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〃All right。 Attention ！ LEFT SPOON！！ and the whole line would at once
flop over on their left sides。
The feet of the row that slept along the east wall on the floor below us
were in a line with the edge of the outer door； and a chalk line drawn
from the crack between the door and the frame to the opposite wall would
touch； say 150 pairs of feet。 They were a noisy crowd down there； and
one night their noise so provoked the guard in front of the door that he
called out to them to keep quiet or he would fire in upon them。 They
greeted this threat with a chorus profanely uncomplimentary to the purity
of the guard's ancestry； they did not imply his descent a la Darwin； from
the remote monkey； but more immediate generation by a common domestic
animal。 The incensed Rebel opened the door wide enough to thrust his gun
in； and he fired directly down the line of toes。 His piece was
apparently loaded with buckshot； and the little balls must have struck
the legs； nipped off the toes； pierced the feet； and otherwise slightly
wounded the lower extremities of fifty men。 The simultaneous shriek that
went up was deafening。 It was soon found out that nobody had been hurt
seriously； and there was not a little fun over the occurrence。
One of the prisoners in Libby was Brigadier General Neal Dow； of Maine；
who had then a National reputation as a Temperance advocate； and the
author of the famous Maine Liquor Law。 We； whose places were near the
front window； used to see him frequently on the street； accompanied by a
guard。 He was allowed； we understood； to visit our sick in the hospital。
His long； snowy beard and hair gave him a venerable and commanding
appearance。
Newsboys seemed to be a thing unknown in Richmond。 The papers were sold
on the streets by negro men。 The one who frequented our section with the
morning journals had a mellow； rich baritone for which we would be glad
to exchange the shrill cries of our street Arabs。 We long remembered him
as one of the peculiar features of Richmond。 He had one unvarying
formula for proclaiming his wares。 It ran in this wise：
〃Great Nooze in de papahs！
〃Great Nooze from Orange Coaht House； Virginny！
〃Great Nooze from Alexandry； Virginny！
〃Great Nooze from Washington City！
〃Great Nooze from Chattanoogy； Tennessee！
〃Great Nooze from Chahlston； Sou' Cahlina！
〃Great Nooze in depapahs！〃
It did not matter to him that the Rebels had not been at some of these
places for months。 He would not change for such mere trifles as the
entire evaporation of all possible interest connected with Chattanooga
and Alexandria。 He was a true Bourbon Southernerhe learned nothing and
forgot nothing。
There was a considerable trade driven between the prisoners and the guard
at the door。 This was a very lucrative position for the latter； and men
of a commercial turn of mind generally managed to get stationed there。
The blockade had cut off the Confederacy's supplies from the outer world；
and the many trinkets about a man's person were in good demand at high
prices。 The men of the Army of the Potomac； who were paid regularly；
and were always near their supplies； had their pockets filled with combs；
silk handkerchiefs； knives； neckties； gold pens； pencils； silver watches；
playing cards； dice； etc。 Such of these as escaped appropriation by
their captors and Dick Turner； were eagerly bought by the guards； who
paid fair prices in Confederate money； or traded wheat bread； tobacco；
daily papers； etc。； for them。
There was also considerable brokerage in money； and the manner of doing
this was an admirable exemplification of the folly of the 〃fiat〃 money
idea。 The Rebels exhausted their ingenuity in framing laws to sustain
the purchasing power of their paper money。 It was made legal tender for
all debts public and private； it was decreed that the man who refused to
take it was a public enemy； all the considerations of patriotism were
rallied to its support； and the law provided that any citizens found
trafficking in the money of the enemyi。e。； greenbacks； should suffer
imprisonment in the Penitentiary； and any soldier so offending should
suffer death。
Notwithstanding all this； in Richmond； the head and heart of the
Confederacy； in January； 1864long before the Rebel cause began to look
at all desperateit took a dollar to buy such a loaf of bread as now
sells for ten cents； a newspaper was a half dollar； and everything else
in proportion。 And still worse： There was not a day during our stay in
Richmond but what one could go to the hole in the door before which the
guard was pacing and call out in a loud whisper：
〃Say； Guard： do you want to buy some greenbacks？〃
And be sure that the reply would be； after a furtive glance around to see
that no officer was watching：
〃Yes； how much do you want for them？〃
The reply was then： 〃Ten for one。〃
〃All right； how much have you got？〃
The Yankee would reply； the Rebel would walk to the farther end of his
beat； count out the necessary amount； and； returning； put up one hand
with it； while with the other he caught hold of one end of the Yankee's
greenback。 At the word； both would release their holds simultaneously；
the exchange was complete； and the Rebel would pace industriously up and
down his beat with the air of the school boy who 〃ain't been a…doin'
nothing。〃
There was never any risk in approaching any guard with a proposition of
this kind。 I never heard of one refusing to trade for greenbacks； and if
the men on guard could not be restrained by these stringent laws； what
hope could there be of restraining anybody else？
One day we were favored with a visit from the redoubtable General John H。
Morgan； next to J。 E。 B。 Stuart the greatest of Rebel cavalry leaders。
He had lately escaped from the Ohio Penitentiary。 He was invited to
Richmond to be made a Major General； and was given a grand ovation by the
citizens and civic Government。 He came into our building to visit a
number of the First Kentucky Cavalry （loyal）captured at New
Philadelphia； East Tennesseewhom he was anxious to have exchanged for
men of his own regimentthe First Kentucky Cavalry （Rebel）who were
captured at the same time he was。 I happened to get very close to him
while he was standing there talking to his old acquaintances； and I made
a mental photograph of him； which still retains all its original
distinctness。 He was a tall； heavy man； with a full； coarse； and
somewhat dull face； and lazy； sluggish gray eyes。 His long black hair
was carefully oiled； and turned under at the ends； as was the custom with
the rural beaux some years ago。 His face was clean shaved； except a
large； sandy goatee。 He wore a high silk hat； a black broadcloth coat；
Kentucky jeans pantaloons； neatly fitting boots； and no vest。 There was
nothing remotely suggestive of unusual ability or force of character； and
I thought as I studied him that the sting of George D。 Prentice's bon mot
about him was in its acrid truth。 Said Mr。 Prentice：
〃Why don't somebody put a pistol to Basil Duke's head； and blow John
Morgan's brains out！〃 ＇Basil Duke was John Morgan's right hand man。＇
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