sight of the guards with loaded muskets; the tunnel was not long enough, a mistake in measurement having been made. The opening was immediately closed, and the tunnel continued two feet, when an opening was made in a safe place. According to the statements made to me recently by Colonel Rose, the above statement will have to be somewhat modified; and yet part of it was true. It was not the intention to make the escape on the 8th, but contrary to his instructions a very small opening was made during that night, which jeopardized the entire enterprise. However, it was remedied immediately, and no discovery made. During the evening of the 9th it was agreed that I should watch operations; and at half-past nine o'clock, most of the officers having retired, I visited the lower room, and was surprised to find at least thirty men around the fireplace, rapidly lowering themselves into the cellar. The exodus had begun. Hastily returning to my friend, I communicated the fact to him, and we were soon in the crowd around the first opening. We had provided ourselves with three or four loaves of prison bread, two or three pieces of meat, and an empty popbottle for carrying water. Around the fireplace everything was conducted with terrible earnestness. There was very little order, but it was quiet. We found that everybody except ourselves belonged to some one's party, Colonel A's, or Colonel B's, or Colonel C's, and every one was going out first. It has been said that the managers of the tunnel believed that not more than one hundred among the eleven hundred officers knew anything about the undertaking, and that it was the plan for fifty to leave the first night, and, the prison clerk being deceived in regard to the number of men really in prison, as he had often been before, fifty should leave the second night, and so on. The officer charged with the responsibility of conducting the escape the second night, be coming convinced that absolutely no control could be exercised over the movements of men escaping from prison, became alarmed, and made his own escape. Concerning the above plan, I know nothing; but this I do know as early as half-past ten o'clock in the eveningthe time we arrived at a point as near the fireplace as the crowd would permit there was no order or plan. Every one was for himself, and my companion and myself soon became part of the crowd, and belonged to a party that was going out next if possible. We accomplished our undertaking in just about fifteen minutes. I have always supposed that the working party made their escape first, and that my companion and myself were numbers thirty and thirty-one out of the tunnel. We proceeded somewhat as follows: We were now in the midst of some thirty or forty men, all struggling to get past three stoves and attain the little opening in the bottom of the fireplace. Some hard words were undoubtedly said. We possibly may have dropped a word not absolutely in conformity with army regulations and the most refined society, although we had our Testaments in our pockets, and nothing but a pop-bottle full of water; but we were in a hurry, we were striving for freedom, for homes, and our regiments in the field. In a few minutes we were at the fireplace, and my associate thrust his feet into the opening. This rather preempted the position, and he went down and out of my sight. Two or three beside myself were struggling to be next. I effected a compromise, and was second. In a moment I was in the cellar, and conducted by my predecessor to the east wall and to the vicinity of the second opening or entrance to the tunnel. Here I found my companion, with four others, each one determined to make the passage first. Another compromise, and I was number three to make the escape. Only one man was allowed in the tunnel at a time, on account, I suppose, of the bad air. The exit of the man preceding could be EXPLANATORY NOTE. - On the left is a representation of the Prison. In the upper stories men are seen sleeping on the floor. On the left, back of the stoves, is seen the first tunnel in the fireplace and partition wall. In the cellar men are seen proceeding to the main tunnel. Between the two buildings is a representation of the tunnel, with an opening on the wrong side of the fence. Between the two small buildings on the right, and back of the upright board fence, is seen the open yard. The open passage-way from this yard to the street will also be noticed. easily determined by the cessation of the terrible noise made in forcing one's body through a long narrow shaft, which the tunnel really was. I had arrayed myself in an army overcoat, in which I had made two large inside pockets, and placed a loaf of bread in each, as I desired to have my hands and arms free for any emergency. My head and shoulders passed into the tunnel without trouble, but the enlargement caused by the bread in my pockets prevented my going farther. I immediately drew myself back, took off my overcoat, and pulling it behind me with my right hand, proceeded to worm myself through the tunnel. It must be stated that this was no light and airy opening, but a narrow, dark, damp hole, just large enough for one to pull himself through; and the noise and racket produced by one man kicking and floundering against the walls of this cavern were simply indescribable. The exact time consumed in passing through, I cannot state; it could hardly have been more than two or three minutes. We had no way of knowing when we approached the external opening; but I remember that the shaft seemed to change direction abruptly upward, and it also was more contracted, indeed, I could again proceed no farther, and stopped. Some one whispered to me, "Don't breathe so loud; stop blowing!" and I felt a hand, which I grasped, and was pulled out of the external opening, which was in the open yard I have described, on the opposite side of the fence from the guard. My assistant proved to be my companion, Captain Rowan. We could now breathe once more the pure air of heaven, but our dangers were by no means passed. We were in direct proximity to the guard, and in the centre of the Confederate capital. We crept very cautiously behind the fence, into the open carriage-way, toward the canal; for once there, we were for the time out of sight of the guards. It has been supposed by many that those of us who escaped organized into parties for protection, and that we journeyed in considerable numbers. Not so. It was necessary to pass from the vicinity of the prison singly or by twos, in order to avoid suspicion, and it would have been absolutely impossible for any number to have kept together. All those who had escaped before us had disappeared except one. He communicated the manner of proceeding to escape from the vicinity of the prison, which had been successful up to this time, by those preceding us, and then he passed out. We communicated the plan to the next party, and so every one had the benefit of the experience of the one preceding him. - We were in the carriage-way, fronting the canal; four guards were slowly pacing along the south side of the prison. One guard on the east of course met his fellow at the southeast corner, and the same thing happened at the southwest corner. We were then less than three hundred feet from six armed men, whose duty it was to shoot us if they observed our movements. From our shadowed position in the carriage-way we could look up and down the street, and choosing a moment when it was comparatively clear, we passed out and walked slowly and deliberately down the canal, in full view of the guards, but, assuming the manners of those walking in the streets who had the right to do so, we were either not seen by the guards, or, if seen, were supposed to be citizens. This was one of the most dangerous points we passed during the escape, and in many respects the most wonderful. How these guards could stand there and see the number of persons on Canal Street walking away from them, and none passing, and not have their suspicions aroused, is almost a miracle. Besides, the guards were relieved once or twice every night, and new men must have observed the unusual activity on that obscure street during that entire night. One hundred and nine men passed out, and not one, so far as I am informed, was even halted by the prison guards. |