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TIIE CAPTIVITY 
 
 OF 
 
 GENERAL CORCORAN 
 
 THE ONLY AUTHENTIC AND RELIABLE NARRATIVE OP THE 
 TRIALS AND SUFFERINGS ENDURED, DURING 
 
 HIS TWELVE MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT 
 
 IN 
 
 EICHMOND AND OTHEE SOUTHEBN CTTEES, 
 
 BY BRIG.GENEEAL MICHAEL CORCORAN 
 
 THE HERO OF BULL RUN. 
 
 ** One of the few, the immortal names, 
 Thai were not born to die!" — HALLECK. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 
 PUBLISHED BY BARCLAY <& CO, 
 
 No. 602 ARCH STREET. 
 
 1864. 
 
I 
 
 THE VOLUNTEERS' ROLL OF HONOR 
 
 JUSTICE TO OUR GALLANT SOLDIERS AND SAILORS. 
 
 Though the present war has brought into existence a vast number of Histories 
 and Personal Narratives, yet no work has, until now, appeared, devoted entirely to 
 the cause of the Noble Men who have fought and died, and who are still fighting 
 and dying in the Holy Cause of their Country. 
 
 It is, therefore, to supply this want that we have commenced the publication of 
 
 THE VOLUNTEERS' ROLL OF HONOR. 
 
 The Roll of Honor is issued in Monthly Numbers. Each number is complete in 
 itself, and is 
 
 Magnificently Illustrated by the most Celebrated Artists. 
 
 Every Engraving represents some scene taken directly from the text of the book 
 itself. 
 
 The Roll of Honor is. in fact, a Casket, in which will be preserved the correct name 
 cf every Soldier or Sailor who has performed an act of daring o r gallantry in his 
 (■ountry's behalf. The proper number of his Regiment, and letter of his Company, or 
 name of his Vessel will, also, be strictly recorded, together with a full narrative of the 
 deed he performed. Such a work, it must be apparent, possesses 
 
 MORE ROMANCE THAN A NOVEL— MORE THRILLINGNESS THAN ANY OTHER 
 VOLUME OF ADVENTURES, AND ALL THE TRUTH OF HISTORY, 
 
 and is, therefore, more desirable to the Reading Public than any other work. 
 
 Relatives and friends of Volunteers, and Vftlunteers themselves, by sending us 
 a correct account of any praiseworthy or gallant deed, together with the Name, 
 Regiment, Ship, &c, of the performer, shall have the same recorded in 
 
 THE ROLL OF HONOR. 
 
 In addition to our other inducements, we have determined to make the 
 
 Following Splendid Offer: 
 
 To that person in the Army, or out of it, sending us by JANUARY 1st, 18G4, the 
 largest number of Subscribers to the 
 
 Roll ok Honor, we will present $200 00 
 
 Second largest number 150 00 
 
 Third " " 125 00 
 
 Fourth " " 80 00 
 
 Fifth, " " . GO 00 
 
 Sixth " " 50 00 
 
 Seventh " " 40 00 
 
 Onthp same day, we will also award to the Volunteer, who shall be decided by a 
 Committee of our most distinguished .Gen.erals, to have performed the bravest 
 *eed in the cause of his Country, $200 00' 
 
 la case the Volunteer be dead, the monJy will be paid to his proper heir or heirs 
 Jf living, to himself, or whoever he may name. 
 
 Soldiers, Sailors, and Civilians, Mothers, Daughters, and Sons, are alike interested 
 in giving The Volunteers' Roll of Honor a universal circulation, and thus intro- 
 ducing to every household in our land this 
 
 GREAT ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN HEROISM. 
 
 Hexid U5 Cents for a Specimen Copy at Once, and GS-et up Your 
 
 Clubs. 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 18G3, by 
 
 BARCLAY & CO. 
 
 lu the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, in and for the Eastern 
 
 District of Pennsylvania. 
 
Emm <E©iEi©iMi 
 
 r 
 
 CAPTIVITY 
 
 -4—- 
 
 In assuming tlie pen for the purpose of recording the following- 
 facts and incidents of a short but eventful experience, I have no 
 other purpose than that of laying before you, reader, a few truthful, 
 perhaps startling, statements in regard to one who will, as you may 
 doubtless suppose, always feel deeply honored by your enthusiasti- 
 cally expressed assurances of regard and esteem. 
 
 A little more than a year ago, he left New York City in command 
 of the gallant Sixty Ninth, to fight, and, if necessary, to die for the 
 beloved land of his adoption. His greatest gratification was to 
 lead his men into battle bearing side by side the Star Spangled 
 Banner of his American home, and the Emerald Standard of his 
 Native isle. And many a time, while confined in a. loathsome South- 
 ern dungeon, and treated with peculiar indignity and unusual severity 
 not only on account of his loyalty to the Union, but also of his 
 nationality, he has reverted with pleasure, and yet sorrow, to the day 
 on which he was captured. 
 
 On the morning of that day— a calm and holy Sabbath — he went 
 forth for the .first time upon the field of actual battle. But, placing 
 his trust in the God of battles, he joined in the terrible fray with the 
 determination either to fight his way to victory or to death. Provi- 
 dence, however, appointed it otherwise; and, ere the conflict had 
 reached its height, he was disarmed and taken prisoner by an over- 
 whelming force of the enemy, who instantly hurried him to the 
 rear. Soon after the conclusion of the bloody contest, he commenced 
 
 21 
 
22 THE GALLANT SIXTY NINTH. 
 
 his journey to the Southern prisons, in which he subsequently spent 
 many a weary, weary day, cut off, as he was, from home and loved 
 ones. To make the narrative more natural and interesting than it 
 otherwise would be, the first personal pronoun will be used through- 
 out the following pages by 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
 When, years ago, I first set foot upon the shore of the land of my 
 choice* and adoption, sad, sad indeed were the feelings in my breast. 
 Far away over the heaving ocean I had left my native isle in sorrow, 
 and I now gazed with a stranger's anxiety over the country that has 
 since so highly honored me. The former, ground as it was, and still 
 is, beneath the iron heel of a despotic power, afforded me no avenue 
 to rise above. the level in which I was born; while the latter gave 
 me all the opportunities I longed so for. To the best of my abilities, 
 I have improved these, and the result to-day is that I am one of the 
 happiest of men. I am happy because I have achieved the honor of 
 being counted a representative of Irish nationality. True, it enhanced 
 the sufferings that I received at the hands of the rebels; but it now 
 increases my pleasure tenfold when I hear loyal Americans, in refer- 
 ing to me, say, " Michael Corcoran is an Irishman." 
 
 One half of my heart is Erin's, and the other half is America's. 
 God bless America, and ever preserve her the asylum of all the 
 oppressed of the earth, is the sincere prayer of my heart. 
 
 But let me not loose space in skirmishing with lengthy introduc- 
 tions, but get at once, with all my force, into the proposed field of 
 my narrative. 
 
 My story should properly begin with my arrival in Richmond ; 
 but I prefer, for the purpose of fullness, to commence it much nearer 
 home, namely, at that never-to-be-forgotten spot, Bull Run, a spot 
 that has twice been baptized in blood, and twice witnessed the success 
 of armies hostile to our Republic. 
 
 All who know me know that I am not a superstitious man ; but, 
 during the whole of the day preceding that on which the battle of 
 Bull Run was fought, I felt deeply oppressed with a sense of coming 
 disaster, which, try as I would, I could not shake off. At six o'clock 
 on that evening — Saturday — I issued orders to the Sixty .Ninth, in 
 
THE BATTLE OF BULL'S RUN. 23 
 
 accordance with instructions received from a superior officer, to be 
 prepared to move forward by ten o'clock. And a thrill of joyful 
 pride ran through me as I beheld the alacrity and cheerfulness with 
 which the men set themselves about the task. Notwithstanding the 
 utmost exertions, however, the regiment was unable to advance 
 before two o'clock in the morning. Just after dawn, I halted on the 
 edge of a piece of woodland situated between Bull's Run and 
 Manassas Gap. A short distance from us, and supporting us, were 
 two Ohio regiments, and the New York Seventy Ninth, under the 
 command of the gallant Colonel Cameron. Accompanying this 
 whole force were Sherman's celebrated battery and a battery of iron 
 guns. 
 
 From daylight up to the moment of our entering the conflict, the 
 time flew rapidly away ; and when my brave boys threw themselves 
 fiercely against the rebel ranks, they seemed to be as fresh as though 
 they had just a moment before risen from their camp. 
 
 Ten o'clock found us in the face of two murderous batteries, whose 
 position we had only just discovered by receiving their fearful fire 
 point blank in our faces. For a moment, the boys wavered, and I 
 began to be fearful of their breaking. But I had no more than got 
 myself fairly in front of them, and given them the order to charge, 
 when, to a single man, they dashed, with terrific shouts and yells, 
 straight on to the battery, which was instantly taken. But at this 
 juncture the enemy opened upon us two new batteries,, and sent an 
 overwhelming force of infantry to surround us. Under the circum- 
 stances, I knew it would only insure a useless waste of life to hold 
 our position, and I was therefore obliged to order a retreat, which 
 was conducted in an orderly manner. They went back slowly and 
 apparently with dissatisfaction. I well remember one of them, a 
 noble-looking fellow of Company F, whose face was covered with 
 gore from an ugly wound in the forehead. Every once in a while he 
 would turn, and, taking deliberate aim, bring down a rebel officer. 
 As he passed me, I said a word or two to him. 
 
 "Ah, Colonel!" he replied, with earnestness, "now won't you plase 
 let us have only one more run at the bla'guards, and we '11 brino- in 
 their cannon just! Only say the word, Colonel, and we'll lick 'em 
 five to one!" 
 
 But valor must often give way to prudence, and so the retreat was 
 continued. As we fell back, I noticed a good opportunity for a dash 
 on the enemy, and I accordingly wheeled the Sixty Ninth, and 
 hurled them on the flank of a regiment of Louisiana Zouaves, who 
 were so furiously engaged with the Second New York Volunteers, I 
 
24 A DESPERATE CONTEST. 
 
 think it was, that our approach was not noticed until we were fully 
 upon them. My gallant boys, with this unexpected rush, swept 
 them down like a field of wheat is swept down before the tempest, 
 and they broke and fled in wild disorder. It was at this moment 
 that the brave and unfortunate Captain Ilaggerty fell by the hands 
 of a rebel whom he was just on the point of making prisoner. I 
 had him carried from the field to a neighboring cottage, where he 
 breathed his last quietly and uncons,ciousry. No time was there to 
 look to the wounded after that, however, for close by was a South 
 Carolina regiment, which, as it was endeavoring to outflank us, we 
 instantly charged. They fought well, contesting our advance inch 
 by inch. Still, it was useless, and we pushed them rapidly, and would 
 have entirely cleared the field of them had not a battery opened upon 
 us with great fury and decimated our ranks. By this time we were 
 joined by some of the Eire Zouaves, who had been separated from 
 their command. The South Carolinians, on our retreat, turned, and, 
 making a desperate charge, succeeded in wresting our flag from the 
 dying bearer. It was not long in their possession, however, for, with 
 ta loud yell, an officer of the Fire Zouaves, whose name I subsequently 
 ascertained to be Wildey, dashed forward, and, being a large, power- 
 ful man, rescued the glorious standard, and returned it to our color 
 
 guard. 
 
 The odds were now so terribly against us, that I again ordered a 
 ,retreat, which movement was being executed in good order, when a 
 new danger burst upon us. From behind a piece of woodland, the 
 famous Black Horse Cavalry came galloping down upon us with the 
 most fearful fury imaginable. In a moment, I gave the necessary 
 command to meet them. Their charge was grandly magnificent; and 
 I watched my own lines with feverish anxiety. But, thank Heaven! 
 no man wavered. All behaved with veteran coolness ; and, as the 
 foe came in range, a murderous discharge met and staggered him — 
 many a saddle being emptied. It was a fearful contest, and right 
 gallantly did the men of the Sixty Ninth maintain their proud 
 distinction. 
 
 I was separated a little distance from them, and somewhat to the 
 right. I knew that I was too far in front, and was just in the act of 
 shortening the intervening space, when my horse sank dead under 
 me, and I rolled over on the earth, wounded and utterly unable to 
 assist myself. 
 
 At this juncture, also, the rebels, making a fierce general sortie 
 along the whole lines, drove back our men with great slaughter, and 
 of course I was immediately captured. 
 
A NEW PRISONER. 25 
 
 • 
 
 Together with some six hundred other Union prisoners, I was 
 marched that evening to Manassas, where we arrived about eight 
 o'clock. The officers, myself included, were then ordered to fall in, 
 when they were marched off to a wretched old apology of a building 
 that was called a barn. 
 
 Before coming hither, however, and previous to the classification 
 according to rank, several persons having authority, or perhaps, for 
 all I know, merely pretending to have authority from their govern- 
 ment, passed in and out among the prisoners, searching their pockets, 
 and taking from them whatever they pleased, without let or hindrance. 
 Expostulations and entreaties were alike unavailing, and we unfortu- 
 nates were obliged to put up with the humiliating indignities thus 
 offered us. The manner in which our captors executed this atro- 
 cious proceeding was this. 
 
 Stepping to a victim with the words : 
 
 " Well, you d d Yankee scoundrel, what have you got ?" the 
 
 assailant would thrust his hands into the pockets of the luckless 
 prisoner, and, drawing forth the contents, appropriate whatever was 
 contraband. Purses, no matter how scantily filled, were decidedly 
 contraband ; while watches, chains, handsome penknives, and so forth 
 were confiscated according to the fancy or inclination of the searcher. 
 Some of the soldiers carried money-belts ; but the precaution was a 
 useless one, for the self-constituted rebel officials, with a dry laugh, 
 and some such expression as : 
 
 "Halloa, you old Yank ! got the Yellow Jack here, eh?" would 
 thrust their digits familiarly, and not very gently, into the ribs of the 
 sufferer, who, of course, was soon relieved of his treasure. 
 
 Some time after we had been turned in for the night, one of the 
 guard came into our quarters, and announced that he had a fresh 
 arrival in the person of Congressman Ely, who, the following 
 moment, stepped forward and groped his way among the scores of 
 forms lying outstretched upon the floor, to a spot near me, where he 
 threw himself down to pass the miserable night. 
 
 What my feelings were during the long, dreary, dreary hours that 
 dragged their slow length along till daylight, will never be known, 
 for they baffle all effort at description, and can only be faintly con- 
 ceived when left to even the most vivid imagination. 
 
 In the morning upon trying to rise, I found that I could not do 
 so, owing to my wounds and the fatigue and exposure to which I had 
 necessarily been subjected. At last, however, with a little assistance, 
 and strong exertion on my own part, I could stand up and walk a 
 little. Shortly after ten o'clock, Major Prados, of Louisiana, came 
 
26 STAKT F0R RICHMOND. 
 
 to our quarters, and ordered us to prepare to march. This word 
 "march," it may well be supposed, grated harshly enough upon my 
 ■ear, as the rain, which had been coming down heavily during the 
 mcht, was now pouring down in a perfect torrent, which, of course, 
 would make the mud very deep. However, the order was inexorably 
 to be obeyed, and so I determined to brave out whatever sufferings I 
 mi«-ht be compelled to endure while Nature enabled me to bear them. 
 Without any protection at all from the weather, I, with the rest, 
 tramped, or, more properly, waded to the railroad, where we were 
 placed aboard a train that was waiting, so we were told, to carry us 
 to Richmond. On account of various and unavoidable delays, we 
 did not start until late in the afternoon, and, travelling all night, we 
 reached Gordons ville between nine and ten o'clock the following 
 morning. 
 
 Here we were provided with refreshments by the Major in charge, 
 to whom, for his considerate care and attention to us and our wants, 
 we felt it to be our duty as well as pleasure to pass a vote of thanks. 
 Leaving the cars was not for a moment permitted on any considera- 
 tion ; and I well remember what a rage Major Prados fell into on 
 learning that one of the guard had allowed a prisoner to step from 
 the platform for a moment or so. So angry did he become, that he 
 drew his revolver, and threatened to shoot the offending soldier whose 
 humanity had got the better of his discipline. 
 
 As the train rattled on toward Richmond, the question as to what 
 sort of a reception we would get there when we arrived was raised ; 
 and many were the different surmises and guesses upon the subject. 
 Several asserted most positively that they had heard from reliable 
 sources that we would be torn to pieces by the mob, who were 
 excited to the highest pitch of frenzy against the men and officers of 
 the Union army. This opinion became the prevalent one among the 
 prisoners ; and the matter was at last spoken of to Major Prados. 
 This brave gentleman did not say that such would not be the case, 
 but he did say, that he had with him a guard of one hundred and 
 fifty men, and that he would, in case of an attack, defend us till the 
 last man fell. 
 
 Of course, the anxiety deepened on every face until the captives 
 were safely landed at the station in Richmond, where all was quiet, 
 and not a sign of a mob perceptible. Remaining in this building for 
 about an hour or so, we were marched over a mile through the 
 streets, which were fully lighted by the brightness of the moon. This 
 took place before ten o'clock, about the most favorable time to raise 
 •a mob ; but we safely reached our prison, the old Tobacco Ware- 
 
WANTON BRUTALITY. 27 
 
 house, since become so famous, and situated on Main Street. Our 
 arrival in the city had not been expected so soon, and consequently 
 there was some crowding and confusion, which tended not a little to 
 increase the discontent of the prisoners. General Winder apologized 
 to us for the necessity which obliged him to treat us thus, and 
 informed us that he was, as rapidly as circumstances would permit, 
 having new quarters prepared for the officers in a neighboring 
 building. 
 
 Around our prison were placed strong guards during the day, 
 which were doubled during the night, thus preventing the least 
 attempt at escape. So severely stringent were the orders on this 
 point, that prisoners were not allowed even the small privilege of 
 looking out at the windows. Several of my poof fellow-captives, 
 thinking that the order would not be too rigorously enforced, had 
 the temerity to glance out into the city. They paid dearly for their 
 boldness — a ball from the musket of the guard instantly either killing 
 or wounding them. One day, one of my companions could not 
 resist his desire to take a peep out over the city, and obtain a breath 
 of fresh air, and so, in spite of the danger, he made the attempt. In 
 an instant, the sentinel below fired, not with the usual result, how- 
 ever, for the ball, though passing through my friend's hair, did him 
 no other damage, but buried itself in a joist of the ceiling of our 
 room. Another half inch to the right, and the deadly missile would 
 have gone through the boards of the ceiling, and perhaps killed some 
 one of the prisoners lodged in the room over our own. This wanton 
 and useless brutality excited my indignation so much, that, when 
 General Winder next paid us a visit, I showed him the mark of the 
 ball in the joist, and expostulated with him for allowing such an 
 inhuman order — shooting defenceless prisoners — to be even thought 
 of, let alone put into execution. He assured me that, if he could 
 prevent it, such a thing should not occur again. 
 
 From the < commencement of our captivity, release had been the 
 uppermost thought in all our minds ; and on the Wednesday succeed- 
 ing our capture, Mr. Ely drew up a petition to President Lincoln, 
 stating our condition and our place of incarceration, and asking that 
 some measures might be taken looking toward our freedom. This 
 document we all* signed with pleasure, for we already began to feel 
 the irksomeness of our imprisonment, and longed to return to our 
 active duties. I assure you, dear reader, though dying for one's 
 country is glorious when it is accompanied by features that strip it 
 of its terror, yet languishing in the dungeons of your country's 
 enemy, almost within hearing of the booming guns of the struggling 
 
28 CHANGE OUR PRISON. 
 
 armies; is a most awful fate. There is the long, weary day, the slow 
 passing of the hours, and the still slower and more dreary night- 
 watches. Night after night have I lain absorbed in thought upon 
 my miserable cot, and gazed listlessly up into the far-away sky, 
 spangled with its thousands of beaming stars. These nocturnal 
 reveries, or rather studies, used to give me much pleasure. And I 
 have often prayed that, like that distant dome above, the azure field 
 of our own Starry Standard would in the future be studded as thickly 
 with stars, each representing some nation or people of the earth. 
 
 Many distinguished persons of Southern birth and proclivities 
 visited our quarters, and behaved, as a general rule, in the best 
 manner toward those whom the fortunes of war had placed compara- 
 tively in their power. Toward evening of the same day on which 
 our petition to the President was drawn up, the officers and Mr. Ely 
 were escorted to their new quarters in an adjoining building, which 
 was also a tobacco factory. From our room, which ran the whola 
 .length of the first story, we had a partial view of the James River. 
 This we thought a great privilege, although we did enjoy it at the 
 .risk sometimes of affording a target for the sentinels below, who 
 guarded our prison. 
 
 One of our first cares, when we found that a speedy release was 
 not perhaps to fall to our lot, was to adopt some systematic method 
 )f passing away our time, as well with profit as amusement. Accord- 
 ingly, after the suggestion and rejection of several plans, we concluded 
 ilmost unanimously to form ourselves into an association having for 
 •ts object the improvement and entertainment of its members. Our 
 Constitution, Rules, and 'By-laws were regularly created, each 
 3nember pledging himself to "stand by said Constitution and Laws." 
 The name adopted was "The Eichmond Prison Association," 
 and the following officers were appointed : President, Hon. Alfred 
 Ely (who, it will be recollected, was captured while witnessing the 
 battle of Bull's Run); Secretary, R. A. Goodenough; Treasurer, 
 Michael Corcoran ; and Assistant Treasurer, Charles Waters. 
 
 There was a long and side-splitting debate as to whether or no my 
 arduous and oppressive duties as Treasurer would require the 
 services of an assistant, which was finally settled, and recorded in 
 the Minutes as follows: 9 
 
 " On motion of Lieutenant Goodenough, it was Resolved, That, as 
 our worthy Treasurer is not likely to leave this prison, unless a good 
 chance offers, and as the fate of our commissary and quartermaster's 
 supplies depends upon the come-at-ability of the funds entrusted to 
 his charge, it is therefore deemed advisable to appoint to him an 
 
EXORBITANT POSTAGE. 29 
 
 assistant, not only to render him all necessary aid in guarding and 
 disbursing the funds in his charge, but' also, in case he may decamp, 
 to decamp with him, and see that said funds are not confiscated, by 
 the Confederate Government." 
 
 Many and various were the expedients resorted to by the Associa- 
 tion to kill time. "We debated, sung, told stories, played cards, 
 checkers, chess and dominoes, boxed, leaped, ran races, wrestled, and, 
 in short, were most successful in accomplishing our object. 
 
 Congressman Ely was a member of the mess* in which my lot was 
 cast ; and, as he often received newspapers, we used to amuse our- 
 selves by reading over paragraphs in reference to ourselves. Some 
 of these were extremely ridiculous. For instance, one day I saw in 
 one what purported to be a telegraphic dispatch received in New 
 York, to the effect that 
 
 "Colonel Michael Corcoran, of the Sixty Ninth New York Volun- 
 teers, has been placed in irons by General Winder for obstinately 
 refusing to reply when his name had been called in the morning 
 roll." 
 
 Not only was this entirely untrue, but there never was the slightest 
 foundation for it. General Winder always did all in his power, as 
 far as consistent with existing rules and orders, to make the prisoners 
 under his charge as comfortable as possible. And the only thing 
 that I ever felt to be really an unwarrantable hardship was the 
 culpable neglect of postal arrangements in regard to prisoners. 
 Letters that had been passed to Eichmond by flags of truce would lie 
 in the city post-office week after week, until I suppose the postmaster 
 and his clerks became actually sick and tired of seeing them about, 
 when they would be sent to our quarters. But even then we did not 
 receive them till all postage was paid, which, according to their 
 reckoning, sometimes amounted to a dollar and a half or two dollars 
 on a single letter. 
 
 One day Mr. Ely remarked to me, when I was complaining of the 
 exorbitant letter rates: 
 
 "Ah, my dear Colonel! we often even in this place hear of the 
 gallant charges of your regiment at Bull's Eun ; but allow mc to say 
 that I think, if you had only had the Eichmond postmaster in your 
 ranks, nothing could possibly have withstood the charges which 
 would then have been made." 
 
 Mr. Ely was a capital companion, being continually full of merri- 
 ment, and overflowing with good humor. He, together with 
 
 * The prisoners in Richmond were divided into little clubs or families, of nix or 
 eight, called messes, in the same manner as are crews of vessels. — Ed. 
 
30 PRISONERS SEARCHED. 
 
 Lieutenant Isaac Hart, of Indiana, and one or two others, kept the 
 rest of the prisoners nearly always in fine spirits. Lieutenant Hart 
 being not only a beautiful singer, but also a capital poet, composed 
 several first-rate songs, in which we all used to join, to the extent of 
 our musical abilities. Sometimes we would make the room in which 
 we were confined ring again with our swelling choruses. " Home, 
 sweet home," was our lavorite and most frequent song ; and I have 
 seen the tears coursing down the cheeks of every man in the apart- 
 ment whenever it was sung. These touching moments were soon 
 succeded by those in which martial airs awoke the sterner qualities 
 of our hearts. Oh, how gloriously did we then used to ring out the 
 soul-stirring national anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner"! The 
 air would first be exquisitely rendered by some one of our best 
 vocalists; and when the chorus, "Oh, long may it wave!" came in, 
 every man of us joined in it with our whole souls. It was at such 
 moments as these that my ardor rose to its greatest height. It was 
 at these times that I wished to be once more at the head of the 
 gallant old Sixty Ninth, with that dear standard floating over me. 
 Oh, America ! could you in those moments only have looked within 
 my breast, you would have seen my heart beating, with all its Irish 
 fervor, for your welfare and success. 
 
 Sometimes those Confederate officers under whose charge we were, 
 used to wreak their malice upon us in ways which were as contempt- 
 ible as they were galling. For instance, without the slightest 
 previous information, we were one day ordered to fall into line for 
 the purpose of being searched. Several rebel officers, fully armed, 
 then entered the room, and placing themselves in front of us, took 
 unusual care to display their weapons, and show us that they were 
 ready for instant use. Their leader said that it was rumored that 
 the prisoners confined in our building had formed a conspiracy to 
 rise, massacre their guards, and endeavor to make their escape. He 
 also stated that certain persons, who had several times visited our 
 quarters on passes obtained from General Winder, had conveyed 
 arms to us, and were, at the time appointed for the uprising, to 
 co-operate with us outside. 
 
 The search was then commenced, every prisoner being thoroughly 
 examined. The result was the bringing to light of four damaged 
 penknives, that would scarcely have sufficed to let out the life of 
 even a desperate suicide. 
 
 The indefatigable officers must certainly have felt rather cheap at 
 having been so badly sold, if indeed the whole affair had not been 
 deliberately planned by them to annoy and irritate us. Afterward, 
 
"The following moment a beautiful young lady rushed forward and 
 thrust him back, exclaiming : " Back, scoundrel ! Will you dare shed the 
 blood of a helpless, unarmed prisoner ?" — See page 42. 
 
SENT TO CASTLE PINCKNEY. 39 
 
 when I heard of the presentation of a wooden sword and hempen 
 sash, by our "Association" to the Hon. Mr. Ely, I laughingly 
 remarked to a friend that my distinguished fellow-prisoner would 
 have met with little mercy at the hands of the rebel government, had 
 the terrible weapon been in his possession at the time of the search. 
 
 The day following that on which this miserable farce was enacted, 
 another excitement was raised among the captives by the announce- 
 ment that a certain number of officers and privates were to be 
 removed from their present quarters to Castle Pinckney, in Charles- 
 ton Harbor. There was an immediate murmur at such a harsh 
 proceeding; for, during the short time we had been together as 
 prisoners, attachments had been formed, and friendships awakened, 
 whose rude disseverance thus would wring many of our hearts. We 
 were helpless, however, and had to content ourselves with a thousand 
 surmises as to which of us the lot would fall on. These were soon 
 disposed of, for, about nine o'clock in the morning, an Orderly, 
 carrying a roll, came in and informed us that the following named 
 persons would prepare to leave for Castle Pinckney at one o'clock. 
 
 The names were then called over, and mine was one of the first. 
 
 "God's will be done!" I murmured, within myself, as, with the 
 rest of my companions, who were thus doomed to new trials and 
 persecutions, I turned away to make ready a few little necessaries 
 for my journey, and take leave of those who were to remain in 
 Richmond. 
 
 While on my way to my future prison, I chanced to come across 
 a part of a copy of a Richmond paper, which I have since ascer- 
 tained was the Examiner. On this fragment was a paragraph which 
 I would not give in this connection were it not for the purpose of 
 showing to what vile and false means the leaders of the Rebellion 
 stooped to stir up and embitter the minds of the Southern masses 
 against the United States Government and its loyal supporters. It 
 was as follows : 
 
 Yankee Prisoners sent South. 
 " One hundred and fifty-six Yankee prisoners, selected chiefly from 
 among those members of the .New York, Massachusetts, and Michigan 
 regiments who have evinced the most insolent and insubordinate dis- 
 position, were yesterday afternoon dispatched by railroad to Castle 
 Pinckney, a small fortification in Charleston Harbor. The invigor- 
 ating sea-breezes, it is thought, and the genial climate of '.Dixie's 
 Land,' will have the effect not only of improving the health, but 
 also the temper of the captive Bull Runners." 
 2 
 
40 PARTING SCENES. 
 
 This is how the Southern heart has been "fired" bj vile dema- 
 gogues who have led the South very nearly to its ruin. 
 
 From the moment that it was announced who were to go to the 
 Castle, an hour had not elapsed before all were ready to depart 
 thither. During the necessary preparation, all hands were busy. 
 Tokens of friendship and remembrance were given and exchanged 
 by nearly every one ; and words of farewell were spoken, and hands 
 shaken long before the real moment of leaving came. 
 
 When, indeed, the guard did arrive, and we were ordered once 
 more to "fall in," the scene reminded me more of the final parting of 
 a family of loving brothers, than that of men who, a few weeks before, 
 had, in the majority of instances, been perfect strangers to each 
 other. After filing out into the street, we were halted until the rest 
 of those in the adjoining building, destined to the same place as 
 ourselves, could join us. During this delay, our companions in the 
 Warehouse crowded to the windows, undisturbed for once by the 
 guards, and conversed with us. At last, however, all being ready, 
 the officer under whose charge we were placed ordered us to march ; 
 and, amid the shouted "Good-byes" and "God bless yous" of the 
 friends we were leaving behind us, we took up our tramp toward our 
 new prison. I must confess that about this time my heart was ready 
 to sink beneath its load of sorrow. I was breathing the fresh, 
 balmy air of heaven, and I felt the genial beams of the bright sun ; 
 but my spirit was in chains. I had expected that before this I would 
 have been exchanged, according to the usages of' war, by the United 
 States Government. Yet, instead of such a pleasure, I was now 
 being forced by my foes further and further from my home. I was 
 to go and be immured in the loathsome dungeon of an ocean-bound 
 castle, and for no other offence than drawing my sword and baring 
 my breast in defence of the best and mightiest Eepublic that earth 
 has ever seen. 
 
 Suddenly, in the midst of these gloomy reflections, I thought of 
 my duty — thought of what the martyr heroes of 1776 had done and 
 suffered. I thought of Dartmore and the British prison-ships, in 
 which thousands of the fathers of the Eepublic had endured ten 
 times what I had endured, or would be called to endure. Their lives 
 had been most ignobly sacrificed by their oppressors upon America's 
 altar ; and should I now murmur at my comparatively insignificant 
 wrongs and trials? No! never! Nevermore should a complaint 
 pass my lips. If the good of my adopted country demanded that I 
 should languish in fetters, welcome the heaviest fetters that could be 
 forged. If the welfare of the United States demanded that I should 
 
AN ADVENTURE. 41 
 
 die on the gallows, welcome, thrice welcome the scaffold. Such were 
 the feelings that in a moment sprang to life within me, and nerved 
 me to bear up under my future hardships. 
 
 Between Richmond, Va., and Gaston, a small town in the State of 
 North Carolina, no incident occurred worthy of record. But at the 
 latter place occurred a scene which I cannot pass without recording. 
 The train on which we were, reached here one afternoon while a 
 meeting was being held. Considering the size of the town, there was 
 a large concourse of people, mostly men, but with the usual sprink- 
 ling of the fair sex. The raised platform, that had been originally 
 erected for the use of passengers leaving the cars at that station, on 
 the present occasion served the stump orators as a rostrum from 
 which to hurl their bitter imprecations and anathemas against the 
 Union. * * 
 
 The engineer slacked his speed very much when within sight of 
 the station, as a precautionary measure, and at this slow rate we were 
 passing the stand, when suddenly, with a dull crash, down went the 
 car in which I was seated. An axle of the forward truck had 
 snapped, and thus the disaster. In a moment, there was much con- 
 fusion, every one shouting and yelling forth advice and orders ; and 
 no one, save the military escort with us prisoners, having sufficient 
 presence of mind tp obey a command. With as little delay as pos- 
 sible, we were marched out of the wrecked car, and halted along the 
 roadside in double file, nearly opposite the speaker's stand. The 
 orator of the occasion, when quiet was somewhat restored, and while 
 the railroad hands were getting the track clear, thought it was a 
 fitting opportunity to show himself off, and " air his eloquence." 
 
 So, with a grandiloquent flourish of his arm, he pointed the 
 attention of his fellow-secessionists to the poor, blindfolded tools 
 (ourselves) of the Lincoln tyranny. There we stood, he said, like so 
 many gallows-birds, ready to be strung up. This complimentary 
 simile drew rounds of applause from his fiery hearers. Finding him- 
 self so successful, the silly gabbler next had the audacity to address 
 himself to us. 
 
 l * Are you not ashamed of yourselves ?" said he, with an attempt to 
 look terrible, the effect of which was to set us laughing. This 
 irritated the blatant booby, and he abused us in the most scandalous 
 and unmanly manner. " Go !" he continued, fiercely, " and hide your 
 diminished, infernal heads, you Yankee scum of the earth !" 
 
 I began to think, at this juncture, that he was intoxicated, and I 
 consequently turned my head away, and began watching the laborers 
 engaged in removing the broken car from the railroad track. I had 
 
42 A SLEEPLESS NIGHT. 
 
 scarcely done so, however, before I heard him call out my own name. 
 I started, and looked over at him in time to see him shaking his 
 finger toward me, and to hear him exclaim, in taunting, angry tones : 
 "And you, Colonel Corcoran, ought to be ashamed of yourself. 
 You were one of the first to volunteer with your hireling soldiers, to 
 come and invade, with fire and sword, the peaceful homes of the 
 South. But where is your boasted Sixty Ninth now?" 
 
 This was more than my Irish disposition could stand, -and, with 
 flashing eyes, I replied : 
 
 "Silence! drivelling coward! and cease your lying! As to the 
 whereabouts of the Sixty Ninth, you'll know that sooner, perhaps, 
 than you expect. You'll see the Sixty Ninth very likely before long, 
 with standards waving victoriously in this very place." 
 
 This retort was made on the 'spur of the moment, and before any 
 one could prevent it. For an instant afterward, all was still ; and 
 then a murderous-looking ruffian stepped in front of me, and, placing 
 his hand half tragically upon the haft of a knife that was stuck in 
 his belt, he said : 
 
 "The whole North put together couldn't do that!" 
 I know not what would have been the result of this piece of 
 effrontery, had nothing occurred to distract my thoughts. How- 
 ever, as the cowardly villain clutched his knife? a half-suppressed 
 shriek was uttered by a beautiful young lady, who, the succeeding 
 moment, rushed forward, and, placing herself between me, and, as 
 she supposed, my intended murderer, thrust him back, exclaiming : 
 
 "Back, scoundrel! will you dare shed the blood of a helpless, 
 unarmed prisoner?" 
 
 " I always told the neighbors you was a d d Unionist !" 
 
 growled the make-believe assassin, again stepping forward, "and I'll 
 fix your flint yet for you, mind I tell you /" 
 
 The guard at this moment, doubtless fearing any further discus- 
 sion or demonstration, acted with promptness and resolution. The 
 speaker, who had commenced the wrangle, was forced to stop his 
 speech, while the crowd was driven back at the point of the bayonet 
 to a respectable distance. But they continued hooting and jeering 
 at us until the track being cleared, and all ready, we resumed our 
 journey toward Charleston, and soon left the miserable, inhospitable 
 town far behind us. 
 
 During the night, which we were forced to pass in the cars, catch- 
 ing such intermittent sleep as the rumbling, jolting motion permitted, 
 a heavy rain came up. We were so crowded that we would certainly 
 have suffocated if the windows had been shut down, and we were 
 
THE POWER OF TREACHERY. 43 
 
 therefore obliged to receive a drenching in place of a smothering. 
 As fortune had it, also, I was on the side against which the storm 
 beat, and only a short time elapsed before I was thoroughly soaked 
 through. To add to my discomfort, a chilly air began to blow, that 
 made my teeth chatter, and, altogether, I felt very miserable. I 
 slept no more that night. 
 
 The next morning broke clear and balmy; and the bright sun, 
 peeping over a neighboring ridge of land, had quite an exhilarating 
 effect upon me. For several miles I amused myself, when not gazing 
 out over the surrounding country, by watching the fantastic shapes 
 taken by the vapor or steam that arose from my body. Soon after, 
 the welcome intelligence fell upon my ear that we were to stop for a 
 half an hour for the purpose of refreshing ourselves. 
 
 When we did so, I requested of the officer commanding the guard, 
 the privilege of walking about a little, which he readily granted, not 
 even so much as placing a soldier in charge of me. This great 
 courtesy I noticed particularly, and, upon returning to the car, I 
 thanked him for his delicate sensibility* 
 
 *' Colonel," he replied, with a bow, "when I have intercourse with 
 an honorable man, my own honor and feelings teach me how to bear 
 myself toward him, most especially when he occupies the position 
 which you do at present." 
 
 Though, of course, my enemy, I have remembered, and shall ever 
 remember, this courteous soldier for his noble, generous behavior 
 toward the captives under his charge. 
 
 "We were soon under way again, and in due time reached Waynes- 
 town, where is the junction, or intersection, of the Raleigh and 
 Beaufort, and Richmond and Wilmington railroads. Here we were 
 detained a whole night and part of the succeeding day. The reason 
 of the delay was, that, in anticipation of certain threatening move- 
 ments of the United States Grovernment, a large body of rebel troops 
 was being thrown rapidly forward in the direction of Beaufort, S. C. 
 And here let me say that it is my firm belief that, had any other 
 government on the face of the earth been subjected to the insidious 
 power of treachery as has that of the United States ever since the 
 Rebellion broke out, it would not have survived ninety days. There 
 was scarcely a single move, even of minor importance, entered upon 
 by the Federal power, that was not known in the South, even to 
 prisoners, long before it was put in execution. And this is the reason 
 why the Union forces have, on nearly every occasion of their taking 
 the field at any one point, been instantly overwhelmed by numbers. 
 The shortest way to crush out the horrid civil war that is wasting 
 
4-1 STONES THEOWN AT US. 
 
 our land is to adopt the advice given by Archbishop Hughes — Let 
 the toliole loyal portion of the country rise en masse, and move forward 
 in one solid phalanx. Then there would be no necessity for secrecy. 
 Treachery would be disarmed of its power, and the vile monsters 
 who have originated the Eebellion buried beneath the Union flood, 
 like the hosts of Pharoah were swallowed up in the Eed Sea. 
 
 On sped our rattling train, now dashing, with a hoarse shriek, 
 through a tunnel, or screaming across a covered bridge, and now 
 bounding out into the open country beyond. Anon we went puffing 
 and climbing our way up some steep hill-side, and then flying along 
 some level plain. 
 
 All along the route, the inhabitants of the towns and villages used 
 to flock to the roadside to see the "Yankee prisoners." Their behavior 
 was varied. Sometimes they would stand and look in at the car- 
 windows quietly, and with pity and sorrow marked upon their 
 countenances. And sometimes our treatment was of the most violent 
 and scandalous character. Groans and hisses were plentifully 
 showered upon us; while, *in one or two instances, stones were 
 thrown. None of these latter missiles, however, did any harm ; and, 
 as to the former manifestations of cowardice and ill-breeding, we 
 paid but little attention to them. 
 
 Once, indeed, while we were awaiting a change of engines at 
 Wilmington, on the Cape Fear Eiver, it was as much as flesh and 
 blood could do to receive quietly the abuse and insults which were 
 heaped upon us by the rabble. Young girls and boys, prompted by 
 older persons, would thrust little secession flags and badges in our 
 faces, and exclaim: 
 
 "What do you think of them colors, Mr. Yankee? Them's the 
 colors that the Yankees can't make run." 
 
 And individuals, who, from the pains they took to conceal them- 
 selves in the crowd from our gaze, were the most contemptible 
 poltroons, would shout out, in sneering, taunting tones : 
 
 " I 'd like to broil a Yankee ! How about ' On to Eichmond V 
 What do you think of Bull's Eun now?" and other vile excla- 
 mations. 
 
 Since then, and when I learned of the draft ordered by Jeff Davis, 
 I almost prayed that all such cowardly scoundrels would be taken to 
 fight in the cause they had been so ready to serve with their lips. 
 Had the bad cause of the Eebellion never had any braver supporters 
 than the miserable cowards who insulted and abused Union prisoners 
 while in the South, it would have fallen to earth long ago. A man 
 •who would abuse a captive would certainly never take one. 
 
WE REACH CHARLESTON. 45 
 
 From Wilmington to the end of our destination, we pursued our 
 journey almost entirely uninterrupted by the troops and munitions 
 of war that had hitherto hindered us. My heart constantly yearned 
 for home ; and the greater that the distance from the latter became, 
 the stronger grew the tie that still held me to it. This train of 
 thought gave birth to a fantastic idea in my mind, which took so 
 firm a l*ld upon me that I shall never forget it. 
 
 I imagined my heart to be filled with an inexhaustible coil or roll 
 of telegraph wire, and that one end of this wire was fastened at 
 home in the North. And, as my captors carried me mile after mile, 
 and league after league, toward my future prison, the coil or roll 
 seemed to unwind. This strange impression was very vivid ; in fact, 
 so exceedingly vivid, that, when at last I was released, and making 
 my way home, it appeared as though the long stretched wire was 
 gradually being wound up, back again into my heart. 
 
 We soon reached Charleston, that fountain city of secession. We 
 got in during the afternoon, and I must acknowledge that I was 
 much surprised, and equally pleased with the reception we received. 
 From the time I had been captured up to the moment I set foot in 
 Charleston, there was no place where I had been so well, or, 
 rather, considerately treated as in that city. 
 
 Upon our arrival we were marched to a large building on one of 
 the principal streets, which had lately been used as a barracks for 
 volunteer soldiers. Here we remained until daylight the next 
 morning, when we were aroused, and commanded to prepare our- 
 selves to set out at once for Castle Pinckney in the harbor. The 
 time allowed us was extremely short; and, when ordered into line, 
 several of my companions had to run with their eyes only half 
 opened, and portions of their scanty wardrobe tucked under their 
 arms. 
 
 In due time, we reached the wharf, or pier, where a steamboat was 
 waiting to convey us out over the harbor to our final prison-house. 
 It did not take long to arrange ourselves in a satisfactory manner to 
 our captors aboard the puffing boat; and, when everything was 
 announced "All right/" the steamer moved from her moorings. 
 
 The ride across the water would have been pleasant, had it not 
 happened that a fine, disagreeable rain, which had been falling since 
 midnight, rendered all uncomfortable. However, we took it all in 
 good heart, cracking many a joke on our " excursion," " pleasure 
 trip," "visit of inspection," &c, as we piquantly termed our present 
 passage. • 
 
 At last, the heavy walls of the fortification came fully in view,. 
 
46 WANT OF PROPER CLOTHING. 
 
 and I began to make the best of the remaining moments in gazing 
 round about me, as I did not expect to get a glimpse of the outside 
 world for some time after I was once immured in the Castle. 
 
 The steamer shortly ran into the dock, the cables were cast over 
 the pier posts, steam was shut off, and our journey was at an end. 
 
 The gang-plank was immediately put down, and then, two abreast, 
 we were filed into the fort. Here we were, as speedily asjpossible, 
 organized into squads, or messes. Each mess was assigned its par- 
 ticular quarters, and thus commenced our prison life in Castle 
 Pinckney. 
 
 It seems strange to me, as I write, how rapidly I can now fly with 
 my pen, and on paper, over events which then appeared to consume 
 an age in transpiring. 
 
 Our Castle residence, of course, was far duller, or, perhaps, with 
 greater justice, more secluded than our Richmond prison. But, of 
 the two, it was a hundred times more preferable. Here no idle 
 visitors and curious persons were allowed to enter ; while the Tobacco 
 Warehouse in Richmond had been almost constantly thronged by 
 gaping intruders, whose curiosity to look at the Yankee prisoners 
 had overruled their manners. This was most offensive to the cap- 
 tives, and contrasted strongly with the unobtrusive courteousness of 
 the Charlestonians, which we more particularly appreciated as it had 
 been entirely unexpected. 
 
 It will be remembered that, at the time of our capture, the weather 
 being excessively hot, we were dressed in the lightest clothes pos- 
 sible, and consequently, when the cool nights began to come, we felt 
 heavily our want of proper dress. This, of course, would not have 
 been the case had there been no hindrance to our purchasing or 
 receiving supplies. But the difficulties in the way of the accom- 
 plishment of this object, sometimes created by our captors, and some- 
 times unavoidable, were so numerous and so great that we found it 
 almost impossible to furnish ourselves with even the poorest outfit. 
 
 I well remember the congratulations we gave to Mr. Ely when he 
 became so well off as to raise a rough, cot bedstead and a few yards 
 of common muslin. And when he was lucky enough to obtain a 
 jxiir of nice white blankets, with a bright red border, we thought his 
 extravagance was passing all bounds, and threatened to expel him, 
 as an aristocrat, from the "Prison Association? Upon mature con- 
 t sideration, however, it was decided that, as a mild punishment for 
 being so wealthy, Mr. Ely should be obliged to " keep the said cot 
 bedstead, and the said few yards of muslin, and the said two white 
 blankets in apple-pie order." This was the resolution as it stood on 
 
I 
 
 THREATENED ATTACK ON CHARLESTON. 47 
 
 the minutes of the "Association;" and Mr. Ely submitted to the 
 decision in a neat speech. 
 
 I missed these mirth -inspiring proceedings of the "Richmond 
 Prison Association," which were generally set on foot by Mr. Ely, 
 who, as I have before mentioned, was the life and soul of the cap- 
 tives. And I would be doing my distinguished friend and fellow- 
 prisoner a very great injustice were I to omit, in this connection, to 
 make mention of his magnanimous offer when we were all suffering 
 from a lack of clothing. He proposed to advance five thousand 
 dollars, or, if necessary, more, to help us out of our difficulty. He 
 is a noble man, and has a heart as large as himself. We could not 
 consent, however, situated so peculiarly as we then were in relation 
 to the Government, to accept Mr. Ely's proffered aid, though we just 
 as fully appreciated his kindness of soul as if we had done so. 
 
 In the quiet of mf ocean-bound prison, my thoughts often wan- 
 dered back to Richmond, and from thence home; and many a 
 wakeful hour have I passed meditating upon the events of the few 
 previous months of my life. Without any extraordinary interrup- 
 tion, the time slipped away until October was nearly gone. About 
 that time, some little news began to stir, even in our isolated abiding 
 place. ^As early as that date, it began to be whispered that the great 
 naval expedition, then fitting out at the North, was about to set forth 
 on its mission. There were not a few who fully believed that the 
 first point chosen for an attack would be the fortifications in Charles- 
 ton Harbor. Accordingly, the forces stationed in the latter were 
 greatly augmented, the discipline became more strict, and the rules 
 more severely stringent. So carefully and determinedly were all the 
 preparations made for defence, that I really began to think that Fort 
 Sumpter and its neighboring supports would be shelled at an early 
 day. In consequence, my ear was continually strained to catch the 
 first sullen roar of the guns, but, as the reader must be aware, with- 
 out success. 
 
 To show how fully credited was the rumor that the monster fleet 
 was intended to reduce Charleston, I insert a paragraph that I subse- 
 quently saw in the New York Herald, of November 29, 1861. I give 
 it in full, word for word. 
 
 Rebel Plans tor the Defence op Charleston. 
 
 " Among the documents found in Fort Walker was a long order, 
 dated October 12, from General De Saussure, providing for the 
 defence of Charleston in case of an attack. We copy from the main 
 plan of defence as follows : 
 
46 REBEL ORDERS FOUND AT FORT WALKER. 
 
 "'1. In case of an alarm, requiring the prompt assembling of all 
 the troops in the city of Charleston, the signal for each assembling 
 will be fifteen strokes upon all the fire-bells; an interval of one 
 minute, and the fifteen strokes will be repeated. The strokes will be 
 repeated five times. 
 
 " ' 2. Upon the sounding of such a signal, the troops in the city 
 will immediately assemble, under arms, and in marching order, at 
 the respective regimental muster-grounds, and, being formed in line, 
 will await further orders. 
 
 " '3. The regiment of the Eeserves will assemble on the street 
 immediately, in front of the Citadel, the color company resting on 
 the gate of the Citadel, and will be retained in the city for its imme- 
 diate defence, unless otherwise specially ordered. 
 
 " '4. The officers commanding the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Eegi- 
 ments of infantry, First Eegiment of rifles, and First Eegiment of 
 artillery, will have their transportation wagons turned out, and loaded 
 with the regimental tents and stores, and will proceed to press horses 
 and mules, as may be required for the transportation. 
 
 " '5. Upon an alarm being communicated to the country, the officers 
 commanding companies will immediately extend the same in the 
 mode pointed out in section CXLI. A. A. 1841. 
 
 '"6. The alarm being communicated, the several companies com- 
 posing the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Eegiments of infantry will 
 promptly assemble at their respective muster-grounds.' 
 
 [The order here gives minute directions as to the movements and 
 positions of troops, orders certain bridges, in an emergency, to be 
 destroyed, and adds]: — 
 
 " ' The commanding officers of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth 
 Eegiments will promptly issue orders for the draft, pointed out in 
 section CXLVI. A. A. 1841, and will order the persons so drafted 
 to be warned for duty; and the persons so warned will promptly 
 assemble at the respective muster-grounds, armed and equipped for 
 duty. All persons so drafted and warned, who shall neglect or 
 refuse to assemble and march with their respective commands, will 
 be reported to these headquarters, to be dealt with according to law.' " 
 
 The manner in which I became possessed of this Herald was this : 
 A lady, whose husband held a commission in the rebel army, and 
 who had, in a recent skirmish, taken it from the body of a Union 
 soldier, whom he killed in single combat, while the latter was en- 
 deavoring to make him a prisoner, had sent it to her as a curiosity. 
 She, after reading it, presented it to the Bishop of Charleston, who 
 
m 
 
 SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLARS FROM RICHMOND. 49 
 
 happened to be paying her a visit at the time, and he, in turn, when 
 next he came to see me, gave it to me. 
 
 This, and several other papers, together with quite a collection of 
 little presents which were made me, I kept by me until after my 
 arrival in the North, where, however, I have parted with every one of 
 them, giving them to friends, who desired some memento from me 
 of my imprisonment. I even have the vanity to believe that, were 
 Mrs. Corcoran to depart this life, which I hope, however, she will not 
 do for many a year to come, I should not find much difficulty in dis- 
 posing of my own valuable self to some one of my lady friends as a 
 memento. 
 
 The most pleasurable moments of my captivity were those when 
 I received a letter from friends at home. They were, however, like 
 angels' visits, few and far between. One day I received a letter from 
 a relation in Richmond, enclosing seventy-five dollars. This great 
 kindness came in very good time, for, besides procuring a coat and 
 one or two other necessary articles, it enabled me to alleviate the 
 sufferings of several of my fellow-captives, whose fortune had not 
 been so good as my own. The greatest delight of my captivity 
 from the time I was first taken, up to the day I was released, was 
 to be continually doing what I could to inspirit or aid those who 
 were bound with me. There was not a single man amongst them, 
 even to the poorest private, that I would not have shared my last 
 crust and my last cup of water with. A few days after I had been 
 placed, together with my companions in misfortune, in Castle Pinck- 
 ney, I learned that Lieutenant W. B. Brockett, the courteous officer 
 who guarded us all the distance from Richmond to Charleston, had 
 met with sudden death in the following manner : 
 
 One of his men, belonging to the Madison, Louisiana Infantry, 
 had returned, one evening, soon after having been granted a furlough 
 by his commander, in a beastly state of intoxication. He was con- 
 sequently ordered into the guard-house as a punishment. Being a 
 very athletic and powerful, as well as a very quarrelsome fellow, 
 some considerable force was necessary for the purpose, and a scuffle 
 ensued between him and the guard. Lieutenant Brockett, thinking 
 highly of him — for it was only when drunk that he behaved himself 
 so unruly — and seeing that the guard were handling him somewhat 
 roughly, stepped forward, and, laying his hand upon him, attempted 
 to pacify him into submission. But the enraged man, with a fierce 
 oath, drove him back, and kicked him, as he was staggering, directly 
 in the breast The unfortunate officer instantly, fell to the ground 
 
50 DEATH OF LIEUTENANT BROCKETT. 
 
 insensible, and, from that moment to his death, which occurred a day 
 or so afterward, he never regained his consciousness. 
 
 As Lieutenant Brockett fell, one of the guard, who loved and 
 respected him deeply, raised his musket, and laid his assailant low 
 with a single blow of the heavy stock. Not a single regret was 
 expressed for the fate of the soldier ; but, on the contrary, the one 
 who executed such summary punishment upon him was promoted, 
 soon after, for the act. 
 
 No one will think the less of me when I say that I shed bitter 
 tears over the melancholy and unworthy end of Lieutenant Brockett, 
 and that I remembered him when at night I bowed before that God 
 who was my only support during the tedious months of my dreary 
 captivity. 
 
 From the middle of September, the question of the hanging of 
 the rebel pirates, and the effect of such a proceeding upon the South, 
 or rather upon us prisoners, had been agitating the country both 
 North and South. The Confederate government threatened that 
 whatever treatment or fate was bestowed upon the miserable villains 
 who, under the seeming guise of legalized warfare, had committed 
 the most atrocious offences against the law of nations, should be 
 rigidly meted out to the Union prisoners in their hands. In their 
 bitterness and malice, they went a step beyond even what the law of 
 retaliation allowed. Instead of casting lots among the whole number 
 of both officers and privates indiscriminately, they selected only the 
 officers, and those, too, of the highest grade they could get. The fear 
 of death was nothing; but to be brought down to the level of a 
 skulking, cowardly pirate was a degradation that my soul revolted 
 at. From the day on which it was my misfortune to fall into the 
 hands of my implacable foes, I had always been the object of their 
 particular hatred and spleen, and of course I felt confident when the 
 question of retaliation was settled, that I would be one of the first 
 victims. This I had made my mind up to before I received any 
 intimation of the lots which were drawn by Mr. Ely in the old Rich- 
 mond prison, on the 10th of November. 
 
 The official order, in consequence of which the lots were drawn, 
 was dated immediately after the reception of the news of the con- 
 demnation of the pirate, Smith, in Philadelphia. It was as follows: 
 
 C. S. A. War Department, 
 Sir : Richmond, Nov. 9, 1861. 
 
 You are hereby instructed to choose by lot from among the 
 prisoners of war, of the highest rank, one who is to be confined in a 
 
THE LOTS CAST. 51 
 
 cell appropriated to convicted felons, and who is to be treated in all 
 respects as is such convict, and to be held for execution in the same 
 manner as may be adopted by the enemy for the execution of the 
 prisoner of war, Smith, recently condemned to death in Philadelphia. 
 
 You will also select thirteen other prisoners of war, the highest in 
 rank of those captured by our forces, to be confined in the cells 
 reserved for prisoners accused of infamous crimes, and will treat 
 them as such so long as the enemy shall continue so to treat the like 
 number of prisoners of war captured by them at sea, and now held 
 for trial in New York as pirates. 
 
 As these measures are intended to repress the infamous attempt 
 
 now made by the enemy to commit judicial murder on prisoners of 
 
 war, you will execute them strictly, as the mode best calculated to 
 
 prevent the commission of so heinous a crime. 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 (Signed) J. P. Benjamin, 
 
 Acting Secretary of War. 
 To Brigadier-General John H. Winder. 
 
 In obedience to this mandate from the rebel Secretary — who, by 
 the way, is, and always was, one of those disgraces to mankind with 
 which the world is anything but blessed — General Winder proceeded 
 to select, in the manner ordered, those who were to be thus doomed. 
 
 After reading the order to the prisoners, who were drawn up in 
 line, he produced six slips of writing-paper, each one of which bore 
 the name of a colonel of the Federal army, five besides my own. 
 These he then handed to Colonel Lee, of Massachusetts, with the 
 request that he would inspect them carefully, and see that each name 
 was there. General Winder then took the slips, and, after announcing 
 the name on each one, placed them all in a regular drawing-box. 
 This was closed tightly, and well shaken up. It was then opened, 
 and General Winder called upon Mr. My, as the most appropriate 
 person, to draw forth one of the slips. Mr Ely thus called upon to 
 decide which of the six lives in the box should be sacrificed^ strenu- 
 ously objected to make himself thus even the innocent cause of the 
 condemnation of one of his companions. But upon being urged to 
 comply with the wish of General Winder by the prisoners, he 
 consented. 
 
 Mr. Ely then, with a hand trembling from emotion, drew forth 
 one of the six slips. Gazing upon the fatal paper, he read : 
 
 11 Colonel Michael Corcoran!" 
 and with a heavy sigh, he handed the slip back to General Winder. 
 
s. 
 
 52 MY DOOM. 
 
 Mr. Ely and myself had, during our imprisonment in the Tobacco 
 Warehouse in Eichmond, become very strongly attached to each 
 other, and I have not the slightest doubt that, when he drew my 
 name, he felt far worse than I did, upon the occasion of my fate 
 being made known to me, a day or two later. His painful task was 
 not yet finished, however, for he had yet to draw the names of 
 thirteen other prisoners, who should stand as hostages for the pirates 
 captured by the United States Navy, on the Savannah. 
 
 Among the names of the captives thus drawn, was that of Captain 
 McQuade, of Ohio. Upon its being called off, Captain Cox, also of 
 Ohio, stepped forward, and with a noble devotion offered himself in 
 McQuade's stead. But this it was impossible to allow, and McQuade 
 had to submit to his fate. Poor fellow ! he died soon afterward of 
 the wounds he had received in battle. The list of hostages thus 
 determined by General Winder was as follows : 
 
 Colonel Michael Corcoran, - - For Smith in Philadelphia. 
 A. M. Wood, 
 0. B. Wilcox, 
 " M. Coggswell, 
 W. E. Woodruff, 
 W. R. Lee, 
 Lieut. -Col. a. W. Neff, 
 " S. Bowman, 
 Major P. J. Revere, 
 J. D. Potter, 
 " L. Yodges, 
 Captain H. Bowman, 
 
 F. J. Keffer, 
 
 G. W. Rockwood. 
 
 After my arrival at Castle Pinckney, and upon overhauling my 
 trunks, I found that nearly three-fourths of the contents had been 
 abstracted. This I charitably set down to the strong desire of my 
 Southern friends to possess something of mine by which to remem- 
 ber me. In their selections, too, I may add, that they displayed 
 remarkably good sense, invariably taking the lest of the pile. Some 
 of these perhaps they may return to me upon finding out that "I 
 still live." 
 
 As I have before said, the happiest moments of my stay in Castle 
 Pinckney were those when I received letters from home. And each 
 one was, after being read and re-read over and over again, placed 
 away by me for preservation. I gloated over them like a miser over 
 
 For the pirates of the Savannah. 
 
THE SUBJECT OF MY PAROLE. 61 
 
 t 
 Ibis gold; and my dearest friend could never induce me to part with 
 
 them. 
 
 The subject of my parole was often broached to me by the officers 
 of the Confederate government; but, with all their arguments, 
 promises, and persuasions, they never once caused me to swerve from 
 my determination of remaining a prisoner until regularly exchanged 
 by the authorities at Washington. 
 
 I recall, at this moment, the last conversation I had on this topic, 
 just previous to the arrival of the order from Richmond, by which 1 
 was made a hostage for the safety of the rebel pirate, Smith. A 
 friend of General Ripley called upon me, apparently by chance, 
 being on a visit to my place of confinement at *the time, and, after 
 conversing on general matters, he said: 
 
 "Colonel, how is it that you have never asked nor accepted a 
 parole for yourself?" 
 
 "Because," replied I, "I believe that honor and patriotism alike 
 forbid my doing so." 
 
 "Yes," was the answer, "but all the rest of your companions 
 gladly avail themselves of the opportunity when it is presented to 
 them. They see no disgrace in it, and, candidly speaking, I cannot 
 say that I think your objection a valid one." 
 
 "With all due respect to your opinion, Colonel," said I, quietly, 
 " it is my belief that the acceptance of a parole by a prisoner of war 
 is altogether wrong. When I started from New York for the seat 
 of war, J did so with the intention of doing your bad cause all the 
 harm I could ; and nothing would have given me greater pleasure 
 than to have planted the Stars and Stripes over this very castle. As 
 fortune had it, however, after doing a little, I fell into your hands. 
 Then I was called upon to suffer for my cause. Previously I had 
 been called upon to act, to fight. And, if it would be honorable for 
 me to escape the suffering by any means, I am sure it would be 
 equally so for me to have avoided the fighting. Besides, here I have 
 an opportunity of doing at least a little good to those about me, 
 whom the fortunes of war have placed in even a worse predicament 
 than myself." 
 
 The conversation was persistently kept up by my visitor with the 
 ultimate object of inducing me to accept a parole, but- without suc- 
 cess ; and he left with the impression, no doubt, that I was a very 
 obstinate, or a very foolish prisoner. 
 
 After reaching Castle Pinckney, I had determined to keep a diary 
 of passing events, and for this purpose purchased, through the aid 
 of a gentleman who came to visit me, a fv'w quires of writing-paper. 
 3 
 
62 THE MICE DESTROY MY DIARy. 
 
 On several occasioDS, however, the mice, doubtless wishing, perhaps, 
 not to read, but certainly to "inwardly digest" the thoughts I had 
 committed to paper, chewed my unfortunate diary all into minute 
 fragments. A few sheets remained intact, save a little nibbling, and 
 these, having been preserved, I herewith give their contents: 
 
 October 13. — This morning, poor John Owens, who has so nobly 
 served m6 since my capture, rose with a terrible headache, complain- 
 ing, also, of acute pains in the back and limbs. Becoming much 
 worse, the surgeon of the Fort was called at my request, and pro- 
 nounced the symptoms to be those of fever. Powerful remedies 
 were immediately administered, and they have happily already made 
 a change for the better. 
 
 Oar dinner to-day was improved by the addition of a large glass 
 of jelly, the gift of a kind-hearted lady of Charleston. 
 
 Shortly after two o'clock, we were much cheered by a visit from 
 Bishop Lynch, who never leaves us with a shadow on our counte- 
 nances. He is a dear man, and truly and zealously devotes himself 
 to his high and holy calling. Oh, how often has his benignant smile 
 and kind word driven the gloom and despondency from the hearts 
 of the captives immured within these frowning walls! Nor has the 
 Bishop confined himself to the mere consolation of words, for his 
 • purse has always been open to administer to the necessities of the 
 prisoners. 
 
 One of the latter one day wrote a letter to his wife ; but, when he 
 came to send it, he found that, with all his money, he lacked nearly 
 half the amount necessary for the exorbitant postage. He was in 
 despair, as he could not obtain the required change. My last cent 
 had been expended several days before. In the mean time, Bishop 
 Lynch came in, and, on the fact being mentioned to him, he instantly 
 requested the soldier to give him the letter, and he would see that it 
 was sent. Overjoyed, the poor fellow offered the Bishop what money 
 he had. But the noble-hearted Bishop insisted upon his retaining 
 the latter, as he would need it for something else. The tears imme- 
 diately came into the man's eyes, and, reverently taking the hand of 
 his benefactor, he exclaimed, in grateful tones : ' 
 
 " Oh, your Reverence ! how little did I expect that one so higjj 
 and holy as you, could condescend to one so lowly as me ! God bless 
 you ! God bless you !" 
 
 October 14. — John Owens is much improved to-day, so much so 
 that the surgeon of the post expresses the belief that there need be 
 no further fear of fever. I am thankful for this, and my mind is 
 relieved of a weighty load of anxiety. It would have been a heavy 
 
LETTERS FOR THE PRISONERS. . 63 
 
 blow to me to have lost my devoted friend. I hope it may, at no 
 distant day, be in my power to make him some substantial mark of 
 my consideration and gratitude."* 
 
 About ten o'clock this morning, the welcome announcement of 
 "Letters for the prisoners!" set each of our hearts to beating with the 
 liveliest expectation and hope. Every pair of eyes were riveted upon 
 the bundle which the officer carried who attended to the distribution; 
 and it would have formed a scene for the pencil of a Hogarth. Joy 
 and anxiety flitted by turns over the countenances of the impatient 
 group as each name was called over; and, as the pile began to 
 diminish in bulk, several faces showed unmistakable traces of 
 disappointment. 
 
 I am sure that mine was among the latter class, for I beheld the 
 large bundle given out one after another until there were only two 
 letters left. I began to feel disappointed, and was about to turn 
 away with anything but a light heart, when the post officer called out : 
 
 "Colonel Michael Corcoran!" 
 
 A step and a stride, and I had clutched the precious missive. My 
 long-put-off pleasure was, however, rendered still greater when the 
 officer added : 
 
 " And this other one, also, is for you, Colonel." 
 
 Taking the last one, I pressed it to my lips, for, in the quick 
 glance that I cast upon its direction, I recognized it as being from 
 my dear wife. 
 
 I cannot compare my happiness at this moment to anything save 
 that which I suppose would be awakened in the breast of an 
 extremely poor man, who, after receiving a large and unexpected 
 inheritance, should immediately be made the possessor of another 
 one ten times as valuable. 
 
 Upon opening my two letters, I was much gratified to find that 
 their contents were precious in two ways — in plain English, that both 
 of them contained money. The whole amount was fifty-five dollars; 
 and the firsi thought that entered my mind was how far such a sum 
 would go toward furnishing my fellow-prisoners with such little 
 necessary articles of clothing as the approaching cold weather would 
 imperatively demand. 
 
 October 15. — During last night, a cold rain storm blew up, and is 
 continuing to-day with unabated violence. It is very chilly and 
 disagreeable, and I fear will have an ill effect upon the health of the 
 
 * The gallant General has since presented John Owens, who (heside the brave 
 and devoted Lieutenant E. Connolley and Colonel Corcoran) was the only member 
 of the Sixty Ninth in Castle Pinckney, with a magnificent gold watch and chain. 
 
64 OUR LAST CUP OF COFFEE. 
 
 prisoners. The water, also, is so rough that there has been no con- 
 nection with the city. Ilad it not been for the arrival of our letters 
 yesterday, we should have had a dull time of it to-day. John Owens 
 ♦iontinues to improve rapidly, and is determined to resume his 
 attendance upon me to-morrow,, at reveille. Since becoming a 
 soldier, John does everything with military precision. At the first 
 roll of the morning drum to morrow, he will be up and enter upon 
 his duties. He is in continual good humor, and makes a most 
 pleasant companion for Lieutenants Connolley and Dempsey and 
 myself, we being in one mess. He na#kes us laugh • heartily some- 
 times at his jokes and witticisms, and we should miss him greatly 
 were we deprived of him. 
 
 Lieutenant Connolley and I passed away several hours, this after- 
 noon, in a game or two of chess. He chose the black men, calling 
 them the rebels; while I played the white, which of course repre- 
 sented the Unionists. The result was, as the farmer said, " about 
 which and t'other," although I think my opponent had the better of 
 me. At least, after we were done, he and I came to the conclusion 
 that, if the chess-men had been Secessionists and Unionists, we would 
 rather have had the black represent the latter than the former. 
 
 Toward evening, the storm fell considerably ; and, as the wind has 
 changed round to a fair quarter, I expect we shall have a clear 
 morning. Having a slight headache, I shall retire soon to-night. 
 
 October 16. — As I thought last evening, this morning came in 
 beautifully clear, but colder than usual, from the effects, doubtless, 
 of the rain yesterday. John Owens, according to his resolve, entered 
 upon his duties at reveille, and has been as light and merry all day 
 as a summer sunbeam. 
 
 A slice or two of fine ham added considerably to our dinner 
 to-day, in quality at least, if not in quantity. Coffee was served to 
 us for the last time to-day, as the difficulty of obtaining it, owing to 
 the rio-or of the blockade, has become almost insurmountable. It is 
 worth from three to six dollars and a half a pound. 
 
 Tea cannot be got at all, except at long intervals, and then twenty 
 or thirty dollars are asked and readily given for a pound of it. If 
 this state of affairs continues much longer, the people of the South 
 will need a vast amount of endurance to weather out the storm which 
 they have raised. 
 
 This afternoon, Lieutenant Connolley and I had another interesting 
 series of games of chess. He again took the black men, while ] 
 still chose the white. As he is a remarkably good player, he at first 
 got me in a very bad "situation;" but, by dint of 'studying well my 
 
OUR CONCERT. 65 
 
 combinations, I had the satisfaction of not only freeing myself from 
 the difficulty, but also of defeating my opponent in nearly every 
 game thereafter. 
 
 At 4 o'clock P. M., we had a concert among ourselves, at which we 
 were honored by the audience of several Confederate officers, who 
 seemed highly delighted with the performance, until, in grand strains, 
 we gave them " Hail Columbia." At this their countenances rather 
 fell, and they seemed to wish themselves away. Desiring to give 
 them a full dose of Union melody, we immediately, upon the con- 
 clusion of the song, struck up, " Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean." 
 This forced one or two of them to excuse themselves very suddenly 
 on important duties, and, by the time that we got to the middle 
 verse of " The Star Spangled Banner," only a solitary one of them 
 remained ; and I had heard hints thrown out that he was not thought 
 to be fully loyal to the rebel government. Thus his desire to listen 
 to the good old song was accounted for. I have often heard of Satan 
 getting into agony when the sound of a church-bell struck upon his 
 ear ; but I doubt if the old gentleman ever feared the ringing of a 
 church-bell worse than a rebel fears the stirring notes of " The Star 
 Spangled Banner." 
 
 October 17. — Another day has been added to those of my captivity 
 that have passed away. It is within half an hour of tattoo, after 
 which all lights must be put out. I must, therefore, make the most 
 of the time left me to enter in my diary the events of the day. 
 
 First, then, when the boat came over from the city this morning, it 
 brought, from the same kind-hearted lady who sent us the jelly, a few 
 days ago, a half a pound of excellent coffee. This was a great treat 
 indeed ; and, though we never found out the name of our benefac- 
 tress, yet we shall never cease to be thankful for the numberless 
 attentions she paid to us while we were confined in the Castle. 
 
 Sir Walter Scott never penned a greater truth than when he wrote : 
 
 "O, woman! in our hours of ease, 
 
 Uncertain, coy, and hard to please ; 
 When pain and anguish wring the hrow, 
 A ministering angel thou." 
 
 From breakfast until dinner, I amused myself with carving a small 
 finger-ring from a beautifully white mutton bone. I shall, if God 
 spares me to return home, give it to little Fannie L . 
 
 Bishop Lynch visited us to-day, and spent a long time with us. 
 He inquired kindly after my welfare, and offered to advance me 
 money if I needed any. But, as he had previously laid me under a 
 
66 THE CASTLE PINCKNEY BROTHERHOOD. 
 
 debt of gratitude, I could not think of accepting his proffered aid. 
 I have had several offers of pecuniary assistance, since I was 
 imprisoned, from men, with whom having had only the slightest 
 acquaintance in times past, I looked upon as strangers. Of course, 1 
 appreciated their liberal offers the more deeply upon this account; 
 but, as I was totally ignorant of what lay in the future, I would not 
 incur risks which might have gone entirely from under my control. 
 
 Bishop Lynch dined with us, and his company rendered the frugal 
 repast extremely pleasant. He soon after bade us farewell, and took 
 his departure. 
 
 This afternoon we formed an association similar, in all respects, to 
 that of which we were members in the old Tobacco Warehouse, in 
 Richmond. The title of our new society is " The Castle Pinckney 
 Brotherhood." The objects of the "Brotherhood" are to be the 
 same as were those of the "Richmond Prison Association," 
 namely, to improve our minds, pass away our time, and amuse 
 ourselves. 
 
 Though we have continually missed our friends, Mr. Ely and 
 Lieutenant Hart, yet we get along remarkably well, and manage to 
 dispose of our hours with great advantage, both mentally and 
 physically. 
 
 I must stop now, for the tattoo has commenced, and, within a few 
 minutes, all will be darkness and quiet. 
 
 October 18. — Another gloomy, chilly day is upon us. Our coffee 
 is all gone, and we do not expect to taste that refreshing beverage 
 again until we are released, and sent home. We have almost given 
 up all hope of release, however, until after the conclusion of the war. 
 This seems to bear hardly upon the poor fellows, especially the rank 
 and file, many of whom have families in the North dependent upon 
 them for support. It is to be sincerely hoped that the latter will be 
 taken care of by the citizens at large. Otherwise I do not see how 
 they are going to struggle through the rapidly approaching winter. 
 The United States Government should take the matter in charge, 
 and supply the wants of the wives and children of the noble fellows 
 who rushed to the rescue of their country when all around was dark 
 and threatening. Such a course would lighten the burden of many 
 a husband's and father's care and anxiety, whose lives are wasting 
 away in Southern dungeons. 
 
 Just after dinner to-day, we were startled by a steady and heavy 
 cannonade from the fortifications around us. We fully expected that 
 the threatened attack of the United States fleet had commenced, 
 and that, before night came, we should hear and see shot and 
 
GREAT PRIVILEGE. 67 
 
 shell falling thickly about our Castle residence. We were disap- 
 pointed, however, for, not long afterward, we were informed by 
 one of our keepers that the firing was only occasioned by artillery 
 practice. At first, we did not believe this statement ; but at last we 
 were forced to do so, much as it was against our inclinations and 
 wishes. Castle Pinckney joined in the fusilade, and the solid walls 
 trembled again at each discharge of its huge pieces. 
 
 We were much disappointed when we found out our mistake, for 
 we would willingly have run all the risks of the bombardment, 
 which would give the fortifications into the possession of the Union 
 forces. 
 
 October 19. — The weather is daily becoming colder and colder, and 
 the prisoners begin to feel more keenly the bad effects of insufficient 
 clothing. Some of them have no shoes, hats, coats, or bed-clothing, 
 and what they will do, without the authorities at Washington speedily 
 relieve them, I cannot tell. I wish that my scanty purse was filled 
 only half as full of money as my heart is of pity, for then the red 
 tape which controls affairs at Washington would soon be cut, and 
 the patient soldiers made comfortable. An overcoat, a pair of shoes, 
 and a good substantial blanket apiece, would enable thejarisoners to 
 pass very well through the approaching winter. I learn that Gene- 
 ral Wool is making strong efforts to have the men in the hands of 
 the rebels properly cared for. The General is an old soldier, and 
 understands the case thoroughly, which the civilians at Washington, 
 it seems, will never properly comprehend. 
 
 Lieutenant Dempsey has been unwell all day, and confined during 
 the afternoon to his bed. He i§ no better this evening, and I have 
 advised him to see* the surgeon in the morning. 
 
 The officers are allowed to walk about over the island on which 
 the Castle is built, from reveille to retreat, and are allowed on the 
 ramparts till tattoo. The rank and file have the liberty of the inner 
 yard during these hours. This great privilege is fully appreciated 
 by all the prisoners, not one of whom I believe would take advan- 
 tage of it to effect his escape. 
 
 October 20. — The weather to-day has been clear, but colder than 
 usual. Lieutenant Dempsey was so much improved by a good night's 
 sleep, that the services of the surgeon were not required by him this 
 morning. 
 
 The rebel artillerists were again practising at the guns this after- 
 noon. This shows that the dreaded Union fleet is fully expected to 
 make an attack upon this port. I hope the expectation may be 
 realized, and I pray that success may crown the effort. When the 
 
68 SHAMEFUL NEGLECT. 
 
 contest comes, it will be a terrible one, however, for the defences of 
 t?his harbor are in a complete condition, and each fortification will 
 have to be taken by steady and heavy action. It would be rather 
 strange, after all, if we were liberated by the Union guns. 
 
 October 21. — To-day I have written a letter to my dear friend, 
 Captain James B. Kirker, in reply to his of the sixteenth of August. 
 We have been in the habit of censuring the Confederate authorities 
 for delaying the receipt of our letters from home in an unwarrantable 
 degree; but this letter from Captain Kirker shows "conclusively that 
 there is some culpable negligence on the other side of the line. While 
 the letter itself was dated August 16, the envelope bore the post- 
 mark of Norfolk, October 14, thus showing that, after being written 
 and mailed, two montlis were consumed in its passage to Norfolk, 
 coming all the way thither, also, through loyal hands. This is a 
 shame, and the officials allowing it should be- taught either how to 
 resign their places, or how to appreciate the anxiety and wants of 
 captives far away from home and dear ones. 
 
 The general health of the prisoners is remarkably good, consider- 
 ing what they have been forced to endure, both mentally and physic- 
 ally. There are some half a dozen in the hospital, most of them 
 belonging to the First Michigan Regiment. Lieutenant Underhill, 
 of the Eleventh New York Volunteers, is now fully recovered from 
 a severe attack of tj^phoid fever under which he has been laboring. 
 
 I wonder if all the officers and men of the old Sixty Ninth will 
 ever come together again. Captain Mclvor, Lieutenant Bagley, and 
 Lieutenant Gannon are, I believe, still in Richmond ; but the rank 
 and file were sent to New Orleans. If they are kept there until the 
 sickly, summer season sets in, I fear we shall have to mourn them as 
 "the unreturning brave," if indeed we are spared ourselves. 
 
 Thrifty housewives have an adage that says : " Money goes like 
 butter in the sun." Were they down here, however, I think they 
 would not be very long in finding out that it may go much faster. 
 
 My friends at home may possibly think that I slight them by not 
 writing to them oftener than I do; but there are so many chances 
 against a letter from a prisoner ever reaching its destination, that it 
 .is almost useless to attempt it. 
 
 October 22. — This morning I received from the same kind lady who 
 has previously sent little presents to the prisoners, and who still 
 persists in remaining unknown to'us, a dozen large bunches of fine 
 raisins. They were wrapped first in a sheet of white paper, and then 
 in half a New York Herald, of the date of July 30, 1861. Though 
 the fruit was delightful, yet it was not as welcome as the partially 
 
THE BOUNTY FUND OF THE SIXTY NINTH. Qd 
 
 destroyed newspaper. The first item in the latter which struck my 
 attention was one relating to the Bounty Fund of the Sixty Ninth 
 Regiment, about which Captain Kirker has several times written to 
 me. In case of an accident to the paper containing the item, I here- 
 with transcribe the latter to my diary : 
 
 Sixty Ninth Regiment Relief Fund. 
 
 "A meeting of the committee having this fund in charge was held 
 at Captain Kirker's, No. 599 Broadway, last evening. Present — 
 Hon. Charles P. Daly, in the chair; Edward J. Wilson, Acting 
 Treasurer ; William J. Kane, Secretary ; Messrs. James B. Nichol- 
 son, John Hennessy, Edward Hart, Captain Kirker, and others. 
 The following resolutions were presented, and unanimously adopted : 
 
 " 'Resolved, That no further payments be made to the families of 
 the soldiers who have returned uninjured, and that the remainder of 
 the fund be applied to the relief of the families of the wounded, 
 dead, or missing of the regiment. 
 
 " 'Resolved] That the Secretary be directed to apply to the Cap- 
 tains of the different companies for a list of the wounded, the dead, 
 and the missing. 
 
 " 'Resolved, That the future meetings of the committee for the 
 administration of relief will be held on Friday, at 5 o'clock P. M., at 
 599 Broadway.' " 
 
 On the same page, my eye fell also upon the following paragraph : 
 
 "More Troops for Canada. 
 
 [From the Montreal Advertiser.] 
 
 " It is reported that the Great Eastern will return to Quebec this 
 fall, with several regiments of troops and additional batteries of 
 Armstrong guns, among which will be the batteries which did such 
 good service in China, and which have been ordered home by the 
 overland route through Egypt." 
 
 This looks very much like as if England, under the specious pre- 
 tence of defending Canada against invasion from the United States, is 
 preparing to interfere in the affairs of the latter country at some 
 moment favorable to her own schemes. Great Britain must know 
 just as well as we do that we shall find enough trouble ori our hands 
 to settle before this war is done with, without going to the expense 
 of conquering Canada. Both the Canadas must, at some future day, 
 become an integral portion of the United States of their own free 
 will. If allowed to ripen, the fruit will eventually fall into our laps. 
 
70 A GAME OF CHESS. 
 
 October 23. — The rebel artillerists have been practising again 
 to-day, notwithstanding that the weather has been bad. I did not 
 take my customary walk about the island to-day, on account of the 
 weather, but remained in-doors, and passed my time away in playing 
 chess and reading a book on military law. 
 
 October 24. — This morning was as bad as yesterday, until about 
 noon, when, the clouds breaking away, we had a beautiful afternoon 
 and evening. Lieutenant Connolley and I played a game of chess 
 to-day, each of us without looking upon the board. We got along 
 very satisfactorily for the first few moves ; but, not being quite as 
 good players as Morphy or Paulsen, we at last got our ideas much in 
 the same condition as are the political affairs of our country ; that is, 
 slightly mixed. 
 
 The trials of the pirates, whom the rebels call privateers, are 
 exciting, I hear, much comment. The Confederates are eagerly 
 watching the course of matters in the Northern courts ; and, if the 
 pirates are condemned, there is no doubt but that the former wi41 
 retaliate upon us prisoners. From the harsh manner in which I 
 have been already treated, I fully expect that I will be selected as 
 one of the first victims* I am prepared for any fate, however, no 
 matter what it is, so long as my adopted land will be benefited 
 thereby. 
 
 The rest of my unfortunate diary is mutilated to such an extent 
 as to be entirely useless, and I must, therefore, continue from memory 
 my experience from that day up to my release. The next day, 
 Friday, we received an intimation 'that, as the pirates in the North 
 were confined in prison cells as common felons, we would be served 
 in the same manner. 
 
 On the following Sabbath, our staunch friend, Bishop Lynch, came 
 over from the city to pay us a visit. He confirmed the news we had 
 received touching our disposal, and endeavored to console us in our 
 misfortune. He deeply deplored the existence of the war, and 
 prayed that God, in his infinite mercy, would bring it speedily to a 
 close. This was the last time I had the pleasure of seeing the Bishop 
 in Castle Pinckney, for, on the following Wednesday, October 30th, 
 all the captives, myself included, were taken from our ocean-washed 
 prison, and, closely confined in the common jail in Charleston. An 
 account of the affair, that I subsequently saw in the Charleston 
 
 * It was a strange coincidence that Colonel Corcoran's fate, determined as it was 
 "by chance, should be exactly what he suspected that the Confederates would mete 
 •out to him by design. 
 
SENT TO CHARLESTON JAIL. 71 
 
 Mercury, I herewith give, as it may perhaps be interesting to thos© 
 who have not before read it 
 
 "The Union Prisoners of War. 
 
 [From the Charleston Mercury of Nov. 2.] 
 
 " Charleston was somewhat startled from its serenity on Wednes- 
 day afternoon last, by the passage through, the streets of the captive 
 Bull Runners, who, for some time past, have been quartered at Castle 
 Pinckney. The steamer John A. Moore, containing the prisoners, 
 their effects, and the guard of Zouaves, reached the wharf about four 
 o'clock. 
 
 " After some time spent in packing the baggage of the Yankees in 
 wagons, the line was formed in the following order : 
 
 Platoon op thf City Guard. 
 
 » o 
 
 W n 
 
 < Sd 
 
 ^ Prisoners of War Marching ^ 
 
 o Five Abrfast. 
 
 go N 
 
 3 ' § 
 
 3 % 
 
 W m 
 
 O .» 
 
 t 
 
 Platoon of the City Guard. 
 
 " The column then moved rapidly to the tap of the drum, through 
 East Bay, Cumberland, Meeting, and Queen Streets to the former 
 commodious quarters of the prisoners. 
 
 " Along the whole line of the march, the streets were thronged 
 with a motley crowd of people, juveniles and darkies. Great eager- 
 ness was expressed to see the officers, especially Colonel Corcoran, 
 late of the Sixty Ninth Regiment. The privates were indeed a 
 sorry-looking set, but seemed in quite a good humor ; and many of 
 them carried along on their shoulders their chairs, chess-boards, and 
 other similar conveniences, which they had extemporized during 
 their stay at Castle Pinckney. 
 
 "One of the prisoners, who marched among the officers, was 
 recognized as the itinerant vender of " Magic Oil," who, a year or 
 two ago, used to frequent the Post-Office steps and other well-known 
 localities. He has now turned his elocutionary powers to a better 
 account, and officiates, or did officiate, as chaplain of a Yankee 
 regiment. 
 
72 A SPITEFUL OFFICIAL. 
 
 " We understand that the prisoners were removed from Castle 
 Pinckney in order that the post might be put to a better use.'' 1 
 
 In the last sentence of the above, I have italicised the closing 
 words to call particular attention to the malignant expression of bad 
 feeling on the part of "the person who wrote the article. According 
 to my idea, Castle Pinckney was highly honored by the presence of 
 Union prisoners within its walls. 
 
 The popular feeling, however, about this period began to run very 
 high against us, and there was much rejoicing when it was announced 
 that a certain number of us had been selected by lot as hostages for 
 the safety of the rebel pirates. Throughout the whole length and 
 breadth of the so-called Confederacy, I do not believe there were a 
 hundred who felt sorry for us. 
 
 I well remember the day on which my doom was first made known 
 to me. It was a day or two after the lots were drawn by my old 
 friend and fellow-prisoner, Mr. Ely, in the Tobacco Warehouse at 
 Eichmond. As I had been fully expecting something of this sort, I 
 was not in the least surprised when the news arrived. But I must, 
 in honesty, say that I was much surprised that I had been allowed 
 the privilege of running an even risk with my fellow- officers, instead 
 of being directly selected by the rebel authorities, who had always 
 seemed to have a particular spite against me. 
 
 In view of this state of the case, also, I only felt the less concern 
 for my life, and the greater desire to serve my adopted country to the 
 fullest extent required. 
 
 The officer, whose duty it was to make me acquainted with the 
 intention of the Confederate government, after reading the order 
 respecting me, from the Secretary of War, apologized in the usual 
 formal manner for being obliged to perform such a disagreeable duty, 
 &c. I turned away with the reply : 
 
 "Oh, no matter, Colonel! our turn will come next." 
 
 From that moment out, while I was under his charge, this narrow- 
 minded man took every opportunity to annoy and harass me. He 
 was altogether unlike those Confederate officers with whom it had 
 been my good fortune to fall in. Whenever he came across an 
 article denunciatory of the Yankee prisoners, he took especial pains 
 to hand me the paper containing it. 
 
 One day, just after learning what was to be done with me, and as 
 I was lying asleep on my wretched pallet, he handed to Lieutenant 
 Connolley, to give me when I awoke, a copy of the Norfolk Day 
 
REBEL NEWSPAPER ITEMS. 73 
 
 Book, containing the following paragraph, which he had very care- 
 fully marked round with ink: 
 
 "Hanging Rebels. 
 
 Richmond, November 11, 1861. 
 
 " Colonel Corcoran, three captains, and eighteen lieutenants, all of 
 whom were captured in the action at Manassas, and confined in the 
 jail at Richmond, have been selected by lots to be hung, by way of 
 retribution for the hanging of Captain Baker and the crew of the 
 Southern privateer, Savannah. 
 
 "The Hon. Mr. Ely, member of Congress, drew lots for Mr. Cor- 
 coran, who is now imprisoned at Charleston. In case the court in 
 New York condemn the crew of the Savannah to death, the Union 
 officers will be immediately hung." 
 
 The above, as the reader will see, is entirely incorrect in par- 
 ticulars. 
 
 Along with the Day Booh, this contemptible man also left a copy 
 of the Charleston Mercury, with the following also marked round 
 with ink : 
 
 " The Yankee prisoners in South Carolina are all safely lodged 
 in jail, where they will abide the issue of the trials of our brave 
 privateersmen at the North. Should one drop of Southern blood be 
 shed by the Northern courts for defending the South' on the seas, it 
 will be paid with interest in Charleston. 
 
 " Self-protection, and the enforcement of the laws of nations and 
 humanity, alike require, in this instance, full and ample retaliation." 
 
 While I am quoting from these two rebel papers, I might as well 
 give the reader also an advertisement in the Day Book, close by the 
 article I have quoted above. I give it to show the terrorism which 
 prevails at the South. More bitter venom could scarcely be crowded 
 into so few words. 
 
 "Attention, Rattlesnakes! 
 
 "Charge with fell poison, and be prepared to strike. We find 
 many subjects in this town who must receive the force of our venom. 
 Call early at the Hole, and hear the Big Snake. Little Snakes, keep 
 your eyes open, and bring in a list of those unfriendly to our holy 
 cause. 
 
 By order of The Big Rattle. 
 
 November 13, 1861." 
 
74 THE FIEE IJN CHAELESTON. 
 
 When I awoke, I felt extremely unwell; so mucli so that, after 
 casually reading over the marked paragraphs, I threw down the 
 papers, and took no more notice of them, nor the effort the rebel 
 officer thus made to annoy and insult me. My illness steadily grew 
 worse, till at last it took the form of typhoid fever. Then it was 
 that I experienced the kindness and untiring attentions of Lieutenant 
 Connolley and private John Owens, both of whom, fortunately for me, 
 had been allowed to accompany and remain with me all the way 
 from Kichmond. Had it not been for the faithful devotion of these 
 two men, I feel certain that I should never have lived through the 
 attack. As it was, however, I quickly improved, and had nearly 
 recovered, when my life was again endangered by the great confla- 
 gration which, as the reader doubtless remembers, gave rise to the 
 report in the North that the slaves of Charleston had risen in an 
 insurrection, and burned the city. There can be no doubt that, at 
 one time, the destructive element threatened a total destruction of the 
 place, and the escape of the city seemed almost miraculous. 
 
 Whole blocks were swept away. In Mazyck, Logan, Savage, and 
 New Streets, the fire made the most terrific progress, destroying 
 everything, and making that portion of the city an entire waste. 
 
 The prison in which we were confined was several times in great 
 peril, the burning flakes falling thickly around it, while the wind 
 brought thick, dark volumes of smoke, and whirled them about the 
 building in the most fearful manner. So great indeed was the danger 
 at one time, that the intensity of the heat and the thickly falling 
 embers drove the few members of the guard, who were not 
 engaged in assisting to quell the fire, away from their posts. It 
 was at this juncture that many of the captives made the attempt 
 to escape. 
 
 During the progress of the conflagration, I felt sure that the prison 
 in which I was confined would go down, and accordingly I made 
 preparations to save my life by the most convenient means. I was 
 not long in finding the latter. An old bed-sacking lay in one corner 
 of the room, with the cord still remaining threaded through its eylet- 
 holes. With the assistance of Lieutenant Connolley and John 
 Owens, I speedily freed the cord from the sacking, and then doubling 
 it, twisted it together so as to form a single rope. With my two 
 companions, I then went to 'one of the windows, where, securely 
 fastening one extremity of the rope, I cast the other out into the 
 street. I then ordered Lieutenant Connolley and John Owens to 
 save themselves first, promising to follow them immediately ; but 
 
"Before I had lowered myself to the pavement, the Rebel Soldiers had come 
 np, and stood ready to transfix us with their bayonets. — bee page 85. 
 
MY ATTEMPTED ESCAPE. 85 
 
 neither of the devoted men would listen to this, but insisted that I 
 should go first. I still remained firm however. 
 
 "Well, Colonel," said Lieutenant Connolley, "I think you are 
 right ; because, if there's any danger below, I can easily give you 
 warning, so that you may find some other way of escaping. Here 
 I go!" 
 
 With these words, the brave fellow sprang up upon the window- 
 sill, lowered himself quickly out, and, grasping the rope, slipped 
 instantly down to the sidewalk. I then told John Owens to go also, 
 but he utterly refused. 
 
 " You go, Colonel, and I'll stay here and see the rope don't slip. 
 And when you get down you won't touch ground before I'm by your 
 side." 
 
 Seeing from his countenance that he was determined to have his 
 own way, I got up upon the window-sill, and, seizing the rope, was 
 about to lower myself, when Lieutenant Connolley shouted : 
 
 " Quick ! quick, Colonel ! Here comes a squad of soldiers on the 
 double quick ! They're bound to make us roast !" 
 
 At this perilous moment, a loop of the cord became tangled about 
 one of my fingers ; and, by the time I had undone it, and lowered 
 myself to the pavement, the soldiers had come up to us, and stood 
 ready to transfix us with their charged bayonets, should we attempt 
 to escape further than we had. 
 
 John Owens instantly followed me, and he was in turn followed by 
 fully a dozen others. 
 
 After the lapse of about ten minutes, we were all marched to a 
 building close by, where we were securely confined, two soldiers with 
 loaded pieces being placed to guard us. 
 
 The attempt upon our part was not looked upon by the rebels as 
 an effort to regain our freedom, but merely to save ourselves from 
 the fire. Consequently no extra punishment was awarded us. This 
 was fortunate enough, for, had the guard been fully aware of our 
 real designs — which were either to reach Port Eoyal, now in the 
 possession of the Union fleet, or to make the best of our way 
 Northward — they would undoubtedly have shot us down without 
 the slightest scruple. In our new abode we were forced to remain 
 until after the conflagration was ended, when we were taken back to 
 our old quarters. And, while speaking of this matter, I am reminded 
 of a report, which, at the time it was first set afloat, obtained credence 
 everywhere. It was to the effect that, for some act of insubordina- 
 tion on my part, I had been shot dead on the ramparts at Castle 
 Pinckney by a rebel sentinel. Of course it is unnecessary for me to 
 
86 PUT IN a felok's cell. 
 
 contradict this rumor now, but I may as well in this connection 
 remark, that I deem it due to myself to deny all the sensation reports 
 which, since my capture, have been circulated in the North concern- 
 ing me. 
 
 Among the most cruel acts of the vindictive rebel officer I have 
 mentioned, was the following : . 
 
 On November 19, he came into the room where, with my com- 
 panions, I was seated in conversation, and, in a pompous tone, informed 
 me that he had come to lock me up in a cell by myself. 
 
 "Very good, sir," replied I, rising from my chair; "I am ready 
 for any fate, no matter what." 
 
 This answer, which, perhaps, was entirely unexpected, irritated 
 him, and, with a scowl of malignity, he rejoined: 
 
 "You won't be so ready if it comes to hanging." 
 
 " I shall endeavor at least," said I, '' to meet such a death in a 
 manner worthy of a soldier. By-the-by," I continued, as I remem- 
 bered that I had yet to complete a pleasant task which I had com- 
 menced before breakfast, " will you allow me half an hour to finish 
 and copy a letter, which I wish to send to a friend of mine in New 
 York?" 
 
 " No, sir ; you must come with me immediately." 
 
 I know that a flush of anger rushed to my cheeks at this instant, 
 and an idea of resisting took possession of me. . But a moment's 
 reflection served to dissipate all this, and with a silent nod I pre- 
 pared to follow him. Before leaving the room, however, I requested 
 Lieutenant Connolley to transcribe the letter I had written, and see to 
 its being sent. I also bade him state the reason why it was not in 
 my own handwriting. He begged that he might be permitted to 
 resign what few privileges he enjoyed, and to share with me my close 
 confinement. But this was peremptorily denied, and I was marched 
 off alone to my solitary cell, which had just been used previously by 
 one of the vilest convicts, whom it had been found necessary to chain 
 to the floor. The chain and ankle link still remained attached to the 
 bolt in the boards when I entered the wretched dungeon, and I fully 
 expected that the degrading shackles would be riveted upon myself. 
 
 But in this belief, thank Heaven ! I was wrong, and the indignity- 
 offered me ended with my confinement in the contracted, dirty cell. 
 Strange, also, as it may seem, yet it is nevertheless true, that some 
 of the moments which I passed in this very prison cell, were among 
 the happiest I ever experienced. For the consciousness that I was 
 suffering in a great and holy cause took away the pangs which 
 otherwise would have accompanied my ill treatment by the Con- 
 
LIEUT, hart's letter. 87 
 
 federate authorities. My answer to the scoffs and persuasions of the 
 rebel officials was uniformly the same: "Your turn now; our turn 
 next." 
 
 Beside the ill-bred, contemptible officer whom I have referred to 
 above, there was another, Major Leland, who was just the opposite 
 of his associate, or, rather, superior. Kind and affable, he invariably, 
 when he was on duty, exerted himself to the utmost to make the 
 dreary hours of my captivity slip away as smoothly as possible. 
 Though compassionate, he was always gay and entertaining, and yet 
 far from light or frivolous. Even when off duty, and he happened 
 to be passing my cell, he would look in, shake my hand, slip me a 
 newspaper, or a few segars, and be gone. He came and went like a 
 ray of genial sunlight. 
 
 In one of the papers which the Major left me one day, I was sur- 
 prised and well pleased to see a letter written by my old friend and 
 fellow- prisoner, Lieutenant Isaac Hart. Though in the Tobacco 
 Warehouse at Richmond Lieutenant Hart had been the merriest of 
 the company, yet he keenly appreciated the real condition of himself 
 and his fellow-prisoners, and showed himself capable of portraying 
 their situation in the strongest and most vivid manner. The reader 
 shall judge for himself however : 
 
 "Prisoners' Quarters, Richmond, "Va., 
 
 December, 1861. 
 "To James Gordon Bennett, Esq. 
 
 Dear Sir — The object of this communication is to call the 
 attention of your numerous readers to the condition of the Federal 
 prisoners at this point. It calls up every emotion of the soul's pity, 
 as we have beheld from day to day their perfect destitution and 
 sufferings. I have been frequently inquired of by the pale and 
 sickly, half-clad, heart-broken soldier, far from home and in prison 
 in an enemy's land: 
 
 "' When will our government send us some clothing and blankets? 
 Do you know, Lieutenant ?' And I have heard them say despond- 
 ingly: 
 
 " 'If our friends only knew how we suffer here, they would send to 
 our relief; but I suppose they think the government will see to it.' 
 
 " I have seen the tears trickle down their cheeks. Repeated scenes 
 of this kind, feebly described, prompted the noble-hearted Ely to 
 make the proposition that I clip from the Enquirer of this morning.* 
 
 * Referring to Mr. Ely's offer, mentioned in the previons pages, of $5000 to furnish, 
 the needy prisoners with the indispensable necessaries of life. 
 
88 LIEUT, hart's letter. 
 
 The soldiers refused it because they love their country ; and, as the;? 
 had volunteered in her service, they still believed that she would 
 come to their relief; and still they suffer on. I use the term half- 
 clad. It is not an exaggeration. I have seen them dirty and pale 
 from long confinement, without shoes, socks, shirts, coats, hats or 
 caps, and, in some instances, with only drawers for pants. 
 
 " Hundreds of them have been sent South to other quarters, in 
 this condition, exposed to the gaze of the curious and excited crowds. 
 As generous as was the proposition of the Hon. Alfred Ely, it would 
 avail but little at • the present list of prices here. The Confederate 
 soldiers are supplied by home contributions with all necessaries. If 
 Mr. Ely were in his place in Congress, he could present the case in 
 such a light as would cause the whole heart of the people to throb 
 with sympathy for the prisoners, and institute a system of exchange, 
 demanded by every principle of justice and humanity. 
 
 "The first sent by the Confederates was seventy, which was 
 promptly responded to by our government. Last week five more 
 were sent by the Federal government, and as promptly responded to 
 by the Confederate government. This principle applied, and carried 
 | out, would exchange every man of us at once. Shall we have it ? 
 In God's name let it come, as it would be an act of purest benevo- 
 lence, and would call forth more blessings on the heads and hearts 
 that are movers in the matter, than any one act that could, or has, 
 presented itself to a Christian world in this, the noon of the nine- 
 teenth century. 
 
 " Three thousand prisoners have their eyes turned to the govern- 
 ment. Their numerous friends at home are all looking and praying 
 for their exchange. Shall they look in vain ? May all that is holy, 
 good, o<r patriotic, forbid it, and may God's blessings descend upon 
 that heart that acts justly, is the prayer of one of the prisoners at 
 Richmond, to which all the rest respond, Amen ! 
 
 Yours Respectfully. I. W. Hart, 
 
 Quartermaster 20lh Ind. Vol." 
 
 Just after the date on which the above stirring and touching appeal 
 was made, relief came to the prisoners through the instrumentality 
 of Major General 'Wool, who had been pushing the matter for some 
 time previous. 
 
 While immured myself, I could never cease thinking of the thou- 
 sands of captives who were languishing away in Southern prisons, 
 and thinking also of their needy, anxious families far away in the 
 
EFFORTS FOR MY RELEASE. 89 
 
 North, who, in want and sorrow, were obliged to suffer on, and await 
 the long delayed action of tardy Washington officials. 
 
 Nearly all of those who had been taken prisoners at Bull's Bun had 
 been enlisted for three months, and it became a question whether, 
 after the expiring of their time, they would be considered discharged, 
 or whether their pay would go on regularly so long as they were 
 held by their enemies. Justice certainly pointed to the latter course, 
 for their stay in the inhospitable land of the Sunny South was invol- 
 untary on their part, and the result of their bravery and unyielding 
 devotion to the cause for which they suffered. 
 
 My long confinement began to tell heavily upon my physical con- 
 dition, although my mind was comparatively free from care. It is 
 written in the good book, that "hope deferred maketh the heart 
 sick," and I must acknowledge that, notwithstanding all my efforts 
 to the contrary, there were moments of my captivity during which 
 my heart was indeed sick with long deferred hope. The reader will 
 bear in mind that now, also, my situation was a peculiarly unpro- 
 mising one, for, standing as' I did, a hostage for the life or death of 
 the pirate, Smith, who had been condemned in Philadelphia, I knew 
 not at what moment I might be called upon to suffer the ignominious 
 doom of a convicted felon upon the scaffold. 
 
 During these dreary days of suspense, I heard now and then of the 
 strenuous efforts being made by my friends to have me released, and 
 to look after the welfare of those near and dear to my heart at home 
 in New York. These items of intelligence came through the gloom 
 like the bright beams of the sun through a murky sky. They were 
 like the precious, cooling zephyrs which once in awhile fan the 
 fevered, worn out traveller on the arid deserts of Arabia. And I 
 was only too sorry that every prisoner in the hands of the rebels did 
 not have as many rays of the same sunlight to warm and encourage 
 him, and as many zephyrs to fan his brow. 
 
 It used to be one of my most constant and heavy cares thinking 
 upon the hard lot of the noble men, the rank and file, not only of 
 the Sixty Ninth, but, also, of every other regiment on whose strong 
 arms alone depended the maintenance of wives, and mothers, and little 
 ones at home. Had I been the possessor of all the wealth of Gol- 
 conda, I would have given it all away to the Union prisoners and 
 their families. There would have been no starving wives, no naked 
 children belonging to a volunteer, had Michael Corcoran's purse been 
 as large as his heart. 
 
 Now and then I used to hear of the release of a prisoner, and 1 
 always felt glad when I heard it, but I felt more than glad when I 
 
90 A DISTINGUISHED VICTIM. 
 
 learned that {he Hon. Mr. Ely had been set free from confinement 
 at Richmond, and allowed to return home. 
 
 I had been fearful that, though not a military man, and, therefore, 
 not properly a prisoner, of war, Mr. Ely would be served by the 
 '■ rebels in the same inhuman manner as had been Calvin Huson, Esq. 
 This well-known gentleman accompanied Mr. Ely to the battle-field 
 of Bull's Eun, for the purpose of rendering aid to those who might 
 be wounded in a batallion which had been raised in his own Con- 
 gressional district in New York. With this noble and humane 
 object he entered the battle, and, heedless of his own safety, sought 
 only to fulfil his compassionate mission. He was captured and taken 
 to the Tobacco Warehouse at Richmond, where he was shortly after- 
 ward attacked with typhoid fever. As he gradually but surely grew 
 worse and worse, his friends in captivity — the warmest among whom 
 was his former uolitical opponent, Mr. Ely — exerted themselves to 
 the very utmost to have him at least removed to a hospital. But 
 their entreaties were for a length of time unavailing. Succeeding at 
 last, Mr. Ely had his dying friend taken from the Tobacco Ware- 
 house to the residence of a kind family in the rebel capital. Here 
 every care and attention were paid to the sufferer, but without the 
 hoped-for effect, for, a" few days later, he breathed his last, a 
 martyr to that glorious cause in which it is my wish to die before 
 all others. He was buried in the most beautiful cemetery in Rich- 
 mond, and sleeps as calmly as though he had been laid in a quiet, 
 country churchyard, where the birds and heaven's winds alone would 
 have sung over his grave. 
 
 One after another of those who were captured at the same time as 
 myself, and others who were taken subsequently, were released and 
 sent home, while I was held more tightly and treated more rigorously 
 than ever. The reader of these pages may possibly suppose that the 
 release of my fellow- prisoners made me feel envious, but such a 
 feeling never found a place in my breast. I always thanked (rod for 
 his mercy and kindness to them. As to my own fortune, I expe- 
 rienced none but the deepest emotion of pleasure to know that I was 
 accounted worthy to suffer more than my fellow-captives for the 
 sake of the land of my adoption. 
 
 I was not destined to remain long in Charleston, for, my captors, 
 on some pretext or other, determined that, with some other prisoners 
 who were deemed dangerous characters — quite complimentary to me, 
 by the way — I should be removed to Columbia, the capital of South 
 Carolina. 
 
 As the winter had quite fallen, the journey between the two cities 
 
SENT TO COLUMBIA. 91 
 
 I 
 
 was a very cold and disagreeable one — disagreeable not only on 
 account of the weather, but, also, on account of the treatment re- 
 ceived from the inhabitants along the road. Iu a few instances we 
 were allowed to pass without any demonstration, but in the majority 
 of cases we were jeered and hooted at by the ignorant mobs, who 
 sometimes were rather violent in their manifestations of hatred and 
 anger, requiring the services of our guards to keep them within 
 bounds. The people of South Carolina, that is, the masses, are fear- 
 fully ignorant, even the slaves looking down upon them with contempt, 
 and calling them white trash. It is, therefore, not astonishing to 
 behold a people, such as these, awakened to the most desperate resist- 
 ance to the laws of the land by the wiley and intelligent leaders of 
 the rebellion. 
 
 At Branchville they shouted out all manner of imprecations and 
 ill wishes. Their favorite cry was: 
 " Hang 'em ! hang 'em !" 
 
 And, but for the presence of the soldiers who accompanied us, this 
 benevolent suggestion would doubtless have been put into execution. 
 The following extract from the Charleston Mercury of the fourth or 
 fifth of November, will show the state of the public mind in regard 
 to * Yankee prisoners." It was written when a batch of one hundred 
 and fifty captives was taken there from Eichmond and other prisons, 
 and will serve to show what sort of a reception awaited us at the 
 capital of the State. 
 
 " The arrival of 150 Yankee prisoners has been looked upon with 
 great dissatisfaction by the people of Columbia. There appears to be 
 some apprehension of the escape of some of the vandals, and subse- 
 quent mischief, arising therefrom. On their march to jail the band 
 struck up 'Dixie's Land,' when the Yankees became quite merry, 
 and seemed to relish the fun quite as much as any of the spectators. 
 This set contains some of the poorest looking specimens of humanity 
 we have yet seen. One, a boy not over fourteen or fifteen years of 
 age, was both shoeless and hatless, and was the very picture of 
 despair. The majority are foreigners. They have been safely lodged 
 in jail. Their escort from Eichmond was the Charlotte Grays of 
 Virginia, who made a gallant charge on the larder of our friend 
 Janney, of the Congaree, but were compelled by the overwhelming 
 odds and the appearance of strong reinforcements, to cry peccavi and 
 lay down their arms." 
 
 Oar own arrival at Columbia was, of course, as it happened at a 
 later date, more distasteful to the inhabitants, who were .by no means 
 slow in manifesting their dissatisfaction at our coming into their 
 
92 A REBEL ARGUMENT. 
 
 midst, notwithstanding that we were, besides being totally unarmed, 
 nearly all worn out through fatigue and sickness. » 
 
 The officers under whose charge we were first placed at Columbia 
 were as kind and indulgent as their strict orders would permit them 
 to be; but a prisoner, who is made the object of the retaliation of a 
 government, has but little mercy shown to him, and that little only 
 through the personal pity of the officer in whose custody he is put. 
 
 A matter on which the rebels used to pride themselves very much 
 was their blockade of the Potomac below Washington. They had 
 erected formidable batteries all the way down, and held, for some 
 time, undisputed possession of the river. 
 
 "Not a transport, nor even a gunboat, could get up to Washing- 
 ton," they said ; " and when General Lee was ready, he would advance, 
 cut off the railroad communication of the Northerners with the 
 Federal capital, and take the city by storm. I would soon have the 
 pleasure of hearing of the capture of ' Old Abe Lincoln,' his cabinet 
 and congress." 
 
 This kind of gasconade used to amuse me very much, and I would 
 sometimes quietly suggest to my secession friends, that, besides being 
 impregnably fortified, the moment it should be learned that the 
 capital was in peril, the whole North would rise, en masse, as it had 
 done before, and pour forth millions of men, who would, from sheer 
 force of numbers, compel them to retire in the shortest possible time. 
 
 One day when speaking on this subject to the Confederate officer 
 in whose charge I was, he actually took out his pencil and calculated 
 how it was to be accomplished. 
 
 " You see, Colonel," he said, while figuring rapidly with his pencil, 
 " we have an army ready of two or three hundred thousand men, 
 and as a Southern man is, in real courage and daring, equal to four 
 or five Northerners, this army would be equal to twelve or fifteen 
 hundred thousand men on the other side." 
 
 This loose way of reasoning was rather too much for me, and with 
 a smile, and perhaps a little sharpness of tone, I rejoined: 
 
 " I think you are badly mistaken, l^ajor Williams. Just let me 
 freshen up your memory a little. At the battle of Bull's Run the 
 Fire Zouaves, the Seventy Ninth, and the Sixty Ninth, not only met, 
 but drove back in rout whole brigades of your bravest, choicest 
 men, and completely annihilated your famous Black Horse cavalry. 
 And as to <your blockading the Potomac, take care that Generals 
 McClellan and Scott do not raise it by capturing your whole army." 
 
 It always struck me as surprising with what confidence the South- 
 erners looked forward to their essential triumph in this war. They 
 
"HAIL COLUMBIA." 93 
 
 continually avowed themselves ready to give up both property and 
 lives to attain what they chose to call their independence. It mat- 
 tered not to tell them of the tremendous power and resources, and 
 indomitable courage of the loyal portion of the Union. They would 
 not listen to such arguments ; and they will never be convinced of 
 the true state of the case, until the mightiest effort, which they can 
 possibly make, shall be crushed overwhelmingly by the government 
 that they are seeking to destroy. 
 
 Though threatened with all sorts of violence, the captives were 
 manly and bold, and even, considering their situation, light-hearted. 
 Among the number there were several beautiful singers, and these, 
 learning of the objection of the people of Columbia to receive "Yan- 
 kee prisoners" into the city, determined to get up a joke upon the 
 irate populace, in which all the rest of their fellow-prisoners joined 
 with a zest. It was during the latter part of the afternoon that we 
 came in sight of the city, and, when we did so, the leading spirits 
 struck up the noble air of " Hail Columbia !" .in'the most telling style. 
 When the chorus came in, every man lent the aid of his lungs to send 
 it up to as high a pitch as possible. I think the Columbians were 
 never before treated with such glorious music, and a large number 
 of them, seeing the point, laughed themselves into good humor 
 over it. 
 
 During our stay in the capital of South Carolina, we experienced 
 nothing beyond the ordinary routine of prison life through which we 
 had already passed. There were the same longings to be released, 
 to hear from friends at home, and to obtain clothes, &c. One event 
 happened during my sojourn in Columbia which gave me both sorrow 
 and pleasure, which was the release of Lieutenant Connolley. I was 
 much pleased that he was so fortunate as to be able to return home, 
 and I was sorry also to be obliged to lose his company; for the 
 sparkling geniality of his disposition rendered him one of the best 
 companions. 
 
 Once in awhile I received letters from home, and very precious 
 did they appear to me. In the monotony of a captive's life I would 
 have welcomed the appearance of even a tailor's bill, so much did I 
 long for something to dispel the ennui which, sometimes in spite of 
 my strongest mental efforts, took possession of me. 
 
 Newspapers reached me like angels' visits, "few and far between," 
 and, consequently, when I was fortunate enough to obtain one, I 
 prized it as highly as the miner prizes a large nugget of gold which 
 "he unexpectedly digs up. I read it several times over from the 
 
94 A FEIEND IN NEED. 
 
 title head, on the first page, to the last line on the last page, adver- 
 tisements and all. 
 
 When I was removed from Castle Pinckney to Columbia, I thought 
 that I would not be forced to again change my quarters until I started 
 for home, or for the scaffold. Consequently I was somewhat aston- 
 ished when I learned that I was to be taken to Salisbury, in North 
 Carolina. As I had been sent to Columbia as a "dangerous cha- 
 racter," I suppose that, during my stay there, I had grown somewhat 
 more dangerous, and, therefore, my removal to a still more inland 
 place became, in the eyes of the Confederate government, an indis- 
 pensable necessity. 
 
 While passing through the town of Charlotte, in North Carolina, 
 on my way to my new prison, I came across an old friend to whom, 
 several years ago, I had it in my power to render some assistance. 
 Since then he' went South, where, prospering in business beyond his 
 most sanguine expectations, he became rapidly very wealthy. He 
 was much pleased to see me, and, before parting with me, he insisted 
 that I should accept, at least as a loan, a well-filled purse. As at this 
 time my own wallet was in anything but a plethoric condition, and 
 my old friend was so sincere in his offer, I thankfully accepted it. 
 He rah no small risk on my account in the matter, for it was ex- 
 tremely dangerous for any man, no matter how true he might be to 
 the Southern cause, to be seen even speaking any length of time to a 
 Union prisoner. 
 
 The people of North Carolina were, in many instances, just as 
 violent in their treatment of the Federal captives as were their seces- 
 sion brethren of South Carolina ; while in others their kindness and 
 attention were quite marked. 
 
 Upon reaching Salisbury, the humdrum routine of prison life 
 recommenced, with, if anything, a- little harder fare than before. 
 Coffee and tea were luxuries which, owing to the efficiency of the 
 blockade, were scarcely ever seen on the tables of the wealthy, much less 
 on the humble board of the Union prisoners, while butter was almost 
 as rare. Of the common necessaries of life, however, there always 
 seemed an abundance. Flour, and beef, and bacon were purchased 
 at a moderate advance on old prices. Of course these remarks apply 
 as a general rule, for, in some localities flour has sold as high as 
 twenty- five and thirty dollars a barrel, while within a few miles it 
 has not brought half that price. 
 
 In one or two of the New York papers that fortune put in my 
 possession, I got scraps of information respecting the doings and 
 movements of the gallant Sixty Ninth, and its gallant and accom- 
 
NEWS OF THE SIXTY NINTH. 95 
 
 plished officers. Next to the proper disposal of the Bounty Fund of 
 the regiment, nothing gave me more pleasure than the promotion of 
 the various officers and members of which the regiment was com- 
 posed. And when the second great crisis of the war came, and the 
 Federal capital was threatened once more, oh, how my heart leaped 
 as i read the words: 
 
 "The Sixty Ninth Kallying- Again!" 
 
 How my eager eyes devoured each word and each letter of the para- 
 graph which told me that the brave Irish lads were once more baring 
 their manly breasts to the battle storm, and that they were once more 
 nerving their brawny arms to strike for the Star Spangled emblem 
 of their adopted nationality! In fancy I satw them marching down 
 Broadway, with full ranks, and in complete order, amid the farewells 
 and hurrahs of mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers. In fancy I 
 saw them received with open arms in hospitable Philadelphia, re- 
 freshed, and bidden God-speed upon their march. In fancy I saw 
 them camped within sight of the foe, with pickets out, and camp- 
 fires gleaming in the night gloom. In fancy I saw them roused by 
 the long roll, and marshaled to the bugle note. In fancy I saw them 
 drawn up in line of battle behind the " Banner of the Stars" and the * 
 Green Flag of Erin. In' fancy I saw them making ready for the 
 onset ; saw them moving forward steadily, quicker and quicker, until, 
 with wild shouts of victory, they burst upon and scattered the foe. 
 Spurred by such thoughts and fancies as these, my eager soul chafed 
 its dwelling like a caged eagle who wishes to spread his pinions to 
 the tempest's blast. But, alas ! impotently enough. 
 
 In the jail at Salisbury there were, besides the regular military 
 prisoners, some two or three hundred captives, who, though residing 
 in the South, had refused to take up arms in the black cause of the 
 rebellion. For this offence they were ruthlessly torn from their 
 homes and thrust into jail, where they were treated in the most 
 heartless and brutal manner, much worse in fact than their com- 
 panions. 
 
 One of them attracted my attention particularly. His name was 
 Humphrey Willis, and he was one of the oldest and most respected 
 men who lived in the Valley of the Shenandoah. From the beginning 
 of our national troubles he had stood firmly by the Union, and de- 
 nounced, in unmeasured terms, the vile demagogues who, from ambi- 
 tious motives, sought its disseverance. Seventy -five years had passed 
 over him, leaving him bent and tottering in frame, and his long locks 
 m white as the driven snow. Yet, notwithstanding this, he was 
 
96 SOUTHERN UNION PRISONERS. 
 
 dragged from his little homestead in the Valley and cast into a dun- 
 geon, where he would most likely perish ; for, when I bade him fare- 
 well at Salisbury, there was no likelihood of his release, as he sternly 
 bade defiance to his persecutors. A large proportion of these two or 
 three hundred I have mentioned were Irishmen, who, like the noble old 
 American, Humphrey Willis, had refused to raise their hands against 
 the government of the United States. 
 
 Some idea may be formed of the manner in which these unfortu- 
 nate men were treated, when it is stated, that, during the last six 
 weeks of my stay in the place, the deaths among them averaged at 
 least two each day. The rebel commissary at Charleston, Captain 
 Bogue, had, by his ill treatment of the prisoners under his charge, 
 won for himself a very unenviable character ; but he was surpassed 
 by the commissary at Salisbury, who used to serve out to the captives 
 the most repulsive food that could well be imagined. The biscuit 
 given to them were nearly as hard as stone, and filled with worms, 
 while the meat was still worse. Many attempts have been made to 
 throw the blame of this inhuman treatment upon the rebel officers, but, 
 that they were guiltless is proven by the fact that, the moment any one 
 of them endeavored to ameliorate the condition of the prisoners, he 
 was placed under arrest and cashiered. This was the fate of Colonel 
 Jones, who had charge of the prisoners among whom, I was when 
 they were taken from Salisbury to Richmond. He kindly allowed 
 some of them to go to a hotel to get a dinner, and was immediately 
 arrested for the act, and deprived of his command. 
 
 The winter,' with its dreary, dreary days, had passed away, and 
 spring had ripened into summer, and still I remained a captive. 
 Yet each hour that I was detained made me only the more deter- 
 mined to stand by the cause of my adopted country, come what would. 
 It will be remembered by the reader of these pages, that, about this 
 period, Governor Morgan appointed me to the office of Harbor Master 
 of New York, making a provision at the same time to pay my 
 salary over to Mrs. Corcoran, while it should be my fortune to remain 
 a prisoner. When the news of my appointment reached me I felt, 
 of course, highly honored ; but I experienced also a feeling that I 
 should not accept an office and receive the emoluments attached 
 thereto, without being there to attend to its duties. While I debated 
 the matter in my mind, the following paragraph appeared in the 
 Richmond Examiner of May 2d : 
 
 " We learn that Colonel Corcoran, now confined in prison here, 
 has been appointed to a lucrative government office in New York, 
 
MY APPOINTMENT TO OFFICE. 97 
 
 » 
 
 his wife to receive his salary during his imprisonment. We suppose 
 this has been given Corcoran as a sop for his •martyrdom, in the Lincoln 
 cause." 
 
 I immediately penned the following letter to my friend, Captain 
 Kirker : 
 
 "Kichmond, May 11, 1862. 
 " Captain James B. Kirker, 599 Broadway : 
 
 "My Dearest Friend — I learn by your letter, and also through other 
 sources, that his Excellency, Governor Morgan, has been pleased to 
 appoint me one of the Harbor Masters of New York. I am confident 
 that the appomtment has not been solicited by any of my friends ; I, 
 therefore, feel that his Excellency could be actuated by no other 
 motive than that of the kindest consideration for my welfare ; and, 
 while I am infinitely grateful, I am obliged, under the existing cir- 
 cumstances, respectfully to decline the acceptance of the appointment. 
 Many reasons clearly demonstrate the propriety of my action ; amongst 
 which I mention the following: First, If in the possession of my 
 liberty before the termination of this wicked rebellion, I desire to 
 serve my country in the field by assisting to suppress it; and, second, 
 I cannot possibly think of accepting a salary for duty really per- 
 formed by another person. You will, therefore, please have any 
 *money, which may have been paid to Mrs. Corcoran by Mr. Barber, 
 immediately refunded. And, as I have no opportunity at present of 
 writing to Governor Morgan and expressing my sentiments, will you 
 do me the favor of performing the service, and take occasion to ex- 
 press to him my warmest thanks ?**;*** 
 "And believe me your most devotedly attached, 
 
 Michael Corcoran, 
 Colonel 69th K T. S. M." 
 
 My health at this time was somewhat better than it had hitherto 
 been, from two good causes ; first, while at Salisbury, I, together with 
 some others, enjoyed the privilege of daily exercise on a large lot of 
 ground attached to the prison; and, second, the efforts, which my 
 friends had been continually making towards my release, seemed 
 about to be crowned with success. My greatest fear has all along 
 '' been that I might be detained a captive until the close of the war, 
 and be deprived of any further opportunity of fighting upon the 
 field. 
 
 On the twenty-sixth of May, the flag-of-truce boat from Fortress 
 Monroe, brought up Colonel Hanson, of Kentucky, for whom I was 
 
98 EXCITEMENT IN PETERSBURG. 
 
 * 
 
 to be exchange^ During my stay amongst them, however, it seemed 
 that the rebel authorities had conceived such an affection for me, or 
 rather, with more truth, for my neck, that, upon the arrival of Colonel 
 Hanson at City Point, they refused to give me up, excusing them- 
 selves on some quibble or other. Colonel Hanson, who, though a 
 rebel, is a man of sterling honor and integrity, was so disgusted at 
 the perfidy of his government that he even refused to go ashore, and 
 announced his determination to return to Washington and take the 
 oath of allegiance to the United States. I was delighted when I 
 heard these tidings, and thanked Heaven that through me a noble but 
 erring man had been induced to return to his devotion to the Stars 
 and Stripes. Could my life be extended a thousand years, I would 
 willingly spend every hour of the time in the deepest, darkest dun- 
 geon, if I could thereby induce the erring sons of the South to follow 
 Colonel Hanson's example. 
 
 Before closing my narrative, I feel it proper to refer more fully in 
 this connection to the difficulty with the Confederate authorities con- 
 cerning my release. Upon my first arrival in Petersburg in March 
 last, a rumor reached me that I was to be held as a hostage for the 
 safety of General Buckner. The officer, in whose charge my fellow- 
 prisoners and myself were placed, allowed us several privileges, 
 which awakened the fierce ire of some of the newspaper men, who 
 immediately made the following editorial attack upon us, myself in 
 particular, in the Express. The article was well displayed, and had, 
 in large, black type, this sensation heading: 
 
 "Hospitalities to the Yankee Prisoners. 
 Great Excitement! 
 " The indignation of the community was deeply arOused on Friday 
 last, by the appearance of several Yankee prisoners, who had arrived 
 in town that day, roaming freely about our streets. This indignation 
 was heightened by the knowledge that these men had been received 
 into the houses of one or more of our citizens, and that cicerones 
 were in attendance upon them guiding them from one drinking- 
 
 saloon to another, and what else the public does not know. 
 
 * # * * * * * * * # 
 
 "Early in the day information was carried to the Mayor, that 
 Colonel Corcoran had been seen to enter the store of Messrs. Scott 
 & Harrison, on Sycamore street, in company with Mr. Delany, the 
 head cutter for Scott & Shafer, and that subsequent observation had 
 discovered the Yankee Cobnel seated inside in close conversation with 
 several gentlemen. 
 
BROUGHT BEFORE THE MAYOR OF PETERSBURG. 5)9 
 
 ''Officer Peterson, who was detailed to inquire into the matter, 
 took Delanj in charge, and brought him before the Mayor. Mr. 
 A. L. Scott was also requested to attend the examination of Delanj. 
 In the mean time the excitement of the crowd became very high near 
 the store, and Colonel Corcoran was led out through the back entrance 
 of the building, and conducted by officer Ledbetter to the Richmond 
 depot, where the balance of the prisoners were under guard. Mr. 
 Delany stated to the Mayor that he had known Colonel Corcoran 
 intimately in Ireland and in New York, and that he had merely 
 invited him into the store to give him a letter to carry to his, 
 (Delany's) family, who were in New York. He stated, in addition, 
 that he had said nothing to injure the South, which was confirmed 
 by Mr. Scott, who said he fully believed Mr. Delany to be loyal to 
 the South. 
 
 " Colonel Corcoran had the letter in his possession, and a messenger 
 was dispatched to fetch him before the Mayor. On being brought 
 into court, Corcoran produced the letter, in which nothing objection- 
 able was found. Delany was therefore discharged. 
 
 "In this connection it is proper to add, that one, Conkling, a 
 Northern clerk, employed by A. S. Shafer, spent the entire forenoon 
 in company with the prisoners in Pocahontas, and, for the most part 
 of the time, was cheek by jowl with Colonel Corcoran, and more than 
 once invited the hero of Bull's Run to a saloon near by, where the 
 two enjoyed a social glass. Our authorities would do well to have 
 an eye on Conkling." 
 
 Like the generality of newspaper items, the whole affair above men- 
 tioned was greatly exaggerated by the reporter of the Express, who, 
 I suppose, got his information from some third or fourth party. It 
 was most likely this incident which gave rise to the rumor, that I had 
 beem detained by the Confederate authorities on account of having 
 on my person maps and drawings of certain rebel fortifications. 
 Now, aside from the fact, that no Union prisoner ever had the oppor- 
 tunity of obtaining any such maps or drawings, it is well known, by 
 at least those who know me, that had I had a thousand chances to do 
 anything of the sort, I should never have done so. Michael Corcoran, 
 thank Heaven, is a soldier, and not a spy. 
 
 The time of my captivity grew shorter and shorter each day; and 
 my anxiety to be released grew stronger and stronger in an equal 
 degree ; for each passing hour lessened my longer absence from the 
 command of the gallant regiment, at whose head it had been my 
 honor to be captured. 
 
100 HOME AGAIN, 
 
 I was anxious because, even so near as my deliverance was from 
 the clutches of Jeff. Davis and his minions, I was fearful that some 
 point might be unexpectedly raised by them, which would detain me 
 still longer a prisoner. 
 
 I was not troubled, however, as I had hitherto been, with a fear 
 of not getting home before the end of the war, for, by transpiring 
 events, I was convinced that the latter would not have a termination 
 for some time to come. 
 
 Half of the month of August had passed before all doubt was 
 removed from my mind, and then my fortune took a pleasant turn, 
 indeed. I was ordered to prepare to go down to City Point, and the 
 command fell upon my ears like the silvery tinkling of a crystal foun- 
 tain falls upon the ears of a thirsty traveler in Arabia. Home, with 
 its loved ones and friends, sprang up before my eyes like an enchant- 
 ing vision, and swept every trace of care from my heart. 
 
 As may readily be supposed, I needed no second command, and 
 soon being aboard the steamer I commenced my journey- home. 
 Eagerly, very eagerly, did I strain my eyes down the river to catch 
 the first glimpse of the Starry Flag, for which it had been my glori- 
 ous lot to suffer for the past thirteen months. In due time I saw it, 
 and, as my eyes fell upon its bright stars and stripes, my soul thrilled 
 to its centre, and my Irish heart welled up with emotion such as it 
 had never experienced before. And, in the wild shout of delight 
 that went up from the prisoners, I joined to the full extent of my 
 
 voice. 
 
 Soon after I stepped, with Colonel Wilcox, my fellow-prisoner, on 
 the deck of the Federal Truce Boat, and my captivity was ended. 
 Thank God ! I was once more a free man. 
 
 The events that took place subsequently, my countrymen are 
 already familiar with, and, therefore, need no mention here. But, 
 ere I lay down my pen, let me assure the reader of these pages that 1 
 have again taken up the sword, and will never sheathe it until victory- 
 perches upon the National Banner of America, or Michael Corcorap 
 is numbered among those who return not from the battle-field. 
 
 THK WT> 
 
" The following moment a beautiful young lady rushed forward and 
 thrust him hack, exclaiming : " Back, scoundrel ! Will you dare shed the 
 blood of a helpless, unarmed prisoner ?" — Sec page 42. 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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