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Recollections
of Washington B. Traweek
Escaping Elmira
[A
young Alabamian, Washington Brown Traweek, enlisted in Captain J.T. Montgomery's
company -- the "Jeff Davis" Artillery -- at the onset of the Civil
War. He stuck with it, campaigning with the Confederacy's Army of Northern
Virginia through good times and bad until it went head to head with the Federal
Army of the Potomac in May 1864 at the Battle of Spotsylvania in Virginia.
There, Traweek's battery and several others were caught at a salient in the
Confederate lines called the "Bloody Angle." Traweek was captured on
May 12 when his battery's position was overrun by charging Union troops. The
Rebel salient collapsed and along with a horte of other Confederates, the young
gunner was marched off to the nearest railhead for a long ride north. Early on
Traweek decided his would be a round trip. After first being sent to the Federal
prison at Point Lookout, Maryland, he was transferred to an equally tough
lock-up, the Union prisoner of war camp at Elmira, New York. Years later, when
he wrote the following memoir of his prison experience, he seemed to want to
make the implicit point that from the time he was transferred he always believed
it was his duty to escape or at least try to escape. And escape he did. What
follows is a transcription of Traweek's original memoir recounting his breakout
from the Elmira prison and his flight south. It appears here courtesy of his
great nephew Mr. R. Brooks Traweek of Richmond, Virginia.]
About
the 1st of July the prisoners were being transferred to Elmira, N.Y., and Zeke
Melton and I were among the first to be transported to Baltimore, where we took
a train for Elmira.
We
were placed in boxcars, with three sentinels at each door. About eleven o'clock
that night, it being very dark, Zeke Melton tapped me on the shoulder and said:
"Wash, let's go." I said to him that it was impossible then. The train
was going at forty miles an hour, and I told him to look at the guards. He took
me by the hand, bid me good-bye, and said: "Watch me."
As
I turned he squared himself and rushed through the door knocking two of the
guards off into the darkness, and made his escape. The train had gone about
fifty yards before it could be stopped, and when it backed to the place of
escape no one was found but one crippled guard. Melton made his escape, and went
back to his company.
A
few days after reaching the prison at Elmira, N.Y., Sergeant John Fox Maull,
John P. Putegnat and I, all of whom were members of the Jeff Davis Artillery,
held a consultation and determined to dig a tunnel from the second row of tents,
on the north side of the prison next to the city streets. The tunneling was
actually begun in a vacant tent next to ours ... (missing text) ... decided to
tunnel from that. The ground within the prison walls was covered with a thick
sod of grass. Our first work was to remove this sod in a solid mass that it
might be used to conceal our work, during its progress, when needed. A circle
about three feet in diameter was cut in the sod, and the latter was removed in a
solid sheet and laid aside for future use.
To
prosecute our work it was necessary to know the distance from the tent to the
wall. To ascertain this without arousing the suspicion of the guard whose beat
was twelve feet inside the wall, we threw stones at the wall, apparently as a
pastime. After watching us for three hours the guard became careless, and
Putegnat attached a stone to a thread and threw the stone to the wall. It was
then drawn to the tent and the thread measured, when the distance to be tunneled
was found to be sixty-eight feet.
Having
no tools, we began the work with pocketknives, working at night. Finding we
could not do much work after "Tatoo", we decided to work during the
day. The dirt could not be carried away and concealed at night.
To
carry away the dirt, during the day without arousing suspicion, little sacks,
holding about a quart, were made from an extra shirt owned by Putegnat. These
filled with dirt could be easily secreted about the person. The prison walls
extended sufficiently out to enclose a part of the river nearby. Over this
enclosed water (actually a pond which stretched the length of the enclosure)
were prison privies, and into this part of the water, from the privies, the
little sacks of dirt were emptied.
After
working at the tunnel for a few days we decided that we needed more help, and so
took in a man by the name of Frank E. Saurine of the Third Alabama Infantry, and
not long after another man named S.C. "Cyclops" Malone of the Ninth
Alabama Infantry. These additions, with the first three names, made five. Each
of these five men took a solemn oath, with his right hand on the Bible, pledging
not to reveal the character of the work going on, and to aid in putting to death
any one guilty of revealing the existence of the tunnel. To this number others
were added at different times in the following order: Gilmer G. Jackson and
William H. Templin, members of the Jeff Davis Artillery; J.P. Scruggs, South
Carolina; Glenn Shelton, Mississippi; Barry Benson, First South Carolina; and
James W. Crawford, Sixth Virginia Cavalry. Every man who joined the party took
the solemn oath not to divulge the scheme, under penalty of death.
After
removal the circle of sod (ground originally broken on August 24th, nine days
after their arrival) we dug straight downward for six feet, and at this depth we
dug the tunnel, horizontally, in direct line toward a stairway on the outside of
the wall, in use by the prison guard. Receiving information that there would be
an inspection the succeeding day, when we would be required to stack tents, we
prepared for it be taking pieces of plank from the sidewalk and placing them
over the hole three feet below the surface, filling the vacancy with dirt, and
placing the circle of sod over the fresh dirt, and pressing it down so that
there were no signs indicating the work being done. We passed the inspection
safely.
We
found, after doing our work for a short time, that our clothing was beginning to
show the color of the dirt clay, that we were working in, and consequently would
like arouse the suspicion of the prison authorities. To prevent this, after
working in the tunnel, each would turn his clothing, the stained side in, and
the inside out, before leaving the tent for roll call.
The
food we received, not being sufficient to sustain us to perform the work we were
doing, we took in Parson Scruggs, sick sergeant of our ward. As he had free
access to the cook room, he supplied us with the necessary additional food.
I
owned a large Confederate overcoat, and could carry two of the quart sacks of
dirt in each tail pocket. That these sacks of dirt might not attract attention
by their bulk, when we carried them off to empty them in the pool, I walked so
that the coat tails would swing from side to side, which caused me to be called
a "dude."
About
this time the prison authorities began building seventeen new hospitals, for
sick prisoners near the prison wall in another part of the prison. They were
designated by numbers from 1 to 17.
After
discussing and considering the matter, Putegnat and I concluded we could dig out
in a shorter time under one of these hospitals. Accordingly we began work under
hospital No. 2. We secured a spade, and by its use succeeded in digging out on
the second night after beginning the work. As the others in our party, who were
engaged with us digging the first tunnel, knew nothing of the work being done by
Putegnat and me, under the hospital, we decided not to go out that night, that
we might inform our associates of our success and give them an opportunity to
get out with us.
After
notifying our associates in my tent the next morning, we prepared ourselves and
went down in front of hospital No. 1. About twilight we saw a man pass and go
under hospital No. 1. It proved to be James W. Crawford (not yet a member of
Traweek's tunnel organization). The prison authorities threw a guard around the
hospitals, 17 in number, and captured Crawford, took him out and court-martialed
him, sentenced him to a dungeon during his imprisonment.
Afterwards
our tunnel was also discovered and we went back to work at our first tunnel.
Putegnat and I worked in the back of the tunnel, the others carrying the dirt
off. About four o'clock in the afternoon I became tired, and came out to the
mouth of the tunnel and changed my clothes by turning them wrong side out. About
this time five Yankee guards, with bayonets and guns, asked if my name was
Traweek. I said it was and they said Major (Henry V.) Colt wanted to see me at
his headquarters. I became very uneasy and asked if there was a letter for me.
One of the Yankees winked at the other and replied that the major would explain
that to me, come on, and I was marched down to Major colt's headquarters.
After
we arrived Colt greeted me by saying, "Good morning, my young tunneler,
they tell me you are engaged in tunneling." I replied that I didn't know
what a tunnel was.
He
replied by stating, "We have a way here of making you know what a tunnel
is."
At
this time the members of my tent not knowing where I had gone, made inquiry, and
Maull and one or two of others came to where I was at headquarters and stood
around to ascertain what I was carried there for. In the meantime Major Colt
ordered me to a sweatbox. I was placed in it and the crank turned on me, and had
my breath squeezed out. They claimed to have kept me there three quarters of a
minute, but it seemed to me to be three hours and a half.
After
I got my breath Major Colt said, "Now you have to state where you are
tunneling and who was with you." I still told him I didn't know, and he
ordered me back to the sweatbox and carried me through the same process.
After
the second time...I saw it was my death anyway, and pointed my finger at Colt I
told him I would see him in hell as far as a blue bird could fly in a year
before I would tell him and that I would rather he would kill me; that he and
his comrades were too damn cowardly to do it. He ordered his guards to come
around, which they did, and I told him that no brave soldier would treat a man
as he had me, with my hands behind my back.
At
this time Fox Maull pushed me two or three times and showed me his pocketknife
in his sleeve. At about the same instant a man came up, who was afterward known
to me as Captain (Bennett) Munger, the officer of the day, and said, "Major
Colt, I know this boy, and if you will turn him over to me, he will tell me all
about this tunneling, etc." Major Colt replied: "All right Captain,
but he is a sassy son of a bitch and ought to be shot."
Following
the headquarters episode, Captain Munger took me to the front of the Federal
tents, and said to me, "Wash, they have you, and you might as well tell it
all." I said to him: "Who are you?" He responded by saying,
"I am Captain Munger, the officer of the day here, and I heard you lie to
Colt about the tunnel, saying that you didn't know what a tunnel is, and I know
that you do know what a tunnel is, because you went to school to me. You
remember I taught school, at Summerfield, near Selma, Alabama, before this war
began, ...and what I have said to you, Wash, is for your own good."
I
said, "Thank you Captain Munger, I know who you are, and I thank you for
your kind intercession, but do not know what tunnel you are talking about."
He
said, "You know, Wash, that you are engaged in tunneling under hospital No.
2," and pulled out a list of names who were engaged in that effort. I then
acknowledged to tunneling under No. 2, then realizing that he had not discovered
the one under the tent. He said, "You should have told Colt this," and
I said: "This was not a tunnel but a ditch."
After
confessing that I had been a participant, the captain marched me back to Major
Colt's headquarters, and told Colt that I had acknowledged, and showed me the
list of tunnelers. Major Colt asked me who was engaged in this tunneling with
me, and I replied that it was done at night, and I could not tell who they were,
except that I knew I was there myself. Then he ordered Captain Munger to take me
before the court, which was composed of several Federal officers, who, after
making some inquiries, sentenced me to the dungeon, which was in an old military
barracks.
Munger
carried me, and on reaching it, some twenty or thirty yards off, Captain Munger
ordered the diamond holes to the cells opened so that I might see faces of the
prisoners, as he had agreed to allow me to go in with some of the other
prisoners. As I went down the line I asked each man what he was in there for.
Some said for stealing rations, others for fighting, and asked me what I was in
for. I told them for tunneling, and a man from the extreme end calling, "I
am a tunneler on No. 1, come in with me." I told him I would take a look at
him, and if his face looked all right I would go in with him. The cell door was
opened, and I was placed in with him. Captain Munger then ordered all the
diamond holes closed. He left my hole open, and in talking with me said they
were going to have a general inspection and break up all the tunneling. He
further stated that he would be off the next day, but would see me the day
following.
In
the meantime, no one in my tent knew what I was imprisoned for, but suspected
it. After getting the information from Munger that there was going to be an
inspection, about dark they sent my rations to be by Scruggs, one of my tent
mates. He handed it to me through the hole. It consisted of soup and light
bread. I took a piece of candle out of my pocket, that I had used in tunneling
and lighted it, and took a memorandum out of my pocket and wrote on it that
Captain Munger informed me that an inspection would be made the next day to
ascertain who was tunneling, and to close down the tunnel. I folded this up, and
put it down in the bottom of the soup, crumbled my bread in it and handed it
back to the guard, explaining that I was sick and wished either Scruggs or Maull
to have my rations, that I knew they were hearty eaters and would want it. The
guard gave Scruggs the rations, who soon found the note and delivered it to
Maull. They immediately proceeded to close down work on the tunnel.
The
next morning, when my ration came in, I received a note from Maull saying that
everything had been closed down. I ate about half of the soup and sent Maull
another note, saying that I would let him know the next day how everything went.
The
next day, when Captain Munger came in, he stated to me that they had gotten them
corralled at last, and that they had found 28 tunnels. I asked him how No. 2, my
tent, had come out, and he replied that they had been complemented on being kept
so clean. I then wrote Maull a note that he could proceed with the work.
They
went on with it for about a week. By this time Crawford became very inquisitive,
wanting to know what I was writing so much about. In holding the candle for me
he had seen the work tunnel, and told me he knew we were tunneling somewhere,
and wanted to know about it. I told him I would let him know in due time.
About
this time Maull wrote me that he was making fine progress with the tunnel, and
it would be only a few days before it would be completed. I then wrote Maull of
Crawford's suspicions, and explained that I could not make my escape without his
assistance, and wanted to know if I could swear him into the organization
individually. He replied that it would be all right, and knowing that I could
not swear Crawford in without a Bible, I asked Captain Munger if he could get me
one. He said: "My God, boy, what use have you for a Bible there, where you
can't see your hands before your face, and particularly after giving Major Colt
the cussing you gave him." I replied that if he was in my fix he would be
glad to have a Bible to put his head to sleep on. He said "Well, as there
is no harm in the Bible, I will step out and try to get you one." He
brought in a small gilt-edged Bible. I then swore Crawford in, and made him a
member of the tunnel organization.
After
examining the cell overhead, I found two rods with taps on the ends, and in
order to get the taps off I had to have a file. I notified Maull of this, and he
went out to where the prisoners were making rings of buttons and bones, and sat
around awhile, and slipped one of the files and sent this to me in a loaf of
bread, at the same time telling the guard that inasmuch as I had divided my
rations with him when I was sick, he would divide his with me now that he was
sick.
About
that time a downpour of rain fell, which was in our favor. I got astride
Crawford's neck and filed off the taps. About eleven o'clock I got one of the
rods loose, and filed on until four o'clock, when I finished the other rod.
After taking the rods loose, I raised the trap door and went into the upper
story. On that floor there were glass windows through which I could see the
tunnelers at work on the tunnel. Maull also looked and saw me, and I notified
him that I was ready, and he replied that he was also ready.
As
this was Captain Munger's day on duty, I told Crawford that I would make one
more effort through him to get out. I told Captain Munger to see Major Colt and
tell that I thought he had punished me enough for what he would have done under
similar circumstances. Captain Munger took the message to Major Colt, and about
a half hour after returned saying that he would take us to Major Colt's
headquarters. I insisted on Crawford's talking to Coly when we arrived there as
I thought Colt would be prejudiced against me for the way I had spoken to him
before sent to the dungeon. Crawford refused and I had to talk to Colt myself.
I
commenced by apologizing to him, as what I said was in the heat of passion, and
told him I thought I out to be released as I did not consider myself any more
dangerous than the other 45,000 men in prison, not even having a pocket knife.
He studied awhile and finally agreed to release us, but wanted to give advice. I
told him if ever a man needed advice, I needed it then, and would appreciate any
advice he could give me. He began by saying, "My lad, you were too hasty.
If you had been more cautious and taken more time, you would have made your
escape. Next time don't be so hasty and you may get out." I told him that
at that time I felt too despondent to undertake tunneling again, that I had
enough of it. I thanked him for the advice and bid him good-bye, and went to my
tent. We had been confined three weeks in the dungeon before being released.
On
reaching the tent and making a careful inspection of the tunnel, I discovered
that a bend had been made in it. We went to work and corrected this. That part
of the tunnel already dug, which could not be used for depositing the newly dug
dirt resulting from further work to complete the tunnel. This relieved us from
having to carry the dirt so far, in small quantities, to conceal it. In two
nights after I got out of the dungeon, our tunnel was ready to be opened outside
the wall.
A
question arose as to who should go out first. I volunteered to go out first,
with J.W. Crawford, my cellmate in the dungeon, and J.F. Maull agreed to go
next. As I broke the dirt on the outside the sentinel called, "Half past
three o'clock and all is well." As I crawled out and stepped into the
streets of Elmira, Crawford followed immediately.
Before
leaving the prison, we had all agreed to meet at a church in the city, whose
steeple we had seen from the prison, and there it separate into pairs. But as it
was almost daylight, Crawford and I did not wait long. We waded across the river
and went into the mountains. From our elevated position we could see inside the
prison walls. Our vision was aided by a little glass. We saw the confusion in
the camp resulting from the discovery of the tunnel and the escape. We also saw
the cavalry in its movements clearly indicating that it was searching for the
escapees.
We
traveled about nine miles the first day, sleeping in a barn at night. The next
morning we went to a house nearby and asked the lady for food and directions.
She gave us both but accused us of being escaped Confederates. We, in turn.
acknowledged that we were. She then showed us the morning paper telling of the
escape of the others. This is the first information we had received concerning
the others.
[ Up ] [ CSA POW Elmira Story ] [ Elmira History ] [ Portals to Hell ] [ Elmira Diary ] [ Elmira Letter ] [ Ellis F. Davis ] [ Elmira Stats ] [ Escape ] [ John R. King Elmira POW ] [ Miles Sherrill ] [ Porter ]
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