HR0090 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0090 LRB095 10640 KXB 30866 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, On February 9, 1864 the largest mass prisoner of war escape in American history took place; led by Colonel Thomas Rose of the 77th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, 109 Union officers tunneled out of the Confederacy's infamous Libby Prison in Richmond; this escape would dwarf the better known Great Escape of World War II, in which 76 POWs tunneled out of Stalag Luft III; the escape out of Libby Prison hastened the transfer of prisoners to sites further south, including what would become Andersonville Prison; and

WHEREAS, Libby Prison was considered second only to Andersonville for its inhumane conditions, and the officers imprisoned there began searching for ways to escape the instant they arrived; Rose and a companion, Captain Andrew Hamilton of the 12th Kentucky Cavalry, met in a basement area of the prison known as Rat Hell while both were searching for possible escape routes; the name Rat Hell came from the thousands of rats that inhabited the area; the two decided the area was perfect for tunneling; and

WHEREAS, To reach Rat Hell, it was necessary to enter through a fireplace in a kitchen area on the first floor; this limited the tunneling effort to those few hours late at night when nobody was in the kitchen; access was gained by removing stones from the firebox of the fireplace, squeezing through the wall, and dropping into the basement; a rope was used to return when the night's tunneling was completed; and

WHEREAS, Using only rudimentary tools such as an old spoon and a broken chisel, the tunnel was dug toward a vacant lot across the street from the prison; a rubber blanket was fashioned into a bellows, although that had limited success and nearly every digger came out of the tunnel violently ill from the lack of air; even their candles could not be kept lit; dirt was hauled from the tunnel in an old spittoon and scattered among the straw of Rat Hell; and

WHEREAS, Initially Rose and Hamilton worked alone, but when Rose became wedged inside the wall and was in danger of suffocation, it became necessary to recruit a third man to help pull him out; he obviously wanted to know why Rose was inside the wall, and after being sworn to secrecy, he became part of the escape effort; as the tunnel progressed it became increasingly necessary to add people, and ultimately a team of 15 prisoners took part in the digging; and

WHEREAS, The story is one of perseverance and determination, as several tunnels failed for various reasons; each tunnel failure spawned a new start, and even the successful tunnel had its problems; the tunnel finally broke through on February 8, 1864, and the escape was set for the next night; and

WHEREAS, With the 109 escapees through, daybreak made it too dangerous for any more prisoners to escape; the tunnel was left for the next night, with more prisoners planning to make their exit; however, the tunnel was discovered before any further attempts could be made; and

WHEREAS, Of those who escaped, most were bitten by the rats in Rat Hell; 48 were successful in reaching Union lines; two drowned in the Chickahominy Swamp and 59 were recaptured, receiving varying degrees of punishment on their return to Libby; because he was the leader, Rose was placed in a dungeon where the water from the James River came in at high tide, and when he was finally released his clothing and beard were covered with mold; and

WHEREAS, Libby Prison was converted to a prison for Confederates when the Union captured Richmond, eventually returned to its original use as a warehouse, and was moved to Chicago in 1887 where it became a centerpiece for the World's Fair; it has since been demolished, with many of the bricks used in the construction of the Chicago Coliseum and the Civil War room of the Chicago Historical Society; and

WHEREAS, Participants in the escape include:

OHIO:

ADAMS, WESLEY R., Captain, 89th Ohio Infantry, Company K. BOYD, JOSEPH FULTON, Lieutenant Colonel, 20th Army Corps, BROWN, JAMES P., 2nd Lieutenant, 15th U. S. Infantry, Company F, CALDWELL, DAVID S., Captain, 123rd Ohio Infantry, Company H, GALLAGHER, JOHN, Captain, 2nd Ohio Infantry, Company B, GATES, JUNIUS, Captain, 33rd Ohio Infantry, Company K, HARRIS, DAVID H., 2nd Lieutenant, 3rd Ohio Infantry, Company E, HAYES, EDWIN L., Lieutenant Colonel, 100th Ohio Infantry, HENRY, JOHN, Major, 5th Ohio Cavalry, HIGBY, EDGAR J., 2nd Lieutenant, 33rd Ohio Infantry, Company C, McDONALD, BEDAN B., Major, 101st Ohio Infantry, RANDALL, WILLIAM S. B., Captain, 2nd Ohio Infantry, Company C, RAY, THOMAS J., 1st Lieutenant, 49th Ohio Infantry, Company K, ROSSMAN, WILLIAM C., Captain, 3rd Ohio Infantry, Company F, SCOTT, EDWARD S., 2nd Lieutenant, 89th Ohio Infantry, Company G, SUTHERLAND, LEWIS, 1st Lieutenant and Adjutant, 126th Ohio Infantry, THOMAS, John W., 1st Lieutenant and Adjutant, 2nd Ohio Infantry, WALLACE, R. P., 2nd Lieutenant, 120th Ohio Infantry, Company E, WASSON, JOHN, 2nd Lieutenant, 40th Ohio Infantry, Company G, WILLIAMS, WILLIAM A., 2nd Lieutenant, 123rd Ohio Infantry, Company H; and

ILLINOIS:

BASSETT, MARK M., 1st Lieutenant, 53rd Illinois Infantry, Company E, CLARK, TERRENCE, Captain, 79th Illinois Infantry, Company A, CRAWFORD, HENRY B., 1st Lieutenant, 2nd Illinois Cavalry, Company M, EARLE, CHARLES W., 2nd Lieutenant, 96th Illinois Infantry, Company C, HANDY, THOMAS, Captain, 79th Illinois Infantry, Company F, HATFIELD, JOHN D., 1st Lieutenant, 53rd Illinois Infantry, Company H, McKEAN, NINEOCH, 1st Lieutenant, 21st Illinois Infantry, Company H, MORTON, CHARLES H., Lieutenant Colonel, 84th Illinois Infantry, ROGERS, ANDREW F., Lieutenant Colonel, 80th Illinois Infantry, ROWAN, CHARLES E., Captain, 96th Illinois Infantry, Company F, SCHROEDTER, HUGO, 2nd Lieutenant, 82nd Illinois Infantry, Company F, SCUDMORE, GOODWIN, 1st Lieutenant, 80th Illinois Infantry, Company A, WILKINS, JAMES E., Captain, 112th Illinois Infantry, Company I; and

NEW YORK:

BEADLE, MARCUS, 1st Lieutenant, 123rd New York Infantry, Company I, CHAMBERLAIN, HENRY B., Captain, 97th New York Infantry, Company I, HAUF, ADAM, 1st Lieutenant, 45th New York Infantry, Company H, IRSCH, FRANCIS, Captain, 45th New York Infantry, Company D, JOHNSON, ISAAC, Engineer, U. S. S. Satellite, MORAN, FRANK, 2nd Lieutenant, 73rd New York Infantry, Company H, SEELEY, HORACE B., 2nd Lieutenant, 86th New York Infantry, Company K, SPOFFORD, JOHN P., Lieutenant Colonel, 97th New York Infantry, STARR, GEORGE H., Captain, 104th New York Infantry, Company D, WILCOX, W. H. H., 1st Lieutenant and Adjutant, 10th New York Infantry; and

INDIANA: BOYD, MATTHEW, Captain, 73rd Indiana Infantry, Company B, COLLINS, JOSEPH P., Major, 29th Indiana Infantry, FISLAR, JOHN C., 1st Lieutenant, Indiana Light Artillery, 7th Battery, FITZSIMMONS, GEORGE W., Major, 30th Indiana Infantry, FLANSBURG, DAVID S., Captain, 4th Indiana Independent Battery, Lt. Artillery, FOSTER, ELI, 2nd Lieutenant, 30th Indiana Infantry, Company G, MOORE, McCASLIN, Captain, 29th Indiana Infantry, Company D, MULL, DANIEL H., Captain, 73rd Indiana Infantry, Company A, PHELPS, ITHAMER D., Captain, 73rd Indiana Infantry, Company K, REYNOLDS, WILLIAM, 1st Lieutenant, 73rd Indiana Infantry, Company K ,SCEARCE, WILLIAM W., Captain, 51st Indiana Infantry, Company K, SIMPSON, JOHN D., 1st Lieutenant, 10th Indiana Infantry, Company H, STERLING, JOHN, 1st Lieutenant, 30th Indiana Infantry, Company A, STREIGHT, ABEL D., Colonel, 51st Indiana Infantry, WALKER, IRVIN T., Major, 73rd Indiana Infantry, WALLICK, WILLIAM, Captain, 51st Indiana Infantry, Company G, WILLIAMS, LEANDER, 2nd Lieutenant, 73rd Indiana Infantry, Company K; and

TENNESSEE:

BRADFORD, ROBERT Y., 1st Lieutenant, 2nd West Tennessee Cavalry Company B, HAGLER, JACOB S., Captain, 5th Tennessee Infantry, Company F, KENDRICK, W. P., Colonel, 3rd West Tennessee Cavalry; and

PENNSYLVANIA:

CUMMINGS, THOMAS, Captain, 19th U. S. Infantry, Company A, DAILY, WILLIAM A., 1st Lieutenant, 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company H, DAY, ROBERT H., Captain, 56th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company D, EDMONDS, CHARLES L., 1st Lieutenant, 67th Pennsylvania, Company D, GAMBLE, SAMUEL, 1st Lieutenant, 63rd Pennsylvania Infantry, Company D, GARBET, DAVID, 2nd Lieutenant, 77th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company G, GAY, FREEMAN C., 2nd Lieutenant, 11th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company K, GOOD, GEORGE S., 1st Lieutenant, 84th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company I, HINDS, HENRY H., 1st Lieutenant, 57th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company A, MILES, DAVID, Lieutenant Colonel, 79th Pennsylvania Infantry, RANDOLPH, WALLACE F., 1st Lieutenant, 5th U. S. Artillery, Battery L, ROSE, THOMAS ELLWOOD, Colonel, 77th Pennsylvania Infantry, SCHROEDERS, EDGAR, 2nd Lieutenant, 74th Pennsylvania Inf., Co. D, VON MITZEL, ALEXANDER T., Major, 74th Pennsylvania Infantry, WHITE, PLYMPTON, 2nd Lieutenant, 83rd Pennsylvania Infantry, Company D. WHITE, ALBERT BENTON, 1st Lieutenant, 4th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Co. F. FISHER, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, Major, U. S. Signal Corps. GAGEBY, JAMES H., 2nd Lieutenant, 19th U. S. Infantry, Company A; and

MAINE:

DAVIS, GEORGE C., Captain, 4th Maine Infantry, Company F. TILDEN, CHARLES W., Colonel, 16th Maine Infantry; and

CONNECTICUT:

ELY, WILLIAM GROSVENOR, Colonel, 18th Connecticut Infantry; and

RHODE ISLAND:

FALES, JAMES M., 2nd Lieutenant, 1st Rhode Island Cavalry, Company D; and

NEW JERSEY:

GALLAGHER, MICHAEL, Captain, 2nd New Jersey Cavalry, Company H; and

MICHIGAN:

GREBLE, CHARLES E., 1st Lieutenant, 8th Michigan Cavalry, Company E, McCREERY, WILLIAM B., Colonel, 21st Michigan Infantry, WELLS, JAMES M., 2nd Lieutenant, 8th Michigan Cavalry, Company F; and

WISCONSIN:

HOBART, HARRISON C., Lieutenant Colonel, 21st Wisconsin Infantry, MORGAN, CHARLES H., 1st Lieutenant, 21st Wisconsin Infantry, Company F, WALLBER, ALBERT, 1st Lieutenant, 26th Wisconsin Infantry, Company I, WATSON, WILLIAM L., 1st Lieutenant, 21st Wisconsin Infantry, Company G, WEST, THEODORE S., Lieutenant Colonel, 24th Wisconsin Infantry; and

KENTUCKY:

HAMILTON, ANDREW G., Captain, 12 Kentucky Cavalry, Company A, JOHNSTON, I. N., Captain, 6th Kentucky Infantry, Company H, JONES, DAVID, Captain, 1st Kentucky Infantry, Company D, LUCAS, JOHN, Captain, 5th Kentucky Infantry, Company F, MOORES, ARCHIBALD, 1st Lieutenant, 4th Kentucky Mounted Infantry, Co. E, PIERCE, WILLIAM P., Captain, 11th Kentucky Cavalry, Company A; and

MASSACHUSETTS:

HOOPER, J. HARRIS, Major, 15th Massachusetts Infantry, TOWER, MORTON, 1st Lieutenant, 13th Massachusetts infantry, Company B; and

MARYLAND:

SMALL, MELVILLE R., 1st Lieutenant, 6th Maryland Infantry, Company H; and

MISSOURI:

ROSE, GOTTLIEB C., Captain, 4th Missouri Cavalry, Company C; and

STATE OF RESIDENCY UNKNOWN:

BENNETT, FRANK T., 2nd Lieutenant, 18th U. S. Regulars, Company F, SMITH, EDMUND L., Captain, 19th U. S. Infantry, Company G, and URQUHART, SAMUEL A., Captain, C.S., 6th Corps ; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we take a moment to remember the story of the brave soldiers who escaped from Libby Prison during the Civil War.