telegraph wires from head-quarters. If we had such a force in the field at the present time, under competent leaders, we could strike at the very vitals of the socalled Southern Confederacy, and bring them to terms in less than ninety days. All the railroads in the South could be destroyed, and kept so. Every state, unless it might be Texas—and that, also, if we had infantry as a nucleus could be desolated. If asked where you could sustain such a force, the answer is ready : just as Morgan and the Confederate cavalry sustain theirs-off of the country invaded. Such a force would break up all communication and prevent the rapid concentration of one rebel force to sustain another, which came so near being disastrous to McClellan in the seven days' fight near Richmond, and lately against Rosecrans. The enemy could not meet such a force. Their present cavalry would be abundantly employed by our regular cavalry, and they have neither the men nor the horses to organize such a body of cavalry. We have both; and the sooner we employ them, the sooner this unhappy war will be terminated. RICHARD T. JACOB,

"Colonel of the late Ninth Kentucky Cavalry."

its terminus and dig down in the soft earth with his knife until the bottom of the foundation of the wall was reached; then, digging out under, the thing was completed. Meanwhile, ropes had been manufactured of the bedticking, and all arrangements were complete for their final escape. Every thing being in readiness, only a little strategy was necessary for the escape of General Morgan. He occupied a cell on the second range, just over the one occupied by his brother Dick.

When the prisoners were being locked up for the night, the Morgans were allowed to exchange cells with each other. After Dick had seen every thing prepared, he permitted his brother John to take his place. Some time during the night the prisoners crawled through the hole they had dug under the wall, but had skillfully concealed, taking their rope with them. They escaped from the prison immediately between the main building and the female department. Once in the yard, and their escape was comparatively easy. They went to the south-west corner of the outer wall, near the big gate, and threw their rope over the top, where it secured itself on one of the

spikes. On this rope, and by the aid of some timbers near at hand, they clambered to the top, and easily descended on the outside. There are no guards cn the outer walls after a certain hour. The prisoners were dressed in citizens' clothes, and not in prison habiliments.

Captain Hines had charge of the work which resulted in the escape of the prisoners.

A note was left for the warden of the prison, of which the following is a copy:

"CASTLE MEROIN, CELL No. 20, November 20, 1863. "Commencement, November 4, 1863. Conclusion, November 20, 1863. Number of hours for labor per day, three. Tools, two small knives. La patience est amer, mais son fruit est dour. By order of my six honorable Confederates.

"HENRY HINES, Captain, C. S. A.”

The excitement was very great, especially in the states of Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana, when it was known that Morgan had escaped. A reward of one thousand dollars was offered for him, dead or alive. Various reports were in circulation as to the direction he had taken. Some persons supposed he would escape by way of Canada. Many of the houses of

Columbus were searched, hoping to find him secreted somewhere in the city. But all search was vain; nothing could be heard of him that was reliable. The men who searched for him looked as blank as if he hač vanished, or had been translated. Days passed by, and no intelligence of Morgan was received from any quarter. At length, a Richmond paper was received, which announced the arrival of the great chieftain at the rebel Capital, and the fact that he was honored with a splendid ovation. The same paper, the Richmond Enquirer, gave the following very interesting account of Morgan's escape, as it was received from his own lips:

"Their bedsteads were small iron stools, fastened to the wall with hinges. They could be hooked up or allowed to stand on the floor, and, to prevent any suspicion, for several days before any work was attempted, they made it a habit to let them down and sit at their doors and read. Captain Hines superintended the work, while General Morgan kept watch to divert ne attention of the sentinel, whose duty it was to come round during the day ard observe if any thing was