nd among them the officers and crew of the British
steamer "Grayhound," that had been captured while trying to run a
blockade into one of the Southern ports.

They all seemed to be Southern sympathizers, and whenever they had an
opportunity showed the Confederate prisoners much kindness, even going
so far as to distribute gold among them, of which they seemed to have an
abundant supply. This was, of course, done on the sly, and the
Confederates were careful to conceal these gifts. Those who were well
enough off to wear stockings, slipped the gold in their stocking-leg.
Some put it in their mouths. This was necessary, as the prisoners were
frequently searched.

These Englishmen were loud in their protests, and were making all kinds
of threats as to what their Government would do if it learned of their
treatment.

After remaining there a few days the Confederates were again marched
aboard a steamer and taken to "Point Lookout," where a regular
prison-camp had been established. I think there were about 15,000
prisoners at this camp guarded by negro troops, which made our Southern
blood boil. As the darkies used to say, "The bottom rail had got on
top."

The camp was on a point of land formed by the junction of the Potomac
river and Chesapeake Bay on the north side of the river. I imagine there
were about ten acres of ground, surrounded by a high board fence,
probably about 14 feet high. Just below the top was built a platform
about three feet wide, and on this platform the guards walked to and fro
with their guns on their shoulders. From their position they could
overlook the whole camp, as the ground was perfectly level. There was
also a strong guard inside the camp, while artillery and regiments of
infantry were stationed near the camp to guard it from outside attack,
and one or more gunboats patrolled the waters that nearly surrounded the
camp.

Notwithstanding this precaution, occasionally prisoners made their
escape. One ingenious method that baffled our guards for a long time was
the following:

The prisoners were allowed to go outside of the enclosure on the beach
to bathe. And if an empty barrel or box happened to be floating on the
water, a prisoner in bathing would watch his opportunity, slip his head
under the barrel or box, and then as the tide drifted up the river,
would follow it, keeping as near the shore as necessary until he got
beyond the reach of the guard, and then take to the woods.

The puni