. Famous adventures and prison escapes of the civil war . out across a street upon the canal and JamesRiver, running parallel with each other, the twostreams at this point being separated by a low andnarrow strip of land. This strip periodically disap-peared when protracted seasons of heavy rain came, orwhen spring floods so rapidly swelled the river thatthe latter invaded the cellars of Libby. At such timesit was common to see enormous swarms of rats comeout from the lower doors and windows of the prisonand make head for dry land in swimming platoonsamid the cheers of the prisoners in the upp
. Famous adventures and prison escapes of the civil war . out across a street upon the canal and JamesRiver, running parallel with each other, the twostreams at this point being separated by a low andnarrow strip of land. This strip periodically disap-peared when protracted seasons of heavy rain came, orwhen spring floods so rapidly swelled the river thatthe latter invaded the cellars of Libby. At such timesit was common to see enormous swarms of rats comeout from the lower doors and windows of the prisonand make head for dry land in swimming platoonsamid the cheers of the prisoners in the upper one or two occasions Rose observed workmen de-scending from the middle of the south-side street intoa sewer running through its center, and concludedthat this sewer must have various openings to thecanal both to the east and west of the prison. COLONEL roses TUNNEL AT LIBBY PRISON 191 The north portion of the cellar contained a largequantity of loose packing-straw, covering the floor toan average depth of two feet; and this straw afforded. ^^SJ^ .v^ MAJOR A. G. HAMILTON. shelter, especially at night, for a large colony of rats,which gave the place the name of Rat Hell. In one afternoons inspection of this dark end. Rosesuddenly encountered a fellow-prisoner, Major A. , of the 12th Kentucky Cavalry. A confidingfriendship followed, and the two men entered at onceupon the plan of gaining their liberty. They agreedthat the most feasible scheme was a tunnel, to beginin the rear of the little kitchen-apartment at thesoutheast corner of Rat Hell. Without more ado 192 ADVENTURES AND ESCAPES IN THE CIVIL WAR they secured a broken shovel and two case-knivesand began operations. Within a few days the Confederates decided uponcertain changes in the prison for the greater securityof their captives. A week afterward the cook-roomwas abandoned, the stairway nailed up, the prisonerssent to the upper floors, and all communication withthe east cellar was cut off. This wa
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