ld effort for our own
deliverance. Two plans were proposed. The first, which I suggested,
was to have all our irons off when the guards came up to feed us, and
then, as the door opened, to make a simultaneous rush on the leveled
bayonets outside, wrest the arms from their owners, and pour down
stairs on the guard below. As soon as we had secured the arms of the
remainder, we could leave the prison-yard in a solid body, and pass on
double-quick to the ferry-boat, which lay on our side of the river,
not far distant. Once over the river, and thus armed, we would have
been comparatively safe.

The other plan, which we finally agreed to adopt, was proposed by
Andrews. It was, that some one should secrete himself under the bed in
the jailor's room, when we were coming up from our breathing in the
yard, and remain there till all was quiet at night; then come out and
noiselessly unlock the door; after this, we could rush down, seize the
guard, and proceed, as in the first plan.

There were two of our party who failed to reach the place of
rendezvous in time to be with us on the train. One was from the
Twenty-first, the other from the Second Ohio Regiment. They were
suspected, and to save themselves, were compelled to join a rebel
battery, which they did, representing themselves as brothers from
Kentucky. In the battle at Bridgeport, in which the secessionists were
so badly panic-stricken, the one from the Twenty-first found an
opportunity to escape to General Mitchel. This caused suspicion to
rest on his supposed brother, who was arrested, brought to
Chattanooga, and confined in the dungeon while we were there. We
recognized him, and talked, though very cautiously, about his
adventures. He asked us not to divulge the fact that he was one of
us--an unnecessary request. He remained there for some time, and was
finally released, and put into the battery again, from which, by a
wonderful series of adventures, he succeeded in making good his escape
to our lines.

At this time there was a great talk of exchange. A son of General
Mitchel's had been captured; but he also held a considerable number of
prisoners, and it was believed that an exchange would be effected. A
lieutenant, whom Mitchel had released on parole, for the purpose of
seeing Kirby Smith, at that time commanding the department of East
Tennessee, and obtaining his consent to an exchange, visited us. His
story raised the most sanguine hopes. The Confederate officers,