Lincoln And Episodes of the Civil War

ided me to a gloomy-looking building one square to the east of the New Capitol buildings, and running parallel with them. I dismounted and under my orders demanded to go through the prison and visit the guards within. The demand was made in an ante-chamber. The captain in charge of the guard answered derisively, "I guess you can't," and showed me a copy of the prison rules, admitting none beyond the guardroom without a special pass for that purpose from the provost marshal or the Secretary of War. I did not care to argue the point as to the powers of my orders when weighed against the prison rules, and reported that I was refused admittance. The action on the part of the captain was approved. After I was appointed provost marshal (partly from curiosity, partly in pursuance ofdirections from the military governor), I made my first visit to the interior and this time in company with Brigade-Surgeon Stewart, who had been on duty here a long time and knew everybody well. Dr. Stewart was a most excellent surgeon, and an exemplary gentleman in every way, but as he was very large, very portly, somewhat pompous in his manners, and presumed very greatly on his loyalty as opposed to that of rebels, I soon found that I could not well have been introduced to my new charges under a more unpopular guide. The result of my cursory investigations is as follows: The Old Capitol Prison was a long three-story building of dingy brick, situated on the corner of East Capitol and Carr...