Daring Prison Escapes | Bastille of the Confederacy | 1

American History Tellers

Wondery

Society & Culture, Kids & Family, History, Education For Kids

4.7 • 18.3K Ratings

🗓️ 3 September 2025

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In February 1864, more than 100 Union Army officers broke out of Libby Prison, an infamous Confederate prisoner of war compound in Richmond, Virginia. It was the largest prison break of the Civil War. Libby held more than 1,000 Union officers who were crammed into the former tobacco warehouse. They faced rampant illness, meager rations, and constant abuse from sadistic guards.

As conditions worsened and the death toll mounted, a small crew of prisoners resolved to escape. Working in secret, they excavated a narrow tunnel out of Libby’s rat-infested cellar in a daring attempt to dig their way to freedom.

Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter

Listen to American History Tellers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/american-history-tellers/ now.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Hey, history buffs, if you can't get enough of the captivating stories we uncover on American
0:04.7	history tellers, you'll love the exclusive experience of Wondry Plus.
0:08.4	Dive even deeper into the past with ad-free episodes, early access to new seasons, and
0:13.0	bonus content that brings history to life like never before.
0:16.2	Join Wondery Plus in the Wondry app or on Apple Podcast and embark on an unparalleled journey through America's most pivotal moments.
0:37.2	Imagine it's late at night on February 6, 1864, beneath the grounds of the Libby Prison in
0:43.2	Richmond, Virginia. You're a captured Union officer, and you're wriggling back through a narrow
0:47.8	tunnel, your knees sore and your shoulders wedge between pack soil and solid rock. A rat skitters
0:53.9	across your arm as you urge yourself
0:55.7	forward through the darkness. Finally, you reach the tunnel entrance, and two sets of hands yank you
1:01.5	out into the open air and onto your feet. The men look at you expectantly. It's bad news, boys,
1:07.0	we're short. The eyes of your fellow prisoners grow wide, except for those of your leader,
1:11.9	Colonel Rose, his eyes narrow. What do you mean short? We're short, we miscalculated. I came up and broke through the surface, but we're four or five feet short. You mean we're still in the yard? Yes, just inside the fence, and I saw a guard. I don't know if he saw me, but I sure saw him. Well, then we keep digging. No, sir,
1:28.4	we may be discovered. I don't know if the guard saw me, but if he did, then we need to get back upstairs to the barracks. We can't get caught down here. No, captain, what we can't do is stop now. But if that guard saw me, if that guard saw you, then the tunnel is exposed, and we'll likely be found out whether we're here or upstairs.
1:44.7	But if not, then we are four or five feet from freedom. But, sir, if we do nothing, that's exactly
1:50.1	what I want you to do. Nothing. You wait here. Colonel Rose steps with determination toward the tunnel
1:56.1	entrance, and turns back to address you and the others. Stay here, be quiet, do nothing, and just wait
2:02.6	until I go take a look. We are too close to give up now. Rose drops onto his hands and knees
2:10.8	and pulls himself into the tunnel. The other men exchange where he glances. You fear that when he
2:16.5	emerges, he'll be caught by the same
2:18.2	guard you spotted. You're fighting every instinct in your body that's telling you to run, but you
2:23.5	trust Colonel Rose as your leader. So instead, you crouch down and wait, hoping that the
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Wondery, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Wondery and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.