, OF Rockbridse, was detailed to
go out Of prison With other men and