No officers over from Libby for a few days past. Nearly all
the clothing issued. A few days more will close up the clothing business, and
then probably all the outsiders will be sent inside; and for fear such will be
the case we have decided upon to-morrow night for the escape (which I have not
said much about in my diary). The nights are dark and cloudy. Messrs. Mustard
and Hendryx both sleep outside now, and I must manage to, both to-night and
to-morrow night. I have been two weeks trying to get a map of Virginia, and
have at last succeeded. A negro brought it to me from the city. It has cost
over thirty dollars Confederate money — at the North would have cost twenty
five cents, I would not take for it, unless I could get another one, one
thousand dollars in gold. We are well rigged, have some food saved up to take
along; in good health and determined to get away. Lieut. Bossieux suspects, and
today took the pains to say in our hearing that he knew an escape among the
outsiders was in view, and as sure as there was a God in heaven if we tried it
and got caught, and we surely would be, he would first shoot all he could
before catching us, and the balance would be tied up and whipped every day
until he got tired, as long as we lived. We must expect trouble. It does not
change us in the least; if anything, makes us the more determined to get away.
To-night we are to start, and I will write down the plans we have, running the
risk of the rebels getting hold of it. At a few moments past eleven and before midnight
the guard will let us cross his beat and go to the water's edge. We all have
rebel clothing which we are to wear, furnished partly by a negro, and partly by
the guard who helps us off. We take the quarter-master's boat, which we unlock,
and having been furnished the countersign give it to the picket who will
pretend that he thinks we are rebel guards going over to the city, in case we
are caught, which will screen him in a measure. Having passed him, we get into
the boat and row across the river, give the countersign to the guards on the
other side of the river, and talk with them a little, being ourselves posted on
general information regarding the place. To quiet their suspicions if they have
any, we then start up into the town and when out of sight of the guards take a
turn to the left, and go straight to the Richmond jail; taking care to avoid
patrols &C. We will then meet with a negro who will guide us ten miles up
the river, and then leave us in charge of friendly blacks who will keep us through
the next day and at night pilot us farther along toward our lives. If possible,
I shall steal the rebel flag, which is kept nights in the lieutenant's tent,
and a few other relics, to take along with me. The big bell in Richmond strikes
six, and we close our diary, hoping never to look upon it again until we return
to free our fellow prisoners, with the glorious army of the .North. Now we
leave our diary to finish preparations for the flight for freedom. May God aid
us in this land of tyranny, where we have met nothing but suffering. Good bye,
Belle Isle and Prison. Hail! Freedom, Home, Friends, and the Grand Army of the
Old Flag!. What is in store for us in the future?
SOURCE: John L. Ransom, Andersonville Diary, p.
28-30
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