[see Rose Greenhow. My imprisonment and the first year of abolition rule at Washington. London: Richard Bentley, 1863. Pages 223 and 256-257]
[see Old capitol prison]
The Contumacious state prisoners in Washington.
A Washington correspondent of the Baltimore News Sheet communicates the following:
I learned from one of the soldiers of the Pennsylvania 91st Regiment, who are guarding the old Capitol Prison in this city, some incidents of the interior of this now famous building, which may interest your readers:
Other cases have proved refractory, and the prisoners have refused to take the oath of allegiance. Among these latter are Mr. Watkins, of Georgetown, who had been imprisoned more than six months, and whose brother was the chief engineer of the rebel iron-plated Merrimac, and Mr. T. Walworth, son of Chancellor Walworth, of New York, who, it will be remembered, was arrested for acting in complicity with the accomplished Mrs. Morris, supposed to have been sent there as a spy by the rebel General, Beauregard. There is strong suspicion that Mr. Walworth has a secret commission as Major in the Confederate army, in the handwriting of Beauregard. He has nevertheless been offered his freedom on three distinct occasions, by the commission, on condition that he will take the oath of allegiance. His firmness in refusing is unaccountable to his friends.
Mrs. Baxley is another of the obstinates. It will be remembered that in her hair were found a large number of valuable letters and commissions from Jeff. Davis. She is represented to be a woman of extraordinary courage and talent, and utterly fearless of Federal soldiers. It is said one of the prison sentinels insulted her, and she threw a tea-pot at his head, which send him howling from his post. A large black flag is frequently seen waving from her window, particularly after the report of a Confederate defeat.
While I think of it, I must mention a remarkable ride which occurred in the prison yard the day before yesterday. The lady prisoners are allowed a half hour's exercise in the narrow yard surrounding the prison every day. Mrs. Greenhow, who is remarkable for her cool courage and self possession, proposed to seize and appropriate the horse and market wagon of the Superintendent, who stood in one corner of the enclosure, and enjoy the novelty of a ride. The suggestion was instantly adopted, and the ladies, unmindful of the remonstrances of the sentinels, jumped into the wagon and whipped up.--Mrs. Morris had been making a large and beautiful Confederate flag, and she stood now in the front of the wagon, waving it over the heads of the enraged sentinels, who followed the flying party around the enclosure, shouting and cursing, and making lunges at the horse with their bayonets, which only increased the mirth of the gay riders, and frightened the horse to his utmost speed. The uproar became terrible. First came the captain of the guard, shouting at the top of his lung, "stop that vehicle; it's contrary to the rules." All in vain. Mrs. Greenhow whipped up the harder, and cried out "it's the Southern wagon--clear the way." Then the officer of the day rushed in, shouting "What's all this?" followed by the soldiers from the neighboring guard house, who rushed madly forward to stop the flying animal. It was a scene altogether ludicrous and indescribable in the extreme, and has made more comment in Washington than a little. The evacuation of Manassas is nothing to be compared with it.