CHAPTER X.
THE ESCAPE.
The discipline in the prison at Elmira was not rigorous.

The prisoners had to clean up the cells, halls, and yard, but the rest of their time they could spend as they liked.

Some of those whose friends had money were able to live in comparative luxury and to assist those who had no such resources; for throughout the War there was never any great difficulty in passing letters to and from the South.

The line of frontier was enormous and it was only at certain points that hostilities were actively carried on, consequently letters and newspapers were freely passed, and money could be sent in the same way from one part of the country to another.
At certain hours of the day hawkers and venders of such articles as were in most demand by the prisoners were allowed to enter the yard and to sell their wares to the Confederates.

Spirits were not allowed to be carried in, but tobacco and all kinds of food were permitted to pass.
Vincent had at Alexandria written a letter to his mother, and had given it to a man who represented that he made it his business to forward letters to an agent at Richmond, being paid for each letter the sum of a dollar on its delivery.