Part 84 (2/2)
Little did the men, women and children of Richmond dream that they were lying down each night to sleep on the thin crust of a volcano.
Captain Welford in the pursuit of Socola and Miss Van Lew had found that the woman on Church Hill persisted in her visits to the prisons. Libby, which contained a number of Union officers of rank, was her favorite.
On the last day of February his patient watch was rewarded. He had placed a spy in Libby disguised as a captive Union soldier.
This man had sent the Captain an urgent message to communicate with him at once. Within thirty minutes Welford confronted him in the guardroom of the prison.
The Captain spoke in sharp nervous tones:
”Well?”
”I've something big--”
He paused and glanced about the room.
”Go on!”
”There's a plot on foot inside to escape--”
”Of course. They're always plotting to escape--we've no real prison system--no discipline. Hundreds have escaped already. It's nothing new--”
”This _is_ new,” the spy went on eagerly, ”They let me into their councils last night. There's going to be a big raid on Richmond--the men inside are going to fight their way out, arm themselves and burn the city. When they get the signal from the outside they'll batter down the walls and rush through--”
”Batter down the walls?”
”Yes, sir--”
”How?”
”They've loosed two big rafters and have them ready to use as battering rams--”
”You're sure of this?”
”Sure's G.o.d's in heaven. Go in and see for yourself--”
Captain Welford gave a low whistle.
”This is big news. There are enough prisoners in Richmond to make an army corps--eleven hundred in here--twenty-five hundred at Crew and Pemberton's--at Belle Isle and the other stockades at least fifteen thousand in all. They are guarded by a handful of men. If they realize their power, they can batter their way out in five minutes and sweep the city with blood and fire--”
He stopped suddenly, drew a deep breath and turned again to the man.
”That'll do for you here. Take a little rest. You'd as well go back into a lion's den when they find out that I know. They'd spot you sure and tear you limb from limb.”
The spy saluted.
<script>