with buckets were allowed to go at once, and this
circumstance, together with the fact that the guard for all
the prisons in town were mounted in the open square in
front, excited the first idea of escape. According to high
diplomatic authority, empty stomachs are conducive to
ingenuity, so the idea soon became a plan and a conspiracy.
While the new guard had stacked arms in the open square
preparatory to mounting, some ten or twelve officers, under
the lead of Col. Ralston, the powerful head of some New York
regiment, were to ask for exit under pretense of getting
water, and then to overpower the opposing sentries, while
the balance of the prisoners, previously drawn up in line at
the head of the short staircase leading direct to the exit
door, were to rush down into the square, seize the stacked
arms and march through the Confederacy to the Union
lines--perhaps!

"'Among the ten or twelve pseudo-water-carriers--the forlorn
hope--were Col. Ralston, Capt. Cook, of the Ninth, and one
or two of the Seventh--Capt. Weiss and Lieut. Spinney. On
the guard opening the door for egress, Col. Ralston and one
of the Seventh threw themselves on the first man, a powerful
six-footer, and floored him. At the same moment, however,
another guard with great presence of mind, slammed the door
and turned the key, and that before five officers could
descend the short staircase. The attempt was now a failure.
One of the guards on the outside of the building took
deliberate aim through the open window at Col. Ralston, who
was still engaged with the struggling fellow, and shot him
through the bowels. Col. Ralston died a lingering and
painful death after two or three days. Less true bravery
than his has been highly sung in verse.

"'This attempt could not but sharpen the discipline of the
prison, but soon the natural humanity of the commandant,
Col. Smith, now believed to be Chief Engineer of the
Baltimore Bridge Company, asserted itself, and things went
on as before. Two incidents may, however, be mentioned in
this connection, whose asperities time has removed, leaving
nothing but their salient grotesque features.

"'Immediately after the occurrence, an unlimited supply of
dry-salted codfish was introduced. This being the first
animal f