the work, but, very naturally, every one was bashful
about claiming that honour. At last he unbosomed himself: "Gentlemen, as
you constructed the tunnel, probably you can inform me how to fill it
up." Now that question was a poser to all of us. A great many
suggestions were made, but all proved unsatisfactory. Finally, the
captain had the shaft filled up with brickbats and broken bottles. In
the passage-way between the two buildings they dug down to the tunnel
and put in a load of clay. With every rainstorm the clay would settle
and leave a big hole. From observation and much debating on the subject,
it was conceded that the proper plan would have been to dig it up from
end to end. Our new quarters were quite uncomfortable. I devised all
sorts of schemes to keep myself warm at night. Sleeping on a bare floor,
the lack of blankets, and the cold wind, made a combination which it was
useless to contend against. All I could do was to wait patiently for
daylight, and then, by walking and exercising, get myself warmed up.

The sixty privates in the yard also caught the tunnel mania. The
barracks had a wooden floor. Two boards were removed, and an excavation
made to the rear of the building. The exit was in an adjoining garden.
Not much skill in engineering was displayed on their part. They simply
dug until they felt like stopping. The distance from the surface was
ascertained by pushing a stick up through the ground. It was left there
projecting above the surface. We were informed of their plans and
intention to escape that night. It seems that Captain Sennes was also
fully posted as to what was going on. A number of the rebs were
stationed in the garden. The stick projecting from the ground indicated
the place from which the prisoners would emerge. Orders were given to
let a number of the Yankees come out, then to fire into the crowd and
kill as many as possible. Fortunately, the first man to come out--Peter
Keefe--happened to see one of the rebs. He gave the alarm to his
companions. Being still on his hands and knees, he thought his best
chance would be in making a bold run for liberty. As he jumped up a reb
fired, the bullet shattering Keefe's left knee. The leg had to be
amputated. The next day all the privates were removed from the yard and
confined with us. That made affairs still worse, there being hardly
space enough for us to lie down at night. Two escaped prisoners from
Andersonville were added to our numbers. They a