In a dungeon.
Upon this evidence the sergeant was released and I was taken back to the dungeon.
We remained in the dungeon eight days, then one
[
239]
of the casements was planked up and we were put inside and a special guard looked after us, until we were sent to
Fort Delaware, March 8, 1865.
On that day all the prisoners were taken out and placed on a steamer.
The eight who had escaped and were recaptured were held back and afterwards taken out and placed on the bow of a boat in front of the pilot-house.
It was stormy weather, and we were very much exposed to the waves.
Wave after wave four days repeatedly broke over us. We were guarded there until we reached
Fort Delaware.
March 12th.
The other prisoners were taken off and given other quarters in the barracks at
Fort Delaware, but we, the eight, were taken to
General Scheoff's headquarters and turned over with instructions to be kept in close confinement.
The General inquired what were the charges against us. We told him we had tried to make our escape at
Fort Pulaski.
He said we had done nothing more than any prisoner of war had a perfect right to do, and told the officer in charge to take us to the barracks and give us the best quarters there.
General Scheoff was from Almador, Va.
Nothing more than is common to prisoner's life occurred while we were confined at
Fort Delaware, until the 17th of June, 1865, when all the line officers were called out and formed in a hollow square to take the oath.
My name was the first called.
I was ordered to go to the barracks, get my baggage, and report to
General Scheoff's headquarters.
General Scheoff met me at the door and asked me if my name was George.
I replied that it was. He remarked that he hated to give up, but that my brother had come for me, and he supposed I must go. My brother was
Captain A. G. P. George, in the Sixtieth Virgina Regiment, and was with
Lee when he surrendered at
Appomattox.
He had gone home to
Princeton, Va., and did not know when I would get out of prison.
From
Princeton, he went to
Washington and got a special release for me. I did not know he was present at
General Scheoff's headquarters; had heard nothing from him since long before the surrender, and did not know but what he might be dead.
My brother and I went from
Fort Delaware to
Baltimore.
He went on to
California, while I returned home.