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half bottles, which passed, as usual, into Lieutenant Wood's keeping. The prohibition which followed, prevented my using any of it, and, when we were about leaving, I requested Lieutenant Wood, through one of the Sergeants, to send it on with me in charge of the officer who would have us in custody. This he did not do, and I never saw more of it. One or two of the prisoners afterwards received, at Fort Warren, the liquors that they left at Fort La Fayette, and one of the officers at the former Post informed me that there were some boxes on the bill of lading which did not reach Fort Warren. Whether any of my stores were among these boxes, I am unable to say. I only know that I never received the liquor which Lieutenant Wood had, and that many of my companions suffered in the same way.
Those of our friends who obtained passes to visit the Fort, did so with great difficulty. The government seemed to have a strong disposition to exclude all strangers from the place. Six weeks before my arrest, I had made every effort to procure a permit to see my father, but could not succeed in getting one. Some New York politicians, however, were more favored. One of them, especially, Mr. William H. Ludlow, could enter the Fort at his pleasure, and see whom he pleased. On several occasions when he made his visits, he sent for different individuals, to whom he represented himself as possessing great influence at Washington, and offered to try and procure their release, provided he was paid for it. What he received altogether I do not know; but I do know that he received two retaining fees, namely—$100 from one gentleman, and $150 from another. From the latter he had a promise of a contingent fee of $1,000. I do not believe he rendered any service to his clients, both of whom were taken to Fort Warren and exchanged or released nearly four months afterwards.
The private soldiers at Fort La Fayette were worthy followers of their commanding officer. They were uniformly as brutal in their manners towards the prisoners as they dared to be. The Sergeants, however, who were there when I was, were generally civil, and were as kind
