FOR several weeks, some ten or fifteen of the most able-bodied of the
prisoners had been nightly at work; and the great tunnel, the [largest]
ever projected by men for their escape from prison, was thought to be
finished, with the exception of the tapping outside of the prison wall.
The digging of a tunnel is not an easy job, and, consequently, is of
slow progress. The Andersonville prisoners had to dig ten feet down into
the earth, after cutting through the floor, and then went a distance of
fifty feet to get beyond the wall. The digging was done in the following
way: As soon as the operator was below the surface, and had a place
large enough to admit the body, he laid down upon his face, at full
length, and with his knife, spoon, piece of earthenware, or old iron,
dug away with all his energies, throwing the dirt behind him, which
was gathered up by a confederate, carried off, and hi. This mode of
operating was carried on night after night, and the flooring replaced
during the day, to prevent suspicion. The want of fresh air in the
tunnel, as it progressed to completion, often drove the men from their
work, and caused a delay, which proved fatal to their successful escape.
The long-looked for day arrived. More than three hundred had prepared
to leave this hated abode, by the tunnel. All they waited for was the
tapping and the signal. The time came, the place of egress was tapped,
and the leader had scarcely put his head out of the hole, ere he was
fired upon by the sentinels, which soon alarmed and drew the entire
guard to the spot. Great was the commotion throughout the prison, and
all who were caught in the tunnel were severely punished.
This failure seemed to depress the spirits of the men more than any
previous attempt. Heavy irons were placed upon the limbs of many of
the prisoners, and their lot was made otherwise harder by the keepers.
Clotelle, though often permitted to see the prisoners and contribute to
their wants, and, though knowing much of their designs, knew nothing of
the intended escape, and therefore was more bold in her intercessions in
their behalf when failure came upon them.
The cruelty which followed this mishap, induced Clotelle to interest
herself in another mode of escape for the men thus so heavily ironed.
Pete, the man of all work, whose sympathies were with the Union
prisoners, was easily gained over to a promise of securing the keys of
the prison and letting the men escape, especially when Clotelle offered
him money to enable him to make good his own way to the North.
The night of the exodus came. It was favored with darkness; and it so
happened that the officials were on a spree, owing to the arrival of
Confederate officers with news of a rebel victory.
Before getting the keys, Pete supplied the sentinels on duty with enough
whiskey, which he had stolen from the keepers' store-room, to make them
all drunk. At the chosen moment, the keys were obtained by Pete, the
doors and gates were opened, and ninety-three prisoners, including the
tunnel workers, whose irons were taken off, made their escape, allowing
the faithful negro to accompany them. Nothing was known of the exit of
the men till breakfast hour on the next morning. On examination of the
store-room, it was found, that, in addition to the whiskey Pete had
taken a large supply of stores for the accommodation of the party. Added
to this, a good number of arms with ammunition had been furnished the
men by the African.
The rebels were not prepared to successfully pursue the fleeing
prisoners, although armed men were sent in different directions.
Nothing, however, was heard of them till they reached the Union lines.
Long suspected of too freely aiding Union prisoners, Clotelle was now
openly charged with a knowledge of the escape of these men, and was
compelled to leave Andersonville.