e city. In the month
of March, 1864, all hopes of being exchanged before the ending of the
war were given up. Every one of us was in favour of making an attempt to
escape from prison, if possible. Lieutenant Preston and myself were to
do the engineering part; the others agreed to work under our
instructions. Preston was a regular officer, and myself being a
volunteer removed any cause for believing that any favouritism would be
shown during the progress of building a tunnel. After eight in the
evening the guards never opened our door. Then we commenced operations.

A large brick fire-place was situated between the two windows. The
bricks on one end were taken up and a hole was made that allowed us to
get under the floor. Preston and myself worked nearly all night. First,
we stopped up several ventilating holes with pieces of clay and brick.
All the brickbats were piled in a corner to be out of our way. We found
there would be plenty of space to pile up the dirt that would be taken
from the tunnel, the height of the floor from the ground being about
three feet. Directly under the window facing Crane's house we started a
shaft three feet square. The dirt, as we removed it, was piled over the
ventilating hole; there being no danger of any noise being heard by the
sentry in the alley or a light seen, we ceased operations for the night.
The bricks in the fire-place were replaced, and we retired for the night
to our luxurious couches--the bare floor--for much-needed rest. The
entrance to our lower regions must be attended to first, as the bricks
had a very insecure foundation. One of the guards very kindly consented
to carry our compliments and a request to Mrs. Crane for the loan of a
saw, hammer, nails, and a piece of board, as we wished to make a shelf.
During the afternoon we had everything in readiness. The bricks were
removed and put in a soap box, cleats were hastily nailed to the floor
timbers, pieces of board laid across, and the bricks replaced. Ashes
were then filled into the cracks. It was a first-class job when
finished, and we could defy detection. One of us went into the kitchen
in the yard and stole our own poker from the cook. It was a piece of
flat iron, and the only instrument procurable for excavating purposes.
The officers were divided into working parties, two in each squad, each
to work two hours at a time. Preston would direct and assist in the
work, from eight until twelve midnight, and I from twelve t