ent
with his "knight," or some other active and effective piece.

In spite, however, of every effort to sustain health and spirits, both
suffered. The most robust could not endure the life to which we were
condemned, without injury. I am satisfied that hard labor--furnishing at
once occupation and exercise--alone prevents the inmates of these
prisons (sentenced to remain so many years, as some of them are) from
dying early. The effect of this confinement is strange, and will
doubtless appear inconsistent. It affected every man of our party with
(at the same time) a lethargy and a nervousness. While we were
physically and mentally impaired by it--and every faculty was dulled,
and all energy was sapped--every man was restless without aim or
purpose, and irritable without cause or reason. These effects of
imprisonment became far more apparent and difficult to repress, after a
few months had elapsed.

The method adopted in the Ohio Penitentiary, for punishing the
refractory and disobedient, was to confine them in cells called the
"dungeons"--and dungeons indeed they were. Captain Foster Cheatham was
the first man, of our party, who explored their recesses. His private
negotiations, with one of the military guard, for liquids of stimulating
properties (which he thought would benefit his health) were not only
unsuccessful, but were discovered by the "Head-devil," and the Captain
was dragged to a "loathsome dungeon." He remained twenty-four hours and
came out wiser, on the subject of prison discipline, and infinitely
sadder than when he went in. The next victim was Major Higley. One of
the keepers was rough to him, and Higley used strong language in return.
Disrespectful language to, or about, officials was not tolerated in the
institution, and Higley "came to grief." He also remained in the dungeon
for the space of a solar day. He was a man of lean habit and excitable
temperament, when in his best state of health--and he returned from the
place of punishment, looking like a ghost of dissipated habits and
shattered nervous system. Pale and shaking--he gave us a spirited and
humorous account of his interview with the superior gaolers, and his
experience in the dark stifling cell.

It was claimed that while punishment was invariably inflicted for
violation of the rules, those rules were clearly defined. That no man
need infringe the regulations--that every one could (if he chose) avoid
punishment. An incident happened which d