The second
and third floors were occupied by the prisoners, and at the time I was
there--the winter of 1864-5--were each supplied with two large Peckham
stoves, to furnish warmth to the building. On the ground floor where the
guard was stationed, there was no stove; and during the winter, the cold
air from below was anything but comfortable, as it found its way through
the wide cracks in the floor, and came in contact with the thinly clad
bodies, of those especially, who were sleeping on the second floor.

The winter of 1864-5, in Virginia, was extremely cold. The river that
winter was frozen over solid enough to make a safe crossing on the ice;
and the officers were frequently obliged to get in line and double quick
around the room to keep from freezing. This could not be done unless all
or a large proportion joined in the exercise; for if one or more attempted
it while the rest were lying down, they would be obliged to step over the
bodies of their recumbent comrades.

During the daytime, the ground floor was used for exercising, twenty being
allowed down there at a time, and as there was plenty of room, it was no
uncommon thing to see that number, or even more, down there at a time
taking their exercise.

The rule of the prison was, that no one should approach within less than
six feet of a sentry, or hold any conversation with them; and although
there was no dead line in this prison, an imaginary line six feet from the
sentry, was pretty generally observed. We were obliged to pass the sentry
at the back end of the building, in going to and from the sink; but as he
was continually pacing back and forth, it was his lookout that we did not
come within the prescribed distance of him.

The prisons in which the enlisted men were confined were of the same
description, or at least some of them were. Two or three of them were in
sight of our front windows, one being just across the street.

Some of the enlisted men were detailed in the cook house, for which
service they received extra rations.

This brief description of the Confederate prisons in Danville, is
necessary, that the reader may more easily understand some of the
incidents that follow.

In the last chapter I spoke of the conference between Col. W. C. Raulston,
Gen. A. N. Duffie, and myself, as to the prospects of getting through to
our lines if we should escape from prison. Many difficulties lay in the
way of a general break being successful.

Danville at