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CAMP, 
FIELD  AND  PRISON  LIFE ; 


f 


CONTAINING 


SKETCHES    OF   SERVICE   IN  THE    SOUTH,    AND   THE 

EXPERIENCE,    INCIDENTS  AND  OBSERVATIONS 

CONNECTED   WITH   ALMOST  TWO  YEARS' 

IMPRISONMENT  at  JOHNSON'S  ISLAND, 

OHIO,  WHERE  8.000  CONFEDERATE 

OFFICERS  WERE  CONFINED. 


W.  A.   WASH,    Capt.,  C.  S.  A. 


WITH  AN 

INTRODUCTION  BY  GEN.  L.  M.  LEWIS, 

AND  A 

MEDICAL  HISTORY  OF  JOHNSON'S  ISLAND 

BY   COL.  I.  G.  W.  STEEDMAN,  M.  D. 


SAINT  LOUIS: 
SOUTHWESTERN  BOOK  AND  PUBLISHING  CO., 

510  AND  512  WASHINGTON  AVENUE. 
1870. 


THE  pw  YORK 
PUBLIC  LIBUARV 

2t±572B' 


TILDEN   FUU.NDAllONS 
B  1842  (- 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1870,  by 

W  .     A  .     WASH, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States   for  the  Eastern 
District  ot  Missouri. 


PREFACE. 


Perhaps  there  are  those  who  will  conclude  that  the 
contents  of  this  book  are  intended  as  an  offset  to  the 
alleged  inhumanity  to  Federal  soldiers  in  Southern 
prisons.  'Not  so;  it  deals  as  little  as  possible  with  the 
cruelties  of  war.  Were  I  so  disposed,  I  might  now  go 
back  and  drag  up  a  thousand  northern  prison  horrors 
to  place  beside  the  most  revolting  pen  pictures  of  Ander- 
sonville;  but  who  would  profit  or  be  made  happier 
thereby  ?  Indeed,  would  it  not  be  calculated  rather  to 
open  afresh  wounds  now  partially  healed,  and  to  revive 
unpleasant  memories  that  we  would  fain  obliterate. 

No  doubt  some  will  be  deceived  as  to  the  anticipated 
contents  of  the  book,  for  they  will  expect  to  see  their 
own  prison  exploits  jotted  down,  especially  if  they 
were  somewhat  notorious.  Such  will  please  remember 
that  it  would  be  utterly  impossible  to  give  more  than  a 
tithe  of  what  actually  oecured,  in  a  single  volume  like 
this.  Besides,  my  notes  of  prison  life  were  not  originally 
taken  with  a  view  to  publication.  I  expected  some 
abler  pen  than  mine  would  portray  to  the  world  our  life 
during  captivity,  but  as  no  other  has  seen  fit  to  write  our 
prison  history,  I  have  thought  that  my  meagre  sketches 
might  be  acceptable  to  my  comrades  and  the  friends 


IV  PEEFACE. 

who  so  earnestly  sympathized  with  us  while  shut  up 
on  that  little  island. 

Had  I  intended  to  publish  my  manuscript,  I  would 
have  taken  much  fuller  notes  and  preserved  many 
items  and  facts  which  would  have  added  greatly  to  the 
interest  of  the  book.  But  the  opportunity  is  now  lost 
forever,  since,  in  the  great  flow  of  events  then  daily 
transpiring,  it  was  impossible  to  keep  them  all  in  the 
mind.  What  I  have  written  will  serve  as  an  outline,  to 
be  filled  up  by  each  particular  individual  according  to 
his  experience. 

The  introductory  of  Gen.  Lewis  will  be  recognized 
and  eagerly  perused  by  many  hundreds  who  were  on 
Johnson's  Island,  for  the  tone  and  style  are  character- 
istic, and  perhaps  no  one  in  prison  was  better  known. 
The  hearts  of  some  will  swell  with  continued  gratitude 
as  they  think  again  of  him  who  ministered  to  their 
spiritual  welfare,  and  persuaded  them  to  forsake  their 
evil  ways;  and  many  a  masonic  brother  will  go  back 
in  memory  and  bless  him  for  his  zealous  labors  in  their 
behalf,  when  sick  and  destitute  in  an  enemy's  prison. 

A  careful  reading  of  what  he  has  written  will  greatly 
assist  the  reader  in  correctly  appreciating  the  book. 
Though  I  am  quite  sure  that  some  Southerners  will  con- 
demn the  spirit  of  the  work  as  being  too  nearly  loj^al,  I 
hope  it  will  meet  the  approbation  of  the  mass,  and  I  feel 
that  it  will  be  calculated,  in  many  cases,  to  form  bonds 
of  friendship  where  hearts  are  now  callous.  If  so,  I 
have  added  a  mite  to  the  welfare  and  happiness  of  man- 
kind, and  am  satisfied.  AUTIIOE. 

St.  Louis,  March,  1870. 


INTRODUCTION. 


Having  read  the  manuscript  of  this  volume,  and 
having  been  an  eye-witness  of  the  scenes  which  the 
author  relates,  I  take  great  pleasure  in  commending  it 
to  the  public  generally,  but  particularly  to  those  who 
were  unfortunate  participants  in  the  horrors  of  the  long 
imprisonment  at  Johnson's  Island. 

Time  can  never  erase  from  the  memory  of  any  one 
of  the  latter  class  the  prominent  scenes  of  prison  life 
in  which  he  may  have  participated;  yet,  to  many,  the 
minor  details,  the  humorous,  the  painful,  the  cruel,  the 
oppressive  experiences  must  have  been  lost  in  the  im- 
memorial past  through  the  friction  of  every  day  life 
if  the  diligent  hand  of  Capt.  Wash  had  not  embalmed 
them  as  they  transpired. 

To  those  who  witnessed  what  is  here  related  this 
volume  will  prove  a  source  of  great  satisfaction  and 
amusement.  The  materials  from  which  this  book  has 
been  collated  were  jotted  down  just  as  the  scenes 
transpired,  for  the  daily  journal  of  the  author  recalls 
almost  the  entire  period  from  June,  1863,  to  the  close 
of  the  war. 


VI  INTEODUCTION. 

To  an  outsider,  who  never  had  the  misfortune  to  be 
locked  up  for  safe  keeping  in  modern  bastiles,  or  to  be 
guarded,  not  by  angels,  but  by  relentless  brutes,  who, 
afraid  of  the  battle  field,  volunteered  to  guard  prisoners, 
because  all  the  shooting  could  be  on  one  side,  a  j^eep 
inside  is  furnished  and  a  slight  glimpse  of  what  we 
experienced.  To  us,  the  former  prisoners,  the  old, 
gloomy  past  will  be  re-enacted,  and  faces,  long  since 
grown  dim  on  the  canvass  of  memory,  will  be  retouched 
into  their  former  freshness.  We  will  stand  again  within 
those  plank  walls,  see  familiar  forms,  hear  the  laugh  of 
the  merry  and  the  complaint  of  the  sad-hearted — in 
fact,  live  over  again  the  strangely  mingled  life  of  which 
it  is  a  sketch.  Who  can  not  even  yet  recall  the  varied 
emotions  experienced  by  the  incarcerated  patriot  as  he 
listened  to  the  tale  of  defeat,  greedily  related  and  largely 
embellished  ?  Who  can  fail  to  remember  how  keen  the 
anguish  realized  as  we  heard  of  the  want,  suffering  and 
ruin  of  the  land  we  loved  better  than  life  ? 

Who  can  know,  save  those  who  were  there,  how  the 
heart  sunk  when  grim  despair,  like  the  head  of  Medusa, 
chilled  the  soul  into  stone  at  the  contemplation  of  our 
home  and  loved  ones  given  to  merciless  aliens  and 
strano-ers,  and  we  unable  to  raise  a«n  arm  to  save  those 
precious  treasures? 

Prison  life  as  seen  from  the  author's  stand-point  and 
from  mine  were  vastly  different.  His  was  exceptional, 
mine  was  the  common  lot  of  a  vast  majority  of  the 
three  thousand  Confederate  officerson  Johnson's  Island. 

He  was  more  fortunate  than  many  in  being  so  close 
to  family  and  dear  friends  who  had  influence  with  those 


INTRODUCTION.  VII 

in  authority.  To  him  camo  many  a  box  hiden  with 
turkeys,  chickens,  hams  and  sweetmeats,  obtained 
through  an  arrangement  with  the  man  Scovill,  who  is 
mentioned  in  these  pages  as  prison  provost.  But  to 
thousands,  who  were  total  strangers  in  an  enemj^^s 
country,  far  removed  from  the  sunny  land  of  their 
birth,  who  were  unskilled  in  wire-working,  and  depend- 
ent solely  on  the  rations  issued  by  their  keepers,  there 
was  but  little  fun  and  less  poetry  in  those  sad  years. 
The  class  to  which  the  author  belonged  could  hear 
almost  daily  from  home  and  friends,  thus  affording 
relief  from  the  fears  which  long  months  of  silence  begat 
in  the  minds  of  many  who  were  less  fortunate.  There 
were  hundreds  of  our  miserable  associates,  who,  cap- 
tured in  midsummer,  with  the  light  and  insufficient 
clothing  furnished  by  a  hard  pressed  and  closely  block- 
aded government,  suffered  untold  misery  amidst  the 
rigors  of  the  winter  of '63  and  '64. 

No  one  of  all  the  vast  number  confined  there  at  that 
time  can  have  forgotten  the  intense  cold  of  that  in- 
clement island,  located  in  the  open  plane  of  Lake  Erie 
and  bordering  on  the  shores  of  Canada.  Insufficient 
clothing,  shelter,  food  and  medicine  sent  scores  of  vic- 
tims to  the  grave.  As  success  crowned  the  armies  of 
the  North  their  severity  toward  the  j^risonera  increased, 
and,  as  the  prospect  lessened,  to  many,  of  getting  a 
chance  at  rebels  on  the  oj^en  and  honestly  contested 
field  of  batjle,  an  itching  desire  grew  to  kill  the  un- 
armed and  defenseless. 

The  avaricious  officer  who  issued  rations  shared  with 


VIII  IKTKODUOTION. 

the  contractor  and  grew  rich  upon  the  bread  and  beef 
denied  to  starving  rebels. 

For  a  short  time  we  were  guarded  by  soldiers  who 
had  earned  the  name  of  veterans — the  buck-tails  of 
Pennsylvania  and  others — who,  under  the  gallant  lead- 
ership of  such  men  as  Long,  Sedgwick,  Hancock,  Meade 
and  others,  grappled,  in  dreadful  carnage,  with  the 
grand  old  army  of  Northern  Yirginia,  led  by  such  men 
as  Lee,  Jackson,  Johnston,  Longstreet,  Hill,  Early,  &c., 
names  forever  immortal  in  the  memory  of  man.  These 
knew  how  to  treat  the  brave,  whose  misfortune  it  was 
to  be  prisoners.  Those  gallant  and  chivalrous  men  did 
their  duty  as  guards,  but  showed  to  us,  and  that  too  in 
broad  contrast  to  the  Hoffman  Battalion,  how  the  brave 
can  be  generous.  On  both  sides,  doubtless,  the  stay  at 
homes  and  the  shirks,  who  were  prison  guards,  knew 
how  to  be  cruel  to  a  degree  that  curses  them  forever. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  their  names  are  not  remembered, 
so  that  no  record  shall  stand  in  time  against  them. 

This  book  will  furnish  valuable  material  to  the  future 
historian,  who  will  pen  the  more  complete  accounts  of 
those  "stirring  times."  It  will  be  but  the  beginning 
of  a  series  which  will  show  up  the  hitherto  silent  side 
of  ^'  Prison  Life  during  the  War." 

If  we  would  have  a  just  verdict  from  the  grand  juries 
of  coming  generations,  to  whom  will  be  submitted  the 
conduct  of  both  parties  to  the  late  war,  it  is  necessary 
that,  not  only  a  cursory  view  of  Johnson's  Island  j^rison 
be  had,  but  that  a  minute  detail  of  it,  as  also  of  those 
miserable  pens,   Alton   Penitentiary,   Camp   Douglas, 


INTEODUCTIOIf.  IX 

Camp  Chase,  Eock  Island  and  Elmira,  be  placed  by  the 
side  of  the  exaggerations  about  Libby,  Belie  Isle,  Tyler 
and  Andersonville. 

The  resources  of  each  section  must  be  fully  canvassed 
and  a  dispassionate  portrayal  be  given  of  the  spirit  that 
characterized  both  governments  in  their  dealings  with 
the  unarmed  and  defenseless.  -If  the  North  has  nothing 
to  lose  by  such  an  investigation,  certainly  the  South 
has  everything  to  gain. 

The  style  of  the  author  of  this  volume  is  purposely 
homely  and  peculiar,  intended  fully  to  revive  the  fading 
memories  of  which  it  is  a  description.  If  fastidious 
taste  shall  be  disposed  to  term  it  ^^ vulgar"  and  out  of 
place,  let  it  be  known  that  the  writer  intended  not  only 
to  recount  the  transactions  and  experiences  of  army 
and  prison  life,  but  to  carry  the  reader  back  to  the 
very  times  themselves  by  using  the  peculiar  patois,  if  I 
may  so  call  it,  of  the  soldier. 

Captain  Wash  has  rendered,  to  his  old  associates  at 
least,  a  service  which  must  be  highly  appreciated  by 
them.  It  will  serve  not  only  to  give  pleasure  and  in- 
struction, but  to  recall  to  the  minds  of  many  readers 
much  which  they  had  otherwise  finally  forgotten,  thus 
securing,  if  each  will  take  pains  to  note  down  his  re- 
miniscences, a  full  and  complete  account  of  our  impris- 
onment. 

I  most  heartily  commend  this  book  to  those  who  have 
a  personal  interest  in  its  narrations.  Many  a  one  will 
delight  to  con  its  pages,  from  the  relative  connection 
they  sustained  to  the  sufferers. 


X  IW^TEOBUCTIOIS". 

To  some  it  will  bring  many  a  merry  laugh,  to  others 
the  tears  of  yet  unconsoled  sorrow  for  the  dear  dead 
ones  who  still  sleep  on  that  inhospitable  coast. 

May  God  bless  the  survivors  and  grant  to  the  bereaved 
that  consolation  which  comes  alone  from  the  God  of  all 
comfort.  L.  M.  LEWIS. 

Arcadia,  Mo,,  March,  1870, 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I. 

At  Vicksburg-,  in  April,  1S63 — March  to  the  Front;  Clothiner  and  Papers  Lost: 
Thrillinii-  Incidents;  Country,  Climate,  Seasons  and  People  of  Mississippi; 
Out  aniontr  the  Fanners;  Army  Movements  Brisk;  Conflict  witli  Iron- 
clads; Almost  an  Execution  ;  Enemy's  Intentions  Evident ;  Fiddle&Fun; 
More  Iron-ciads;  May  Campiign  Opens ;  Bowen  at  Port  Hudson;  Out- 
post Duty;  Musquitos  r^r5«5  Rebels  ;  Steal  a  March  on  the  Boys;  Gun- 
boats versus  Water  Batteries;  Dinner  with  a  Contraband;  Stonewall 
Jackson  Dead,  &c. 

CHAPTER   II. 

Reflections;  Pleasant  Jaunt;  Commissary  Supplies;  Preparing' to  Evacuate; 
Big  Black  Bridge;  Edward's  Depot;  Battle  of  Baker's  Creek;  All  import- 
ant Document  looEate;  Fight  at  Big  Black;  Surrender;  Dinner  with  a 
Federal  Officer;  Why  Defeated;  Blue  Coats  and  Gray  Comminjj^le;  Van- 
dalism: A  Fancy  Shoulder  Strapper  and  I;  Edward's  Depot  again ;  Patent 
-Cooking;  Confiscation;  Big  Black  once  more;  Noble  Women;  "Chicka- 
saw" Battle  Field;  Yazoo  Landing;  Young's  Point,  La.;  The  Contra- 
bands; Northward  Bound  ;  Scenery  on  the  Mississippi ;  Napoleon,  Ark.; 
Elliott's  Marine  Brigade;  Dead  Prisoner  Consigned  to  the  Waves,  &c. 

CHAPTER  III. 

Memphis;  Gov.  and  Adj't.  Gen.  of  Iowa;  Pleasant  ATeeting;  Fort  Pillow; 
Island  No.  10;  Monotonous  Scenery;  All  about  Cairo;  Gen.  Buford,  U, 
S.  A.;  Passenger  Cars  for  Rebel  Officers;  A  Gymnastic  P'eat  Dixieward; 
Natives  flock  in  to  see  Johnny  Rebs;  The  Ladies  and  Copperlieads;  Terra 
Haute;  Muss  with  a  Dirty  Dutchman  ;  Indianapolis  Then  and  Now;  Our 
Reception;  Soldier's  Home;  \'isitors  and  Incidents;  Railroad  Metropolis; 
Passage  through  Ohio;  Sandusky  City;  Our  Home  in  tlie  Distance; 
Strange  Feelings. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Over  the  Bay;  Sail  Crafts;  Head  Quarters;  Funds  or  no  Funds;  The  Place 
and  the  Garrison  ;  Sandusky ;  Exterior  Survey ;  In  Prison  ;  Thoughts  ;  First 
Thing  Done;  Who  We  Found  There;  Rebel's  shot  and  Others   under  Sen- 


Xn  CONTENTS. 

tence;  Vallandig^ham ;  First  Sunday  in  Prison;  Preaching-;  Dress  Pande; 
What  Next  ?  My  Watch  in  Pawn ;  Sutler;  Washing- Day;  Ring  Making; 
Prisoners  Arrive;  Still  They  Come;  Touching  Incident ;'Lt.  Read  Dead; 
Galvanized  Rebels;  Exchange;  Baltimore  Merchants;  Lee,  P.ragg,  and 
the  Southwest;  Loyal  Inconsistency ;  Meade,  the  7th  Commander ;  Differ- 
ence in  Northern  and  Southern  Armies;  Money  from  Home;  F~ourth  of 
Tuly;  Divine  Service;  Gen.  Archer  and  others  from  Gettysburg;  My  Ring 
Disaster;  Sky  Rockets  and  Cannon;  John  Morgan's  Raid,  &c. 


CHAPTER    V. 

My  first  box  from  home;  Cannonading:  Across  the  Lake;  Foaming-  white  Caps  ; 
Peculiarities  of  Prison  Life;  The  Morgan  Boys;  Gunboat  Michigan;  Iron- 
clad Prowess  Defunct;  Lee  and  Meade;  Rebellion  Most  Dead  {?);  Siege 
ot  Vicksburg;  Woman's  Worth;  Alabama  Officers  in  Luck ;  Olden  Times 
Made  New;  Foreign  Intervention  ;  Grand  Proposition  to  the  South  ;  Four 
Hundred  Veterans  from  Lee's  Army;  Thoughts  and  Talk  of  Escape; 
Smuggling  Letters;  Sutlers'  Department;  Our  Mess  Reinforced  by  Twenty 
Dollars;  Northern  Press;  Death  in  Prison;  Hospital  Scenes;  Morgan 
Raiders  Arrive;  Crittenden,  Dead;  Jobii  Morgan  in  Federal  Clutches;  His 
Achievements;  One  Hundred  and  Sixty  Rebellonians  from  Port  Hudson; 
Prison  Scenes;  Retrospective  Look,  &c. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Gloomy  Prospect;  Cartel  Broken  ;  Bone  of  Contention  ;  Prison  Scene;  Off  for 
the  Penitentiary;  Siege  of  Charleston;  Mobile;  True  Friendship;  One 
Hundred  Gallant  Sons  trom  the  Old  Dominion;  Eccentric  Minister; 
Domestic  Matters ;  Going  Home;  Conscripts;  Hidden  Fire;  Our  Possible 
Destiny;  Contrast  between  tlie  Naval  Fleets;  Why  the  Disparity  in  our 
Favor;  Kentucky  Election;  Despotism;  Inhuman  Federal  Officers; 
Changeable  Weather;  Yancey  is  Dead;  Ourselves  and  our  Friends; 
Soldier's  Life;  Two  Years  from  Home;  Then  and  Now;  Fast  Day;  Pay 
Day;  Capt.  Law;  New  Pump;  Lt.  Kirby  Smith;  Northern  Extract;  Two 
Suits  of  Gray  from  Louisville;  Manners  and  Customs  in  Prison;  Cele- 
brated Characters;  Youngblood,  Branth',  &c.;  Prison  Scenes  and  Prison 
Ways;  Daily  Routine;  Captives  from 'Helena;  Col.  Johnson's  Jewels; 
Alton  Prison;  Sunning  Day;  Going-  after  Straw;  Bathing  in  the  Lake; 
Skirmish  with  the  Pump,  &c. 


CHAPTER  Vn. 

Excursion  Party;  Preaching;  Col.  Lewis;  "Who  are  in  the  Penitentiary  at 
Alleghany  City,  Pa.;  Profession  Life  in  our  Midst;  Lt.  Minor  and  his 
Drinkables;  No  More  Boots;  Laid  Away;  Rebels  Arrive;  Mr.  Lincoln's 
Intention;  Sutler  Enlarging;  Washing  Day;  The  Rebel  that  didn't  go  out 
in  a  Slop  Barrel;  The  Loyal  Folks  want  us  back  in  the  Union,  and  Why; 
Political  Parties;  Brantly  and  Universalistn  ;  Prayer  Meeting;  Tiie  Sisters 
ofLt.  Brand;  Tht'  Alabama;  My  Way  of  Cooking;  Town  Ball;  Pi  ison 
Scenes;  My  Facilities  for  Writing;  Fashions  Among  Us;  Hard-shell 
Sermon;  Old  Pap;  Reflections;  Theoretical  versus  Practical  Knowledge 
of  Persons  and  Things;  What  f>ur  Ministers  Pray  For;  Retrospect; 
Mental  Reliearsal ;  Chain  of  Memories  ;  Our  Prospects ;  Panorama  of  War; 
What  the  North  Thinks  and. what  the  South  Thinks,  &c. 


CONTENTS.  XIII 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Almost  Two  Years  since  the  Last  Chapter  was  Written;  Why  tlie  Orifjinal 
JSIaniiscript  was  Written ;  My  I'resent  C^iartcrs;  WJjyinJail;  Long  (jliain 
of  Kvents ;  Grave  Charge;  IJefore  a  Magistrate;  Article  in  Joneshoro  pajjer 
headed  "Arrest  of  the  notorious  Capl.  Wash;"  Kenegades;  The  Sequel 
Not  Yet;  Kindly  Cared  For;  15ad  State  of  Affairs ;  A  Look  Around  Me; 
Thoughts  of  iS'Ji;  Memorable  Cold  Day;  Four  Confederates  olV  for 
Canada;  The  Result;  Death  of  Col.  Cluke,  of  Kentucky  ;  Blockade  of  Ice; 
Express  Matter;  Dead  House;  Plot  Nijjped  in  the  IJud;  Five  Hundred 
Prisoners  Ordered  for  Exchange;  Act  of  Federal  Kindness;  Sutler  Closed 
Out;  Our  Fuel;  Exit  Rebels;  Re-enter  Re!)els;  Papers  Suppressed  from 
Prison;  Rebel  Kicked  out  of  Prison ;  Removal  and  Escape;  Sermon  bv 
Col.  Lewis;  Death  of  Capt.  Uarnes;  The  Masons,  a  word  in  their  behalf; 
Mv  Hunk  Mate  Takes  the  Small  Pox;  Inspection  by  U.  S.  A.  Surgeon; 
Prison  Guard  Increased  at  Niglit;  Col.  Pierson's  Prison  Report  from  Organ- 
ization up  to  Date;  Grand  Snow  Battle;  Gen.  M.  Jeff.  Thompson  Cap- 
tured; .VI V  French;  Judge  Breare;  The  Owner  of  our  Island;  Heavy 
Dixie  Mafl;  Its  Contents,  &c. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Fourth  of  July,  1S65;  My  Enemies  and  I;  Celebration;  No  Secffsh  ;  Poor  Beef; 
Major  Scoville;  Jas".  B.  Clay  Dead;.  Death  of  a  Choctaw  Captain;  Dr. 
Foster  and  the  Bitters;  Sharo  Practice;  Stir  in  Prison,  Four  Hundred 
Sent  Off;  A  Joke  on  Some  Who  Stayed;  Southern  League;  Col.  D. 
Howard  Smith  on  Parole;  Lt.  Alexander  takes  the  Oath;  Mountains  of 
Ice;  Blockaae  Described;  Two  Ladies  in  Prison;  Rings  and  Autograph 
Albums;  Confederate  Captain  Disgraced;  Gen.  Shaler;  A  Night  in  the 
Hospital;  2zd  February;  Brantley's  Rat,  my  share;  Col.  Lyle  a  Rebel,  a 
Yankee  and  a  Rebel  Again;  Revival;  Promenading;  Puerile  Order; 
Arkansas  Travelers;  Conversion  of  Prisoners;  Federal  Chaplain;  Short 
Rations;  New  Furniture;  Lamp  Broken  Over  Sutler's  Head,  and  Why; 
Starchy  Federal  Popped  in  the  Back  and  Don't  Like  It;  A  Good  Old  Capt. 
Praying  in  the  Hospital;  Col.  Printup's  Box;  Nothing  Lost  by  Kindness; 
Delicious  Pudding;  Escaped  and  Captured;  Monev  Makes  the  Mare  Go; 
Crowd  at  Sutler  Shop;  Kentucky  and  Baltimore  Ladies,  &c. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Sub-Sutlers;  April  Fool's  Day;  Good  Joke  on  Maj.  Stewart,  of  Ark.;  Dancing 
School;  New  Occupations;  Southern  Thanksgiving  Day;  "Asallartz;" 
Ladies  from  Kentucky;  Galvanized  Rebels;  Camp  Morton;  Warm  Times 
in  Northern  Congress;  Not  Captured  on  the  Battle  Field;  Rcbellonians; 
Prison  Strategy;  Dr.  Woodbridge,  U.  S.  A.  ;  Dixie  Mail;  Rugged  Lake; 
French  Letter;  Fun;  Tunnels;  Ditch;  Lt.  Williams,  U.  S.  A.  ;  Torchlight 
Procession;  Dr.  Brantlev  and  Co.  Trying  to  Bribe  Sentinel;  How  the  Dr. 
got  his  Title;  Gen.  Slialer  in  Rebel  Prison  ;  Muster  and  Inspection;  Gen. 
J.  E.  B.  Stuart  killed;  Fish,  Butter  and  Eggs;  Prisoners  from  Johnson's 
Army;  Hawthorne  and  Giddings  dead;  Attempt  to  Scale  the  Wall;  Tun- 
nels; Qiiarters  Searched;    Result,  &c. 

CHAPTER  XL 

June  ist,  1864;  Our  French;  Lt.  Tobey;  Long  Letters  Forbidden;  Under- 
ground Railroads ;  Col.  Hill  Excites  Renel  Indignity;  No  more  Coffee, 
Sugar  or  Candles;  Box  from  Mrs.  Lillard;  Morgan  Turns  up  Again;  Grant 


XIV  CONTENTS. 

Changing  his  Base;  Vallandigham  back  in  Ohio;  Swimming  in  the  Lake; 
Five  Daily  Papers  in  Our  Room;  Gen.  Polk  Killed;  Gold  22610235; 
Gen.  Arclier  sent  off ;  Secesh  Arrive;  Capt  Jonas  on  Parole,  and  Why ; 
Seven  Surgeons  Sent  South  ;  My  Schoolmate  ;  Lt.  H.  M.  Baldwm,  U.  S.  A. ; 
Geo.  M.  Steever,  the  Youngest  of  our  Class ;  Southern  Gentry  Aim  to 
Scratch  out;  Disagreeable  Roommate;  Sentinel  shoots  a  Ditch  instead  of  a 
Rebel;  July  4th;  The  Alabama  Sunk:  Box  from  Home;  Tlioughts ;  Prison 
Wall  Moved  Back;  Talk  About  Rebelling;  Prison  Gardens"';  The  Oath 
After  Dark;  A  Dutchman's  Order;  Fifty  Dollars  from  Home;  Gen. Trim- 
ble; Circulating  Library;  Lt.  Brown;' Col.  Boynton,  U.  S.  A.;  Chair 
Factory;  Two  Prisoners  \Vounded  by  Sentinel;  A  Dark  Hour;  Pro- 
gramme  of  Concert   Given   by  Rcbellonians,  &c. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

August — Arrival  of  Prisoners;  Maj.  Dick  Person  ;  A  Dozen  Surgeons  Sent 
South;  Bold  and  Successful  Attempt  to  Escape  by  Lt.  Murphy;  Rebels  in 
Blue  Follow  Out  Sand  Wagon;  Value  of  Worn-out  Blue  Pants;  Fleven 
Southerners  Ride  out  on  Two  Wagons ;  Adjutant  Newman  as  a  Yankee ;  Lt. 
Selecman  Trapped;  Loyal  Troops  Skirmishing  forSeceshers;  Seventeen  Cap- 
tured First  Haul;  Guard  at  the  Gate;  Prayer  Meeting;  "  Fresh  Fish;  "  Col. 
Baxter,  C.  S.  A.,  as  a  Major  U.  S.  A.;  Cruel  Order  from  Commissary  Gen- 
eral; Fuel  Added  to  the  Fire;  Three  Southern  Gents  Crawl  Down  a  Slop 
Ditch;  Lt.  Dudley;  How  Lt.  Clark  and  I  confiscated  numerous  Plank  and 
what  we  did  with  it;  Our  Study  finished  and  described;  French  and  Span- 
ish ;  Cheating  the  Yankees;  Ugliness  Sometimes  a  Virtue;  Rebel  Hung; 
Ratastrophe  Described;  Col.  Fite,  President  of  the  "  Rat  Club  ;  "  Exciting 
Era;  Heavy  Slam :  Our  Modus  Operandi;  liaid  on  Hospital  Woodpile; 
Col.  Lewis  Gone;  Escaped  and  Caught;  The  Washing  Business;  Capt. 
Furnish  and  Lt.  Maris  in  a  Muss  over  a  Rat;  Sequel,  &c. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

"Pro  Bono  Publico"  McClellan  Nominated;  We  Indifferent;  Golden  Rule  ; 
Memorable  Occasion;  Graphic  Description  of  a  Tornado;  Prison  Scenes; 
Rich  Jokes;  Nothing  but  the  Lord's  Prayer ;  Thompson's  Christmas  Tur- 
key; All  About  It;  A  Rich  Affair;  Short  Rations;  Fight  in  Prison;  Privi- 
leges of  Our  Cook;  Pleasant  Surprise;  How  a  Rebel  Got  to  Canada;  Col. 
Printup  in  Luck ;  About  the  Prison  Officers ;  How  and  Why  We  Played 
Possum;  Lt.  Wilson,  who  will  Appear  on.  the  Stage  Again;  Generals 
Removed  from  Our  Prison;  Studying  Spanish  in  our  Stuclio;  Our  Room 
in  Luck;  Gens.  Marmaduke  and  Cabell  Arrive;  A  Good  Soldier  Dead; 
What  Breckinridge  Did  tor  Gillem;  Reign  of  Terror  in  Kentucky;  Cotton; 
Gen.  Beall;  Col.  Fite  Promoted;  Sherman's  March  to  the  Sea,  &c. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Hot  Weather  in  Jail;  My  Relative  Situation;  I  Think  Much  but  Say  Little; 
Dec.  ist,  1S64;  Battle  at  Franklin,  Tenn. ;  Southern  Chivalry  Scratch  Out; 
End  of  Block  i;  Death  of  Col  Matlock,  of  Arkansas;  How  We  Profited 
by  Somebody  being  Three  Sheets  in  the  Wind;  Memorable  Occasion;  Out- 
break; Lieut.  Boles  Killed;  Cren.  Beall's  Circular;  Our  Share  of  the  Mobile 
Cotton;  Port  Holes  in  the  Wall  and  Forts  on  the  Island;  Insjiection  of 
Blankets,  and  How  We  Juggled;  Thief  in  Prison;  Two  Hundred  and 
Eighty  of  Hood's  Officers  Arrive;  Colonel  Printup  Dines  with  a  Federal 
Major;  Colonel  Mike  Woods;  Fish  in  the  Dab;  Rebels  Apply  to  Work  on 
Forts;  Gold  216;  My  Spanish  Grammar  Finished;  Prospect's;  Good-bye 
1864;  All  About  Wilson's  Chicken,  &c. 


CONTEXTS.  XV 


CHAPTER   XV. 

1865;  Genciral  rtojnjirks;  Why  Prison  I.ife  was  not  Unhappy  for  Me;  Grant 
Authorized  to  Exclian^e;  Fcdaral  Policy;  its  Cruelty,  its  Results;  Ex- 
change Begins;  Keelings  in  Prison;  Two  Hundred  KebelOllicers  Shipped; 
Scenes  and  Thoughts  ;  Still  They  Or;  Modus  Operandi ;  My  Time  Comes; 
How  I  Fell;  On  the  Outside;  Passage  over  the  Bay;  On  the  Ice,  and  Inci- 
dents; Across  Oliio;  "  Xo  Use  Grieving  over  Spilt  Milk";  Slansfield, 
Ohio;  Pittsburg;  Through  the  Alleghanies  ;  OurHnances;  Happy  Family; 
Juniata  Valley;  Old  Friend  in  the  Shape  of  a  Bridge;  Mufflintown,  Pa.; 
llarrisburg;  Pies  and  Pretty  Giils  at  York,  Pa.;  Anti-Triumphal  March 
through  Baltimore;  The  Dear  Ladies;  Beast-like  Federal  Officer;  At  the 
AVharf;  Down  Chesapeake  Bay;  Historic  Scenes;  City  Point;  Up  the 
James;  Our  Steamship;  My  Adventures  among  the  Sailors;  Twenty  Dollars 
for  Breakfast;  Our  Federal  Escort;  Scenes  on  Shipboard;  Pleasant  Parting; 
Harrison's  Landing;  Confederate  Flag  ol  Truce  Boat;  Colonel  Mulford  a 
Generous  Foe;  Unfurling  of  a  Hidden  B^lag;  Passage  over  Historic  Space; 
Arrival  at  the  Confederate  Capital,  &c. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Eisappointed,  and  Why;  Spottswood  Hotel;  Colonel  Leathers;  On  Parole 
Furlough;  Wages  Paid  and  Balance  Due  Me;  Richmond  Theater;  Libby 
Prison;  How  1  Felt  Toward  the  Inmates;  Confederate  Capital;  President 
I)avis  and  General  Lee;  All  Sober;  Adieu  to  Richmond;  Burksville; 
Pleasing  Incident;  Round  the  Jollv  Camp  Fire;  Bound  West;  Unexpected 
Meeting;  Lynchburg  Excited,  and  Why ;  An  Order  from  the  War  Depart- 
ment, and  how  it  was  Evaded;  Wytheville;  Our  Luck  at  Glade  Springs; 
^Vicked  Bedfellow;  Abingdon;  Bristol;  General  \'^aughan  and  Others; 
Oft'  for  Carter's  Depot;  Johnson's  Depot;  A  Circuit  of  Three  Thousand 
Miles  Complete,  &c. 

CHAPTER   XVII. 

The  Future  Looks  Brighter;  Pleasant  Associations  in  Jonesboro;  March  in 
Retreat;  Parting  to  Meet  no  More;  Up  the  Holston ;  Miss  Kate  Worley; 
Bound  for  Old  Virarinia;  Why  not  in  the  Army;  Blue  Spring;  Dry  Creek 
Gap;  Incidents;  We  Part;  Rev.  David  Sullins  and  Major  John  Sanders; 
Work  in  the  Garden  and  Make  Chicken  Coops;  Happy  Times;  P'ishing  for 
Trout;  Pleasant  Meeting;  Lead  Mines  ;  Religious  Community ;  Good  joke 
on  Myself;  Confederate  Armies  Surrendered  and  President  Lincoln  Killed; 
Sad  Farewell;  Washington  vSprings;  Why  I  Laid  Over;  War  Incident; 
Marriage  at  a  Strange  Hour;  Blountville  Then  and  Xow ;  Jonesboro  Again ; 
In  the  Midst  of  Unknown  Dangers;  Fiendish  Spirit;  Jail  Life  Incidents; 
Good  Friends  all  Round;  Dr.  Bill  Sketer  Smith;  My  Uncle  Arrives;  Our 
First  Greeting;  Colonel  Brown,  U.  S.  A.;  Dr.  Joe  Clark  and  Sergeant 
Garber;  The  Dear  Women;  Almost  a  Good  Time;  The  Bright  Side  of 
Prison  Life;  I'm  Almost  Free. 

CONCLUSION. 

Leaving  Jail;  Dark  Ride;  Bull's  Gap;  Old  Friends;  Was  the  Meeting  Acci- 
dental; No;  Why  Preconcerted;  What  about  the  Bail;  Gross  Outrage; 
Barking  up  the  Wrong  Tree;  Homeward  Bound;  Safe  Arrival ;  The  Coun- 
try Along  the  Route;  Meager  Sketch;  All  Lost;  Not  Sorry;  No  Peace 
Yet;  My  Hopes  Realized;  Reflections;  Verdict  of  the  Reader';  Conclusion. 


CAMP,  FIELD  AND  PRISON  LIFE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Johnson's  Island,  near  SANDrsKY,  Ohio,  \ 
July  10,  1SG3.  J 

From  the  1st  of  October  last  I  have  kept  a 
minute  diary  of  our  camps,  travels  and  the  inci- 
dents connected  therewith,  from  time  to  time 
writing  them  down  in  a  somewhat  connected  nar- 
rative, in  a  journal  I  had  prepared  for  that  pur- 
pose. In  October,  1862,  we  —  that  is,  Vaughn's 
Tennessee  Brigade  —  were  camped  near  the  west- 
ern border  of  Virginia ;  in  April  following  we 
were  in  the  vicinity  of  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  having 
traveled  diagonally  through  Tennessee,  Georgia, 
Alabama  and  Mississippi,  tarrying  a  while  at 
Knoxville,  Montgomery,  Mobile,  Jackson  and 
Grenada. 

No  one  except  a  soldier  knows  how  many  inci- 
dents crowd  into  a  1,200  mile  military  trip  tlirough 
the  South.  Often,  while  at  Vicksburg,  I  derived 
great  pleasure  from  going  back  and  reading  over 
the  occurrences  that  took  place  before  we  left 


18  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PEISON    LIFE. 

Tennessee,  and  I  could  imagine  liow  mucli  greater 
tlie  pleasure  would  be  in  the  great  future,  when 
all  this  strife  is  only  in  song  and  story,  to  rehearse 
the  scenes  and  deeds  of  a  wonderful  era.  I  had 
my  journal  ^written  up  to  within  the  month  of 
Aj^ril,  and  the  tale  consumed  some  fifty  pages, 
descriptive  of  matters  and  things  in  general 
along  our  route,  and  about  the  cities  in  which 
we  stopped. 

"  Martial  circumstances  "  and  Increased  activity 
in  "  war  business  "  caused  me  to  cease  my  scrib- 
bling, and  leave  my  all,  except  war  implements 
and  a  single  blanket,  to  go  and  try  the  stern 
realities  of  the  field,  where  I  was  soon  to  see 
the  foe.  As  was  too  often  the  case,  ne'er  more 
did  we  return  to  that  camp.  Many  sacrificed 
their  heart's  blood  at  the  altar  of  liberty,  and  a 
host  of  others  are,  with  myself,  serving  out  a 
martyrdom,  for  their  country's  sake,  in  a  Northern 
prison. 

My  journal,  account  books,  clothing,  many 
highly  prized  letters  and  tokens  from  friends, 
all  are,  perhaps,  now  smouldering  in  the  ruins 
and  waste  about  Yicksburg.  That  was  the  third 
time  I  had  lost  all  my  clothing,  and  the  second 
my  journal,  precious  at  least  to  me,  by  the  vicis- 
situdes of  war.  And,  though  what  I  am  now 
penning  may  meet  the  same  fate  ere  the  year  is 
past  and  gone,  still,  to  fill  up  vacant  hours  and  to 


10 

renew  the  scenes  through  wliicli  we  liave  so  lately 
i:)assed,  and  for  the  curiosity  of  hereafter  looking 
back  on  prison  life  as  it  passed,  I  will  persevere. 

I  will  go  back  to  a  thrilling  occurrence  near  to 
the  time  at  which  my  other  journal  ceased. 
About  the  middle  of  March  our  regiment  changed 
tlie  locality  of  its  camp,  very  much  improving 
our  situation  and  comforts.  Our  camp  was  in  an 
elliptical  shaped  hollow,  containing  some  six 
acres,  and  surrounded  on  all  sides,  except  one,  by 
hills,  towering  above  the  stately  poplars  in  the 
midst  of  our  camp.  The  crest  of  one  of  the  lofty 
hills  that  engirdled  our  secluded  home  was  lined 
with  brazen  batteries  and  strong  intrenchments, 
our  camp  being  just  outside  of  the  .outer  line  of 
defense  of  Vicksburg.  We  had  very  respectable 
shanties  for  both  officers  and  men,  and  a  good 
spring  within  the  limits  of  our  camp. 

Everything  was  passing  off  in  the  usual  manner 
of  camp  life,  till  the  night  of  March  28th,  when 
we  were  shocked  by  a  sudden  and  terrible  calam- 
ity. The  day  had  been  calm  and  serene,  and 
there  was  nothing  in  the  heavens  or  on  the  earth 
portending  to  human  vision  the  coming  sad  spec- 
tacle. About  ten  o'clock  at  night  the  wind  com- 
menced blowing  a  steady  gale,  and  black  clouds 
loomed  up.  For  an  hour  it  seemed  that  we  were 
only  going  to  have  a  thunder  gust,  but  the  storm 
increased  and  the  winds  howled  among  the  thick 


20  CAMP,   FIELD   AI!^D   PEISOI^    LIFE. 

foliage  of  the  tall  trees.  Not  one  in  our  camp 
dreamed  of  danger,  till  the  limbs  commenced 
crashing,  and  the  huge  poplars  were  being  torn 
112)  by  their  roots  in  the  very  center  of  our  camp. 

All  was  fluiTy  and  consternation.  Men  rushed 
wildly  from  their  cabins  in  their  night  clothes, 
seeking  eagerly  a  place  of  safety.  In  many  cases 
the  cabins  were  crushed  into  atoms  before  the 
men  had  fairly  escaped.  A  tent  occupied  by  my 
brother  and  five  others  was  torn  into  shreds  in  a 
moment  after  their  exit.  Six  men  were  killed 
outright  in  one  tent,  and  ten  others  injured  in 
various  parts  of  the  regiment.  'Twas  the  most 
pitiable  sight  man  ever  beheld,  to  see  six  stalwart 
men  lying  side  by  side,  mangled  and  bruised,  in 
death.  We  buried  them  side  by  side  on  a  neigh- 
boring hill.  Never  did  a  conflagration  or  tornado 
leave  a  more  desolate  and  gloomy  scene  than  was 
presented  by  our  once  beautiful  camp.  It  required 
several  days  to  clear  up  our  camping  ground  so 
as  to  make  it  even  passable. 

About  the  1st  of  February  orders  were  issued 
from  headquarters  for  officers  to  be  sent  home  on 
recruiting  service.  I  sent  E.  A.  Anderson,  my 
orderly  sergeant,  as  being  most  suitable,  because 
of  energy  and  perseverance.  On  the  29th  of  INIarch 
he  returned  with  twelve  men  and  no  less  than 
thirty  boxes  of  provisions,  and  some  clothing  and 
a  host  of  letters  for  the-  boys.    Never  was  there 


CAMP,    FIKLD    AND    PRISOX    LIFE.  21 

more  joy  over  the  return  of  a  stray  cliild  tliaii 
then. 

The  provisions  were  prized  more  highly  than 
gokl,  for  our  rations  had  for  some  time  been  slim, 
both  in  cxuality  and  (|uantity,  and,  besides,  they 
were  from  the  loved  ones  at  home.  That  night  at 
roll  call  the  boys  raised  a  lively  yell,  which  they 
had  not  done  before  for  weeks.  The  letters  were 
anxiousl}^  perused  and  treasured  away  in  the 
hearts  and  knapsacks  of  the  fortunate  recipients. 
Though  I  held  no  claims  on  any  one  for  favors,  I 
too  was  not  forgotten.  Mrs.  Gray  sent  me  a  nice 
box  of  eatables,  old  Mrs.  Winniford  and  Mrs. 
Bouldin  each  a  ham,  and  I  got  no  less  than  four- 
teen letters  on  every  imaginable  subject.  The 
reasonable  ones  I  answered  and  complied  with 
their  wishes,  the  rest  I  consigned  to  the  flames. 
It  may  be  w^ell  to  say  here  that  I  was  a  Kentuck- 
ian,  serving  with  Tennessee  troops.  Before  the 
war  I  had  never  known  a  member  of  my  company 
or  regiment,  nor  a  citizen  of  the  region  from  which 
the}^  came — East  Tennessee, 

Before  taking  up  the  incidents  of  April,  I  will 
go  back  and  say  a  w^ord  of  the  country,  climate, 
seasons  and  people.  Those  who  live  far  away 
from  Mississippi,  and  only  know  of  it  from  history 
and  the  api:)earance  and  stories  of  those  who  live 
there,  Avill  find  themselves  deceived  when  they 
visit  that  boasted  land.     True,  there  is  much  good 


22  '  -  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISO^ST    LIFE. 

soil,  mucli  wealth,  intelligence  and  patriotism 
amongst  hor  people,  but  tliere  are  many  qualities 
wanting  to  make  it  suit  the  tastes  of  those  who 
live  further  jSTorth. 

The  great  difference  in  temperature  in  the  day 
and  at  night,  the  days  being  quite  sultry  and  the 
nights  most  always  chilly,  is  anything  but  pleas- 
ant or  healthy  to  one  used  to  a  more  uniform 
clime.  The  changes  of  temperature  are  ver}^  sud- 
den, one  day  being  melting  hot,  the  next  wintry 
and  disagreeable.  The  seasons  are  very  much 
more  forward  there  than  at  my  Kentucky  home. 
About  the  middle  of  February  the  first  signs  of 
spring  begin  to  appear,  and  by  the  middle  of 
March  the  whole  forest  is  in  a  full  garb  of  green, 
and  the  ladies  have  nearly  all  their  garden*  stuff 
planted.  Roses  and  peach  trees  bloom  in  Feb- 
ruary, and  by  the  1st  of  March  many  of  the 
farmers  have  finished  planting  their  corn.  Strange 
to  say,  but  few  of  them  have  yet  learned  how  to 
rightly  cultivate  corn;  they  prepare  the  ground 
badly,  and  j)ut  in  too  much  for  their  force,  which 
is  not  the  secret  of  success. 

For  a  month  succeeding  the  middle  of  February 
I  was  in  the  country,  recovering  from  a  threatened 
attack  of  fever.  I  visited  various  planters,  and 
had  an  opportunity  of  getting  into  the  minutice  of 
their  social,  agricultural  and  commercial  rehitions. 
I  saw  a  great  many  things  that  grated  upon  my 


2:3 

ideas  of  riglit  and  wrong.  I  boarded  with  Capt. 
Wall,  who  was  generous-hearted  and  did  all  he 
could  for  my  comfort;  but  the  old  lady  w^as  too 
particular,  penurious  and  curious.  Their  daugh- 
ter, a  young  grass  widow,  was  kind  and  obliging, 
but,  like  her  mamma,  the  almighty  dollar  clung 
too  close  to  her  affections.  They  were  well  off, 
and  had  a  good  library,  to  which  and  the  parlor 
I  had  free  access,  so  I  passed  the  time  off  very 
agreeably. 

While  there  I  formed  the  acquaintance  of  sev- 
eral quite  pleasant  ladies,  and,  as  they  belonged 
rather  to  the  aristocracy,  I  took  especial  pleasure 
in  letting  them  know,  in  a  manner  not  calculated 
to  give  offense,  my  opinions  of  that  class  of 
humanity.  They  generally  agreed  with  me,  but 
sometimes  we  gave  each  other  sharp  cuts.  I  have 
met  with  some  as  kind  and  worthy  people  in 
Mississippi  as  anywhere  in  my  travels.  One 
can  not  now  get  a  fair  representation  of  what  the 
State  is,  for  most  all  the  truly  gallant  and  iDatriotic 
men  are  long  since  in  the  service  of  their  country. 
As  a  general  thing,  only  speculators  and  those 
without  conscience  or  self-respect  remain  at  home. 
They  respect  the  soldier  and  will  aid  him  only  so 
long  as  his  money  lasts. 

Come,  April  showers,  April  flowers,  and  April 
with  thy  verdant  garb,  and  let  us,  ere  smiling  May 
is  upon  us,  record  the  mighty  events  that  were 


24  CAMP, 

wrapped  up  in  tliy  bosom.  A  seeming  cessation 
of  activity,  and  apparent  stillness  between  two 
armies  confronting  each  other,  is  often  indicative 
of  strategical  moves,  and  such  was  the  case  before 
Yicksburg  during  the  first  days  of  April.  The 
enemy's  fleet  had  measurably  moved  out  of  sight ; 
no  gunboats  attempted  the  passage  of  our  bat- 
teries, and  their  motions  fairly  indicated  that  they 
were  about  to  strike  anchor  and  be  off  for  Mem- 
phis. 

During  the  10th  and  11th  of  April  the  enemy 
were  making  moves  which  we  could  not  exactly 
comprehend,  and  evidently  not  intended  for  our 
good.  Many  of  their  transports  steamed  up  the 
river.  Some  few,  accompanied  by  iron  clads, 
w^ere  reconnoitering  in  the  Yazoo  river,  and  some 
troops  were  moving  back  into  Louisiana.  Our 
Generals  had  a  sharp  eye  on  it  all,  and  orders 
were  issued  that  we  must  be  ready  to  go  at  a 
moment's  warning.  At  two  o'clock  on  the  night 
of  the  14th  we  were  aroused  from  slumber  and 
.  ordered  to  cook  four  days'  rations  immediately. 
At  daylight  everything  was  ready,  and  our  little 
'tricks  packed  up  to  go  whithersoever  ordered. 
All  day  long  did  we,  in  suspense,  await  orders  to 
move.  Next  morning  there  came  an  order  to  keep 
.two  days'  cooked  rations  on  hand,  and  await  fur- 
■ther  orders. 

The  Federal  move  was  soon  explained,  for  on 


LIFE.  25 

tlie  niglit  of  the  IGtli,  just  at  twelve  o'clock,  the 
"booming  of  the  signal  gun  on  the  river  told  us 
the  gunboats  were  coming.  In  ten  minutes  our 
regiment  was  in  line,  and  we  posted  away  to  the 
scene,  for  it  was  predicted  that  the  enemy  mi^-lit 
attempt  to  land  troops  under  the  cover  of  their 
gunboats.  By  the  time  we  reached  the  theater  of 
action,  one  mile  off,  the  incessant  peals  of  from 
forty  to  fifty  heavy  siege  guns  at  our  water 
batteries  shook  the  earth,  and  made  the  air  rever- 
berate for  miles  around.  Eleven  boats  started  to 
run  the  gauntlet ;  two  were  sunk  in  front  of  the 
city,  many  of  their  crews  going  under,  and  one 
was  disabled  but  floated  beyond  the  range  of  our 
batteries.  They  hurled  broadsides  of  shot  and 
shell  into  the  city  as  they  passed,  doing  no  dam- 
age except  killing  six  mules.  That  w^as  the  most 
successful  of  the  several  attempts  General  Grant 
made  to  pass  our  fortress. 

Some  time  in  March,  a  soldier  belonging  to  the 
61st  Tennessee  regiment,  who  attempted  to  desert 
and  go  to  the  enemy,  was  caught,  and  sentenced 
by  a  general  court-martial  to  be  shot  April  17th, 
in  the  presence  of  our  brigade.  On  that  day,  at 
ten  o'clock,  we  were  ordered  to  rejiair  to  the  place 
of  execution,  but  on  the  way  were  met  by  a 
courier,  saying  the  day  of  execution  was  post- 
poned, by  order  of  General  Pemberton.  The  Gth 
of  March  we  had  witnessed  the  execution  of  two 


26  CAMP,   FIELD   AITD   PEISON    LIFE. 

men  for  mutiny.  They  met  their  fate  like  martyrs, 
and  said  it  was  just. 

I  believe  it  was  the  20th  of  April  that  one  of 
my  sergeants,  who  had  been  to  the  country  to  get 
some  clothes  washed,  brought  me  a  beautiful 
bouquet,  which  he  said  was  handed  him  by  an 
unknown  lady.  It  was  culled  with  taste  and 
exquisitely  arranged,  but  I  dreamed  not  of  the 
source  till  I  drew  a  slip  of  gilt-edged  paper  from 
the  mass,  and  found,  "  Compliments  of  Miss  C. 
to  Captain  W."  I  had  seen  her  but  once  ;  'twas 
a  freak  of  woman's  nature. 

Just  before  daylight  of  the  23d,  six  more  of  the 
Federal  fleet,  five  transports  and  one  iron-clad, 
attempted  to  pass  the  "  Rubicon."  The  transports 
were  partially  protected  by  cotton  and  hay  bales, 
but  the  searching  and  galling  fire  of  our  batteries 
sunk  one,  the  "  Henry  Clay,"  and  the  rest  were  so 
riddled  that  they  had  to  lay  up  several  days  at  a 
landing  below  the  city.  The  gunboat  is,  perhaps, 
yet  quietly  reposing  in  the  bed  of  the  Mississippi 
in  front  of  Yicksburg.  There  were  no  longer 
reasons  for  doubt  as  to  the  intentions  of  tlie 
enemy.  From  the  liights  around  Yicksburg  we 
could  see  wagon  trains  moving  down  the  river  on 
the  Louisiana  side,  and  the  camps  of  the  foe,  so 
long  in  our  view,  were  disappearing.  The  trans- 
ports were  being  run  down  to  get  them  over  the 
river  below  Yicksburg. 


CAMP,    FIELD    AXD    PKISOX     LIFE.  27 

I  WHS,  Oil  the  24th  April,  api^ointecl  by  General 
Yaugliii  on  a  board  of  survey  to  examine  army 
clothing,  to  be  issued  to  the  troops.  Most  of  the 
pants  were  of  goods  manufactured  at  Lexington, 
Ky.,  and  brought  out  by  General  E.  Kirby  Smith 
in  the  tall  of  1862.  The  last  day  of  April  General 
Vaughn  had  an  order  issued  that  neither  soldier 
nor  officer  should  leave  camp  Avithout  written 
authority  from  his  headquarters.  That  same 
evening  one  of  my  friends  had  been  a  short  dis- 
tance in  the  country  to  see  his  sweetheart,  and 
she  told  him  that  Lieut.  Billy  R.  and  Jim  B. 
would  be  there  that  night  to  play  the  violin,  and 
requested  that  he  and  I  should  be  jDresent.  We 
studied  and  calculated  between  the  good  to  be 
done  by  obeying  the  order  and  the  pleasure  to  be 
derived  from  going.  The  fiddle  out-balanced,  so, 
as  the  shades  of  night  came  o'er  us,  we  took  a 
stroll  in  the  ojDposite  direction,  but  landed  at  Mr. 
C.'s.  Presently  the  boys  came,  but  no  fiddle. 
We  fixed  up  and  sent  for  a  violin,  pretending  that 
it  was  to  i)lay  in  another  part  of  the  camp.  In 
the  meantime,  Miss  Mollie  and  Miss  Henrietta 
happened  in.  We  at  first  hinted  and  at  last 
plainly  asserted  to  the  old  folks  that  music  was 
of  no  account  without  dancing,  and  after  a  little 
coaxing  all  round,  they  succumbed.  The  silvery 
rays  of  tiie  full  moon,  which  was  then  just  in  the 
zenith,  made  the  night  beautiful.     We  danced 


28  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PKISOX    LIFE. 

beneatli  an  arbor  in  front  of  the  house,  and  were 
having  a  most  splendiferous  time,  till  the  exit  of 
April  and  the  incoming  of  May  reminded  us  that 
it  was  time  to  be  away.  We  crept  stealthily  into 
camp,  and  were  up  next  morning  at  break  of  day, 
no  one  suspecting  that  we  had  been  absent,  nor 
did  the  secret  ever  leak  far  out.  So  you  see  a 
soldier  may  sometimes,  if  he  will,  have  as  fine 
times  as  anybody.  But  I  have  got  ahead  of  the 
hounds.  At  broken  intervals  all  through  the  day 
of  the  28th  heavy  firing  could  be  heard  in  the 
direction  of  Grand  Gulf,  thirty  miles  down  the 
river.  That  night  three  gunboats  attempted  the 
passage  of  our  frowning  batteries,  and  one  of 
them  was  badly  used  up. 

The  next  day  the  enemy,  with  a  half-dozen  iron- 
clads and  some  twenty  transports,  loaded  with 
troops,  ascended  the  Yazoo  river,  landed  a  portion 
of  the  troops,  and  commenced  shelling  Snyder's 
Blufi*.  We  suspected  it  to  be  merely  a  ruse  to 
draw  our  troops  from  other  quarters,  and  our 
predictions  proved  correct,  for  that  night  they 
re-embarked,  went  back  to  their  old  landing  at 
Young's  Point,  and  struck  out  through  Louisiana 
for  Port  Gibson.  The  gunboats  stayed  and  bom- 
barded Snyder's  Bluif  heavily  all  the  succeeding 
day.  Some  days  previous,  the  bulk  both  of  tlie 
Federal  army  and  ours  had  left,  and  were  march- 


CAMP,   FIELD    AXD   PRISON    LIFE.  29 

iiig  toward  Port  Gibson,  on  eitlier  side  of  the 
river. 

May  1st. — On  this  day  began  the  series  of  battles 
which  ended  the  17th,  resulting  so  disastrously  to 
our  arms.  General  Bowen  met  the  enemy,  who 
had  crossed  below  Port  Gibson,  and  were  march- 
ing on  it.  He  repulsed  and  kept  them  back  a 
whole  day,  but  as  his  force  was  small,  and  Gen- 
eral Grant's  whole  army  was  coming  against  him, 
he  deemed  it  prudent  to  spike  the  unmanageable 
guns  and  evacuate  the  place,  which  he  did  on  the 
morning  of  May  2d.  There  was  a  sharj)  loss  on 
each  side.  We  lost  General  Tracy,  of  Alabama, 
and  General  Bowen's  chief  of  artillery.  Ander- 
son's Virginia  battery,  having  eight  pieces,  and 
the  best  equipped  I  ever  saw,  lost  fifty  six  horses, 
six  guns  and  thirty-seven  men.  The  two  remain- 
ing guns  were  lost  at  Champion  Hills,  and  but 
few  men  w^ere  left. 

My  company  was  detailed  on  the  night  of  May 
1st  to  go  on  outpost  guard,  in  the  intrenchments 
at  the  bend  of  the  river  above  Yicksburg.  This 
had  been  a  nightly  duty  for  our  brigade  ever  since 
the  Yankee  fleet  made  its  appearance  in  the  latter 
part  of  January.  Rain  or  shine,  hot  or  cold,  some 
of  us  had  to  lie  in  the  ditches  every  night,  so  that 
it  had  become  commonplace.  This  night  was 
warm  and  pleasant,  and  it  was  quite  as  agreeable 
there  as  in  camp.    We  placed  our  guns-  in  proper 


30  CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

place  ill  case  of  an  alarm,  listened  to  and  cliatted 
awliile  about  the  booming  cannon  at  Port  Gibson, 
then  spread  our  blankets  and  laid  us  down  for  a 
good  night's  sleep. 

At  the  hour  of  midnight  we  w^ere  aroused  from 
our  slumbers  by  the  heavy  tread  of  troops  cross- 
ing a  bridge  not  far  from  us.  They  passed  directl}^ 
by  us,  going,  as  we  supposed,  to  Port  Gibson,  and 
the  boys  were  in  high  spirits  ;  they  had  heard  the 
rattle  of  musketry  before.  It  was  General  Moore's 
brigade,  which  had  j  ust  come  from  the  Yazoo  and 
Deer  Creek  country.  The  next  evening  we  had 
to  go  on  picket  duty,  in  front  of  Chickasaw  Bayou. 
Though  no  enemy  was  visible  in  that  direction, 
we  thought  it  best  to  guard  against  au}^  emer- 
gency. Our  picket  line  was  over  a  mile  long,  and 
it  was  no  fun  posting  and  instructing  sentinels. 
The  days  were  then  getting  hot  enough  to  kill  a 
fat  man,  and  at  night  the  mosquitoes  were  far 
more  terrible  than  anticipated  Yankee  shells  and 
bullets. 

Just  now  there  w^as  a  grand  move  in  our  whole 
army.  All  the. troops  that  had  been  stationed 
around  Snyder's  Bluff  had  orders  to  go  below  that 
evening:.  At  dusk  the  column  commenced  pass- 
ing our  post,  and  for  three  long  hours  they  liled 
by,  three  brigades  and  several  smaller  detach- 
ments going.  The  artillery,  which  can  move  faster 
than  infantry,  struck  camp  before  day,  and  away 


CAMP,    FIELD   AXD   PRISON    LIFE.  31 

tliey  went  lumbering  down  the  valley.  Tlie  3d 
Maryland  battery  was  camped  near  our  picket 
post,  and  left  at  sunrise.  We  began  to  feel  kinder 
tlcklisli,  for  we  knew  not  of  any  brigade  save  our 
own  that  was  left  to  defend  Yicksburg.  At  the 
same  time,  we  felt  honored  by  being  trusted  with 
so  important  a  duty. 

Everything  was  now  on  a  war  footing.  All 
along  our  picket  line  there  was  a  war  going  on  all 
night  between  the  boys  and  the  mosquitoes,  and 
next  morning  many  of  them  reported  no  sleejp 
but  mam^  oaths.  Some  blessed  the  critters,  and 
some  the  Yankee  nation.  Now,  the  great  waters, 
which  had  for  several  months  submerged  the 
whole  Chickasaw  battle-field,  had  subsided  into 
their  proper  channel,  and  were  yet  fast  sinking, 
to  the  great  discomfiture  of  the  pillaging  iron- 
clads. 

I  worried  out  the  night  with  the  biters,  saw  all 
in  proper  shape  next  morning,  which  was  the 
Sabbath,  and  as  the  beams  of  old  "  Sol "  were 
getting  Avell  nigh  ^perpendicular,  I  concluded  to 
steal  a  march  on  the  fellows,  and  go  to  the  shade 
for  a  few  hours,  though  contrary  to  a  strict  line 
of  duty.  I  sauntered  leisurely  awa}^,  no  one 
notici-ng  my  course,  and  when  I  had  got  half  a 
mile  and  on  higher  ground,  it  was  cooler,  and  I 
was  tempted  to  go  further.  On  and  on  I  went, 
through  a  rather  rugged  and  constantly  ascending 


32  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

country,  till  I  suddenly  came  to  a  nice  little  cot- 
tage, more  than  a  mile  from  my  post.  Knowing 
tliat  there  was  a  charming  somebody  there,  and 
that  I  might  get  a  good  dinner,  I  accidentally 
happened  in,  to  blow  a  few  minutes.  Minutes 
stretched  into  quarters,  and  quarters  into  two 
hours,  when  in  came  a  contraband,  who,  with 
a  pleasing  countenance,  announced,  "Dinna's 
ready."  A  pleasant  chat,  a  glorious  dinner,  and 
then  I  hasted  back  to  my  post,  many  not  knowing 
I  had  been  absent.     So  the  world  moves. 

On  being  relieved  from  picket  and  going  back  to 
camp,  we  found  orders  to  cook  four  days'  rations* 
Times  looked  squally,  and  we  went  right  at  it, 
and  in  a  very  few  hours  were  ready  for  the  fray. 
We  had  scarcely  got  to  bed  when  the  booming  of 
cannon  said  something  was  wrong  on  the  river. 
Notwithstanding  we  had  been  constantly  on  duty 
three  days  and  nights,  we  had  to  get  up  quickly 
and  go  double-quick  thence.  As  we  hurried  on 
we  could  hear  the  steam  rapidly  escaping  from  a 
Federal  craft.  When  we  gained  the  top  of  the 
hill  overlooking  the  scene  of  action,  the  object 
was  in  the  range  of  our  heaviest  and  hottest  bat- 
teries. In  a  few  minutes  smoke  and  flame  burst 
forth  from  the  craft,  the  batteries  ceased  firing, 
and  she  burned  to  the  water's  edge  in  front  of  the 
city.  Twenty-three  out  of  the  crew  of  twenty -five 
were  captured,  some  of  them  being  badly  scalded. 


33 

It  proved  to  he  a  tug-boat,  laden  with  medical 
stores,  with  a  barge  on  either  side  protected  by 
cotton  bales,  and  the  two  said  to  contain  50,000 
rations. 

That  was  our  last  experience  with  night  visitors 
on  the  water.  They  "smelt  a  mice,"  and  came 
no  more. 

The  morning  of  the  4th  came,  and  no  indications 
of  an  immediate  move.  A  week  previous,  Capts. 
Blair,  Gammon  and  myself  had  made  arrange- 
ments with  an  old  negro  woman,  in  the  suburbs 
of  Vicksburg,  to  prepare  for  us  on  this  day  a  good 
dinner — an  important  desideratum  to  a  soldier. 
We  got  the  semi-approbation  of  Colonel  Craw- 
ford, and  went  to  comply  wdth  our  promise,  not 
forgetting  to  prepare  for  a  notification  if  the  regi- 
ment should  move.  The  good  old  Auntie  fixed 
up  the  best  dinner  I  ever  ate  in  Mississippi,  having 
every  variety  of  vegetables,  meats  and  other 
things,  and  a  splendid  dessert.  It  only  cost  us 
S3.00  each ;  at  the  Washington  Hotel,  the  best  in 
the  city,  dinner  cost  $2.00,  and  was  not  much  better 
than  we  got  in  camp. 

On  our  way  back  to  camp  we  visited  the  public 
cemetery,  and  saw  many  nice  marble  tombs  and 
beautiful,  shaded  walks.  One  portion  of  the 
cemetery  was  assigned  for  soldiers'  graves.  Six 
noble  youths  of  my  company  are  entombed  there. 
I  wrote  all  the  consoling  and  encouraging  words 


34  CAMP,   FIELD   AIN^D   PRISOX    LIFE. 

I  could  to  the  parents  of  eacli.  Some  one  lias 
appropriately  said  tliat,  "  wlien  this  strife  ceases, 
the  proudest  monument  that  could  be  raised  would 
be  to  the  unrecorded  dead." 

On  the  5th  of  May  glorious  news  came  to  us 
from  two  quarters.  The  lightning's  flash  said 
that  General  Lee  had  defeated  and  driven  the 
enemy  back  across  the  Rappahannock  at  Chancel- 
lorsville.  A  few  hours  later  it  said  that  General 
Forrest  had  captured  a  whole  command,  1,600 
cavalry,  near  Rome,  Georgia.  They  were  making 
a  Morgan  raid.  The  next  two  days  were  exceed- 
ingly cool  and  chilly,  and  we  spent  our  time  in 
drilling  and  'otherwise  preparing  for  a  muss. 
Everything  was  as  calm  and  quiet  as  though  no 
armies  were  nigh.  To  add  to  the  gloom  caused 
by  the  weather,  we  got  news  that  Stonewall  Jack- 
son was  dead.  History  will  record  him  as  the 
mightiest  hero  of  the  field.  His  place  can  not  be 
filled.  The  nation  mourns  his  loss.  He  died  of 
wounds  received  at  Chancellorsville. 


CAMP,    FIELD    AXD    PPJSOX    LIFE.  35 


CHAPTER  II. 


PiOOM  Xo.  10,  Block  4,  Depot  Prisoners  of  War,  "» 
Johnson's  Island,  Ohio,  July  18,  1S63.        ) 

As  a  soldier's  bark  tosses  about  on  the  uncertain 
ocean  of  life,  though  there  is  much  monotonous 
routine  of  rough,  hard  duty,  and  not  a  few  unex- 
pected and  ungenerous  mishaps,  still  there  is, 
now  and  then,  an  episode  to  make  one  forget  it 
all,  and  feel  that  he  is  in  an  oasis  in  the  midst  of 
the  desert.  Dark  clouds  sometimes  have  silvery 
linings,  and  every  picture  has  a  bright  side,  if  we 
will  but  search  aright  for  it.  Some  fore-knowl- 
edge, experience  and  a  free  good  will,  have  taught 
me  to  avail  myself  of  every  opportunity,  yea, 
sometimes  to  make  an  opportunity,  to  seek  out 
these  bright  and  pleasant  places,  and  full  many 
an  hour  of  bliss  has  it  brought  me. 

About  the  1st  of  May  I  sent  one  of  my  men, 
who  had  undergone  a  long  spell  of  fever,  and  was 
again  threatened,  to  the  country,  where  he  could 
get  more  tender  treatment  than  in  camp  or  hospi- 
tal. A  week  later,  by  permission  of  the  Colonel, 
I  chartered  Dr.  Ernest's  horse  and  rode  out  to  see 


36  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PEISOIS-    LIFE. 

liim,  at  tlie  liospitalble  mansion  of  Capt.  Edwards, 
the  best  old  farmer  in  all  the  country  about. 
Some  four  or  five  other  convalescents  from  our 
regiment  were  there.  Mrs.  E.  cared  for  them  as 
kindly  as  if  they  had  been  her  own,  and  the  boys 
loved  her  for  it.  She  told  me  there  had  been  no 
less  than  thirty-seven  sick  men  in  her  house  since 
the  troops  had  been  stationed  there.  I  found  my 
man  so  much  recuperated  as  to  be  able  for  camp 
in  a  few  days.  I  partook  of  a  good  dinner,  said 
adieu,  and  started  in  a  hurry  for  our  camp,  four 
miles  distant. 

JN'ot  far  off  my  route  was  the  residence  of  Dr. 
Cook,  with  whose  family  I  was  intimately  ac- 
quainted. I  thought  it  very  probable  that  we 
would  move  soon,  so  I  easily  persuaded  myself  to 
halt  and  say  farewell.  I  am  not  sure  that  I  would 
have  ever  known  the  Doctor  but  from  the  fact  that 
he  had  three  accomplished  and  interesting  daugh- 
ters. It  was  my  first  visit  for  a  month,  and  they 
seemed  glad  to  see  me.  First  I  greeted  the  madam, 
and  soon  there  came  tripping  in  the  ones  I  most 
desired  to  see,  fresh  as  morning  roses  and  full  of 
life.  The  eldest.  Miss  Lucy,  was  thoroughly  edu- 
cated, being  well  versed  in  several  languages, 
quite  good  looking,  brilliant,  witty  and  sarcastic, 
the  very  kind  of  a  "  sawyer  "  I  sometimes  like  to 
strike  against.  Misses  Potia  and  Mary  Yic, 
though  not  quite  so  brilliant^  were  amiable  and 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PIIISOX    LIFE.  37 

interesting,  and  the  hours  glided  by  till,  the  lirst 
thing  I  knew,  the  sun  was  gilding  the  tree  tops. 
I  called  for  and  heard  a  few  choice  pieces  on  the 
piano,  by  Miss  Lucy,  accompanied  by  Miss  Potia's 
vocal  melody.  Then,  taking  several  bouquets  for 
their  friends  in  camp,  I  lingered  on  the  portals  as 
I  bade  adieu,  perhaps  forever.  Striking  a  lope,  I 
reached  camp  at  dusk,  delivered  the  mementoes 
and  messages,  and  followed  on  after  ray  company, 
which  had  just  gone  on  duty  at  the  breastworks  on 
the  river  bank.  That's  the  hist  piano  I've  heard, 
the  last  parlor  I've  entered  and  the  last  refined 
society  I  have  been  in  up  to  date. 

Our  brigade  commissary  got  a  supply  of  iiour 
and  sugar  on  the  11th  of  May.  I  procured  for 
my  mess,  consisting  of  myself,  three  Lieutenants 
and  our  cook,  eighty  pounds  of  sugar  at  12  1-2 
cents,  and  sixty  pounds  of  flour  at  20  cents,  which 
was  our  allowance.  With  what  other  little  stock 
we  had  on  hand,  we  thought  ourselves  in  good 
fix  for  awhile.     But  the  sequel  was,  we  lost  it  all. 

That  evening,  Lieut.  J.  T.  Earnest  and  nn^self 
borrowed  a  metal  skiff  and  took  a  ride  on  the 
bosom  of  the  great  Father  of  Waters.  We  started 
to  go  over  to  the  Louisiana  shore,  but  being  warned 
by  a  sentinel  that  we  might  be  fired  on  by  the 
water  batteries,  we  thought  it  discretion  to  desist. 

Just  at  dusk,  Mrs.  Hinson,  a  poor,  good  woman, 
who  lived  near  our  camp,  and  whose  husband  was 


38  CAMP,   FIELD   ATTD   PRISON    LIFE. 

in  tlie  service,  sent  for  one  of  my  Lieutenants  and 
myself  to  sit  up  with  the  corpse  of  one  of  her 
children.  We  conld  not  refuse  to  go,  and  were 
glad  to  give  rest  and  comfort  to  a  distressed 
mother.  The  morning  of  May  12th  was  the  last 
one  that  ever  dawned  on  us  in  our  camp,  that  had 
become  so  home-like  to  us.  For  several  days  past 
matters  had  been  so  quiet  that  we  had  ceased  to 
be  in  suspense,  and,  instead  of  active,  restless, 
lield  duty,  were  enjoying  customary  camp  life. 

At  two  o'clock,  p.  M.,  orders  came  from  General 
Vaughn  to  cook  three  days'  ratiuns.  So  often 
had  similar  orders  come  that  it  startled  us  not, 
and  we  went  leisurely  to  work,  not  dreaming  that 
we  would  leave  before  next  day,  if  then.  At  four 
o'clock  another  order  said  everything  must  be 
ready  to  move  at  six  o'clock,  taking  nothing  ex- 
cept what  we  had  on  our  backs,  one  blanket,  war 
equipments,  and  a  single  cooking  utensil  to  the 
mess.  This  time  we  were  actually  going  to  leave, 
and  the  prognostications  were,  for  very  active 
service.  Everything  was  now  astir,  hurrying  up 
the  beef  and  cakes,  and  fixing  up  duds  to  leave 
in  the  care  of  the  sick,  of  Avhom  there  were  almost 
a  liundred.  As  the  appointed  hour  drew  nigh  the 
hurry  increased. 

At  half- past  five  the  long  roll  beat  for  all  to 
arms,  and  though  many  of  the  men  had  not  fin- 
ished cooking,  there  was  no  longer  time  to  tarry. 


CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE.  39 

Officers  were  busy  seeing  who  were  and  wlio  were 
not  able  to  go,  and  llsaving  instructions  for  the 
sick.  I  had  to  leave  lifteen  of  my  men  wlio  were 
not  able  to  travel;  never  a  word  have  I  heard 
from  them  since.  Precisely  at  six  all  were  in  line, 
and  with  various  feelings  and  expressions  w^e  bade 
adieu  to  our  romantic  home  in  the  hollow. 

We  were  met  at  the  main  road  by  the  other 
regiments  of  our  brigade,  the  61st  and  62d  Ten- 
nessee, commanded  by  Colonels  Pitts  and  Rowan. 
Ours  being  the  senior  regiment,  took  the  advance, 
and  the  column  moved  on  through  a  stifling  dust, 
■vve  knew  not  whither'bound.  At  ten  o'clock  in 
the  night  we  turned  aside  from  the  road  and  struck 
camp  in  a  woodland  near  Mount  Albion  Church. 
We  built  huge  log  fires,  and  chatted  around  them 
for  awhile,  then  wTaj)]3ed  up  in  our  blankets  and 
laid  down  to  sleep  and  rest  our  weary  limbs.  All 
was  soon  hushed  and  still,  till  three  next  morn- 
ing, when  the  long  roll  aroused  us.  In  fifteen 
minutes  all  were  up  and  ready  to  move  again. 
Just  as  streaks  of  light  began  peeping  from  the 
East  we  entered  the  main  road  at  Dr.  IN'ewman's ; 
following  that  to  its  intersection  wdth  the  Jackson 
and  Yicksburg  Railroad,  we  left  it,  taking  along 
the  latter  in  the  direction  of  Jackson.  We  now 
knew  our  first  point  of  destination,  which  was  Big 
Black  Bridge,  ten  miles  away.  We  halted  at  eight 
o'clock,  partook  of  a  frugal  but  refreshing  snack^ 


40  CAMP,   FIELD   A^B   PEISON    LIFE. 

tlien  plodded  on,  reacliing  the  bridge  near  noon. 
We  passed  over  to  the  east  side  and  took  quar- 
ters in  tlie  intrencliments  just  vacated  by  troops 
ordered  forward. 

There  was  a  general  move  to  the  front.  Two 
brigades  were  then  leaving,  and  during  the  even- 
ing General  Stephenson's  division  passed.  From 
the  dense  clouds  we  knew  the  storm  must  be 
brewing,  and  that  the  clash  of  arms  might  soon 
be  heard  and  seen.  Already  had  the  advance 
pickets  on  each  side  been  fighting,  and  the  enemy 
had  been  making  a  reconnoisance  to  within  ten 
miles  of  that  very  place. 

That  day  I  first  saw  General  Pemberton,  who, 
accompanied  by  his  staff  and  General  Tom.  Tay- 
lor, of  Kentucky,  was  going  to  the  front. 

Now,  a  word  about  our  afterward  unfortunate 
position.  The  country  all  around  is  low  and  level. 
A  line  of  intrencliments  something  over  a  mile  in 
length  had  been  cut  in  a  zigzag,  circular  shape, 
crossing  the  railroad,  and  terminating  at  the  river 
above  and  below.  Nature  afforded  no  favorable 
elevations,  but  those  earthworks  were  certainly  in 
favor  of  the  holders.  The  whole  bottom  was  one 
vast  corn-field,  containing  perhaps  300  acres. 
Several  gin  houses  and  sheds  were  partially  filled 
with  cotton  bales,  and  several  hundred  bales  had 
been  used  in  constructing  batteries  and  defenses 
for  ammunition  and  the  wounded.    As  an  inevi- 


LIFE.  41 

table  result,  much  of  the  corn,  which  was  about  a 
foot  high,  was  trodden  down  by  the  soldiery  in 
tlie  construction  of  the  works.  AVe  learned  on 
tlie  14tli  that  the  Federals  had  taken  Jackson 
with  little  or  no  resistance.  The  cause  of  the  weak 
defense  we  never  learned. 

Tliat  morning,  seeing  that  everything  was  right, 
I  started  out  on  a  foraging  expedition,  and  after 
a  smart  tramp  found  a  lady  who  sold  me  two 
pounds  of  butter  at  81.00  per  pound,  cheap  enough ; 
and  she  gave  me  a  gallon  of  milk,  for  which  we 
usually  paid  81.00.  I  engaged  more  for  next  day, 
and  while  I  was  sitting  in  the  piazza  resting  and 
admiring  •  the  beautiful  flowers,  shrubbery  and 
evergreens  in  the  yard,  a  rain  storm  came  on  and 
poured  for  an  hour.  It  abated  and  I  started  for 
camp,  but  got  soaked  to  the  skin.  I  found  the 
boys  standing  wrapped  in  their  blankets,  and 
taking  the  pelting  rain  like  wet  turkeys,  the 
greatest  care  of  each  being  his  .  gun.  All  our 
ditches  were  filled  to  the  brim,  and  had  the  Yanks 
come  then,  it  would  have  been  face  to  face.  AYhen 
it  cleared  off  that  evening  we  drained  and  bailed 
off  most  of  the  water.  That  night  the  cold,  wet 
ground  was  our  j^illow.  Next  morning  we  heard 
desultory  firing  some  distance  off",  in  the  supposed 
direction  of  the  enemy.  Many  thought  the  battle 
had  begun,  but  it  proved  to  be  General  Buford's 
brigade  tiring  off  their  wet  guns.     We  spent  the 


42  CAMP,   FIELD   AIS^D   PEISON    LIFE. 

forenoon  in  cleaning  and  fixing  np  onr  contrap- 
tions for  a  Yankee  liunt. 

In  the  afternoon  of  May  IStli  we  were  qnietly 
basking  in  tlie  sunshine  about  the  intrenchments, 
expecting  to  fight  there  if  tlie  enemy  came.  But 
how  vain  the  expectations  of  man.  At  tliree 
o'clocli  orders  came  for  our  regiment  to  be  ready 
to  move  in  ten  minutes.  All  rushed  to  arms,  for 
some  one  whispered  that  the  foe  were  not  far  in 
the  distance.  Right  soon  we  were  on  the  march 
to  Edwards'  Depot,  five  miles  east,  vv^here  we 
arrived  at  sunset,  and  camped  in  an  old  field  hard 
by.  We  found  an  immense  wagon  train  just 
moving  toward  Clinton  and  Jackson.  Our  whole 
army  had  been  concentrating  there  for  several 
days,  and  had  only  a  few  hours  before  moved 
forward.  That  night  my  company  and  that  of 
Captain  Hale  were  ordered  on  picket  duty.  We 
took  position  on  the  main  Raymond  road,  keeping 
a  small  outpost  some  half  mile  in  advance,  and 
still  two  miles  farther  out  was  a  cavalry  picket. 
We  were  suspecting  a  dash  of  the  enemy's  cavalry 
that  night,  but  they  came  not. 

Various  were  the  rumors  in  regard  to  the  move^^ 
ments  of  our  adversaries,  but  the  fact  was  that 
Grant,  from  Port  Gibson,  and  Pemberton,  from 
Yicksburg,  had  been  marching  almost  parallel, 
their  lines  converging  and  coming  in  contact  some 
four  miles  out  from  Edwards'  Depot  on  the  morn- 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PKISON    LIFE.  43 

ing  of  IGth  May.  General  Gregg's  brigade  liad, 
a  few  days  before,  fouglit  a  Federal  division  at 
Kaynioiul,  but  liad  to  give  way  before  su})erior 
numbers,  after  his  noble  Fort  Donelson  and 
Chickasaw  Bayou  boys  had  repulsed  them  gal- 
lantly for  several  hours. 

From  our  picket  i)<Jst,  on  the  morning  of  the 
IGth,  we  could  plainly  hear  the  opening  of  the 
contest  at  Champion  Ilill.  First  came  the  usual 
skirmish  liring,  sometimes  in  volleys,  then  a  few 
cannon  commenced  blazing  away,  and  as  the  sun 
ueared  the  zenith,  faster  and  hotter  became  tlie 
engagement.  Up  to  near  noon  was  spent  in  strat- 
egy and  manoeuvering,  the  lines  of  battle  getting 
changed  almost  perpendicular  to  their  original 
position.  Then  the  work  commenced  in  earnest. 
Now,  for  perhaps  an  hour,  the  artillery  roars  like 
thunder,  deadening  everything  else ;  now  it  meas- 
urably ceases,  and  the  din  of  small  arms,  as  thick 
as  hail  pattering  on  the  roof,  can  be  heard  for 
several  miles  along  the  line.  Sometimes  successive 
vollej^s  belch  forth,  then  again  we  hear  the  ran- 
dom, desultory  firing.  And  now  the  brazen  bat- 
teries open  anew  from  a  fresh  place.  For  a  while 
the  deadly  combat  goes  on,  then  all  breaks  off 
into  silence.  But  again,  like  a  smothered  fire, 
the  battle  breaks  forth  at  a  new  point  in  all  its 
former  fury,  and  we  imagine  that  the  enemy  are 
being  driven  back,  for  the  sound  seems  to  get 


44  CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PEISON    LIFE. 

more  distant ;  but  it  proved  tliat  the  contending 
parties  had  got  into  a  hollow,  and  there  was  a 
mighty  slaughter  on  both  sides.  At  one  point 
our  troops  occupied  the  edge  of  a  wood  fronting 
a  corn  field.  Twice  did  the  enemy  attempt  to 
charge  them,  but  each  time  with  a  sad  result  to 
the  attacking  party.  Then  a  fresh  storming  party 
came  in  front  and  on  the  flank,  and  our  men  were 
routed  and  driven  with  heavy  loss. 

About  two  o'clock  the  wounded  and  stragglers 
commenced  passing  our  post,  going  to  the  rear. 
The  latter  we  halted  and  kept  with  us.  Within 
an  hour,  several  hundred  men,  wounded  in  every 
conceivable  manner,  passed  by,  about  one  half  of 
them  being  shot  in  the  hands  and  arms,  as  is 
usually  the  case  in  a  battle.  Stragglers  were 
constantly  reporting  that  our  army  was  being 
whipped — that  the  enemy  were  too  many  in  num- 
ber. From  the  increased  stream  coming  back,  it 
began  to  seem  too  painfully  true,  for  at  four  o'clock 
the  whole  road  was  lined  with  fragments  of  regi- 
ments and  parts  of  batteries. 

Half  an  hour  later,  General  Pemberton  came 
up  to  my  post  and  asked  why  my  com]3any  was 
not  to  the  front.  I  told  him  we  were  on  picket, 
and  lie  said  it  was  all  right.  To  my  inquiry  as  to 
the  shape  of  the  battle,  he  said :  "  We  are  whij)- 
ped,  but  the  enemy  outnumbered  us  three  to  one." 
Though  calm  in  conduct,  he  appeared  greatly  agi- 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PKISOX    LIFE.  4.') 

tated  in  mind.  AVliile  there  a  courier  came  up 
with  a  (]is])atcli  from  General  Joseph  E.  Jolinston. 
He  read  it,  studied  a  moment,  gritted  his  teeth, 
and  remarked  to  his  staff:  "Had  General  John- 
ston sent  me  this  dispatch  yesterday,  tliis  battle 
AvouUl  not  have  been  fought!"  He  handed  tlie 
message  to  his  Adjutant  General,  saying,  "  Here, 
preserve  this,  it  may  be  of  value  to  me  some  day." 
I  afterward  found  out  that  the  disx)atch  was  an 
order  to  avoid  a  collision  with  the  enemy,  and 
unite  his  force  with  Johnston's  in  the  vicinity  of 
Clinton.  And  I  then  surmised  that  he  w^anted  it 
preserved,  believing  that  his  conduct  Avould  un- 
dergo an  investigation. 

Now^  the  wdiole  army  was  in  full  retreat,  several 
brigades  tarrying  on  the  battle-field  to  hold  the 
enemy  in  check.  General  Tilghman,  of  Kentucky, 
lost  his  life  late  in  the  evening,  w^hile  keeping  the 
enemy  back  at  a  bridge  on  the  left. 

It  looked  like  another  stand  was  to  be  made  at 
Edv/ards'  Depot,  for  all  the  troops  were  stopped 
there  ;  but  near  dusk  the  army  resumed  its  march 
toward  Big  Black.  As  we  left  the  Depot,  car 
loads  of  provisions,  ammunition  and  medical 
stores,  as  well  as  cotton  houses  all  round,  could 
be  seen  in  flames,  to  keep  them  from  the  enemy. 
As  our  rear  guard  evacuated  the  place  the  Fed- 
erals occupied  it,  sending  grape  and  canister  after 
the  boys,  but  not  pursuing  further.    Before  ten 


46  CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

o'clock  Big  Black  was  readied,  and  a  portion  of 
the  army  j^assed  on  in  tlie  direction  of  Yicksburg. 
Tlie  rest  remained  to  give  the  enemy  tight. 

Our  regiment  was  ordered  to  the  extreme  right, 
beyond  the  real  line  of  defense.  We  took  posi- 
tion behind  the  levee,  and  with  a  few  spades  soon 
had  some  rough  earthworks  constructed.  After 
the  excitement  of  the  day,  and  the  night  march, 
we  wrapped  our  martial  cloaks  about  us  at  the 
hour  of  midnight,  and  slept  soundly  till  day. 

Perhaps  four  thousand  men  and  twenty  pieces 
of  artillery  were  left  to  defend  the  place,  and  we 
felt  sure  the  enemy  would  march  on  us  next  morn- 
ing. That  night,  while  intrenching,  I  said  to  our 
Colonel  and  several  others  that  we  would  surely 
"go  up  right  there,"  for  there  was.  no  means  of 
retreat,  the  river  being  directly  in  our  rear  and  no 
crossing  save  near  the  bridge,  and  that  was  frail 
and  inadequate.  I  was  sure  that  an  army  at  least 
four-fold  of  our  number  was  coming  against  us, 
and,  with  such  a  position  as  we  had,  it  was  pre- 
posterous to  think  of  holding  out  for  more  than  a 
few  hours.  However,  nothing  daunted,  we  made 
the  best  preparation  we  could  to  receive  them. 

At  seven  o'clock  next  morning  our  pickets  began 
a  brisk  fire  with  their  cavalry  advance.  In  one 
hour  more  their  infantry  and  artillery  came  up, 
and  soon  an  artillery  duel  commenced,  lasting  a 
half  hour.    Then  there  was  a  silence  while  the  guns 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PRISON     LIFE  47 

of  tlie  foeiiKMi  W('r(3  Ix'iiig-  })iit  in  better  pliices  and 
ill  closer  })r()xiiiiity.  Then  again  they  opi'ued,  and 
shot  and  shell  rained  for  aAvhile,  but  doing  no 
serious  damage.  The  whistling  rilled  cannon  balls 
that  split  open  the  trees  in  our  rear  made  some  of 
the  boys  open  their  eyes,  but  most  of  them  were 
perfectly  calm.  Some  hours  were  occupied  by  the 
enemy  in  getting  their  various  infantry  columns 
into  position. 

They  encompassed  our  whole  line,  and  in  many 
places  dense  -columns  could  be  seen  advancing. 
On  our  left  a  thick  forest  was  within  a  half  mile 
of  our  line,  and  here  it  was  that  the  enemy  made 
their  first  demonstration.  First  the  sharpshooters 
tried  their  hands  ;  then  several  brigades  of  infan- 
try, like  brave  Spartans,  came  out  into  the  open 
ground ;  but  the  Southern  boys  soon  made  them 
hustle  back  to  the  cover  of  the  timber.  Xext  an 
advance  was  made  upon  our  center,  and  a  brisk 
light,  at  long  range,  continued  for  perhaps  an 
hour. 

Soon  a  column  was  seen  filing  to  the  right  of 
our  line,  and  we  were  fully  expecting  a  brush 
there.  The  tide  of  battle  ebbed  and  flowed  till 
near  eleven  o'clock,  when  the  enemy  finding, 
through  a  deserter,  a  fiaw  in  our  works,  made  a 
bold  and  successful  charge  through  the  unguarded 
space,  about  the  center  of  our  left  wing.  In  over- 
whelming numbers  they  were  now  upon  our  flank 


48  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISON     LIFE. 

and  roar,  so  tliat  our  men  liad  no  eartlily  show  of 
resistance :  tliey  nmst  run,  surrender,  or  be  shot 
down.  The  commanding  officer,  seeing  the  situa- 
tion, gave  immediate  orders  for  evacuation ;' but 
the  Federals  could  reach  the  only  crossing  of  Big 
Black  river  as  soon  as  we  possibly  could. 

My  regiment,  being  on  the  extreme  right,  was 
not  aware  of  the  situation  for  some  minutes  ;  then, 
after  a  short  consultation  by  the  regimental  offi- 
cers, we  thought  it  best  to  attempt  an  escape  down 
the  river;  accordingly  we  made  tracks  in  that 
direction,  but  had  gone  only  a  little  wa}^  when  we 
saw  ourselves  hemmed  in,  and  the  blue-coats 
swarming  from  the  brush  half  a  mile  in  our  front. 
Colonel  Crawford  had  made  his  escape,  so  Lieut.- 
Colonel  Gregg  consulted  with  the  officers,  and  it 
was  conceded  by  all  that  there  was  no  alternative 
but  to  surrender.  We  formed  the  regiment  in 
line,  threw  down  our  arms  and  accoutrements, 
and  Colonel  Gregg  rode  out  to  meet  the  enemy, 
who  were  rushing  on  with  wild  huzzas.  I  and 
many  others  shed  tears  for  a  few  moments ;  then 
I  summoned  up  m.y  manhood,  and  counseled  my 
boys  not  to  be  dejected  or  cowed,  but  as  valorous 
as  ever,  for  we  had  tried  to  do  our  whole  duty, 
and  were  guiltless. 

We  surrendered  to  General  Burbridge,  of  Ken- 
tucky. Some  few  of  the  ISTorthern  soldiery  were 
inclined  to  be  insolent,  but  seeirg  the  si3irit  of 


CAMP,   FIELD   AND   TltlSON    LIFE  40 

our  boys,  the  officers  liad  ns  treated  Justly.  I 
found  several  Federal  Kentucky  regiments,  and 
many  men  I  had  known  in  days  before.  i\n  hour 
after  I  was  captured  I  took  dinner  with  Colonel 
George  Monroe,  of  Frankfort,  Kentucky,  and  got 
the  lirst  genuine  coffee  and  good  ohl  liam  I  liad 
seen  in  many  a  day.  Need  I  say  it  made  me  feel 
delicious  all  over,  and  that  I  can  not  forget  tlie 
kindness  of  that  Federal  officer  ? 

In  his  regiment  I  met  a  Dutchman  who  was 
once  our  bootmaker  at  the  Kentucky  Military  In- 
stitute. Approaching  me  with  a  broad,  genial 
grin  on  his  countenance,  he  said  in  his  broken 
twang,  "  I  knows  you,  but  can't  tell  who  you  are ; 
I  used  to  make  you  boots."  I  told  him  I  was 
glad  to  meet  him,  but  sorry  to  iind  him  in  such 
bad  company.  ''  jSTo,"  said  he,  "  it  is  you  what 
be  in  bad  company."  One  of  my  schoolmates  of 
two  years  before  w^as  on  the  staff  of  Gen.  Smith, 
who  was  against  us.  The  casualties  in  the  Union 
army  far  exceeded  our  own.  In  their  last  grand 
charge  they  lost  several  field  officers  and  several 
hundred  men. 

To  any  one  familiar  with  military  matters,  it 
was  evident  that  weak  generalship  was  the  cause 
of  our  terrible  disaster.  Many  cried  out  that 
General  Pemberton  had  "  sold  us,"  but  the  im- 
pression was  far  from  universal.  At  Baker's 
Creek  he  allowed  the  enemy  to  out  manceuver 
4 


50 

Mm  and  Hank  our  troops,  and  crusli  ont  our  bri- 
gades in  detail — so  say  tliose  wlio  participated. 
•The  defenses  at  Big  Black  were  badly  planned, 
and  Avise  generalship  wonld  have  dictated  a  means 
of  escape  in  case  of  emergency.  But  we  are  too 
prone  to  condemn  a  commander  when  he  meets 
with  defeat.  When  the  matter  is  sifted  I  think  it 
will  be  found  that  General  P.  had  a  willing  mind, 
but  was  delicient  in  the  martial  talent  necessary 
to  mancBuver  an  army  in  the  field. 

Now  comes  a  new  era  in  our  existence  as  sol- 
diers. We  are  no  longer  strong  armed  and  brave 
hearted  boys,  ready  and  willing  to  rush  on  into 
the  ranks  of  the  foe  at  the  bidding  of  those  we 
loved  to  obey  and  follow.  True,  we  still  possess 
the  same  physical  qualities  and  the  same  hearts, 
but  they  are  powerless  now.  We  are  prisoners 
of  war,  subject  to  the  will  and  mandates  of  tliose 
into  Avhose  hands  we  have  fallen.  I  must  say 
that,  so  far,  we  have  generally  been  treated  with 
the  courtesy  due  a  prisoner. 

But  I  left  us  in  the  hands  of  the  exulting  Yanks 
on  the  verge  of  the  Big  Black.  We  were  formed 
in  two  lines  and  marched  along  the  line  of  our 
deserted  intrenchments  to  a  shady  woodland  half 
a  mile  off. 

Big  Black  bridge,  a  splendid  structure,  was  noAV 
in  liames,  and  a  sharp  cannonade  was  going  on 
between  our  men  over  the  river  and  the  Yankees, 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PIIISON-    LIFi:.  51 

who  were  trying  to  cross.  Had  tlie  engagement 
lasted  a  half  hour  longer,  a  whole  division  of  troops 
and  twelve  ritled  cannon  would  have  come  against 
our  single  regiment.  We  were  going  to  try  them 
a  whack,  though  they  would  have  overpowered 
us  after  we  had  slayed  perhaj)s  a  hundred  or  so 
of  them.  Our  nerves  were  all  braced  for  the  ex- 
pected onset,  and  the  boys  would  have  battled 
valiantly. 

It  was  now  the  17th  day  of  May,  and  the  sun 
was  blazing  hot,  so  the  shade  to  wdiicli  w^e  w^ere 
escorted  was  quite  pleasant.  Stragglers  were 
being  picked  up  in  all  directions,  and  our  captive 
band  soon  amounted  to  2,500,  the  whole  nnniber 
captured.  A  guard  line  was  formed,  and  we  were 
allowed  loose  range  over  several  acres  of  ground. 
The  Yankee  boys  soon  mixed  all  among  us,  and 
were  anxious  to  know  Avhy  we  rebels  were  fighting 
so  ardently  against  "  the  best  government  the 
world  ever  saw."  Some  would  argue  the  subject 
matter  like  philosophers,  others  would  get  mad 
and  fiy  off.  There  was  an  entire  freedom  of  inter- 
course, and  the  Federal  officers  came  in,  too,  and, 
when  they  could  distinguish  them  from  the  pri- 
vates, talked  with  our  "  big  ofiicers  "  about  things 
in  general. 

They  were  exceedingly  jubilant,  for  their  tele- 
graph said  Eichmond  had  fallen,  and  they  said 
they  were  going  to  take  Yicksburg  next  day  like 


52  CAMP,    FIELD   AISTD   PRISOK    LIFE. 

a  flash,  wliicli  they  didn't,  neither  had  the  Con- 
federate Capital  gone  under.  Altogether,  it  was 
a  semi-interesting  occasion,  and  that  vast  general 
admixture  of  gray  jackets  and  blue  coats  was  a 
lit  subject  for  the  graphic  pencil  of  an  artist. 

"While  the  time  was  thus  passing,  the  rear  of 
the  Union  army,  wagon  trains,  cavalry  scouts, 
plunderers  and  contrabands  were  constantly  ar- 
riving. They  had  the  best  equipped  wagon  train 
I  ever  saw,  nearly  all  six  horse  or  mule  teams, 
splendid  stock,  and  all  in  excellent  condition.  It 
was  a  wonderful  sight  to  behold  the  three  heavy 
siege  guns,  drawn  by  sixteen  oxen  each.  They 
were  fifteen  feet  long  and  otherwise  in  proportion. 
I  had  not  dreamed  that  such  ponderous  things 
could  be  transported  through  the  country  from 
Port  Gibson. 

For  half  a  mile  around  us  the  woodland  was 
thick  with  Yankees,  Confeds,  stock,  wagons  and 
colored  folks.  The  loyal  troops,  who  had  been 
living  on  half  rations  for  some  time,  were  taking 
a  hasty  snack.  Though  most  of  us  had  eaten 
nothing  since  the  day  before,  not  a  bite  did  we 
get.  The  house  of  a  planter  near  by,  and  Avho 
had  fled  when  the  battle  came  on,  was  splendidly 
furnished  with  costly  things,  and  contained  a 
large,  choice  library.  The  whole  premises  were 
sacked  by  the  Northern  soldiery,  and  that  too 
right  under  the  eyes  of  several  Generals  who  had 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PIIISOX    LIFE.  X^ 

made  headquarters  in  the  liouse.  It  was  witliiii 
our  guard  line. 

All  the  afternoon  the  enemy  were  engaged  in 
tearing  down  several  barns  and  making  pontoon 
bridges  across  Big  Black  river,  and  just  before 
nightfall  the  bulk  of  their  army  passed  over  and 
on  to  take  Yicksburg  next  day.  We  remained 
on  the  ground  that  night,  being  promised  some- 
thing to  eat  next  morning.  Several  times  we  were 
got  into  line  and  counted,  and  after  being  num- 
bered the  last  time,  the  officers  were  relieved  of 
their  swords  and  pistols.  Some  had  thrown  theirs 
away  rather  than  surrender  them. 

My  revolver  had  already  been  taken  by  an  iin- 
liudent  puppy  of  a  staif  officer.  Without  orders 
and  with  a  haughty  air  he  ordered  me  to  give  it 
to  him.  I  told  him  I  had  been  thus  ordered  sev- 
eral times,  but  had  refused,  and  did  still  refuse, 
to  give  it  up  unless  ordered  by  a  competent  au- 
thority. A  Major-General  was  standing  near  by. 
I  approached  him  and  asked  if  I  must  deliver  it 
over.  He  said  ''  3'es,"  and  I  did  so.  The  pompous, 
contemptible  manner  of  the  being  with  shoulder 
straps  on  who  demanded  it  deeply  aroused  my 
indignation,  and  I  had  a  burning  desire  to  tell  the 
chap  Avhat  I  th9ught  of  him. 

At  two  p.  M.,  IStli  May,  the  officer  in  charge  of 
us  said  he  would  take  us  to  Edwards'  Depot, 
where  he  could  get  some  rations  for  us.     Our 


04  Camp,  fleld  A^'D  prison  life. 

escort  were  the  :23d  Iowa  and  tlie  54r]i  Indiana. 
Upon  getting  to  the  Depot  we  found  Gen.  Hovey's 
division  of  tlie  army  there,  and  all  along  the  road 
we  noticed  Federal  soldiery  occnpying  the  farm 
houses.  The  citizens  were  generally  gone,  and 
their  homes  were  heing  made  desolate. 

The  darkies  were  congregated  abont  in  gronps, 
congraralating  each  other  npon  their  snpposed 
freedom.  Many  of  them  were  ludicrously  dr»^ssed 
in  all  the  good  clothing  of  their  masters  and  mis- 
tresses. Poor  creatures,  did  they  only  know  of 
the  degradation  to  which  they  are'drifting. 

We  were  marched  out  a  half  mile  to  an  old 
field  where  there  was  an  abundance  of  water,  and 
there  we  pitched  camp  again.  It  was  now  sun- 
down, and  from  long  fasting  our  appetites  were 
vrliittled  down  to  a  keen  point,  but  the  command- 
ant said  we  should  have  rations  before  we  slept. 
Many  of  the  boys  had  not  tasted  food  lor  two 
days  •:  now  and  then  a  generous  Fed.  would  share 
his  mite  with  a  htmgry  Seb.  At  ten  o'clock  beef, 
sugar  and  meal  came,  but  no  salt,  and  nothing  to 
cook  in.  So.  many  again  wrapped  up  in  the  arms 
of  Moi-pheus.  and  dreamed  of  good  things  to  eat, 
just  out  of  their  reach. 

It  was  in  this  wise  that  I  got  my  supper :  My 
orderly  sergeant  skinned  some  bark  from  a  green 
tree  in  which  to  make  up  the  dough,  which  he 
wrapped  up  in  writing  paper,  and  wetting  the 


CAMP,    FI?:LD    AXD    prison     LIFK.  i).) 

paper,  covered  it  u})  with  embers.  The  hrrad 
cooked  without  biirninLC  tin*  ])ap<'r,  and  (»!'  a  tnitli 
never  did  bread  taste  more  sweet  and  ])ahitable. 
Many  were  the  ways  in  wluch  our  rations  were 
served  up  on  that  occasion.  Indeed  is  necessity 
the  mother  of  invention. 

Perhaps  it  may  be  no  honor  to  tell  of  light- 
lingered  tricks,  but  I'll  risk  the  condemnation  and 
tell  what  Captain  Blair  and  myself  did.  At  ten 
o'clock  at  night  a  huge  pile  of  beef,  bacon  and 
meal,  guarded  by  Yanks,  was  surrounded  by  a 
thousand  rebels,  all  anxious  as  children  round  a 
Christmas  tree.  That  commissary  stuif  was  to  be 
divided  among  the  whole  camp.  Federal  and  Con- 
federate, and  would  make  the  individual  ration 
rather  slim.  While  the  commissary  sergeants 
were  busy  dealing  out  rations  to  the  representa- 
tives of  various  companies  and  detachments,  Blair 
managed  to  get  his  clutches  on  a  bacon  ham,  and 
my  lingers  tightened  on  a  hundred  pound  sack  of 
meal,  and  in  triumph  did  we  march  to  where  our 
boys  were  camped,  and  the  presumption  is  that 
we  had  full  rations  next  day.  The  meat  and  meal 
had  been  captured  from  our  army,  and  it  surely 
should  be  no  offense  to  take  back  our  own.  At 
any  rate,  I  did  not  then  feel,  nor  have  I  ever 
since  felt,  any  compunctions  of  conscience  over 
the  matter. 

At  three  o'clock  May  19th  we  took  the  back 


56  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

track,  arriving  at  Big  Black  just  at  dusk.  We 
crossed  the  river  on  a  pontoon  bridge,  and  camped 
in  a  corn  liekl  on  the  river  bluff.  That  night  Col. 
Gates  and  his  adjutant,  Frank  Clewell,  of  the  2d 
Missouri  cavalry,  escaped.  Next  morning  we  got 
beef  and  meal  for  breakfast.  I  managed  to  get 
out  of  the  guard  line  and  "  borrow  "  a  little  coffee 
and  bacon  in  the  Yankee  camps,  and  while  out  I 
managed  to  "  draw  "  a  coffee  pot,  which  accom- 
panied us  to  prison.  Almost  before  we  had  time 
to  cook  our  lean  rations  orders  came  to  move. 

Before  eight  o'clock  we  were  traveling  toward 
Vicksburg.  We  passed  many  beautiful  mansions, 
and  everywhere  the  ladies  came  out  to  give  us  a 
look  of  profound  sympathy.  Some,  whose  hopes 
and  fortitude  had  almost  sunk,  shed  tears ;  others, 
with  stronger  and  braver  hearts,  waved  their  white 
'kerchiefs  and  audibly  blessed  us,  wishing  us  a 
speedy  return  to  battle  for  Southern  rights.  We 
gave  them  cheers,  told  them  all  would  yet  be 
well,  and  some  whose  feelings  were  more  tender 
could  not  restrain  the  tear  drops  that  flowed  in 
sympathy  for  these  noble  women  of  the  South. 

At  noon  we  halted  for  water  and  rest  directly 
in  rear  of  Vicksburg,  and  but  a  few  hundred  yards 
from  the  Federal  line  of  investment.  A  brisk 
cannonade  was'  then  going  on  from  eitlier  side. 
We  stopped  in  sight  of  the  residence  of  Dr.  Cook, 
where  I  had  spent  so  many  pleasant  hours.     He 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PRISON     LIFK.  57 

liiid  taken  liis  family  and  gone  into  A'icl^sbui-L:; 
among  the  besieged.  His  liouse  was  now  a  hos- 
pital, and  his  yard,  orchard  and  fields  a  dense 
w^agon  yard.  Mrs.  Lake's  residence,  near  by,  was 
also  being  used  as  a  hospital;  all  was  gone  to 
rack. 

After  an  hour's  rest  w^e  marched  on,  going  close 
by  our  old  camp  ground,  and  taking  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Snyder's  Bluif.  After  traversing  some 
three  miles,  we  turned  abruptly  to  the  left,  and 
descending  the  rugged  hills  that  overlook  that 
memorable  spot,  we  passed  directly  over  the  battle 
ground  of  Chickasaw^  Bayou,  which  proved  so 
disastrous  to  the  Federals  about  the  close  of  the 
old  year,  four  hundred  having  been  captured  and 
at  least  a  thousand  killed  and  wounded,  on  an 
area  of  not  over  four  acres.  Very  many  of  our 
boys  along  knew  all  about  the  matter  from  expe- 
rience, and  some  of  our  Federal  escort  had  a  slight 
idea  of  the  place,  the  54th  Indiana  having  lost 
over  two  hundred  men  there. 

It  was  at  this  point  that  we  commenced  meeting 
wagons  laden  with  army  stores  for  the  troops 
besieging  Yicksburg.  They  came  over  a  corduroy 
road  from  Lake's  Landing,  on  the  Yazoo  river, 
where  still  other  boats  were  then  landing.  Sny- 
der's Bluff,  wiiich  had  withstood  many  a  pelt  from 
the  Yankee  ironclads,  was  now  evacuated,  and 
several    gunboats   w^ere    already   dispatched    to 


58 

Yazoo  City,  in  hopes  of  capturing  two  sjolendid 
gunboats  being  built  tliere.  But  tlie  bird  was 
flown ;  the  torch  had  done  its  work.  The  supj)ly 
train  that  we  passed  numbered  a  hundred  wagons, 
and  we  met  a  brigade  going  to  Yicksburg,  they 
said,  but  we  assured  them  they  would  get  no 
admittance. 

We  arrived  at  the  Yazoo  about  dark,  having 
traveled  over  twenty  miles  since  eight  o'clock, 
most  of  the  time  through  a  stifling  dust.  We 
found  a  dozen  transports  and  a  host  of  soldiers, 
citizens  and  boatmen,  all  full  of  joy,  for  they 
thought  one-half  of  Pemberton's  army  was  there. 
Within  an  hour's  time  we  got  plentiful  rations, 
but  had  no  way  of  cooking,  and  besides  that,  most 
of  us  were  too  weary  to  think  of  anything  but 
rest  and  sleep.  All  night  long,  at  regular  inter- 
vals, the  enemy's  mortar  boats  were  throwing 
shell  into  the  city. 

During  the  forenoon. of  May  21st,  we  managed 
to  get  our  appetites  satiated  and  our  bodies  well 
saturated,  for  a  beating  rain  poured  on  us  for  an 
hour,  and  we  had  the  opportunity  of  taking  a 
refreshing  bath  in  a  bayou  close  by.  All  day 
long  a  heavy  bombardment  was  going  on  at 
Yicksburg,  by  both  gun  and  mortar  boats,  being 
occasionally  relieved  by  volleys  of  infantry.  So 
many  and  so  great  had  been  our  misfortunes  that 
many  of  us  were  almost  willing  to  concede  that 


CAMP,    FIKLD    AND    PRISON     LIFE.  59 

Yicksbur^-  must  siicciiinl)  in  a  few  days,  hiit  ]i(>])(» 
and  faith  in  tli(^  I'litiirc  still  l)ii()3'ed  us  ii]). 

Late  tliat  evening  we  took  passage  on  some 
trans])()rts  bound  for  Young's  Point,  Louisiana. 
My  regiment  chartered  the  steamer  "  CliaiuH'Hor" 
for  tlie  occasion.  At  dusk  we  went  out  of  the 
Yazoo  onto  the  broad  Mississipi)i,  and  at  eiglit 
o'ch)ck  rounded  to  at  Young's  Point,  and  remained 
aboard  over  night.  We  could  phiinly  see  the 
mortar  boats  shelling  Yicksburg,  which  Avas  in 
full  view  of  our  position  We  could  only  distin- 
guish the  light  of  the  fuse  in  the  bomb,  which 
would  go  up  and  up  for  several  thousand  feet, 
then  down^down,  down  into  the  devoted  city,  but 
not  more  than  one-half  of  them  exploded,  and  the 
damage  was  slight.  They  threw  shells  a  distance 
of  two  and  a  half  miles,  and  it  was  a  beautiful 
sight  to  behold  those  seeming  streaks  of  light 
traverse  the  midnight  darkness  in  pleasing  curves. 

From  our  camps  around  Yicksburg  we  had  seen 
the  Federal  fleet  anchored  at  Young's  Point  since 
Christmas  day  of  1862,  but  had  never  dreamed 
of  being  there  in  that  capacit}^ ;  though  the  boys 
often  joked  each  other  about  going  to  "Camp 
Chase"  and  other  Northern  prisons.  At  nine 
o'clock  May  22d,  we  for  the  first  time  set  foot  on 
Louisiana  soil,  and  camped  where  the  phalanx  of 
Yankee  tents  had  been  arrayed  all  winter  and 
spring. 


60  CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

Often  had  we  heard  of  the  great  mortality 
among  the  Federal  soldiers  stationed  tliere,  and 
now  saw  ample  cause  for  it  all.  There  was  a  low, 
flat  country  behind  the  levee,  both  swampy  and 
filthy.  All  along  the  edge  of  the  levee  were  thick 
groups  of  graves,  with  here  and  there  a  rough 
slab  to  mark  the  last  resting  place  of  some  poor, 
deluded  fellow,  who  thought  he  was  fighting  for 
the  preservation  of  the  government  in  its  jDurity, 
instead  of  for  the  subjugation  of  the  rights  and 
institutions  of  the  Southern  people. 

Here  the  rebel  officers  were  separated  from  the 
privates,  our  camps  being  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
apart,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  that  we  procured 
the  privilege  of  going  to  see  our  sick  men.  AVe 
had  to  go  a  half  mile  to  the  river  to  get  water  and 
wood  to  cook  our  rations.  But  three  could  go  at 
once,  and  were  invariably  escorted  by  a  chap 
wearing  a  blue  coat  and  sporting  a  musket  and  a 
"  six-shooter." 

The  whole  number  of  prisoners  now  collected 
from  various  quarters  was  about  3,500,  some  170 
of  them  being  officers.  The  sun  was  almost  in- 
sufferably hot,  and  we  made  shades  with  brii,sh, 
and  with  our  blankets  stretched  on  poles. 

May  23d  was  a  dull,  monotonous  day,  except 
when  relieved  by  the  artillerj^  duels  going  on 
around  the  city.  It  seems  that  at  two  o'clock  the 
gunboats  were  to  make  a  combined  and  stubborn 


CAMP,    FIELD    AXD   PTH.^OX    LIFE.  61 

attempt  to  silence  our  river  batteries.  It  was  re- 
ported that  in  the  onset  one  iron-clad  went  to 
*' Davy  Jones'  locker;"  anyway,  men  came  from 
that  (rirection  dripping  wet,  and  the  firing  died 
away. 

The  next  day  was.  Snnday,  and  everybody  but 
IIS  put  on  good  clothes,  and  went  sauntering  about 
to  see  what  they  could  find.  We  were  excusable, 
for  we  had  none  to  put  on.  Quite  a  number  of 
Federal  officers  wdio  had  not  yet  seen  the  "  monkey 
show  "  came  loitering  around  our  guard  line,  pry- 
ing into  the  general  physiognomy  of  the  boys  and 
old  men  that  were  fighting  against  "  the  best  gov- 
ernment the  sun  ever  shone  on." 

Our  boys  w^ould  meet  them  at  the  guard  line 
and  discuss  the  matter  freely — concessions  were 
sometimes  mutually  made,  but  I  never  knew  of 
any  one  being  convinced  or  converted.  "We  struck 
them  heavy  on  the  nigger  question,  giving  freely 
our  opinion  of  those  who  were  willing  to  equalize 
themselves  with  the  sweet-scented  sons  and  daugh- 
ters of  Africa.  They  would  most  always  "  whip 
the  devil  round  the  stump,"  and  deny  many  patent 
facts.  Many  "up  the  river  men"  lurked  about 
our  camps,  anxious  to  see  what  kind  of  stuff  rebels 
were  made  of. 

About  noonday  we  beheld  a  stately  column 
approaching  from  the  direction  of  Richmond,  La., 
and  lo !  when  they  came  near  unto  us  we  per- 


62  CAMP,   FIELD    AXD   PRISOI^    LIFE. 

ceived  it  to  be  composed  of  nearly  tliree  liundred 
contrabands,  with  tlieir  cubs  and  bundles  of  rags, 
hunting  freedom. 

Hundreds  of  them  were  already  squatted  about 
in  squalid  hovels  and  tents,  with  no  means  of  sub- 
sistence, save  the  scraps  they  could  pick  up  round 
the  soldiers'  camps.  'Twill  be  a  dear-bought 
freedom  to  them,  for  the  IN'ortherners  don't  really 
love  them,  and  won't  take  them  into  brotherhood. 
They  oMy  want  to  destroy  the  institution,  think- 
ing not  and  caring  not  what  will  become  of  the 
unfortunate  wretches. 

Though  very  many  in  the  South  believe,  and 
more  contend,  that  it  is  the  desire  and  aim  of  the 
whole  IN'orthern  army  to  free  the  slaves,  it  is  a 
false  imputation.  The  majority  of  the  North- 
western men  do  not  care  to  interfere  with  the 
institution  where  it  now  exists.  But  it  is  the 
policy  of  the  administration,  and  the  commanding 
officers  must  do  the  will  of  him  at  the  helm  of 
State.  They  say  to  the  soldiery  that  it  is  a  mili- 
tary necessity  to  weaken  the  strength  of  the  rebels, 
pretending  that  it  is  all  only  for  the  restoration  of 
the  Union  as  it  was. 

The  Democracy  of  the  North  seem  to  have  just 
awakened  into  the  light  of  the  true  issue.  But  it 
is  now  too  late  to  avert  the  storm.  Arms  must 
decide  the  case.  • 

On  the  morning  of  the  25th  we  were  notified 


CAMP,    P'lELD    AND    PIUSON    LIFE.  G3 

that  steanil)oats  were  coaling  up  to  transport  us 
up  the  river.  Three  days'  rations  W(3ri^  furnislicd 
to  last  us  to  Memphis,  and  we  spent  the  forenoon 
in  getting  ready  for  a  Journey.  At  two  o'clock 
we  took  up  our  beds  and  walked  for  the  binding, 
accompanied  b}^  the  23d  Wisconsin  and  80th  Ohio. 
Our  fleet  was  made  up  of  the  following  boats :  the 
Crescent  City,  Ohio  Belle,  Gladiator,  Onuilia,  the 
Gen.  Robert  Allen  and  a  gunboat  to  keep  otf  the 
guerrillas  that  infested  the  river.  I  was  on  board 
the  Omaha,  which  had  some  800  men.  The  gun- 
boat mounted  ten  heavy  guns,  and  one-half  its 
crew  were  gallant  boys  all  the  way  from  Africa. 

All  this  while  the  siege  had  been  going  on  at 
Yieksburg,  and  the  enemy  during  the  past  week 
had  made  several  heavy  concentrated  charges, 
every  time  being  driven  back  with  frightful  loss. 
Our  faith  in  the  invincibility  of  Yieksburg  was 
growing  stronger. 

At  four  o'clock  we  steamed  off,  taking  a  last, 
lingering  look  at  the  gallant  city  as  she  faded  in 
the  distance,  and  leaving  our  blessings  and  best 
wishes  with  her  noble  defenders.  We  were  glad 
to  get  away  from  the  hearing  of  a  contest  in  which 
we  felt  so  deej)  an  interest,  but  could  not  lend  a 
helping  hand. 

Near  dusk  we  passed  Millikin's  Bend,  and  in  a 
little  while  a  cannon  shot  whizzed  over  our  heads, 
making  us  feel  somewhat  ticklish,  thinking  the 


64  CAMP,    FIELD   AT^D   PRISON    LIFE. 

■ubiquitous  rebels  were  firing  into  ns  from  tlie 
sliore.  But  it  proved  to  be  a  signal  from  the  iron- 
cladrfor  the  boats  to  *'  haul  to ;"  then  they  were 
ordered  to  get  in  line  one  after  another,  in  which 
manner  they  traveled  all  night.  I  took  sleeping 
quarters  in  the  open  air  on  top,  it  being  too  warm 
on  the  inside.  As  we  glided  along  over  the  placid 
waters  I  watched  the  varied  scenery,  lit  up  by  the 
pale  moonbeams,  till  near  the  hour  of  midnight. 
Then  I  wrapped  up  in  my  blanket  and  knew  no 
more  till  the  sun  was  shining  in  my  face  next 
morning. 

The  natural  scenery  on  the  Mississippi  is  the 
most  dull  and  monotonous  imaginable.  But  few 
high,  rugged,  23icturesque  cliffs  meet  the  view,  and 
the  conformation  of  the  earth  and  the  growth 
along  the  shore  presents  an  unpleasing  sameness. 
In  many  places,  for  miles,  no  habitation  could  be 
seen,  and  ofttimes  when  we  did  pass  a  plantation 
it  was  devastated  and  deserted.  At  three  o'clock 
we  passed  the  steamers  Luminary  and  Ben  Frank- 
lin, carrying  subsistence  to  Yicksburg.  They 
were  convoyed  by  the  rebel  gunboat  "General 
Bragg,"  a  craft  of  novel  construction  but  beauti- 
ful apj)earance,  lost  by  the  Confederates  at  Mem- 
phis in  the  spring  of  1862. 

At  nine  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  27th  we 
passed  Napoleon,  Arkansas,  once  a  thrifty  place, 
but  now  deserted;  only  a  few  forlorn  looking 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PltlSOX     LIFK.  0.") 

women  and  cliildrcn  could  be  seen.  'Twas  :i  true 
picture  of  the  deserted  village.  Oli  I  the  lion-ors 
of  war.  About  noon  we  came  up  witli  l|^Ett's 
marine  brigade,  consisting  of  a  il(»et  of  tjPteen 
boats,  some  new  ones,  but  mostly  old  Xinv  Orleans 
packets,  transformed  and  barricaded  aLiainst  rillc^ 
shots.  The  mission  of  said  brigade  is  to  patrol 
the  river  and  keep  off  the  partisan  rangers  in  the 
service  of  "Dixie."  They  had  cavalry,  infantry 
and  some  small  held  pieces,  and  when  attacked 
they  aim  to  run  their  cavalry  ashore,  surround, 
and  ''  gobble  up  "  the  daring  Confederates. 

They  are  a  heavy  expense  to  the  governiuent, 
but  don't  catch  many  of  our  boys.  Their  duty  is 
to  halt  and  inspect  every  craft  going  up  or  down 
the  river.  The  presumption  is  they  were  glad  to 
find  so  good  a  cargo  of  rebels  on  board  our  fleet. 
After  an  hour's  consultation  among  the  officers  we- 
passed  on.  Several  men  on  our  boat  had  been 
taken  very  ill,  and  that  morning  a  poor  fellow, 
belonging  to  the  49th  Tennessee,  died.  He  was 
put  in  a  coffin  and  consigned  to  the  deep,  to  know 
the  turmoils  of  earth  no  more.  We  know  not 
who  was  left  to  mourn  at  home,  or  whether  friends 
ever  knew  of  his  fate. 

As  we  passed  on,  the  eye  and  the  mind  became 

weary  in  contemplating  the  prospect  all  around. 

But  seldom  did  we  notice  a  human  being,  and  it 

was  only  here  and  there  that  a  horse  or  cow  could 

5 


plague 

W 

raBHrn 


66  CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

be  seen  grazing  in  a  field.  It  seemed  as  if  a  great 
T)lague  liad  come  over  the  agricultural  resources, 
lere  was  once  beautiful  corn  and  cotton, 
^useless  weeds  were  now  growing. 
At  daylight  May  28th  we  were  in  front  of  Helena, 
Arkansas,  and, 'as  at  Napoleon,  the  people  were 
most  all  gone,  and  it  bore  anything  but  a  pleasing 
aspect.  The  post  was  well  fortified,  being  sur- 
rounded by  rugged  hills.  We  noticed  that  the 
garrison  was  "partly  composed  of  colored  troops. 
During  the  day  we  passed  the  ruins  of  several 
towns  that  had  been  burned  by  the  soldiery. 
Toward  night  we  could  see  increasing  signs  of 
habitation  and  prosperity  along  the  shore,  and 
when  darkness  came  we  were  "making  ready  to 
cast  anchor  in  front  of  Memphis. 


07 


CHAPTER  III 


"Uncle  Sam's  Confederate  Hotel,") 
Lake  Erie,  July  S4,  1SG3.  < 

Arising  quite  early  from  my  coucli  on  the  cabin 
floor  of  the  "Omaha"  on  the  morning  of  May 
29th,  I  gained  the  highest  elevation  on  the  boat, 
and  beheld  a  great  city  risen  up  before  mine  eyes 
since  the  daj'^light  had  left  ns.  But,  like  Memphis 
of  old,  much  of  her  former  prowess  and  life  was 
gone.  MemiDliis  is  a  large  and  well  built  city, 
and  boasts  many  splendid,  towering  edifices.  The 
Gayoso  House  is  a  magnificent  structure  and  a 
model  Southern  hotel.  The  commercial  interests 
of  the  city  have  been  very  heavy,  it  being  the 
terminus  of  several  railroads  running  through 
fertile  and  po^^ulous  regions,  and  besides  that 
being  the  central  mart  of  an  extensive  trade  on 
the  Mississippi. 

Like  all  cities  that  have  undergone  tlie  devas- 
tating influences  of  the  presence  of  an  army,  life 
and  activity  is,  to  a  great  degree,  crushed  in  every 
department  except  military  supplies.    But  from 


68  CAMP,   FIELD    AKD   PEISOX    LIFE. 

hej^eograpliical  position,  tlie  facilities  for  trans- 
fPlkion,  and  the  intelligence  and  enterprising 
charactv  r  of  tlie  snrrounding  community,  trade 
mn'=;t  prosper  there  so  soon  as  iintrammeled  by 
military  gtiardiansliip. 

Most  all  of  our  first  day  at  Memphis  was  spent 
in  coaling  and  taking  aboard  a  supply  of  rations 
to  last  us  to  Cairo.  We  had  now  been  cooped  up 
on  the  waters  for  several  days,  and  the  inactivity 
and  monotony  was  becoming  quite  irksome.  We 
longed  to  set  foot  on  dry  land  once  again. 

During  the  day  the  Governor  a,nd  Adjtitant- 
General  of  Iowa,  with  several  other  notables, 
visited  our  boat,  as  they  said,  to  see  what  made 
us  rebels  hold  out  so  obstinately  against  the 
"  glorious  Union."  They  were  anxious  to  find 
out  if  we  were  not  most  willing  to  lay  down  our 
arms  and  come  back  to  former  allegiance.  We 
inquired  of  them  what  inducements  were  offered, 
and  if  they  expected  to  make  us  love  them  by 
stealing  our  negroes  and  making  them  equal  with 
themselves,  not  us.  We  asked  Mr.  Adjutant- 
General  if  he  was  willing  to  fight  beside  a  negro. 
No !  but  he  was  in  for  any  possible  means  to 
subdue  the  rebellion.  After  an  hour's  gossip,  in 
which  I  think  they  were  not  as  successful  as  they 
anticipated,  they  took  with  a  leaving. 

In  the  afternoon  our  guard  was  changed,  the 
old  guard  going  back  to  Yicksburg,  and  the  43d 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PHI  SOX     LIFE.  09 

Ohio   tiilvin^   cluirge   of  us.      Thoy  w^re   ];ij 
V^iilhiniligluuuisli,  were  well  raised  and  edij 
and  had  a  fair  conception  of  the  consi( 
due  a  })risoner  of  war. 

That  night  we  expected  to  weigh  anchor  and  be 
off;  but  when  the  follo.mng  morning  dawned  we 
found  ourselves  still  in  front  of  Memphis.  We 
knew  not  the  cause  of  the  delay.  Some  twenty 
sick  prisoners  were  taken  ashore  and  sent  to  the 
Memphis  hospital.  Two  men  of  my  company 
were  of  the  number.  Poor , fellows,  I'm  not  sure 
that  we  will  ever  see  them  again.  During  the 
day  one  of  the  rebel  Lieutenants  played  a  Yankee 
trick  on  the  Yankee  nation.  He  exchanged  his 
Confederate  dress  for  citizen's  garb,  deliberately 
walked  aboard  of  a  little  boat  that  came  along- 
side, went  ashore,  and  I  reckon  is  now  in  Dixie 
land.  Our  craft  w^as  anchored  midstream  as  a 
safeguard  against  escape,  yet  several  fellows  swam 
ashore  and  got  away  the  first  night  we  stoj)ped  at 
Memphis. 

The  monotony  of  the  day  w^as  somewliat  re- 
lieved, in  my  case,  by  finding  two  neighbor  boys 
of  my  youth  prisoners  on  the  same  boat  with  me. 
AVitli  Sam.  Maguire  and  John  "Walker  I  had  gone 
to  school  many  a  day,  but  from  long  absence  they 
had  been  almost  forgotten,  till  my  eye  fell  on  their 
familiar  faces.  The  surprise  w^as  mutual,  and  the 
meeting  a  happy  one.     They  had  lately  heard 


70  CAMP,   FIELD   AN^D   PRISOI^^    LIFE. 

JjjJ^oiir  old  Kentucky  liome,  and  could  tell  me 
m^^^miy  tilings  tliat  had  transpired  during  tlie 
Rnany  l^ng  months  that  I  had  been  cut  off  from 
r<^,iiiiuunication  with  my  people. 

It  was  four  o'clock  p.  m.  when  we  raised  steam 
and  bade  adieu  to  the  gieat  Western  city.  The 
gunboat  no  longer  accompanied  us,  for  the  Con- 
federates then  seldom  operated  above  Memphis. 
From  Memphis  to  Cairo  the  trip  was  much  more 
agreeable  than  below.  We  made  better  s]3eed, 
and  the  atmosphere  became  cooler  and  seemed 
purer.  The  scenery  was  more  varied,  and  there 
was  a  perceptible  change  in  the  soil  for  the  better. 
Signs  of  habitation  were  more  frequent,  and  many 
plantations  were  under  cultivation. 

Some  time  during  the  night  of  the  30th  we  passed 
Furt  Pillow,  and  in  the  forenoon  of  the  next  day 
we  passed  the  well-known  Louisville  and  Cincin- 
nati mail  packet  "Jacob  Strader,"  with  troops 
and  sanitary  stores  for  Yicksburg.  The  great 
difference  between  above  and  below  Memphis  is 
attributable  to  the  horrors  and  ravages  of  war; 
the  line  of  the  river,  on  both  sides,  from  Memphis 
to  'New  Orleans  being  an  active  military  theater. 

It  was  about  nine  o'clock  at  night  when  we 
passed  Island  No.  10,  a  once  well-known  Confed- 
erate fortress,  which  was  taken  by  an  investment 
rather  than  by  force  of  arms.  The  island  contains 
some  sixty  acres,  and  is  well  fortified.     A  number 


CAMP,    FIELD    AXD    PRISON'     LIFE.  71 

of  troops  were  stationed  there,  and  several  jmmlt 
boats  were  tied  up  along  tlie  shore.  T\i0^am-' 
manding  officer  hailed  our  fleet,  but  lindiM^^l^t 
our  cargo  consisted  mainly  of  Southern  boys  going 
up  to  board  with  Uncle  Sam,  and  the}'  not  being 
contraband,  under  tlie»  circumstances,  we  were 
allowed  to  pursue  our  journey. 

Before  daylight  of  June  1st  we  passed  Colum- 
bus, Kentucky,  and  at  eiglit  o'clock  stood  in  front 
of  Cairo,  having  been  six  and  a  half  days  out 
from  Vicksburg,  and  traveled  about  six  hundred 
miles.  I  don't  know  of  a  single  one  who  was  not 
fully  satisfied  with  his  boat  ride,  and  willing  to 
go  into  bond  never  to  go  aboard  of  a  steamboat 
again,  if  it  could  be  helped.  We  were  sickened 
out  with  too  much  of  a  good  thing. 

I  had  all  my  life  entertained  a  curiosity  and 
anxiety  to  go  down  the  river  to  New  Orleans, 
imagining  that,  besides  the  sumptuous  entertain- 
ment on  a  first-class  New  Orleans  packet,  I  would 
find  one  almost  continuous  scene  of  magnificent 
plantations,  splendid  mansions,  elegant  cities  and 
cosy  villages,  the  whole  being  interspersed  here 
and  there  with  romantic  cliffs,  quaint  places  and 
picturesque  shores.  Though  seen  and  enjoyed 
under  disadvantageous  circumstances,  I'm  sure 
the  reality  came  far  short  of  my  conceptions. 
Experience  has  taught  me  that  this  world,  as  seen 
by  the  naked  eye,  is  far  from  what  it  would  appear 


72 

whgn  magnified  by  tlie  press  and  tlie  representa- 
liJp  %f  others.  In  all  my  travels  by  land  and  by 
water  I  have  seldom  found  a  place  just  what  I 
anticipated.  Sometimes  our  imaginary  pictures  of 
persons,  places  and  things  in  the  distance  are 
made  too  dim,  but  too  often  we  magnify  them. 

The  first  day  of  June  we  were  anchored  in  the 
mouth  of  the  Ohio  river,  before  the  city  of  Cairo, 
which  was  once  noted  for  thieves,  pickpockets, 
murderers,  blacklegs  and  every  other  class  of  in- 
humanity, but  is  now  more  civilized  and  refined. 
Were  it  not  for  its  low  position,  being  subject  to 
overflow  in  high  water,  Cairo  would,  ere  this,  have 
been  a  large  city,  being  naturally  a  central  point 
and  a  terminus  of  the  great  Illinois  Central  Rail- 
road, and  famous  for  its  arrivals  and  dejjartures 
of  steamboats.  A  splendid  levee  has  been  con- 
structed at  great  expense,  which  renders  the  city, 
to  some  extent,  proof  against  high  water.  It  is  a 
larger  and  better  looking  place  than  I  expected  to 
see,  and  was  full  of  life  and  business.  It  was  a 
great  shipping  point  for  military  stores.  We  saw 
several  gunboats  anchored  in  the  stream  and  others 
building.  I  noticed  about  thirty  pieces  of  heavy 
artillery  lying  at  the  wharf,  not  mounted.  A  large 
number  of  new  government  offices,  shops  and 
storehouses  were  visible  all  about.  During  the 
day  a  number  of  steamboats  arrived  from  and 
departed  for  St.  Louis,  Louisville,  Cincinnati  and 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PRISOX    LIFE.  73 

Memphis.  In  fact,  Cairo  exhibited  more  of  the 
acti\'ity  of  oklen  times  tliaii  any  phice  I  had  seen 
for  a  long  time. 

About  noon  General  Buford,  attended  by  Col. 
Spalding,  of  General  Grant's  staff,  and  who  had 
charge  of  ns  prisoners,  visited  us.  lie  was  quite 
jovial,  and  talked  freely  and  reasonably;  said  he 
loved  us,  and  was  going  to  compel  us  to  come 
back  into  the  good  old  Union.  He  had  tlie  man- 
liness to  acknowledge  that  he  believed  we  were 
honestly  deluded,  and  said  he  gloried  in  our  spunk, 
but  hoped  we  would  soon  be  convinced  of  the  error 
of  our  ways,  and  be  willing  to  come  back.  After 
an  hour's  exchange  of  ideas,  which  differed  widely, 
he  left  us  in  our  glory  and  went  his  way  rejoicing. 

All  day  long  trains  had  been  making  up  to 
carry  us  we  knew  not  exactly  where.  Late  in  the 
evening  two  trains  got  off  loaded  with  privates. 
While  laboring  under  a  bright  recollection  of  how 
the  Federals  treated  property,  private  as  well  as 
public,  in  Mississippi,  I "  confiscated  "  a  haversack, 
of  which  we  stood  in  need.  It  contained  a  plate, 
knife,  fork,  cup,  spoon  and  other  little  articles  to 
be  found  in  a  soldier's  toilet.  I  acted  in  retalia- 
tion for  wrongs  that  I  had  suffered.  It's  mighty 
hard  for  a  soldier  to  follow  the  Bible  doctrine  in 
that  particular. 

Between  Memphis  and  Cairo  I  had  wTitten  a 
long  letter,  portra3^ing  the  acts  and  intentions  of 


74  CAMP,   FIELD   AND    PRISOlSr    LIFE. 

the  Northern  army,  as  seen  and  expressed  before 
my  eyes  and  hearing.  I  had  the  satisfaction  of 
saying  precisely  what  I  thonght  and  felt,  and  I 
managed  to  hire  a  hoy  to  mail  it  at  Cairo  to  a 
friend  at  home.  That  was  the  last  time  np  to 
date  that  I  fully  expressed  my  sentiments,  but, 
though  necessarily  silent,  my  feelings  are  un- 
changed. 

June  2d. — In  the  forenoon  transportation  was 
ready  for  the  balance  of  the  prisoners.  The  offi- 
cers were  honored  with  passenger  cars,  but  the 
privates  were  shipped  as  live  stock.  When  we 
had  proceeded  some  thirty  miles  out  on  the  Illinois 
Central,  our  limited  privileges  were  suddenly  cut 
short  by  a  rather  disagreeable  incident.  A  Lieu- 
tenant belonging  to  my  regiment  jumped  from  a 
car  window  while  the  train  was  running,  and  made 
his  escape  back  to  the  "land  of  cotton."  The 
train  was  immediately  stopped  and  a  vain  search 
made  for  tlie  daring,  reckless  traitor,  who  had  no 
time  to  tarry,  but  was  making  tracks  for  "Dixie." 
Colonel  Spalding  came  through  the  train  giving 
us  a  lecture  ;  said  he  had  taken  pains  to  make  us 
comfortable  and  place  us  under  as  few  restrictions 
as  possible,  trusting  to  our  honor  not  to  abuse  the 
privilege,  but  that  he  must  now  double  the  guard 
and  curtail  our  liberties.  We  were  after  that  re- 
quired to  keep  the  car  windows  down,  and  two 
guards  were  placed  at  each  door. 


CAMP,   FIT^LD    A^^D   rPJSON    LIFE.  / .) 

For  some  twenty  miles  from  Cairo  is  a  dense 
wilderness  of  small  growth,  and  scarcely  a  house 
could  he  seen.  Then  we  struck  a  hetter  countr}^, 
but  it  was  lately  cleared,  and  tlie  houses  were  new 
and  uni)retentious,  and  their  crops  of  wheat  and 
corn,  though  late,  looked  well.  As  we  got  further 
into  the  interior,  habitations  became  more  fre- 
quent, and  the  villages  along  the  road  were  numer- 
ous. In  fact,  it  seems  to  be  a  favorite  way  for  the 
people  in  that  whole  section  to  dwell  in  little 
towns.  Presently  we  struck  one  of  those  broad 
and  extended  prairies  so  common  in  the  Western 
country.  Thousands  of  acres  stretched  out  before 
the  vision,  with  scarcely  a  hillock  to  disturb  the 
uniform  surface. 

Sometimes  I  noticed  hundreds  of  acres  under 
one  fence,  the  various  farms  and  crops  being  only 
separated  by  a  turning  row.  Then  again  I  saw 
vast  pastures  inclosed  with  fences  constructed 
with  posts  and  only  two  rounds  of  plank,  well  up 
from  the  ground.  In  these  beautiful  fields  were 
every  description  of  stock,  luxuriating  midst  the 
rank  prairie,  herd  and  other  grasses.  And  now 
again  we  rolled  along  for  miles,  seeing  neither 
houses,  fences  nor  trees  ;  nothing  but  great  herds 
of  horses  and  cattle  roaming  at  large,  being  known 
only  by  each  farmer's  particular  mark. 

As  we  glided  along  by  the  various  farm  houses, 
the  women  and  children  would  come  rushing  out 


76  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

to  see  tlie  rebels,  wlio  were  rapidly  wliiiiing  on 
prison  ward.  The  first  town  of  any  note  tliat  we 
came  to  was  Duquoin,  where  a  great  multitude  of 
all  sorts  had  congregated  to  see  the  Yicksburg 
boys.  To  some  of  the  prying  and  inquisitive  the 
rebellonians  would  say,  "  Take  a  good  look,  gen- 
tlemen, the  show  is  free,"  and  sometimes  a  devilish 
chap  would  take  off  his  hat  and  say,  "  Come  up 
closer,  and  see  my  horns."  Instead  of  finding  us 
cowed,  they  would  get  ashamed  of  themselves 
and  go  away. 

At  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  we  found  our- 
selves at  Centralia,  a  railroad  junction  of  some 
importance.  It  is  a  beautiful  town,  and  has  many 
signs  of  wealth  and  prosperity.  Here  whole  troops 
of  the  fair  sex  flocked  out  to  see  us.  Many  waved 
their  snow-white  'kerchiefs  and  had  a  smile  on  the 
countenance,  seeming  to  mean  "  hurrah  for  Dixie." 
As  we  had  to  stop  for  an  o]3posing  passenger 
train,  we  had  an  opportunity  to  talk  with  many 
of  the  citizens,  and  found  right  smart  of  the 
"  Copperhead  "  spirit  prevalent. 

All  night  long  we  rattled  on  over  the  IlUnois 
prairies,  and  at  dajdight  were  at  Terre  Haute, 
Indiana,  bound  for  Indianapolis.  We  were  de- 
tained here  several  hours,  and  our  field  officers, 
some  ten  in  number,  Avere  allowed  to  go  up  town 
for  breakfast.  Those  of  us  who  had  greenbacks 
bought  little    things   from   the    peddling    boys. 


CAMP,    FIK.LD    A  XI)    Pill  SOX     LIFE,  77 

Greenbacks  were  now  all  the  2:0,  Confederate 
nioiK^y  heing  worth  IVom  ten  to  twenty-live  rents 
on  the  dollar,  and  hnt  few  bn3^ers  at  that.  On 
th«^  way  np  from  Yicksbnrg  I  exchanged  thirty 
dollars  at  the  rate  of  fifteen  cents  per  dollar. 

Terre  Ilante  is  a  large  and.  handsome  j^lace, 
and  full  of  thrift.  The  folks  here  looked  kinder 
crooked  at  the  Sonthern  boys,  and  were  not  mncli 
inclined  to  talk.  Mine  eyes  have  never  before 
beheld  so  many  women  and  children  as  are  all 
throagh  that  country.  In  a  few  more  j^ears  Uncle 
Abraham  will  have  a  young  army  to  relieve  the 
sick  and  weary. 

The  only  man  that  I  ever  really  wanted  to  harm 
in  my  life  I  found  right  here.  The  morning  was 
sultry,  and  our  car  being  crowded,  it  was  almost 
suffocating  when  the  train  was-  not  in  motion.  A 
sergeant  came  through  the  cars,  and  I  asked  per- 
mission to  raise  a  window  just  a  little,  for  fresh 
air,  which  he  granted.  In  a  few  minutes  a  black 
Dutch  soldier  came  along  on  the  outside  and  yelled 
out  to  down  with  the  window.  At  first  I  pretended 
not  to  hear  him,  hoping  he  would  go  on ;  but  when 
I  saw  he  was  determined  to  be  heard,  I  turned  to 
him  and  said  the  sergeant  had  given  me  leave  to 
keep  it  ui).  He  said  it  made  no  difi'erence,  the 
window  must  come  down.  I  lowered  it,  and  he 
went  on,  and  I  raised  it  again.  Presently  he 
appeared  a  second   time,  and  poured  forth   his 


78  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

broken  gibberish.  I  began  to  expostulate  and 
reason  with  him,  when  he  lowered  his  gan,  cocked 
it,  and  swore  he  would  blow  my  brains  out  if  I 
did  not  close  the  opening  straightway.  I  had  read 
somewhere,  when  a  little  boy,  a  fable,  the  moral 
of  which  was,  "  Discretion  is  often  the  better  part 
of  valor."  The  happy  thought  struck  me,  and  I 
acted  upon  it  immediately  by  closing  down  the 
windo^v;,  for  I  did  not  know  but  what  he  would  be 
fool  enough  to  fire  away.  Who  would  like  to  be 
unjustly  ordered  by  and  compelled  to  obey  such 
a  creature  ?  I  can  not  better  express  my  feelings 
toward  him  than  to  say  they  were  such  as  most 
of  us  generally  experience  when  we  see  a  mean, 
venomous  snake. 

Leaving  Terre  Haute  about  the  middle  of  the 
forenoon  of  June  3d,  we  glided  on  at  a  good  speed 
through  a  fertile  and  thicklj^-  settled  country,  pass- 
ing a  number  of  neat  towns  and  hamlets, .  and 
arrived  at  Indianapolis  at  two  o'clock.  I  had 
been  to  Indianapolis  before,  but  under  different 
auspices.  'Twas  the  day  after  the  battle  of  "  Bull 
Run ;"  then  I  could  laugh  on  the  other  side  of  my 
mouth. 

Though  many  prisoners  had  been  in  Indiana- 
polis, and  one  would  have  imagined  they  were  no 
curiosity,  the  lawyers,  the  doctors,  merchants, 
mechanics,  women,  children  and  contrabands  all 
ran  out  to  see  us.     They  wanted  to  get  one  long, 


AND   PRISON    LIFE.  79 

lingering  peep  at  the  *'  secesliers  "  wlio  were  trying 
so  earnestly  to  break  np  tlie  "glorions  Union." 
The  soldiers,  too,  left  their  barracks  t(^  do  ns 
homage.  They  were  so  very  j)olite  and  kind- 
hearted  as  to  come  out  in  full  uniform,  Avith  shining 
bayonets,  to  see  us  well  cared  for. 

Inasmuch  as  we  had  left  all  our  good  clothes  at 
Yicksburg,  and  had  for  several  weeks  lived  in  the 
rough,  and  without  any  change  of  clothing,  we 
were  truly  a  hard-looking  party.  No  doul)t  the 
loyal  lookers  on  imagined  we  loved  fight  better 
than  dress,  and  thereby,  in  their  own  minds, 
accounted  for  why  we  usually  whipped  the  Yan- 
kee boys  so  when  we  had  a  fair  shake. 

After  some  hxing  around,  an  escort  was  formed 
and  we  were  conducted,  not  to  "  Camp  Morton," 
as  was  first  intended,  but  to  "  The  Soldier's  Home," 
in  the  suburbs  of  the  city.  It  was  really  the 
nicest  and  most  agreeable  soldier's  quarters  I  ever 
saw.  It  is  a  camp  of  instruction  on  rather  a  large 
scale,  and  the  several  rows  of  neat  cottages,  with 
broad  spreading  oaks  all  about,  and  the  nice 
graveled  walks  and  ornamented  grounds  make  it 
truly  like  a  home.  There  are  several  wells  of 
pure,  cold,  limestone  water  near  by,  and  the  build- 
ings being  neatly  white-washed,  looked  quite 
inviting.  We,  the  "  secesh  "  officers,  170  in  num- 
ber, took  lodgings  in  the  spacious  dining  hall, 
which  was  clean  and  b}^  far  the  best  quarters  we 


80     '  CAMP,   FIELD    AiS'D   PEISOX    LIFE. 

liad  occn23ied  since  Uncle  Sam  undertook  to  care 
for  us. 

At  four  o'clock  long  rows  of  tables  were  set, 
and  we  partook  of  a  delicious  repast,  prepared 
for  us  by  the  garrison  cooks.  We  relished  it  the 
more  because  for  some  weeks  we  had  been  living 
sorter  on  the  wing.  In  the  evening  I  wrote  to  my 
mother^  informing  her  of  my  good  luck  in  finding 
myself  alive,  and  telling  her  of  my  future  pros- 
pects. 

That  night  we  roosted  on  the  floor,  and  the  guard 
was  so  accommodating  as  to  stay  on  the  outside 
of  the  building,  but  they  kept  strict  vigils  over  us 
while  we  slumbered. 

We  rose  with  the  next  day's  sun,  took  a  refresh- 
ing bath,  and  then  a  good  warm  breakfast.  The 
difference  between  the  temperature  there  and  in 
our  Southern  home  was  quite  perceivable.  At  an 
early  hour  curiosity  seekers,  those  in  search  of 
old  friends,  newspaper  correspondents  and  others, 
began  flocking  in  to  see  us.  By  consent  of  the 
officer  of  the  guard,  but  few  were  debarred  the 
privilege  of  free  intercourse.  In  one  case  a  resi- 
dent of  the  city  found  his  brother  in  our  midst ; 
he  did  not  seem  to  censure  his  course,  but  gave 
him  money  and  clothing.  A  very  interesting  and 
aff'ecting  incident  v/as  the  meeting  of  a  young 
lady  and  her  rebel  brother.  Some  of  our  fellows 
found  acquaintances  who  were  renegades  from  the 


81 

Soutli,  and  oil  I  l)iit  tlicy  were  bitter  against  us. 
Many  visited  .us  merely  for  the  curiosity  of  iind- 
ing  out  what  we  really  thought  about  the  affair. 
AVlieii  we  told  them  in  unvarnished  terms,  tluy 
could  not  exactly  see  it  in  that  light,  but  wliat 
was  to  be  done  about  it  ? 

The  morning  after  our  arrival  a  dirty  little  sheet, 
the  Indianapolis  Gazette^  spoke  of  us  in  terms 
that  some  j)eople  would  call  left-handed  compli- 
ments, but,  as  the  little  boy  did  upon  one  occasion, 
we  considered  the  source.  It  said,  among  other 
things,  that  we  rebel  officers  were  most  as  intelli- 
gent as  the  generality  of  their  privates,  and 
strongly  intimated  that,  if  we  behaved  ourselves, 
we  were  nearly  as  good  as  the  flat-nosed  sons  of 
Ethiopia  who  are  at  the  bottom  of  all  this  muss. 

The  capital  of  Indiana  is  a  large,  well-built  And 
flourishing  city,  and  is  one  of  the  most  pleasant, 
comfortable  looking  places  I  was  ever  in.  It  is  a 
great  railroad  metropolis,  at  least  a  dozen  roads 
centering  at  that  point.  The  grand  union  depot 
from  whence  all  the  trains  start  is  a  magnificent 
aftair.  Trains  are  arriving  and  going  at  every 
hour  of  the  day  and  night,  and  one  unacquainted 
or  unused  to  traveling  would  be  perplexed  about 
what  train  to  get  on  to  go  in  the  desired  direction. 
Considering  how  j)atriotically  the  State  had  res- 
ponded to  every  call  for  troops,  we  were  astonished 

to  find  so  many  Southern  sympathizers,  elegantly 
6 


82  CA]\rP,   FIELD   AXD   PRISON    LIFE. 

denominated  "Butternuts"  hy  the  Abolition  fac- 
tion. 

The  stubborn  resistance  to  the  draft  shows  the 
hitent  spirit  that  lias  been  suppressed  in  the  hearts 
of  the  people,  not  only  of  that  State,  but  the  whole 
North.  The  Democracy  of  the  jS"ortli  now  gee  and 
feel  that  of  which  we  were  convinced  more  than 
two  years  ago,  that  the  fanatical  demagogues  in 
their  section  would  take  away  our  liberties  and 
destroy  our  institutions,  even  at  the  price  of  the 
Constitution,  which  the  Democracy  have  tried  to 
maintain  in  its  purity.  But  it  is  now  too  late  for 
them  to  retire  from  the  unholy  alliance.  Tliey 
can  only  use  their  powers  of  persuasion  and  en- 
treaty that  the  war  be  carried  on  as  they  thought 
it  was  begun,  alone  for  the  safety  and  perpetua- 
tion of  the  Union  and  Constitution ;  an  appeal  to 
arms,  not  words,  must  now  settle  the  contest. 

At  eight  o'clock,  p.  m.,  June  4th,  we  bade  fare- 
well to  Indiana's  capital,  and  on  board  a  good 
passenger  train  on  the  Bellefontaine  road  we  hied 
away  for  the  lakes.  A  crowd  were  at  the  depot 
to  see  the  last  of  the  "Dixie  lads."  All  night  we 
ran  on  over  a  good,  easy  riding  road,  but  could 
form  very  little  idea  of  the  towns  or  country  along 
the  route.  We  passed  through  Bellefontaine  just 
as  streaks  of  gray  began  to  appear  in  the  East, 
and  at  nine  o'clock  were  at  Tiffan,  Ohio.  Long 
rows  of  large,  elegant  storehouses,  beautiful  man- 


CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PrvIRON    LIFE.  83 

sions,  with  tasteful  surrouiuling  embelUsliments, 
and  towering,  gilded  steeples,  were  before  nis. 
The  day  before  nine  men  had  been  arrested  and 
sent  to  Johnson's  Island  for  burning  a  church  in 
the  neighborliood  because  Abolition  doctrines 
were  preached  from  its  pulpit. 

Thongh  we  passed  through  some  splendid  and 
flourishing  lands  in  Ohio,  there  was  not  that  fresh, 
inviting  look  about  it  as  in  Illinois  and  Indiana. 
Most  of  the  soil  has  a  red,  sandy  look,  and  seems 
as  though  it  were  worn  out.  In  some  localities 
timber  is  large  and  plentiful,  but  I  noticed  much 
scrub  timber. 

The  farms  are  mostly  in  good  repair  and  well 
stocked,  and  all  about  the  farm  houses  I  noticed 
many  conveniences  not  to  be  met  with  in  the 
South. 

About  midday  we  came  in  sight  of  Sandusky 
bay,  and  in  a  very  little  while  were  running  over 
a  trestle  work  some  distance  in  the  water,  and 
when  we  looked  out  at  the  car  window  it  seemed 
as  if  we  had  taken  wings  and  were  flying  over  the 
bay.  In  due  time  we  checked  up  in  the  popu- 
lous and  thriving  city  of  Sandusky.  As  we  neared 
the  bay  we  could  see  our  future  prison  home  in 
the  distance.  It  had  a  picturesque  and  pleasing 
appearance,  and  the  star-spangled  banner  floated 
majestically  over  all. 

It  could  but  bring  curious  thoughts  and  strange, 
indescribable  feelings  to  think  of  going  on  that 
lone  isle  in  the  lake,  to  be  shut  up  from  the  world 
lor  we  knew  not  how  long. 


84 


CHAPTER  IV. 


Prison  Home,  Lake  Erie, 
Near  Sandusky,  Ohio,  July  26,  ISGS. 

Twas  aboiifc  two  in  tlie  afternoon  of  June  5th 
that  we  marched  to  the  dock  and  took  passage 
on  a  nice  little  steamer,  the  "  Bonnie  Boat,'-  that 
constantly  plies  "between  the  city  and  Johnson's 
Island,  a  distance  of  three  miles.  She  glided  like 
a  swan  through  the  pearly,  placid  water,  and  in 
twenty  minutes  we  floated  up  against  the  island 
dock.  But  few  of  us  had  ever  before  heen  on  a 
lake  or  seen  a  sail  craft,  of  which  dozens  were 
now  in  sight,  flitting  about  with  the  breeze,  seem- 
ing to  have  no  particular  destination.  Man}^  of 
them  were  fishing  smacks  that  rode  at  ease 
wherever  the  wind  blew,  trapping  the  finny  tribe. 

We  disembarked,  and,  marching  between  two 
files  of  blue-jackets,  were  halted  in  front  of  Major 
Pierson's  quarters,  where  the  laddies  were  called 
up,  one  by  one,  and  politely  advised  to  turn  over 
their  funds  for  safe  keeping.  Many  of  the  gray- 
j.acket  gentry  did  not  relish  the  idea,  as  they 


85 

tliouglit  themselves  quite  old  enough  to  take 
care  of  their  own  chink,  besides  having  a  slight 
presentiment  that  there  nught  be  a  Yankee  trick 
in  it  I  had  prepared  for  the  emergency  by  putting 
away  §300  in  Confederate  scrip  in  my  other  pocket, 
not  visible  to  the  outer  world.  Like  a  man,  I 
forked  over  forty  odd  dollars,  and  opened  wide 
my  purse  to  show  them  that  I  was  acting  honest, 
and  not  keeping  any  back. 

Lieutenant  Allen,  of  my  company,  had  nearly 
$400,  part  his  own,  part  belonging  to  members  of 
our  company,  and  the  balance  to  Uncle  Jeff,  which, 
in  the  hurrj^^  of  the  moment,  he  had  put  in  his 
day  book,  and  aimed  to  secrete  it  in  a  i^ocket  in 
his  drawers,  but  he  missed  the  hole,  and  when 
called  up  to  "  shell  out,"  intending  to  give  up 
some  820  he  kept  in  his  pocket  book,  the  hidden 
treasure  fell  down  his  pants  leg  before  the  Yanks, 
and  he  picked  it  up  and  planked  out  all  his  cash. 

Upon  first  sight,  the  island  had  quite  a  prepos- 
sessing appearance,  being  slightly  sloped,  having 
a  nice  sward  of  green  grass,  with  here  and  there 
a  stately  shade  tree.  The  cottages,  offices  and 
barracks  were  neat  and  clean,  and,  on  the  opposite 
side  from  where  we  landed,  a  beautiful  forest  made 
the  whole  look  quite  genial.  The  garrison  con- 
sisted of  "  Hoff*man's  Battalion,"  which  had  been 
on  duty  there  since  the  first  existence  of  the  insti- 
tution.    They  were  all  dressed  in  the  full  uniform 


86  CAMP,    riELD   A^^D  PETS  OX    LIFE. 

autliorized  by  army  regulations,  and  formed  quite 
a  contrast  to  soldiers  in  active  service.  But  few 
of  our  party  liad  ever  before  seen  such  splendid 
uniforms,  and  some  of  them  concluded  that  they 
surely  were  a  stuck-up,  aristocratic  set  of  fellows. 
It  seemed  to  them  not  in  good  taste  for  a  soldier 
to  have  gloves  on.  Our  uniform  being  so  mottled, 
and  so  little  cared  for  save  as  it  gave  comfort,  the 
dissimilarity  was  so  much  more  striking. 

Our  fellows  have  now,  however,  got  over  their 
curious  notions  about  Federal  garb,  and  don't  care 
how  much  they  show  off.  "We  were  forcibly  im- 
pressed with  the  notion  that  fine  dress  and  haughty 
demeanor  don't  constitute  the  soldier,  and,  though 
in  parti-colored  and  seedy  attire,  Ave  felt  fully  able 
to  cope  with  the  same  number  of  those  fine  sol- 
diers, who  had  never  heard  a  cannon  except  at  a 
jubilee  or  celebration. 

Before  entering  the  prison  yard  we'll  take  a 
view  of  the  city  and  surrounding  prospects.  San- 
dusky is  a  place  of  smart  merit  and  importance, 
being  a  port  of  entry  for  the  lakes,  and  a  s^^stem 
of  railroads  bringing  it  in  close  proximity  to  New 
York,  Pittsburg,  Cincinnati,  Chicago,  St.  Louis 
and  Canada.  It  is  a  brisk  manufacturing  place, 
quite  a  number  of  fine  and  commodious  factories 
being  in  full  .blast,  and  her  public  edifices  look 
quite  as  imposing  as  those  of  larger  cities.  From 
a  communication  with  the  citizens  through  the 


CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIIi:.  87 

press  and  other  channels,  we  have  found  out  that 
they  are  deeply  tainted  Avitli  Black  Repuhlican- 
isni.  The  water  front  of  the  city,  stretching  along 
for  nearly  a  mile,  is  in  plain  view  of  our  island 
home. 

In  surveying  the  high  walls,  the  portals  of  which 
we  were  about  to  enter,  and  the  surroundings,  one 
could  not  be  much  elated  with  the  idea  or  pros- 
pect of  escape.  I  found  out  right  away  that  the 
most  pious  and  sensible  course  would  be  to  resign 
myself  to  fate,  and  await  the  action  of  those  in 
power,  and  I  suited  the  action  to  the  thought. 

JSTow  we  for  the  first  time  entered  the  walls  of  a 
prison  in  the  capacity  of  prisoners  of  war.  Some 
of  our  party,  who  were  surrendered  at  Fort  Donel- 
son,  spent  last  summer  here,  and  know  the  proper 
modus  operandi.  "We  could  but  feel  somewhat 
unpleasant  at  the  thought  of  being  circumscribed 
by  such  narrow  limits  for  an  indefinite  length  of 
time,  constantly  guarded  and  watched  by  a  chain 
of  sentinels  whose  beat  was  on  the  outside,  and 
near  the  top  of  a  wall  some  twelve  feet  high. 
Then  the  thought  that  we  were  to  be  subject  to 
the  mandates  of  those  who  were  our  known  ene- 
mies was  not  cheering.  But  I  am  glad  to  say  that 
prison  life  —  in  so  well  selected,  arranged  and 
conducted  a  place  as  this  —  has  been  far  more 
agreeable  than  I  anticipated.  But  of  course  there 
is  no  patriotic  soldier  who  would  not  rather  be 


88  CAMP,   FIELD    AITD   PRISON    LIFE. 

battling  and  suffering  for  Ms  country  tlian  stay  in 
an  enemy's  prison,  tliougli  lounging  in  ease,  opu- 
lence and  security. 

Very  much  like  young  fellows  first  going  to 
college,  we  were  smartly  puzzled  wlien  we  first 
entered,  not  knowing  where  to  go  or  wiiat  to  do. 
But  a  fellow  who  has  been  out  soldiering  some 
time  learns  to  pitch  in  if  he  would  do  well. 
Learning  that  the  first  thing  to  be  done  was  to 
get  rooms,  we  split  out  for  a  choice.  The  squad  I 
was  in  was  to  occupy  Block  4.  I  got  room  'No. 
19,  having  only  four  beds  in  it,  hoping  to  avoid 
taking  in  another  man,  as  myself  and  three 
Lieutenants  filled  the  beds.  We  did  not  have  to 
increase  our  number,  and  our  room  proved  one  of 
the  best  in  the  block. 

Our  building  contained  eighty  prisoners,  divided 
into  two  messes,  there  being  a  dining  and  cook 
room  for  each,  and  a  stove  tolerably  well  supplied 
with  vessels.  Our  cupboard  ware  consisted  of  tin 
plates,  tin  cups,  knives,  forks  and  spoons,  and, 
though  rustic  in  appearance,  they  served  our  pur- 
pose as  fully  as  a  lord's  outfit.  Our  rations  were 
the  same  as  issued  to  the  Federal  soldiery,  con- 
sisting of  baker's  bread,  beef  or  bacon,  coffee, 
sugar,  rice,  hominy,  vinegar,  soap  and  candles. 
My  mess  employed  two  regular  cooks,  at  §15  per 
month  each.  Whatever  extra  articles  we  got 
from   the   sutler  we   cooked  for  ourselves,  and, 


89 

according  to  our  notions,  many  a  savory  disli  did 
we  x^repare. 

Our  second  day  of  prison  life  was  spent  in  form- 
ing new  acquaintances,  getting  posted  as  to  the 
laws  and  regulations,  and  learning  the  ropes  of 
the  institution.  Most  all  the  prisoners  we  founr" 
here,  some  lifty  in  number,  were  citizens  suspected 
of  sympathizing  with  the  rebellion.  Confederate 
soldiers  held  as  suspected  spies,  guerrillas,  and 
eight  unfortunate  partisans  of  the  South  who  had 
been  tried  and  condemned  as  spies.  They  were 
kept  in  a  small  building  in  one  corner  of  the  prison 
yard,  with  balls  and  chains  on  their  ankles  and 
handcufl's,  and  we  were  not  allowed  to  go  near 
them. 

Two  weeks  j)revious  to  our  arrival  a  couple  of 
rebel  captains  were  shot  as  spies,  and  two  others 
were  under  sentence  for  execution  the  very  day 
we  got  here,  but  for  some  reason  they  are  yet 
permitted  to  live.  Most  of  these  men  were  con- 
demned in  conformity  with  the  infamous  Order 
JNTo-  38,  I  believe,  of  General  Burnside. 

Several  prominent  and  free-spoken  newspai3ers 
in  his  Department  were  attempted  to  be  sup- 
pressed in  pursuance  of  the  same  order,  but  the 
mass,  the  advocates  of  the  freedom  of  speech  and 
the  press,  cried  out  against  it,  and  were  ready  to 
vindicate  those  precious  boons,  by  force  if  neces- 
sary.   The  papers  continue  to  speak  boldly  of 


90  CAMP,   riELD   AND   PETSON    LIFE. 

the  unauthorized  and  impolitic  doings  of  the  Ad- 
ministration. 

In  accordance  with  the  same  vile  order,  Hon. 
C.  L.  Yallandigham,  the  champion  of  Democracy 
and  the  rights  of  the  people  in  Ohio,  was  dragged 
from  his  home  before  a  Military  Commission  for 
no  offense  against  the  military  laws  of  the  land, 
was  found  guilty  of  nothing  the  laws  of  his  coun- 
try did  not  allow,  and  sentenced  to  banishment 
from  Northern  soil.  That  is  but  a  single  item  in 
the  long  catalogue  of  deep  wrongs  committed  by 
those  wielding  power  under  a  government  where 
once  the  rights  and  the  property  of  all  were 
sacredly  respected. 

The  men  we  found  in  prison  had  been  incarcer- 
ated from  three  to  ten  months.  Against  many  of 
them  no  special  charge  had  ever  been  instituted, 
and  over  and  again  an  investigation  of  their 
cases  had  been  promised.  Some  had  been  sen- 
tenced to  confinement  during  the  war.  Several 
citizens  have  lately  been  released  upon,  giving 
heavy  bond  and  security.  Most  of  them  were 
from  Kentucky. 

Our  first  Sunday  in  prison,  June  7th,  was  rather 
a  lonesome  day,  for,  having  no  military  duties  to 
perform,  nor  anything  to  do  or  prepare  for  the 
morrow,  many  a  one  of  us  gave  up  the  day  to 
refiections  concerning  home,  the  happiness  once 
experienced  there,  and  the  prospect  of  ever  again 


91 

greeting  the  loved  ones  and  finding  such  a  home 
as  we  once  had.  With  little  effort  one  can  forget 
passing  events  and  fall  into  a  reverie  to  rehearse 
and  j)ass  before  the  vision  of  imagination  the 
panorama  of  past  life.  As  in  a  dream,  the  jo3^s 
are  sometimes  almost  real,  but  alas!  something 
startles  us  from  the  reverie  to  find  only  fleeting 
phantoms  where  was  once  genuine  life  and  hap- 
piness. 

During  the  day  I  wrote  a  letter  home,  thereby 
recalling  many  pleasing  incidents  and  associa- 
tions, and  almost  feeling  sad  because  I  was  doomed 
to  spend  days,  weeks  and  months  in  an  enemy's 
bastile,  instead  of  the  home  circle,  from  whence 
the  light  of  genuine,  unfading  happiness  shines. 
But  no  sooner  did  I  hnd  myself  temporizing  in  a 
desponding'  mood,  than,  by  an  effort,  I  dispelled 
all  such  thoughts  from  my  mind,  and  resolved  to 
have  fortitude  to  bear  up  under  whatever  might 
be  my  fate. 

The  Feds,  had  preaching  in  the  chapel  "  on  the 
outside,"  many  ladies  coming  over  from  the  city 
of  Sandusky,  possibly  more  for  the  novelty  than 
the  benefit  of  the  thing.  We  poor  devils  are  sin- 
ners trespassing  against  Uncle  Abe's  laws,  so  we 
must  work  out  our  own  salvation.  Late  in  the 
afternoon  the  garrison  battalion  went  on  dress 
parade,  fixed  up  in  their  gayest  attire,  including 
blacked  boots,  a  rare  sight  down  in  Dixie.     They 


92  CAMP,    FIELD   AITD   PRISO:^^    LIFE. 

went  tlirougli  tlie  various  appropriate  evolutions 
in  good  style,  and  a  splendid  brass  band  added 
materially  to  the  interest  of  the  performance. 
Many  of  the  fellows  from  the  South  land  had 
never  seen  a  dress  parade  in  so  gorgeous  a  style, 
and  many  a  curious  remark  and  ludicrous  sug- 
gestion was  made  by  said  rebellonians. 

People  at  home  have  but  little  idea  what  Sun- 
day in  camp  is.  No  duty  is  dis2Densed  with  save 
drill — in  fact,  the  recurrence  of  the  day  would 
often  be  forgotten  but  for  somebody  suggesting 
the  proj)riety  of  putting  on  a  clean  shirt.  How- 
ever, when  there  are  services,  there  is  generally  a 
good  attendance  and  strict  attention. 
.  By  Monday,  our  fourth  day  in  limbo,  we  were 
pretty  well  -up  to  the  ways  within  that  little 
world,  and  began  to  prepare  for  the  siege.  The 
first  item  of  importance  was  to  let  all  our  friends 
know  of  our  whereabouts  and  destitute  condition 
generally,  not  forgetting  to  remind  them  that  a 
little  to  wear,  a  little  to  eat  and  a  little  to  spend 
would  soothe  our  feelings  monstrously.  Many  an 
old  and  long  forgotten  acquaintance  was  scraped 
up,  generally  for  the  supposed  money  value. 

Up  to  date  the  seoesh  gentry  have  had  all  kinds 
of  luck.  Some  got  help  with  a  free  good  will ; 
some  got  it,  the  sender  hoping  to  reap  a  rich  re- 
ward hereafter.  Others  were  joroffered  assistance 
if  they  would  forsweai*  themselves,  and  take  the 


CA^IP,    FIELD   AND   PRISOX    LIFE.  93 

ojitli  of  allegiance  to  Uncle  Sam\s  monarchy. 
Some  of  the  rebels  played  Yankee  on  the  pre- 
tended generous  and  patriotic  donors,  by  profess- 
ing to  be  of  weak  faith  in  the  Southern  cause,  and 
rather  forced  into  service  by  circumstances,  inti- 
mating that  they  would  leave  the  service  soon  as 
possible.  It  is  easy  to  imagine  their  chagrin  when 
the  fellows  would  write  back,  acknowledging  re- 
ceipt of  funds,  and  divulging  that  it  was  a  trick 
for  a  purpose,  Saying  that  they  proposed  still  to 
fight,  bleed,  and,  if  it  needs  be,  die  for  the  land 
of  their  nativity  and  love. 

That  day  I  i^ut  my  watch,  my  onh^  relic  of 
home,  in  pawn  with  the  sutler  for  some  things  we 
wanted,  with  the  privilege  of  redeeming  it  so  soon 
as  I  got  money  from  home.  I  bought  some  butter 
and  potatoes  as  a  kind  of  pastry  to  our  soldier 
fare.  The  sutler  has  an  establishment  inside  the 
prison  walls,  and  is  allowed  to  sell  us  anything 
not  contraband  of  war.  At  first  his  prices  seemed 
marvelously  low,  compared  with  Yicksburg  rates, 
but  now  we  find  he  makes  a  large  profit. 

That  day  by  ten  o'clock  the  space  all  around 
the  pump  was  lined  with  wash  tubs,  and  many  a 
one  of  the  Southern  chivalry,  who  in  times  not 
far  away  had  not  known  what  it  was  to  wait  on 
himself,  might  now  have  been  seen  with  sleeves 
rolled  up,  and  on  his  knees,  washing  his  shirt, 
which  he  had  not  chano-ed  for  a  month.     Som.-e- 


94  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

were  naived  to  tlie  waist,  after  pugilistin  fashion, 
simply  because  tliey  had  no  clean  shirts  to  put  on 
while  they  washed  the  dirty  ones.  Some  were 
scalding  their  blankets,  partty  to  get  the  dirt  out 
and  in  part  to  slay  the  "  gray -backs  "  obtained  on 
the  boats  coming  up  the  Mississippi. 

Having  some  days  previous  made  a  requisition, 
and  my  aj)peara.nce  being  a  sufficient  voucher 
that  the  articles  were  needed,  I,  on  the  10th  day 
of  June,  drew  from  Uncle  Abraham's  bounty  a 
pair  of  pants,  socks  and  drawers,  bargaining  to 
pay  for  them  in  board,  as  he  keeps  us  cheap.  In 
fact,  he  will  have  us  stay  with  him  whether  or 
not,  and  he  was  *so  anxious  to  have  us  sojourn 
with  him  for  a  time  that  he  actually  furnished 
transportation  gratis  all  the  way  from  Yicksburg, 
almost  a  thousand  miles. 

Having  undergone  so  many  privations  and 
severities,  and  being  so  long  cooped  up  on  a  boat, 
I  now  began  to  feel  the  deleterious  effects,  nor 
was  I  b}^  any  means  alone  in  being  under  the 
weather.  My  ailment  seemed  to  be  nothing  more 
than  general  debility,  a  loss  of  appetite,  attended 
with  a  languid  feeling.  The  day  after  that  was 
rainy  and  gloomy,  such  as  are  complete  bores 
indoor,  unless  one  has  some  employment.  Making 
rings  of  gutta  percha  buttons  was  a  favorite  occu- 
pation with  the  prisoners  to  wear  away  the  time. 
Those  who  had  friends  north  of  Dixie  could  send 


CAMP,   FIELD    AXD   PRISON    LIFE.  95 

tliem  specimens,  of  tlieir  workmansliij),  some  of 
wliicli  was  really  exquisitely  nice.  An  ingenious 
fellow  would  take  a  gutta  perclia  rule  and  some 
buttons,  and  a  few  bits  of  shell,  silver  or  gold, 
and,  with  no  implements  but  a  knife  and  file,  in 
a  little  while  be  able  to  show  rings  and  other  trin- 
kets not  to  be  scorned  even  in  comparison  with  a 
jeweler's  stock.  He  would  cut  the  shell  and 
precious  metals  into  squares,  diamonds,  hearts, 
triangles  and  other  shapes,  which,  neatly  iitted 
and  imbedded  into  the  face  of  the  polished  black 
surface,  added  to  the  beauty  of  both  by  the  con- 
trast. 

My  room  had  almost  been  turned  into  a  ring 
manufactory,  our  little  shelf  being  piled  fall  of 
rude,  home-made  tools  and  material,  and  my 
companions  were  filing  and  gouging  away  right 
earnestly,  as  though  they  were  convicts,  with  a 
task  before  them.  As  I  never  had  an}^  mechani- 
cal genius,  I  contented  myself  wdth  looking  on 
and  making  suggestions.  Some  of  the  prisoners 
who  had  been  tliere  for  a  long  time,  and  expected 
to  remain  till  Gabriel  sounds  his  trump,  had  man- 
aged to  procure  complete  sets  of  tools,  and  made 
it  pay  by  disposing  of  their  trinkets  at  fair  prices, 
the  Yankee  boys  bu3'ing  many  of  them  as  curio- 
sities for  their  friends  and  sweethearts. 

The  next  few  days  were  clear  and  fine,  and  the 
only  record  I  have  of  them  is  that  I  obtained  some 


96  CAMP,   FIELD   AT^D   PEISOX    LIFE. 

medicine  from  the  post  surgeon  and  formed  the 
acquaintance  of  a  rebel  officer,  a  nephew  of  Gen. 
Breckenridge,  who  could  tell  me  of  many  of  my 
old  friends  about  Maysville,  Kentucky.  In  the 
afternoon  of  June  15th  there  arrived  150  prisoners 
from  Camp  Chase.  They  were  privates,  and  were 
sent  there  for  some  special  reason,  as  the  prison 
was  intended  exclusively  for  officers.  They  were 
from  various  parts  of  our  army,  and  had  been 
captured  some  two,  some  ten  months.  As  they 
filed  past  my  quarters  I  got  a  glimpse  of  one  that 
I  took  to  be  a  neighbor  boy  of  my  youth.  As 
soon  as  they  got  settled  I  made  search  and  found 
that  he  was  the  same.  He  had  joined  Scott's 
Louisiana  cavalry  last  fall,  when  Gen.  E.  Kirby 
Smith  was  in  Kentucky,  and  losing  his  horse,  was 
left  behind,  and  evaded  the  enemy  till  a  few  weeks 
since,  when  they  nabbed  him  up  at  home. 

That  was  a  memorable  day  with  me,  for  I  got  a 
letter  from  my  mother,  the  first  one  , since  I  left 
her  side,  two  years  before,  to  try  my  fortunes  in 
the  South.  Having  been  cut  off  from  communi- 
cation with  home,  I  was  totally  ignorant  of  the 
state  of  affairs.  The  missive  was  full  of  interest- 
ing news,  which  I  swallowed  down  like  a  sponge 
imbibes  water,  and  the  kind,  sympathetic  words 
of  my  mother  made  my  heart  swell  and  flutter 
with  ecstatic  joy,  and  my  soul  felt  that  it  was 
good  to  be  once  more  in  communion  with  my  best 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PlilSOX    LIFE.  97 

frioiKl  on  earth.  As  I  wad  the  endearing  mater- 
nal f>entiinents,  briny  ti'ars  coursed  tlieir  way 
down  my  cheeks,  and  for  a  good  while  I  was 
overcome  with  feelings  that  pen  can  not  portray, 
and  only  those  can  appreciate  who  have  been 
similarly  situated. 

The  next  day  went  off  wearily  to  me,  for  I  was 
indisposed,  and  that  intensihed  my  thoughts  of 
the  comforts  and  endearments  of  home.  The  day 
following  the  Federal  corporal  who  came  into  my 
room  to  see  if  all  was  right  brought  me  a  lump  of 
ice,  for  which  I  was  very  thankful,  and  which 
helped  me  very  much.  I  relished  the  cold  ice 
even  more  than  my  food,  and  for  a  week  used  no 
other  water.  During  the  day  about  sixty  officers 
came  in  from  the  prison  at  Alton,  Illinois.  They, 
with  a  number  of  privates,  had  been  started  for 
exchange,  but  were  stopped  at  Pittsburg  and  sent 
here,  as  we  all  supposed,  on  account  of  retaliatory 
measures.  The  bad  faith  with  which  both  parties 
have  kept  the  cartel  agreed  upon  for  exchange 
has  caused  many  a  gallant  man  to  languish  and 
die  in  prison.  Thousands  of  soldiers  are  now 
suffering  in  prisons,  who,  at  a  word  from  those  in 
power,  could  be  honorably  exchanged  and  serving 
tlieir  cause. 

Little  incidents  are  constantly  occurring  in  mili- 
tary affairs  which  in  civil  times  would  be  regarded 

as  almost  inhuman,  but  are  now  lightly  passed 
7 


98  CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PEISOX     LIFE. 

over  and  forgotten,  save  by  those  smitten  with  the 
iron  rod  of  despotism.  It  was  the  19th  day  of 
Jnne  that  the  ]3arents  of  a  yonng  Missouri  officer 
came  to  see  him,  he  having  been  absent  from  them 
for  almost  two  years.  After  pleading  and  trying 
in  vain  to  see  him,  they  left  with  saddened  and 
embittered  hearts  because  of  such  uncalled  for 
treatment.  From  Sandusky  City  they  sent  him 
some  clothing  and  money,  with  their  sympathies 
and  blessings,  then  retraced  their  way  to  the  old 
homestead,  where  one  seat  of  that  once  happy 
family  is  vacant. 

The  same  day  a  few  more  Southern  gentry  came 
in,  and  I  received  a  message  from  a  liidy  friend 
in  the  home  land,  it  being  of  peculiar  interest , 
because  it  led  me  anew  over  the  paths  and  with 
the  lasses  of  my  youthful  days. 

It  was  about  that  date  that  we  heard  of  the  death 
of  Lieutenant  Read,  of  our  regiment,  who  we  had 
left  sick  at  Indianapolis.  He  was  taken  to  the 
Camp  Morton  hospital,  and  our  men,  all  of  whom 
had  been  taken  to  that  prison,  were  with  him  for 
help  and  comfort  in  his  last  moments.  He  was  a 
noble  fellow,  respected  and  beloved  by  all  who 
knew  him  at  home  and  in  the  army,  and  an  affec- 
tionate family  are  left  in  East  Tennessee  to  mourn 
his  loss. 

The  23d  and  24th  were  dull,  heavy  days,  nothing 
of  any  interest  transpiring  within  our  w\alls.     I 


99 

obtained  permission  from  the  post  commandant 
to  send  home  for  clothing  and  money.  For  some 
ten  days  previous  the  armies  of  Generals  Lee 
and  Hooker  had  been  very  active.  Hooker  had 
changed  his  base  to  the  front  of  Washington,  and 
the  people  of  Pennsylvania  were  alarmed  for  fear 
of  an  invasion,  and  not  without  cause,  and  effect 
too.  The  story  of  a  disastrous  defeat  of  the  Fed- 
erals at  Port  Hudson  some  weeks  ago  has  just 
leaked  out.  It  appears  that  a  select  storming 
party  attempted  to  scale  the  redoubts,  but  had  to 
give  back  with  great  slaughter. 

Yicksburg,  the  proud  monument  of  Southern 
valor,  still  stands,  notwithstanding  the  satellites 
of  General  Grant  proposed  to  eclipse  its  glory 
several  weeks  ago.  There,  too,  have  the  Federals 
met  with  some  of  those  terrible  repulses  which 
rash  Generals,  in  their  zeal  for  conquest  and  glory, 
have  brought  upon  their  soldiers,  who  know  noth- 
ing but  to  obey  those  whose  duty  it  is  to  command 
with  prudence  as  well  as  courage.  In  this  inter- 
national struggle,  thousands  have  fallen  victims 
to  the  inconsiderate  judgment  of  inefficient  com- 
manders. 

General  Joe.  Johnston  ain't  far  off  from  Yicks- 
burg, and  is  watching  with  an  eagle's  eye  an 
opportunity  to  take  advantage  of  Grant,  and  give 
relief  to  the  gallant  army  besieged  therein.  June 
25th  was  a  calm,  pleasant  day ;  scarcely  a  wave 


115.721] 


100  CAMP,   FIELD    A-^B   PRISON    LIFE. 

rippled  the  bosom  of  the  lake  that  stretched  out 
before  and  around  its.  The  day  was  in  every  wise 
suitable  for  the  excursion  party  that  went  out  that 
morning  in  the  "  Island  Queen,"  a  nice  little  craft 
fitted  up  specially  for  excursions. 

The  Queen,  with  loyal  pennons  floating  on  the 
breeze,  and  a  jolly  crew  and  cargo,  came  alongside 
Mr.  Johnson's  Island  to  get  a  peep  at  the  "Rebel 
Home,"  and  the  ladies  waved  their  white  'kerchiefs 
as  if  to  tantalize  us,  for  they  well  knew  we  would 
liked  to  have  been  in  their  stead,  Avith  our  sweet- 
hearts from  Dixie  by  our  side.  Our  only  consola- 
tion was  the  thought  that  all  things  work  together 
for  the  best,  and  that  our  clay  would  come  bye 
and  bye. 

The  next  day  was  consumed  by  the  usual  routine 
of  prison  life,  and  the  ensuing  one  we  were  rein- 
forced by  eighty  naughty  fellows  who  couldn't  see 
the  thing  in  an  abolition  light.  And  at  that  iden- 
tical date  the  arch  rebel  Robert  E.  Lee  was  threat- 
ening both  Washington  and  Harrisburg,  producing 
consternation  I^ortli  and  gladness  South.  During 
the  last  days  of  June  several  Federal  officers  were 
going  through  our  prison  trying  to  enlist  a  com- 
pany of  Confederates  for  loyal  service  in  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  being  afraid  to  trust  them  anywhere 
else.  They  succeeded  in  gulling  a  few  into  the 
trap  by  means  of  a  nicely  woven  and  brightly 
painted  story.     Their  gain  was  also  ours,  for  in 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PIUSON    LIFE.  101 

almost  every  case,  tlieir  converts  were  men  who 
had  been  driven  into  Sonthern  service  by  public 
sentiment  or  the  conscription  act.  For  some  days 
I  had  been  fast  convalescing  from  my  weakness 
and  del)ility,  and  now  felt  almost  like  a  new  man. 
About  a  prison,  as  well  as  about  a  camj),  there 
is  always  a  ^' grape  vine  telegraph,"  operated  by 
some  unknown,  mysterious  agent,  sometimes  de- 
nominated "Madame  Rumor."  Every  now  and 
then,  when  there  is  no  exciting  news,  and  most 
all  hands  are  moodily  groping  about,  soliloquizing 
and  tlieorizing  upon  the  dim  future,  she  makes 
known  some  startling  and  often  thrilling  event 
that  has  occurred  or  will  take  place. 

This  time,  July  1st,  a  disx)atch  says  that  the 
Commissioners,  Messrs.  Ludlow  and  Ould,  are 
busy  fixing  up  a  new  cartel  of  exchange,  for  a 
general  and  speedy  release  of  all  parties  in  the 
hands  of  the  enemy.  So  much  did  we  desire  such 
an  action  tha^t  the  very  whisper  of  a  probability 
gave  unction  to  pur  feelings  and  s^Dirits,  even 
though  we  had  a  hundred  times  been  deceived  by 
similar  reports. 

One  pleasant  feature  of  that  day  which  I  knew 
to  be  true,  for  I  witnessed  it,  was  the  receipt  of 
825.00  from  Baltimore  by  Lieutenant  Allen,  of  my 
company.  I  could  readily  appreciate  how  uncti- 
ons it  was,  for  I  knew  part  of  it  would  go  for  butter 


102  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

to  go  on  our  biscuits,  and  for  various  other  little 
tricks  to  be  shared  by  our  little  family  of  four. 

The  merchants  of  Baltimore  have  done  a  gener- 
ous part  by  the  Southern  officers  in  confinement 
here,  having  sent  fully  $1,000  to  the  sons  of  those 
who  were  their  patrons  from  the  South  in  civil 
times. 

General  Bragg  has  just  fallen  back  from  Tulla- 
lioma — as  we  predict — because  of  having  sent  so 
many  of  his  forces  off  to  the  support  of  Johiiston, 
and  finding  himself  unable  to  cope  with  the  over- 
whelming force  of  General  Rosecrans.  Besides, 
he  can  find  equally  as  strong  a  position  between 
Chattanooga  and  Bridgeport,  to  attack  which  it 
will  require  months  of  preparation  by  "  old  Rosy," 
since  he  will  be  so  much  further  from  his  base  of 
suv)plies,  and  will  require  so  much  more  force  to 
guard  his  rear  from  the  raids  of  our  cavalty. 

Perhaps  by  the  time  he  is  ready  to  give  fight 
the  urgent  necessity  for  troops  elsewhere  will  have 
ceased,  and  Bragg  be  able  to  draw  his  men  back 
again.  Anyhow,  that's  our  consoling  mode  of 
reasoning. 

It  would  seem  from  the  IN'orthern  papers  of  the 
past  few  days  that  "  Uncle  Robert  Lee  "  was  every- 
where, and  the  Feds,  afraid  to  strike  any  one 
place,  for  fear  he  will  turn  up  somewhere  else,  not 
to  their  advantage.  General  Ewell,  with  his  tt- n 
thousand  veterans  left  under  his  guardian  care  by 


CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE.  103 

tlie  immortal  "Stonewall  Jackson,"  was  threaten- 
ing Hariisburg,  wliicli  was  guarded  hy  thirty 
thousand  militia,  under  General  Couch.  Long- 
street,  Hill,  and  some  other  Southern  leaders,  not 
unknown  to  fame,  were  in  various  quarters,  and 
might  at  any  time  pounce  upon  Washington  or 
Baltimore.  Then  the  whereabouts  and  doings  of 
Stuart's,  Fitz  Hugh  Lee's  and  Jenkin's  cavalry 
was  full  of  mystery. 

At  the  same  time  there  was  stirring  news  from 
the  MississijDpi,  too  ;  Kirby  Smith  and  Price  were 
reported  not  far  from  Yicksburg,  threatening  to 
cut  off  Grant's  supplies.  Some  rebel  force  had 
almost  completely  wiped  out  the  nigger  regiments 
at  Millikin's  Bend,  and  General  Dick  Taylor  was 
making  somebody  smell  frost  way  down  in  Louis- 
iana. 

The  2d  day  of  July  we  were  allowed  to  go 
swimming  in  the  lake.  The  water  was  clear  and 
pleasant,  and  one  hundred  yards  from  the  shore 
was  not  over  waist  deep,  which  made  it  delightful 
bathing.  A  guard  was  placed  on  the  bank  to 
watch  us,  and  pop  a  fellow  if  he  proved  to  be  too 
expert  a  swimmer,  and  made  off  for  the  mainland. 

That  day  the  magnetic,  not  grape-vine,  telegraph 
brought  tidings  that  the  1st  of  July  Meade  and 
Lee  had  a  fight,  the  contest  being  undecided  at 
nightfall.  The  tone  of  the  dispatches  was  any- 
thing but  jubilant.     General  Meade  was  a  new 


104  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

commander,  and  naturally  the  army  liad  not  im- 
plicit coniidence  in  liim,  because  so  many  o^  their 
prime  commanders  had,  in  the  hour  of  greatest 
need,  failed,  and  been  laid  in  the  shade.  "  Fight- 
ing Joe  Hooker's"  light  has  expired,  and  he  is 
turned  out  to  graze. 

Just  see  the  consistency  in  the  acts  of  the  Fed- 
eral administration.  Hooker  ordered  the  evacua- 
tion of  Harper's  Ferry  that  he  might  concentrate 
and  make  his  army  more  powerful.  Maj  or-General 
Halleck,  the  "  Dictator,"  ordered  General  French 
not  to  respect  that  nor  any  other  order  of  Hooker, 
but  to  listen  to  Mm.  Hooker  said  if  he  was  to 
command  the  army,  he  must  dictate  his  own  policy, 
and  asked  to  be  relieved,  which  was  done. 

The  very  first  act  of  his  successor.  Gen.  Meade, 
was  to  withdraw  the  troops  from  Harper's  Ferry. 

Meade  is  the  seventh  Maj  or-General  who  has 
commanded  the  army  of  the  Potomac,  each  having 
been  relieved  because  he  failecl  to  out-manceuyer 
and  whip  Robert  E.  Lee,  acknowledged  by  Gen. 
Wintield  Scott  and  the  rest  of  the  knowing  ones 
to  be  the  master  military  mind  in  America.  xsTever 
in  the  annals  of  warfare  has  a  nation  who  could 
boast  of  so  many  men  with  superior  military 
educations  failed  so  signally  in  producing  one 
who  could  give  satisfaction  either  to  the  adminis- 
tration or  populace. 

Nor  is  it  to  be  wondered  at  when  the  facts  in 


LIFE.  105 

tlie  case  are  consulered.  At  the  begiiiiiiii^-  tlie 
ljeoj)le  of  tlie  North  conceived  tliat  the  spirit  of 
revolution  could  be  crushed  in  three  short  months, 
and  with  75,000  men.  Being  deceived  in  that, 
they  began  to  count  the  facilities  and  mateiials 
each  party  had  to  raise,  equip  and  subsist  an 
army,  and  taking  into  consideration  the  disad- 
vantages under  which  we  would  labor,  because  of 
our  ports  being  blockaded,  and  we  severed  from 
intercourse  with  the  outer  workl,  their  fertile  but 
not  considerate  imaginations  led  them  to  believe 
that  they  had  the  power  and  the  means  to  wipe 
out  the  rebellion  so  soon  as  an  army  could  be 
organized.  History  and  the  deeds  of  our  fore- 
fathers had  not  taught  them  by  powerful  examples 
that  eight  millions  of  people,  armed  in  the  holy 
cause  of  liberty,  were  not  so  easily  quelled. 

What  a  great  relief  it  is  for  one  who  has  not 
seen  home  or  friends  for  many  long  months  to  be 
able  to  communicate  therewith,  and  draw^  comfort 
and  pleasure  from  their  stores  of  hospitality  and 
love.  Such  is  my  situation  now.  On  the  3d  of 
July  I  had  just  finished  washing  my  clothes  and 
scalding  my  blankets,  when  the  mail  brought  me 
an  affectionate  letter  from  my  mother,  with  820.00 
inclosed  to  ameliorate  my  physical  wants.  Only 
those  who  have  been  far  away  from  friends  and 
in  need  can  appreciate  the  gratification  produced 
by   such  a    receipt.      Concurrent    circumstances 


106 

almost  made  me  forget  my  hard  lot,  and  conclude 
tliat  my  situation  was  enviable.  In  tlie  afternoon 
thirty  prisoners  were  brought  in  from  Nashville, 
who  belonged  to  Bragg's  army,  and  with  some  of 
whom  I  had  served  in  the  early  part  of  the  war. 

Here  is  the  substance  of  what  I  find  in  my 
memorandum  for  July  4th :  "  This  morning,  at 
early  dawn,  we  were  aroused  from  our  slumbers 
by  the  sharp  peals  of  cannon  not  far  away.  It 
put  me  in  mind  of  the  roar  of  our  batteries  on  the 
river  at  Yicksburg.  A  couple  of  brass  6-pounders 
were  firing  in  celebration  of  the  8?tli  anniversary 
of  American  independence.  Perchance,  in  a  few 
more  years,  we  of  the  South  will  commemorate 
some  other  day  as  our  birthday  as  a  free  and 
independent  nation.  This  day  is  calculated  to 
bring  to  each  of  our  memories  many  pleasing  and 
some  sad  incidents  and  reflections.  The  life  and 
hilarity  of  the  citizens  in  this  region  remind  us 
of  the  joyous  times  we've  had  in  years  gone  by 
round  about  our  own  homes.  In  the  inland  regions 
picnics  and  the  incident  festivities  seem  to  be  all 
the  go,  while  here  on  the  lake  shore  excursions  to 
the  islands  and  elsewhere  on  the  beautiful  lake 
are  the  order  of  the  day. 

"At  nine  o'clock  this  morning  the  "Island 
Queen,"  with  a  full  cargo  of  live  and  happy  flesh, 
steamed  out  from  Sandusky  to  spend  the  day  at 
Kelly's  Island  around  the  convivial  board  and  in 


CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE.  107 

dancing,  and  to-night  she  makes  a  grand  moon- 
light trip.  We  in  onr  island  home  are  spending 
the  day  generally  in  talking  and  thinking  rather 
than  acting.  Who  is  there  that  can  contemplate 
this  our  national  birthday  without  feelings  akin 
to  grief? 

"  When  we  think  of  the  good  old  constitutional 
palladium,  that  grand,  beautiful  and  powerful 
temple,  under  whose  shadow  we  were  born,  and 
under  whose  guardian  protection  we  have  grown 
up  from  an  infant  republic  to  be  the  most  able 
and  prosperous  nation  on  earth,  and  see  that  noble 
fabric  perverted  to  unworthy  purposes,  dismem- 
bered, dishonored,  it  makes  us  feel  unhappy. 
Although  honor  and  all  for  which  we  live  have 
compelled  us  to  dissever  the  alliance  with  those 
who  shared  the  boon  equally  with  us,  still  we  cling 
to  its  genuine,  intrinsic  principles,  and  are  aiming 
to  take  them  from  a  mass  of  corruption  to  an  ark 
of  safety  in  a  goodly  land,  and  we  have  staked 
our  lives  and  our  fortunes  for  their  protection  and 
perpetuity." 

The  5th  day  of  July  was  hot  and  sultry.  To 
change  the  monotony  of  prison  life,  on  Sunday 
we  had  preaching  by  a  rebel  minister.  There  was 
good  attendance,  strict  attention,  and  all  professed 
to  be  well  paid  in  listening  to  the  discourse,  which 
was  plain,  unvarnished  and  to  the  point. 

While  so  many  thousands  were  dissipating  and 


108  CAMP,   FIELD   A]S^D   PEISOIS-    LIFE. 

taking  life  easy  on  the  4tli  of  July,  tlie  two  master 
armies  of  the  continent,  that  had  been  lighting 
and  manoeuvering  in  Pennsylvania  for  several 
days,  were  struggling  and  dying  in  an  intensely 
severe  contest  at  Gettysburg.  The  loss  in  Federal 
general  officers  was  the  most  startling  ever  know^n, 
no  less  than  fourteen  being  killed,  wounded  or 
captured.  A  Wisconsin  regiment  which  went  into 
the  fight  on  the  3d  came  out  with  but  forty-six 
men  and  a  single  officer,  him  wounded.  And 
while  all  this  was  going  on,  the  ranks  of  General 
Lee  were  being  sadly  depleted.  He  made  seven 
unsuccessful  attempts  to  storm  one  position  of  the 
enemy.  In  the  charges  hundreds  fell,  and  General 
Archer  and  nearly  his  whole  brigade  were  cap- 
tured, and  the  officers  are  now  here. 

The  Sandusky  Register  of  July  6th  said  General 
Lee  was  defeated  and  Longstreet  killed,  but  they 
both  yet  defiantly  ride  the  storm.  The  succeeding 
day  a  letter  from  home  annouiiced  that  there  was 
a  box  of  clothing  on  its  way  to  me,  and  it  made 
me  feel  good  all-over,  for  my  stock  on  hand  was 
exceedingly  slim,  and  besides  \\\qj  were  not  from 
my  own  dear  home.  The  same  day  I  bought  some 
gutta  percha  buttons,  preparatory  to  going  into 
the  ring  manufacture,  and  at  the  same  time  I  pur- 
chased a  fifty  pound  sack  of  Hour  at  $2.50. 

We  get  tired  of  nothing  but  baker's  bread,  and 
a  biscuit  now  and  then  is  a  luxury.     Most  of  us 


LIFE.  109 

imagine  that  we  can  fix  up  about  as  good  biscuits 
as  the  ladies;  anyway,  they  taste  as  well  to  a 
liungry  fellow.  I  may  as  well  here  state  that  my 
I'iug  business  proved  disastrous  ;  I  lost  one  button, 
spoiled  a  second,  and  made  a  botched  job  of  the 
tliird,  after  which  I  became  disgusted  with  the 
profession,  and  turned  my  remaining  stock  over 
to  a  more  expert  artisan. 

Thirty  odd  officers  of  Bi"agg's  army  arrived  at 
our  house  July  8th,  and  among  them  were  several 
who  had  been  captured  at  Perryville,  Kentucky, 
in  the  fall  of  1862,  some  minus  a  leg,  some  with 
an  arm  off,  and  several  others  on  crutches.  It 
seemed  strange  for  the  enemy  to  keep  them  so 
long,  esi)ecially  as  they  could  do  them  no  harm 
if  released. 

That  day  the  report  was  that  Yicksburg  had 
fallen,  and  at  night  cannons  fired,  and  the  showers 
of  sky  rockets  in  Sandusky  City  looked  beautiful 
Irom  our  little  island  home.  We  didn't  put  much 
stress  on  the  news  from  Vicksburg,  but  next  morn- 
ing came  a  coniirmation  of  the  report,  bearing  on 
its  face  the  shadow  of  plausibility.  Various  and 
curious  Were  the  speculations  in  all  parts  of  the 
prison  as  to  the  veracity  of  the  dispatch,  and  the 
probable  consequences  if  it  were  true,  and  some 
were  excited  and  anxious  to  bet  that  our  noble 
city  was  yet  standing. 

At  that  date  General  Lee  was  at  Williamsport, 


110  CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

massing  his  troops,  eitlier  for  a  fracas  or  to  evacu- 
ate Maryland,  and  tlie  Yankees  could  not  deter- 
mine which.  They  reported  his  loss  in  the  late 
engagements  at  30,000,  theirs  at  12,000 ;  one  was 
too  much,  the  other  too  little. 

It  would  seem  that  the  notorious  and  ubiquitous 
John  Morgan  made  his  entrance  into  Kentucky- 
early  in  July,  and  captured  the  20th  Kentucky 
regiment  of  400  men  at  Lebanon,  where  his  brother. 
Lieutenant  Tom.  Morgan,  was  killed.  Tommy 
w^as  a  former  schoolmate  of  mine,  and  was  a  noble 
boy  and  gallant  officer, 

A  telegram  of  the  9th  said  that  Morgan's  band 
had  captured  two  transports  below  Louisville,  and 
crossed  over  into  Indiana.  The  people  of  JSTorthern 
Kentucky  were  in  an  uproar,  some  praying  that 
the  Morgan  men  might  come,  others  that  they 
might  never  come,  for  horse-flesh  generally  took 
with  a  leaving  wherever  Morgan's  boys  went. 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PKISON    LIFE.  Ill 


CHAPTER  V, 


Eebel's  Eetreat,  off  Sanditskt,  Ohio,") 
July  31,  1S63. .  i 

While  I  Avas  quietly  revolving  in  my  mind  what 
should  be  the  order  of  the  day  after  I  had  eaten 
a  hearty  breakfast  July  lOtli,  I  heard  my  name 
called,  and  went  out,  and  with  gladness  met  the 
express  messenger  with  my  box  from  home.  The 
officer  of  the  guard  examined  it,  and  finding  no 
contraband,  I,  with  triumphal  look  and  feeling, 
bore  the  trophy  oif  to  my  room,  while  many  a 
poor  fellow  who  had  no  friends  up  i^orth  to  help 
him  looked  after  me,  thinking,  "  I  wish  it  was  I." 
My  box  contained  many  nice  articles  of  apparel, 
and  the  pictures  of  my  mother,  sister  and  grand- 
mother. Olden  times  and  scenes  were  made  fresh 
to  ni}^  mind,  and  I  almost  involuntarily  wished  I 
were  in  the  midst  of  those  scenes  again. 

But  such  desires  were  only  produced  by  the 
sympathetic  impulses  of  the  moment,  for  in  reality 
I  have  no  desire  to  go  to  my  home  as  matters  now 
stand.     I  could  not  feel  that  I  was  a  freeman,  nor 


112  CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PEISOI^    LIFE. 

could  I,  except  for  a  sliort  time,  enjoy  tlie  com- 
pany of  those  witli  whom  in  other  days  I  loved  to 
be.  I  hav^e  cast  my  lot  and  my  all  with  a  cause 
containing  all  the  constituent  elements  that  make 
life  agreeable  and  home  pleasant,  nor  till  the  fate 
of  that  cause  is  decided  do  I  wish  to  return  to  my 
home. 

About  ten  o'clock  at  night  July  11th,  we  heard 
a  heavy  cannonading  in  an  unknown  quarter  out 
across  the  lake.  Some  of  us  were  conceited  enough 
to  imagine  that  some  Confederates  had  slipped 
through,  captured  a  vessel,  and  were  making  for 
Johnson's  Island  to  give  us  a  lift  over  into  Canada. 
All  over  the  prison  fellows  were  scouting  about, 
trying  to  learn  what  was  up. 

The  Sandusky  paper  of  next  morning  said  it 
was  a  celebration  at  Toledo ;  it  also  announced 
that  John  Morgan  was  in  Indiana  with  7,000  cav- 
alry. The  news  from  Yicksburg  was  vague  and 
unsatisfactory.  They  didn't  know  exactly  what 
General  Lee  was  doing,  but  the  predominating 
impression  was  that  he  was  manoeuvering  to  bring 
on  an  engagement  near  Antietam,  where  a  san- 
guinary battle  had  already  been  fought. 

Morgan  and  his  raiders  turned  up  at  Salem, 
Indiana,  the  very  next  day,  captured  500  prisoners, 
burned  the  depot,  and  was.gone.  General  Hobson 
seemed  to  be  after  him,  with  4,500  men.  Southern 
accounts  say  that  Lee  captured  40,000  and  killed 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE,  113 

half  as  many  during  his  Pennsylvania  raid,  an 
exaggeration  almost  equal  to  that  of  the  Northern 
press.  Extracts  from  Southern  papers  represent 
our  prospects  as  never  brighter.  Momentous 
events  have  been  and  are  transpiring  on  the  arena 
of  military  action,  and  a  few  months  may  bring 
startling  changes  for  better  or  worse. 

By  consulting  my  diary  for  July  13th,  I  find 
that  it  was  damp  and  chilly,  a  stiff  gale  blowing 
nearly  all  the  time,  and  heavy  waves  and  foaming 
white  caps  lashing  the  shores  of  the  lake.  The 
little  fishing  barks  all  took  down  their  sails  and 
were  hugging  the  shores.  That  evening  Colonel 
Gregg,  of  my  regiment,  took  supper  with  us,  we 
having  pie,  biscuit  and  butter,  extra  items  to  sol- 
dier fare 

A  singularity  in  camp  life  is  that,  although 
soldiers  are  generally  on  fair  terms,  they  compara- 
tively seldom  visit  the  quarters  of  each  other,  or 
extend  invitations  to  take  tea.  It  is  just  like  in 
a  great  city.  Often  men  camp  for  months  within 
a  few  yards  of  each  other  without  intermixing  or 
knowing  each  other.  As  a  common  thing,  a  sol- 
dier's rations  are  no  more  than  he  can  eat  himself, 
and  he  don't  care  to  call  in  help,  nor  is  there  often 
an  inclination  on  the  part  of  others,  as  they  have 
just  as  good  themselves. 

The  disj)atches  of  that  date  said  Morgan's  raid 

was  extending  into   Ohio,  and  General  Hobson 
8 


114  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

was  still  just  a  few  hours  in  his  rear,  the  proba- 
bility being  that  he  deemed  it  j)rudent  to  keep  an 
amicable  distance  between  columns.  John  Mor- 
gan's boys  cared  about  as  much  for  the  militia  as 
a  horse  does  for  a  fly — they  are  annoying,  but 
not  dangerous.  At  one  place  in  Indiana  the  Fed- 
erals cut  the  road  full  of  trees  for  fifteen  miles  to 
impede  the  progress  of  the  raiders.  Most  probably 
while  they  were  felling  the  timber  Morgan  was 
quietly  going  along  some  adjacent  road.  General 
Grierson's  raid  through  Mississippi  is  thrown  en- 
tirely in  the  shade  by  this  daring  attempt. 

Gunboats  have  become  so  famous  and  so  neces- 
sary to  any  marine  enterprise,  in  the  estimation 
of  the  Northern  soldiery,  that  they  even  have  a 
craft  of  that  nature  u]3on  these  waters.  During 
the  afternoon  of  the  15th  the  sloop  of  war  "  Michi- 
gan "  came  gliding  into  the  port  of  Sandusky. 
We  could  not  surmise  the  intent  of  her  visit,  un- 
less it  was  to  pacify  us  and  let  us  know  we  were 
safe,  and  to  warn  Jack  Morgan  of  the  danger  of 
trying  to  cross  the  lake  as  he  had  the  Ohio. 

There  has  been  a  time  when  the  prowess  of 
iron-clads  was  claimed  by  the  Federals  and 
acknowledged  by  us.  After  the  battle  of  Shiloli, 
the  gunboats  at  Pittsburg  Landing  sheltered  the 
flying  Federals  and  terrified  our  men,  thereby 
causing  a  drawn  battle  when  victory  was  in  our 
grasp;  and,  for  some  time  after,  the  iron-clads 


AND   PRISON    LIFE.        .     115 

roamed  tlie  kings  of  the  waters.  But,  before  the 
year  1862  had  died  out,  gunboats  liad  dwindled 
down  from  elephantine  proportions  to  almost  pig- 
mies in  the  estimation  of  the  Southern  soldiery. 

General  Wheeler  astonished  the  Yankee  nation 
by  charging  and  taking  a  gunboat  on  the  Cum- 
berland river,  with  cavalry,  and  ofttimes  since 
have  the  would-be  monsters  fallen  a  prey  to  the 
valiant,  nnliinching  sons  of  the  South. 

The  press  says  Lee  has  recrossed  the  Potomac, 
and  the  Federal  populace  are  railing  out  against 
General  Meade  for  not  taking  him  in.  But  'tis 
now  too  late,  "  the  bird  has  flown,"  and  the  only 
remedy  will  be  to  lay  brother  Meade  in  the  shade, 
and  manufacture  another  great  commander  out  of 
mediocre  military  talent.  The  New  York  World 
said :  "  If  Lee  succeeds  in  recrossing  the  Poto- 
mac, he  will  be  the  victorious  party,  but  if  Meade 
can  succeed  in  capturing  his  army,  he  may  be 
regarded  as  having  got  the  best  of  the  game." 
Now,  if  the  World  man  spoke  words  of  wisdom 
and  truth.  Uncle  Robert  E.  wears  the  crown  of 
success,  and  has  driven  to  the  rear  many  fine 
teams,  horses,  cattle,  mules  and  precious  stores. 

And  they  say,  too,  the  rebellion  is  nearly  dead, 
when  the  rebel  army  can  go  hundreds  of  miles 
into  their  territory,  and  carry  off  rich  spoils- 
staying  several  weeks  to  collect  them.  Though 
the  Confederacy  is  so  near  played  out,  they  have 


116  CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

to  steal  our  darkies,  and  by  draft  force  their  own 
people  into  the  ranks  to  keep  the  naught}^,  bold 
Southern  lads  off  of  IS'orthern  soil 

For  an  instance  of  the  rigors,  cruelties  and 
horrors  of  war,  turn  to  the  siege  of  Yicksburg. 
There,  during  a  terrific  bombardment  of  forty- 
seven  days,  several  hundred  -women  and  children 
were  shut  up  in  those  fiery  walls,  living  in  holes 
and  caverns  dug  out  in  the  steep  banks,  and  sub- 
sisting on  the  roughest  and  most  meager  soldier 
fare.  Several  were  wounded,  and  some  even  torn 
into  fragments  by  the  barbarous  shells  of  the 
enemy.  In  a  list  of  the  former  I  noticed  the  name 
of  Miss  Lucy  Rawlings,  a  highly  accomplished 
lady,  and  an  intimate  acquaintance  of  mine. 

History  tells  of  dauntless  and  heroic  courage 
exhibited  by  women  in  other  days  of  trial  and 
turmoil,  and  their  sisters  of  now  are  not  wanting 
in  those  traits.  The  valor  and  uncompromising 
firmness  and  fidelity  of  the  women  of  this  genera- 
tion will  shed  a  lustrous  brightness  over  the  pages 
of  its  history  that  is  as  yet  unwritten  except  in 
the  minds  and  the  hearts  of  the  people ;  and  wdien 
the  cessation  of  this  strife  allows  us  to  return  to 
the  quiet,  pleasant  shades  of  home,  we  can  more 
highly  appreciate  woman's  worth,  and  will  respect 
and  love  her  more  dearly  than  ever. 

So  many  items  concerning  affairs  inside  the 
lines  at  Yicksburg,  together  with  the  official  cor- 


117 

respondence  of  Pemberton  Jind  Grant,  are  now 
filling  the  J^ortliern  j)apers,  that  most  of  us  are 
willing  to  concede  that  both  Yicksburg  and  Port 
Hudson  are  no  longer  ours.  The  one  taken,  the 
other  is  no  longer  of  any  consequence  This  is  a 
great  event  in  our  struggle  for  independence. 

For  more  than  a  year,  by  holding  two  far  sepa- 
rate points  on  the  Mississipi)i,  we  have  held  in 
check  two  mighty  armies  of  the  North,  and  cut 
off  national  commerce  on  the  "  Father  of  Waters." 
Now  they  have,  by  dint  of  perseverance  and  ball- 
dog  strength,  succeeded  in  cutting  in  twain  our 
infant  nation,  and  partially  succeeded  in  opening 
the  track  of  the  river,  but  never — till  Ave  are  sub- 
dued— can  they  claim  the  Mississippi  as  wholly 
their  own.  Every  cargo  of  flesh  or  stuff  sent  South 
will  be  at  a  hazard. 

Our  mail  of  July  16th  brought  a  check  and  a 
letter  donating  $10.00  each  to  twelve  Alabama 
officers.  The  gift  was  from  a  young  lady  in  Du- 
buque, Iowa,  who  once  lived  in  the  South,  and 
profoundly  sympathized  with  us  and  our  cause. 
The  next  several  days  was  pleasant  weather,  and 
nothing  new  or  strange  passing  in  our  midst.  xVll 
that  I  had  to  relieve  the  tedium  of  the  hours,  ex- 
cej)t  the  little  duties  incident  to  keejiing  our  room 
in  order,  was  a  sweet-scented,  delicate  hillet-doux^ 
a  reminiscence  of  olden  times  about  Clay  Village, 
Ky.     Full  many   scenes   and  incidents   through 


118 

wliicli  I  had  passed  in  days  of  yore  were  made 
vivid  again,  and  I  reveled  once  more  with  liappy 
feelings  'midst  those  realms  of  elysian  joy. 

The  cry  of  foreign  intervention  again  resounds 
throngh  the  land,  and  the  whole  press  is  agitating 
the  question,  as  to  its  probability,  results  and  the 
manner  of  disposing  of  the  elephant.  Matters, 
and  the  relations  of  kingdoms  and  nations  in 
Europe,  have  assumed  such  a  shape  that  hostile 
acts  on  the  part  of  any  of  them  would  not  be 
very  surprising.  But  we  have  had  the  soft  chat 
of  intervention  in  our  behalf  whispered  in  our 
ears  so  often  that  it  ha?  ceased  to  be  a  balm  to 
our  hopes  and  anticipations. 

The  time  was  when  we  would  not  have  given  up 
the  Federal  Government  for  the  essence  of  all  the 
rest  on  earth.  The  time  is  when  we  would  gladly 
welcome  an  alliance  with  France,  for  therein  we 
can  see  some  hope  for  freedom,  prosperity  and 
happiness,  while  the  gulf  between  us  and  the 
North  seems  so  wide  and  so  beset  with  every- 
thing uncongenial  and  unpropitious  that  the 
breach  could  never  be  healed. 

The  Federal  Government  look  upon  interven- 
tion as  a  not  wholly  improbable  thing,  they,  as  well 
as  we,  believing  that  interest,  not  love,  would 
actuate  other  nations  to  interfere  on  our  side. 
Uncle  Abraham  and  his  long-headed  minions 
well  know  that  they  can't  fight  us  and  a  foreign 


OAMP,    FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE.  110 

foe  at  the  same  time,  and  those  who  claim  to  have 
an  inside,  view  of  matters  say  that  tliey  are  now 
fixing  np  a  proposition  to  the  South  to  this  effect : 
That  Missouri  be  a  free  State  ;  that  the  people  of 
Maryland,  Delaware  and  Kentucky  decide  by  a 
vote  as  to  slavery  or  no  slavery  ;  that  the  rest  of 
the  States  hold  their  original  status;  that  we  be 
"high  fellow  well  met"  again,  and  pitch  the 
Northern  army  into  Canada,  the  Southern  into 
Mexico,  increase  our  territory,  and  win  a  fame 
that  will  astonish  the  world.  It  sounds  nice,  but 
it  don't  taste  good,  and  we  can't  swallow  it. 

When  thfe  daylight  of  the  21st  instant  ushered 
out  of  darkness,  we  found  that  we  had  been  rein- 
forced by  four  hundred  veterans  from  Lee's  army. 
It  was  a  splendid  battalion,  composed  entirely  of 
officers,  from  the  rank  of  Brigadier- General  down, 
General  xlrcher  in  command.  But  now  the  Gen- 
eral has  been  relieved  of  his  sword,  and  Major 
Pierson  is  lord  of  us  all.  We  work  with  our 
jaws  and  drill  with  our  teeth  ;  the  Federal  senti- 
nels on  the  parapet  have  charge  of  the  guns. 

Never  were  a  more  gallant  set  of  men,  or  men 
who  had  braved  an  enemy's  galling  fire  oftener, 
marched  into  an  enemy's  prison  house.  They  are 
a  band  of  veterans  worthy  to  be  likened  to  the 
"  Emperor's  Guard."  Among  them  I  found  Cap- 
tain Horace  Blanton,  a  schoolmate  of  mine  at 
the  Kentucky  Military  Institute  just  before  the 


120  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

war.  He  could  tell  me  of  many  old  chums  who 
were  weathering  the  storm,  and  of  some  who  had 
rendered  up  their  lives  in  the  cause  of  their 
native  land  of  the  South.  They  seemed  not  yet 
quite  sure  that  Yicksburg  was  gone  up,  and 
expressed  even  less  faith  in  some  folks  than  we 
had,  measuring  theirs  by  an  infinitely  minute 
apparatus. 

The  last  day's  light  around  Gettysburg  was 
described  as  the  most  terrible  in  which  they  had 
ever  engager',  and  they  were  somewhat  capable 
of  judging  of  a  fracas.  Like  Morgan's  men,  they 
were  dreaded  by  the  foe,  and  since  their  arrival 
the  sentinels  and  officers  have  been  more  vigi- 
lant— all  the  guards  now  carrying,  in  addition  to 
their  usual  accoutrements,  a  six-shooter,  to  make 
the  secesh  look  sharp.  Were  there  nothing  more 
to  check  us  than  the  garrison  here  and  the  walls 
that  inclose  us,  we  would  make  them  look  sharp 
and  get  to  the  rear. 

The  propriety  of  making  a  break  is  often  dis- 
cussed, and  various  are  the  ingenious  schemes 
laid  out.  We  all  feel  sure  we  could  make 
impromptu  ladders  enough  to  scale  the  walls,  and 
thrash  out  the  garrison  with  the  brickbats  that 
make  the  platforms  for  our  stoves.  But  then 
comes  the  insurmountable  difficulty  about  getting 
off  the  island,  for  the  main  land  is  three  miles 
distant.     Some  are  so  fool-hardy  as  to  be  willing 


121 

to  risk  the  chances  for  that;  but  long-headed 
ones  won't  bite,  for  when  their  calm  judg-ment 
weighs  the  matter,  the  chances  for  defeat  and  dis- 
aster by  far  out-balance  the  other  side. 

The  "  Sandusky  lying  Register ^^  as  we  call  it, 
of  the  22d,  reported  1,500  of  "  Morgan's  horse- 
thieves"  as  having  been  taken,  which  proved  to 
be  only  too  nearly  true.  The  following  day 
twenty-five  prisoners  taken  at  Perryville,  Ken- 
tucky, the  past  year,  and  who  had  been  held  for 
months  with  j)aroles  in  their  pockets,  were  sent 
off  for  exchange  With  them  went  a  fellow 
whose  "' nomine  de  guerre''^  is  "Buck,"  and  who 
was  sent  from  here  to  Yicksburg  last  fall  to  be 
exchanged,  but  refused  ;  this  time  he  was  anxious 
to  be  off. 

We  wrote  many  letters  to  send  through  the 
lines  to  our  friends,  who,  if  so  fortunate  as  to  get 
them,  will  be  quite  happy  to  hear  that  we  are  in 
such  a  thriving  condition.  Some  of  the  letters 
were  examined  and  ajjproved  by  the  commanding 
officer;  many  were  sealed  and  secreted  in  boot- 
linings,  hat-crowns,  coat-linings  and  other  cute 
places.  Necessity  was  the  mother  of  many 
inventions  at  our  house. 

At  that  time  the  weather  was  splendid,  being 
clear,  cool  and  bracing,  and  it  was  a  real  luxury 
to  get  up  early  and  snuff  the  pure  breezes  as  they 
came  wafting  from  the  Canadian  shores  over  the 


122  CAMP,  FIELD  a:n'd  peison  life. 

crystal  bosom  of  beautiful,  deliglitful  Lake  Erie. 
The  otlier  clay  a  jolly  fellow  said:  "If  a  body 
couldn't  live  easy,  laugli  and  grov/  fat  here  he 
ought  to  die,  for  we  have  nothing  to  do  but  to 
eat,  drink,  sleep  and  be  merry." 

Our  sutlers  are  driving  quite  a  brisk  trade  just 
now.  Twice  each  day  they  bring  in  a  wagon  load 
of  vegetables,  provisions  and  all  kinds  of  stuff, 
and  at  night  all  is  gone.  The  machine  works  in 
this  wise :  "When  money  comes  for  a  prisoner,  it 
is  retained  at  headquarters  on  the  outside,  and 
credited  to  him  on  the  sutler's  book.  The  sutler 
gives  us  checks  to  any  amount  desired,  we  at  the 
same  time  giving  him  an  order  on  the  Post  Com- 
mandant for  an  equivalent  sum.  The  checks  are 
taken  at  the  sutler's  store  for  the  amount  on  their 
face,  which  ranges  from  five  cents  to  one  dollar. 
Such  is  our  circulating  medium  in  prison. 

Our  sutlers  are  quite  obliging,  especially  when 
a  fellow  has  a  smart  chance  of  funds  to  his  credit. 
As  we  have  no  other  source  of  procuring  what  we 
want,  they  charge  us  to  the  limit  of  their  con- 
science, and  in  some  cases  it  seems  wonderfully 
elastic.  Their  little  establishment  is  altogether 
a  popular  place,  being  crowded  from  morn  till 
night ;  nor  do  the  Southern  boys  care  for  expenses 
when  they  can  raise  the  "  all  needful." 

The  mail  of  July  24th  brought  me  a  bundle  of 
New  York  LedgerSy  from  my  mother,  and  they 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PEISON    LIFE.  123 

fill  up  many  vjicriut  lioiirs,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
interesting  and  instructive  matter  in  them.  The 
next  day  Lieutenant  Lotspeich  received  §20  00 
from  a  rf^lative  in  Missouri,  and  it  made  us  all 
feel  glad — I  mean  myself  and  the  three  Lieuten- 
ants of  my  compau}^ — for  it  is,  in  part,  a  family 
fund.  We  feel  and  act  toward  each  other  just  as 
the  members  of  an  affectionate  family  would  at 
home,  which  is  the  proper  spirit  to  be  exercised 
among  soldiers,  if  they  would  live  and  toil 
together  in  harmony. 

The  day  after  that,  the  "  lying  Sandusky  Beg- 
ister  "  made  us  feel  so  had  by  saying  :  "  Lee  can't 
get  to  Richmond ;  Meade  is  about  to  take  him  in." 
The  Federal  press  must  have  something  new  and 
exciting  to  make  their  papers  sell  and  to  jplease 
the  people.  One  day  they  mourn  and  rave  that 
General  Lee  has  slipped  through  their  clutches 
with  so  many  rich  spoils  ;  the  next,  they  get  wild, 
and  imagine,  whether  or  not,  that  he  must  not 
get  back,  and  tell  us  how  he  is  trapped.  Our 
papers  down  in  Dixie  have  caught  the  contagion, 
and  tell  some  whoppers,  too 

During  the  night  of  July  25th  a  man  died  in  the 
prison  hospital,  and  his  funeral  was  preached  next 
day  in  front  of  the  building.  Hundreds  congre- 
gated around  with  solemn  faces  and  sorrov/ing, 
sympathizing  hearts.  The  effects  produced  upon 
a  soldier  by  seeing  his  comrade  fall  on  the  battle- 


124  CAMP,   FIELD    AXD   PEIS0:N'    LIFE. 

field  in  liis  countiy's  belialf  are  not  near  so  toucli- 
ing  as  nnder  other  circumstances ;  it  may  be 
because  one  necessarily  nerves  himself  up  to  the 
point  of  being  partially  callous  to  the  unpleasant 
things  around  him. 

The  field  of  strife  is  not  the  only  j)lace  where 
the  evils  and  horrors  of  war  may  be  seen  in 
aggravated  forms.  Go  to  the  hosj)ital,  where 
those  stricken  by  disease  lie  around  by  hundreds 
on  their  humble  couches.  You  find  tliem  in  every 
conceivable  condition,  from  the  emaciated  but 
cheerful,  prospering  convalescent  to  tlie  wild, 
haggard  mortal  whose  coil  of  life  is  almost  wound 
off.  There  is  a  picture  worthy  of  grand  admira- 
tion and  profound  sympathy — admiration  for  the 
heroic  manner  in  which  they  bear  up  under  affiic- 
tion,  all  for  their  country's  sake,  and  deep  sym- 
j)athy,  for  they  have  no  mother,  sister  nor  other 
dear  friend  to  soothe  the  aching  brow,  and  by  a 
thousand  little  deeds  of  kindness  ameliorate  their 
sufferings.  Reflections  upon  such  a  scene  must 
move  any  heart,  unless  it  be  like  adamant. 

The  morning  of  July  28th  brought  a  host  of 
Morgan's  boys  to  our  island  home.  Among  them 
I  found  Colonels  I).  Howard,  Smith,  Basil  Duke 
and  Dick  Morgan,  as  well  as  Captain  Dawson,  and 
Lieutenants  Fenwick  and  Leathers,  of  my  county, 
and  many  others  that  I  knew.  For  some  days 
previous  we  had  regarded  their  capture  as  almost 


125 

certain,  for  it  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  20,000 
jN'ortliern  trooj^s  were  on  their  trail.  Notwith- 
standing the  prevailing  impression  in  the  North 
that  Morgan  had  7,000  men,  it  is  a  fact  that  at  no 
time  did  his  force  north  of  the  Ohio  exceed  2,500 
cavalry.  The  Governor  of  Indiana,  with  his 
militia,  General  Burnside,  with  all  his  available 
troops,  a  greater  jDortion  of  the  cavalry  from 
Kentucky,  and  a  goodly  number  of  transports 
and  gunboats,  all  joined  in  the  chase  to  surround 
and  "  gobble  up  "  the  notorious  raiders. 

About  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  Morgan's  men 
the  vile  secessionists  thrashed  out  the  loyal  troops 
and  took  possession  of  Richmond,  Kentucky, 
which  has  before  been  under  rebel  sway.  The 
Federals  retired  in  no  very  good  order  in  the 
direction  of  Lexington,  and  that  city  was  put 
nnder  martial  law.  Groundless  fears  were  enter- 
tained that  Mr.  Bragg  might  be  on  his  way  to  the 
glorious  Blue  Grass  region  of  Kentucky  again. 

The  lightning  fluid  tells  us  that  the  War  Depart- 
ment are  preparing  to  build  two  more  huge  mili- 
tary prisons — one  at  Rock  Island,  Illinois,  the 
other  in  Maryland.  That  is  anything  but  omin- 
ous of  a  speedy  exchange.  Maybe  the  President 
is  going  to  take  the  balance  of  our  army  by  detail, 
then  make  us  give  bond,  take  the  oath,  go  home 
and  be  better  boys  till  next  time. 

The  Hon.  John  J.  Crittenden,  of  Frankfort,  is 


126  CA^ilP,    FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

just  dead.  He  lias  "been  a  great  and  good  man, 
and  lias  wielded  a  miglity  influence  at  home  and 
in  national  affairs.  Though  patriotic,  and  though 
it  grieved  him  to  see  the  dissolution  of  the  gov- 
ernment that  he  had  spent  his  life  and  energies 
in  perpetuating,  he  did  not  approve  of  the  policy 
assumed  by  the  Administration. 

And,  sure  enough,  General*  John  H.  Morgan  has 
been  caught  at  last,  and  is  now  in  the  calaboose 
at  Cincinnati.  For  nearly  two  years  past  he  has 
been  the  most  daring,  most  feared  and  most  suc- 
cessful raider  in  our  Western  service.  The  sequel 
proves  that  this  time  he  acted  bravely,  but  not 
wisely.  But  the  greatest  and  most  tried  military 
chieftains  sometimes  strike  erring  blows.  Even 
JSTapoleon,  w^hose  army  and  whose  military  genius 
were  regarded  as  almost  invincible,  fell  while  in 
the  zenith  of  his  glory. 

Considering  the  size  of  his  command,  the 
achievements  of  General  Morgan  have  eclipsed 
those  of  almost  any  other  cavalry  officer,  North 
or  South.  He  has  been  over  more  of  the  enemy's 
country  in  rear  of  their  main  armies,  and  has 
destroyed  more  public  property  and  army  trans- 
portation, railroad  and  otherwise,  than  any  leader 
with  the  same  force  in  the  Confederate  service. 
In  the  beginning  of  his  career  his  acliievements 
were  looked  upon  as  almost  miraculous,  and  even 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE.  127 

the  women  and  children  doated  on  and  loved  to 
talk  of  John  Morgan. 

Last  summer  he  was  actually  taken  from  the 
cars  and  detained  over  night  at  Marietta,  Georgia, 
by  a  crowd  of  ladies,  who,  having  learned  that  he 
was  on  the  train,  assembled  to  see  and  congratu- 
late the  gallant  chieftain  Alas !  all  things  mortal 
must  perish  and  pass  away ;  but  the  deeds  of  men 
may  be  made  imperishable,  and,  in  the  galaxy 
of  brilliant,  dashing  heroes  that  entered  the  lists 
for  Southern  freedom,  no  name  will  be  more  con- 
spicuous, or  shine  with  more  lustre,  than  that  of 
John  H.  Morgan. 

In  the  evening  of  July  28th,  160  officers  from 
Port  Hudson  came  in.  They  looked  jaded,  and 
showed  evident  signs  of  having  seen  hard  service. 
The  story  of  their  endurance  and  suffering  is 
enough  to  make  the  heart  of  the  whole  South  beat 
with  gratitude  to  and  sympathy  for  them.  For 
48  days  did  they  lie  in  the  intrenchments,  the 
scorching  rays  of  a  tropical  sun  coming  down  on 
them  by  day  and  the  chilly  dews  by  night.  For 
a  whole  month  they  subsisted  on  mule  meat,  and, 
in  order  to  make  their  corn  last,  had  to  grind  it, 
cob  and  all.  They  manfully  resisted  the  multi- 
plied assaults  of  the  enemy  till  the}^  only  had  a 
single  day's  rations  and  ten  rounds  of  ammunition 
left,  and  necessity,  not  the  valor  of  the  enemy, 
compelled  them  to  give  up. 


128 

The  29tli  day  of  July  was  a  bright  era  in  the 
history  of  my  prison  life.  A  nice  box  of  provi- 
sions, anticipated  for  some  days,  made  its  welcome 
appearance  that  afternoon.  It  was  a  gift  from 
m}^  grandmother,  who  is  ninety  ^^ears  old,  and 
who,  from  my  earliest  childhood,  has  wanted  no 
greater  happiness  than  in  ministering  to  my  every 
want.  The  box  contained  one  old  ham,  two  cans 
each  of  butter,  honey  and  blackberry  jam,  saus- 
age, apples,  maple  sugar,  cake,  a  pair  of  pants, 
shoes  and  daguerreotypes  of  my  uncle  and  his 
daughter. 

The  same  day  I  got,  per  express,  $50.00  from  my 
mother,  which  made  my  joy  complete,  and  I  felt 
like  a  thriving  farmer  who,  having  reaped  the 
fruits  of  his  labor,  has  plentiful  stores  of  every- 
thing around  him  and  feels  at  ease.  Every  day 
of  my  life  I  realize  more  fully  the  adage  that 
"  home  is  the  dearest  and  best  place  on  earth." 
The  farther  I  roam  and  the  more  dependent  I 
become  upon,  and  the  better  acquainted  with, 
the  world,  the  more  I  learn  to  love  home  and  its 
inmates. 

On  the  30th  day  of  July  Lieut.  Chambers  and 
Dick  Taylor,  of  Anderson  county,  Kentucky,  came 
in  from  Camp  Morton,  where  they  saw  my  brother, 
all  right.  I  had  supposed  he  was  sent  on  exchange 
a  month  ago.  Taylor,  who  is  a  private,  exchanged 
name  and  place  with  an  officer,  and  is  now  known 


AXD   PPJSON    LIFE.  129 

here  "by  the  authorities  as  "  Lieut.  Hoggins."  He 
tells  me  tliat,  on  the  day  of  his  capture,  he  was 
on  his  third  horse  since  morning. 

Our  prison  pen  is  now  chock  full  of  live  rebels, 
and  there  is  a  constant  hum,  and  busy  scenes  of 
many  kinds,  constantly  going  on.  Some  are  block- 
ing out  rings,  some  filing  shell,  and  some  ham- 
mering out  gold  or  silver  for  sets.  Again,  some 
are  making  fancy  canes,  some  stools  and  shelves, 
while  others  are  playing  cards,  checkers  or  chess. 
In  another  quarter  not  far  away  you  may  find  one 
fellow  making  pies  to  sell,  while  another  deals  in 
lemonade,  a  third  sells  ice  cream,  and  a  fourth 
has  cakes  and  beer  to  exchange  for  sutler's  checks. 
Two  tailors  are  kept  all  the  time  employed,  and, 
to  wind  up  with,  we  have  a  boot  and  shoe  shop. 

Then  at  the  pump  is  another  constant  busy 
scene — for  there,  at  almost  any  hour  of  the  day, 
can  be  found  from  twenty  to  fifty  men,  with  sleeves 
rolled  up,  going  into  a  tub  of  clothes  with  as  much 
grace  as  though  they  had  been  brought  uj)  at  the 
calling. 

Some  1,400  of  us  having  to  get  water  from  the 
same  pump,  from  daylight  till  dark  there  is  a 
crowd  at,  and  a  stream  to  and  from,  that  necessary 
institution. 

And  from  eight  a.  m.  to  five  p.  M.  four  clerks  are 
kept  busy  in  the  sutler's  store.  The  first  thing 
there  is  a  rush  for  the  morning  papers,  of  which 


130  CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PRISOT^T    LIFE. 


we  soon  eagerly  devour  the  contents.  In  tlie  next 
place,  butter,  onions,  beans,  cabbage  and  potatoes 
must  be  secured  in  time  for  dinner,  2:)rovided  a 
fellow  has  the  checks.  Then  the  day  is  consumed 
in  selling  wearing  apparel  and  notions  of  all  sorts. 
One  team  is  almost  constantly  on  the  go,  hauling 
in  rations  and  wood.  And  the  postoffice  is  a  busy 
institution  ;  at  every  hour  in  the  day  some  one  is 
inquiring  for  a  letter.  Some  make  a  daily  pil- 
grimage to  the  postoffice  who  don't  get  a  letter 
to  the  month. 

Our  postal  arrangement  is  in  this  shape :  We 
Avrite  our  letters  and  drop  them,  unsealed,  into  a 
box  with  our  rebel  postmaster.  The  Federal  post- 
master opens  and  examines  all  letters  received  for 
us,  and  about  ten  o'clock  each  day  brings  them 
into  our  office,  and  takes  out  the  mail  deposited 
there,  to  be  inspected  and  forwarded,  it  not  con- 
traband. I  have  both  written  and  received  several 
contraband  letters ;  in  the  one  case  it  would  come 
back  marked  "  contraband ;"  in  the  other,  the 
letter  would  be  destroyed  and  the  envelope  sent 
in  indorsed,  "  letter  contraband." 

After  such  a  showing  forth,  the  world  must 
acknowledge  that  our  "  Confederate  city  "  is  more 
thriving  than  many  a  Federal  city  of  greater  age 
and  pretensions.  Confederate  scrip  is  now  worth 
only  five  cents  on  the  dollar.  As  we  came  by 
Mem]3his  we  got  double  and  quadruple  that  much. 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PKI^^OX     LTFK.  131 

The  sporting  gentry  liere  buy  up  Confederate  from 
needy  fellows,  and  bet  quite  freely.  Thousands 
often  change  hands  at  a  single  sitting. 

On  the  last  day  of  July  I  went  swimming  in 
the  lake.  The  most  important  news  of  that  day 
was  that  Morgan  and  the  officers  with  him  had 
been  sent  to  the  penitentiary  at  Columbus,  Ohio, 
to  he  treated  according  to  the  rules  of  that  insti- 
tuilon^  as  a  matter  of  retaliation. 

A  retrospective  glance  at  the  month  that  has 
just  faded  away  and  been  blotted  out  from  the 
book  of  time — but  not  from  the  memory  of  man 
or  the  record  of  history — will  show  some  of  the 
grandest  achievements  and  the  most  persevering 
and  valorous  deeds  of  men  that  the  history  of 
modern  warfare  presents  to  view.  Yicksburg,  the 
great  Confederate  fortress  and  stronghold,  upon 
which  the  interest  and  welfare,  almost,  of  the  two 
parties  Tiung,  and  which  astonished  and  won  the 
admiration  of  the  whole  civilized  world,  has  fallen. 

Port  Hudson,  a  Gibraltar  of  lesser  magnitude, 
but  wearing  none  the  less  bright  laurels,  has  had 
to  succumb — not  to  the  superior  valor,  but  long 
protracted  siege  of  the  Federal  arms.  The  army 
of  Virginia  and  the  army  of  the  Potomac,  each 
standing  in  front  of  the  capital  of  its  nation,  have 
met  in  the  clash  of  arms  again  and  again,  thous- 
ands falling  on  either  side,  and  millions  of  prop- 
erty being  destroyed.     A  division  of  rebel  cavalry 


132  CAMP,   riELB    A^Jy  FEISO^T    LIFE. 

have  traveled  linndreds  of  miles  to  the  rear  of  the 
Federal  army,  crossed  the  Ohio,  and  roamed  the 
States  of  Indiana  and  Ohio,  but  they,  too,  have 
gone  the  way  of  Yicksbnrg  and  Port  Hudson. 
The  loyal  forces  have,  with  terrific  earnestness, 
been  bombarding  the  defenses  at  Charleston,  but 
with  no  material  result,  and  several  not  unimpor- 
tant battles  have  occurred  among  the  cavalry 
commands  in  various  quarters. 

Perhaps  never  since  the  prime  days  of  this  re- 
public have  so  many  and  so  thrilling  and  important 
events  transpired  in  the  same  length  of  time.  As 
to  what  will  work  out  from  it  all  is  too  deep  and 
mysterious  a  prdblem  for  the  ingenuity  or  pene- 
tration of  the  human  mind.  We  must  admit  that 
the  Federal  arms  have  been  more  successful  than 
ours,  and  that  a  seeming  gloom  is  cast  over  the 
Confederate  cause.  But  ofttimes  the  darkest  hour 
is  just  before  day;  and,  as  the  darkest  days  of 
our  forefathers,  in  their  struggle  for  the  same 
cause  that  we  are  now  vindicating  was  near  the 
close  of  that  struggle  for  freedom,  maybe  all  is 
for  the  best,  and  that  a  brighter  day  is  not  far 
hidden  in  the  future.     God  grant  it ! 


CAMP,  FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE.  133 


CHAPTER  VI. 


At  Home,  Johnson's  Island,  Onio^  \ 
AiigicHt  5,  1SG3.  / 

To-day  two  montlis  have  gone  to  that  eternal 
bonrne  from  whence  nothing  earthly  returns,  and 
still  we  are  imposing  on  the  hospitality  of  this 
institution,  with  every  plausible  indication  that 
we  will  continue  to  sojourn  here  for  an  indefinite 
period.  Tliough,  about  a  year  ago,  commissioners 
from  each  government  met  and  agreed  upon  a 
cartel  of  excliange  that  should  be  permanent, 
there  is  now  as  wide  a  split  in  the  matter  as  be- 
tween the  governments  themselves. 

Negro  equality,  guerrillas,  misunderstandings 
and  faithlessness  on  the  part  of  both  belligerents 
have  been  the  prime  causes  in  the  case,  and  to-day, 
because  of  that  infidelity,  not  less  than  75,000 
soldiers  are  languishing  and  perishing  in  Northern 
and  Southern  prisons.  Such  are  the  horrors  and 
injustice  of  war,  because  the  men  of  great  rank, 
but  small  caliber,  who  rule  and  determine  the 
destinies  of  the  XDeo^Dle,  are  inadequate  to  the  trust 


134  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PEISON    LIFE. 

bestowed  nj)on  tliem.  I  can  not  see  any  proba- 
bility that  we  will  break  np  camp ,  and  emigrate 
South  till  both  parties  back  down  from  the  laws 
and  affirmations  made  by  each,  and  agree  npon 
more  equitable  terms.  The  "  Am^erican  citizen  of 
African  descent "  is  the  great  bone  of  contention 
at  present. 

Here  comes  an  instance  of  the  barbarities  in- 
flicted because  of  the  injudicious  acts  of  "big(?) 
men :"  We  arose  from  our  humble  couches  of 
straw  on  the  morning  of  August  1st  to  find  a  chain 
of  sentinels  stretched  along  the  whole  front  of  our 
barracks,  and  a  squad  of  soldiery  at  Block  12, 
besides  the  regular  guard.  I  surmised  the  state 
of  affairs  in  a  moment,  for  Morgan's  officers  were 
in  Block  12.  It  was  soon  found  out  that  fifty  of 
them,  the  highest  in  rank,  were  to  be  taken  to  the 
penitentiary  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  to  be  held  as 
hostages  for  General  Straight's  men,  captured  at 
Rome,  Georgia,  while  on  a  Southern  raid. 

Before  sun  up  all  the  field  officers  and  captains 
filed  out  at  the  small  gate,  and  went  submissively, 
but  not  without  burning  thoughts  of  the  future, 
to  serve  out  the  will  of  the  Federal  dynasty.  As 
to  the  right,  propi'iety  and  necessity  of  retaliation, 
in  some  instances,  there  can  be  no  doubt,  but  it 
seems  unjust  and  cruel  that  innocent  men  should 
suffer  in  return  for  the  evil  doiuirs  of  the  wicked. 


AXD  PKisox   lifp:.  135 

especially  when  so  many  cases  conld  be  averted 
by  the  wise  administration  of  superiors. 

"  The  siege  of  Charleston  is  progressing  finely," 
so  says  the  Federal  press,  but  still  it  seems  that 
General  Gilmore's  forces  had  to  retrogress  the 
other  day,  being  driven  back  on  Morris  Island 
with  lieavy  loss.  The  Feds,  have  for  a  long  time, 
with  what  they  term  "  the  best  naval  fleet  in  the 
world,"  and  a  host  of  land  forces,  been  pegging 
away  at  that  great  Southern  port,  the  cradle  in 
which  the  rebellion  was  first  rocked,  and  where 
its  fire  will  be  the  last  to  die  out,  even  if  the  city 
should  fall  or  sink  into  ashes. 

The  telegraph  says  Mobile  will  soon  become 
the  theater  of  active  military  operations,  for  both 
armies  of  the  West  are  tending  to  a  focus  at  that 
point.  It  is  not  at  all  unreasonable  to  conclude 
that  the  next  eff*ort  of  the  Northern  army  will  be 
against  that  position,  for,  considering  their  geo- 
graphical situation,  and  their  great  faith  in  being 
close  to  water  and  iron-clads,  we  would  naturally 
suppose  their  inclinations  would  lead  them  thither. 
The  wonder  is  that  the  place  has  not  been  attacked 
before  this,  for  it  is  a  point  of  importance  to  us, 
and  its  defenses  are  far  inferior  to  those  of  Charles- 
ton. 

Mobile  has  some  manufacturing  facilities  for 
our  army  supplies,  its  harbor  gives  protection  to 
blockade-runners,  and  it  is  on  the  main  railroad 


136  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PEISON    LIFE. 

cliannel  from  Mississippi  east.  But  that  would 
not  be  so  deadly  a  blow,  for  there  is  a  railroad 
just  finished  from  Meridian,  Mississippi,  to  Selma, 
Alabama,  from  whence  there  is  communication 
by  steamboat  to  Montgomery,  striking  again  the 
main  trunk  of  our  railway.  Even  if  we  should 
have  to  give  up  Mobile,  the  loss  here  would  be  a 
gain  there,  for  a  garrison  and  many  other  troops 
would  be  thereby  relieved  to  strengthen  our 
armies  in  the  field,  and  it  would  require  a  large 
fleet  and  heavy  land  force  to  hold  it. 

The  value  or  the  importance  of  true  friends  is 
seldom  known  or  appreciated  till  one  gets  in  a 
dependent  situation,  where,  if  he  gets  the  luxuries 
or  even  comforts  of  life,  they  must  be  dealt  out 
to  him  by  other  hands,  and  where  the  sympathies 
and  kindly  assurances  of  other  hearts  are  neces- 
sary to  strengthen  and  encourage  his  hopes  and 
anticipations  of  a  better  time  coming.  What 
a  balming  solace  it  is  for  one  to  feel  that  he  is  rot 
an  outcast  upon  the  world — that  there  are  hearts 
beating  in  unison  with  his  own — that  there  are 
those  who  would  share  his  toils  and  sufferings, 
lighten  his  burdens,  and  scatter  beauteous,  fra- 
grant roses  in  his  every  pathway. 

I  feel  that  I  am  thus  blessed,  for  now,  when  in 
adversity,  the  same  as  Avhen  in  j)rosperity,  my 
friends  are  true  to  me.  August  the  2d  I  received 
a  letter  and  picture  from  a  cousin  in  Kentucky,  to 


CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE.  137 

freshen  the  reminiscences  of  the  past,  give  food 
for  conteinpLation  now,  and,  in  future  days,  when 
I  am  in  another  region — maybe  on  the  conch  of 
affliction — to  remind  me  that  there  are  those  in 
the  native  land  who  involve  the  blessings  of 
heaven  and  earth  on  me. 

This  afternoon  about  one  hundred  of  General 
Lee's  officers  arrived.  They  are  mostly  cavalry 
officers,  and  gallant  sons  of  the  "  Old  Domin- 
ion State."  They  fill  the  void  left  by  the 
evacuation  of  Morgan's  men.  This  evening  at 
four  o'clock  a  minister,  formerly  of  Stonewall 
Jackson's  brigade,  preached  in  front  of  our 
block.  His  sermon  was  full  of  good,  sound 
logical  reasoning,  but  he  was  altogether  the  most 
eccentric  speaker  I  ever  saw.  His  gestures  of 
body  were  so  passionately  expressive  as  to  give 
one  a  feeling  of  uneasines.  Still  he  enchained  a 
respectable  audience  for  a  full  hour,  and  his  pecu- 
liarities, with  his  good  sense,  will  never  fail  to 
draw  hearers. 

August  3d. — This  morning  I  purchased  a  sack 
of  flour  and  a  new  bucket,  and  ice-water  now 
inhabits  our  shanty.  My  old  countymen,  Cham- 
bers and  Taylor,  took  sujDper  with  us  this  even- 
ing, and  said  we  had  several  extra  touches  to 
cavalry  fare. 

General  Herron's  division  of  Grant's  army  is 
now  on  its   way  'round  the   coast,   "bound  for 


138  CAMP,    FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

Mobile,"  but  it's  not  known  for  certain  when  it 
will  get  there.  There  is  no  telling  where  Mr. 
Banks  will  go,  since  it  took  him  so  prodigionsly 
long  to  go  from  Baton  Ronge  to  Port  Hudson,  a 
distance  of  fifteen  miles.  But  one  thing  is  sure — 
most  of  his  army  are  going  home,  their  term  of 
enlistment  having  expired.  A  dozen  regiments 
have  arrived  at  Cairo  in  the  past  few  days,  bound 
home — mostly  Maine  and  New  York  troops 

It  appears  that  Father  Abraham  and  his  help- 
mates are  having  a  hard  time  with  the  conscripts 
down  East  just  now.  The  visible  mobs  in  New 
York  and  other  large  cities  have  been  suppressed, 
but,  like  Southern  cities  within  the  Federal  lines, 
though  mute  and  submissive,  the  fire  is  not  out, 
but  only  lies  slumbering  till  the  weight  of  oppres- 
sion is  taken  off.  Certainly  there  would  not  have 
been  such  powerful  and  stubborn  resistance  to  the 
draft  had  not  those  engaged  in  the  rebellion 
against  it  believed  it  unjust.  Force  of  arms  can 
quell  their  resistance,  but  can  it  change  their 
opinions?  It  will  prove  like  the  attempt  to 
change  the  channel  of  the  great  river  at  Yicks- 
burg. 

A  reaction  has  for  some  time  been  going  on  in 
the  Federal  nation,  and  the  elements  of  resist- 
ance to  the  Administration — not  the  old  Union 
in  its  purity — which  are  measurably  in  subjec- 
tion, have,  now  and  then,  burst  forth,  only  to  be 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE.  139 

smothered  again  by  brute  force — not  moral  con- 
viction. 

A  study  of  precedents  in  civil  revolutions,  and 
a  survey  of  the  results,  portend  that  this  nation- 
ality is  forever  gone ;  yea !  that  the  two  nations 
into  which  there  is  being  made  an  attempt  to 
divide  it  will  not  stand,  but  that  other  petty 
kingdoms  will  rise  up,  causing  a  diversity  of 
oj^inion  and  interest,  and  a  confusion,  the  end  of 
which  no  man  can  see.  If  such  should  be  our 
fate,  God  protect  us  from  the  avaricious  intrigues 
and  greediness  of  the  nations  that  are  now  look- 
ing down  upon  us  with  eagle  eye  and  wolfish 
rapacity.  I  will  not  suffer  myself  to  believe  that 
such  is  to  be  our  destiny,  but  the  teachings  .of 
history  point  to  such  a  conclusion  as  not  at  all 
impossible. 

To  show  the  disparity  in  spirit  and  earnestness 
between  the  two  sections,  let  us  quote  a  semi- 
official record  from  a  I^orthern  paper :  "  We  have 
nearly  three  hundred  blockaders  and  war  vessels 
of  every  description  on  the  high  seas.  The  Con- 
federate naval  ileet  consists  of  but  three  vessels ; 
yet  they  roam  the  seas  with  impunity,  destroy 
trading  vessels  by  the  wholesale,  and  have  cap- 
tured and  burned  millions  of  treasure ;  still  our 
armament  allows  them  to  go  at  large.  Where  is 
the  fault?" 

'Tis  in  this  :     The  Southern  navy  feel  that  they 


140  CAMP,    FIELD   AlfD   PEIS0:N'    LIFE. 

are  engaged  in  a  great  and  good  cause,  upon  the 
issue  of  wliicli  tliey  liave  staked  tlieir  all — their 
very  existence — and  they  pursue  their  calling 
with  a  zealous  vim,  thinking  rather  of  the  good 
to  their  country  than  the  harm  to  themselves. 
Not  so  with  the  Federal  navy.  Tlieyare  serving 
for  pay — not  princii3le ;  I  mean  the  generality — 
not  all.  It  is  more  pleasant,  and  not  half  so  dan- 
gerous, to  be  drifted  about  on  the  bosom  of  the 
deep,  with  good  wages  accumulating,  than  it  is  to 
risk  the  uncertainties  of  a  naval  conflict.  Under 
no  other  view  of  the  case  would  it  be  possible  for 
a  few  to  be  so  successful  against  so  many,  capac- 
ities being  equal. 

August  4th. — ^"Election  day  in  Kentucky.  So 
brave  and  chivalrous  a  people  as  Kentuckians 
have  ever  had  the  name  of  being  should  feel 
ashamed  to  leave  on  record  for  their  posterity  the 
history  of  the  manner  in  which  the  Common- 
wealth is  now  governed.  A  free  and  law-abiding- 
people  as  they  have  been,  it  is  difficult  to  conceive 
how  they  can  submit  to  the  dictatorship  practiced 
over  tliem  by  the  powers  that  be.  A  military 
stewardship  has  superseded  civil  laws  and  rights, 
and  the  freedom  of  speech  is  a  mooted  question. 

Telegrams  inform  us  that  the  Union  cause  has 
carried  in  Kentucky  by  20,000  majority.  Appro- 
priately we  might  ask,  why  not  twice  that?  since 
there  was  allowed  to  be  no  other  cause,  for  he  that 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PEISOX    LIFE.  141 

dared  go  to  the  polls  and  cast  his  vote  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  Administration  did  so  at  the  peril  of 
his  liberty,  as  soldiers  and  bayonets  were  all 
abont  to  warn  the  people  that  the  Administration 
miLst  be  supported — right  or  wrong.  Tliough  the 
Federal  Constitution  says  the  right  to  speak  and 
to  publish  one's  thoughts  is  a  sacred  one,  not  to  be 
interfered  with,  yet  thousands  have  been  and  are 
languishing  in  prison  because  of  using  that  right. 

When  will  this  reign  of  anarchy,  misrule  and 
deception  cease  to  exist?  It  appears  not  till  the 
whole  American  government  is  revolutionized. 
Those  who  have  been  deemed  wise  and  reasonins: 
men  rush,  on  madly  and  blindly  into  the  mael- 
strom that  must  lead  to  inevitable  ruin.  The 
masses  engaged  in  this  mighty  and  brilliant  con- 
flict are  actuated  by  good  motives,  but  very  many 
of  the  leaders — those  in  whom  the  people  put 
their  trust — act  with  sinister  designs,  and  care 
not  how  many  they  drag  down,  if  they  can 
thereby  elevate  themselves.  But  there  is  an  All- 
seeing  Eye  that  will  finally  rule  the  destinies  of 
nations,  punish  the  guilty,  and  reward  the  just 
with  life  everlasting. 

At  noon  to-day  the  remainder  of  Morgan's 
Tiorse-tliieves  were  shipped  for  unknown  quarters, 
the  boys  in  blue  intimating  that  they  were  going 
on  exchange,  but  the  prevailing  opinion  was  that 
it  will  be  an  exchange  from  prison  to  penitentiary. 


142  CAMP,   FIELD    AXD    PRT50:N-    LIFE. 

The  fellows  left  in  gay  spirits,  laugliing  at  the 
idea  of  having  their  heads  shaved  and  becoming 
convicts,  and  promising  to  remember  their  ungen- 
erons  benefactors  at  a  futnre  day. 

One  poor  fellow  was  sick  in  the  hospital,  and 
the  officer  who  called  out  their  names  ordered 
him  "to  be  brought  dead  or  alive."  My  heart 
burned  within  me  and  my  tongue  craved  to  tell 
him  what  I  thought  of  him.  A  number  of  pri- 
vates of  Morgan's  command  who  have  been 
captured  at  various  times  and  sent  here,  fixed  up 
to  go  out  with  them,  expressing  a  willingness  to 
follow  the  command  anywhere  ;  but  they  have  to 
tarry  yet  a  little  longer. 

This  evening  we  had  a  fine  and  refreshing 
shower,  making  the  heated  air  far  more  pleasant. 
The  changes  of  weather  here  are  sudden  and  sin- 
gular ;  in  the  morning  the  sun  may  rise  upon  a 
cloudless  sky,  and  before  noon  the  rain  will  be 
pouring,  and,  though  to-day  is  almost  insufferably 
hot,  to-morrow  may  be  bleak  and  chilly. 

To-day,  5tli  instant,  the  Island  Queen,  which 
makes  regular  excursion  trips,  passd  close  round 
the  island  with  a  cargo  of  heaven's  last  and  best 
creation,  and  they  seemed  to  be  astonished  that 
the  rebels  looked  so  well  and  perfectly  contented. 
I  dare  say  they  imagine  not  of  the  restless,  latent 
fire  that  is  burning  in  the  bosoms  of  these  true 
but  unfortunate  sons  of  the  South.    Perchance  at 


CAMP,    FIELD    AKD    PRISON    LIFE.  143 

a  future  day  their  brothers  and  sweetli(\arts  will 
have  occasion  to  tell  them  that  the  fellows  who 
seemed  so  tame  and  harmless  on  Johnson's  Island 
made  them  smell  frost  in  the  shape  of  gunpowder 
and  lead  pills. 

An  exciting  yacht  race  came  off  in  Sandusky 
bay  this  forenoon,  and  many  tall  sj)arred  and 
heavy  reefed  vessels  are  now  cruising  about  'twixt 
us  and  the  city,  some  of  them  having  no  visible 
means  of  livelihood. 

This  morning's  Register  had  at  the  head  of  its 
telegraphic  column,  in  brazen  capitals,  "  Yancey 
is  dead,"  and  the  wdiole  abolition  crew  no  doubt 
felt  as  that  paper,  and  rejoiced  at  his  exit,  for  he 
was  one  of  the  first  and  staunchest  champions  of 
Southern  rights  and  Southern  independence.  In 
his  fall  we  have  lost  a  bright  star  in  the  constel- 
lation that  forms  our  first  Congress.  Ilis  wisdom 
and  foresight  have  had  great  instrumentality  in 
organizing  and  building  up  our  new  government, 
and  the  void  made  by  his  death  will  be  deeply  felt 
b}^  the  wdiole  South. 

The  same  telegram  said  General  John  B.  Floyd 
was  lying  dangerously  ill  at  his  home  in  Abing- 
don, Virginia.  The  noted  ones  of  earth,  like  all 
things  else,  are  passing  away. 

"While  our  friends  at  home  are  worrying  them- 
selves and  sorrowing  about  our  misfortunes  and 
want  of  comforts,  we  are  perfectly  easy  and  con- 


144 

tented,  and  perhaps  more  safe  and  comfortable 
than  the  majority  of  them,  for  we  have  no  cares, 
and  being  all  birds  of  a  feather,  speak  ^Yhat  we 
please.  We  have  plenty  to  eat  bronght  to  our 
very  door  at  no  cost,  nor  do  we  trouble  ourselves 
as  to  the  morrow.  How  many  at  home  can  say 
they  are  even  half  so  well  off? 

He  that  will  can  find  consolation  in  almost  any 
situation,  but  the  soldier  is  better  prepared  than 
the  civilian  to  be  contented  anywhere  and  any 
Avay,  for  he  has,  in  a  great  measure,  given  up  his 
liberties  to  enhance  the  interests  of  his  cause, 
hoping  for  remuneration  in  time  to  come.  He 
learns  to  regard  whatever  comes,  whether  good  or 
bad,  as  necessary  for  the  advancement  of  his  cause, 
and  with  humble  patriotism  meekly  submits. 

Perchance  this  very  day  the  folks  at  home  had 
a  good  dinner,  with  some  of  my  old  friends  around 
the  board,  all  concurring  in  the  wish  that  I  were 
there  to  enjoy  the  meal  with  them,  no  doubt  pic- 
turing in  their  minds  a  disagreeable,  loathsome 
situation  for  me.  But  I  am  sure  they  did  not 
relish  their  meal  more  than  I  did  the  splendid 
repast  just  finished,  which  seemed  all  the  better 
because  of  our  own  manufacture. 

To-day  we  had  for  dinner,  besides  our  regular 
bill  of  fare,  green  apple  pies,  honey,  pickles  and 
ice  water,  and  old  Kentucky  ham,  butter  and  bis- 
cuit graced  our  board  at  tea  time  last  evening. 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE.  145 

Then  we  often  liave  baked  beef  and  potatoes,  and 
every  few  mornings  some  splendid  hash,  seasoned 
with  red  pepper  and  onions.  Wliere's  tlie  lord, 
with  liis  gorg-eons  mansion,  rich  china  and  silver 
plate,  and  servants  in  livery,  that,  according  to 
station,  outlives  us  ?  Indeed,  does  he  live  as  well  ? 
We  enjoy  ours — not  he. 

This  day  two  months  ago  we  entered  these  high, 
white  walls,  and  we've  hoped  and  Ave've  dreamed 
of  freedom  again,  but  the  day  of  delivery  seems 
rather  to  recede  than  approach  us.  When  at 
home  in  civil  life  the  idea  of  going  into  a  prison 
to  stay  shut  up  from  the  world  for  months  was 
terrible  to  me,  but,  of  a  truth,  one  can  get  used 
to  almost  anything. 

It  was  two  years  ago  on  the  2d  since  I  left  my 
home  in  Kentucky  to  try  the  unknown  realities 
of  military  life  in  the  South.  Then  I  left  a  smiling 
and  prosperous  land,  teeming  with  grain  and 
fruits,  the  light-hearted  farmers  rose  with  the  lark, 
and  all  the  households  were  happy.  The  demon 
monster,  civil  war,  had  not  yet  reached  her  bor- 
ders, and  there  w^ere  many — yes,  very  many — who 
were  carried  away,  and  took  unction  to  their  souls 
by  the  deceptive  and  absurd  policy  of  "  armed 
neutrality." 

The  history  of  past  rebellions  of  a  similar  nature 
convinced  me  that  our  lovely  State  must,  sooner 
or  later,  feel  the  venomous  sting  of  war,  and,  as 
10 


146  CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

my  feelings  and  synijoatliies  were  not  in  a  passive 
state,  I  conceived  it  my  duty  to  give  my  mite  of 
strength  in  tlie  canse  I  believed  most  nearly  right.' 
So,  consulting  none  others  than  my  conscience 
and  sense  of  duty,  I  bade  good-bye  to  home, 
friends  and  all,  and  wended  my  way  to  a  Southern 
camp,  and  have,  in  the  short  space  of  two  years, 
seen  and  experienced  more  than  a  life-time  of 
civil  existence. 

Then  there  were  free  intercourse  and  traffic 
among  the  people,  and  railroads,  stage  lines  and 
the  public  highways  were  safe  for  travelers.  How 
now?  Then  the  once  "dark  and  bloody  ground" 
had  not  felt  the  hostile  tread  of  devastating  armies, 
nor  had  there  been  a  clash  of  arms  on  her  soil. 
But  now  all  those  dread  realities  have  been 
enacted.  The  rich  and  blooming  fields  of  my 
native  State  have  been  changed  into  desperate 
battle  gi'ounds,  her  noble  sons  have  met  in  deadly 
array,  and  stained  mother  earth  with  their  life's 
blood  in  attestation  of  love  for  country  and  prin- 
ciple. Fathers  have  been  left  to  mourn,  mothers 
to  weep,  and  sisters  to  pray  for  the  success  of  the 
cause  in  Avhich  their  brothers  are  engaged.  But 
I'll  turn  away  from  so  unpleasant  a  picture  and 
silently  contemplate  the  bright  side  of  the  pano- 
rama that  we  hope  will  pass  before  us  bye  and 
bye. 

August  8th. — This  day  has  been  appointed  by 


CAMP,    FIELD    AXD    PKI>ON    LIFE.  147 

President  Lincoln  as  a  day  of  fasting  and  thanks- 
giving for  recent  victories.  I  feel  sure  the  occasion 
is  not  now  reverenced  with  that  unanimity  of  sen- 
timent which  was  felt  upon  annual  thanksgiying 
days  a  few  years  ago.  Then  we  could  thank  God 
that  w^e  had  been  so  prosperous  and  so  wisely 
governed.  iS'ow,  though  we  adore  and  reverence 
His  goodness  and  kindness  none  the  less,  our 
thanks  are  turned  into  supplications  to  avert  from 
us  the  evils  of  wicked  men,  who,  for  self  aggran- 
dizement, w^ould  sink  a  nation. 

Yesterday  w^as  pay  day  for  our  cooks.  I  have 
mentioned  somewhere  else  that,  in  the  beginning, 
we  hired  a  couple  of  Lieutenants  of  our  mess  to 
cook  for  the  whole,  paying  them  per  month  $15.00 
in  greenbacks,  or  four  times  that  much  in  Con- 
federate. They  having  faithfully  served  us  for 
two  months,  begged  to  be  relieved  from  further 
duty  in  that  line.  'No  one  seemed  anxious  for  the 
office,  so  Captain  Jim.  Law,  of  Georgia,  took  the 
responsibility  on  himself  and  hired  two  cooks, 
and  matters  roll  on  smooth  as  ever  again. 

Ca23tain  Law  is  an  important  personage  in  our 
midst — the  soul  of  honor,  good  nature  and  drol- 
lery ;  he  seldom  buttons  his  shirt  collar,  it  being 
either  flung  to  the  breeze  or  confined  with  a  shoe- 
string, and  whenever  about  the  cook  room,  hand- 
ling the  dish  rag,  he  is  sure  to  put  it  in  his  pocket, 
instead  of  where  it  belongs,  and  it  is  an  uncommon 


148  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISOK    LIFE. 


thing  to  find  Mm  wearing  more  than  one  suspender 
at  a  time. 

The  other  day  the  sutler  bronght  in  new  peaches 
and  fresh  corn,  the  first  of  the  season,  and  delici- 
ous to  the  taste,  hut  gouging  on  the  pocket  hook. 
And,  too,  the  pump  man  from  Sandusky  repaired 
our  old  pump  and  put  in  a  new  one  close  hy, 
watered  hy  a  leaden  pipe  extending  out  into  the 
lake,  so  now  we  can  get  lots  of  good  water  without 
waiting  long,  and  our  water  is  cooler,  purer  and 
better  than  might  be  imagined. 

Some  days  ago,  being  desirous  of  sending  my 
likeness  to  my  mother  and  some  other  friends,  "I 
made  written  application  to  the  commandant  of 
ihe  post  for  permission  to  go  over  to  Sandusky 
City  to  have  some  taken.  Next  morning  the  ap- 
plication came  back  endorsed  "  disapproved,"  nor 
was  I  in  the  least  disconcerted,  for  I  expected  even 
the  same,  but  I  thought  there  was  no  harm  in 
asking  as  long  as  there  was  a  possibility  of  suc- 
cess. 

For  several  days  past  Lieutenant  Smith,  of  my 
brigade,  has  been  busy  making  a  watch  fob  out 
of  a  piece  of  gutta  percha  rule ;  it  is  ornamented 
with  silver  and  pearl  sets  of  a  variety  of  shaj)es, 
and  is  a  beauty.  He  has  sold  it  for  $10.00,  a  big 
pile  in  this  institution.  On  the  17th  of  May  last 
this  same  Smith,  with  twenty-three  men,  kept 
Sherman's  army  corps  from  crossing  at  Bridge- 


CAMP,   FIELD    AXD   PRISON    LIFE.  149 

port,  six  miles  above  Big  Black  bridge,  Mississippi, 
from  eight  o'clock  a.  m.  till  two  o'clock  p.  m.  He 
had  so  fortilied  the  place,  and  so  manocuvered  his 
men,  as  to  make  the  impression  that  he  had  a 
large  force.  It  may  well  be  imagined  that  the 
General  was  chagrined  to  lind  his  prize  a  cor- 
poral's squad  instead  of  a  brigade.  From  that 
time  forward  the  Lieutenant  has  borne  the  title 
"  Kirb}^  Smith." 

The  eyes  of  the  IS'orthern  Confederacy  open 
wider,  and  they  begin  to  think  and  reason  for 
themselves  more  earnestly  as  their  blood  and 
treasure  How  more  freely.  A  Northern  paper 
says :  "  The  North  has  twenty-one  millions  people 
and  all  the  means  to  equip  and  subsist  a  most 
powerful  army.  The  South  has  eight  millions  of 
people,  and  no  means,  except  as  they  invent  or 
produce  them,  to  carry  on  a  hostile  war. 

'^  Aside  from  their  resources  at  home,  the  North 
can  communicate  with  all  the  civil  powers  of  the 
earth,  and  procure  the  greatest  and  best  Avarlike 
inventions  and  auxiliaries.  The  whole  Southern 
coast  is  blockaded,  with  no  means — except  as  a 
vessel  now  and  then  runs  the  blockade — of  getting 
foreign  help  of  any  kind.  Now,  if,  with  all  this 
disparity  of  facilities,  they  fail  to  subdue  and 
bring  back  the  rebellious  States,  who  is  to  blame  ?" 

A  great  statesman  once  said :     "  The  battle  is 


150  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

not  alwa^^s  to  the  strong,  but  to  tlie  active,  the 
vioUant,  the  brave  and  the  just." 

About  twenty  officers  of  Scott's  cavalry,  lately 
caj)tured  in  Kentucky,  came  into  prison  yesterda}^, 
and  among  them  was  Lieut.  Bearden,  formerly 
post  adjutant  at  Knoxville,  Tennessee,  and  with 
whom  I  have  had  many  a  festive  time  thereabout. 
Capt.  Gammon  and  Lieut.  Fain,  of  my  command, 
have  each  just  got  a  fnll  suit  of  Confederate  gray 
from  a  cousin  in  Louisville,  Kentucky.  Said  she : 
"  'Tis  my  greatest  and  almost  only  pleasure  to  aid 
a  Southern  soldier."  The  boys  will  ever  remem- 
ber and  love  her  for  her  kindness. 

If  I  could  truly  delineate  the  manners  and  cus- 
toms, or  portray  the  occurrences  of  a  single  day 
in  our  prison,  it  would,  without  doubt,  be  full  of 
interest  to  an  outsider.  The  great  variety  of 
talent,  wit,  peculiarities  and  eccentricities  discern- 
ible in  different  localities  and  countries  is  here 
more  fully  portrayed  than  in  the  outer  world,  for 
the  reason  that  the  panoran:a  of  life  is  longer  and 
more  constantly  before  our  view,  the  characteris- 
tics being  developed  on  a  smaller  space  of  ground, 
but  there  being  all  the  resources  necessary  to  call 
them  forth.  Here,  as  everywhere  else,  there  are 
some  characters  of  more  than  ordinary  promi- 
nence, who  attract  the  attention  and  remarks  of 
all  in  their  vicinity,  some  by  one  peculiarity,  some 
by  another. 


CAMP,   FIELD    A^^D   PRISON    LIFE.  151 

The  personage  that  tickles  me  most  is  one  Capt. 
Yonngblood,  of  the  artillery  service  ;  he  is  highly 
intellectual,  fluent  and  witty ;  once  edited  a  little 
newsj^aper  in  Alabama.  He  can  tell  yarns  on 
himself  and  the  world  at  large  in  a  more  ludicrous 
and  laughable  manner  than  any  clown  I  ever 
heard,  and  he  can  draw  a  crowed  as  infallibly  as 
water  runs  down  hill. 

Our  mess  is  not  without  its  man  of  celebrity. 
Captain  Thomas  Burgess  Brantly,  my  next  door 
neighbor  and  frequent  visitor,  is  the  distinguished 
character  alluded  to.  He  was  born  and  reared  on 
Tar  river,  N"ortli  Carolina,  and  now  hails  from  the 
home  of  the  Arkansaw  traveler.  If  life,  activity 
and  a  flexible  tongue  are  precious  endowments, 
Brantly  is  rich.  He  is  generally  first  up  and  last 
to  bed,  and  ad  interim  is  diffusing  merriment  and 
laughter  all  about ;  he  is  not  dangerously  affected 
w^ith  piety,  and  is  always  ready  to  tell  a  good 
joke  or  hard  yarn  on  himself.  Said  individual 
dances,  sings,  visits,  talks,  laughs  and  has  a  happy 
time  generally,  nor  is  his  fame  circumscribed  by 
the  narrow  limits  of  our  mess. 

In  Block  3  a  Georgia  Lieutenant  did  carry  the 
day,  but  can't  raise  a  crowd  any  longer.  In 
Block  No.  1  Charley  Stout,  once  of  Dan  Eice's 
circus,  carries  the  palm  of  victory  in  the  humor- 
ous line.  For  the  present  I'll  pass  over  the  lesser 
lights. 


152  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

If  a  civilian  should  some  evening  come  to  our 
island  and  peep  over  the  walls  after  the  declining 
sun  has  shaded  the  square  between  our  two  rows 
of  buildings,  he  would  not  imagine  us  to  be  pris- 
oners, for  he  could  scarcely  conceive  how  those  in 
bondage  could  be  so  full  of  fun  and  contentment. 
The  scene  is  not  altogether  dissimilar  to  that  of  a 
lot  of  schoolboys  at  recess  playing  all  sorts  of 
games. 

We  get  up  when  we  please ;  some  rise  with  the 
sun,  and  some  are  driven  from  their  bunks  by  the 
announcement  of  breakfast.  'No  one  is  allowed 
to  leave  his  quarters  till  the  garrison  flag  is 
hoisted — a  little  after  sun  up. 

When  we  have  anything  extra  from  the  regular 
soldier  fare  we  cook  it  ourselves ;  at  least  a  half 
dozen  extra  cooks  are  around  the  stove  at  every 
meal,  baking  brscuit,  making  hash  and  other 
things.  Notwithstanding  the  jam  and  crowd, 
everything  goes  on  smoothly  and  agreeably ;  as 
in  milling  business,  first  come,  first  served. 

About  half  after  seven  we  have  roll-call ;  the 
drum  beats  for  all  hands  to  turn  out,  a  Yankee 
corporal  for  each  of  the  thirteen  blocks  comes  in, 
gets  us  into  line,  calls  our  names,  and  then  counts 
us,  to  make  certain  that  no  one  has  dug  out.  All 
titles  are  ^  dispensed  with  ;  the  loyal  corporals 
don't  recognize  any  of  the  Rebels  as  Captains, 


CAMP,   FIELD    AND   TPJSON    LIFE.  153 

Colonels  or  Generals,  nor  are  we  in  the  least 
troubled,  over  it.  . 

At  eight  o'clock  the  garrison  have  guard- 
mounting,  attended  by  drum,  Hfe^  and  brass  band. 
About  the  same  time  the  sutler  comes  in  with  the 
morning,  papers,  butter,  eggs,  onions,  cabbage  and. 
a  variety  of  notions.  We  dine  about  noon ;  but 
before  that — an  important  item — our  mail  comes 
in  at  ten  o'clock.  Just  after  dinner  Mr.  Sutler 
brings  in  yesterday's  New  York  papers,  which 
we  buy  in  great  numbers  and  read  with  avidity. 
All  the  afternoon  a  beautiful  span  of  spirited 
bays  are  busy  hauling  in  wood,  for  the  various 
messes  to  cook  with.  ♦ 

I  forgot  to  mention  that  early  in  the  morning 
the  ice-wagon  comes  in,  and  a  little  later  the  milk- 
vender,  each  giving  us  a  very  good  article  at  a 
fair  price,  and  their  supply  is  seldom  equal  to  the 
demand.  And.  I  didn't  say  that  our  rations  are 
brought  in  and  issued  to  the  various  messes 
about  nine  o'clock  each  day.  "We  generally  sup 
a  while  before  sundown,  then  collect  in  groups  on 
the  various  wood-piles,  stair-steps  or  shady  plot 
of  grass,  and  tell  of  adventures  in  the  w^ars, 
travels,  incidents,  manners  of  society  and  char- 
acters of  the  people  where  Ave  have  been,  and  get 
off  good  jokes  on  each  other. 

The  fellows  from  the  different  States — all  the 
States  South  are  represented  here — try  to  get  a 


154  CxVMP,    FIELD   AI^-D   PEISON    LIFE. 

run  on  the  boys  from  some  other  State  by  telling 
jokes  and  yarns  on  them,  and  it  is  a  remarkable 
fact  that,  though  it  is  the  profession  of  soldiers  to 
fight,  they  seldom  fight  each  other. 

After  the  drum  beats  for  retreat  and  the  flag 
goes  down,  which  is  about  sunset,  no  prisoner  is 
allowed  to  leave  his  quarters.  At  nine  o'clock 
the  garrison  band  regales  us  with  several  spirited 
tunes,  and  at  the  tap  of  the  drum,  at  half-past 
nine,  all  lights  in  the  prison  must  be  extin- 
guished. After  that,  all  within  our  walls  is  dark 
and  silent,  save  the  rays  of  a  dozen  lamps 
reflected  over  the  prison  ymd  and  the  lonely 
tread  of  the  sentinels  on  the  parapet. 

This,  the  8th  day  of  August,  the  officers  of 
Price's  army  taken  at  Helena,  Arkansas,  on  the 
4th  day  of  July,  arrived  from  Alton  prison,  sev- 
eral of  them.  Col.  Johnson,  of  Arkansas,  among 
the  number,  wearing,  as  ornamental  appendages, 
a  ball  and  chain,  for  the  ofi"ense  of  trying  to 
escape  from  prison.  They  had  made  a  hole 
through  the  ceiling  and  roof  of  their  quarters, 
but  some  traitor  or  sj>y  informed  against  them,, 
and  a  detaclinient  of  Yankee  boys  was  paraded 
to  greet  them  as  soon  as  they  made  their  exit 
through  the  hole.  Several  cases  of  small  pox 
came  in  with  them,  and  were  quartered  in  a  tent 
in  one  corner  of  the  prison  yard. 


155 

They  did  not  give  tlie  Alton  Honse  a  very  good 
name,  and  promise  never  to  patronize  the  institu- 
tion again  if  they  can  consistently  avoid  it,  for 
they  don't  admire  the  situation  of  the  concern, 
nor  the  compactness  and  higlit  of  the  yard  fence, 
and  last,  but  not  least,  the  landlord  and  his  sub- 
officials  did  not  distinguish  themselves  for  liosj)!- 
tality  and  generosity. 

This  appears  to  be  a  general  sunning  day,  the 
whole  prison  yard  being  spread  with  bed- ticks 
and  blankets,  and  a  health-officer  is  going  the 
rounds  inspecting  rooms,  cooking  departments, 
slops,  and  everything  that  might  get  out  of  order. 
Lime  is  occasionally  distributed  to  destroy  the 
stench  of  decaying  matter  and  purify  the  air, 
and,  all  things  considered,  the  whole  premises  are 
kept  remarkably  clean  and  healthy.  Captain 
Scoville,  who  has  charge  of  the  internal  affairs  of 
the  prison,  visits  all  parts  of  the  institution  fre- 
quently, and  is  very  kind  in  listening  to  the  vari- 
ous questions  and  supplying  the  wants  of  the 
prisoners. 

When  a  lot  of  prison  birds  come  in,  each  is 
given  an  empty  straw  tick,  and  they  go  out  in 
squads  to  a  barge  of  straw  at  the  landing,  and  in 
a  little  while  come  back  with  their  ticks  stuffed 
full,  and  in  the  same  squad  may  be  noticed  the 
General,  the  Captain,  and  the  private. 


156 

Several  evenings  in  eacli  week  the  Ibig  gate 
facing  the  lake  is  opened  and  Confederate  detach- 
ments of  perhaps  a  hundred  allowed  to  go  and 
bathe  in  the  lake,  and,  as  most  all  are  glad  of  the 
oi^portunity  to  get  ont  of  the  walls  and  into  the 
water,  we  have  to  take  it  by  turns.  'Tis  a  pleas- 
ing sight  to  see  them,  like  so  many  ducks, 
splashing  about  in  the  water,  and  riding  the 
waves,  if  the  lake  is  rough.  Several  fellows  with 
blue  jackets  and  silvery  bayonets  sit  on  the 
shore  during  the  performance  to  see  it  well,  but 
not  too  well,  done,  for  well  they  know  that  there 
are  ducks  here  who  would  risk  swimming  three 
miles  to  Sandusky  if  they  knew  of  any  birds  of 
a  feather  there  to  receive,  clothe  and  help  them 
on  to  Canada. 

Last  night  there  was  a  laughable,  ridiculous 
occurrence  in  camp.  Along  about  midnight  the 
sentinel  on  post  number  five  cried  out,  "Halt! 
Who  goes  there?"  There  being  no  answer,  he 
challenged  a  second  and  a  third  time ;  click, 
click,  then  bang  went  his  fusee,  his  heart  per- 
haps nearer  his  mouth  than  the  bullet  went  to 
the  object  aimed  at.  Still  it  stood  like  a  ghost. 
So  his  neighbor  on  post  number  six  cracked 
away  with  the  same  result.  And  now,  with 
feelings  perchance  alike  the  bold  soldier  boy  for 
the  first  time  in  battle,  he  lustily  yelled  out  for 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PRISON    LIFE.  157 

the  corporal  of  the  guard,  who  came  i)rc)iupth', 
esj^ied  the  object,  but  could  not  uiake  it  out  till 
he  took  a  lamp,  came  inside  the.  square,  and 
nuirched  up  to  the  bold  ligure,  which  was  our 
new  i)ump,  juit  in  the  other  day — "that  and 
nothing  more."  Harper's  sketch  man  ought  to 
get  hold  of  the  story.  The  boys  christen  the 
affair  "  the  skirmish  with  the  pump." 


168  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 


CHAPTER  VIL 


Southern  Hotel,  ovf  Sandusky,  Ohio,) 
August  12,  1863.  ) 

Yesterday  evening,  as  tlie  slanting  rays  of  a 
glorions  sun  were  gilding  tlie  loftiest  branches  of 
the  oaks  in  rear  of  our  barracks,  a  pnffing 
steamer  hove  in  sight,  and,  passing  through  the 
opening  in  the  blockade  near  the  lighthouse, 
directed  its  course  directly  toward  the  island,  and 
came  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  shore, 
which  is  less  than  thirty  yards  from  our  prison 
wall.  It  was  a  gay  excursion  party,  and  all  of 
them  saluted  the  Southern  boys,  who  were  out 
watching  them,  but  whether  in  esteem  or  derision 
must  be  for  a  longer  head  to  say. 

Last  Sabbath  there  were  divine  services  in 
front  of  Blocks  Nos.  4  and  13,  a  large  concourse 
listening  to  each  sermon.  Colonel  Lewis,  of  Mis- 
souri, a  Southern  Methodist,  who  has  just  arrived, 
is  said  to  be  x)ossessed  of  more  than  ordinary 
merits  as  a  preacher,  and  will  most  probably 
deliver  us  a  religious  discourse  next  Sabbath. 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PRISON    LIFE.  ITtQ 

The  other  day  I  liacl  a  letter  from  my  hrotlier  at 
Camp  ^fortoii,  Indiana,  stating  that  he  and  four 
others  of  my  company  were  left  there  sick  when 
the  balance  were  sent  to  Fort  Delaware.  Two  of 
them  are  yet  ill,  and  Page  Gregg,  poor  boy,  has 
gone  to  his  eternal  home.  He  was  just  past 
eighteen,  and  was  kind-hearted  and  submissive 
to  his  every  duty.  Away  down  in  Tennessee  is  a 
good  father  and  a  devoted  mother,  who  put  their 
precious  boy  under  my  charge,  but  cruel  war  has 
snatched  him  both  from  my  guardian  care  and 
their  loving  embrace. 

A  letter  from  Lieutenant  Hoggins,  alias  Dicl^ 
Taylor,  informs  me  that  the  last  squad  of  Mor- 
gan's men  sent  from  here  are  now  in  the  peniten- 
tiary at  Alleghany,  Pennsylvania,  and  that,  so 
far,  they  have  been  closely  confined,  two  in  a  cell, 
but  that  they  are  anything  but  downcast  because 
of  their  situation. 

To-day  there  is  no  news  of  stirring  interest,  and 
the  probability  is  that  active  military  operations 
will  be  partially  suspended  for  a  time,  as  all  the 
main  armies  have  very  lately  been  actively 
engaged,  and  it  requires  time  to  recruit,  repair 
damages  and  make  additional  preparations  for 
another  campaign. 

Now  I  will  give  a  few  more  sketches  of  profes- 
sional life  in  i^rison.  Nearly  every  vocation  in 
the  glossary  of  human  labor  has.  its  representa- 


160  CAMP,   FIELD    AIs^D   PRISON    LIFE. 

tive  here.  The  lawyers  have  no  clients  at  all,  for 
we  have  nothing  to  sqnahble  over,  and  are  inclined 
to  be  peaceable  and  law-abiding  anyhow.  The 
doctors  kindly  dis^Dense  their  charity  to  those 
sick  in  hospital,  where  there  are  now  about  thirty 
patients,  half  a  dozen  having  died  since  we  came 
here.  In  our  midst  we  have  some  natural  artists 
and  draughtsmen.  One  firm  has  out  its  shingle, 
"  Drawing  or  Painting  of  any  Description,"  and 
have  executed  several  admirable  and  accurate 
colored  drawings  of  the  island  and  prison.  Cap- 
tain Barron,  of  my  regiment,  has  somewhat  of  a 
talent  for  making  pictures,  and  passes  a  greater 
portion  of  his  time  in  sketching  and  painting. 

The  other  morning  at  the  express  office  I  saw  a 
fellow  who  was  trying  to  draw,  but  could  not. 
The  matter  had  resolved  itself  into  this  shape : 
A  box  came  by  express  for  Lieut.  Minor,  which, 
upon  being  inspected,  prior  to  delivery,  was  found 
to  contain  a  package  of  tobacco,  a  box  of  cigars, 
and  24  bottles  of  something  for  the  inner  man. 
Officer  said  he  must  deliver  it  to  the  surgeon  as 
contraband.  Minor  said,  "  Can't  you  let  us  have 
just  one  bottle  ?"  Officer  said,  "  Can't  do  it,"  and 
Minor's  chum  then  chimed  in,  "  Well,  then,  can't 
you  manage  to  bring  a  bottle  up  to  our  room  after 
a  bit?"  That  evening  there  were  some  mighty 
jolly  fellows  up  in  Block  2,  and,  as  no  effect  comes 


CAMP,   FIELD    AXD    PRISON    LIFE.  161 

without  a  cause,  one  can  imagine  tlie  sequel  of 
the  nuitter. 

An  order  has  been  received  from  the  War  De- 
partment forbidding  the  sutler  to  sell  us  any  boots, 
and  prescribing  what  shall  be  sold,  which  ain't 
much.  But  when  a  fellow  has  the  shinplasters 
a  Dutch  Jew  sutler  don't  stand  very  heavy  on 
orders. 

Ofttimes  has  it  been  demonstrated  that  neces- 
sity is  the  maternal  ancestor  of  invention.  We 
Dixie  boys  are  fully  aware  of  the  scarcity  of  many 
little  articles  of  prime  necessity  among  the  ladies 
of  the  South,  and  we  don't  forget  that,  as  in  the 
past,  so  in  the  future,  we  may  at  some  time  be 
dependent  on  them  for  socks,  gloves  and  other 
things. 

Yesterday  I  bought  some  needles,  pins  and 
other  little  tricks  designed  for  Southern  maidens 
who  have  been  friends  to  me,  and  I  will  aim  to 
out- Yankee  a  Yankee  in  getting  my  chattels 
through  the  lines. 

I  have  laid  away  a  little  sack  of  coffee  for  a 
good  old  mother  I  know  in  the  South,  and,  if  she 
now  knew  what  was  in  store  for  her,  I  know  her 
mouth  would  water,  for  she  ain't  had  a  drink  of 
the  pure  stuff  for  many  a  day. 

Last  night  six  rebel  officers  came  in  from  Fort 

Delav/are,  and  this  morning  several  others  from 

another  quarter.     The  Federal   authorities    an- 
il 


162  CAMP,   FIELD    A^B   PRISON    LIFE. 

noimce  that  it  is  the  intention  of  Mr.  Lincohi  to 
collect  all  the  rebel  officers  at  Johnson's  Island, 
and  hold  them  here  till  Mr.  Davis  makes  an  appro- 
priate reply  to  his  communication  with  regard  to 
exchange  and  retaliation.  "We  have  no  voice  in 
the  matter,  and  can  only  await  the  result  of  coming 
events.  True,  we  have  a  longing  to  be  on  Southern 
soil  and  breathe  the  air  of  freedom  once  more, 
but,  if  the  honor  of  our  government  and  the  fur- 
therance of  our  cause  demand  it,  there  is  scarcely 
an  one  here  that  would  not,  without  a  murmur, 
suffer  many  more  months  of  martyrdom. 

The  sutlers  surely  imagine,  and  have  some 
assurances,  that  they  will  drive  a  fat  trade  for 
some  time  to  come,  for  they  are  building  an  addi- 
tion to  their  store  house ;  and,  though  only  com- 
menced yesterday,  it  is  now  almost  finished,  for 
the  prisoner  boys,  anxious  for  something  to  do, 
pitched  in  and  made  light  work  of  it.  Hereafter 
there  will  be  two  de]3artments — one  for  dry  goods, 
the  other  for  groceries  and  vegetables,  and  two 
clerks  will  preside  over  each. 

Last  night  we,  that  is  myself  and  room  mates, 
put  our  dirty  clothes  to  soak,  this  forenoon  we 
put  out  our  washing  in  good  style  to  dry,  and 
to-morrow,  like  the  old  folks  at  home,  we.  will  iron 
out  the  wrinkles. 

The  loyal  forces  here  don't  put  much  confidence 
in  us  representatives  of  the  Southern  Confederacy, 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PIIISON    JAFK  163 

nor  do  I  blame  them,  for  tlie  fellows  are  continu- 
ally trying  to  play  off  pranks  on  them.  AVe  are 
not  allowed  to  have  any  intercourse  with  the  sen- 
tinels on  guard,  and  those  who  come  inside  the 
prison  on  duty  are  forbidden  to  cany  out  anything 
for  a  prisoner,  and  are  closely  watched  by  the 
head  officials ;  still,  a  contraband  letter  or  some- 
thing else  will  find  its  way  out  every  now  and 
then. 

A  slop  cart  comes  in  every  day  to  haul  out,  in 
barrels,  the  refuse  of  the  kitchens.  For  some  days 
past  Ave  have  noticed  that  a  guard  accompanies 
the  slop  man,  and  curiosity  tempting  us  to  pry 
in':o  the  why  of  the  matter,  we  learned  that  he 
had  entered  into  an  agreement  with  one  of  the 
Southern  chivalry  to  cover  him  up  in  a  slop  barrel 
and  haul  him  out.  When  the  plot  was  almost 
consummated  somebody  "let  the  cat  out  of  the 
wallet,"  and  Mr.  Rebel  had  to  be  dumped  out. 

On  lightning  wings  the  news  comes  to  us  that 
the  Federal  godhead,  cabinet  and  wise  men  of 
the  North  are  caucusing,  scheming  and  concoct- 
ing plans  whereby  the  rebellious  States  may  be 
brought  back  into  the  sisterhood.  Supervisor 
Halleck  has,  b}^  some  mysterious  means,  found 
out  that  the  populace,  and  many  of  the  leaders  of 
the  South,  are  willing  to  play  quits  and  come 
back.  The  real  motor  power  of  their  deep  solici- 
tude is  foreign  fear  rather  than  domestic  love.     A 


164  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PETSOK    LIFE. 

war  with  France  or  England  conld  be  easily  gotten 
up ;  they  feel  that  a  divided  house  can  not  stand, 
and  they  conceive  that,  though  we  still  shoot  at 
them,  we  love  them  better  than  a  foreign  people, 
and  they  further  conclude  that  we,  being  weak, 
and  both  of  us  in  imminent  danger  from  abroad, 
would  gladly  go  into  an  alliance  for  mutual  pro- 
tection. Mistaken  souls  1  they  dream  not  of  the 
reality. 

There  are  to-day  two  Republican  and  two 
Democratic  parties  in  the  North,  consequently  a 
complete  jargon  and  confusion.  The  Radical 
Republicans  would  have  peace  on  no  other  basis 
than  the  immediate  and  complete  extinction  of 
the  institution  of  slavery;  the  Conservative  Re- 
publicans hate  slavery,  but  are  willing  to  gradual 
emancipation :  the  Unconditional  Union  Demo- 
crats are  willing  to  abide  by  the  edicts  of  the 
Grand  Mogul,  compelling  their  consciences  to 
admit  that  it  will  all  be  well;  the  Simon-pure 
Democracy  would  have  the  Constitution  carried 
out  in  spirit  and  in  truth ;  they  believe  that  the 
people  are  the  government  and  the  public  officials 
the  servants,  not  the.  masters  of  the  people,  to 
preserve  in  purity  and  operate  in  good  faith  that 
Magna  Charta  of  liberty  and  government  be- 
queathed to  them. 

The  President,  not  yet  quite  lost  to  all  sense  of 
national  honor  and  justice,  has  not  pitched  his 


CAMP,    FIELD    AXD    PRTSOX    LIFE.  105 

weight  into  eitlier  bahince,  tlioiigh  his  sympathies 
are  Republican.  The  gordian  coil  is  so  momen- 
tous, comi>lex  and  intricate  that  no  mortal  genius 
can  unravel  it ;  an  omnipotent,  higher  Power  must 
be  appealed  to  for  a  righteous  solution  of  the 
problem. 

The  eyes  of  the  whc^le  world  are  now  gazing  on 
us,  and  the  universal  press  is  teeming  with  s^^ecu- 
lations  as  to  the  probable  result  of  the  present 
state  of  affairs,  some  seeing  a  bright  future  for 
one  side  and  some  for  the  other. 

August  14th. — For  several  days  jDast  Captain 
Brantly  and  myself  have  been  reading  a  religious 
work  urging  objections  against  the  doctrine  of 
punishment  in  the  world  to  come,  and  advocating 
that  of  Universalism,  jN'ight  before  last  we  had 
a  discussion  on  the  subject  in  my  room,  Brantly 
continually  protesting  that  he  was  no  Universalist, 
still  he  could  not  see  how  a  greater  portion  of 
their  arguments  could  be  got  around.  When  the 
drum  tapped  for  "lights  out,"  we  stopped  just 
where  we  began,  perhaps  neither  wiser  nor  better. 

Last  night  there  was  prayer  meeting  in  the 
mess  adjoining  ours,  Lieut.  Methvin,  of  Greorgia, 
conducting  the  exercises,  and  Captain  Hodge,  of 
my  regiment,  leading  in  prayer.  The  brilliant 
divine  from  Missouri,  Colonel  Lewis,  now  belongs 
to  our  mess.     Yesterday  we  had  a  splendid  mess 


166  CAMP,   FIELD   AKD   PEISOTT    LIFE. 

of  string  beans  and  beets  for  dinner  at  onr  liouse, 
tlie  first  of  tlie  season  for  us. 

A  little  incident  has  just  occurred  calculated  to 
mollify  the  monotonous  routine  of  our  thoughts 
and  emotions.  Two  sisters  of  Lieut.  Brand  came 
from  Missouri  to  see  him,  which,  of  course,  was 
contraband,  unless  it  could  be  done  by  getting  on 
an  eminence  some  where  close  by  and  peeping 
over  the  wall  wdth  a  good  pair  of  opera  glasses, 
which  expedient  was  adopted  as  a  "  dernier  re- 
sort." Of  course,  they  love  all  the  rebel  boys ;  it 
was  a  novel  thing,  and  there  were  many  gazers, 
and  not  a  few  expressions  of  kindly  feeling  and 
sympathy  were  exchanged  by  gestures,  waving  of 
hanr' kerchiefs,  and  wafting  kisses  on  the  breeze. 

An  order  has  ,come  from  the  War  Department, 
restricting  the  amount' of  clothing  for  prisoners  to 
one  suit  of  outer  and  a  change  of  under  clothing, 
but  the  chink  can  come  along  as  usual,  and  with 
it  a  sharp  fellow  can  get  anything.  Some  of  the 
rioters  in  New  York  are  reaping  the  fruit  of  their 
work ;  *numbers  are  being  arrested  daily  and  tried, 
and  a  part  of  them  find  lodgings  in  Sing-Sing  for 
from  three  months  to  three  years.  The  great  rebel 
pvivateer  Alabama  is  again  spreading  consterna- 
tion and  destruction  amongst  the  American  ship- 
ping; a  large  merchant  vessel  has  been  seized 
and  converted  into  a  war  shij),  and  not  a  few  have 
served  as  bonfires  to  light  the  ocean  all  around. 


CAMP,   FIELD    AXD   PRISON     LIFE.  167 

This  day  I  was  the  liappy  recipient  of  a  letter 
from  my  mother,  full  of  sweet  and  consoling  sym- 
pathy. Oh !  what  a  blessing  it  is  for  one  locked 
iq^  in  prison  to  have  such  a  mother,  one  whose 
every  word  and  every  sentiment  is  calculated  to 
make  a  son  happier  and  better.  And  I  am  just 
in  receipt  of  a  half-dozen  New  York  Ledgers  from 
home,  which  will  keej)  me  busy  and  contented  for 
several  days. 

All  the  fore  part  of  to-day  I  have  been  engaged 
in  making  potato  pies  after  a  fashion  of  my  own ; 
w^e  had  one  for  dinner,  which  w^as  pronounced  as 
good  enough  for  anybody.  I  spend  some  part  of 
most  every  day  in  cooking,  for  it  furnishes  em- 
ployment, and  then  I  like  the  sequel.  I  fix  up 
most  of  my  dishes  after  a  style  known  to  nobody 
else ;  in  fact,  they  are  experiments  with  myself, 
but  I  seldom  fail  to  get  up  an  eatable  dish,  though 
in  the  case  of  a  certain  "  bread  pudding"  not  long 
ago,  I  made  almost  an  utter  failure. 

Although  I  can  wash  first-rate,  I  never  tried  to 
iron  a  linen  shirt  till  yesterday ;  my  starch  was 
too  thick,  my  iron  too  cold,  and  instead  of  turning 
to  a  glossy  surface,  the  stuff  formed  into  little 
rolls  and  balls  under  the  iron,  and  when  I  at  last 
gave  up  in  disgust,  the  garment  looked  worse  than 
when  I  began.  I  have  a  sutler's  ticket  which  will 
surely  make  the  shine  come  upon  my  linen  next 
time. 


168  CAMP,    FIELD   AND   PEISON    LIFE. 

Tliis  evening,  when  tlie  sun  had  so  far  declined 
as  to  make  a  phade  on  the  east  side  of  our  bar- 
racks, about  one  hundred  of  us,  including  generals, 
colonels,  captains,  sergeants  and  privates,  engaged 
in  an  exciting  game  of  town  ball,  furnishing  fun 
and  exercise  till  the  flag  went  down,  when  perhaps 
four  score  voices  yelled  out  all  over  the  prison, 
"  Rats,  to  your  holes  " — not  very  classic,  but  sug- 
gestive language.  Sometimes  we  have  foot  races, 
and  at  other  times  the  boys  wrestle — in  fact,  any- 
thing is  done  that  will  give  exercise  and  keep  up 
an  excitement. 

August  15. — The  daylight  is  gone,  and  a  serene, 
starlit  sky  is  looking  down  on  us  and  our  islet 
home,  and  a  phosphorescent  blaze  from  the  light- 
house over  on  yonder  point  lights  up  the  lake 
between  here  and  there,  and  a  dozen  reflecting 
lamps  cast  a  soft  light  all  over  the  prison  yard. 

Some  of  the  inmates  are  sitting  out  on  the  ver- 
andahs discussing  war  and  home  topics ;  others 
are  in  their  quarters,  some  sitting  straddle  of  a 
bench  playing  poker  or  seven-up,  while  others 
stand  by  gazing  on.  Some  are  sitting  or  standing 
in  groups  singing  a  familiar  hymn  or  a  favorite 
war  song,  while  others  are  writing  to  the  dear 
ones  at  home,  and  still  others  are  reading  trashy 
novels ;  some  are  fast  asleep,  while  others  are 
merrily  scuffling  around  and  over  them. 

And  now,  while  all  these  states  of  being  are 


CAMP,   FIELD    AXD   PRISOX    LIFE.  109 

around  me,  I,  in  the  quietude  of  my  own  little 
room,  will  proceed  to  w^rite  up  my  day's  journal 
by  the  flickering  light  of  the  stump  of  a  candle, 
which  is  glued  to  our  little  shelf  as  a  candlestick ; 
nor  have  I  any  table  upon  which  to  write,  except 
a  piece  of  plank  and  my  lap.. 

Neither  the  grajje-vine  nor  the  electric  telegraph 
worked  much  to-day,  and  we  were  very  well  satis- 
fied, for  it  is  so  awful  hot  and  sultry  that  the 
fellows  were  too  lazy  to  talk  about  it.  It  is  a  great 
fashion  for  the  Southern  gentry  here  to  go  en 
dislidbille ;  many  of  them  don't  wear  shoes  half 
the  time,  and  coats  are  seldom  seen,  except  hang- 
ing on  a  nail.  Those  who  have  good  clothes  take 
more  pride  in  looking  at  them  than  in  wearing 
them,  wdiich  was  not  the  case  with  them  in  palmier 
days. 

Just  before  the  call  to  quarters  this  evening  one 
of  our  notables  made  his  appearance  upon  the 
upper  balcony  of  Block  3,  and  as  the  fellows  could 
set;  he  w^as  rij)e  for  something,  they  called  for  a 
''  hard  shell "  sermon  from  the  honorable  gentle- 
man. Without  much  persuasion,  lie  launched 
forth  on  one  of  his  rich  sermons,  which  soon 
brought  out  a  considerable  crowd,  wdio  would 
sometimes  burst  forth  in  shouts  of  applause,  then 
again  in  laughter,  and  when  he  had  finished  three 
rousing  cheers  went  up  for  "  Youngblood."  Then, 
as  an  afterpiece,  he  told  one  of  his  lawyer-preacher 


170  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PEISON    LIFE. 

stories  in  his  own  style,  and  the  merry  crowd  dis- 
persed to  their  homes  to  laugh  and  grow  fat. 

And  something  occurred  in  the  evening  to  put 
them  in  a  humor  for  laughing.  Uncle  Tommy 
Stevenson,  or  "  Old  Paj),"  as  he  loves  to  be  called, 
who,  by  the  way,  is  our  postmaster,  and  has  been 
here  about  a  year,  got  a  suit  of  clothes  yesterday 
from  Missouri,  and  this  evening  he  came  out 
dressed  in  grand  style,  presenting  a  visible  con- 
trast to  his  usually  sloven  garb.  The  prisoners 
flocked  around  him  as  little  boys  would  about  a 
monkey,  and  beset  him  with  all  kinds  of  questions 
and  jokes,  and  it  was  fun  to  him  to  humor  them 
to  their  heart's  content.  So  goes  life  in  the  prison 
land. 

August  16. — This  is  the  Sabbath  day,  and  the 
last  one  in  which  I  shall  write  in  this  journal,  for 
I  am  near  unto  its  end.  Whether  or  not  it  may 
prove  interesting  to  those  into  whose  hands  it  may 
fall  I  can  not  tell,  but  to  me  its  contents  are,  and 
ever  will  be,  precious ;  for  'tis  full  of  real  life 
incidents,  inseparably  connected  with  a  great  era 
in  my  life — incidents  that,  though  their  existence 
shall  fade  away,  their  impressions  can  not,  for 
they  are  indelibly  stamped  on  my  memory,  and 
the  effects  of  some  of  them  are  in  my  heart. 
Though  the  future  is,  perchance,  fuller  of  events, 
and  mighty  ones,  in  which  I  may  be  a  participant, 


LIFE.  171 

Still  none  can  erase  those  already  imprinted  on 
my  mind  and  remembrance. 

From  seven  to  twenty  I  was  most  all  the  while 
in  the  schoolroom,  and  liad  every  reasonable 
facility  for  acquiring  knowledge,  but  all  that  the- 
oretical learning  is  not  worth  the  stern  practice  of 
the  x^^'^st  two  years.  Then  I  saw  the  world,  its 
people  and  machinery,  political  and  physical, 
through  the  dark  and  uncertain  medium  of  falla- 
cious and  ^prejudicial  history.  The  virtues  of  the 
good  were  over-estimated  and  the  w^ickedness  of 
the  evil  exaggerated.  Then  I,  as  the  rest  of  nmn- 
kind  wdio  had  not  seen  life  in  all  ranks  and 
phases,  had  too  great  credulity  in  the  prominent 
men  of  our  land ;  I  believed  what  they  thought 
and  said  was  surely  so. 

Now  I  have  learned  to  believe  that  there  are 
none  without  deficiencies,  and  that  if  you  would 
truly  know  a  man,  you  must  weigh  him  by  some 
adequate  standard  ;  for  some,  one  test  wdll  do ; 
for  some,  it  requires  another.  Extensive  obser- 
vation has  convinced  me  that  interest  and  self- 
aggrandizement  are  two  powerfiil  elements  in  the 
characters  of  most  men,  and  that  those  traits 
have  had  a  full  share  in  bringing  on  and  keei^ing 
up  this  strife. 

Sabbath  afternoon,  16th  of  August.  —  This 
morning  the  Rev.  Mr.  Samplin  preached  for  us, 
and  this  evening  there  will  be  services  in  front  of 


172  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PEISON    LIFE. 

Block  13.  Our  ministers  invoke  tlie  blessings  of 
Heavt-n  upon  our  cause,  and  pray  tliat  wisdom 
and  strength  may  be  given  to  our  President ;  and 
tliey  urge  tlie  propriety  of  observing  tlie  21st 
instant,  a  day  appointed  by  President  Davis  for 
"fasting,  liumiliation  and  prayer."  It  may  be 
that-  the  authorities  will  forbid  an  open  expres- 
sion, but  the  workings  of  our  hearts  are  incomat- 
able — not  to  be  ruled  by  force. 

All  around  the  prison  now  is  calm  and  still, 
like  a  city  on  Sunday ;  the  mandates  .  of  the 
Good  Giver  of  all  are  not  wholly  forgotten, 
though  'tis  true  that  soldiers  become  more  care- 
less of  life  and  less  considerate,  or  at  least  seem- 
ingly so,  of  hereafter  than  circumstances  demand. 
But  the  army,  when,  properly  disciplined,  has  not 
that  demoralizing  influence  accredited  to  it  by  the 
world.  In  fact,  many  men  see  their  own  bad 
traits  so  disgustingly  portrayed  in  the  conduct  of 
others  that  they  repent  and  are  reformed. 

This  struggle  has  heaved  up  oceans  of  hidden, 
mysterious  character  and  talent.  Many,  very 
many,  hitherto  unknown  to  the  world  have  proved 
as  shining  jewels,  and  not  a  few  have  been 
weighed  and  found  wanting.  Yerily,  it  is  a  time 
that  tries  men's  souls. 

AUGUST  18 — A  RETROSPECTIVE  GLANCE. 

I  can  not  look  back  over  the  soldier  life  I've  spent 
and  think  of  the  thousand  happy  associations 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PPJSOX    LIFE.  173 

I've  found,  of  the  many  nice  cities  I've  seen,  of 
the  beantiful  uplands  and  deliglitful  valleys,  and 
of  the  picturesque  hills  and  grand,  rugged  moun- 
tains where  my  feet  have  wandered,  without  feel- 
ings of  regret — regret  because  a  great  many  of 
them  have  i3assed  away  from  my  sight  forever. 

Let  him  who  will  soliloquize  on  the  dangerous, 
turmoiling  and  comfortless  life  of  a  soldier,  and 
feel  in  imagination  and  proclaim  aloud  that  there 
are — there  can  be — no  joys  attached  to  such  a 
mode  of  existence.  I  speak  not  from  concep- 
tions, but  from  a  taste  of  the  stern  realities,  and 
can  say,  with  a  free  conscience,  that  the  past  two 
3'ears  of  my  field,  camp  and  social  experience 
have  been  quite  as  agreeable  as  any  like  period 
in  my  former  life. 

I  entered  upon  this  struggle,  as  I  did  my  colle- 
giate course,  determined  to  persevere  nnto  the 
end,  and  talve  all  that  came  as  that  which  was  to 
be,  murmuring  not  at  hardships  or  disappoint- 
ments. My  rule  of  action  has  worked  happily, 
and  now  I'm  ready,  so  soon  as  relieved  from  duty 
here,  to  strike  out  on  another  year's  campaign  in 
Dixie.  My  heart  is  as  light  and  my  faith  in  the 
justice  of  the  cause  as  strong  as  the  day  I  entered 
the  lists. 

From  Camp  Boone,  Tennessee,  in  August,  1861, 
by  a  circuitous  and  zigzag  route  to  Vicksburg,  in 
May,  18d3,  is  the  line  of  my  adventures,  and  my 


174  CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PEISON    LIFE. 

chain  of  memory  lingers  and  finds  something 
'round  wliich  to  entwine  in  every  vale  and  along 
the  banks  of  every  rijDpling  stream  on  the  route. 

Many  hundreds  with  whom  I  have  traveled  and 
toiled  through  those  scenes  are  gone ;  yes,  their 
bones  lie  bleaching  on  the  banks  of  Green  river, 
Kentucky;  on  the  plains  of  Donelson,  Sliiloh, 
Perryville,  Murfreesboro,  and  around  the  classic 
fortress  of  Vicksburg,  and  wherever  any  army 
camped,  the  rough  oaken  slab  tells  of  the  resting 
place  of  him  that  was  stricken  from  life  by 
disease. 

If  our  hearts  are  not  adamantine,  can  their 
sympathies  help  still  clustering  'round  those 
spots  made  hallowed  by  the  blood  of  our  loved 
comrades,  and  is  there  not  a  monument  of  mem- 
ory reared  on  each  battle-field  and  in  each  grave- 
yard ? 

Pleasing  recollections  do  now,  and  ever  will, 
cling  around  those  in  social  life  about  whose 
homes  I  happened  to  be  and  whose  generous  hos- 
pitality I  enjoyed.  There  are  very  many  mothers 
and  sisters  in  the  South  land  who,  by  their  kind- 
ness, have  endeared  themselves  to  me  by  links 
that  neither  time  nor  distance  can  sever. 

'Tis  now  just  three  months  since  our  capture — 
since  we  were  transferred  from  the  Department  of 
General  Pemberton,  first  to  that  of  General  Grant, 
then  to  that  of  General  Burnside,  and  prospects 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PKISOX    LIFE.  175 

bid  fair  that  \re  are  now  permanently  located, 
though  the  rumor  is  atloat  this  morning  tliat  news 
has  come  from  Washington  pointing  to  a  speedy 
exchange  or  parole.  Some  hx  the  furtlier  time  of 
our  stay  here  at  one  m(^i>tli,  some  at  six, .some 
twelve,  and  others  for  the  war.  Expre^is  letters, 
with  money,  are  coming  in  at  a  rate  that  indicates 
the  majority  are  fixing  up  for  a  long  sta}^,  and  I 
would  not  be  surprised  if  their  heads  were  level 
on  the  subject. 

Let  us  here  take  a  glimpse  at  the  panorama  of 
war  presented  to  view.  It  would  seem  that  Gen- 
erals Grant  and  Pemberton  had  agreed  mutually 
to  suspend  hostilities  for  a  time,  for  they  are  inac- 
tive, and  many  officers  and  men  are  being  paroled, 
and  Commodore  -Farragut  and  a  host  of  Yankee 
Generals  are  now  on  a  visit  North.  Perhaps  tlije 
tide  of  battle  will  swell  again  and  sway  toward 
Mobile  before  the  close  of  the  3^ear. 

The  armies  of  Lee  and  Meade  are  comparatively 
inactive,  but  walching  each  other  with  eagle  eye. 
Bragg  and  Rosecrans,  though  they  seem  to  be 
dormant,  are,  no  doubt,  making  strategical 
moves.  Generals  Burnside  and  Buckner  are  each 
standing  off  watching  for  a  favorable  hour.  The 
cavalry  everywhere,  save  in  West  Tennessee, 
seem  to  be  doing  little  else  than  picketing  and 
scouting.  Generals  Beauregard  and  Gilmore,  at 
Charleston,  are  "  pegging  aAvay,"  each  confident 


176  CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PEISON     LIFE. 

of  success.  The  Trans-Mississij)pi  Department 
is  in  full  blast,  and  tlie  probabilities  are  that 
some  definite  results  will  be  accomplished  there 
the  ensuing  fall. 

It  would  be  futile  to  "speculate  where  the  vast 
tide  of  battle,  stretching  in  two  great  military 
lines,  almost  from  the  xitlantic  to  the  Pacific,  will 
tend,  or  what  the  result  will  be,  for  no  man 
knoweth. 

The  Federal  nation  believe  that  the  defeat 
of  the  rebellion  is  now  a  fixed  fact,  and  the  Con- 
federate nation  is  as  much  determined  to  be  free 
as  the  day  the  first  blow  was  struck.  We  must 
leave  it  to  high  Heaven  to  determine  the  justice 
of  our  cause,  and  to  mete  out  the  rewards  we 
severally  deserve. 


LIFE.  177 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


JoNESBORO,  Washington  County,  East  Tennessee,  ") 

July  1,  1865.  i 

Almost  two  years  have  rolled  into  eternity  since 
I  finished  up  my  first  sketches  of  "  Camp,  Field 
and  Prison  Life,"  but  in  the  meantime,  as  subse- 
quent chapters  will  show,  I  have  not  been  asleep, 
neither  have  I  been  idle.  All  through  the  year 
1864,  and  up  to  date,  I  have  kejDt  brief  notes  of 
what  was  transj^iring  all  around,  promising 
myself,  at  an  opportune  time,  to  write  them  out 
in  a  more  elaborate  form ;  and  to-day,  as  I  look 
over  those  suggestive  jottings,  the  panorama  of 
prison  life  for  1864  is  as  vivid  as  though  it  had 
passed  away  but  yesterday. 

The  first  manuscript  was  written  to  fill  up  the 
lonesome,  vacant  hours  generally  attending  life 
in  prison,  and  this  is  penned  under  similar  influ- 
ences and  circumstances,  the  difference  being  that 
then  I  was  a  prisoner  of  war,  now  I  am  a  prisoner 
of  State.     Then  I  had  a  host  of  companions  and 

a  large  boundary  for  exercise  ;  now  I'm  all  alone, 
12 


178  CAMP,    FIELD    AXD   PEISON    LIFE. 

ancT  my  extreme  limits  are  a  room,  perhaps  six- 
teen feet  square,  with  a  small  door  and  two 
diminntive  windows,  so  checkered  with  iron  bars 
that  only  a  moderate  portion  of  light  finds  its 
way  in  to  me ;  and,  although  my  situation  might 
seem  extremely  disagreeable,  almost  terrible,  to 
those  hearing  of  it,'  I  am  resting  comparatively 
easy  and  content,  "waiting  for  something  to 
turn  up." 

It  may  be  well  to  tell,  just  now,  why  I  am  here. 
In  the  spring  of  1862,  while  serving  in  the  Depart- 
ment of  East  Tennessee  as  a  military  detective 
and  general  police  officer,  I  was  ordered  by  Col. 
William  M.  Churchwell,  Provost  Marshal  of  the 
Department,  to  come  from  Knoxville  to  this  county 
with  a  detachment  of  six  men,  and  arrest  and  de- 
liver at  his  headquarters  a  man  who,  he  said,  had 
been  rejDeatedly  reported  to  him  as  notoriously 
disloval  and  dans-erous  to  the  Confederate  cause. 
I  came  on  the  cars  to  Jonesboro,  one  hundred 
miles,  and  went,  at  night,  twenty  miles,  through  a 
rugged,  mountainous  country,  crossing  a  swollen 
river  at  a  dangerous  ford,  took  the  man  into  cus- 
tody, stated  to  him  what  was  my  duty  and  what 
his,  under  the  circumstances,  and  promised  him 
the  kindest  treatment  in  our  power  if  he  did  not 
rebel  or  attemx)t  to  escape,  but  notifying  him 
explicitly  that  if  he  attempted  to  get  away  it 
was  our  duty  and  orders  to  fire  on  him 


CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON     LIFE.  179 

He  acquiesced  in  all  I  said  and  made  fair  prom- 
ises, but  afterward  broke  to  run,  and  was  fired 
upon,  receiving  a  wound  in  the  calf  of  the  leg 
and  one  in  tlie  small  of  the  back.  I  thought  the 
wounds  were  more  serious  than  they  proved  to 
be,  so  I  took  him  to  his  house,  sent  for  a  doctor, 
and  we  made  tracks  from  that  quarter,  feeling 
certain  that  the  "mountain  men"  would  collect 
and  overwhelm  and  murder  us  if  we  tarried  there. 
Fearing  misconceptions  and  misstatements  of  the 
facts  in  the  case,  I  published  immediately  in  the 
Joilesboro  Express  a  detailed  account  of  the 
whole  affair,  and  no  one  seemed  to  censure  me 
for  my  conduct,  in  consideration  of  the  circum- 
stances, nor  did  the  Provost  Marshal  think  I  had 
acted  improperly  when  I  reported  the  matter  to 
Mm. 

Time  passed  on ;  I  went  to  the  Department  of 
Mississippi  and  was  captured  in  May,  1863  ;  spent 
nearly  two  years  in  a  iS'orthern  j)rison ;  was  re- 
leased on  parole,  and,  tlie  war  having  ended,  I,  on 
tlie  1st  day  of  June,  1865,  started  from  Western 
Virginia  to  my  home  in  Kentucky  with  a  gladsome 
heart  at  the  idea  and  prospect  of  meeting  those 
who,  after  four  years'  absence,  seemed  dearer  to 
me  than  ever. 

After  a  tiresome  journey  on  foot  of  one  hundred 
miles,  I  reached  this  point  on  the  7th  day  of  June, 
little  suspecting  any  evil  ahead,  feeling  uncon- 


180  CAMP,   FIELD    AKD   PRISON-    LIFE. 

scions  of  having  committed  any  wrong.  I  repaired 
to  the  home  of  Mr.  Slemmons,  whose  good  lady 
had  been  like  a  mother  to  me  in  days  of  yore, 
and  expected  to  take  the  cars  next  morning  for 
home,  by  the  way  of  Knoxville,  Chattanooga, 
Xashville  and  Louisville.  When  I  entered  the 
town  all  the  children,  white  and  black,  playing  in 
the  streets,  recognized  me,  though  they  had  not 
seen  me  for  three  years,  and  my  presence  was 
soon  published  all  over  town. 

In  a  little  while  I  was  waited  upon  by  Mr. 
Shiply,  county  sheriff,  and,  by  the  way,  a  clever 
gentleman,  who  requested  me  to  appear  before  a 
magistrate  to  answer  to  the  charge  of  "  assault 
and  battery,  with  intent  to  kill."  I  went  straight- 
way, and  the  only  witness  was  one  of  the  men 
who  had  gone  with  me  to  make  the  arrest.  He 
made  no  gross  misstatement  of  facts  ;  then  I  had 
my  say,  which  was  mainly  to  corroborate  and 
explain  what  he  said.  I  claimed  that  I  was  act- 
ing strictly  under  orders,  and  that  if  there  was 
any  wrong,  a  higher  power  was  responsible.  Mr. 
Magistrate  could  not  see  it  in  that  light,  and  said 
that,  though  I  was  acting  under  orders,  and  was 
justified  by  Confederate  laws,  it  all  amounted  to 
nothing  now,  for  the  Confederacy  was  "played 
out,"  and  those  laws  were  illegal,  and  that  he 
must  consider  it  as  an  oifense  against  the  civil 
laws,   and   so  deal  with  it.    When  his  august 


CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE.  181 

majesty  put  the  matter  in  that  shape,  I  had  no 
longer  any  ground  for  defense,  and  went  to  jail 
in  default  of  $2,000  bail. 

The  next  number  of  the  Joneshoro  Union  Flag 
c-ontained  an  article  headed,  in  flaming  capitals, 
"  Arrest  of  the  Kotorlous  Capt.  Wasli  /"  Among 
other  things  it  said:  "  This  individual  made  liis 
appearance  on  our  streets  and  seemed  to  take  the 
liberties  of  a  martial  knight,  which  was  a  speci- 
men of  the  most  audacious  impudence  that  has 
occurred  during  the  war,  when  it  is  remembered 
that  this  is  the  same  notorious  individual  who,  in 
1862,  took  a  posse  of  rebel  guerrillas,  w^ent  into 
Greasy  Cove,  in  this  county,  and,  at  the  house  of 
an  old  and  esteemed  Union  man,  Mr.  Tinker, 
literally  shot  him  to  pieces."  The  public  will 
know  how  to  appreciate  the  foregoing  when  they 
learn  that  its  author  was  connected  with  the  same 
office  when  it  belched  forth  Southern  sympathies 
and  plead  for  the  Southern  cause.  In  olden  times 
the  renegades  from  any  cause  were  its  most  in- 
veterate and  ignoble  enemies,  and  history  seems 
to  be  continually  repeating  itself.  The  sequel  to 
my  Jonesboro  imbroglio  will,  be  found  in  the 
closing  chapters  of  this  journal.  It  is  enough 
here  to  say  that,  in  three  weeks.  Tinker  was  in 
the  mountains  bushwhacking  again,  and  was 
killed  by  some  North  Carolina  troo^DS  perhaps  a 
year  after. 


182  CAMP,    FIELD    Al^D   PEISON    LIFE. 

As  it  is  now  almost  certain  that  I  will  have  to 
tarry  here  several  weeks,  I  will  neither  cry,  swear 
nor  langli  over  it,  but  calmly  settle  myself  down, 
and  employ  a  greater  portion  of  my  time  in 
writing  out,  from  the  sparse  notes  in  my  memor- 
andum, my  recollections  of  the  year  1864. 

But,  before  entering  thereon,  I  will  remark  that 
I  am  kindly  cared  for  by  my  custodian  and  his 
lady,  and  receive  many  favors  and  delicacies  from 
the  ladies  about  town.  And  in  regard  to  the 
situation  of  the  country  generally,  I  would  observe 
that  East  Tennessee  is,  probably,  in  the  most  un- 
happy predicament  of  any  section  in  the  South. 
The  railroads  are  open  throughout  its  extent,  and 
goods  of  every  description  are  plentiful,  nor  are 
many  of  the  people  actually  suffering  for  food, 
but  the  antagonism  caused  by  bitter  partisan 
feelings,  and  the  countless  instances  of  abuse, 
insult,  cruelty  and  inhumanity  perpetrated  by 
both  parties— the  offender  and  the  offended  often 
being  old  neighbors  and  friends — has  produced 
such  a  state  of  feeling  that  hundreds  of  families, 
who  are  now  in  exile,  must  remain  away,  and 
many  others  must  leave,  if  they  would  prosper 
or  be  happy. 

If  matters  go  on  as  at  present,  almost  the  entire 
property  of  nearly  all  the  prominent  rebels  will 
be  confiscated  or  taken  by  damage  suits  brought 
by  Union  men  who  have  in  somewise  fared  badly 


183 

at  the  hands  of  the  Confederates.  I  am  happy  to 
say  tliat  in  Virginia,  wliere  I  have  been  since  the 
downfall  of  the  Confederacy,  such  is  not  the  case. 
The  citizens  there  are  generally  on  as  good  terms 
as  before  the  war,  and  the  amount  of  litigation  is 
comparatively  small. 

And  now,  before  going  back  to  bring  up  the 
incidents  of  1864,  let  us  take  an  inventory  of  my 
visible  household  and  personal  property.  I  look 
around  me  and  behold :  for  my  bed,  two  blankets  ; 
for  my  pillow,  a  haversack,  containing  a  change 
of  under  clothing ;  for  my  water  bucket,  a  half- 
gallon  tin  measure,  now  sitting  on  a  brick.  I  have 
but  one  chair,  which  seems  to  indicate  that  I  don't 
propose  to  have  much  company.  My  hat  and 
coat  hang  on  the  nail  where  I  placed  them  the 
first  night  I  took  lodgings  here,  to  stay  till  I  get 
ready  to  leave.  The  foregoing,  and  a  small  stock 
of  stationery,  two  novels  and  three  newspapers, 
complete  my  stock  on  hand.  Imagine  the  grated 
door  and  windows  from  the  interior  of  any  ordi- 
nary county  jail,  and  you  have  the  picture  com- 
plete. 

When  I  glance  through  my  note  book  at  some 
of  the  items  that  helped  to  fill  np  the  year  1864, 
there  comes  rushing  to  my  mind  and  before  my 
mental  vision  ten  thousand  things  not  recorded  in 
my  book,  but  which  made  a  vivid,  unfading  im- 
pression on  my  recollection,  and  to-day  I  have  a 


184  CAMP,    FIELD   AND   PEISON    LIFE. 

pleasing  remembrance  of  many  of  those  prison 
scenes  and  associations. 

But  there  are  not  many  pleasing  recollections 
connected  with  the  very  beginning  of  1864.  The 
first  item  jotted  down  in  my  diary  is :  "  January 
1st.  Coldest  day  of  the  season,  and  the  coldest  for 
several  years ;  wood  rations  short,  and  saws  and 
axes  in  demand."  Without  doubt,  it  was  the 
coldest  day  I  ever  experienced ;  it  was  impossible 
to  keep  warm  either  by  going  to  bed  or  hovering 
round  our  stoves,  they  red  hot.  The  most  violent 
exercise  had  but  little  effect  in  warming  the  body 
or  hands,  and  wherever  a  drop  of  water  touched 
it  congealed  instantly,  and  I  knew  of  several 
bunks  being  burned  for  fuel.  Everybody,  both 
gray  jackets  and  blue  jackets,  kept  indoors,  un- 
less compelled  to  be  out,  and  the  sentinels,  who 
were  often  relieved,  paced  their  beats  at  a  double 
quick  all  the  time. 

The  2d  day  of  January  was  almost  as  frigid, 
the  thermometer  standing  10  degrees  below  zero, 
or  42  degrees  below  the  freezing  point.  Sandusky 
bay  was  now  tightly  frozen  over,  and  there  was  a 
world  of  ice  all  around  us.  Our  mail  came  over 
on  the  ice,  and  that  night  several  fellows  whose 
proper  place  was  inside  the  pen,  proposed  to  take 
advantage  of  the  temporary  crystal  bridge  con- 
necting us  with  the  main  land,  change  front  to 
rear,  and  make  a  demonstration  on  Canada.    It 


CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE.  185 

was  so  intensely  cold  that  the  guards  generally 
kept  close  in  their  sentry  boxes.  Four  valorous 
lads  from  the  cotton  States  eluded  their  vigilance, 
scaled  the  walls,  and  made  tracks  for  the  British 
Possessions.  One  lost  his  gloves,  and  his  hands 
were  so  frozen  that,  at  the  end  of  a  few  miles,  he 
had  to  give  up ;  another  got  sick  from  extreme 
exertion  in  the  cold,  and  laid  by  several  days  at 
the  house  of  a  Copperhead  near  Toledo.  When 
he  resumed  his  journey,  and  took  the  train  for 
Detroit,  which  is  near  the  Canada  line,  a  detective, 
who  was  on  the  lookout  for  just  such  fellows, 
nabbed  him,  and  the  next  day  he  Avas  at  his  old 
post,  taking  a  free  lunch  with  Uncle  Sam.  The 
other  two  had  better  luck,  and  in  a  few  days  sent 
us  glad  tidings  of  their  safe  arrival  in  the  domain 
of  Queen  Victoria. 

January  3d,  Colonel  Cluke,  of  Kentucky,  died 
very  suddenly  in  his  quarters — disease  not  clearly 
defined ;  nor  was  that  the  only  case  in  which  a 
prisoner  had  been  cut  down,  almost  without  warn- 
ing. In  fact,  many  of  the  diseases  about  prison 
seemed  to  assume  a  different  type  from  the  same 
diseases  in  camp  or  in  civil  life. 

On  the  morning  of  the  4th  the  wind  commenced 
blowing  from  the  east,  and  by  noon  the  ice  had 
been  driven  from  the  open  lake  on  to  the  blockade 
east  of  our  prison,  till  it  was  piled  up  from  ten  to 
thirty  feet  higli,  and  perhaps  a  mile  long.    In  the 


186  CAMP,    FIELD   AND   PRISOTq"    LIFE. 


afternoon  a  number  of  Yankee  soldiers  went  out 
on  a  skating  expedition,  and  to  view  and  explore 
tlie  magnificent  scene ;  and  from  our  position  tlie 
scene  had  a  striking  resemblance  to  the  pictures 
and  tales  of  explorers  among  the  icebergs  in  the 
arctic  regions. 

That  evening  a  large  amount  of  express  matter, 
that  had  been  accumulating  at  Sandusky  for  some 
days,  came  in,  and,  as  was  always  the  case,  it  was 
thrice  welcomed.  After  supper  I  went  to  the  hos- 
pital to  see  some  sick  friends,  and  I  noticed  three 
corpses  in  the  dead  room.  The  extreme  cold 
weather  seems  to  have  increased  the  mortality, 
which,  for  a  month  before  and  after  that  time,  was 
greater  than  for  any  like  period  while  I  was  there. 
The  following  day,  when  I  went  to  visit  some 
friends  at  Block  12, 1  found  them  building  ladders 
and  plotting  to  escape  that  night.  The  ladders 
were  made  of  benches  stolen  from  the  mess  rooms. 
Just  about  the  time  the  scheme  and  preparations 
were  com|)lete  some  traitor  in  our  midst  informed 
the  authorities,  who  caused  the  ladders  to  be  con- 
fiscated and  the  scheme  abandoned.  During  the 
day  the  weather  moderated  very  much,  and  the 
snow  fell  to  the  depth  of  four  inches. 

The  6th  was  clear  and  cold,  and  the  daily  papers 
from  all  parts  of  the  country  came  filled  with 
descriptions  of  the  effects  of  the  bitter  cold  wea- 
ther;   many  trains  were    blocked  up  in  every 


CAMP.    FIELD    AXD   PRISON    LIFE.  187 

quarter,  and  both  persons  and  stock  were  frozen 
to  death  all  over  the  land.  Many  sleighs,  horses 
attached,  came  over  on  the  ice  that  day ;  some 
parties  came  on  business  and  some  for  curiosity 
and  pleasure.  The  post  commandant  received 
orders  to  make  out  a  roll  of  five  hundred  prisoners 
for  exchange,  and  who  will  think  strange  when  I 
say  the  whole  prison  was  wild  with  excitement 
and  joy. 

And  here  let  me  record  an  act  of  Yankee  kind- 
ness and  generosity.  That  day  Major  Scoville, 
prison  superintendent,  presented  to  the  members 
of  my  room  two  dozen  delicious  apples.  J^or  is 
this  the  only  time  I  will  have  to  mention  kindness 
at  his  hands ;  never  have  I  met  with  a  more  kind 
Federal  officer.  In  this  connection  I  will  note  an 
incident,  containing  some  of  the  milk  of  human 
kindness,  which  took  place  at  the  incipiency  of 
my  imprisonment.  It  was  before  I  got  any  cloth- 
ing, money,  papers  or  anything  else,  and  I  was 
longing  for  something  to  read,  to  take  my  thoughts 
off  of  unpleasant  things. 

I  learned  that  Major  Scoville  had  a  library  at 
his  office,  and  seeing  that  he  was  inclined  to  be 
accommodating,  I  asked  him  if  he  v.ould  bring 
me  in  something  to  read.  To  my  pleasant  sur- 
prise, he  asked  me  to  go  out  with  him  to  his 
office  and  make  a  choice  from  his  library,  which 
I  did.    While  I  was  scanning  the  books,  prepar- 


188  CAMP,   FIELD    Al^D   PRISOX    LIFE. 

atoiy  to  a  choice,  he  went  back  into  his  little  bed 
room  and  brought  forth  a  silver  cup  and  an  old- 
fashioned  jug,'  saying,  while  a  pleasant  smile 
wreathed  his  countenance,  that  it  contained  a 
little  "old  rye"  for  medical  purposes,  and  that 
he  seldom  drank  with  rebels,  but,  if  I  said  so,  we 
would  see  what  it  was  good  for.  When  it  is 
known  that  I  am  a  creature  possessed  of  more 
curiosity  than  anything  on  earth,  excex)t  a 
woman,  the  world  will  not  judge  me  harshly 
for  being  tempted  to  test  the  merits  of  Scoville's 
best. 

I  believe  it  was  the  7th  of  January  that  the 
sutler  was  ordered  to  close  out  straightway ;  we 
could  not  see  any  reason,  except  as  a  retaliatory 
measure.  One  thing  which  is  not  down  in  my 
note  book,  but  which  I  remember  well,  is  that 
Mr.  Sutler  left  me  with  82.50  worth  of  his  checks, 
worthless  when  he  went  away,  and  it  was  at  a 
time  when  money  was  money  with  us. 

Our  fuel  was  hauled  to  us  in  the  shape  of  cord- 
wood,  and  each  morning  a  Yankee  corporal  would 
bring  in  and  distribute  to  each  block  an  ax  and  a 
saw,  wliich  were  carried  out  at  night,  for  fear  we 
might  devote  them  to  unruly  purposes. 

One  evening  Colonel  Johnson,  of  Arkansas, 
and  a  Captain  Somebody,  disguised  themselves 
in  loyal  apjjarel,  and  when  the  time  came  for  tlie 
axes  and  saws  to  go  out,  each  collected  an  armful 


Pill  SOX    LIFE.  189 


and  marched  along.  Leaving  tlie  tools  at  the 
proper  place,  they  left  the  island  and  struck  out 
afoot  to  visit  some  of  their  friends  in  Canada. 
But  they  had  not  gone  far  beyond  Sandusky 
before  they  were  recognized  as  Southern  gentle- 
men and  furnished  an  escort  back  to  our  home  in 
the  lake.  At  most  of  the  Northern  prisons  it  was 
a  custom  to  punish  prisoners  for  attempting  to 
escape,  but  with  us  they  were  generally  simply 
relieved  of  what  they  had  contraband  and  turned 
loose — always  inside  the  pen. 

No  papers  were  allowed  to  come  into  prison  on 
the  Sth  of  January ;  we  didn't  know  why,  unless 
it  was  that  they  contained  news  too  good  for  us  un- 
patriotic fellows.  That  day  there  were  a  hundred 
conflicting  rumors  on  the  subject  of  exchange — one 
which  was  ever  and  anon  in  the  minds  and  on 
the  tongues  of  a  great  many  of  those  fellows 
who  had  been  caught  in  the  overt  act  of  trying  to 
break  up  the  government,  and  had  therefor  been 
consigned  to  short  rations  and  naiTow  limits. 
It  seems  that  at  that  date  full  power  had  been 
given  General  Butler  to  effect  an  exchange,  and 
we  were  eagerly  expecting  something  good  for  us 
to  turn  up.  And,  to  add  to  the  stir  in  camp,  a 
rebel  Lieutenant  who  had  applied  to  take  the 
oath,  was  detected  by  his  comrades  and  kicked 
out  of  prison  by  his  room-mates,  and  a  squad  of 


190 

loyalists  had  to  come  in  to  quiet  down  thf^  excite- 
ment 'mong  the  Southern  boys. 

On  the  9th  the  excitement  and  flurry  rose  again 
to  even  a  higher  pitch  than  the  day  before.  The 
Sandusky  Registei^^  which,  though  we  hated  it, 
we  were  always  glad  to  get,  contained  a  telegram 
saying  that  all  the  prisoners  were  to  be  removed 
from  Johnson's  Island  to  Fort  Delaware  and  Point 
Lookout.  In  a  very  short  time  groups  of  secesh 
could  be  seen  all  over  the  prison  ]3en  laying 
Xolans  for  escape  on  the  way,  and  some  almost 
conceived  that  they  v/ere  actually  gone,  so  sure 
were  they  of  getting  away.  But  full  many  a  time 
did  our  hearts  swell  with  joy  and  hope  only  to 
collaj)se  again  in  bitter  disappointment ;  and  well 
do  I  remember  that  on  that  day,  as  well  as  the 
whole  week  previous,  I  in  vain  watched  the  mails 
for  letters.  My  correspondence  was  one  of  my 
most  potent  sources  of  comfort. 

The  succeeding  day  Colonel  L.  M.  Lewis,  of  the 
Seventh  Missouri,  preached  for  us.  He  was  one 
of  our  most  talented  companions  and  decidedly 
the  most  interesting  divine  in  prison.  He  roomed 
next  door  to  me,  and  was,  for  a  time,  my  tutor  in 
French.  The  same  day  Captain  Barnes,  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  was  buried  by  the  Order,  of 
which  Colonel  Lewis  w^as  President.  And  here  I 
will  record  my  good  opinion  of  that  Order.    From 


CAMP,  fip:ld  and  pkisox   life.  191 

early  cliildliood  I  had  imbibed  a  dislike  to  any- 
thing liidden  or  secret,  for  I  imagined  that  what- 
ever was  meritorious  v/ould  not  suffer  by  being 
brought  out  into  the  light.  But  now  I  take  it  all 
back,  and  give  my  testimony  in  behalf  of  Free- 
masonry as  a  good  and  valuable  institution. 
During  my  stay  in  prison  I  had  ample  chance  to 
Avatch  its  workings. 

A  little  Hock  of  jierhaps  three  hundred  of  the 
Ordtn-  had  been  gathered  up  from  every  quarter 
and  sent  to  stay  with  us.  They  were  regularly 
organized  for  such  charitable  ministering  as  was 
in  their  power  among  the  fraternity.  If  one  was 
sick  the  brotherhood  were  detailed  to  wait  upon 
him,  by  day  and  by  night,  till  he  got  well ;  and  if 
he  had  no  means,  a  collection  was  taken  up  from 
the  scanty  purses  of.  his  comrades  to  procure 
whatever  dainties  or  comforts  w^ere  to  be  had ;  if 
he  died,  they  gave  him  the  most  decent  burial 
possible.  At  first  they  proposed  to  procure  a 
metallic  case  for  every  member  of  the  fraternity 
who  might  die,  but  soon  found  it  inexpedient,  for 
Avant  of  means.  In  many  ways  did  the  Masons 
prove  themselves  w^orthy,  and  many  an  incident 
have  I  heard  of  humanity,  prompted  by  a 
Masonic  brotherly  feeling,  on  the  field  of  strife ; 
sometimes  it  would  be  the  victorious  Federal 
showing  kindness  to  the  unfortunate  Confederate, 
and  sometimes  the  rebel  soldier  dealing  out  kind 


192  CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

words  and  sweet  comforts  to  Ms  Masonic  brother 
tliongli  a  foeman  in  another  cause. 

My  memorandum  says  that  on  the  12th  an 
escaped  rebel  was  caught,  and  that  I  had  an 
argument  with  a  Yankee  Major.  Of  course  it 
was  Major  Scoville,  and  the  subject  abolition- 
ism or  treatment  of  prisoners,  for  we  often  had 
friendly  discussions  about  those  matters. 

The  day  after  that  a  brigade  of  veteran  troops 
arrived  from  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and 
many  were  the  surmises  as  to  the  object  of  their 
presence.  It  appears  that  the  authorities  were 
fearing  a  revolt  among  us,  and  were  preparing  to 
make  our  stay  doubly  sure.  The  whole  brigade 
crossed  Sandusky  Bay  on  the  ice.  The  day  was 
balmy  and  magnificent. 

I  took  two  books  that  I  had  just  finished  read- 
ing to  the  "  circulating  library,"  and  traded  them 
off  for  others.  That  day  Captain  Broughton,  of 
Texas,  my  bunk  mate,  returned  to  his  quarters 
from  a  long  stay  in  the  hospital,  where  he  had 
almost  breathed  his  last  with  the  small-pox.  He 
remained  in  his  room  several  days  after  being 
taken  sick,  and  I  slept  with  him  till  the  small-pox 
broke  out  on  his  skin — until  then  we  did  not  know 
what  ailed  him.  For  several  days  after  that 
everybody,  my  room  mates  included,  was  very 
shy  of  me,  but  I  was  not  in  the  least  alarmed,  nor 
did  I  ever  have  the  least  symptoms  of  the  disease. 


PRISOX    LIFE.  193 

There  was  a  fresli  fall  of  snow  on  the  15th,  and 
the  lads  with  their  lassie^  from  Sandusky  City 
were  sleighing  on  the  ice  all  around  our  place 
of  abode.  Our  mail  and  express  matter  came 
over  on  the  ice,  and  I  received  the  photograph  of 
a  good  lady  friend.  The  papers  said  Gen.  Long- 
street  was  advancing  in  East  Tennessee,  and  that 
there  had  been  a  fight  at  Strawberry  Plains,  which 
was  one  of  my  old  camping  grounds,  and  that 
day  we  got  an  extra  good  ration  of  wood,  which 
was  not  an  unpleasant  item  with  us.  The  next 
day  was  delightful,  and  Brig.-Gen.  Terry,  now 
commanding  post,  came  in  to  inspect  the  prison ; 
he  talked  mighty  nice  and  promised  better  rations, 
but  took  care  not  to  send  them. 

JSText  day  was  Sunday,  and  the  snow  having 
melted,  the  whole  prison  yard  was  a  pond  of  slosh. 
I  spent  the  day  reading  E.  Bulwer  Lytton's  "  Cax- 
tons,"  and  there  were  pleasant  but  false  rumors 
about  the  sutler  returning.  On  Monday  a  United 
States  army  surgeon  inspected  the  prison,  and 
passed  a  high  encomium  on  the  cleanliness  and 
neatness  of  our  room,  and  in  fact  our  domestic 
arrangements  were  in  better  and  more  systematic 
shape  than  most  any  other  room  in  prison. 

That  day  I  built  a  new  patent  right  chair,  we 

installed  a  new  cook,  and  my  notes  say  that  we 

enjoyed  slim  rations  and  increased  appetites,  nor 

do  I  doubt  it,  for  it  was  a  universal  complaint. 
13 


194  CAMP,   FIELD    AXD   PEISO^    LIFE. 

It  snowed  almost  incessantly  during  the  day 
and  night  of  the  19th,  and  the  ground  was  covered 
to  the  depth  of  ten  inches  next  morning,  and  all 
hands  were  fall  of  glee  and  in  a  humor  for  snow 
balling,  at  which  we  had  a  regular  old-fashioned 
good  time.  The  garrison  guard,  which  was  fifty- 
four  men  daily,  was  now  increased  to  eighty-four 
at  night.  As  a  .hungry  wolf  is  more  bold  and 
aggressive,  I  reckon  they  reasoned  likewise  about 


us. 


On  the  morning  of  January  21st  the  officers  of 
Terry's  brigade  made  their  first  appearance  in  the 
prison  at  roll  call,  and  they  introduced  a.  new 
order  of  things:  every  fellow  had  to  be  at  the 
beginning  of  roll  call  or  lose  his  day's  rations, 
not  a  pleasant  thing,  as  his  neighbors  had  none 
to  give  or  lend.  That  day  Captain  Sullins,  of  the 
1st  Alabama,  whose  room  was  next  to  mine,  died, 
after  a  week's  illness,  and  Colonel  Pierson's  report 
of  his  administration  on  the  island  appeared  in 
the  Register.  He  said  that,  up  to  date,  there  had 
been  over  6,000  prisoners  on  the  island ;  149  had 
died,  3  been  executed,  1  shot  by  sentinel,  over  300 
released  on  bond,  oath  and  parole,  and  there  were 
then  remaining  2,612.  That  day,  for  the  first 
time,  a  four  mule  team  came  into  prison,  and 
everybody  ran  out  to  see  it. 

It  was  about  the  day  aforementioned  that  we 
had  a  grand  snow  ball  battle,  like  real  war.    Maj.- 


195 

Gen.  Ti-inible  commanded  the  Conservatives,  and 
Brig. -Gen.  M.  Jeff.  Tliompson  was  in  command  of 
the  Radicals,  "  so-called."  Gen.  Thompson  was 
captnred,  but  subsequently  exchanged.  Captain 
Youngblood,  a  Dutchman  of  singular  and  rare 
genius,  was  Thompson's  chief  signal  officer ;  his 
spy-glass  was  made  of  two  bottles  tied  together, 
and  he  tore  off  his  shirt  tail  for  a  signal  flag,  and 
while  he  was  signaling  the  positions  and  move- 
ments of  the  enemy  he  took  special  pains  to  always 
keep  himself  in  a  safe  locality.  The  adversaries 
pitched  in  manfully,  nor  was  it  altogether  sham- 
like, for  many  a  fellow  came  out  of  the  rencounter 
skinned,  bruised  or  lamed. 

Col.  Lewis  preached  the  succeeding  Sabbath, 
and  the  audience  was  so  large  that  many  had  to 
•leave  for  want  of  room.  That  morning's  mail 
brought  me  $2.00  worth  of  postage  stamps,  a  scarce 
and  precious  article  just  then,  from  Jas.  A.  Mc- 
Bra3^er,  who  had  been  'way  down  in  Dixie,  and 
knew  how  to  sympathize  with  a  fellow  in  durance 
vile,  far  away  from  home.  As  usual  for  Sun- 
day evening,  there  came  extravagant  rumors,  or 
"grape,"  as  we  termed  it,  that  Gen.  Longstreet 
was  going  to  surrender,  and  that  Mr.  Beast  Butler 
would  have  us  all  out  in  a  month.  IS'obody  knew 
the  source  of  the  report,  but  hundreds  of  credulous 
fellows  felt  good  over  it.    It  was  ever  the  case  that 


196  CAMP,    FIELD    ATs^D   PRISON    LIFE. 

we  had  most  news  wlien  tliere  was  least  means  of 
obtaining  it. 

On  the  24th  of  Jannary  I  resumed  the  study  of 
French,  which  I  had  been  pursuing  for  several 
months  previous  to  Christmas.  Colonel  Smith,  of 
Tennessee,  Lieut.  Tobey,  of  Arkansas,  and  several 
others,  were  in  a  class  with  me,  and  Major  Mit- 
chell, of  South  Carolina,  a  highly  accomplished 
Southern  gentleman,  who  had  been  educated  in 
Europe,  was  our  preceptor.  All  parties  took  a 
deep  interest  in  the  study,  and  we  recited  once  a 
day  wherever  we  could  find  a  fitting  place.  For 
some  time  after  that  I  corresponded  with  Kev. 
Father  Lavialle,  President  of  St.  Mary's  College 
in  Kentucky,  who  wrote  me  letters  in  French  for 
my  instruction  and  improvement. 

Judge  Breare,  Lieutenant  of  an  Alabama  regi- 
ment, was  elected  chief  of  our  mess  on  the  26th 
January.  He  made  an  interesting,  witty,  little 
speech,  assumed  the  ofiicial  robe,  and  waded  into 
active  duty.  "  Chief  of  Mess "  is  one  of  those 
offices  full  of  labor  and  responsibility,  with  no 
pay  and  but  little  thanks,  but  Breare  was  emi- 
nently "  the  right  man  in  the  right  place,"  enjoyed 
Ms  authority,  and  gave  satisfaction.  For  some 
time  we  had  been  suffering  from  scarcity  of  water, 
but  now  an  arrangement  was  made,  leaving  the 
big  gate  leading  to  the  lake  open  four  hours  each 
day,  and  we  could  get  plenty  of  crystal  ice  water. 


CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PKISON    LIFE.  197 

Mr.  Johnson,  owner  of  the  island,  was  now  our 
sutler,  and  I  heard  but  few  fellows  bless  him, 
except  with  execrations.  He  had  gone  to  the 
expense  of  getting  a  litliograj)hic  view  of  the 
prison,  Sandusky  and  vicinity,  exjjecting  that  it 
would  take  like  hot  cakes  among  the  prisoners. 
But  his  judgment  was  faulty,  for  but  few  of  them 
wanted  to  see  the  place  longer  than  was  absolutely 
necessary ;  besides,  $3  was  an  exhorbitant  price. 
It  was  reported  that  he  refused  to  sell  goods  to 
any  one  unless  they  bought  a  picture,  and  the 
boys  all  resolved  to  buy  nothing,  and,  whenever 
his  clerks  came  in,  a  yell  would  go  up  all  over  the 
prison,  "  Here's  your  picturs."  He  soon  found  it 
would  not  pay  to  treat  us  otherwise  than  as  honor 
and  honesty  demanded. 

The  29th  day  of  January  was  beautiful  over- 
head but  terribly  sloppy  nnder  foot,  and  our  bridge 
over  to  the  city  w^as  becoming  monstrous  treach- 
erous. The  telegraph  that  day  said  that  Long- 
street  had  flaxed  the  Feds,  out  at  Dandridge,  Ten- 
nessee, and  that  Knoxville  was  alarmed.  At  night 
some  naughty  rebels  broke  into  the  sutler's  store 
and  bought  some  things  when  he  was  not  there ; 
supposed  to  be  in  retaliation  for  high  prices  and 
meanness. 

My  diary  says  that  on  the  last  day  of  January 
a  heavy  Dixie  mail  came  in,  and  of  course  every- 


198  CAMP,   FIELD  AND   PRTS0:N-    LIFE. 

body  was  expecting  a  missive  from  tlie  dear  ones 
in  the  Southland.  Alas  !  too  many  were  bitterly 
disappointed ;  but  some  got  cheering  news  from 
home,  and  others  heard  that  poverty,  sickness, 
and  even  death  was  reigning  amongst  the  loved 
ones,  and  still  they  had  to  remain  in  prison  and 
suffer  the  mental  agonies  consequent  to  such  news. 


CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PKISON     LIFE.  ]  99 


CHAPTER  IX. 


Washington  County  Jan., ") 
July  4,  1S65.         J 

To-day,  while  so  many  thousands  of  the  Ameri- 
can people  are  celebrating  and  enjoying  the  annual 
return  of  Independence  Day,  here  am  I,  a  victim 
to  the  unjust  hatred  and  unchristian  prejudices  of 
a  victorious  foe.  Were  I  as  unreasonable  as  they, 
I  might  invoke  temporal  troubles  and  Divine  wrath 
upon  their  heads  ;  but  rather  will  I  ask  our  Heav- 
enly Father  to  soften  their  hearts  and  enlighten 
their  minds  to  a  sense  of  propriety  and  justice. 
To-day  is  a  great  jubilee  in  Jonesboro ;  most  all 
the  men,  women  and  children  for  ten  miles  around 
are  in  town,  bells  are  ringing,  processions  are 
marching,  cannons  are  firing,  orators  of  the  day 
are  making  spread-eagle  speeches,  and  picnic 
dinners  are  spread  all  around.  Everybody  para- 
ding the  streets,  without  reference  to  age,  sex  or 
color,  has  a  little  Union  flag  pinned  somewhere, 
to  denote  super -loyalty.  I  can  see  much  that  is 
going  on  from  my  little,  grated  window. 


200  OAMP,   FIELD    AN-D   PRISON    LIFE. 

The  former  secesli  generally  keep  close  in  their 
quarters,  for,  even  if  they  received  no  direct  insult 
or  injury,  no  welcome  would  be  extended  to  them. 
I,  too,  expected  to  have  been  enjoying  this  festive 
occasion  with  friends  at  home — no  Union,  no  rebel, 
but  all  united  in  fraternal  bonds  of  sympathy  and 
interest,  in  forgetfulness  of  the  unhappy  past,  all 
hearts  glad  and  all  tongues  rejoicing  that  peace 
was  come.  But  fate  has  deci-eed  that  still  more 
trials  must  I  undergo,  and  yet  longer  must  I  remain 
from  the  dearest  place  on  earth.  'Tis  not  jpleasant, 
but  I  will  try  to  muster  up  courage  to  face  it  all 
with  resignation,  and  content  myself  with  the 
hope  and  prospect  of  a  better  day  coming.  Tlie 
4th  day  of  July,  1863  and  1864,  were  spent  in 
prison,  and  there  is  a  saying,  "  the  third  time  is 
the  charm."     We  will  see. 

The  month  of  February  opened  rather  inauspi- 
ciously ;  there  was  much  wind  and  rain,  and  large 
masses  of  floating  ice  were  driven  from  the  bay 
into  the  open  lake.  On  the  1st  day  of  the  month 
the  beef  issued  to  us  was  so  poor  and  mean  that 
most  of  it  was  thrown  out  into  the  street,  and  we 
had  fast  day,  nolens  voleiis.  It  was  on  the  3d 
of  the  month  that  Major  Scoville,  who  had  been 
absent  for  a  week  at  his  home  in  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
re-appeared  in  the  prison  yard;  everybody  had 
some  business  with  him,  and  it  was  a  notorious 
fact  that  he  promised  to  fulfill  almost  every  request 


201 

that  was  made.  He  would  take  a  minute  of  a 
fellow's  name  and  wants,  and  leave  him  in  a  state 
of  mixed  bliss  and  suspense,  for  sometimes  the 
articles  would  come  and  then  again  they  wouldn't, 
in  which  latter  case  Mr.  Scoville  would  get  numer- 
ous irreligious  blessings.  For  myself,  I  can  say 
that  he  never  failed  to  grant  the  many  favors  I 
asked  for  in  the  course  of  almost  two  years. 

We  had  much  war  news  on  the  5th  day  of  Feb- 
ruary, and  among  other  things  came  an  order  from 
Mr.  Lincoln  for  a  draft  of  500,000  men  on  the  10th 
of  March,  and  those  who  know  the  state  of  the 
public  mind  at  that  time  can  well  imagine  with 
how  little  favor  the  mass  received  it. 

Just  a  few  days  previous  Hon.  Jas.  B.  Clay,  one 
of  Kentucky's  most  gifted  and  honored  sons,  died 
at  Montreal,  Canada.  Upon  his  shoulders  had 
fallen  the  mantle  of  one  of  that  trio  of  America's 
greatest  statesmen.  He  loved  the  old  Constitution 
and  all  pertaining  thereto,  and  he  left  this  world 
in  sorrow  because  it  was  being  dishonored  and 
trampled  under  foot. 

It  was  upon  the  date  above  mentioned  that  the 
"Little  Eastern"  came  over  from  Sandusky  for 
the  first  time  in  the  new  year,  and  it  was  at  the 
same  time  that  General  Terry  came  into  the  yard 
and  scourged  the  sutler  about  the  picture  business 
and  other  improprieties.  And  on  that  day  a 
Choctaw  Indian,  captain  in  the  Confederate  ser- 


202  CAMP,   FIELD   AUTD   PEISON    LIFE. 

vice,  died  in  tlie  hospital,  and  was  buried  by  tlie 
Masons  in  a  metallic  case.  They  put  a  nicely 
painted  head  and  foot  board  at  his  grave,  with 
his  name,  rank,  Masonic  emblems  and  wild 
scenery  carved  thereon. 

The  next  day  we  had  snow  and  mud,  and  got 
but  very  little  wood,  but,  to  cast  a  pleasing  shade 
over  the  gloomy  aspect,  an  immense  pile  of  express 
came  in.  Dr.  Foster  (?)  a  Yankee  of  small  caliber 
but  wonderful  pretensions,  had  a  rich  time  confis- 
cating liquors  and  other  forbidden  things,  but  still 
much  contraband  slipped  in. 

Captain  Lister,  of  our  mess,  played  sharp  on 
the  Yankees,  in  this  wise :  He  had  sent  out  to  the 
post  commandant,  for  approval,  a  permit  to  re- 
ceive certain  articles  of  clothing  from  a  lady  friend 
in  Kentucky.  In  the  body  of  the  permit  he  left 
a  small  blank  place.  It  came  back  approved,  and 
he  inserted,  "  one  pair  boots,"  and  sent  it  on  the 
way  rejoicing.  It  will  be  remembered  that  boots 
had  been  pronounced  contraband,  but  the  permit 
was  approved,  and  he  got  them.  Before  long  the 
fellows  from  down  East  detected  the  modus  op- 
erandi, and  after  that  filled  up  all  the  open  spaces 
with  red  ink  lines. 

On  the  8th  our  grapevine  telegraph  was  in  fine 
working  order,  and  there  were  many  pleasant  sto- 
ries afloat  about  our  emigrating,  and,  sure  enough, 
next  day,  400  rebels   did  leave  for  somewliere^ 


CAMr,   FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE.  203 

Lieutenants  Bouldin  and  Allen,  of  my  company, 
among  the  number.  Of  course,  there  was  great 
excitement  in  all  quarters,  and  some  of  the  fel- 
lows leaving  i^ut  on  several  suits,  fearing  that 
otherwise  their  property  might  be  confiscated. 
Some  others  were  left  in  a  peculiar  predicament, 
for,  expecting  to  leave,  they  gave  away  their  sur- 
plus clothing,  and  then  had  to  stay.  The  prison 
pen  was  perceptibly  thinned  out,  and  for  several 
days  there  was  a  gloom  over  everything.  That 
day  I  visited  Captain  Hodge  and  Lieutenant  Tay- 
lor, of  my  regiment,  who  were  sick  in  the  hospi- 
tal, Captain  Hodge  being  painfully  afflicted  with 
inflammatory  rheumatism. 

The  12th  Ohio  cavalry  bid  adieu  to  our  island 
home  on  the  10th,  and  the  Sandusky  Register  was 
kept  out — news  contraband.-  That  day  the  most 
prominent  and  ardent  Southern  rights  men  in  our 
prison  convened  and  organized  a  society,  known 
as  the  "  Southern  League,"  intended  to  strengthen 
and  make  more  lasting  the  bonds  between  Con- 
federate soldiers.  It  flourished  for  several  weeks, 
then  died  a  natural  death. 

The  next  day's  news  from  the  front  was  that 
there  had  been  fighting  on  the  Rapidan,  the  se- 
cesh  getting  the  best  of  it,  and  Longstreet  seemed 
to  be  flourishing.  A  Federal  officer  issued  some 
clothing  to  our  mess,  most  of  it  being  captured 
goods  of  an  inferior  quality.     Colonel  B.  Howard 


204 

Smitl),  of  the  5tli  Kentucky  cavalry,  was  paroled 
— a  rare  instance — and  Lieutenant  Alexander,  of 
tlie  62d  Tennessee — I  am  sorry  to  record  it — took 
the  oath  of  allegiance,  and  departed  from  the  at- 
mosphere that  was  tainted  with  secessionism. 

My  diary  for  the  13th  says  that  mountains  of 
ice  were  stretching  along  the  horizon  out  in  the 
lake  be3^ond  the  breakwater.  I  have  before 
spoken  of  the  blockade  in  the  lake,  close  to  our 
prison  home,  and  will  here  explain  what  it  is. 
All  who  are  familiar  with  American  history  have 
a  knowledge  of  the  naval  conflicts  on  the  lakes 
between  the  United  States  and  Canada.  Who 
has  not  heard  of  "  Perry's  victory  "  on  Lake  Erie  ? 
Sandusky  Bay  is  nearly  the  shape  of  a  horse 
shoe,  and,  by  the  way,  Johnson's  Island,  which 
is  about  the  center  of  the  bay,  is  similarly  shaped. 
The  bay  is  a  safe  and  commodious  harbor,  and 
there  Commodore  Perry  rendezvoused  his  naval 
fleet.  Across  the  opening  of  the  horse  shoe  he 
made  a  blockade,  by  sinking  stones  and  logs,  un- 
til it  reached,  in  many  places,  the  surface  of  the 
water.  An  opening  just  wide  enough  for  ships  to 
pass  through  was  left  at  one  end,  and  guarded  by 
a  strong  battery.  A  similar  battery  was  there 
during  our  stay  on  Johnson's  Island,  so  our 
friends  down  South,  who  wondered  why  friendly 
crafts  did  not  come  to  our  rescue  from  Canada, 
can  see  that  we  were  in  the  stable,  the  door  locked 


CAMP.    FIELD    AND   PKISOX    LIFE.  205 

and  the  keyliole  guarded,  ^lore  than  fifty  years 
have  rolled  round  since  that  blockade  was  con- 
structed, and  to-day  it  is  plainly  visible. 

The  15th  was  a  beautiful,  si)ring-like  day,  the 
ice  was  leaving  the  bay,  and  the  boat  came  over 
from  the  city,  bringing  lots  of  express,  and  among 
it  was  a  box  of  books  for  me,  from  Frankfort, 
Kentucky,  sent  through  the  kindness  of  my  friend 
Marvin  Averill.  Among  the  books  were  a  New 
Testament  in  French,  Life  of  Stonewall  Jackson, 
Southern  History,  Life  in  the  Old  World,  and  In- 
tellectual Development  of  Europe.  There  was  a 
sudden  change  the  next  day ;  it  was  bitter  cold, 
our  communication  with  the  city  was  blocked,  no 
mails,  high  winds,  my  health  splendid  and  appe- 
tite keen. 

Two  ladies,  from  Kentucky,  came  on  the  18th, 
with  a  permit  from  the  Secretary  of  War  to  see 
their  brother,  who  was  sick  in  prison;  and  a 
woman  had  become  so  uncommon  a  sight  inside 
our  walls  that  the  boys  rushed  out  by  hundreds 
to  see  them,  and  truly  they  looked  so  good  and 
sweet  we  could  not  help  loving  them. 

I  received,  per  express,  on  the  19tli  of  February, 
a  photograph  album,  instead  of  an  autograph 
album  which  I  had  ordered,  and  my  note  book 
said,  "  I  am  negotiating  for  rings  for  some  friends 
at  home  and  in  Dixie."  Ring  making  proved  to 
be  a  lucrative  vocation,  for  many  an  ingenious 


206  CAMP,    FIELD    AXD   PRISON    LIFE. 

fellow  made  from  $1.00  to  $3.00  per  day.  About 
that  date  we  lieard  that  the  prisoners  sent  off  a 
few  days  before  had  arrived  at  Point  Lookout, 
several  having  made  their  escape.  And  now  the 
bay  was  frozen  over  and  sleighs  were  crossing. 

On  the  20th  I  made  a  wholesale  purchase  of 
rings,  to  send  by  mail  to  friends  in  various  quar- 
ters. Just  then  rings  and  autographs  were  all  the 
go,  and  nearly  every  lady  in  the  iSTorthern  land, 
whether  loyal  or  secesh,  had  a  ring  of  prison 
make,  and  for  a  month  a  stream  of  autograph 
albums  were  going  the  rounds  of  the  prison  for 
signatures.  I  had  the  fever,  too,  and  got  some 
600  names,  with  rank,  command,  and  address. 
And  quite  a  number  of  Federal  officers  and  sol- 
diers were  getting  the  autographs  of  their  rebel 
acquaintances.  That  day  a  Confederate  captain 
disgraced  himself  by  taking  the  oath,  and  was 
farther  degraded  by  being  driven  from  prison  by 
his  comrades  after  night.  The  next  day  Brigadier 
General  Shaler,  who  was  now  in  command  of  the 
post,  issued  an  order,  promising  protection  to  all 
such,  and  threatening  offenders  with  punishment, 
but  the  boys  laughed  at  the  idea,  since  "it  is 
necessary  to  catch  a  dog  before  you  hang  him." 

The  succeeding  night  I  sat  up  at  the  hospital 
with  sick  friends,  not  closing, my  eyes  during  the 
whole  night.  There  were  some  very  sick  men  in 
the  ward  where  I  stayed,  suffering  from  a  variety 


AND    PRISOX    LTFIO.  207 

of  diseases,  sucli  as  prison  fever,  rliemnatism, 
chronic  diarrhea,  diphtheria,  and  abscesses  from 
okl  wounds. 

How  the  22d  was  passed  in  prison  may  be  gath- 
ered from  the  following,  which  I  transcribe  uer- 
hatlm  from  my  diary. 

'•  Washington's  birthday — brass  band  inlaying 
Yankee  Doodle  and  Hail  Columbia — rebel  band 
(violins)  play  Bonnie  Blue  Flag  and  Dixie — Yan- 
kees make  speeches  under  the  old  flag,  and  swear 
anew  their  allegiance  to  the  same — rebel  orators, 
Colonel  Lewis  and  Ca^otain  Fallows,  vow  to  live 
and  die  for  Dixie — the  mass  approve,  and  shout 
loudly — Yankee  chaplain  listening  to  the  rebel 
speeches,  but  gets  disgusted,  and  ofiicer  of  the 
day  disperses  the  Confederates." 

Another  memorable  event  of  that  day  was  that 
I  went  on  detail  as  cook,  after  having  been  off  of 
that  kind  of  duty  for  four  months.  I  found  wash- 
ing the  dishes  to  be  the  most  bitter  pill,  but  per- 
severed, and  all  came  to  be  eas}^  enough. 

My  memorandum  for  the  succeeding  day  reads, 
"Mild  as  full-blown  spring — Captain  Thomas 
Burgess  Brantly  catches,  kills,  skins,  fries  and 
eats  a  rat,  and  I  get  a  hind  leg  to  pick — excellent, 
tastes  like  squirrel.  No  less  than  twelve  men 
breakfast  on  a  rat,  not  from  necessity,  but  curi- 
osit}^  Lieutenant  Colonel  Lyle,  of  4^tli  Ala- 
bama, dons  blue  clothes  and  walks  out  with  squad 


208  CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

of  Federal  officers  going  from  roll-call,  is  recog- 
nized at  the  edge  of  the  ice  and  brought  back. 
So  goes  prison  life." 

The  next  day  was  delightful,  and  the  birds  were 
singing  everywhere.  At  night  two  prisoners  tried 
to  scale  the  wall  in  rear  of  block  4 — both  caught 
— one  got  over,  but  soon  found  himself  in  the  cal- 
aboose. For  some  days  previous  a  revival  had 
been  going  on  in  the  dining-room  of  mess  1,  block 
4,  and  quite  a  number  went  up  to  be  prayed  for. 

Several  days  of  bright,  warm  weather  having 
put  the  prison  yard  in  nice  order,  continuous 
streams  of  Confederates  could  now  be  seen  prom- 
enading from  morning  till  night.  And  General 
Shaler  had  an  order  read  before  all  the  messes, 
saying:  "  Sentinels  are  positively  ordered  to  fire 
on  all  prisoners  trying  to  escape."  The  idea  was 
so  juvenile  that  the  boys  could  not  help  laughing 
at  it,  for  they  thought  that  was  the  understanding 
all  the  time.  About  that  time  General  Polk  was 
falling  back  before  Sherman  at  Meridian,  Missis- 
sippi, the  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  quiet,  and 
no  extensive  cavalry  raids  were  going  on  in  any 
quarter. 

It  was  on  the  night  of  the  26th  that  I  visited  a 
room  occupied  by  Arkansians,  or  "  cane  biters," 
as  we  politely  termed  them.  I  went  to  hear  some 
music,  and,  out  of  the  ten  Arkansaw  travelers 
present,  seven  were  fiddlers,  and  the  whole  lump 


209 

"being  jolly  fellows,  Ave  did  have  a  gay  and  festive 
time.  Dr.  Brantley,  who  ate  the  rat,  was  the 
trump  of  the  whole  pack.  The  next  night  I 
attended  a  revival  in  our  mess  room,  and  saw 
great  religious  enthusiasm  manifested.  Lieuts. 
Crouch,  Gibson,  Lee  and  McGill,  of  our  mess,  were 
converted.  I  watched  the  subsequent  course  of 
many  of  those  who  professed  a  change  of  heart, 
and  in  most  instances  they  seemed  to  walk  more 
circumspectly  before  men,  and  gave  evident  signs 
of  more  reverence  for  their  God. 

A  glance  at  my  diary  shows  that  March  opened 
with  bright  auspices  for  Southern  arms.  The 
Northern  press  reported  a  brillianfsuccess  for  the 
Confederates  at  Lake  City,  Florida,  and  General 
Forrest  had  driven  General  Smith  back  to  Mem- 
j)his  with  heavy  loss.  On  the  3d  the  Federal 
chaplain  brought  in  for  distribution  religious 
books,  papers  and  tracts,  requesting  the  boys  to 
read  them  and  form  their  opinions  at  will.  Some 
refused  even  to  listen  to  the  Abolition  sentiments 
in  them ;  others  were  more  reasonable,  and  glad 
to  get  them  for  what  good  there  was  in  them. 

Complaints  about  short  rations  were  now  going 
up  from  all  over  the  prison.  A  Federal  officer 
came  in  and  weighed  some  loaves  of  bread,  find- 
ing them  deficient,  which  deficiency,  of  course, 
went  into  the  pockets  of-  the  post  commissary. 

The  bread  wagoner  was  caught  selling  the  precious 
14 


210  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PEISOTT    LIFE. 

loaves,  and  tlie  tricky  secesli  were  constantly  try- 
ing to  steal  bread  from  the  wagon  while  on  its 
round  of  delivery;  in  fact,  there  was  a  perfect 
bread  mania. 

My  diary  for  March  5th  reads :  "  In  prison  nine 
months  to-day ;  weather  like  Southern  spring  time. 
I  have  written  home  for  clothing  and  provender. 
My  mamma  writes  to  me  about  love  matters  ;  I 
am  promised  the  type  of  an  old  sweetheart,  now 
married ;  small-pox  in  the  home-land ;  rations 
getting  better ;  potatoes  issued ;  new  cups,  knives 
and  forks  furnished ;  boys  sending  out  rings  and 
autograph  albums  by  express ;  sudden  and  ex- 
citing reports  of  exchange." 

After  that  I  have  no  record  till  the  9th,  when 
there  were  signs  of  spring-time  everywhere.  The 
ice  was  all  gone,  and  our  pumps  in  running  order 
again.  A  ventilator  had  been  put  on  the  top  of 
the  hospital,  and  the  post  chaplain  was  coming 
into  the  prison  more  frequently  than  usual,  seem- 
ing to  be  more  interested  in  the  welfare  of  his 
secesh  brethren.  That  day  a  rebel  broke  a  lamp 
over  Mr.  Sutler's  head  because  he  sold  it  to  him 
and  then  refused  to  sell  him  oil.  The  officer  of 
the  day  hunted  "  the  man  who  struck  Billy  Pat- 
terson," but,  of  course,  nobody  knew  who  it  was. 
Maj.  Scoville  visited  our  room  andlauglied  heartily 
over  the  matter. 

The  papers  of  the  10th  said  General  Grant  was 


211 

made  Lieut. -General,  that  700  prisoners  were  ex- 
changed, and  that  the  rebels  had  j)ut  Kil2)atrick's 
men  in  irons  for  retaliation.  On  the  l.th  Lieut. 
Clark,  of  the  55th  Georgia,  moved  into  our  room. 
Rations  were  now  getting  better,  loaves  of  l)read 
larger,  and  constant  improvement  was  going  on 
in  the  prison  yard.  A  raised  gravel  walk  was 
being  made  through  the  center  of  the  yard  and  in 
rear  of  the  buildings.  Two  four-horse  teams  were 
kept  busy  hauling  wood,  one  removing  slops  and 
filth,  and  another  was  constantly  hauling  in  ra- 
tions. The  13  th  was  a  rainy,  sleeting,  snowy, 
gloomy  Sabbath  day.  The  next  day  I  got  the 
first  nnmber  of  the  Louisville  Dally  Journal^ 
which  a  friend  sent  me  for  one  month,  and  there 
were  many  reports  concerning  exchange,  and  the 
privileges  of  the  sutler  being  enlarged.  Just  now 
there  was  a  great  rage  among  the  Yankee  women 
for  rings  made  by  rebel  ofiicers,  and  they  were 
going  off  like  hot  cakes  at  from  50  cents  to  $2.00 
in  greenbacks. 

Just  about  that  date,  one  morning  as  a  starchy 
Federal  officer  was  going  out  from  roll-call,  some 
fellow  popped  him  in  the  back  w^ith  a  snow  ball, 
by  which  heinous  misdemeanor  he  was  grievously 
offended,  and  proposed  to  have  the  cells  at  the 
guard  house  chock  full  of  rebels  if  the  chap  was 
not  brought  to  light,  but  he  gradually  cooled  off, 
and  then  didn't  feel  so  bad. 


212 

On  the  IGtli  a  new  sutler  came  into  tlie  prison, 
with  permission  from  the  Secretary  of  War  to  sell 
anything  to  eat  on  surgeon's  recommendation, 
and  it  was  no  difficult  matter  to  get  sick,  so  as  to 
require  some  of  the  sutler's  stuff.  A  few  days 
previous  I  had  sent  out  for  examination  and  ap- 
proval ray  journal  of  prison  life,  desiring  to  send 
it  to  my  mother,  and  that  morning  Lieut.  Williams, 
United  States  army,  informed  me  that  Gen.  Shaler 
was  reading  it.  It  may  be  that  it  let  him  into 
some  of  our  ways  and  thoughts  until  then  not 
known,  but  I  was  not  aiming  or  desiring  to  do 
anything  prejudicial  to  the  interest  of  those  around 
me. 

I  visited  the  hospital  on  the  18th,  and  found  a 
good  old  captain  praying  and  singing  in  the  vari- 
ous wards ;  sickness  was  on  the  decline,  erysipelas 
dying  out,  no  small-pox,  chronic  diarrhoea  being 
most  fataL  And  I  noticed  a  little  house  just 
erected  in  rear  of  the  hospital,  in  which  to  lay 
out  the  dead.  The  succeeding  day  Col.  Printup, 
of  my  room,  got  a  splendid  box  of  eatables  from 
some  lady  friends  in  Richmond,  Kentucky,  and  it 
made  all  our  hearts  glad,  for  we  shared  everything 
in  common  in  our  room. 

Here  I  will  insert  a  little  scrap  going  to  show 
that  one  never  loses  anything  by  treating  his 
enemy  kindly.  After  Richmond,  Kentucky,  was 
captured  by  Kirby  Smith,  in  1862,  and  the  army 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE.  213 

was  moved  on  to  Lexington,  Colonel  Printnp,  with 
the  r)r)th  Georgia,  was  left  in  command  of  the  posl 
at  Richmond.  He  treated  the  Federal  prisoners 
there  very  kindl}',  and  would  not  allow  his  sol- 
diers to  disturb  the  citizens,  hut  extended  protec- 
tion to  the  loyal  and  disloyal  alike,  and  everything 
was  smooth  and  harmonious.  Time  went  on,  our 
army  retreated  from  Kentucky,  and  in  September, 
1SG3,  Printup  and  his  regiment  were  captured  with 
Brig.- General  Frazier  at  Cumberland  Gaj).  The 
officers  were  sent  to  Johnson's  Island,  and  Colonel 
P.  brought  with  him  a  letter  signed  by  several 
prominent  Federal  officers  and  loyal  citizens, 
recommending  him  for  parole  or  the  kindest  treat- 
ment possible.  As  I  have  before  said,  my  room 
was  one  of  the  most  comfortable  in  prison,  of 
which  fact  Major  Scoville,  prison  superintendent, 
was  aware,  so  he  came  to  us  and  asked  us  if  we 
would  take  Colonel  Printup  into  our  room,  telling 
lis  why  he  took  a  special  interest  in  his  welfare. 
"We  thought  that  an  officer  who  had  manliness 
enough  to  treat  his  enemy  kindly  when  a  prisoner 
w^ould  do  to  risk,  nor  had  we  afterward  cause  to 
be  sorry. 

My  memorandum  says  March  21st  was  cold,  the 
bay  frozen  over,  and  we  got  no  mail,  but  lots  of 
grapevine  telegrams.  My  week  as  cook  expired, 
and  Lieut.  Clark  was  inaugurated.  The  next 
day  I  got  a  ]3a.ir  of  shoes  from  "  Gen.''^  Frank 


214  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PEISO]!T    LIFE. 

Berger,  and  my  note  book  says  that  I  tried  to  steal 
a  pair  of  pants  from  him,  but  failed.  I  had  a 
chat  with  one  of  the  veteran  soldiers  who  was  at 
work  in  the  yard ;  he  said  bounty  would  not  bait 
him  any  longer,  that  he  was  going  home  in  a  few 
weeks.  Our  chief  cook  fixed  us  np  a  delicious 
bread  pudding  for  dinner,  and  a  burlesque  picture 
on  the  bulletin  board  attracted  a  large  crowd, 
though  it  was  cold  as  blazes. 

On  the  23d  General  Shaler  sent  back  m}^  journal 
of  prison  life,  saying  I  could  not  send  it  off,  for  it 
was  too  ranlx.  with  treason^  but  the  fact  is  that  by 
perseverance  I  did  manage  to  ship  it  to  my  mother 
after  a  while.  That  day  I  received  a  letter  inform- 
ing me  of  the  resignation  of  my  Colonel,  J.  H. 
Crawford,  and  that  my  first  Lieutenant,  T.  T. 
Bouldin,  had  left  Point  Lookout  for  Dixie-land. 
The  next  day  was  beautiful  and  delightful,  and  in 
the  afternoon  a  host  of  Yankee  Lieutenants  and 
Sergeants  came  in  to  muster  all  the  rebels,  taking 
full  name  and  rank  of  each,  for  what  reason  we 
could  not  tell,  but  hoping  it  was  looking  toward 
exchange. 

An  impudent,  disloyal  fellow  assumed  loyal 
garb  and  walked  out  with  said  ofiicers,  but  was 
taken  up  like  a  stray  calf,  and  turned  back  into 
the  pen,  minus  his  shoulder  straps.  Nobody  ever 
knew  how  so  much  Federal  attire  found  its  way 


CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE.  215 

into  prison,  but  I  believe  the  motto  up  North  is, 
"  money  makes  the  mare  go." 

The  Yankee  carpenters  were  at  that  time  build- 
ing an  addition  to  the  hospital  for  the  accommo- 
dation of  the  surgeons  and  rooks.  General  Grant 
had  just  taken  command  in  the  East,  and  gold 
was  rating  at  169.  On  the  26th  a  steamer  came 
from  the  open  lake  and  j)lowed  its  way  through 
the  slush  ice  up  to  Sandusky  City,  and  the  same 
day  the  "  Little  Eastern "  made  its  way  to  the 
island.  On  the  next  day,  which  was  Sunday, 
eleven  Confederate  officers  were  baptized  in  Lake 
Erie,  a  large  crowd  of  ladies  and  Federal  officers 
being  out  to  witness  the  novel  sight. 

The  following  day  was  a  glorious  one  in  our 
prison  life.  Sutler  Terry,  brother  of  the  General, 
opened  a  large  stock  of  goods  in  the  prison,  and 
the  crowd,  jam  and  squeeze  to  get  to  buy  ex- 
ceeded most  anything  I  ever  saw.  He  sold  out 
half  of  his  stock  the  first  day,  realizing  over 
82,000.  Though  rather  contraband,  he  had  plenty 
of  good  brandy,  at  $5.00  per  quart,  and  many  a 
Southern  gentleman  got  "  how  come  you  so." 
One  fast  mess  paid  $60  for  a  case  of  champagne, 
and  felt  richer  after  than  before  spending  their 
money. 

It  was  the  day  after  that  I  got,  rather  unex- 
pectedly, from  home,  a  box  of  clothing  and  eat- 
ables, and  Captain  Broughton,  of  my  mess,  also 


216  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PEISOl^-    LIFE. 

received  a  box  of  good  tilings  to  eat  from  a  lady 
friend  at  Russellville,  Kentucky.  She  only  knew 
liim  tlirougli  a  friend  of  lier's,  wlio  formed  his  ac- 
quaintance at  Hopkinsville,  Kentucky,  while  the 
7th  Texas  was  stationed  there,  in  the  fall  of  1861. 
The  good  ladies  of  Kentucky  are  loved  and 
blessed  by  many  a  poor,  unfortunate  rebel  sol- 
dier that  they  never  saw  or  knew,  except  by  the 
story  of  their  privations  and  sufferings. 


CAMP,    FIELD    AXD    PRISOX     LIFE.  '217 


CHAPTER   X. 


Ark  of  Safety,  Jonesboro,  East  Tenx.^  \ 
July  6,  1SG5.       '  / 

On  tlie  1st  day  of  April  General  Heintzelman 
visited  onr  island,  and  many  little  sail-boats  were 
beginning  to  appear  on  the  lake.  For  some  cause 
no  sutler  had  been  in  the  prison  for  several  days, 
but  it  did  not  matter  much,  for  a  half  dozen  sub- 
sutler  shops,  kept  by  rebels,  were  open,  and  there 
was  a  great  rivalry  among  them  for  the  trade. 
Captain  Wood,  of  Tennessee,  had  one  open  in  our 
block,  and  advertised  to  sell  anything  on  com- 
mission. 

Nothing  short  of  an  actual  sight  of  the  thing 
would  give  a  just  idea  of  how  nearly  our  prison 
was  like  a  diminutive  city — not  town — for  there 
you  never  see  that  variety  of  petty  speculations 
and  engagements. 

We  did  not  forget  that  it  was  April  Fool's  day, 
and  many  good  jokes  and  sells  were  got  off  by 
the  Confederate  fraternity.  I  made  a  sawdust 
pie  and  presented  it  to  Major  Stuart  of  Arkansas, 


218  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

for  trimming  my  hair.  His  appetite  was  sharp  as 
a  razor,  and  his  mouth  watered,  till  he  waded 
through  the  tough  crust  into  the  sawdust ;  then 
his  feathers  felh  The  boys  plagued  him  about  it 
for  a  month,  and  he  was  constantly  trying  to  get 
the  turn  on  me,  but  I  was  always  on  the  lookout, 
and  he  failed. 

During  the  early  part  of  the  month  the  air  was 
balmy,  and  the  lake  smooth  as  a  mirror.  There 
was  a  dancing  school  going  on  at  Block  13,  and, 
to  vary  the  programme,  one  fellow  stuck  a  knife 
into  another.  The  papers  reported  that  Colonel 
Ould,  Confederate  Commissioner  of  Exchange, 
had  gone  to  Fortress  Monroe  in  our  behalf.  On 
the  4th  Colonel  Gregg  and  Captain  Hodge,  of  my 
regiment,  took  dinner  with  us,  and  "  we  put  the 
big  pot  in  the  little  one,"  and  had  something 
extra.  My  note  book  says,  "  On  the  6tli  there 
were  bright  prospects  for  exchange,  and  the  rebels 
were  all  jubilant."  Yes,  and  a  hundred  other 
times  did  the  prospects  brighten,  but  only  to  glim- 
mer and  fade  again. 

And  now  here  comes  some  fresh  ''  means  of  live- 
lihood." A  shifty  Southerner  bought  a  pair  of 
scales  and  erected  a  weighing  machine,  and  would 
tell  any  fellow  his  hog  weight  for  a  three  cent 
postage  stamp — I  brought  down  160  pounds  at 
that  date — and  about  the  same  time  another  insti- 
tution was  opened  for  the  purpose  of  making  a 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PJIISON    LIFE  219 

speck  of  cluinge.  Lieutenant  McLouglilin,  of 
Alabama,  set  up  an  03'ster  saloon  in  mess  No.  1 
of  our  block,  and  for  awhile  drove  a  thriving 
trade.  From  ni}'  memorandum  it  seems  that  I 
was  a  little  indisposed  about  that  time,  which 
was  something  unusual,  for  I  enjoyed  excellent 
health  most  all  the  while. 

The  8th  day  of  April  had  been  appointed  by 
President  Davis  as  a  day  of  fast  and  prayer,  and 
we  observed  it  with  due  solemnity.  The  Confed- 
erates most  all  dressed  up,  and  we  had  preaching. 
As  to  fasting,  the  majority  approximated  to  it 
every  da}^.  I  had  now  received  no  letters  for  a 
whole  week,  when  one  came  from  Miss  J.  G.  B., 
full  of  good  cheer  and  encouragement,  and  asking 
for  a  history  and  description  of  "  Asa  Hartz " ; 
nor  was  she  the  only  one  that  made  inquiries 
about  "  Asa."  His  real  name  is  George  McKnight, 
and  he  was  a  major  on  the  staff  of  General  Loring. 
B}^  his  wit,  poetry  and  fascinating  letters  he  had 
got  half  the  damsels  in  the  country  crazy  about 
him.  One  of  his  poetic  effusions,  "  My  love  and 
I,"  contrasting  their  situations  in  humorous  and 
witty  terms,  went  the  rounds  of  the  whole  North- 
ern press,  and  he  received  clothing  and  eatables 
from  all  quarters  in  profusion.  The  truth  is  he  had 
most  reputation  where  he  was  least  known.  "  We 
'uns"  didn't  lay  much  stress  either  on  the  man 


220  CAMP,   FIELD    Ai:^D   PRISON    LIFE. 

or  Ms  poetiy.     Truly  did  distance  give  enchant- 
ment. 

April  11th  two  ladies  from  Kentucky  came  into 
prison  to  see  a  sick  friend,  and,  as  was  the  case 
every  time  a  lady  appeared  inside  the  walls,  it 
created  much  interest  and  excitement.  The  same 
day  several  JNTorthern  ladies  were  on  the  parapet 
taking  a  view  of  rebeldom.  They  didn't  portray 
much  sympathy  for  iis,  and  we  reciprocated  the 
compliment  in  like  coin. 

The  next  day  two  "galvanized  rebels"  were  or- 
dered to  leave  the  prison  because  they  were  in 
the  wrong  pen,  having  satisfied  us  that  they  were 
abolitionists  at  heart.  They  received  no  sym- 
pathy or  countenance  from  any  honest  rebel,  and 
so  disagreeable  did  their  situation  become  that 
they  made  application  to  be  put  in  the  cells  with 
the  condemned  prisoners,  which  w^as  granted. 
Ours  was  a  genuine  Southern  institution. 

The  succeeding  day  I  got  a  letter  from  my 
brother  at  Camp  Morton,  saying  our  mother  had 
been  to  see  him,  but  was  denied  the  privilege, 
only  being  allowed  to  write  a  note.  She  took  him 
clothing  and  provisions,  all  of  wliich  they  prom- 
ised to  deliver  promptly,  but  some  of  the  articles, 
including  all  of  the  delicacies,  he  never  got. 
That  day  General  Terry  was  in  to  inspect  the 
prison,  and  the  inmates  were  curious  to  know  his 


CAMP,    FIKLD   AND   PKISOX    LIFE.  221 

ideas  about  exchange,  wliicli  proved  to  be  not 
very  flattering. 

At  tliat  time  the  news  from  Washington  repre- 
sented warm  times  in  the  Federal  Congress.  Mr. 
Colfax  moved  to  expel  Mr.  Long,  of  Ohio,  and 
epithets  of  traitor  and  liar  were  freely  used. 
Right  or  wrong,  the  Confederate  nation  glorified 
in  seeing  tlie  strife  of  w^ords  and  feeling  among 
tlieiii.     Gold  had  gone  up  to  172. 

On  the  14th  of  April  about  forty  Confederate 
officers,  from  the  Trans-Mississippi  Department, 
were  brought  in,  most  of  them  having  been  cap- 
tured at  home,  w^hich  was  anything  but  a  recom- 
mendation among  the  mass  of  the  prisoners  who 
were  captured  on  the  battle-field.  The  same  day 
two  regiments  of  the  veteran  troops  left  for  the 
front,  and  subsequently  suffered  terribly  in 
Grant's  May  campaign. 

At  three  o'clock  p.  m.  of  the  same  day  the 
"  rebellonians  "  gave  a  performance  at  Block  9, 
said  "  rebellonians "  being  a  minstrel  concert 
troupe  not  to  be  grinned  at.  They  had  displa^^ed 
much  talent  and  enterprise  in  getting  up  so  credit- 
able an  entertainment  under  so  many  adverse 
circumstances.  The  house  was  crowded,  the  music 
was  splendid,  and  the  theatrical  scenery  and  act- 
ing, thongh  somewhat  rustic,  gave  evident  signs 
of  genius.  The  price  of  admission  was  25  cents, 
reserved  seats  50  cents.     Several  Federal  officers 


222  CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

were  present,  and  seemed  to  enjoy  tlie  jokes  and 
burlesques  got  off  on  tlie  Yankee  nation.  I  after- 
ward attended  the  theater  at  Richmond,  Virginia, 
and  yet  think  the  "  rebellonians  "  excelled  them 
in  interest. 

AYhat  might  now  seem  a  very  trivial  matter, 
but  then  merited  noting  down,  was  that  on  the 
16th  of  April  we  had  corn  bread  for  dinner,  it 
being  the  first  we  had  tasted  for  six  months.  And 
still  there  were  exciting  debates  in  the  Federal 
Congress,  and  gold  was  fluctuating  between  176 
and  180.  Just  then  there  was  a  howl  going  through 
the  Northern  press,  calling  for  retaliation  for  the 
killing  of  so  many  colored  troops  by  General  For- 
rest's men  at  Fort  Pillo\v.  The  matter  was  grossly 
exaggerated  everywhere,  and  the  real  facts  in  the 
case  never  told.  General  Forrest  felt  himself  jus- 
tified, and  right-minded  people  to-day,  who  know 
the  circumstances,  do  not  condemn  him. 

My  memorandum  book  says  April  18th  was  a 
beautiful,  life-giving  day,  and  that  I  got  a  sweet 
letter  from  my  mother  and  one  from  a  good  lady 
friend  in  Missouri.  The  next  day  was  one  of  grand 
excitement  on  Johnson's  Island.  There  came  an 
order  from  the  Secretary  of  War  to  remove  all  .the 
sick  and  wounded  prisoners  to  Point  Lookout. 
In  the  shortest  possible  time  there  were  a  thousand 
before  unheard  of  ailings,  and  in  many  cases  the 
diseases  were  so   deep-seated  that  the   surgeon 


AND   PRTSOX    LIFE.  223 

could  not  find  tluMii.  Tlie  armless  and  legless 
were  jubilant  for  ouch. 

Dr.  Woodbridge,  United  States  army,  was  very 
kind,  and  did  all  he  could  for  the  sick,  and  every- 
body liked  him.  The  next  day  175  sick  and 
wounded  did  leave  for  exchange,  and  we  who  had 
to  remain  were  truly  glad  to  see  the  poor  fellows 
off.  My  room  mate,  Captain  Broughton,  and  five 
others  from  my  mess,  went.  Many  letters  were 
smuggled  through  in  hat  crowns,  coat  linings,  boot 
soles,  and  every  other  fashion.  Several  loads  of 
straw  for  our  beds  came  in  that  day,  and  I  noticed 
the  inmates  of  Block  1  placing  nice  sod  around 
their  quarters. 

April  24th  we  received  the  largest  Dixie  mail 
that  had  ever  come  to  the  prison.  Up  to  that  time 
I  had  gotten  no  letters  from  the  South,  though  I 
wrote  many,  and  it  was  a  general  complaint  that 
not  one-fourth  of  the  letters  written  in  the  South 
ever  reached  us.  From  noon  till  night  of  the  next 
day  the  winds  howled  and  the  lake  surged  so  that 
no  bark  could  ride  its  bosom.  The  scene  was 
wild,  rugged,  magnificent,  exceeding  in  grand 
beauty  anything  the  artist  could  paint. 

That  very  same  day  Plymouth,  IS'orth  Carolina, 
with  a  garrison  of  2,500  troops,  was  captured  by 
some  gentlemen  of  disloyal  persuasion,  and  gold 
closed  in  New  York  at  184  About  a  dozen  pris- 
oners arrived,  all  laboring  under  the  impression 


224  CAMP,    FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

tliat  tliey  were  on  tlie  way  to  Dixie,  but,  as  soon 
as  the  poor  fellows  got  into  limbo,  tlieir  eyes  were 
open  to  the  delusion.  The  Federals  told  us  away 
back  in  the  beginning  of  June,  1863,  that  they 
would  only  keep  us  a  couple  of  months,  but  they 
forgot  and  added  nineteen  thereto.  In  that  squad 
of  prisoners  was  a  Copperhead  youth  who  was 
sentenced  to  confinement  there  for  expressing 
Southern  sympathies  at  a  Northern  college. 

And  now  the  tocsin  of  war,  which  had  been 
almost  slumbering,  began  to  sound  again.  Grant 
was  preparing  for  war  on  a  momentous  scale,  and 
Lee  was  arranging  matters  to  checkmate  him. 
All  the  regular  troops  were  being  sent  to  the  front, 
and  the  garrisons  filled  with  militia.  Governor 
Brough,  of  Ohio,  had  just  called  out  the  militia 
for  one  hundred  days'  active  service.  And  just 
then  news  came  from  the  far  SoiTth  to  the  efiect 
that  Mr.  General  Banks,  whom  the  Confederates 
regarded  as  their  Commissary  General,  was  in  a 
bad  fix,  his  army  whipped,  and  his  gunboats  and 
transports  aground  in  Red  river.  About  the  last 
of  April  some  reckless,  thoughtless  or  mean  pris- 
oner tried  to  set  fire  to  the  eating  room  of  mess  1, 
block  4,  but  fortunately  the  fire  was  discovered 
and  extinguished. 

The  1st  day  of  May  was  pleasant  and  warm, 
the  2d  it  rained  and  snowed,  and  the  8d  I  received 
four  letters,  one  being  from  my  grandmother,  and 


LIFE.  225 

one  written  in  French  from  Fatlic^r  Lavialle,  of  St. 
Mary's  College. 

The  next  day  was  one  that  kept  ns  secesh  full 
of  life  and  fun,  though  to  the  outer  world  it  might 
seem  that  it  was  calculated  to  depress  us.  A  host 
of  "  National  Guards,"  citizen  soldiers  and  other 
gentry,  of  every  age,  size  and  appearance,  visited 
the  island  to  get  a  peep  at  the  compound  essence 
of  the  rebellion.  Perhaps  fifty  of  them  were  on 
the  parapet  at  one  time,  curiously  inspecting  the 
appearance  of  things  on  the  inside.  The  fellows 
yelled  at  them  in  all  manner  of  ridiculous  styles, 
actually  making  them  ashamed  of  themselves. 

Maybe  a  rough  looking  old  customer,  with  a 
tall  hat  on,  would  make  his  appearance,  and  in- 
stxintly  a  hundred  stentorian  voices  would  ring 
out,  "  Come  down  out  of  that,  old  man ;  I  know 
you  are  in  there,  we  see  your  legs  working ;"  then 
somebody  would  chime  in,  "Bring  home  my 
churn,"  or,  "  I  want  my  stove  pipe,"  and  very  soon 
some  other  would  sing  out,  *' What  are  you  doing 
with  my  camp  kettle,"  or,  "  Send  me  my  tar 
bucket."  If  a  fellow  of  uncommon  size  or  appear- 
ance came  up,  in  a  little  while  a  dozen  rebels 
would  be  spying  him  through  stove  pipe  joints, 
black  bottles,  or  other  contrivances,  and  they 
would  motion  for  him  to  advance  or  recede,  or 
move  to  the  right  or  left,  so  as  to  get  him  at  the 

proper  focal  point.     These  and  many  other  means 
15 


226  CAMP,    FIELD    ATTD   PRISON    LIFE. 

of  annoyance  were  resorted  to,  and  seldom  did 
tlie  lo3^al  folks  fail  to  make  a  speedy  exit.  When 
ladies  came  we  went  out  to  look  at  them,  but  tried 
to  be  more  respectful  in  our  manoeuvers. 

About  that  time  the  rebel  General  Marmaduke 
captured  1,000  prisoners  from  General  Steele  in 
Arkansas,  and  several  different  tunnels  v*'ere  under 
headway  in  various  parts  of  the  prison.  The 
Feds,  had  been  smelling  a  mice  for  several  days, 
and  concluded  to  dig  a  deep  ditch  all  around  the 
inside  of  the  prison  wall,  which  they  did,  seriously 
interfering  with  the  programme  of  those  having  a 
finger  in  the  tunnel  pie.  It  was  just  about  then 
that  several  soldiers  of  the  garrison  got  drunk  and 
were  put  under  arrest.  Tlie  discipline  was  very 
rigid,  and  I  never  saw  the  same  number  of  men 
better  trained  to  duty  and  obedience. 

On  the  6th  of  May  I  jotted  down  in  my  diary: 
"The  armies  are  all  moving;  Meade  has  issued 
an  address  to  encourage  his  soldiers,  and  already 
it  is  breathed  that  there  has  been  a  dreadful  con- 
flict of  arms;  'tis  a  vital  hour,  and  there  is  no 
talk  of  anything  else  in  prison.  Most  all  the 
Confederates  express  confidence  in  the  issue ; 
some  feel  it,  some  do  not.     I  hope,  but  fear." 

The  8th  of  May  we  had  a  thunder  shower,  and 
all  the  trees  budded  out.  That  morning  Lieut. 
Williams,  of  the  United  States  army,  who  had 
been  calling  our  roll  for  some  time,  and  whom  we 


CAMP,   FIELD    AND   TRTSON    LIFE.  227 

all  liked  for  his  kindness,  came  in  to  bid  us  adieu 
before  leaving  for  the  front.  We  gave  him  a  let- 
ter of  recommendation  for  good  treatment  in  case 
lie  should  be  captured,  and  promised  to  recipro- 
cate his  kind  deeds  if  we  should  ever  have  charge 
of  him  'way  down  in  the  land  of  cotton. 

The  same  day  Captain  Day,  of  the  55th  Geor- 
gia, died,  and  that  night  the  veterans,  who  were 
going  to  leave  for  the  front,  had  a  torch-light 
procession,  and  their  hearts  seemed  to  beat  time 
to  the  music  of  the  fife  and  drum  and  brass  band. 

At  the  self-same  hour  some  rebels,  Dr.  Brantly 
&  Co.,  were  at  the  opposite  side  of  the  pen,  trying 
to  bribe  a  sentinel  to  let  them  over  the  fence  ;  he 
said  he  was  willing  but  afraid.  The  Dr.  Brantly 
mentioned  is  the  same  individual  of  whom  I  have 
before  spoken  under  the  cognomen  of  Captain 
Thos.  B.  Brantly.  He  once  peddled  bread  pills 
for  six  weeks  in  Texas,  claiming  them  as  a  catho- 
licon  for  every  ill ;  and,  after  he  had  humbugged 
the  people  to  the  tune  of  several  thousand  dollars, 
he  left  off  and  went  to  trading  ponies  with  the 
Indians.  The  Doctor  was  superintendent  of  one 
of  the  tunnels  mentioned  a  little  ways  back,  and 
he  had  held  some  office  in  no  less  than  five  sub- 
terranean companies,  all  of  which  failed.  At  last 
he  gave  up  in  disgust,  and  said  that  if  he  could 
not  get  to  take  the  oath  (and  go  to  Dixie)  he  would 
hold  on  awhile,  which  he  did. 


228  CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PEISOTT    LIFE. 

From  my  sketch  book  I  copy  as  follows :  "  May 
11  til  cold,  and  heavy  gale,  breakers  lashing  the 
shores,  and  white-caps  running  high  over  the 
blockade ;  great  battle  progressing  in  Virginia ; 
voluminous  and  conflicting  telegrams;  Confed- 
erates, as  yet,  equal  to  the  task ;  sixteen  Yankee 
Generals  liors  du  conibat ;  General  Shaler,  who 
commanded  at  Johnson's  Island  last  winter,  a 
prisoner.  Sundown — Great  excitement  all  over 
the  pen ;  Grant  reported  in  full  retreat,  and  For- 
rest said  to  have  taken  Decatur,  Alabama,  w^ith 
4,000  prisoners;  Grierson  killed."  Some  of  the 
foregoing  proved  very  true,  and  some  not  so 
much  so. 

My  diary  for  the  17th  reads  thus :  "So  foggy 
we  can't  see  the  lake — we  had  codfish  for  break- 
fast— rebels  playing  hob  with  Federal  transports 
and  gunboats — the  armies  of  Steele  and  Banks 
nearly  destroyed  and  demoralized — about  500 
wagons  and  ambulances  taken  from  them.  'Tis 
one  year  ago  to-day  since  I  was  captured — the 
great  fight  in  Virginia  continues,  without  material 
success  on  either  side — Longstreet  wounded — 
Buckner  commanding  his  corps — Breckinridge 
has  threshed  Siegel  in  Western  Virginia,  and  gold 
is  feverish  at  176." 

We  scoured  our  room  on  the  19th,  and  that  day 
there  was  a  general  muster  and  inspection  of  the 
prison,  and  some  New  York  papers  published  a 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PIUSOX    LIFE.  229 

bogus  call  for  300,000  more  troops.  The  next  day 
We  (my  room)  bouglit  a  half  barrel  of  shad, 
eighteen  pounds  of  butter  and  ten  dozen  eggs, 
which  helped  our  commissary  department  along 
most  wonderfully.  Corporal  Berger  made  the 
purchase  in  Sandusky,  by  special  permission  of 
Major  Scoville.  That  evening  the  sloop-of-war 
*'  Michigan  "  steamed  proudly  into  Sandusky  bay, 
and  anchored  just  off  our  island.  She  looked 
warlike,  but  as  we  were  (under  the  circumstances) 
inclined  to  be  peaceable,  nobody  was  scared. 

About  the  23d  Grant  and  Lee  were  manceu- 
vering  before  Spottsylvania  Courthouse,  Sher- 
man had  advanced  to  Rome  and  Kingston, 
Georgia,  and  General  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  Lee's  great 
captain  of  cavalry,  had  just  been  killed  in  front  of 
Richmond.  Two  days  later  Major  Scoville  was 
relieved  from  duty  as  prison  superintendent,  and 
some  prisoners  came  in  from  Johnston's  army. 

On  the  27th  Lee  and  Grant  had  left  Spottsyl- 
vania and  were  still  making  strategical  moves, 
and  Sherman  and  Johnston  were  likewise  engaged 
in  Georgia.  The  news  from  Mr.  Banks'  depart- 
ment got  no  better  fast,  and  he  was  superseded 
by  General  Canby ;  IN'athaniel  Hawthorne  and 
Joshua  R.  Giddings  had  just  passed  away  from 
earth. 

The  last  day  of  May  there  was  a  great  commo- 
tion among  the  little  Yankee  nation  on  Johnson's 


230  CAMP,   FIELD   AND  PRISOIN^    LIFE. 

Island.  The  previous  night  several  Southern  gen- 
tlemen had  tried  to  scale  the  walls,  and  several 
tunnels  were  discovered  and  nipped  in  the  bud. 
It  seems  that  the  impression  prevailed  on  the  out- 
side that  some  rebels  were  on  the  wrong  side  of 
the  prison  wall,  and  the  loyal  forces  hunted  all 
over  the  island,  skirmish  fashion,  but  found  no 
game.  And  there  was  a  rigid  inspection  of  all 
the  blocks.  Just  after  dinner  they  called  us 
out  into  line,  as  if  for  inspection  and  muster ;  then 
guards  were  placed  between  us  and  our  quarters, 
and  the  corporals  were  ordered  to  make  a  close 
search  of  all  the  rooms  and  bring  all  the  contra- 
band to  light.  The  result  in  our  block  was,  a 
wooden  gun,  that  the  boys  had  made  to  practice 
with  (for  we  taught  the  military  art  clandestinely), 
several  fruit  cans  fixed  up  for  life-preservers,  one 
pair  of  muddy  pants,  used  in  tunneling,  and  one 
ladder,  supposed  to  have  been  intended  as  a  step- 
ping-stone to  Dixie.  At  other  blocks  the  harvest 
was  equally  as  rich  and  ludicrous. 


231 


CHAPTER  XI. 


In  Jail,  Washington  County,  Tennessee, 
July  8,  1865. 

On  tlie  first  day  of  June,  1864,  tliere  came  to 
my  address  the  first  number  of  the  Courier  des 
Etats  Unls,  sl  French  paper  published  in  New 
York,  for  which  Lieut.  Tobey,  of  Arkansas,  and 
myself  had  subscribed,  and  in  reading  which  we 
while d  away  many  happy  hours  together.  Lieut. 
T.  belonged  to  our  French  class,  and  was  one  of  my 
warmest  friends  and  most  constant  companions. 
Though  he  was  born  and  reared  in  the  State  of 
Maine,  he  was  as  true  as  the  truest  to  our  cause, 
entertaining  liberal  and  conservative  views  about 
all  subjects.  I  did  not  then,  nor  do  I  now,  think 
much  more  of  the  Southern  radical  "fire-eater" 
than  of  the  Northern  radical  republican ;  both 
overdid  the  fair  thing. 

The  sutler's  shop  was  moved  out  of  the  way 
preparatory  to  enlarging  the  prison  yard,  and 
Major  Hall  was  announced  as  prison  superinten- 
dent on  the  2d,  and  several  hundred  Dixie  fellows 


233 

were  playing  ball,  and  quite  a  number  were 
amusing  themselves  at  marbles.  On  tlie  4tli  an 
order  issued  from  headquarters  was  put  upon  the 
bulletin  board,  positively  restricting  the  length  of 
letters  written  or  received  to  one  page  of  ordinary 
letter  paper.  For  some  days  after  there  were 
many  catastrophes  in  the  letter  business,  scores 
of  them  being  suppressed  because  too  long. 

And  just  then  there  was  another  rumpus  be- 
tween the  loyal  and  disloyal  gentry  on  Mr.  John- 
son's Island.  Some  of  the  latter  attempted  to 
make  an  underground  railroad,  beginning  at  a 
point  under  the  center  of  the  dead  house  in  rear 
of  the  hospital.  The  aifair  was  detected  by  Gen. 
Frank  Berger,  and  there  resulted  a  vexatious  but 
fruitless  search  for  the  man  that  dug  the  hole  in 
the  ground  and  the  instrument  with  which  he 
dug  it. 

Colonel  Hill,  post  commandant,  made  an  order 
on  the  8th,  holding  messes  responsible  for  any 
damage  done  to  the  buildings  or  tunnels  dug  from 
under  their  respective  blocks,  requiring  the  mem- 
bers of  messes  to  inform  against  those  who  did 
either.  The  penalty  was  to  be  the  cutting  off  of 
rations.  The  prisoners  en  masse  were  indignant 
at  the  very  idea  of  such  a  requirement,  and  no 
one  thought  for  a  moment  of  obeying. 

That  day  a  terrible  calamity  befell  us  in  the 
shape  of  an  order  from  the  War  Department  for- 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PRISON    LIFE.  233 

"bidding  any  more  coffee,  sngar  or  candles  to  be 
issued  to  us :  the  act  claimed  to  be  in  retaliation 
for  the  treatment  of  Federals  in  tlie  South.  For 
some  days  there  was  a  legion  of  long  faces  over 
the  matter,  and  some  of  the  fellows  thought  they 
would  surely  starve  and  die,  but  I  never  knew  of 
many  deaths  resulting  therefrom. 

The  next  day  a  box  of  sundries  came  to  the 
hospital  from  Mrs.  Martha  Lillard,  of  Anderson 
county,  Kentucky ;  its  contents  were  from  various 
kind  ladies  who  sympathised  with  the  suffering 
Confederates.  Hardly  a  day  passed  but  that 
some  donation  of  clothing,  delicacies,  and  other 
little  things  needed  by  the  sick,  came  from  some 
society  of  charitable,  big-hearted  ladies  in  Ken- 
tucky, Baltimore  or  elsewhere. 

The  day  following  we  got  a  large  mail  from  the 
South,  and  at  six  o'clock  in  the  evening  a  dozen 
prisoners  came  in  from  Johnson's  army.  From 
that  time  forward  the  arrival  of  prisoners  was  not 
an  event  of  much  note  among  us,  after  the  excite- 
ment of  looking  for  friends  and  inquiring  about 
the  state  of  things  at  the  front.  My  notes  of  the 
11th  say  that  Morgan  was  at  Lexington  and 
Georgetown,  Kentucky,  playing  smash.  It  is 
presumed  that  every  one  has  read  or  heard  of  his 
artful  and  ingenious  escape  from  the  Ohio  peni- 
tentiary, where  I  last  spoke  of  him. 

The  news  of  the  12th  was  that  Grant  and  Slier- 


234  CAMP,    FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

man  had  come  to  a  halt,  Marmaduke  had  block- 
aded the  Mississippi,  and  gold  stood  at  199.  Tho 
intelligence  the  succeeding  day  was  that  General 
Morgan  had  captured  General  Hobson  and  1,500 
men  at  Cynthiana,  Kentucky,  and  that  Frankfort 
had  been  put  under  martial  law  and  the  State 
papers  moved  to  the  fort.  That  day  the  loyal 
postmaster  very  unexpectedly  sent  in  several 
confiscated  letters,  which  was  naturally  calcu- 
lated to  make  us  think  more  of  him*,  tind*  the 
Southern  rights  men  were  playing  town  ball, 
baste,  marbles  and  knucks  all  over  the  pen — that 
day  I  played  my  first  game  of  knucks  in  prison. 

At  that  time  Grant  seemed  to  be  changing  his 
base,  and  Forrest  had  defeated.  Sturgis  in  Missis- 
sippi, driving  him  back  to  Memphis,  and  capturing 
2,000  men  and  14  pieces  of  artillery.  General 
Grant  moved  his  army  to  the  south  side  of  the 
James  river  on  the  17th  of  June,  and  the  next 
day  C.  L.  Vallandigham  suddenly  turned  up  in 
Ohio,  after  an  exile  of  several  months.  The  peo- 
ple everywhere  received  him  with  enthusiastic 
joy,  and  the  press  was  soon  in  a  mighty  stew  over 
the  matter,  some  advising  the  President  to  ship 
him  off  again,  while  others  suggested  that  it 
w^ould  be  best  to  let  him  alone,  which  was  done. 

On  the  evening  of  the  18th  we  were  allowed  to 
go  swimming  in  the  lake,  for  the  first  time  in  the 
season.    The  water  was  warm,  and  it  was  delight- 


CAMP.    FIELD    AND   PKISOX    LIFE.  235 

fill  sport.  There  were  about  200  of  iis  in  the 
water  at  once,  and  a  k^yal  cuss  was  on  picket  in  a. 
little  boat  out  in  front  of  us. 

On  the  19th  the  ice  wagon  began  its  summer 
visits,  and  we  gladly  welcomed  it.  We  got  ice  at 
five  cents  per  pound,  and  from  live  to  eight 
pounds  daily  was  enough  for  a  mess  of  from  six 
to  ten  men,  so  the  tax  was  not  very  heavy — 
nothing  compared  with  the  luxury.  The  larger 
messes  of  from  twenty  to  fifty  kept  their  water  in 
barrels,  and  bought  ice  accordingly. 

At  that  date  we  were  getting  five  daily  papers 
in  our  room,  the  New  York  Herald^  Chicago 
Times ^  Cincinnati  Commercial^  Philadelphia  Age 
and  New  York  Times.  They  preached  all  kinds 
of  doctrines.  About  twenty  of  Morgan's  officers, 
captured  at  Cynthiana,  arrived  at  prison  on  the 
22d,  and  from  Major  McAfee  I  learned  that  my 
cousin,  B.  A.  Wash,  w^as  among  the  captured,  and 
had  been  sent  to  Eock  Island,  Illinois.  It  was 
about  that  date  that  we  heard  General  Polk  had 
been  killed  in  Georgia,  and  just  then  the  Yankee 
sentinels  seemed  to  be  exceedingly  j^articular, 
and  even  insulting ;  for  what  reason  we  could  not 
tell. 

June  23d  there  was  a  grand  review  of  the  troops 
on  Johnson's  Island,  Major-General  McCook  being 
present,  and  gold  was  ebbing  and  flowing  be- 
tween 220  and  235 ;  but  that  did  not  hinder  the 


236  CAMP,    FIELD    AKD    PRISON    LIFE. 


rebellonians  from  getting  up  a  good  performance, 
and  any  number  of  the  fellows  from  down  South 
had  tlie  change  requisite  to  see  and  hear  the 
show. 

General  Archer,  who  had  been  with  us  since 
the  battle  at  Gettysburg,  was,  at  noon  of  the  24th, 
ordered  to  prepare  to  leave  immediately,  and  it 
was  whispered  around  that  he  w^as  to  be  sent  to 
the  front  to  be  put  under  fire,  in  retaliation  for 
some  Federals  who  were  quartered  in  Charleston, 
within  the  range  of  the  Union  batteries.  He 
never  went  farther  than  Fort  Warren,  from 
where  he  was  soon  exchanged,  promoted  to  a 
major-general,  and  died  soon  after. 

Also,  on  the  24th,  twenty  officers  came  in  from 
Johnson's  army  and  from  Western  Virginia.  Sev- 
eral of  my  acquaintances  were  among  the  latter, 
and  from  them  I  learned  that  the  skeleton  of  my 
regiment  w^as  in  the  fight  at  Staunton,  and  that 
Major  Rhea  was  badly  wounded  in  the  face. 

It  was  about  the  27th  that  Grant's  2d  army 
corps  was  routed,  and  several  of  Sherman's  sup- 
ply trains  burned  in  Georgia  by  the  rebel  General 
Wharton.  The  next  day  we  got  news  that  Sher- 
man had  been  rej)ulsed,  and  gold  had  gone  up 
to  240. 

The  day  following  perhaps  a  dozen  more  Mor- 
gan Rangers  came  to  take  lodging- with  us.  Lieu- 
tenant Oliver,  of  my  native  county,  being  of  the 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE.  237 

number.  And  that  day  Captain  Jonas,  of  Ar- 
kansas, returned  from  a  parole  of  one  month.  He 
had  been  to  see  his  parents,  in  Illinois,  avIio  were 
old  friends  of  President  Lincoln.  At  that  time 
the  Yanks  were  blasting  some  wells  and  sinks  in 
our  prison  yard,  and  frequently  did  fragments  of 
stone  liy  uncomfortably  close  to  rebellious  heads. 

On  the  11  til  day  of  June  the  171st  Ohio,  which 
had  been  sent  to  Kentucky  to  look  after  the  Mor- 
gan raiders,  returned  to  the  island.  And  the  same 
day  seven  of  General  Morgan's  surgeons  were 
sent  to  our  prison,  preparatory  to  going  South. 
By  a  mutual  agreement,  surgeons  and  chaplains 
were  to  be  released  unconditionally,  but,  from 
bad  faith,  they  were'  frequently  kept  imprisoned 
for  several  months. 

July  1st  I  received  a  letter  from  Lieut.  H.  M. 
Baldwin,  battery  M,  5th  United  States  artillery, 
dated  "Two  miles  from  Petersburg,  Ya."  Henry 
Baldwin  was  my  class-mate  in  college,  and  we 
were  ever  the  best  of  friends,  each  always  emu- 
lous to  excel  the  other  in  merit.  On  the  day  of 
graduation  he  stood  at  the  head  of  the  class,  and 
I  was  not  far  off.  In  parting  we  severed  a  tie  of 
sweet  friendship,  neither  dreaming  that  we  would 
ever  be  in  hostile  array,  the  one  against  the  other, 
for,  though  living  at  the  North  (New  Jersey),  he 
was  conservative,  and  I  was  no  fire-eater. 

In  truth,  neither  of  us  then  (May,  1861)  thought 


238  CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PKISOX    LIFE 

of  entering  the  army  at  all,  and  I  presume  that,  at 
last,  the  same  took  him  in  as  did  mj^self — he  found 
that  the  conflict  of  North  and  South  was  inevit- 
able, and  felt  it  a  duty  to  take  sides.  K'or  do  I 
think  it  unreasonable  that  he  chose  the  side  he 
did,  because,  let  men  say  what  they  will  to  the 
contrary,  surrounding  influences  have  a  mighty 
control  over  our  thoughts  and  actions. 

Lieutenant  B.'s  letter  expressed  the  same  per- 
sonal feeling  as  the  day  we  parted,  and  I'm  sure 
I  felt  none  other.  He  told  me  of  many  of  my 
Northern  school-mates — some  killed,  some  still  in 
the  battle,  and  I  could  give  him  similar  intelli- 
gence about  the  Southern  boys.  My  only  other 
Northern  class-mate,  Geo.  M.  Steever,  was  killed 
at  Yicksburg.  Poor  George  was  the  youngest  of 
our  class,  had  a  brilliant  mind,  a  kind  heart,  and 
but  few  cadets  had  more  friends  than  George 
Steever. 

Secretary  Chase  resigned  the  1st  of  July,  and 
two  Southern  gentlemen  sojourning  up  North  tried 
to  scratcli  out  under  a  lamp,  at  the  stilly  hour  of 
midnight.  The  sentinel  kindly  warned  them  that 
he  had  his  eyes  open,  and  politely  requested  them 
to  return  to  their  quarters  and  wait  till  exchange 
day.  They  saw  the  point,  took  the  hint,  and  went 
instanter.  The  next  day  I  received,  per  express,  a 
package  of  nice  books  from  Miss  Julia  G.  Barry, 
who  is  one  of  the  best  rebels  old  Kentuck}^  aff'ords. 


CAMP,    FIELD    AXD   PRISON    LIFE.  239 

Prisoners  were  now  coming  in  at  a  rapid  rate, 
and  our  pen  was  getting  crowded  beyond  its  pro- 
per capacity.  Lieut.  T.  F.  Hooper,  of  Georgia, 
came  into  our  room  by  order  of  Major  Scoville, 
but  he  did  not  prove  an'  agreeable  room  mate,  and 
did  not  stay  with  us  very  long.  He  had  been 
raised  in  affluence  and  indolence,  consequently 
petted  and  spoiled,  and  seemed  to  ignore  the  fact 
that  there  were  any  duties  to  perform,  or  that  he 
was  under  any  obligations  to  his  fellow  prisoners. 

Our  room  was  an  institution  carried  on  in  a 
systematic  way,  every  one  having  his  share  of 
the  duties  to  discharge.  Hooper  generally  took 
care  to  be  out  of  the  way  when  his  time  came, 
and,  as  we  were  unwilling  to  wait  on  him,  and 
neither  weak  hints  nor  strong  ones  had  the  desired 
effect,  it  became  disagreeable,  and  nobody  shed 
tears  when  he  was  sent  South  with  a  squad  of 
invalids.  During  the  night  of  the  3d  a  part  of 
the  ditch  which  had  been  dug  inside  the  j)rison 
wall  caved  in,  and  the  sentinel  over  it  tired  several 
shots  into  the  inanimate  earth,  thinking  it  was 
some  Southern  fellow  trying  to  go  home. 

At  my  Northern  prison  home  on  the  4th  day  of 
July,  1864,  a  salute  of  thirty -five  heavy  guns  was 
fired  at  noon,  and  the  island  was  chock  full  of 
women,  children  and  colored  people.  Some  of 
them  came  to  see  their  soldier  friends,  but  a  large 
per  centage  was  attracted  by  a  curiosity  to  see 


240  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRI30X    LIFE. 

liow  ''Soutliern  chivalry "  looked  and  lived  np 
North.  Several  excursion  boats  went  out  from 
Sandusky  that  morning  to  spend  the  day  at  Kelly's 
Island,  or  some  other  romantic  place,  in  feasting 
and  dancing.  The  steamers  came  as  close  to  our 
prison  fence  as  possible,  some  three  hundred  yards, 
with  the  stars  and  stripes  flying,  the  bands  play- 
ing, and  the  ladies  waving  their  handkerchiefs, 
but  we  guessed  that  it  was  not  a  token  of  love  for 
us.  In  our  prison  all  passed  off  quietly  and  soberly 
that  day. 

I  find  inscribed  in  my  diary  for  July  6tli :  "  The 
Alabama  sunk  off  Cherbourg,  France,  by  treachery 
of  a  Federal  cruiser.  Uncle  Abe  proclaims  mar- 
tial law  in  Kentucky.  I  have  no  letters  from  home 
for  a  month ;  am  getting  uneasy.  Geo.  P.  Morris, 
the  journalist  and  poet,  is  dead."  The  next  day 
I  got  a  box  of  provisions  from  my  grandmother, 
which  had  been  broken  open  and  several  articles 
extracted,  but  I  had  no  right  to  complain  of  bad 
luck,  for  I  had  been  very  fortunate  in  receiving 
my  express  matter  promptly  and  in  safety.  On 
the  8th  my  heart  was  eased  and  gladdened  by  the 
receipt  of  a  letter  from  my  mother ;  she  had  writ- 
ten, but  her  letters  miscarried. 

Little  did  I  dream,  one  year  ago  to-day,  that 
the  country  would  now  be  situated  as  it  is,  and 
that  I  would  be  in  a  common  county  jail,  charged 
with  an  infringement  of  the  civil  laws.    But  the 


CAMP,   FIELD    AXD   PRISON    LIFE.  241 

future  ever  was  and  ever  will  be  wrapped  up  in 
mystery.  To-day  we  know  not  what  will  be  our 
portion  for  to-morrow.  And  it  is  a  merciful  pro- 
vision of  Providence,  for,  could  we  see  the  dark 
and  troublous  paths  before  us,  too  many  of  us 
would  grow  heart-sick,  despair  and  want  to  give 
up  our  mission  on  earth,  and  lie  down  and  die. 
As  it  is,  the  little  monitors  of  hope  and  faith  give 
us  incentives  to  struggle  on  for  something  yet 
ahead — we  kiiow  not  what,  but  it  is  an  element  of 
man's  nature  to  desire  still  something  more,  no 
matter  what  or  how  much  he  may  possess. 

But  that  is  digressing  from  the  narrative  of  my 
prison  experience.  The  12th  day  of  July  was  a 
rather  memorable  one  on  Johnson's  Isle.  The 
whole  west  wall  of  the  prison  yard  was  moved 
back  some  sixty  paces,  and  those  who  inhabited 
the  inside  were  discussing  the  propriety  of  revolt- 
ing. But  nearly  the  whole  garrison  was  under 
arms  and  watching  our  manoeuvers,  so  the  wise 
and  prudent  ones  among  us  said  it  was  best  to  be 
right  easy.  Some  monstrous  brave  fellows,  with 
more  courage  than  discretion,  ranted  around  and 
called  for  volunteers  to  charge  the  loyal  troops, 
but  "  burnt  children  dread  the  fire,"  and  we  all 
concluded  to  remain  afeio  days  longer. 

The  next  morning  the  rebel  boys  were  out  bright 

and  early  surveying  the  hitherto  forbidden  ground, 

just  like  a  lot  of  mules  or  cattle,  when  first  turned 
16 


242  CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

into  a  new  pasture,  will  run  all  over  it.  Very 
soon  little  plots  of  ground  were  being  staked  off 
for  gardens,  and  in  a  few  days  a  score  of  patches 
were  planted  out  with  every  variety  of  seed.  The 
owners  spent  much  of  their  time  working,  water- 
ing and  watching  over  the  crops,  and  some  of 
them  received  the  reward  of  their  labors. 

About  the  14th  of  July  the  Confederates  were 
threatening  both  Washington  and  Baltimore, 
being  within  a  few  miles  of  each,  and  Maj.-Gen. 
Franklin,  of  the  Union  army,  was  captured,  but 
subsequently  escaped.  On  the  16th  several  fel- 
lows went  out  after  dark  and  took  the  oath,  the 
treatment  of  some  other  chaps  of  their  stripe 
having  made  them  somewhat  cautious.  The  next 
evening  the  "  Michigan,"  which  had  been  off  some- 
where on  a  cruise  of  observation,  came  and  cast 
anchor  at  her  usual  station,  right  close  to  the  be- 
loved (?)  sons  of  the  South,  and  about  dusk  a 
Dutch  officer  of  the  day  came  in  and  ordered  the 
rebels  to  keep  close  in  their  holes  till  daylight. 
Subsequently  the  order  was  slightly  modified,  but 
the  Yanks,  for  some  reason,  "had  the  devil  in 
them,"  and  several  shots  were  fired  during  the 
night,  but  no  harm  done. 

I  received,  per  express,  on  the  18th,  $50.00  from 
my  mother,  and  at  the  same  time  she  sent,  at  my 
request,  $10.00  each  to  my  orderly  sergeant,  Red 
Anderson,  at  Point  Lookout,  and  Squire  John 


ca;mp,  field  axd  prison   life.  243 

Murrell,  a  citizen  i^irisoiier  at  Johnson's  Island, 
from  East  Tennessee.  The  guerrillas  were  now- 
swarming  round  Louisville,  and  the  rehf^ls  were 
reported  as  entering  Eastern  Kentucky,  but  it 
turned  out  to  be  a  scare. 

July  20th  President  Lincoln  made  a  call  for 
500,000  men,  but  volunteers  were  hard  to  get ;  in 
fact,  that  system  had  most  played  out,  and  nearly 
all  their  recruits  were  conscripts,  which  means  a 
little  worse  than  no  soldiers  at  all.  Maj.  Scoville 
was  now  sick,  and  there  was  smart  sickness  in 
our  hospital,  but  not  of  a  fatal  kind.  That  day  I 
observed  several  Southern  gentlemen  of  secesh 
persuasion  making  turnip  patches,  and  among 
them  was  General  Trimble,  of  Maryland,  who  had 
one  foot  shot  off  at  Gettysburg,  and  was  going  on 
crutches.  I  went  to  the  circulating  library  and 
exchanged  ''  The  Wandering  Jew "  for  several 
smaller  volumes  that  I  had  not  read. 

The  circulating  library  was  an  institution  after 
this  style :  A  request  was  made  for  all  the  pris- 
oners to  send  all  the  books  they  had  read  and  did 
not  desire  to  keep  to  the  room  of  a  certain  officer, 
who  was  to  act  as  librarian.  For  every  book  con- 
tributed the  donor  was  allowed  to  read  so  many 
volumes  from  the  library  thus  accumulated.  Soon 
a  miscellaneous  collection  of  from  500  to  800  books, 
magazines  and  novels  was  amassed,  and  formed  a 
very  popular  institution.    Those  who  had  no  books 


244 

to  give  or  exchange  could,  for  50  cents  a  month, 
have  free  access  to  the  library. 

That  day,  while  at  the  library,  I  accidentally 
met  Lieutenant  Tom  Brown,  of  the  26th  Tennes- 
see regiment,  with  which  I  was  once  connected, 
and  in  which  I  was  wounded  while  commanding 
Captain  Morrell's  company  at  the  battle  of  Fort 
Bonelson.  Though  Lieutenant  Brown  had  been 
in  the  prison  several  months,  neither  of  us  knew 
of  the  other's  presence. 

The  next  day  I  received  a  letter  from  Colonel 
H.  V.  N.  Boynton,  of  the  37th  Ohio,  who  was  at 
his  home  in  Cincinnati  recovering  from  a  wound 
received  in  Georgia.  Colonel  Boynton  graduated 
at  the  Kentucky  Military  Institute  the  first  year 
I  was  there,  and  was  afterward  one  of  our  profes- 
sors for  a  couple  of  years. 

My  notes  for  the  25th  speak  of  a  chair  factory 
in  the  prison  pen,  and  all  that  kept  many  other 
professions  from  being  engaged  in  was  a  want  of 
means  and  facilities  for  procuring  and  contriving 
the  necessary  implements.  At  half-past  nine 
o^clock  that  night  a  sentinel  shot  into  Block  5 
and  wounded  one  man  in  the  arm  and  another  in 
the  shoulder.  That  was  the  hour  at  which  lights 
were  required  to  be  extinguished,  and  the  guard 
claimed  that  he  fired  at  a  light,  but  fifty  men  who 
were  in  the  room  declared  that  no  light  was 
burning.  Colonel  Hill  investigated  the  aff*air, 
but  we  never  knew  to  what  conclusion  he  came. 


LIFE.  245 

Captain  AVelU,  who  was  acting  Snperintf-ndcnt 
of  Prison  durini;-  tli(^  illness  of  Major  Scoville, 
took  out  some  bad  bread  for  inspection  and  to 
give  the  baker  a  warning.  It  seemed  to  have  the 
desired  effect,  for  the  bread  began  to  get  better 
right  away.  That  day  a  new  police  sergeant  was 
assigned  to  our  division  of  the  prison,  and  he 
tried  to  be  more  strict  than  his  predecessor  in  the 
matter  of  police  and  cleanliness  of  rooms. 
•  The  next  morning  at  roll-call  our  mess  voted 
that  all  hands  should  turn  out  promptly  at  roll- 
call,  as  the  punctual  ones  were  often  kept  stand- 
ing in  line  a  long  time  because  of  the  laziness  or 
tardiness  of  a  few  fellows.  Some  selfish,  unrea- 
sonable individuals  tried  to  resist  the  will  and 
action  of  the  majority,  but  when  their  rations 
came  in  jeopardy  they  succumbed,  and  all  went 
on  swimmingl}^ 

The  day  before  we  had  got  news  of  a  bloody 
fight  before  xVtlanta  on  the  22d,  in  which  General 
McPherson,  of  the  K'orthern  army,  Avas  slain. 
General  Joseph  E.  Johnston  had-  been  superseded 
by  General  Hood  because  he  was  unwilling  to 
carry  out  the  policy  of  the  President  instead  of 
his  own.  The  whole  South  did  then,  and  does  yet, 
condemn  that  as  one  of  the  blindest  acts  of  Mr. 
Davis,  for  General  Johnston  was  everywhere  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  master  military  spirits  of 
the  South,  and  General  Hood  was  known  to  be 


246  CAMP,    FIELD    A]^D   PEISON    LIFE. 

imprudent,  tliougli  brave  to  a  fault.  By  bold  and 
reckless  manoeuvering  and  fighting  lie  soon  re- 
duced to  a  mere  skeleton  a  magnificent  army. 
I  have  always  regarded  the  day  of  Johnston's 
supersedure  as  one  of  the  darkest  in  the  war  for 
Southern  independence.  His  retreat  from  Dalton 
to  Atlanta  was  a  briliant  military  feat  in  every 
sense  of  the  word. 

While  all  this  was  going  on  General  Jubal 
Earl}^,  who  had  temporarily  retired  from  Mary- 
land, was  again  invading  Northern  soil,  and 
Senator  Mallory,  of  Kentucky,  was  killed  by 
guerrillas  near  Louisville.  Both  Kentucky  and 
Missouri  were  now  swarming  with  bushwhackers 
and  robbers.  Many  of  the  roving  bands  gave  no 
quarter  to  their  enemies,  nor  did  they  receive  any. 
A  few  years  hence  it  will  seem  strange  that  peace 
and  harmony  could  have  come  out  of  such  a  chaos. 
On  the  30th  all  the  128th  Ohio  went  to  bury  Qen. 
McPherson  at  his  home  with  military  honors. 
The  last  day  of  July  was  the  hottest  day  of  the 
season  up  to  date. 

I  will  now  close  this  chapter  by  giving  entire 
the  programme  of  the  concert  given  by  the 
Rebellonians  on  the  evening  of  the  22d,  simply 
adding  that  it  was  a  complete  success,  the  gross 
receipts  being  over  a  hundred  dollars. 


247 
REBELLONIANS. 


Manaoer LiKUT.    H.   CARPENTER 

Musical  Director Lieut.  A.  E.  NEWTON 


FRIDAY,  JULY  22,  1864,  3  P.  M.,  AT  BLOCK  (). 


C  O  IM  P  A  N  Y : 

Capt.  C.  Sherwin,  of  Tennessee.  Lieut,  A.  E.   Xewton,  of  Mississippi. 

Capt.  W.  Harris,  of  Mississippi.  Lieut.  H.  Carpenter,  of  Louisiana, 

Capt.  G.  H.  Henchy,  of  Louisiana.  Lieut.  S.  G.  Cooke,  of  Mississippi. 

Capt.  W.  S.  Otey,  of  Arkansas.  Lieut.  D.  Dunham,  ol  Florida. 

Capt.  T-  C.  Ward,  of  Virginia.  Lieut.  P.  E     Maher,  of  Alabama. 

Capt.  B.  Palmer,  of  Tennessee.  Lieut.  J.  J.  Loug^hlin,  of  N.  Carolina. 

Capt.  J.   B.  Withers,  of  Virginia.  Lieut.  Chas.  P.  Crandell,  ot  Maryland. 


PROGRAMME. 


PART  FIRST:  '^ 

1  Overture  Band . 

2  O  lien  in  2"   Thorus Companv. 

3.  Who  Will  Care  for   Mother  Now? Henchy. 

4.  Gentle  Nettie    Moore AVither's. 

5.  Eupidee Carpenter. 

6.  Annie    of  the  Vale   Maher. 

7.  Cavalryman's  Song Shenvin. 

PART  SECOND: 

1.     Ballad — Dear  Mother.  I'll  Come  Home  Again..... Henchy. 

2       Off  to  Richmond  Like  a  Flam Sherwin. 

3.     Picayune  Butier Otey. 


PART  THIRD: 

The  performance  will  conclude  with 

THE       FASHIONABLE      BALL. 

ZF.KE,  a  rustic Sherwin. 

CVRUS — nf  undnuhted  musical   ability > Otev. 

MR.  r;iXGER   BLUE,                      \           ...         r  *%,     «    *       *•         <  Carpenter. 
MR.  WASHINGTON   GREEN,  \  exquisites  of  the  first  water.,  j  p.,,;,,^^. 
MISS  PHILLIPS— A  1  erpsichorean  divinity    Henchy. 

Price  of  Admission,  25  Cents.     Reserved  Seats,  5c  Cents. 

^S^  Tickets  for   T?eseiwed  Seats  can  be  oh  ained  from  the  Manager  on  the 
day  preceding  the  performance,  at  Block  11,  middle  room,  up  stairs. 


248  CAMP,   FIELD    AND  PRISON    LIFE. 


CHAPTBE    XII. 


At  Home,  in  the  Calaboose,  "> 
Jxdy  10th,  1S65.         i 

As  August  came  tumbling  in,  so  did  the  rebel 
prisoners.  Sixty-two  Confederates,  captured  at 
Atlanta,  July  22d,  made  their  appearance  the  1st 
day  of  the  month,  said  they  had  been  furloughed 
and  had  come  to  spend  the  balance  of  the  sum- 
mer with  us.  Among  them  I  found  my  old  friend 
and  class-mate.  Major  Dick  Person,  of  Memphis. 
About  that  date  it  was  that  Ulysses  Grant,  having 
in  vain  tried  every  means  reasonable  to  catch  Rob- 
ert Lee  napping,  undermined  and  aimed  to  blow 
up  the  old  gentleman  at  Petersburg.  The  result 
was  that  scores  and  legions  of  Mr.  Grant's  colored 
folks  got  so  badly  hurt  that  they  never  spoke 
again,  and  Mr.  Lee  and  his  boys  were  in  a  humor 
and  condition  for  laughing  rather  than  crying. 

Eleven  rebel  surgeons  left  for  the  South  on  the 
4th  of  August,  and  I  had  my  bunk  widened  so  as 
to  take  in  my  old  friend,  Major  Person,  to  sleep 
with  me.     Stoneman's  cavalry  were  almost  de- 


CAMP,    FIELD    AXD    PRTSOX    LIFE.  249 

stroyed  near  Newnan,  Georgia,  on  the  Gtli,  and 
Early  was  reported  entering  Maryland  with  35,- 
000  men,  but  the  strength  of  the  command  was 
greatly  exaggerated.  And  the  K'orthern  papers 
said  Mobile  was  in  Federal  possession,  which 
same  yarn  had  been  jierpetrated  forty  times  over 
concerning  Richmond  and  Charleston. 

The  following  day  the  authorities  commenced 
hauling  in  sand  and  lumber  to  build  a  couple  of 
cook  and  mess  rooms,  of  sufficient  capacity  to 
accommodate  the  whole  prison,  it  having  become 
necessary  to  take  the  old  cook  and  mess  rooms  as 
quarters  for  the  large  number  of  j^risoners  then 
on  the  island. 

Here  comes  a  :bold  and  successful  attempt  to 
escape  from  Federal  clutches.  In  the  afternoon 
Lieutenant  Murphy,  of  our  mess,  while  walking 
with  a  companion  in  the  lower  part  of  the  j)rison 
yard,  noticed  the  detailed  soldiers  coming  and 
going  with  the  sand  wagons,  and,  having  a  pair 
of  blue  pants  at  his  quarters,  concluded  that 
maybe  he  could  go,  too.  So  he  donned  his  blue, 
put  on  a  rusty  woolen  shirt,  got  a  police  shovel, 
rolled  up  his  sleeves,  rubbed  some  dust  over  his 
face,  arms,  and  clothes,  then,  with  his  spade  on  his 
shoulder,  he  marched  out  behind  the  first  wagon 
that  had  no  attendant.  And  now,  to  carry  the 
joke  out,  he  had  to  resort  to  one  still  more  bold, 
so  he  went  straightway  tx)  Colonel  Hill's  office. 


250 

and,  witli  a  monstrous  long  face,  told  him  that 
he  had  just  heard  that  his  mother,  who  lived 
near  Sandusky  City,  was  at  the  point  of  death 
from  a  sudden  illness,  that  his  Captain  was  not  at 
his  quarters  so  as  to  give  him  a  pass,  and  he 
praj^ed  the  Colonel  to  give  him  leave  to  go  to  his 
mother  immediately. 

The  ruse  worked,  and  it  happened  that  Major 
Scoville,  who  knew  him  well  (for  that  was  his 
second  visit  to  Johnson's  Island),  crossed  the 
l)ay  in  the  same  boat  as  himself.  He  after- 
ward wrote  to  the  Major  from  Canada,  telling 
him  of  the  fact,  and  that  he  thought  it  best  to 
keep  his  presence  dark  in  consideration  of  the 
circumstances.  For  several  duys  we  kept  his 
absence  covered  up  in  this  wise:  When  his 
name  was  called  on  the  roll  some  one  would  say 
he  was  sick ;  then,  after  roll-call  was  over,  some 
fellow  would  detain  the  Federal  officer  till  another 
would  go  and  cover  up  in  Murphy's  couch,  and 
when  the  roll-man  would  go  round  to  see  the  sick 
man  (Murphy),  he  would  find  him  "  miglity  had 
off,  acliing  all  oxer,^^  and  grunting  with  pain. 

Thus  things  went  on  till  the  third  morning,  and 
when  Mr.  Lieutenant  called  the  name  "Murphy," 
no  answer  came.  He  asked  where  Murphy  was  ; 
the  boys  said  they  didn't  know,  but  reckoned  he 
was  in  Canada.  It  was  several  days  before  we 
could  convince  him  but  what  we  were  joking. 


251 

Lieutenant  ]Mui-])liy  soon  sent  ns  his  photograph, 
and  at  the  end  of  two  months  was  in  Dixie-hmd. 

My  notes  for  the  7th  say :  "  Seven  rebels  in  "bine 
pants  foHow  lumber  wagons  out."  The  j)rison  pen 
was  now  in  a  great  fever  for  Yankee  trowsers,  and 
a  new  sutler  came  in,  we  being  happy  of  the 
chance  to  bid  Mr.  Johnson  good-b^^e.  The  boys 
prepared  to  go  out  by  the  wholesale  on  the  9th  of 
August.  More  Yankee  garb  was  raked  up  than  I 
dreamed  was  in  prison,  worn-out  blue  pants  being 
worth  more  than  new  ones. 

It  may  seem  incredulous,  but  I  saw  eleven  rebels 
go  out  on  two  wagons,  and  they  looked  very  fair 
specimens  of  the  laboring  Yankees,  with  ragged 
pants,  rusty  shirts,  slouched  hats,  and  arms  and 
face  begrimed  with  dust  and  sand  to  make  up  for 
the  want  of  sunburn.  Adjutant  IS'ewman,  of  my 
regiment,  was  among  them,  and  he  looked  so 
completely  Yankeefied  that  I  could  scarcely 
recognize  him,  though  sitting  but  a  few  yards  off 
w^atching  the  manoeuvers. 

At  last  one  fellow  was  detected,  and  spoiled  the 
fun  of  himself  and  those  w^lio  had  gone  before. 
Lieutenant  Selecman,  of  Savannah,  Missouri, 
after  attiring  himself  in  proper  costume,  procured 
a  shovel  and  bounced  into  the  first  sand  wagon 
that  came  in  and  commenced  heaving  out  the 
gritty  stuff  with  all  his  might,  the  sweat  making 
huge  white  streaks  through  the  dirt  on  his  face 


252  CAMP,    FIELD   AND   PEISOIS'    LIFE. 

and  arms.  The  sergeant  in  charge  of  the  work, 
happening  to  look  at  him  closely,  could  not 
exactly  recognize  him  as  one  of  his  detail,  but 
the  fellow  assured  him  that  such  was  the  case, 
telling  him  to  what  company  and  regiment,  he 
belonged.  But  when  asked  his  Captain's  name 
it  was  a  stunner,  and  he  had  to  capitulate. 

The  sergeant  then  remembering  that  he  had 
seen  quite  a  number  going  out  with  the  wagons, 
began  to  feel  a  little  suspicious,  and  went  to  the 
sentinel  at  the  gate  and  ordered  him  to  let  no  one 
go  out  with  the  wagons  till  further  orders.  He 
then  invited  Lieut.  S.  to  visit  Col.  Hiirs  quarters 
with  him,  to  which  the  Lieut,  readily  assented, 
but  on  the  way  he  changed  his  notion  and  made 
tracks  around  several  blocks  to  his  quarters. 

In  a  half  hour  the  whole  garrison  was  out  and 
the  entire  island  alive  with  blue-coats  hunting 
seceshers.  At  sundown  seventeen  of  the  royal 
stock  were  turned  into  the  pen  wearing  gray  pants 
instead  of  blue,  and  some  of  them  without  any 
hats  at  all.  Next  day  the  balance  of  them,  I  don't 
know  how  many,  were  brought  in,  but  very  few 
having  got  away,  for  the  shores  of  the  island 
were  kept  picketed  day  and  night,  and  it  was  the 
next  thing  to  impossible  to  find  means  of  escape. 
From  that  day  forward  a  corporal,  with  a  squad 
of  men,  was  kept  at  the  big  gate,  whose  duty  it 
was  to  examine  every  wagon  that  passed  in  or 


253 

out,  and  to  allow  no  one  to  pass  either  way  that 
they  did  not  recognize  as  authorized  to  do  so.  Of 
course,  we  had  a  rigid  inspection,  muster  and 
search  the  next  day,  but  the  gentlemen  from  the 
lower  country  anticipated  it,  and  not  a  contraband 
thing  was  comeatable. 

About  the  lltli  of  August  General  Stoneman, 
with  500  men,  was  captured  near  Macon,  Georgia, 
and  on  that  day  gold  stood  at  257  to  260  in  New 
York.  I  noted  down  on  the  14th  of  August: 
"Sunday  —  Yankee  carpenters  working  on  new 
mess  hall ;  a  corporal's  guard  brought  in  to  make 
Block  13  respect  the  Lieutenant  calling  the  roll ; 
some  rebels  gone  to  Canada ;  more  strict  at  roll 
call,  preaching  and  prayer  meeting." 

The  rebel  Colonel  Adam  Johnson  was  on  the 
Ohio  river,  in  Kentucky,  with  1,200  men,  about 
the  middle  of  August.  The  16th  was  a  chilly  day, 
and  some  twenty  "  fresh  fish,"  as  we  called  them, 
came  to  sta}^  with  us.  And  it  seems  that  every 
means  of  escape  had  not  yet  been  tried,  for  my 
journal  for  the  18th  has  the  following :  "  Colonel 
Baxter  dyes  a  rebel  uniform  blue,  assumes  a  Fed- 
eral Major's  dress,  and  goes  out  at  the  small  gate, 
rej)resenting  himself  as  a  New  York  officer;  is 
detected  and  brought  back." 

On  the  20th  of  August  two  disagreeable,  heavy 
strokes  fell  upon  us  at  the  same  time.  There 
came  an  order  from  the  Commissary  General  of 


254  CAMP,   FIELD    AKD   PKTSOX    LIFE. 

Prisoners  cutting  off  all  jDrovisions  from  either 
friends  or  the  sutler,  which  produced  many  grim 
faces,  brought  forth  many  a  sigh,  and  something 
more  than  a  few  left-handed  blessings  upon  who- 
ever had  a  hand  in  striking  the  Southern  chivalry 
•such  a  cruel  blow. 

Then,  to  add  fuel  to  the  fire  of  discontent.  Col. 
Hill,  for  the  sake  of  innovation,  and  to  crush  out 
our  means  of  traffic  with  each  other,  abolished 
the  system  of  the  sutler  giving  us  checks  bearing 
a  stated  value,  and  taking  an  order  for  the  same 
on  the  post  commandant,  who  had  all  our  money 
in  charge.  Instead,  a  complicated  schedule  or 
requisition  was  gotten  up,  which  had  to  be  filled 
out  and  approved  by  the  roll  caller,  superintend- 
ent of  prison  and  post  commandant ;  then,  being 
presented  to  the  sutler,  he  furnished  just  the  arti- 
cles on  that  particular  requisition,  of  which  we 
acknowledged  the  receipt  at  the  price  set  oj)posite 
each  article,  that  being  his  order  on  the  commander 
for  the  amount. 

None  but  those  who  have  had  experience  know 
of  the  thousand  and  one  inconveniences  to  which 
prisoners  were  subjected.  Some  fellows  were 
always  troubled  and  constantly  mad  about  these 
little  annoyances,  but  T  took  it  all  as  something 
that  was  to  be,  and  seldom  was  my  equilibrium 
of  temperament  ruffled  by  anything  of  tlie  kind. 

August  21st  was  a  disagreeable  day,  and  that 


CAMP,   FIELD   AKD   rPlSOlS-    LIFE.  255 

niglit  was  rainy  and  stormy,  and  my  diary  says 
that  three  Southern  gentlemen,  dcsiiing  to  go 
South,  crawled  down  a  slop  ditch  that  night,  pre- 
pared to  saw  out,  but  the  sentinel  spying  them, 
called  for  the  corporal  of  the  guard,  who  marched 
them  to  the  guard  house,  where  they  nearly  froze 
before  morning,  in  their  wet  and  muddy  apx)arel. 

During  the  afternoon  of  the  23d,  while  promen- 
ading the  prison  walks  with  a  friend,  I  met  Lieut. 
Isham  Dudley,  of  the  4th  Kentuc'k}",  who  had 
arrived  some  w^eeks  previous,  and  could  give  me 
much  information  from  my  old  friends  of  the  4th, 
with  which  regiment  I  was  connected  at  the  time 
of  its  organization  at  "  Camp  Burnett,"  Tennessee, 
in  the  latter  part  of  August,  18G1. 

On  the  nights  of  the  23d  and  24th  Lieut.  Clark 
and  myself  drew  about  100  feet  of  plank  from 
where  the  Yankees  were  building  the  new  mesb 
halls,  to  make  us  a  studio  in  the  garret  loft  of  our 
block.  A  guard  was  kept  over  the  plank,  but  we 
tricked  him  thus:  One  of  us  would  go  just  at 
dusk  and  get  him  at  one  end  of  the  pile  of  plank, 
and  detain  him  there  by  getting  his  interest  or 
sympathy  aroused  by  whatever  kind  of  talk  was 
necessary,  and,  in  the  meantime,  the  other  one 
would  be  dragging  a  plank  from  the  other  end  ol 
the  pile.  Then  we  would  change  positions  and 
occupations  without  any  seeming  concert  of  action, 
managing  to  get  several  fine  plank  each  night.     It 


256  CAMP,    FIELD   AT^D   I  RISON    LIFE. 

was  no  trouble  for  ns  to  n.ake  a  saw  of  a  case 
knife ;  s(?  we  measured,  sawed  and  put  aloft  our 
lumber  while  tlie  sun  was  down. 

On  tlie  evening  of  the  25th  I  wrote  in  m}^  diary : 
"  Our  studio  finished ;  just  the  thing.''  And  here 
I  will  give  a  little  pen  picture  of  it :  Just  over 
the  outer  foot  post  of  my  hunk  we  sawed  a  hole 
two  feet  square  in  tiie  ceiling  through  which  to 
pass  our  lumber  and  our  carcasses  en  route  to  our 
studio.  As  the  hole  was  five  feet  above  the  top 
of  the  post,  we  had  to  first  poke  our  head  and 
arms  uj^,  and  then  draw  up  the  balance,  after  a 
manner  more  easily  imagined  than  described. 
The  joists  were  now  under  us,  and  the  rafters  and 
shingles  close  overhead,  and  it  was  pitchy  dark. 
We  groped  our  way  to  the  gable  end  of  the  build- 
ing, and,  with  case  knife  saw,  soon  made  an  aper- 
ture the  size  of  a  10  by  12  pane  of  glass,  which 
glass  we  put  in  after  the  most  approved  fashion. 
I  shall  not  tell  where  we  got  the  glass.  The  next 
thing  was  to  make  our  floor,  which  we  soon  had 
down  in  good  shape,  ten  feet  square.  But  now 
we  had  no  furniture,  so  we  went  to  work  with 
borrowed  tools,  stolen  nails  and  confiscated  lum- 
ber, and,  in  a  reasonable  time,  a  respectable  table 
and  two  fair  stools  graced  our  platform.  Then 
we  took  a  block  ttf  wood  and  bored  a  hole  in  it 
for  a  candlestick,  and  then  it  was  I  wrote  "our 
studio  is  finished." 


257 

The  question  may  he  asked  if  it  didn't  "  cost 
more  than  it  came  to  V  I  answer  no,  for  it  was  a 
real  gratiiication  to  do  it  just  because  it  was 
"  against  the  rules  of  school ;"  then  it  was  a  quiet, 
retired,  pleasant  nook  to  stndy  in,  such  as  one 
could  not  find  in  any  room  of  the  prison.  Then, 
again,  we  could  study  or  read  there  till  midnight 
if  we  chose,  which  we  often  did.  All  lights  in  the 
prison  had  to  be  out  at  half -past  nine,  and  all  that 
w^e  had  to  do  to  make  it  seeming  darkness  up  in 
our  cuddy-hole  was  to  hang  a  blanket  over  our 
little  window.  Lieut.  Clark  was  studying  Spanish, 
and  I  was  driving  away  at  both  French  and 
Spanish,  and  to-day  I  would  not  take  a  peck  of 
shinplasters  for  what  I  learned  then  and  there. 

A  few  days  after  we  made  our  "home  in  the 
loft"  Major  Scoville,  who  was  often  in  our  room, 
asked  wdiat  w^as  the  meaning  of  that  hole  in  the 
ceiling.  We  told  him  it  was  to  let  the  heated  air 
from  our  stove  escape,  and  changed  the  subject 
soon  as  possible. 

For  the  27th  August  my  diary  contains :  "  Ex- 
cursion party  on  the  island ;  cannons  fired ;  two 
hundred  rebels  in  bathing;  fifty  yards  of  the 
prison  fence  blown  down  by  wind  storm  ;  a  large 
squad  of  secesh  threaten  to  charge  out,  but  it's 
all  smoke  and  no  fire."  For  the  28th  I  jotted 
down  :    "  Lee  and  Grant,  and  Early  and  Sheridan 

17 


258  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 


having  some  heavy  fighting — both  parties  seem  to 
be  whipping." 

On  the  30th  I  started  a  letter  home,  in  the  name 
of  a  rebel  avIio  was  sick,  for  some  eatables.  We 
had  to  resort  to  all  sorts  of  tricks  to  evade  the 
cruel  and  unnecessary  restrictions  of  the  powers 
that  were.  If  we  could  not  be  sick  ourselves  we 
could  get  some  fellow  who  was  sick  to  assume  our 
name  long  enough  to  get  a  permit  for  a  box  of 
good  things  from  home  or  elsewhere.  After  we 
got  the  permit  signed  and  started,  it  was  all  right, 
for  when  tlie  box  came  it  was  easy  to  claim  that 
a  fellow  had  got  most  well  since  the  things  were 
sent  for. 

A  short  time  after  that  Lieutenant  Clark,  who 
was  so  bony  and  ugly  that  he  always  looked  sick, 
played  off  on  the  Yankee  doctor,  in  my  name, 
with  a  bogus  case  of  chronic  dysentery,  and  got 
an  order  to  send  to  one  of  my  friends  for  some 
needful  restoratives.  I  have  heard  Dr.  Eversman, 
chief  surgeon  of  the  post,  remark  that  out  of  100 
"  sick  letters  "  presented  to  him  for  approval,  80 
per  cent,  called  for  "  chronic  diarrhea,"  the  ap- 
plicant often  being  as  fat  and  blooming  as  a  morn- 
ing rose. 

On  the  1st  day  of  September  I  wrote  in  my 
memorandum,  ''Wheeler  moving  on  N'ashville 
from  Murfreesboro — Atlanta  reported  captured — 
white  fish  issued  to  us  instead  of  bacon — nothing 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE.  259 

to  fry  it  in,  and  we  are  displeased — an  order  conies 
forbidding  us  to  write  more  than  two  letters  a 
week,  and  we  are  displeased  again,  but  many  of 
us  see  a  way  of  getting  round  it,  for  there  are 
other  names  except  our  own,  and  some  of  us  can 
write  running  hand,  back  hand,  and  another 
style." 

The  next  day,  Friday,  at  2  P.  M.,  a  Kentucky 
rebel  soldier,  named  Nichols,  was  hung  on  the 
island.  He  had  been  sentenced  by  a  court-mar- 
tial in  Cincinnati,  on  the  charge  of  being  a  mur- 
derer, guerilla  and  robber.  The  proof  seemed 
clear,  and,  though  we  felt  sad,  w^e  could  not  but 
justify  his  fate.  At  the  hour  of  execution  the 
prison  guard  was  doubled.  His  cousin.  Lieuten- 
ant Nichols,  a  prisoner  with  us,  allowed  to  go 
out  and  see  him  that  morning. 

Saturday  night  there  came  along  a  little  inci- 
dent that,  at  home,  would  not  have  been  noticed, 
but  which  I  jotted  down  as  follows :  "  We  have 
big  ratastrophe — ^kill  two."  That  night  three 
large  rats  came  into  the  room,  and  one  of  the 
boys,  being  awake,  closed  the  door  on  them.  As 
it  was  hot  we  had  left  the  door  open  and  the  top 
sash  of  the  window  out.  Their  scampering  and 
lunging  to  escape  soon  waked  the  whole  room, 
and  two  of  the  fellows,  being  somewhat  nervous 
and  tired,  wanted  to  let  the  rats  out.  But  as  the 
majority  ruled  in  our  room,  and  we  wanted  to 


260  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

have  some  more  fun,  tlie  animals  had  to  stay.  It 
was  a  jollification  from  3  o^clock  till  daylight,  the 
rats  racing  over  the  floor,  table,  stove,  shelves  and 
"beds,  and  frequently  finding  the  end  of  a  leap 
right  in  our  faces.  One  huge  fellow  crawled  on 
my  bunk  near  my  head,  and  made  a  clear  leap 
through  a  second  story  window.  At  daylight, 
after  chasing  the  other  two  for  awhile,  we  cap- 
tured and  beheaded  them.  So  much  for  the  rat 
story. 

Notwithstanding  the  following  was  the  Lord's 
day,  our  prison  witnessed  a  "  ratastrophe  "  on  a 
far  more  magnificent  scale  than  the  one  just 
named.  I  was  an  eye  witness  and  noted  down  at 
the  time,  "  Sunday,  2  o'clock  P.  M.— About  fifty 
rebels,  with  a  little  dog,  ratting — catch  forty — 
some  of  the  fellows  going  to  make  chicken  pie, 
and  others  squirrel  fry  of  them — lot-s  of  rats  and 
fun."  To  give  some  idea  of  the  respectability 
and  rank  of  our  "rat  club,"  I  will  just  mention 
that  Colonel  John  A.  Fite,  7tli  Tennessee  regi- 
ment, was  its  President,  and  Lieutenant  Billy 
Foote,  son  of  Governor  Foote,  of  Nashville,  his 
chief-of-stafi". 

On  the  5th  day  of  September  I  got  leave  from 
Major  Scoville  to  send  home  for  some  winter 
clothing,  which,  after  many  vexatious  obstacles, 
my  mother  succeeded  in  getting  to  me  in  Novem- 
ber.    At  that  time  my  friend,  Lieutenant  Nick 


CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE.  261 

Fain,  of  the  GOtli  Tennessee,  was  sick  in  the  lios- 
pital,  and  sickness  was  on  tlie  increase.  Two 
days  hiter  we  heard  that  Athmta  liad  certainly 
gone  lip,  and  tliat  General  John  H.  Morgan  had 
been  killed  at  Greenville,  Tennessee. 

Now  came  one  of  those  troublous,  exciting  eras 
in  our  prison  existence.  The  new  mess  halls  were 
finished,  and  all  the  cooking  stoves  were  ordered 
to  be  moved  to  the  appropriate  department  of  the 
same.  The  cooking  facilities  of  at  least  1,200 
men  were  now  crowded  into  a  place  about  40  feet 
square.  Imagine  twelve  large  cook  stoves  in  that 
space,  with  about  iift}^  cooks,  and  the  rations, 
wood  and  water  to  cook  for  a  thousand  men  inter- 
spersed, and  you  have  a  very  slight  idea  of  the 
disadvantages.  That  broke  into  the  domestic 
comforts  of  the  institution  more  than  an3'thing 
ever  before  had  done,  and  I  knew  not  an  individual 
who  was  not  displeased  by  the  new  order  of 
things.  But  necessity  compelled  them  to  accept 
and  accommodate  themselves  to  it. 

There  were  a  dozen  or  more  small,  private  cook 
stoves  in  the  prison,  and  they  were  also  ordered 
to  be  moved,  but,  by  skillful  and  judicious  ma- 
noeuvering,  some  of  us  managed  to  keep  our 
stoves  in  our  rooms.  For  a  week  we  hid  the  ves- 
sels of  ours  and  hired  a  fellow  to  cook  for  us  at 
the  mess  hall,  then  we  cooked  a  little  for  break 
fast  and  kept  the  stove  cold  all  day.     Before  long 


262  CAMP,   FIELD   AIN-D   PRISON    LIFE. 

we  went  a  step  farther,  and  cooked  dinner,  too, 
but,  for  a  wliole  month,  did  not  let  a  Yankee 
catch  a  pot  on  our  stove,  or  us  washing  dishes. 
If  our  dinner  pot  was  on,  and  they  came  on  an  in- 
spection tour,  it  had  to  go  under  the  table  and  be 
covered  up.  And  "  we  'uns "  were  not  the  only 
chaps  that  had  to  make  hay  only  while  the  sun 
shined. 

In  the  great  future  all  these  facts  and  incidents 
will  seem  strange,  almost  mythical,  to  the  reader, 
but  it  is  a  true  picture  of  every-day  life  on  John- 
son's Island. 

And  now  came  the  exciting  question  of  who 
should  occupy  the  cook  and  mess  rooms  just  va- 
cated. The  rooms,  being  small,  were  desirable,  as 
winter  was  comino;  on,  and  it  was  almost  imj)ossi- 
ble  to  keep  warm  in  tlie  large  rooms  during  cold 
da.ys.  No  one  could  change  his  quarters  without 
leave  from  the  prison  superintendent,  to  whom  at 
least  two  hundred  applications  were  made,  almost 
every  one  adducing  some  special  reason  why  he 
should  have  preference.  I  must  say  that  the  as- 
signment was  a  partial  affair,  the  friends  of  the 
superintendent  getting  preference  over  those  worse 
situated. 

My  journal  says  that  on  the  10th  Capt.  Blair's 
room  of  our  mess  took  in  four  additional  men,  for 
the  sake  of  getting  to  cook  in  their  room  on  a 
small  stove ;  it  also  notes  that  the  press  reported 


CAMP,   FIELt)    A^^D    PRISON    LIFE.  263 

Early  as  continually  retreating  in  the  Valley, 
that  gold  stood  at  i225,  and  that  the  letter  of 
acceptance  of  General  McClellan,  who  had  just 
been  nominated  for  President,  was  warlike. 
I  copy  from  my  diary  for  tlie  14th :  "  One  hun- 
dred privates  sent  here  from  'Cam})  Chase'  to  do 
police  duty ;  circular  from  General  Trimble  con- 
cerning police  matters  and  the  general  interests 
of  the  prison ;  at  nine  o'clock  p.  m.  we  make  a 
raid  on  the  hospital  wood-pile." 

Now,  about  that  last  item.  We  (our  room) 
were  taking  the  squirrel's  plan,  and  laying  away 
a  store  for  the  cold  blasts  of  winter.  They  issued 
us  wood  in  limited  quantities,  but  furnished  the 
hospital  without  regard  to  quantity,  and  we  could 
see  no  impropriety  in  appropriating  a  stick  or 
two  every  night  or  so,  which  we  laid  away  in  a 
nice  pile  in  the  loft  close  by  the  studio.  Every 
few  days  we  would  take  a  little  of  it  down  and 
saw  it  up  with  our  regular  rations  of  wood,  then 
store  it  away  in  the  garret  over  our  room.  By 
the  1st  of  November  we  had  a  solid  half-cord  of 
nicely  prepared  extra  stovewood.  It  made  us 
feel  independent,  and  many  a  time  in  the  dead  of 
winter  made  us  feel  comfortable  while  the  less 
provident  were  suffering. 

Twenty-live  sick  were  sent  off  on  the  16th,  and 
at  the  same  time  Colonel  Lewis,  our  most  elo- 
quent preacher  and  most  prominent  Mason,  left 


264  CAMP,   FIELD   AKD   pfesON    LIFE. 

for  special  exchange,  and  six  naval  officers  also 
went  on  exchange,  pursuant  to  an  agreement 
between  the  naval  departments.  The  next  day 
two  rebel  captains  who  had  been  nurses  in  the 
hospital,  and  who  had  managed  to  procure  Fede- 
ral corporals'  uniforms,  forged  passes  and  walked 
out  at  the  gate,  big  as  General  Grant,  but  the 
Yankee  hospital  steward.  Doctor  Foster{f),  re- 
cognized them,  and  they  were  earnestly,  though 
kindly,  solicited  to  metamorphose  back  into  Con- 
federates, which  they  did  without  much  delay. 

About  the  18th  of  September  the  steamers 
Island  Queen  and  Philo  Parsons  were  captured 
on  Lake  Erie  by  Confederates  from  Canada,  and 
the  next  day  several  conspirators  were  arrested 
in  Sandusky  City,  and  for  several  days  the  gun- 
boat Michigan  was  searching  about  the  lake  for 
piratical  crafts.  One  of  the  Sandusky  conspira- 
tors was  formerly  a  lieutenant  in  the  Confederate 
army,  and  known  by  many  then  on  the  island. 
My  journal  reports  heavy  fighting  on  the  Poto- 
mac and  on  the  Weldon  railroad  about  that  time. 

Major-General  Hitchcock  came  to  the  island  on 
the  22d,  and  that  day  I  bathed  at  the  wash-house 
and  had  my  clothes  washed  on  a  machine. 
Washing  was  carried  on  as  a  business.  A  fellow 
would  get  permission  to  buy  a  machine  from  San- 
dusky, and  engage  to  do  the  washing  of  certain 
ones  every  weekj  then  he  would  hire  sufficient 


2C5 

help  to  collect,  wash,  iron  and  deliver  the  cloth- 
ing. Prices  were  moderate,  and  the  work  gener- 
ally faithfully  performed.  I  did  my  own  washing 
at  lirst,  but  after  hiring  a  few  times,  lost  all  taste 
for  the  business.  But  I  never  objected  to  doing 
my  share  of  the  cooking. 

On  the  23d  Generals  Hitchcock  and  Ileintzel- 
man  visited  the  prison  quarters  and  inspected  the 
hospital.  That  night,  or  rather  next  morning  be- 
fore day,  Captain  Furnish  and  Lieutenant  Maris, 
of  Andrew  county,  Missouri,  who  roomed  opposite 
me,  had  a  tight  in  the  dark  over  a  rat.  The  crit- 
ter came  snuffing  around  in  search  of  something 
to  eat;  Maris  concluded  to  eat  him,  so  fastened 
the  door  on  him,  and  Mr.  Rat  began  such  gym- 
nastic feats  as  I  have  described  a  few  pages  back. 
Furnish  wanted  to  sleep,  was  annoyed,  and  asked 
Maris  to  let  the  quadruped  out,  which  he  refused 
to  do.  Furnish  said  he  would  do  it  himself; 
Maris  said  he  should  not.  Up  they  bounced  in 
the  dark,  each  intent  on  having  his  notion  carried 
out;  they  clinched,  they  scuffled,  they  fell,  and 
each  was  glad  to  tind  the  other  willing  to  quit. 
Maris  had  a  finger  nail  bit  off,  and  Furnish  an 
eye  badly  gouged.  No  one  knew  what  became 
of  the  rat;  he  vanished  during  the  j)i'ogress  of 
the  fracas. 


266 


CHAPTER  XIII 


Headi^uartkrs,  Up  Stairs  in  the  Jonesboro  Jail,  \ 

July  11,  1865.  ) 

I  am  still  an  inmate  of  that  institution  built  at 
the  public  expense,  and  wliere  they  propose  to 
board  fellows  for  nothing,  ''pro  bono  publico.''^ 
It  is  possible  that  the  public  may  be  benefited 
by  my  staying  here,  but  /  can't  see  it  in  that 
light,  and  I'm  very  sure  that  I  am  making  noth- 
ing by  the  operation.  Just  now,  however,  I  am 
driving  along  very  quietly  and  contentedly,  and 
will  try  to  rest  easy  and  let  time  tell  what 
will  be. 

It  may  be  an  item  not  unworthy  of  note  that 
my  writing  desk  is  a  strip  of  plank  eight  by 
fourteen  inches,  and  that  I  have  to  use  my  lap  as 
legs  for  said  piece  of  furniture ;  but  such  an 
inconvenience  as  that  is  a  mere  matter  of  moon- 
shine to  a  prisoner  or  soldier. 

Now  we  will  leave  the  present  be  and  wander 
back  to  September,  1864.  The  great  Chicago 
Convention  had  nominated  McClellan  and  Pen- 


267 

dleton,  and  I  yet  well  remember  the  anxiety  the 
Co])])er]iead  masses  of  the  North  manifested  for 
their  success,  no  doubt  sincerely  feeling  that  the 
welfare  of  the  country  and  the  restoration  of 
peace  depended  upon  it.  But  the  most  of  us 
Kebs  up  North  felt  indifferent,  as  we  could  not 
see  wherein  our  cause  would  be  benefited 
thereby.  It  may  now  seem  a  strange,  unchris- 
tian feeling,  but  then,  little  did  we  care  how  much 
internal  dissension  and  ruin  was  worked  in  the 
North. 

But  now  my  state  of  feelings  are  changed,  and 
I  trust  the  same  is  true  of  every  honest,  reasonable 
man  of  the  South.  I  would  love  to  see  the  party 
wounds  healed  up,  so  far  as  was  possible,  and  the 
two  sections  upon  terms  of  friendship  and  sym- 
pathy, at  least  so  far  as  commercial  relations  were 
concerned ;  and  it  must  inevitably  come  to  that, 
for  neither  section  can  prosper  without  it,  and 
interest  is  a  great  motor  power.  If  we  would  only 
follow  the  golden  rule,  how  like  a  charm  it  would 
work  in  alleviating  the  evils  that  follow  in  the 
train  of  a  civil  conflict. 

The  night  of  the  24th  and  the  morning  of  the 
25th  September,  1864,  are  times  never  to-  be  for- 
gotten by  any  one  who  was  then  on  Johnson's 
Island,  and  perhaps  there  is  not  one  who  has  since 
gotten  home  that  has  not  told  his  friends  of  that 
memorable  occasion.     During  the  day  of  the  24th 


268  CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

all  was  quiet  and  settled,  but  at  tlie  lionr  of  half- 
past  nine,  when  perhaps  half  the  prison  were  in 
bed,  and  the  rest  preparing  for  it,  there  suddenly 
came  a  black,  ugly  cloud  in  the  west,  and  the  hrst 
thing  we  knew  a  terrific  tornado  Avas  sweeping 
over  our  island. 

One -half  the  standing  timber  was  laid  flat,  and 
three  of  our  blocks,  4,  5  and  9,  and  one  of  the 
garrison  quarters,  were  unroofed.  When  the 
house  began  to  quiver  and  the  bricks  and  timber 
to  fly  we  expected  the  whole  building  would  be 
a  wreck,  and  each  fellow  aimed  to  save  himself. 
Those  who  had  retired  had  no  time  to  put  on  hat, 
coat,  boots  or  pants,  and  it  was  pitch  dark,  exceiDt 
when  a  flash  of  lightning  lit  up  the  appalling 
scene.  Some  jumped  from  second  story  windows, 
others  tumbled  down  the  steps,  they  knew  not 
liow.  I  inade  a  lunge  in  the  dark  from  the  plat- 
form at  the  top  of  our  flight  of  steps  leading  to 
the  second  story,  without  even  thinking  where  I 
would  light,  but,  as  it  happened,  was  "  right  side 
up  with  care  "  when  I  reached  the  ground. 

Then  some  took  refuge  in  the  slop  ditches,  some 
behind  stumps,  and  some  actually  climbed  d.own 
into  the  wells  for  safety.  Others  flew  wildly 
across  the  prison  yard,  hoping  to  find  a  safe  place 
in  the  open  space  next  to  the  lake.  I  ran  the 
gauntlet  of  the  flying  timbers,  and  took  refuge 
behind  the  sutler  shop,  200  yards  from  my  quar- 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE.  269 

ters.  This  is  Just  a  skeleton  idea  of  tlie  reality. 
Many  lueii  who  had  faced  the  music  in  a  dozen 
bloody  battles  said  they  were  never  before  so 
terrified;  and,  to  add  to  the  ill-comfort  of  the 
occasion,  a  cold,  pelting  rain  was  falling  all  the 
while.  Several  were  badly  wounded,  one  fellow 
having  a  stiip  of  flesh  two  inches  wide  and  to  the 
bone  taken  off  his  leg  from  thigh  to  knee  by  a 
flying  timber,  and  many  miraculous,  narrow  es- 
capes were  made. 

At  least  one-third  of  the  prison  wall  was  laid 
to  the  ground,  and  during  all  that  storm  and  con- 
fusion the  Federal  garrison  were  got  into  line  and 
so  disposed  as  to  prevent  the  escape  of  any  one. 
Several  cannon  shots  and  many  of  musketry  were 
flred,  intended  to  intimidate  us,  but  we  did  not 
scare  worth  a  cent  at  that.  The  raging  billows 
on  the  lake,  and  no  way  of  crossing,  was  what 
troubled  us.  Next  morning  the  wdiole  prison 
yard  was  a  mass  of  scattered  and  shattered  tim- 
bers. A  large  force  of  carpenters  and  workmen 
immediately  commenced  a  readjustment  of  affairs, 
and  in  a  few  weeks  all  was  sound  again.  From 
that  day  till  this  I  have  felt  uneasy  when  in  a 
house  while  a  hard  wind  was  blowing,  and  I  think 
it  probable  that  such  a  feeling  will  accompany  me 
to  the  grave. 

The  morning  after  the  storm  there  were  any 
number  of  advertisements  for  lost  articles  of  every 


270  CAMP,   FIELD   AKD   PPJSOX    LIFE. 

description,  and  some  ricli  jokes  were  told.  One 
poor,  lean  rebel  asked  a  more  corpulent  companion 
to  lie  down  on  Mm  and  keep  the  storm  from  blow- 
ing him  away.  And  one  chap,  suddenly  repentant, 
asked  a  room  mate  to  pray  for  him,  and  received 
the  reply,  *'  I  don't  know  anything  but  the  Lord's 
prayer,  and  that  ain't  worth  a  damn  in  the  time 
of  a  storm." 

Now,  there  is  something  which  I  forgot  in  its 
proper  place,  or  rather  it  occurred  about  the  close 
of  1863,  of  which  period  I  took  no  notes,  and  it 
will  go  to  show  that  some  of  us  had  happy  ex- 
periences as  well  as  unhappy  ones.  With  the 
great  mass  of  the  human  race  variety  is  the  spice 
of  life,  and  we  were  no  exception  to  the  general 
rule.  We  enjoyed  in  more  ways  than  one  the 
case  about  to  be  related,  and  I'm  rather  sure  that 
the  reader  is  fond  of  the  spice  of  life,  and  will 
now  partially  enjoy  that  which  we  did  to  its  full 
extent,  because  we  had  both  a  taste  for  it  and  a 
taste  of  it. 

There  was  one  Thompson  in  our  prison,  Avho 
was  neither  loyal  nor  disloyal — the  good,  philan- 
thropic soul  couldn't  hate  anybody  for  his  politics, 
but  loved  the  whole  world.  Thompson  was  "  on 
the  fence,"  not  being  rebellious  enough  to  fight 
for  Dixie,  nor  patriotic  enough  to  risk  his  scalp 
in  the  cause  of  the  "glorious  Union."  Late  in 
the  fall  of  1863  Mr.  T.  established  a  restaurant  at 


CAMP,   FIELD    AND    PPwISOX    LIFE.  271 


one  end  of  block  5,  proposing  to  be  excelled  by 
none  in  all  the  balance  of  the  great  world  either 
in  variety,  quality  or  moderate  charges.  Dear 
Thompson  loved  (?)  ns  so  that  he  did  not  charge 
us  more  than  a  price  and  a  half  for  anything. 

Well  do  I  yet  remember  that  Christmas  eve  of 
the  aforesaid  year  was  a  beautiful,  balmy  day, 
and  that  late  in  the  evening  not  less  than  ^ve 
hundred  sons  of  the  South  were  promenading  the 
prison  walks,  the  theme  of  all  themes  being  Christ- 
mas times  in  days  gone  by  contrasted  with  then. 
Now,  friend  T.  had  procured  a  fine,  fat,  old  gob- 
bler, and,  like  all  restaurant  keepers  do,  hung  it 
out  on  a  nail  at  the  front  door  as  an  advertise- 
ment, and  the  news  was  circulated  everywhere 
that  Thompson  was  going  to  have  a  grand  Christ- 
mas dinner,  admittance  fee  only  half  a  dollar. 

Now,  how  much  stretch  of  the  imagination 
would  it  require  to  conclude  that  the  mouths  of 
almost  that  Avhole  five  hundred  were  watering  for 
some  of  said  turkey  ?  But  comparatively  few  of 
them  were  in  a  fit  financial  condition  for  Thomp- 
son's feast  As  the  twilight  was  coming  on  we 
noticed  various  squads  of  Southern  gentlemen, 
evidently  canvassing  for  some — not  legal  but  prac- 
ticable— means  of  confiscating  the  fowl.  Perhaps 
a  half  dozen  of  us  were  standing  on  the  platform 
in  front  of  our  block,  and,  feeling  sure  that  the 
turkey  would  go  up,  we  thought  we  might  as  well 


272  CAMP,    FIELD    A]S"D    PRISON    LIFE. 

have  a  finger  in  the  pie  as  anybody,  so  we  began 
to  caucus,  too,  and  in  ten  minutes  the  plot  was 
complete.  In  my  room  a  half  dozen  States  were 
represented,  but  in  the  one  just  across  the  hall 
from  us  were  only  Missourians,  and  the  two  rooms 
were  uj)on  intimate  terms  of  friendship  and  sym- 
pathy. We  had  a  cooking  stove  in  our  room  and 
a  big,  tin  boiler,  and  they  had  a  large  table. 
They  were  to  steal  the  much  coveted  biped,  we 
were  to  conceal  and  cook  it,  and  all  hands  eat  it 
Christmas  day  on  their  table. 

"  Faint  heart  never  won  fair  lady,"  and  besides 
time  was  precious,  for  many  a  Spartan  band  were 
making  ready  to  charge  upon  and  "  gobble  up  " 
the  good  old  gobbler.  Lieutenant  Maris,  who  waa 
lately  mentioned  as  having  the  rat  fight  with 
Captain  Furnish,  was  our  bravest  Spartan  of  all, 
for,  with  Colonel  Printup's  ample  talma  and  two- 
story  slouch  hat,  he  took  a  bee-line  diagonally 
across  the  pen  to  where  the  turkey  was,  gently, 
but  quickly,  lowered  it  from  the  nail,  under  the 
cloak  the  gobbler  went  and  around  the  corner 
Maris  vanished,  and,  by  a  zig-zag  route  through 
the  swarm  of  rebels,  reached  our  quarters,  no  one 
even  recognizing  him  except  we,  us  and  company. 
We  laid  him  (the  turkey)  down  to  rest  till  morn- 
ing, and  "  all  was  quiet  on  the  Potomac,"  but  it 
was  not  thusly  at  Thompson's  headquarters.  It 
seems  that  he  knew  of  the  conspiracy  up  to  de 


LIFE.  273 

prive  him  of  his  turkey-fowl,  and  liacl  taken  po- 
sition over  by  the  hospital,  opposite  his  institu- 
tion, to  watch  and  catch  him  w^ho  might  dare  to 
lay  hands  on  his  treasure.  Lord  Thompson  saw 
the  inanimate  creature  vanish,  and  started  in  pur- 
suit instanter,  but,  in  hunters'  phrase,  tlie  fox 
doubled  on  liim^  and  he  soon  gave  up  the  chase  in 
bewilderment. 

The  night  passed  on ;  Thompson  was  sad  and 
we  were  happy.  The  morning  came,  and  when 
the  first  rays  of  the  great  day-god  kissed  the 
bosom  of  the  placid  lake,  our  turkey  was  boiling 
away.  While  we  were  eating  our  frugal  Christ- 
mas breakfast,  in  stepped  Captain — I  forget  who 
— but  remember  that  his  thermometer  indicated 
essence  of  corn  within.  He  politely  stammered 
out  that  Mr.  Thompson  had  understood  that  his 
turkey  was  in  our  room,  and  requested  him  to 
come  over  and  ask  for  it.  At  once  we  w^ere  aston- 
ished and* 'indignant  at  the  very  idea,  and  told 
him  to  tell  Mr.  Thompson  if  he  had  any  busi- 
ness with  us  to  come  and  transact  it  himself,  that 
we  didn't  care  about  dealing  with  agents.  He 
said  his  mission  was  a  peaceful  one,  and  he  did 
not  want  to  be  insulted;  and  we  replied  that 
neither  did  we  want  to  be  insulted  by  being 
charged  w^ith  robbery.  All  this  time  Mr.  Gobbler 
was  blubbering  away  in  the  boiler  hard  by.    The 

18 


274  CAMP,   FIELD   A^D   PKTSON    LIFE. 

adage  tliat  "  fortune  favors  the  brave "  hit  our 
nail  exactly  on  the  head. 

Major  Scoville  had,  early  that  morning,  pre- 
sented our  room  with  a  turkey  for  a  Christmas 
dinner,  and  his  name  was  on  the  label  attached  to 
its  feet.  With  triumphal  air  we  produced  it,  and 
told  Mr.  Captain  where  it  came  from,  but  that  we 
could  not  vouch  for  whether  he  stole  it  from 
Thompson  or  not.  He  begged  our  pardon  and 
departed,  fully  satisfied  that  the  charge  against 
us  had  no  foundation  in  fact.  As  the  hours 
rolled  gladly  by  we  were  making  appropriate  do- 
mestic arrangements  to  do  justice  to  the  fatted 
fowl.  Nor  did  we  covet  company  one  bit  that 
day,  but  every  now  and  then  an  unwelcome  guest 
would  drop  in. 

Dinner  time  came  on ;  the  Missourians  had 
their  table  spread  with  all  the  queensware,  cut- 
lery and  tin  cups  of  both  rooms,  Mr.  Turkey  oc- 
cupied the  center  of  the  board,  and  was  the  cen- 
ter of  attraction.  About  fourteen  of  us  did  am- 
ple justice  to  all  the  stuffing  and  meat  that  clus- 
tered about  his  carcass,  and  we  had  a  sure- enough 
preacher  to  say  Amen,  it  bein^  no  other  than  the 
veritable  Colonel  Lewis  that  I  have  mentioned 
elsewhere.  He  enjoyed  the  thing  from  lirst  to 
last,  and  said  it  was  the  best  joke  of  the  season, 
to  which  we  unanimously  replied.  Amen. 

Gentle  reader,  or  ungentle  reader,  don't  pre- 


275 

sume  tliis  to  be  an  imaginary  sketch,  for  tliat 
preaclier,  who  afterward  w^ent  South  and  was 
made  a  brigadier-general,  will  stand  by  every 
word  of  it.  Now,  how  many  of  the  world  will 
vote  that,  considering  the  circumstances,  it  was  a 
good  joke  well  played,  and  how  many  will  con- 
demn us  ?    "  Nous  verrons^ 

Sheridan  had  routed  and  almost  completely 
demolished  Early's  army  on  the  19th  of  Septem- 
ber, and  the  whole  North  was  jubilant  over  the 
matter,  thinking  it  could  never  be  resurrected, 
and  on  the  27th  our  post  commandant  ordered 
one  hundred  guns  to  be  fired  in  honor  of  the 
event.  At  that  date  Price  and  Shelby  were 
advancing  into  Missouri,  N.  B.  Forrest  was  going 
into  Middle  Tennessee,  and  gold  w^as  rating 
at  185. 

For  the  29th  I  transcribe  from  my  memoran- 
dum book  :  "  Short  rations  ;  hungry  men ;  grum- 
bling ;  two  rebs.  fight  at  the  cook-house— one  of 
them  gets  hurt ;  I  chief  cook  this  w^eek ;  •  Price 
and  Forrest  doing  execution."  The  next  morning 
I  noted  down,  "  We  had  biscuit  for  breakfast. 
I  made  a  mistake ;  we  had  five  biscuit  apiece, 
instead  of  three." 

Now%  in  our  room,  each  fellow  cooked  a  week 
at  a  time,  the  cook  for  the  time  being  having  sole 
charge  of  that  department,  no  one  having  a  right 
to  interfere  as  to  when,  how  or  what  was  cooked. 


276  ca:mp,  field  and  prisox  life. 

But  each  one  took  a  pride  in  being  prompt, 
cleanly  and  getting  up  the  best  dishes  possible 
from  our  frugal  stock  of  supplies.  If  we  got  a 
fifty -pound  sack  of  flour  we  had  biscuit  twice  a 
week,  but  if  a  twenty-five-pound  sack,  we  usually 
had  wheat  bread  Sunday  morning.  We  did  not 
sub-divide  our  rations,  as  did  many  rooms,  but 
the  cook  generally  aimed  to  make  an  equal  num- 
ber of  biscuits  for  every  member  of  the  mess. 
That  morning  I  made  ^ve  apiece  (small  ones),  but 
told  the  fellows  there  were  only  three.  Each  one 
made  way  with  his  portion  and  was  satisfied,  but, 
when  told  that  there  were  two  more  for  every 
mother's  son  of  them,  they  were  glad  as  if  they 
had  been  golden  dollars.  We  enjoyed  every 
morsel  we  got  to  eat. 

About  the  1st  of  October  I  learned  from  home 
that  a  number  of  our  neighbors  (who  were  loyal 
like  myself)  had  been  drafted  to  fight  for  the 
Union.  And  the  same  letter  said  that  our  negro 
boys,  G-eorge  and  Armstead,  had  ran  ofi*  to  a 
recruiting  station  at  "  Camp  Nelson,  Kentucky." 
Deluded  beings  !  they  left  a  good  and  comfortable 
home  in  search  of  thoughted  freedom,  and  very 
soon  were  both  in  the  grave. 

All  along  in  the  first  days  of  October  the  Fede- 
rals were  "  pegging  away "  close  to  Richmond, 
and  Price  had  Missouri  in  a  blaze.  In  the  after- 
noon of  the  4th  I  took  some  stewed  peaches  to 


CAMP,   FIELD    AXD   PRISON    LIFE.  277 

Parson  Ash,  and  some  flaxseed  for  a  poultice  to 
Capt.  Morgan — botli  in  the  hosi)ital.  The  former 
was  a  resident  of  my  count}^ ;  the  latter  one  of 
my  chums  in  Block  4.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Ash  was 
sufi'ering  from  general  debility,  and  Capt.  Morgan 
from  the  effects  of  a  rusty  nail  stuck  in  his  foot 
the  night  of  the  storm.  That  night  Capt.  Brooks, 
Post  Quartermaster,  died,  and  the  flag  hung  at 
half  mast  all  next  day. 

The  prison  carpenter,  who  was  working  inside 
the  3^ard  on  the  6th,  left  a  wide  plank  leaning 
against  the  wall  near  Block  1.  A  gentleman  who 
had  been  raised  and  educated  in,  and  was  bat- 
tling for,  Louisiana,  spied  it,  and  at  night,  with 
the  necessary  implements,  evacuated  the  pen, 
leaving  a  hole  beneath  the  fence  under  that 
plank.  In  two  weeks  he  wrote  to  his  friends, 
congratulating  himself  at  the  good  luck  in  find- 
himself  in  Canada. 

October  8th  was  cold,  rainy,  sleety  and  snowy, 
and  the  Feds,  began  to  issue  wood  to  the  whole 
prison  that  day.  Several  prisoners  came  in — 
among  them  my  old  schoolmate.  Captain  Henry 
Armant,  aid-de-camp  on  General  Heth's  staff* — and 
fifty  sick  left  for  the  cotton  States.  The  next  day 
our  room  bought  from  the  sutler  a  lamp,  with  fix- 
tures and  two  gallons  of  coal  oil,  for  $8.00. 

For  October  lOtli  my  diary  reads  :  "  Burbridge 
thrashed  out  at  Saltville,  Virginia;  lots  of  his 


278 

Africans  slain  ;  figlit  at  block  9  ;  Colonel  Printup 
gets  sugar,  coffee  and  lard  through  Colonel  Sco- 
ville.'^ 

When  the  prison  was  first  built  on  Johnson's 
Island,  in  the  spring  of  1862,  W.  S.  Pierson  was 
Major  commanding  post,  and  E.  A.  Scoville  was 
Captain  in  command  of  a  company.  During  the 
summer  of  1863  Pierson  was  promoted  to  Lieut.- 
Colonel  and  Scoville  to  Major.  "When  the  "Hoff- 
man Battalion  "  was  increased  to  a  regiment  and 
called  the  128th  Ohio,  Charles  W.  Hill  was  made 
Colonel,  Pierson  resigned,  Scoville  took  his  place 
and  rank,  and  Captain  Thomas  H.  Linnell  was 
made  Major  of  said  regiment. 

A  general  search  was  made  through  the  prison 
on  the  14th  for  saws  and  axes  that  had  come  up 
missing.  During  such  searches  (we  being  under 
guard  out  in  the  yard),  various  little  articles  were 
supposed  to  have  been  purloined  by  the  light- 
fingered  Northern  gentry,  and  so,  to  keep  along 
even  with  the  Yanks,  we  had  to  "  play  possum." 
One  fellow  in  each  room  would  invariably  get  sick 
and  be  in  bed  on  such  occasions. 

The  Confederates  had  now  recaptured  Rome, 
Georgia,  and  "  Old  Pap  Price  "  was  at  Boonville, 
Mo.  Considerable  express  matter  was  coming  in, 
and  that  evening  Lieut.  Wilson,  of  Georgia,  pre- 
sented us  with  some  parched  coffee.  If  the  reader 
will  keep  a  sharp  lookout,  there  will,  before  long, 


CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE.  279 

be  found  a  place  wliere  Wilson  was  liiglily  com- 
plimented, kinder  like  our  friend  Tliomx)son  was. 
All  jokes  are  said  to  be  free  in  harvest  times,  and 
why  not  as  well  in  Christmas  times  ? 

Major  Person,  in  the  name  of  Lieut.  Lotspiech, 
got  a  nice  box  of  good  tilings  to  eat  from  his 
cousin,  Mrs.  Madeira,  of  Covington,  Kentucky,  on 
the  l?th  October,  and,  as  what  one  received  we 
all  received,  the  whole  household  was  heartily 
glad.  The  succeeding  day  Maj.-Gen.  Trimble  and 
Brig  -Gens.  Beall,  Jones  and  Frazier  were  removed 
from  our  prison  to  Fort  Warren.  Hood's  army 
was  now  between  Dalton  and  Bridgeport,  Price 
was  at  Lexington,  Missouri,  and  gold  was  at  220. 
Pestiferous  bands  of  marauders  were  still  carry- 
ing a  bold  front  all  over  Kentucky,  the  authorities 
seeming  utterly  unable,  by  terrible  warnings,  to 
dissipate  them. 

On  the  23d  of  October  w^e  had  codfish  and  flour 
issued  to  us  instead  of  pork  and  baker's  bread — 
some  liked  the  change,  some  didn't,  it  being  utterly 
impossible  to  ]3lease  all.  For  the  24th  my  diary 
reads :  My  birthday ;  I  have  been  in  the  army 
38  months;  we  had  ham,  coffee  and  biscuit  for 
breakfast."  During  the  last  days  of  October  Price 
was  about  Fort  Scott,  Hood  in  Walker  county, 
Georgia,  and  all  was  quiet  along  the  James  and 
Potomac.  And  along  about  those  times  Lieut. 
Clark  and  I  were  spending  many  pleasant  hours 


280  CAMP,   FIELD    AXD   PRISOj^T    LIFE. 

up  in  our  little  studio  poring  over  tlie  Castilian 
language.  We  had  at  first  a  German,  who  had 
resided  in  Mexico, for  a  preceptor,  but  we  did  not 
like  him,  and  concluded  to  go  it  alone. 

November,  1864,  opened  in  a  most  auspicious 
manner  for  room  19,  block  4,  Johnson's  Island, 
Ohio.  On  the  first  day  Lieut.  Oliver  Clark  got 
flour,  ham,  coffee,  dried  fruit  and  butter  from 
Richmond,  Kentucky,  and  per  the  same  express 
Colonel  Printup  received  a  jug  of  six  year  old 
whisky,  and  one  of  claret  wine,  all  contraband, 
but  Colonel  Scoville  let  him  have  it— /or  medical 
purposes,  of  course. 

"We  were  happy  that  evening,  and  my  diary 
says :  "  Old  Pap  got  drunk."  Old  Pap  was  Tom 
Stevenson,  a  native  of  Woodford  county,  Ken- 
tucky, but  latterly  from  St.  Joseph,  Missouri,  and 
he  had  been  on  Johnson's  Island  since  September, 
1862,  held  as  a  suspected  spy.  He  says  that  Gen. 
Price  sent  him  to  Kentucky  to  look  around,  and 
that  they  took  him  in  out  of  the  weather  at  Ver- 
sailles. The  first  six  months  of  my  stay  up  North 
he  was  our  postmaster  and  tailor,  and,  being  a 
vain,  pompous,  eccentric,  spluttering  fellow,  every- 
body knew  "  Old  Pap,"  and  had  something  to  say 
to  him.  He  was  acquainted  with  all  our  room, 
and  Colonel  P.,  knowing  that  he  admired  the 
critter  to  desperation,  invited  him  over  to  take  a 
social  glass  with  us.     He  came,  he  saw,  and  it 


CAMP,  FIELD    AND   PRISON     LIFE.  281 

conquered,  not  exactly  verifying  Csesar's  laconic 
dispatch,  "  Ve7ii,  vidl,  vlciy 

We  had  not  yet  reached  the  end  of  our  string 
of  good  luck,  for  on  the  3d  Major  Person  received 
a  splendid  box  from  his  wife  at  Memphis.  Among 
many  other  goodly  items  was  a  bushel  of  sweet 
potatoes,  and,  as  I  noted  down  in  my  little  book 
that  evening,  "  we  were  in  town  with  a  pocket  full 
of  rocks."  It  was  some  supposed  terrible  ailment 
that  produced  each  one  of  these  boxes,  for  a  well 
man  was  not  allowed  to  send  for  anything. 

Maj. -General  Marmaduke,  Brig.-General  Cabell, 
and  four  Colonels  from  Price's  army  arrived  at 
our  headquarters  on  the  6th,  and  General  Price 
was  now  retreating  from  Missouri  at  double  quick 
time  before  the  legions  of  Federal  cavalry  concen- 
trated on  him.  All  along  about  that  time  gold 
was  ranging  from  245  to  256,  and  the  weather  was 
cool  and  changeable. 

The  8th  of  November  was  election  day  for 
President  of  the  United  States,  and  the  whole 
Abolition  and  Copperhead  press  was  teeming 
with  charges  of  fraud,  and  the  Federal  authori- 
ties were  very  much  alarmed  about  threatened 
raids  all  along  the  Canada  border.  Troops  were 
stationed  at  many  of  the  border  towns,  and  a 
General  assigned  to  the  special  duty  of  looking 
after  the  Federal  interests  along  that  front. 

I  Qo^j  from  my  diary :     "IN'ovember  9th,  much 


282  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

wind  and  rain ;  sudden  change  of  temperature. 
lOtli — Sherman  reported  moving  on  Charleston; 
Hood  in  Middle  Tennessee.  11th — Forty  of  Gen. 
Price's  officers  arrive.  14tli— Snow,  but  pleasant 
weather.  16th — Sherman's  movements  mj^steri- 
ous." 

I  received  a  letter  from  Kentucky  on  the  20th, 
saying  that  the  guerrillas  were  troublesome  about 
my  native  haunts,  but  that  it  did  not  prevent  the 
people  from  marrying.  The  same  day  we  had 
letters  from  East  Tennessee,  through  which  I 
learned  of  the  whereabout  of  several  members 
of  my  company  that  I  had  lost  sight  of.  From  it 
I  learned  that  Wm.  Hollo  way,  who  went  to  prison 
with  us,  and,  after  eighteen  months'  captivity,  had 
started  home  sick,  died  at  Bristol,  Tenn.  Will, 
was  a  good  boy  and  a  good  soldier,  though  his 
neighbors  at  home  told  me  he  was  disloyal  and 
would  not  do  to  trust.  I  did  not  conceal  from  him 
what  I  had  heard  of  his  character,  and  he  seemed 
to  take  a  pride  in  being  faithful  and  honorable ; 
and  such  was  the  case  with  several  others  that 
had  been  reported  to  me  as  not  just  the  right 
thing. 

It  was  about  the  21st  of  November  that  Breck- 
enridge  gave  Gillam  a  terrible  beating  at  Morris- 
town,  Tennessee.  His  wagon  train  and  artillery, 
with  many  men,  were  captured,  and  almost  his 


CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE.  283 

whole  army  scattered  and  flew,  pell-mell,  to  Knox- 
ville. 

November  23d  was  a  very  cold  day,  and  the 
bay  froze  over.  I  employed  Captain  Lattner,  of 
Louisiana,  who  had  a  machine,  to  do  my  washing, 
and  my  diary  records  that  the  whereabout  of 
Sherman  are  yet  mysterious.  The  fact  is  that  he  had 
left  Gen.  Thomas  to  take  care  of  Hood,  and,  cut- 
ting loose  from  all  base,  struck  out  on  one  of  the 
boldest  campaigns  of  the  war,  Charleston  or  Sa- 
vannah being  his  objective  point. 

It  was  about  this  era  that  General  Burbridge 
was  having  guerrillas  shot  by  the  wholesale,  and 
not  unfrequently  regular  Confederate  soldiers  were 
led  out  and  cruelly  executed,  in  retaliation  for 
the  depredations  and  crimes  of  outlaws.  There 
was  a  reign  of  terror  and  bloodshed  in  Kentucky ; 
may  the  like  of  which  never  come  again. 

On"  the  26th  my  old  friends,  Major  "Wm.  Smith, 
62d  Tennessee,  and  Captain  Levi  Mobly,  26th 
Tennessee,  arrived  at  our  little  home  in  the  lake. 
That  was  a  memorable,  exciting  day.  Some  time 
previous  a  thousand  bales  of  cotton  had  been 
sent  from  Mobile  to  New  York  to  be  sold,  the 
proceeds  to  be  spent  for  clothing,  blankets  and 
provisions  for  the  rebel  prisoners  np  North, 
Brigadier-General  W.  N.  R.  Beall,  C.  S.  A.,  was 
selected  to  buy  and  distribute  said  articles,  his 
headquarters  being  at  New  York.     He  issued  a 


284  CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

circular  to  all  the  prisons,  requesting  them  to 
choose  a  commissioner  to  receive  and  distribute 
what  was  sent  to  each  place. 

The  office  seemed  to  be  desirable,  for  the  ex-' 
pectation  was  that  the  agent  would  get  many  fa- 
vors and  privileges  not  accorded  to  his  fellow-sin- 
ners. A  number  of  candidates  offered,  and  wire- 
working  and  electioneering  began  straightway. 
On  the  evening  of  election  we  had  sj^eeches  of 
every  grade — sensible,  foolish,  grave,  humorous 
and  witty.  Colonel  John  A.  Fite,  who  has  been 
before  mentioned  as  President  of  the  '*  rat  club," 
got  the  position  by  long  odds,  and  most  every- 
body thought  he  was  the  right  man,  for  he  had 
been  our  very  efficient  chief  commissary,  and  was 
not  afraid  to  talk  to  the  Yanks,  or  even  curse 
them  a  little,  if  it  was  necessary  to  get  our  dues. 

I  sat  up  with  the  sick  at  hospital  in  ward  4  on 
the  night  of  the  28th.  Hood  was  now  before 
Franklin,  Tennessee,  and  Sherman's  movements 
were  no  longer  mysterious,  he  having  taken  pos- 
session of  Milledgeville,  Georgia.  He  was  now 
several  hundred  miles  from  any  base,  in  the  heart 
of  a  hostile  country,  with  70,000  men,  and  many 
of  the  Confederate  leaders  pretended  to  think  that 
his  doom  was  fixed,  but  he  managed  to  reach  the 
sea  coast,  thus  showing  to  the  world  what  can  be 
done  where  there  is  a  determination.     I  will  not 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE.  285 

speak  of  the  unworthy,  unchristian  incidents  con- 
nected with  that  "  march  to  the  sea."  Would 
that  all  snch  could  be  blotted  from  the  pages  of 
history  and  from  our  memories ;  then  we  would 
be  happier. 


286  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 


In  Jail,  July  IS,  1865. 

The  past  few  clays  have  been  extremely  hot, 
and  this  abode  has  not  added  veiy  much  to  the 
comfort  of  such  weather,  but  I  have  withstood  so 
much  that  I  conclude  I  can  bear  up  under  any- 
thing that  would  not  kill  a  mule.  From  my  rela- 
tive situation,  being  directly  between  the  court- 
house and  printing  office,  it  would  seem  that  I 
ought  to  be  able  to  get  justice.  Mr.  Grissom,  of 
the  Jonesboro  Union  Flag^  thinks  that  justice  to 
rebels  is  j)ersecution  and  suffering  equal  to  what 
the  Union  people  here  have  undergone,  no  matter 
at  whose  hands.  He  grossly  prevaricated  and 
magnified  the  cause  and  manner  of  my  arrest, 
but  I  won't  say  any  more  about  it  here,  for  I  hap- 
pen to  remember  that  it  is  sometimes  best  for  a 
fellow  ''  not  to  whistle  till  he  is  out  of  the  woods." 

Now  let  us  travel  back  to  the  first  days  of  last 
December.  My  note  book  says  there  was  a  big 
fight  at  Franklin,  Tennessee,  and  that  Thomas 
had  fallen  back  on  Nashville.     On  the  7th  one 


LIFE.  287 

hundred  officers  taken  at  Franklin  were  brought 
into  prison.  I  listened  to  the  story  of  tlie  battle 
from  many  of  them,  and  it  was  surely  the  most 
fearful  and  terrible  struggle  of  the  war.  At  one 
time  a  long  column  of  Confederates  pressed  up 
to  the  very  earthworks  of  the  Federals,  but  could 
not  scale  them,  and  there  the  contending  parties 
laid  within  a  few  feet  of  each  other,  shooting 
over  the  embankment  at  random.  The  Southern 
troops  were  not  reinforced,  and  had  to  surrender, 
as  every  one  who  attempted  to  retreat  was  shot 
down.  In  that  battle  the  noble,  gallant,  beloved 
Pat.  Cleburne  gave  up  his  life. 

About  the  first  of  the  month  Adjutant  Frank 
Clewel,  1st  Missouri  cavalry,  who  had  made  sev- 
eral daring  but  futile  attempts  to  escape,  got  a 
special  exchange,  and  at  night  of  the  day  he  left 
two  of  the  "  Southern  chivalry  "  scratclied  out  at 
the  end  of  Block  1,  but  were  taken  in,  and  a  new 
lamp  put  up  there  to  caution  them  against  repeat- 
ing the  risk  of  so  unpleasant  a  defeat. 

The  end  of  Block  1  was  rather  a  famous  place, 
perhaps  fifty  diff'erent  rebels  having  tried  to 
escape  there.  And  it  was  a  place  of  resort  to 
witness  dress -parade,  look  at  visitors  to  the 
island,  and  whatever  was  going  on  about  head- 
quarters. Full  many  a  pleasing  hour  have  I 
whiled  away  at  that  x>oint,  watching  the  move- 
ments of  the  world  without. 


288  CAMP,    FIELD   AND   PEISON    LIFE, 

The  Stli  was  an  extremely  cold  day,  and  we 
could  almost  see  the  body  of  ice  grow  as  it 
extended  itself  over  the  bay,  and  there  were  three 
inches  of  snow  on  the  ground.  Colonel  Matlock, 
of  Arkansas,  died  on  the  10th.  Along  about 
that  period  of  our  captivity.  Colonel  Hill  was 
becoming  more  popular  among  the  prisoners  by 
issuing  more  reasonable  orders  and  being  more 
consistent  generally. 

President  Lincoln's  message  was  now  before 
the  country.  He  seemed  to  have  issued  it  more 
as  a  matter  of  form  than  anything  else,  as  no 
new  theory  or  policy  was  enunciated,  but  he 
referred  to  his  former  messages  and  proclama- 
tions as  still  the  rule  of  his  faith  and  action. 
Chase  had  just  been  made  Chief  Justice  and 
Speed  Attorney-General. 

The  12th  day  of  December  was  the  coldest,  so 
far,  of  the  season.  That  forenoon  Col.  Scoville 
was  in  our  room,  "about  three  sheets  in  the 
wind,"  and  quite  jovial.  I  observed  to  him  that 
if  I  had  about  half  that  he  had  under  his  shirt  it 
would  make  us  both  feel  better.  Said  he :  "  It  is 
a  splendid  time  to  take  on  a  little,  and,  if  I  don't 
forget  it,  I  will  bring  you  fellows  in  a  drop  after 
dinner."  After  a  little  prison  chit-chat  and  some 
pleasant  jokes  he  left  the  room,  we  not  expecting 
to  see  him  again  for,  probably,  several  days,  but 
about  3  p.  M.  in  popped  Mr.  Scoville  again.    We 


289 

had  several  visitors ;  lie  said  he  wanted  to  see  the 
members  of  the  room  privately,  and  they  left,  we 
supj)osing  it  was  some  warning  or  special  news 
for  ns,  but  he  simply  hauled  out  a  bottle  filled 
from  the  jug  under  the  bed  in  his  quarters,  which 
jug  I  had  tapped  in  the  summer  of  1803.  He  just 
remarked  that  we  must  keep  the  thing  dark. 
Were  I  given  to  lying,  this  would  certainly  be 
classed  among  the  untruths,  but  it's  a  fact,  and 
one  more  incident  showing  that  we  had  some 
generous  Abolition  foes. 

The  night  of  the  12th  was  almost  as  memorable 
and  alarming  as  that  of  the  storm.  At  about  two 
o'clock  in  the  night  some  thirty  rebels  attempted 
to  scale  the  wall  in  rear  of  the  hospital.  They 
had  prepared  themselves  with  nearly  a  dozen 
ladders,  some  clubs,  rocks  and  one  or  two  pistols, 
and  all  started  at  the  same  time  for  the  fence,  one 
hundred  yards  in  rear  of  the  hospital.  The  moon 
was  shining  bright  as  day,  the  sentinels  saw 
them,  and  a  half-dozen  concentrated  where  they 
aimed  to  strike  the  fence.  Hostilities  commenced 
immediately ;  several  rebels  got  to  the  top  of  the 
wall,  but  were  knocked  back,  and  one  Federal 
was  hurled  from  the  parapet. 

Some  fifty  miisket  and  pistol  shots  were  fired, 

but,   miraculously,   only   one    man    was    killed. 

Lieutenant  Boles,  of  Louisville,  Kentucky,  was 

shot  from  a  ladder  half-way  up  the  wall.     But 

19 


290 

few  of  the  prisoners  were  aware  that  such  a 
break  was  contemplated,  and  it  may  be  believed 
that  we  were  terrified  by  being  aroused  from  our 
slumbers  by  such  a  racket  right  in  our  midst.  In 
a  little  while  the  whole  garrison  was  out,  and  a 
number  of  cannon  Avere  fired,  evidently  to  make 
us  lie  still.  That  dried  up  all  talk  about  charg- 
ing the  fence. 

The  next  day  a  prisoner  fell  from  the  platform 
of  Block  9  and  was  mortally  injured,  and  that 
evening  I  noticed  four  corpses  in  the  dead-house. 
My  notes  for  the  loth  are:  "General  Beall  in 
New  York — issues  a  circular  to  Confederate  pris- 
oners to  find  out  their  most  pressing  wants  as  to 
clothing  and  provisions;  we  almost  a  unit  for 
grub ;  exchange  going  on  at  Charleston ;  Sher- 
man fighting  in  front  of  Savannah ;  Warren 
makes  another  raid  on  the  Weldon  railroad ; 
Nashville  besieged." 

On  the  16th  our  mail  came  over  on  the  ice, 
Hood  and  Thomas  were  fighting  at  Nashville, 
and  Colonel  Boles,  2d  Kentucky  cavalry,  was 
elected  to  assist  Colonel  Fite. 

I  will  here  say  that,  after  all  the  talking  and 
fixing,  never  a  rag  nor  a  morsel  had  we  received 
when  I  left  Johnson's  Island,  the  last  of  the  suc- 
ceeding February,  though  some  clothing  had  been 
received  at  other  prisons. 

It  was  the  18th  that  we  heard  that  Hood  had 


C A:\rP,   FIELD    AXD   PRISON    LIFE.  291 

been  defeated,  with  a  lieavy  loss  of  mm  and 
artillery,  and  was  retreating.  His  army  was 
almost  mined  dnring  his  Middle  Tennessee  cam- 
paign. The  next  day  the  loyal  people  cut  a  port- 
hole in  the  wall  at  the  southwest  corner  of  the 
prison  yard,  for  our  benefit,  of  course.  At  about 
that  time  they  commenced  the  erection  of  a  large 
fort  on  the  island,  northwest  of  the  juison  ;  also 
another  at  the  southwest,  on  the  highest  point  of 
land,  and  about  the  center  of  the  island.  Their 
proceedings  seemed  to  indicate  a  want  of  faith 
both  in  us  and  the  people  over  north  of  Lake  Erie  ; 
and  who  that  knew  of  the  immediate  past  could 
blame  them? 

The  22d  was  snowy,  windy,  and  bitter  cold, 
the  thermometer  being  many  degrees  below  the 
freezing  point,  which  makes  anything  but  a 
pleasant  state  of  weather.  That  day  Captain 
Sanford,  Inspector  General,  came  round  to  deter- 
mine the  number  of  blankets  in  prison,  and  who 
had  them.  K'ow  came  a  necessity  for  a  little 
juggling,  as  we  anticipated  that  his  aim  was  to 
take  away  from  those  who  had  more,  and  give 
to  those  who  had  less,  than  a  prescribed  number. 
My  bunk  mate  and  I  had  each  a  pair  of  our  own 
besides  the  government  allowance.  We  were 
sure  that  was  over  the  general  average,  so  we 
took  off  and  hid  a  part  of  them  till  the  inspection 
was  over. 


292  CAMP,   FIELD   AT^-D   PEISON    LIFE. 

The  temperature  next  morning  was  no  better, 
and  the  sergeant  was  allowed  to  call  the  roll  in 
our  quarters.  That  day  Lieutenant  Lear,  ayIio  had 
been  kicked  out  of  block  11  for  stealing,  was  al- 
lowed by  the  prison  superintendent  to  make  him- 
self a  little  cuddy-hole  in  one  end  of  our  gar- 
ret loft.  It  seems  that  he  did  not  steal  from 
necessity,  for  he  had  plenty,  but  it  was  his  natural 
inclination,  and  he  was  known  to  capture  little 
things  after  going  there.  No  one  who  would  as- 
sociate with  him  was  respected. 

The  succeeding  day  280  of  Hood's  officers,  taken 
about  Nashville,  came  over  on  the  ice  to  reinforce 
our  already  populous  garrison.  Among  them 
were  Major-General  Ed.  Johnson  and  Brigadier- 
Generals  Henry  R.  Jackson  and  Tom  Smith,  the 
last  almost  a  boy.  The  whole  crew  of  them  gave 
evident  signs  of  hardships  and  suffering,  many 
being  almost  destitute  of  clothing.  All  the  old 
prisoners  who  had  surplus  clothes  were  requested 
to  divide  with  them,  and  a  generous,  sympa- 
thizing spirit  was  displayed,  the  recix)ients,  in 
many  cases,  hardly  knowing  how  to  express  their 
gratitude. 

That  day  we  took  into  our  room  Lieutenant 
Fite,  of  Memphis,  and  Lieut.  Yarbrough,  of  Geor- 
gia, both  of  them  proving  congenial  room  mates. 
And  that  day  Colonel  Scoville  came  in  and  took 
Colonel  Printup  to  dine  with  him.     For  a  rebel  to 


CAMP,    FIELD    AXD    PRISON     LIFE  293 

eat  on  tlie  outside  was  a  rare  privilege,  seldom 
granted.  AYe  thouglit  and  we  talked  a  heap  about, 
but  couldn't  prepare  much  for,  Christmas.. 

At  Christmas  of  the  preceding  year  we  were, 
many  of  us,  in  good  lix  to  enjoy  the  holidays, 
as  there  were  but  few  restrictions  from  receiving 
anything  from  our  friendo  up  North.  But  the 
latter  days  of  1864  were  almost  "dry  as  a  powder 
horn."  On  the  former  occasion  there  were  lots  of 
good  things  to  eat,  and  a  right  smart  sprinkle  of 
something  to  exhilarate  the  inner  man ;  on  the 
latter  both  were  almost  "  scarce  as  hen's  teeth." 

For  Christmas  day  I  copy  from  my .  diary : 
"  Old  Pap  comes  over  for  a  dram  (though  he  don't 
say  so),  but  it  is  like  trj'ing  .  to  coax  blood 
out  of  a  turnip — Colonel  Mike  Woods,  46tli  Ala- 
bama, gets  a  si^ecial  exchange — Yankee  chaplain 
brings  in  good  things  for  sick  rebels — nobody 
drunk,  for  the  best  of  reasons — I  am  on  cook  detail 
this  week — we  had  ham  and  biscuit  for  breakfast, 
pudding  for  dinner,  and  will  have  "fish  in  the 
dab  "  to-morrow  morning — -I  made  "fish  in  the 
dab  "  out  of  our  lake  shad,  and  all  the  scrap?  of 
bread,  meat,  onions,  &c.,  that  we  had,  conglom- 
erated into  a  batter  and  fried  or  baked.  I  flavored 
it  with  sage  and  pepper,  and  the  boys  said  they 
didn't  want  anything  better.  We  never  wasted 
an  ounce  of  anything  edible. 

A  goodly  number  of  express  boxes  was  deliv- 


294  CAMP,   FIELD   AKD   PRISON    LIFE. 

ered  in  prison  on  the  27tli,  some  of  them  without 
permit,  and  that  day  the  jjost  commandant  issued 
an  order  suppressing  from  j^rison  the  !N'ew  York 
JVews,  Chicago  Times  and  Cincinnati  ERquirer, 
they  being  Copperhead,  almost  rebel,  papers. 
Sherman  had  now  taken  Savannah,  and  "  Beast 
Butler  ^^  and  Admiral  Porter  were  hammering 
away  at  Wilmington.  About  that  date  the  rebel 
General  Lyon  cut  the  Louisville  and  Nashville 
Railroad  at  Elizabeth  town,  Kentucky,  and  Gen. 
McCook  was  after  him. 

On  the  30th  a  number  of  rebels  applied  to  work 
on  the  forts  for  the  sake  of  getting  full  rations,  as 
such  a'  course  was  being  pursued  at  other  prisons. 
Gold  was  then  at  216.  I  had  just  got  through  my 
Spanish  grammar,  and  had  spent  most  of  the 
Christmas  reading  a  novel  written  in  French,  and 
entitled  "  Eosa,  or  Filial  Piety." 

Now,  for  the  closing  hours^  of  the  year  I  will 
transcribe  from  my  diary :  "  31st  December — last 
day  of  the  old  year ;  mighty  dry  Christmas ;  Col. 
Printup  h  :s  a  box  on  the  outside  and  I  one  in 
anticipation ;  prison  superintendent  has  on  a  full 
load  of  '  ecm  de  me ;'  weather  moderate  ;  Yankees 
skating ;  our  prospects  for  another  year's  sojourn 
excellent.     Good-bye  1864." 

But  something  took  place  during  the  small 
dying  hours  of  the  year  wliich,  though  I  took  no 
note  of  it,  I  can  not  forget.    Lieutenant  Wilson, 


LIFE.  295 

of  General  Frazier's  staff  at  Cumberland  Gap,  and 
who  belonged  to  the  same  regiment  as  Colonel 
Printnp  and  Lieutenant  Clark  of  my  room,  had 
gone  to  the  hospital  as  a  nurse  for  the  sake  of 
something  good  to  eat.  Now,  Lieutenant  W.  was 
all  sorts  of  an  antic,  jolly  fellow,  and  had  a  rooster 
chicken  which  he  had  raised  around  the  hospital. 
We  often  talked  to  him  about  purloining  his  fowl, 
but  he  said  we  could  not  steal  it  in  the  day  time 
and  that  it  roosted  so  close  to  the  sentinel's  beat 
that  we  were  afraid  to  go  for  it  after  night,  so  he 
was  not  uneasy. 

After  supper  on  the  31st  we  were  discussing 
what  we  should  have  for  a  New  Year's  dinner. 
Some  one  proposed  Wilson's  chicken ;  "  agreed," 
vociferated  all  hands  ;  but  then  came  the  question, 
"who  was  to  bell  the  cat?"  We  discussed  the 
matter  in  all  shapes  till  bed  time,  when  it  was 
agreed  that  Colonel  P.  should  furnish  his  large 
talma  cloak  as  a  disguise  and  covering,  that  I 
should  seize  the  prey,  and  Lieutenant  Clark  dress 
and  cook  it. 

The  other  boys  went  to  bed,  not  to  sleep,  and  I 
sat  in  the  dark  by  the  stove  till  the  sentinel  cried 
out,  "  lialf-past  ten  o'clock  and  all  is  well."  Then 
I  donned  the  apparel  of  somebody  else  and  started 
out  on  my  errand,  the  boys  giggling  and  saying 
they  would  come  to  my  rescue  if  a  gun  was  fired. 
Boldness  was  my  game  now.    I  went  to  the  hos- 


296  CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PETSON    LIFE. 

pital,  where  lights  were  allowed  to  burn  all  night, 
surveyed  matters,  and,  as  it  appeared  that  "  all 
was  well,"  struck  a  bee-line  for  Mr.  Rooster's 
pole.  The  sentinel,  supposing  me  to  be  one  of 
the  hospital  attendants,  scarcely  noticed  me. 
Mr.  Chicken  said  something,  I  didn't  take  time 
to  listen  what  it  was,  but,  giving  his  neck  a  twist 
and  a  squeeze,  and  tucking  him  under  the  ample 
folds  of  my  "  Scotch  plaid  cloak,"  I  retreated  in 
good  order  through  the  hospital  to  room  19,  block 
4,  where  the  boys  piled  up  encomiums  on  my 
valor,  and  the  beauty,  fatness  and  goodness  of 
Lieutenant  Wilson's  last  chicken. 

We  had  hot  water  in  the  pot  on  our  stove, 
Clark  bounced  up  to  his  business,  and  we  tried  to 
have  a  little  light  on  the  subject  by  kindling 
a  small  blaze  in  the  stove,  but  the  guard  yelled 
forth,  "  Put  out  that  light  in  Block  4."  So,  in 
pitchy  darkness,  we  picked,  cut  up  and  salted 
away  our  game.  Thinking  Wilson  might  miss 
his  fowl  and  get  out  a  search  warrant,  we  con- 
cluded to  make  the  first  meal  of  the  new  year  on 
fried  chicken.  By  daylight  we  were  up  and 
doing,  and  when  the  sun  came  peeping  into  our 
prison  home  we  could  exclaim,  "  chicken  enough," 
nor  was  there  a  bone,  feather  or  other  vestige  left 
to  indicate  that  violence  had  been  committed 
within  the  realms  of  our  little  kingdom. 


LIFE.  207 


CHAPTER    XV 


JoNBSBORO,  East  TENNKssf:E,  \ 
July  13.  1SG5.     ) 

What  I  write  hereafter  must  be  from  meiiior}^, 
as  I  took  no  notes  of  transpiring  events  after  1864. 
The  months  of  January  and  February  were  in 
many  respects  similar  to  the  same  period  the  i)Ye- 
ceding  year.  Though  our  aggregate  number  was 
increased  one-fourth,  the  amount  of  sickness  liad 
decreased,  and  the  hospital  comforts  and  accom- 
modations were  much  improved,  and  our  rations 
of  wood  were  better,  both  in  quantity  and  quality. 
The  large  rooms  in  most  of  the  blocks  were  cut 
up  into  smaller  ones,  and  the  number  of  stoves 
in  prison  greatly  increased;  the  majority  of  us 
having  spent  one  winter  there,  were  somewhat 
acclimated,  and  had  a  better  supply  of  blankets 
and  clothing. 

All  in  all,  I  passed  the  winter  off  quite  agree- 
ably ;  in  fact,  I  was  never  much  bothered  over  my 
Johnson's  Island  imprisonment,  for,  during  a  stay 
of  twenty-one  months,  I  was  never  sick  enough  to 


298  CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

go  to  tlie  liosiDital,  and  was  seldom  troubled  by 
the  gnawings  of  Ininger  or  home  sickness,  which 
were  general  complaints.  I  was  most  always  em- 
ployed at  one  thing  or  another,  and  never  failed 
to  bathe  all  over  twice  a  week  in  summer  and 
once  a  week  during  the  winter,  hot  or  cold,  rain 
or  shine  To  that  I  mainly  attributed  my  good 
health,  and  for  my  comparative  state  of  con- 
tentment I  felt  that  I  was  indebted  to  the  fact  of 
keeping  my  physical  and  mental  pov/ers  em- 
ployed and  absorbed  in  the  present,  instead  of 
indulging  in  miserable  idleness  and  longings  for 
what  could  not  be  obtained. 

It  was,  perhaps,  the  first  of  February  that  Gen. 
Grant  was  called  before  the  Cabinet  and  Congress 
to  give  his  testimony  and  views  about  the  ex- 
change question,  which  resulted  in  his  being 
empowered  to  prosecute  an  exchange  of  prisoners 
at  discretion.  So  many  attempts  at  a  general 
exchange,  which  we  all  thought  would  succeed, 
having  failed,  very  many  of  us  had  become  in- 
credulous to  anything  we  saw  or  heard  on  the 
subject. 

As  a  matter  of  policy  by  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment, all  exchange — except  a  partial  one  of  sick 
and  wounded  and  a  few  specials — had  been 
staved  off  for  nearly  two  years,  and  now  not  less 
than  a  hundred  thousand  Northern  and  Southern 
soldiers  were  undergoing  the  sufferings  and  cruel- 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PRISON    LIFE.  299 

ties  of  prison  life,  whicli  were  o-reatly  augmented 
by  a  barbarous  system  of  retaliation  inaugurated 
by  botli  sides.  Tlie  prisoners  had  prayed,  and 
the  people  had  prayed,  in  vain  for  an  exchange, 
and  thousands  of  the  poor,  deceived  patriots 
breathed  their  last  in  prison  Avails.  No  less  than 
fourteen  thousand  Federal  dead  now  lie  at  Ander- 
sonville,  Georgia,  alone,  and  the  bones  of  thou- 
sands of  brave,  noble  Southern  youths  are  to-day 
mouldering  around  "  Camp  Chase,  "  Camp  Doug- 
las "  and  other  prison  pens  of  the  iS'orth.  And  I 
remember  that  we  left  many  a  little  mound  on 
Johnson's  Isle.  Sleep  on,  noble  comrades  and 
kind  friends,  till  the  Master  bids  you  rise  and 
appear  at  the  Judgment  bar  with  us  all ! 

A  gradual  exchange  commenced  about  the 
middle  of  February.  The  commanders  of  the 
various  prisons  in  the  l^orth  were  ordered  to 
n:ake  out  rolls  of  prisoners  in  detachments  of 
five  hundred,  taking  first,  as  a  matter  of  policy, 
those  from  the  States  of  Missouri,  Kentucky, 
Arkansas  and  Louisiana.  The  Confederate  offi- 
cers were  to  be  taken  in  squads  of  one  hundred, 
according  to  priority  of  capture. 

I  will  not  undertake  to  describe  the  state  of 
feeling  on  Johnson's  Island  about  that  time.  Just 
imagine  a  lot  of  men  who  have  been  in  prison 
from  one  to  two  years,  and  now  inflated  with  the 
hope  and  prospect  of  a  ride  to  Dixie-land ;  then 


300 

think  of  a  host  of  others  who  have  not  been 
incarcerated  so  long  and  know  they  can  not  go 
for,  perhaps,  several  months  yet,  and  yon  may 
have  a  dim  conception  of  the  reality.  One  hun- 
dred officers  were  shipped  from  our  prison  on  the 
18th,  and  the  same  number  on  the  21st  of  Febru- 
ary ;  among  them  nearly  all  the  officers  of  my 
regiment. 

The  scene  reminded  me  of  the  parting  of  stu- 
dents at  the  close  of  a  collegiate  year.  Friends 
were  saying  good-bye,  never  to  meet  again,  and 
many  pleasant,  happy  associations  and  ties  Avere 
being  severed  forever,  but  the  regrets  at  saying 
farewell  were  less  visible,  since,  much  as  we 
liked  the  presence  of  our  friends,  we  were  happy 
with  tliem,  because  they  were  going  home  to  Dixie. 
Even  yet- 1  was  not  confident  that  I  would  go,  and 
neither  built  hopes  nor  made  prex)arations  for  a 
chans-e  of  base. 

A  roll  of  two  hundred  was  made  out  on  the  23d, 
and  the  next  morning  they  bade  us  adieu.  Almost 
every  man  captured  previous  to  or  at  the  time  of 
myself  had  now  gone,  and  I  began  to  feel  anxious 
in  the  matter.  All  those  who  had  left  had  to  walk 
to  Sandusky  on  the  ice,  and,  as  it  was  getting 
warm  and  cloudy,  with  a  prospect  of  the  ice  break- 
ing uj).  Col.  Hill  concluded  to  get  another  batch 
of  one  hundred  over  the  ice  bridge  before  night, 
to  which  end  all  hands  and  energies  were  set  to 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PlilSOX    LIFE  301 

work.  Tlie  oflicer  of  the  day,  with  a  list  of  per- 
luips  a  dozen  names,  would  come  in  and  call  them 
out,  when  the  fortunate  ones  would  rush  anxiously 
to  the  small  gate,  where  thej^  were  received  by  a 
corporal's  guard  and  escorted  to  headquarters  to 
settle  their  accounts  and  sign  a  parole  not  to  at- 
tempt escape  en  route  South. 

My  name  was  not  called  till  two  p.  m.,  and  at 
four  we  had  to  leave  the  island.  In  those  two 
hours  I  had  a  hundred  things  to  do  and  have  done, 
and  was  almost  too  full  of  excitement  to  do  any- 
thing. I  had  dwelt  there  so  long  it  was  like  a 
family  fixing  up  all  in  an  hour  to  move  far  away. 
And,  though  I  wanted  to  be  free  and  see  my 
friends  in  the  South,  I  hated  to  leave  my  prison 
associates,  and  cut  short  off  the  pleasing  corres- 
pondence I  was  having  with  my  friends  at  home 
and  elsewhere.  I  felt  attached  to  my  room,  my 
books,  ray  bunk  and  our  rustic  furniture,  and  I 
experienced  a  like  feeling  for  the  very  prison  and 
even  some  of  the  Federal  garrison.  I  parted  with 
them  all  with  the  same  feelings  that  I  would  say 
farewell  to  my  companions  of  the  camp  and  field 
to  go  to  my  maternal  home.  For  my  room  mates 
and  my  mess  mates  I  felt  a  special  attachment, 
and  wherever  I  may  meet  them  along  life's  jour- 
ney it  will  be  with  a  brotherly  feeling  in  my 
heart.     May  they  prosper  and  be  happy. 

At  4  o'clock  we  had  said  good-bye  to  all  in 


302  CA:\rp,  field  attd  prison  life. 

prison,  and  with  our  blankets  and  little  wallets 
of  clothing  and  prison  mementoes,  snch  as  pic- 
tures, letters  and  prison  jewelry,  were  out  in  the 
garrison  square  receiving  rations,  and  those  of 
us  who  had  been  so  fortunate  as  to  have  the  ac- 
quaintance and  good  will  of  some  of  the  Federals, 
bidding  them  adieu,  promising  to  treat  them  well 
if  we  ever  caught  them  down  in  Dixie  land. 

The  sick  and  crippled,  with  the  heavier  baggage, 
were  hauled  across  on  ice  sleighs,  and  we  were 
strung  along  for  nearly  half  a  mile  over  the  crys- 
tal ice  of  the  deep  bay.  We  encountered  several 
air  holes,  and  about  the  center  of  the  bay  was 
one  varying  from  twenty  to  fifty  feet  in  width 
and  nearly  a  mile  in  length.  It  was  bridged  with 
planks,  like  a  creek  on  dry  land,  and  it  may  be 
well  imagined  that  we  felt  rather  ticklish  in 
crossing  such  a  place,  our  only  possible  consola- 
tion being  that  if  we  went  under  the  blue  coats 
would  go  with  us.  We  had  a  merry  trip,  several 
fellows  breaking  through,  and  many  of  them  get- 
ting heavy  falls.  The  distance  from  our  island 
home  to  Sandusky  city  was  three  miles,  and  did 
not  look  even  that  far,  but  when  we  had  walked 
it  over  the  ice  it  appeared  seven  long  ones. 

That  night  we  stayed  in  the  depot  car  shed  at 
Sandusky,  and  the  next  morning  at  daylight  left 
for  Mansfield,  Ohio,  where  we  amved  at  noon, 
overtaking  the  two  hundred  who  had  started  the 


LIFE.  303 

morning  before,  and  we  felt  as  glad  to  see  each 
other  as  though  we  had  been  parted  a  year,  for  in- 
deed we  thought  that  our  adieus  at  the  island 
were  final.  As  we  passed  through  the  little  towns 
in  Ohio,  Federal  soldiers,  who  had  been  enjoying 
the  ill-comforts  of  "  Libby  "  and  other  Southern 
prisons,  would  come  up,  take  a  peep  at  us,  then 
curse  the  rebel  government  and  all  pertaining  to 
it,  and  almost  cry  with  madness  because  we 
seemed  to  have  fared  better  than  they  did.  The 
boys  would  laugh  at  them  and  turn  everything 
they  said  into  a  joke,  telling  them  it  was  "  no  use 
to  grieve  over  spilt  milk." 

We  had  to  lay  over  at  Mansfield  half  a  day, 
waiting  for  a  train  on  the  Pittsburg,  Fort  Wayne 
and  Chicago  railroad.  Lieutenant  Reno,  of  the 
128th  Ohio,  with  about  twenty  men,  had  charge 
of  our  detachment,  and  they  proved  themselves 
clever,  obliging,  first-rate  fellows.  At  Mansfield, 
though  a  nominal  guard  was  kept  around  us,  we 
went  when  and  where  we  pleased,  and  drank 
what  we  liked  best.  The  boys  in  gray  and  the 
boys  in  blue  would  imbibe  together  till  they  got 
somewhat  mellow,  then  Mr.  Yank  would  stack  his 
gun  in  the  corner  of  the  car,  and  they  would 
manfully  argue  the  question  of  "Union  or  no 
Union,"  each  having  the  privilege  of  swearing  a 
little,   and  the   closing   scene   would  often  be  a 


304 

hearty  shake  hands  and  a  mutual  agreement  to 
disagree. 

At  dusk  the  300  of  us  left,  arriving  in  Pitts- 
burg at  7  o'clock  next  morning,  where  we  only 
stopped  long  enough  to  change  cars.  We  now 
took  passage  on  the  Pennsylvania  railroad,  and 
traveled  on  all  the  Sabbath  day,  being  195  miles 
from  Pittsburg  at  nightfall,  when  we  came  to  the 
wreck  of  a  freight  train,  which  was  not  cleared 
away  before  next  morning,  and  here  we  also  came 
up  with  a  train  loaded  with  500  Kentucky  soldiers, 
from  Camp  Douglas,  most  of  them  having  been 
captured  on  the  Ohio  raid. 

The  blackened  appearance  of  Pittsburg  gave 
evident  indications  of  its  vast  manufacturing  es- 
tablishments, and  for  fifty  miles  out  from  the  city 
we  saw  many  coal  mines,  but  which  were  not 
then  being  worked  much.  During  the  forenoon 
of  Sunday  we  were  passing  through  the  Alle- 
ghany mountains,  and  sometimes  would  run  in 
almost  a  complete  circle,  near  the  summit  of  lofty 
ranges,  and,  upon  looking  from  the  car  windows, 
it  would  seem  as  though  we  were  suspended  in 
mid- air,  hundreds  of  feet  above  a  yawning  ab3^ss, 
studded  with  rugged  cliffs  and  evergreens,  with 
here  a  and  there  a  drift  of  snow  or  an  iceberg, 
which,  altogether,  formed  a  scene  at  once  grand, 
sublime  and  picturesque 

About  midday  we  passed  through  a  tunnel  a 


CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE.  305 

mile  and  a  quarter  long,  on  tlie  summit  of  the 
AUeglianies,  and,  after  running  on  a  down  grade 
for  two  hours,  we  arrived  at  Altoona,  Pa.,  at  the 
foot  of  the  mountain.  We  found  it  to  be  a  flour- 
ishing city  planted  down  in  a  rugged  region ;  I 
saw  not  less  than  thirty  engines  there,  most  of 
them  under  steam,  and  the  number  of  cars  all 
about  was  legion.  We  were  to  have  gotten  dinner 
at  that  point,  but  had  been  soldiering  too  long  to 
be  much  disappointed  at  a  failure  ;  however,  the 
little  boys,  girls  and  old  women  brought  pies, 
cakes,  apples  and  such  like  in  abundance,  and 
nobody  suffered. 

Our  money  account  at  the  prison  had  been  kept 
exceedingly  straight,  and  all  our  funds,  both 
greenback  and  Confederate,  were  intrusted  to  the 
officer  in  charge  of  us,  to  be  delivered  over  at  the 
point  of  exchange.  But  he  had  the  privilege  of 
giving  out  small  sums  along  the  route,  and  Lieut. 
Reno  issued  quite  liberally  to  the  boys,  and  those 
who  had  money  spent  it  freely.  Unfortunately, 
my  financial  matters  had  been  mighty  tight  of 
late,  and  I  was  completely  "  strapped,"  but  friends 
that  I  had  helped  along  in  prison  now  returned 
the  compliment. 

All  Sunday  evening  we  were  passing  through  a 
beautiful  valley  along  the  shores  of  the  Juniata 
river,  whose  beauties  I  had  so  often  seen  men- 
tioned and  described  in  fancy  and  poetic  sketches. 
20 


306  CAMP,   FIELD   AXD   PKISOX    LIFE. 

Just  before  niglitfall  we  passed  tliroiio'li  Himtiiig- 
don,  a  pleasing,  thrifty  looking  town,  embossed 
between  the  mountains  on  the  edge  of  the  "  blue 
Juniata."  And  across  this,  as  well  as  the  Susque- 
hanna river,  I  saw  railroad  bridges  built  b}^  Col. 
E.  W.  Morgan,  of  the  Kentucky  Military  Institute, 
which  bridges  I  had  drawn  under  his  instructions 
while  studying  engineering  at  the  Institute.  I 
had  spent  so  many  hours,  days  and  weeks  in 
the  study  and  construction  of  those  bridges  that 
almost  every  dimension,  arch,  timber,  bolt  and 
pier  seemed  familiar  and  homelike. 

As  soon  as  the  wreck  in  front  of  us  was  cleared 
away  we  rolled  on,  and  Monday  noon  found  us  at 
Mifflintown,  Pennsylvania,  where  we  stayed  a 
couple  of  hours,  the  Southern  gentlemen  roaming 
almost  at  will  over  the  town,  bujdng  things  to 
eat,  drink  or  wear.  Many  of  the  fellows  ate  at  a 
hotel  for  the  first  time  in  two  years,  and  the  Fed- 
eral officer  in  charge  busied  himself  in  having 
plenty  prepared  for  all  who  wanted  it.  Some  of 
the  disloyal  colonels,  majors,  captains  and  lieu- 
tenants had  a  plentiful  sujiply  of  the  "over  joy- 
ful," and  that  day  felt  bigger  than  any  Yankee 
in  Pennsylvania.  From  the  Mifflin  Hotel  I  wrote 
to  my  mother  the  first  letter  that  I  had  had  the 
privilege  of  sealing  myself  for  a  long  time. 

All  Monday  afternoon  we  were  along  the  Sus- 
quehanna, and  at  sundown  were  just  opposite  to, 


'    CAMP,    FIELD    AXD   PIU^^ON    LIFE.  307 

and  in  sight  of,  Harrisburg,  wliicli  presented  a 
stately  appearance  across  tlie  broad  river,  wliich 
was  now  filled  with  slush  ice.  We  were  now  two 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  Pittsburg  and  sev- 
enty-two miles  from  Baltimore,  our  destination. 
The  Pennsylvania  railroad,  over  wliich  we  had 
just  passed,  is,  perhaps,  when  viewed  in  all  its 
appointments  and  surroundings,  the  best  and 
most  attractive  road  in  America.  It  has  a  double 
track  for  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  is  stone 
ballasted  and  free  from  dust  all  the  way,  and  its 
capital,  running  stock  and  business  is  immense ; 
then  it  traverses  a  country  filled  with  ever-vary- 
ing, delightful  scenery. 

I  can  not  say  much  for  the  agricultural  appear- 
ance of  the  country  through  which  we  had  been 
passing.  At  Harrisburg  we  had  to  wait  two 
hours  for  an  opposing  passenger  train,  and,  be- 
cause of  frequent  stops  during  the  night,  we  did 
not  reach  Baltimore  till  daylight.  At  York, 
Penns^^lvania,  about  three  score  and  ten  young 
ladies  m.ade  their  appearance — some  to  see  the 
Rebs.  and  some  to  sell  pies.  Some  of  the  fellows 
would  quibble  over  the  price  of  a  ten-cent  pie  for 
a  quarter  of  an  hour,  just  to  get  to  talk  to  a 
pretty  girl. 

I  can  never  forget  our — some  would  call  it — 
anti-triumphal  march  tlirough  the  streets  of  Bal- 
timore.    About  the   center  of  the  city  we   were 


308 

halted  between  two  blocks  of  five-story,  palatial, 
granite  residences,  and  from  almost  every  window 
poked  the  head  of  a  charming  secesh  lady ;  and, 
by  the  way,  Baltimore  never  boasted  many  of 
any  other  stripe.  So  heavily  did  the  tyrant's 
heel  press  down  on  the  good  people  of  that  city 
that  they  did  not  dare  to  speak  to  ns  or  exhibit 
any  signs  of  sympath}^,  for  fear  of  arrest.  Bnt 
the  dear  ladies  way  up  in  the  window^s  w^ould 
mirror  the  feelings  of  their  hearts  in  their  counte- 
nances and  w^aft  us  kisses  from  the  tips  of  their 
fingers,  and  now  and  then  one  would  draw  forth 
from  near  her  heart  a  tiny  image  of  the  flag  dear 
to  us  all,  and  wave  it  but  for  a  moment,  sending 
an  indescribable  thrill  through  all  our  hearts. 

One  lady,  in  passing  along  the  sidewalk,  recog- 
nized in  our  ranks  a  near  relative,  from  whom  she 
had  been  parted  for  many  months.  Not  daring 
to  speak  to  him,  she  several  times, strolled  up 
one  side  and  down  the  other  of  the  street,  gazing 
at  the  loved  one;  and  well  do  I  yet  remember 
how  full  of  sweet  and  tender  sympathy  was  the 
face  of  that  angelic  woman.  The  provost-mar- 
shal noticed  her  movements,  and  in  a  very  inso- 
lent manner  ordered  her  to  leave  or  take  her 
place  in  our  ranks  as  a  prisoner.  Most  of  us 
took  a  mental  note  of  the  name  and  appearance 
of  the  inhuman  wretch,  with  a  view  to  the  future. 

We  were  taken  to  the  wharf,  and  still  denied 


CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE.  1^09 

any  communication  witli  the  world ;  but  the  John- 
sou's  Island  soldiers,  who  were  still  witli  us, 
would  pass  notes  or  slip  in  anything  })ossil)le. 
In  that  way  Colonel  Phillips,  of  tlie  52d  Georgia, 
got  a  whole  salt,  boots  and  all,  from  a  lady  friend. 
About  noon  a  boat  loaded  with  privates  left  for 
City  Point,  and  two  hours  later  we  boarded  the 
steamship  Cumbria  and  glided  away  down  Ches- 
apeake Bay.  We  had  a  delightful  ride  over  that 
beautiful  sheet  of  water,  and  never  stopped  a 
moment  till  we  arrived  at  the  famous  City  Point, 
about  four  o'clock  next  evening. 

We  passed  some  twenty  miles  off  Annapolis, 
Maryland,  and  could  see  its  towering  spires ;  then 
we  passed  within  a  few  hundred  feet  of  Fortress 
Monroe,  a  point  not  before  unknown,  but  made 
still  more  famous  by  its  associations  during  the 
war.  Just  in  front  of  Fortress  Monroe  is  a  prison, 
built,  like  Fort  Sumpter,  out  in  the  bosom  of  the 
deep.  It  is  called  the  "Rip-raps,"  and  prisoners 
sentenced  for  life  are  confined  there.  It  was  at 
Fortress  Monroe  that  the  celebrated  rebel  ram 
Merrimac  attacked  the  Federal  fleet  and  aston- 
ished the  world  by  her  achievements. 

At  the  mouth  of  the  James  river  we  saw  pro- 
truding from  the  water  the  masts  of  the  famous 
Confederate  cruiser  Florida,  which  had  been  sunk 
by  the  Federals.  From  there  we  passed  over  his- 
toric ground  every  foot  of  the  way  to  Richmond. 


310  CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

City  Point  was  nothing  more  than  a  vast  military 
encampment,  with  its  multiform  appurtenances, 
and  there  were  perhaps  a  hundred  ships,  slooj^s, 
"brigs  and  steamboats  anchored  there,  all  engaged 
in  the  Government  service. 

'At  City  Point  we  reportt;d  to  General  Grant, 
and  were  directed  to  report  to  Colonel  Mulford, 
agent  of  exchange  at  Harrison's  Landing.  We 
proceeded  up  the  James  till  dusk,  when  the 
knowing  ones  thought  it  prudent  to  cast  anchor 
for  the  night.  It  did  not  take  us  long  next  morn- 
ing to  glide  up  to  that  place  made  famous  by 
McClellan's  peninsular  camj)aign.  About  noon 
we  left  the  steamer  and  bade  adieu  to  our  Federal 
comrades.  But  before  parting  witli  them  forever 
I  must  say  a  word  concerning  each. 

The  Cumbria  had  been  built  in  England  for  a 
blockade-runner,  but,  after  a  few  trips,  was  cap- 
tured off  Wilmington  or  Charleston,  and  sold  to  a 
marine  transportation  company.  It  was  rather 
an  unsightly  craft,  and  was  divided  up  into  water- 
proof compartments,  constructed  rather  with  a 
view  to  stowing  away  the  greatest  possible  quan- 
tity of  goods  than  human  comfort.  It  consumed 
its  own  steam  and  smoke,  and  ran  so  smoothly 
and  quietly  that  its  proximity  could  hardly  be 
detected  by  hearing. 

Having  been  from  boyhood  interested  in  the 
naval  characters  of  Captain  Marryatt's  novels,  I 


CAMP,    FIELD    AXD    PIIISON    LIFE  311 

now  took  a  deep  interest  in  learning  sonietliing 
about  the  ship  and  all  its  crew  and  fixtures,  and  I 
found  tluit  the  queer  nautical  terms,  the  sailors' 
language,  and  their  peculiar  characteristics,  all 
comported  with  the  vivid  pen-pictures  given  in 
Marryatt's  sea  novels.  I  went  down  into  the 
little  cuddies  in  the  bow  of  the  ship,  where  the 
sailors  live,  and  talked  with  them,  and  heard 
them  conversing  with  each  other  after  a  style 
peculiarly  their  own  They  were  ever  jovial, 
free-hearted  and  witty,  and  would  sell  their 
dinner  or  anything  else  for  that  to  which  they 
took  a  liking.  With  one  fellow,  "Dan,"  I  sev- 
eral times  exchanged  prison  rings  for  his  dinner 
or  supper,  and  for  the  last  meal  I  took  on  the 
Cumbria  I  paid  him  a  S'JO.OO  Confederate  bill, 
which  was  good  for  nothing  to  him,  but  he  said 
he  wanted  it,  and  I'm  sure  I  wanted  the  break- 
fast, even  if  it  was  on  a  tin  plate  not  scru- 
pulously clean.  Although  they  were  rough, 
uncouth,  uncleanly,  and,  in  some  things,  unprin- 
cipled, I  could  not  help  liking  the  sailor's  char- 
acter. 

"When  we  bade  the  Federal  soldiers  good-bye, 
both  they  and  we  thought  more  of  each  other 
than  when  we  started,  for  they  had  evinced  a 
kindly  spiiit  toward  us,  and  they  could  not  help 
admiring  the  manly,  generous  spirit  of  Southern 
gentlemen.      Everything  had  gone   off   happily 


312 

along  the  whole  journey.  We  numbered  alto- 
gether three  hundred  and  fifty,  one-seventh  being 
of  the  Northern  and  the  big  remainder  of  the 
Southern  persuasion.  During  the  last  forenoon 
that  we  spent  together  promiscuous  groups  of 
mottled  gray  and  blue  might  have  been  seen  all 
over  the  ship;  some  were  trading,  some  telling 
yarns  or  their  war  experiences,  and  how  they  had 
played  off  pranks  on  the  Feds,  or  Rebs.,  while 
others  were  gravely  and  earnestly  discussing  the 
war  question  in  its  various  phases  and  prospects. 
The  Yanks,  had  their  guns  piled  away  as  if  the 
w^ar  was  over,  and  we  commingled  as  freely  as 
though  we  had  all  been  birds  of  a  feather.  "We 
thanked  the  offtcers  for  their  courteous  treatment, 
and  promised  to  reciprocate  in  future,  should  we 
ever  change  our  relative  situations ;  then  we 
shook  hands  with  our  most  intimate  Federals, 
and,  bidding  good-bye  to  the  Yankee  nation, 
went  on  shore. 

At  Harrison's  Landing,  which  name  will  be 
often  repeated  in  the  history  of  the  struggle  just 
j^ast,  there  is  nothing  more  than  a  plain  brick 
dwelling  and  a  few  inferior  out-buildings,  sur- 
rounded by  an  open,  flat  country.  From  there 
we  had  to  walk  three  miles  around  Butler's  far- 
famed  "Dutch  Gap  Canal"  to  the  Confederate 
"  Flag  of  Truce  Boat "  above.  Colonel  Mulford, 
with  a  small  detachment  of  cavalry,  escorted  us 


AND    PRISON    LIFE.  313 

tlirougli  tlie  Federal  lines  on  tlie  north  side  of 
the  James.  The  works  at  tliat  point  were 
manned  by  the  sable  sons  of  Ilani,  who  looked 
well  enough,  and  did  not  offer  us  any  indignity 
by  either  word,  look  or  deed. 

As  we  approaclied  our  steamer  the  Southern 
troops  cheered  us  from  their  fortifications  on  the 
south  side  of  the  James.  Colonel  Mulford  ad- 
vanced, riding,  with  a  little  white  flag  sticking  in 
his  boot-top,  met  and  shook  hands  with  Colonel 
Ould,  our  agent  of  exchange,  and  very  soon  we 
were  told  to  go  aboard,  which  we  did  with  a  leap 
and  a  yell  of  joy,  for  we  were  now  surely  in  Dixie 
land.  Colonel  Mulford,  by  his  manly,  generous 
course,  won  our  esteem,  as  he  had  done  of  all  the 
prisoners  with  whom  he  had  ever  come  in  contact. 

We  were  very  soon  off  for  Richmond.  Several 
live  rebels  with  guns  in  their  hands  were  on  board, 
and  so  long  had  it  been  since  I  saw  the  like  that 
they  really  looked  curious.  A  Confederate  battle 
flag,  which  Captain  Meyers,  of  Arkansas,  had  kept 
concealed  since  the  Big  Black  fight,  was  now 
brought  out  and  unfurled  to  the  Southern  breeze, 
and  we  cheered  it  lustily.  After  passing  several 
renowned  forts  and  batteries,  and  the  torpedo  ob- 
structions in  the  river,  and  the  Confederate  navy, 
which  seemed  like  a  farce  in  comparison  with  the 
Federal,  we  arrived  at  Richmond  at  sundown  of 
March  3,  1865. 


314  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISO>f    LIFE. 


CHAPTER    XVI 


Ix  Jail,  July  U,  1S65. 

"VYe  naturally  expected  some  kind  of  a  reception 
at  Riclimond,  but  soldiers  and  returned  prisoners 
were  so  common  there  that  our  arrival  and  pres- 
ence was  scarcely  noticed.  I  took  quarters  at  the 
widely  known  "  Spotswood  House,"  where  the 
rate  of  board  was  only  $50  per  day,  but  the  fare 
was  excellent,  considering  the  times.  About  the 
first  one  I  met  there,  to  recognize,  was  Colonel  W. 
F.  Leathers,  of  Kentucky,  and  my  recollection  is 
that  about  a  half  dozen  of  us,  from  near  the  blue 
grass  region,  were  instrumental  in  giving  the 
"hollow  horn"  to  one  of  his  bottles  that  had  a 
sparkling  liquid  in  it. 

On  the  4th  of  March  I  went  to  General  Swell's 
headquarters  and  procured  a  thirty  days'  parole 
furlough,  which  I  presented  to  the  Paymaster  and 
received  six  months  wages,  $780 — money  earned 
while  I  was  boarding  at  Johnson's  Island  with 
Uncle  Samuel.  At  the  time  the  Confederate  Ship 
of  State  went  down   the  Government  owed  me 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PlIISON    LIFE.  315 

twenty  months  wages,  82,000 ;  hut  as  Mr.  Magis- 
trate says  "  the  Confederacy  is  played  out,"  I 
suppose  the  debt  is  iUegal  and  I  must  let  it  go  by 
the  board. 

While  at  Richmond  I  attended  the  theater,  the 
j)lay,  "  The  French  Revolution,"  being  in  conso- 
nance with  the  times ;  but  I  could  not  help  feeling 
unpleasant,  for  there  would  be  constantly  coming 
before  my  mental  vision  the  awful  conflagration 
and  appalling  loss  of  life  at  the  Richmond  Theater 
many  years  ago. 

I  visited  "  Libby  Prison "  and  talked  with  the 
Federals  conflned  there,  and  could  not  avoid  sym- 
pathizing with  them  and  wishing  that  their  situa- 
tion was  more  pleasant.  The  poor  fellows  looked 
badly,  but,  so  far  as  I  could  see,  were  treated  as 
well  as  the  surroundings  would  permit.  I  could 
not  condemn  and  hate  them  because  the  Federal 
authorities  mistreated  so  many  of  our  prisoners, 
and  would  have  gladly  given  them  comfort,  even 
if  my  brother  and  other  comrades  did  receive  ill 
treatment  at  the  hands  of  heartless  Federal 
ruflians.  No  doubt  there  are  many  who  will  diff'er 
from  the  feelings  and  principles  just  enunciated, 
but  I  am  glad  that  it  was  never  in  my  heart  to  be 
otherwise.  I  feel  that  any  other  spirit  is  unrea- 
sonable, unkind,  ungenerous  and  unchristian. 

I  went  to  the  Confederate  Capitol  and  viewed 
with  admiration  the  colossal  statues  of  "Washing- 


316  CAMP,    FIELD    AKD    PRISOT^    LIFE. 

ton  and  others  of  Virginia's  gifted  sons,  and  I 
was  liappy  to  see  among  them  the  figure  of  Henry 
Clay,  of  whom  Kentuckians  have  a  jnst  reason  to 
be  proud.  The  capitol  buiklings  were  not  partic- 
ularly prepossessing  in  appearance,  but  there  were 
associations  connected  with  the  very  spot  that 
made  me  have  almost  a  reverential  feeling.  I 
was  at  the  Treasury  Department  from  whence  so 
many  millions  of  worthless  currency  has  been 
issued.  In  fact,  I  was  all  over  the  city,  and 
though  it  had  been  much  hacked  up  by  the  war, 
it  still  presented  many  attractions,  indicating  that, 
in  times  of  peace,  it  was  a  beautiful  place. 

On  Sunday,  March  5,  I  went  to  church,  where  I 
saw  both  President  Davis  and  Gen.  Lee.  The  very 
looks  of  each  showed  that  they  were  great  men, 
and  I  could  not  help  venerating  Uncle  Bob  for  his 
good  qualities,  and  admiring  him  as  the  greatest 
living  military  chieftain  of  the  world.  The  haud- 
some,  gallant  Breckinridge,  Secretary  of  War,  was 
there  too,  besides  a  half  score  of  Major  and  Briga- 
dier-Generals, some  of  them  not  unknown  to  fame. 

Before  arriving  at  Richmond  I  thought  I  would 
find  sights  enough  to  excite  my  curiosity  for  a  full 
week,  but  tliree  days  fully  satisfied  my  desires. 
And  we  all  thought  and  said,  before  leaving  John- 
son's Island,  that  we  would  certainly  have  to  get 
on  a  little  spree  and  have  some  fun  in  Richmond, 
but,  mirabile  dictu^  I  saw  scarcely  a  drunken  man 


CAMP,   FIELD    AXD    PRISON     LIFE.  317 

during  my  stay  in  the  city,  and  the  only  obstacle 
in  the  way  of  procuring  Tuiuorwas  the  high  price, 
$5  ifur  driuk,  which  was  no  obstacle  at  all  to  us 
fellows  with  pockets  full  of  Confederate  scrip 

Monday  afternoon,  March  6th,  I  bade  adieu  to 
my  2)rison  companions,  some  of  whom  were  going 
to  remain  and  others  to  go  in  a  different  direction, 
and  repaired  to  the  depot  of  the  Richmond  and 
Danville  railroad,  where  I  found  nearly  a  thous- 
and paroled  prisoners,  all  anxious  to  be  off  for 
their  homes.  Several  hundred  of  them  had  to 
stay  over  for  want  of  room,  but  I  managed  to 
get  aboard  by  the  hardest.  Fifty  miles  from 
Richmond  we  came  to  Burksville,  where  the  Rich- 
mond and  Danville  road  intersects  the  South  Side 
road,  leading  from  Petersburg  to  Lynchburg, 
which  latter  point  was  my  destination. 

We  missed  connection  at  Burksville,  and  had 
to  lie  over  twenty-four  hours.  While  there  I  met 
an  old  schoolmate  from  Mississippi,  and  several 
soldier  friends  that  I  had  not  seen  for  many 
months,  among  them  several  men  of  my  own 
company,  who  were  homeward  bound  from  prison. 
One  of  them  I  did  not,  at  first,  recognize  any  more 
than  if  I  had  never  seen  him. 

And  I  had  the  pleasure  of  giving  some  intelli- 
gence to  an  anxious  mother  concerning  her  son  in 
prison.     While  they  were  transferring  some  bag 
gage  from  the  Danville  to  the  Petersburg  train,  I 


318  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PKTSON    LIFE. 

noticed  a  trunk  marked  J.  I.  Scales,  and,  thinking 
that  23erhaps  it  belonged  to  the  family  of  Colonel 
J.  I.  Scales,  whom  I  had  left  at  Johnson's  Island, 
I  made  inquiry  and  soon  found  his  mother  and 
sister,  who  were  on  their  wa}^  to  Petersburg  to 
care  for  his  brother,  General  Scales,  who  had  just 
been  wounded.  I  gave  them  gladsome  news,  for 
they  had  not  heard  from  him  for  three  months, 
and  he  was  then  sick,  but  was  now  well  and  hearty. 
My  room  mate.  Major  Person,  was  his  especial 
friend,  and  he  was  in  to  see  us  the  day  before  I 
left  prison.  The  mother  and  sister  were  over  joy- 
ful, and  thanked  me  many  times  over,  and  it  really 
made  me  feel  good  for  hours  to  know  that  I  had 
relieved  their  suspense  and  added  to  their  happi- 
ness. 

There  being  no  hotel  accommodations  at  Burks- 
ville  we  had  to  camp  out,  and  I  enjoyed  it  hugely, 
as  I  always  did  enjoy  rough  camp  life.  After  a 
frugal  supper,  we  built  a  blazing  rail  fire,  the 
fiddle  and  the  banjo  were  brought  out,  and  we 
danced  after  every  style.  As  an  interlude,  now 
and  then  a  darkey  would  come  in  and  "  pat  Juba," 
while  several  other  contrabands  would  dance  to 
it  as  if  life  and  death  depended.  Then,  for  a 
change  of  programme,  some  rebellonian  who  had 
taken  lessons- from  the  darkies  in  the  cotton  field 
before  the  war,  would  pit  himself  against  some 
ebony  friend  to  dance  a  jig  or  the  highland  fling. 


CAMP,    FIELD    AXD    TRISOX    LIFE.  319 

Tims  we  wore  away  ahoiit  lialf  tlie  iiiglit,  then 
wrapped  up  in  our  blankets  and  slept  soundly  till 
daylight. 

AVhen  the  regular  Lynchburg  train  came  it  was 
filled  with  soldiers  going  to  guard  an  important 
bridge  against  an  anticij)ated  Federal  raid,  and 
we  were  promised  transportation  on  a  freight  train 
which  came  along  just  before  nightfall.  We  left 
Burksville  at  sundown,  and  had  not  gone  more 
than  twenty  miles  before  an  accident  occurred 
detaining  us  all  night,  and,  tliougli  the  distance 
to  Lj^nchburg  was  only  72  miles,  we  did  not  arrive 
there  till  noon  next  day.  There  I  overtook  Col. 
Gregg,  and  a  dozen  other  officers  of  my  regiment, 
who  left  prison  a  week  before  me,  and  I  supposed 
were  at  home. 

We  found  the  city  of  Lynchburg  in  an  intense 
state  of  excitement.  All  tlie  available  troops 
were  concentrated  there,  and  every  able-bodied 
citizen  was  required  to  go  to  the  city  defenses. 
They  were  hourly  expecting  to  be  pounced  upon 
by  General  Sheridan,  who  was  at  Amherst  Court 
House,  16  miles  away,  with  a  large  cavalry  force, 
but  for  some  reason  Mr.  Sheridan,  the  next  day, 
changed  the  direction  of  his  devastating  line  of 
march. 

I  can  not  call  Lynchburg  an  attractive  place, 
though  it  has  some  elegant  public  and  private 
buildings      It  has   a  world-wide  celebrity  as  a 


320 

tobacco  emporium,  and  is  the  home  of  some  of 
Virginia's  most  distinguislied  citizens.  While 
we  were  at  Lynchburg  an  order  was  ;^iblished 
declaring  as  exchanged  all  prisoners  who  had 
been  delivered  up  to  the  1st  of  March,  and  order- 
ing them  upon  duty  straightway.  Most  of  the 
officers  of  my  regiment  belonged  to  that  class, 
having  been  delivered  the  last  day  of  February, 
but,  having  been  away  from  home  for  about  two 
years  and  a  half,  they  had  no  idea  of  going  a 
soldiering  till  they  had  seen  their  families  and 
sweethearts.  Guards  were  placed  on  all  the 
trains  going  west,  and  ordered  to  let  no  one  pass 
whose  parole  furloughs  were  dated  prior  to  the 
1st  of  March.  That  might  have  been  an  insur- 
mountable obstacle  to  a  preacher,  but  our  boys 
all  changed  their  passes  to  date  March  4tli,  with 
my  own,  and  went  about  their  business — that  is, 
in  the  direction  of  home. 

We  left  Lynchburg  Thursday  morning,  March 
9th,  and  at  dusk  were  at  Wytheville,  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty-five  miles  on  the  way.  There 
about  two  hundred  of  us  had  a  memorable 
scramble  at  the  hotel  over  a  supper  that  had 
been  prepared  for  not  over  fifty  passengers,  as 
our  coming  was  not  anticipated.  We  expected 
to  go  through  to  Abingdon,  fifty-five  miles  farther, 
that  night,  but  at  Gade  Springs,  thirteen  miles 
short  of  our  destination,  the   train  we  were  on 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PRISON    LIFE.  321 

was  ordered  back  to  Lyncliburg,  for  fear  tliat  it 
would  fall  into  the  liands  of  Yankee  raiders. 
There  we  had  to  get  out  at  midnight  and  stay  till 
morning,  the  majority  being  without  shelter  or 
fire,  in  a  sloppy  snow. 

Four  of  us  went  to  a  one-horse  tavern  and  hired 
a  room  with  one  vacant  bed  in  it ;  so  two  of  us 
took  the  floor  with  our  blankets.  Sometime 
before  day  I  heard  a  gruff  voice  cursing  the  cold 
bed  and  troublesome  vermin,  and  after  a  while 
he  called  upon  us  to  splice  blankets  and  sleep 
with  him,  to  which  we  assented,  provided  he 
would  let  me  in  with  my  boots  on,  as  they  were 
so  wet  that  I  could  not  well  get  them  off.  Next 
morning  we  found  our  bed-fellow  to  be  a  militia 
general  from  the  Kanawha  Yalley. 

On  the  forenoon  of  March  10th,  which  I  remem- 
ber was  bitter  cold,  we  went  on  a  freight  train  to 
Bristol,  which  is  on  the  Tennessee  line.  I  had 
been  at  Abingdon  in  1862,  and  found  it  a  very  neat, 
comfortable  place,  but  now  one-half  of  it  was  a 
blackened  mass  of  ruins,  the  result  of  a  Federal 
cavalry  raid.  At  Bristol,  also,  several  splendid 
depot  buildings  and  machine  shops  had  been 
destroyed  by  the  ruthless  invaders.  In  fact, 
from  Richmond  to  Atlanta,  a  distance  of  five 
hundred  miles,  scarcely  a  depot  building  had 
been  left  standing,  and  there  was  hardly  a  bridge 

along  that  whole  route  that  had  not  been  de- 
21 


322  CAMP,    FIELD   AND   PEISON    LIFE. 

stroyed  once  or  oftener  by  one  army  or  the  other. 

At  Bristol  I  met  with  my  Brigadier-General, 
J.  G.  Vaughn,  his  staff,  and  other  old  comrades 
that  I  had  not  seen  since  the  memorable  day  at 
Big  Black  in  May  1863  ;  and  I  likewise  met  up 
with  my  orderly  sergeant  and  a  half-dozen  men 
just  from  Point  Lookout.  We  all  assembled  at 
Room  3  in  the  Lancaster  House,  sent  for  fifty  dol- 
lars' w^orth  of  brandy,  being  one  quart,  and  we 
had  somewhat  of  a  jollification,  presided  over 
by  Gaptain  Bob  Houston,  Inspector- General  of 
Vaughn's  stafi^ 

Bristol  is  peculiarly  situated,  the  State  line 
running  along  Main  street,  and  that  part  of  it  on 
the  Virginia  side  is  there  known  as  Goodson, 
Virginia,  being  named  after  one  of  the  old 
citizens. 

I  took  a  frei2:ht  train  on  the  12th  of  March  for 
Garter's  Depot,  twenty  miles  from  Bristol  and 
twelve  from  Jonesboro,  wliere  I  now  liold  fortli. 
The  railroad  is  cut  at  Garter's  by  the  destruction 
of  a  bridge  over  the  Watauga  river.  I  had  to 
walk  from  Garter's  to  Jonesboro,  and  at  John- 
son's Depot,  seven  miles  from  the  latter  point,  I 
came  to  the  spot  where  my  regiment  had  broken 
up  camp  on  the  18th  of  November,  18f2,  to  go 
South.  I  had,  in  a  little  more  than  two  years, 
completed  a  circuit  of  about  three  thousand 
miles,  touching  at  Knoxville,  Ghattanooga,  At- 


CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISO^^"    LIFE.  323 

lanta,  Montgomery,  Mobile,  Meridian,  Jackson, 
Yicksbnrg,  Memphis,  Cairo,  Indianapolis,  San- 
dusky,  Pittsbnrg,  Ilarrisburg,  Baltimore,  Rich- 
mond and  Lynchbnrg.  The  contents  of  this 
book  are  bnt  a  drop  in  the  bucket  of  what  I  saw, 
heard  and  experienced. 


324  CAMP,    FIELD   AJJD   PRISON    LIFE. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


July  15,  1865.         ) 

I  feel  happier  now,  and  the  world  looks  brighter, 
for  the  prospects  are  that  to-morrow's  sun  will  not 
find  me  here.  Only  those  who  have  been  situated 
like  I  am  can  appreciate  what  a  balm  there  is  in 
the  very  thought.  I  will  not  dwell  upon  my 
thoughts  and  feelings  now,  but  hurry  on  and  finish 
my  story  up  to  date. 

In  the  spring,  summer  and  fall  of  1862  I  spent 
many  pleasant  hours  about  Jonesboro,  and  Gen. 
E.  Kirby  Smith  having  several  times  sent  me  to 
this  county  on  important  military  duty,  most 
everybody  knew  me,  at  least  by  name.  When  I 
returned  to  the  place,  after  almost  three  j^ears 
absence,  I  had  forgotten  some  and  failed  to  recog- 
nize many  of  my  old  acquaintances,  but  olden 
associations  were  soon  revived,  and  I  spent  ten 
days  here  in  a  most  agreeable  manner — making 
several  very  happy  additional  acquaintances, 
among  them  the  Misses  Luckey,  the  Misses  Max- 


CAMP,    FIELD    AXD    PKISOX    LIFE.  325 

well,  ]\[isses  Wilds  and  iNIiss  Cunniiiij;l;ani,  all  of 
tlieni  nitlier  of  tlic  Union  persuasion,  l)nt  rcfiiKMl, 
sociable,  hospitable — in  a  word,  interesting. 

While  in  Jonesbr)ro  I  stayed  with  Mr.  Slem- 
mons,  Avhose  hospitality  I  enjoyed  on  former  occa- 
sions, and  the  family  were  all  so  kind  to  me  that 
I  felt  perfectly  at  home.  Most  all  the  prisoners 
who  came  South  with  me  had  a  home  or  some 
special  friends  to  go  to.  Not  so  with  myself ;  yiy 
home  was  anywhere  that  I  was  kindly  received. 
Several  prison  friends  invited  me  to  go  home  with 
them  and  remain  till  recalled  into  service,  but  I 
preferred  to  wander  about  promiscuously  among 
my  old  army  and  citizen  friends.  I  was  anxious 
to  make  a  visit  among  the  good  people  about 
Newport,  where  my  company  was  organized,  but 
the  possibility  of  a  second  jaunt  to  Johnson's 
Island  deterred  me. 

All  during  my  stay  at  Jonesboro  it  was  reported 
that  the  Federals  were  preparing  to  advance  into 
this  country,  so  I  kept  prepared  for  a  retreat,  and 
on  the  22d  of  March  walked  to  Zollicoffer,  21 
miles  east  of  this  place.  One  of  my  Lieutenants 
and  my  Orderly  Sergeant  left  me  there  and  went 
on  to  Bristol,  taking  my  blanket,  canteen  and  a 
very  good  coat.  After  spending  several  days  with 
my  friends  around  Zollicoffer  I  was  to  rejoin  them 
at  Bristol,  but  have  never  laid  eyes  on  them  from 
that  day  to  this. 


326  CAMP,   FIELD    ATsTD   PEISON    LIFE. 

I  had  cam^Ded  at  Zollicoffer,  guarding  a  bridge, 
in  the  summer  of  1862,  and,  as  Avas  my  luck  most 
everywhere  I  went,  I  formed  the  acquaintance  of 
several  very  interesting  ladies  thereabout.  In  the 
evening  of  March  25th,  Gen.  Yaughn's  Cavalry, 
which  had  been  below  Jonesboro,  and  many  citi- 
zens, wdio  were  afraid  to  remain  at  home,  began  a 
retrograde  movement,  and  that  very  night  the 
Yankees  followed  them  to  Carter's,  nine  miles 
from  Zollicoffer,  which  village  was  named  Union 
before  the  war. 

Bright  and  early  Sunday  morning,  March  26th, 
I  struck  out  a  foot  up  the  Holston  river.  My 
carpet  sack  being  very  heavy — containing  a  year's 
supplies  —  not  quartermaster  or  commissary  —  I 
took  a  change  of  under  clothing  in  a  haversack 
and  left  the  carpet  sack  with  Miss  Kate  Worley, 
two  miles  from  Zollicoffer,  telling  her  I  would  be 
back,  perhaps  in  a  month,  may  be  not  in  a  year — 
I  plodded  on  some  ten  miles  up  the  Holston  Yalley 
and  laid  over  one  day  with  Col.  Jim  Odell,  and 
some  other  friends  of  the  26th  Tennessee  who 
resided  in  the  vicinity  of  Meredith's  Forge.  From 
there  I  aimed  for  Grayson  county,  Ya.,  80  miles 
away,  hearing  that  it  was  a  safe  and  pleasant 
place  of  retreat.  I  was  not  with  the  army,  because 
I  was  yet  on  parole  and  could  not  take  up  arms. 

I  followed  the  Holston  almost  to  its  head- waters 
in  Yirginia.     Falling  in  company  with  some  refu- 


CAMP,    FIELD    AXD    PUISOX     LIFE.  327 

goes  wlio  liad  a  led  liorse,  I  got  to  ride  about  forty 
nules.  One  night  we  camped  in  a  school  house, 
and  the  next  we  stayed  with  Mr.  Porter,  in  Smyth 
cv>unty,  Va.,  three  miles  from  "  The  Blue  Spring." 
S.iid  spring  is  a  basin  of  water  some  thirty  feet  in 
diameter  and  of  an  unknown  depth  ;  it  is  the 
source  of  Cripple  Creek,  which  flows  into  ISTew 
river  thirty  miles  to  the  east.  On  the  last  day  of 
March  we  came  to  the  Dry  Creek  Gap  road,  in 
Wythe  county,  leading  over  the  mountain  into 
Grayson  county. 

As  my  fellow  travelers  were  not  yet  determined 
which  way  they  would  go,  we  all  concluded  to 
stay  on  that  side  of  the  mountain  a  day  or  so,  to 
see  what  would  turn  up,  and  straightway  we  be- 
gan to  hunt  some  place  to  stop  at.  We  divided 
out  into  small  squads.  There  were  four  in  my 
party,  and  wherever  we  went  the  complaint  was 
that  they  had  no  horse  feed,  but  they  would  wil- 
lingly accommodate  ^^5.  Though  often  refused,  I 
liked  the  way  the  people  talked.  At  about  the 
sixth  trial  we  got  to  put  up  with  Mrs.  Gleaves,  on. 
Cripple  creek,  by  taking  a  little  stretch  of  au- 
thority and  using  government  hay  for  our  stock. 
There  I  learned  that  a  number  of  Kentuckians 
were  staying  in  the  neighborhood,  and  that  several 
refugee  families  from  Tennessee,  of  my  acquaint- 
ance, were  living  in  the  vicinity. 

x^ext  morning  my  companions  determined  to 


328  CAMP,    FIELD   AND   PEISOIS'    LIFE. 

beat  back  toward  the  Tennessee  line,  and  I,  con- 
cluding tliat  I  could  not  find  a  better  camping 
ground,  bid  them  good-b^^e.  The  first  day  of 
April  I  went  to  the  house  of  Rev.  David  Sullins, 
whose  brother-in-law,  Capt.  Frank  S.  Blair,  be- 
longed to  my  regiment,  and  with  whose  wife  and 
mother-in-law  I  had  an  acquaintance.  They 
asked  me  to  stay  with  them,  but  their  house  being 
small  and  they  refugees,  I  did  not  accept  their 
proffered  hospitality,  proposing  to  go  that  after- 
noon to  apply  for  boarding  in  the  family  of  Maj. 
John  Sanders. 

During  the  evening  Maj  or  Sanders  called  in,  and 
I  told  him  that  I  had  thought  of  trying  to  get  to  stay 
with  him  a  few  days.  Said  he,  "  Come  when  you 
please,  and  stay  as  long  as  you  please."  I  afterward 
found  that  to  be  his  accustomed  blunt  manner  of 
expression.  The  next  day  I  was  initiated  into  the 
family  by  Miss  Mollie  E.  Simx3son,  a  refugee  from 
Jonesboro,  Tennessee,  who  was  teaching  Major 
Sanders'  children,  and  giving  music  lessons  to  his 
niece.  Miss  Bettie  Brown.  Miss  Simpson  was 
highly  educated,  especially  in  music,  and,  being 
rather  extra  good  looking,  was  a  star  in  that 
region.  In  a  few  days  I  w^as  well  acquainted  Avith 
the  whole  family,  darkies,  dogs  and  all,  and,  find- 
ing in  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sanders  genuine  old  Virginia 
hospitality,  which  always  suited  me,  I  was  per- 
fectly at  home. 


CAMP,    FIELD    AXD    PRISON     LIFE.  329 

I  helped  Mrs.  Sanders  plant  her  potatoes  and 
most  all  her  garden  stuff,  and  frequently  worked 
in  the  garden  during  my  stay  with  theui,  and  I 
have  not  forgotten  that  I  made  for  her  some 
chicken  coops,  and  some  wire  screws  to  cure 
gaping  chickens.  All  these  things  I  learned  w^hile 
serving  an  apprenticeship  under  my  mamma,  away 
back  yonder  in  my  boyhood.  I  dropped  a  good 
portion  of  Major  Sanders'  corn,  and  helped  him 
along  generally,  when  I  felt  inclined — not  that 
they  asked  me  to  do  any  of  this,  but  they  v.ould 
receive  no  pay  for  my  board,  and  I  felt  unwilling 
not  to  give  at  least  a  partial  recompense  for  the 
benefits  I  w^as  receiving ;  besides,  I  felt  better  by 
employing  a  portion  of  my  time  at  light  work. 
"With  his  house  as  my  nominal  home,  I  stayed  on 
the  waters  of  Cripple  Creek  till  the  last  day  of 
May. 

So  happily  did  I  pass  the  time  aw^ay  in  the 
agreeable  society  thereabout  that  the  two  months 
had  passed  away  almost  before  I  knew  it.  Col. 
John  Sanders,  Major  Wythe  Gleaves,  Mr.  Porter 
and  Mrs.  Foster  all  asked  me  to  spend  a  part  of 
my  time  at  their  homes,  and  I  did  stay  several 
days  and  nights  at  each  place.  Young  ladies 
were  more  abundant  than  young  gentlemen,  most 
all  the  latter  being  off  in  the  army. 

We  had  many  pleasant  social  gatherings,  and 
went  on   two  fishing  excursions   to  a  mountain 


330  CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PEISON    LIFE. 

stream  to  angle  for  trout.  Though  we  captured 
but  few  trout,  we  made  both  trips  pay,  for  each 
fellow  had  a  pretty  girl  to  wait  u23on,  and  the  old 
folks  had  fixed  us  up  excellent  dinners.  I  remem- 
ber that  the  first  fishing  party  was  on  the  2d  day 
of  May,  and  that  just  as  we  had  spread  our  tempt- 
ing repast  on  a  huge  ruck,  under  some  beautiful 
pines  and  ivys,  between  the  road  and  gushing, 
sparkling,  mountain  stream,  about  thirty  ofiicers 
of  Vauglm's  brigade,  most  of  whom  I  knew,  came 
along  on  their  way  home  from  North  Carolina, 
after  Johnson's  surrender.  We  were  glad  to  share 
our  goodies  with  them,  and  they  were  joyful  at 
getting  even  so  small  a  feast  after  a  comparative 
famine. 

"While  in  Wythe  county  I  visited  the  celebrated 
lead  mines  on  I^ew  river,  which  had  been  worked 
since  the  revolutionary  war,  and  still  the  rich  ore 
seemed  inexhaustible.  Most  all  the  lead  used  by 
the  Confederate  army  during  the  rebellion  was 
obtained  at  that  point. 

I  was  in  a  religious  community,  and  there  was 
preaching  at  one  of  two  churches  every  Sabbath. 
I  always  went,  for  the  ministers,  Rev.  David  Sul- 
lins  and  Rev.  W.  E.  Munsey,  were  divines  of  con- 
siderable celebrity,  and  I  loved  to  listen  to  their 
fervid  religious  eloquence.  The  family  with  which 
I  was  staying,  as  well  as  most  every  other  in  that 
community,  were  strict  Methodists,  and  had  family 


831 

worship  each  night  and  morning.  During  my 
whole  stay  at  Maj.  Sanders'  I  did  not  miss  prayers 
a  half-dozen  times ;  and  here  I  must  tell  a  good 
joke  on  myself. 

One  night  at  prayers  I  was  kneeling  by  the  sofa, 
with  my  face  buried  in  my  hands,  and  the  first 
thing  I  knew  /  Icaeio  nothing  at  all^  helng  fast 
asleep.  Prayers  were  over,  and  Miss  Mollie  Simp- 
son ruslied  up  stairs  almost  dying  to  laugh.  Mrs. 
S.  was  tickled  at,  and  Major  S.  embarrassed  by, 
my  posture.  In  a  couple  of  minutes  some  noise 
disturbed  my  repose,  and  I  bounced  up,  innocently 
asking  how  long  prayers  had  been  over.  Think- 
ing it  might  be  a  tender  subject  with  me,  no  one 
mentioned  the  affair  for  two  days,  when  Miss 
Simpson  gradually  broached  it,  and,  finding  that 
I  was  not  sorely  troubled  over  it,  she  took  a  delight 
in  describing  and  laughing  at  my  appearance. 
I  hardly  think  I  will  be  caught  napping  again 
under  similar  circumstances. 

General  Lee  had  surrendered  on  the  9th  of 
April,  President  Lincoln  had  been  killed  on  the 
14tli,  General  Johnston  had  capitulated  on  the 
2Gth,  and  the  Confederate  armies  in  most  every 
other  quarter  had  crumbled  to  pieces,  and  the 
men  who  had  for  four  years  heroically  fought, 
bled  and  suffered  in  what  they  thought  a  righ- 
teous cause  were  returning  peacefully  to  their 
homes.    Ah!  what  •a  grand,  sublime  mental  pic- 


332 

tiire  is  contained  in  tlie  foregoing  sentence!  I 
could  feebly  portray  it,  but  will  not  make  tlie 
attempt. 

Wlien  I  liad,  on  tlie  first  day  of  June,  deter- 
mined to  start  for  my  home,  and  went  to  thank 
Major  Sanders  and  his  lady  for  their  kindness  to 
me,  and  say  farewell,  my  heart  was  too  full  for 
utterance,  and  I  burst  into  tears,  and  they,  too, 
and  their  children,  wept  as  if  I  had  been  a  son 
and  brother,  going  far  away,  perhaps  forever. 
I  was  strongly  attached  to  the  family,  and  my 
pleasant  sojourn  and  happy  associations  on 
Cripple  Creek  will  be  fresh  in  my  m.emory  and 
pleasing  in  my  reflections  till  I  am  no  more. 

I  stayed  one  day  with  the  family  of  Maj.  Wm. 
Crouch,  in  Wytheville;  then,  in  company  with 
old  Mrs.  Blair,  I  came  to  Washington  Springs, 
Virginia,  where  General  A.  E.  Jackson  (Mudwall 
Jackson)  lived.  I  passed  a  pleasant  day  with  his 
good  lady  and  his  accomplished  daughter,  who 
showed  me  the  curiosities  thereabout — among 
other  things,  a  group  of  mineral  springs.  Four 
springs  issued  out  within  a  few  feet  of  each  other, 
each  discharging  a  diff'erent  kind  of  water — one 
sulphur,  one  chalybeate,  one  alumn  and  the  other 
magnesia.  I  took  a  taste  of  each.  Mrs.  Blair 
stopped  there,  and  I  walked  on  to  Abingdon, 
where  I  unexpectedly  met  my  countyman,  J.  H. 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PKISOX     LIFE.  333 

r>.  McKee,  who  was  also  liomeward  bound,  and 
stayed  over-night  at  his  boarding-house. 

The  next  forenoon,  being  SuiKhiy,  June  4th,  I 
footed  it  to  Bristol,  and  that  evening  rode  on  a 
hand-car  to  Zollicoffer,  and  made  my  way  to  Mr. 
Worley's,  where  I  had  left  my  carpet-sack  with 
Miss  Kate.  She  had  kept  it  safe,  although  the 
mount^iin  robbers  had  plundered  their  house  of 
almost  half  its  contents.  I  intended  to  come 
right  on  next '  morning,  but  my  feet  were  so  sore 
and  swollen  that  I  could  scarcely  w^alk.  So  I  con- 
cluded to  lie  over  two  days,  Miss  Kate  promising 
to  have  my  clothes  washed,  and  let  me  have  her 
riding  horse  to  go  and  see  my  good  friends  Misses 
Teed  and  Sallie,  and  Misses  Maggie  and  Henrie 
Thomas,  the  two  families  in  no  wise  related,  but 
warm  friends. 

I  found  Miss  Teed  with  a  new  name,  Mrs.  Boyd, 
she  having  married  Lieutenant  Boyd,  of  General 
Vaughn's  staff,  the  very  night  the  rebels  were 
driven  back  in  the  latter  2:)art  of  March.  The 
nuptials  were  not  to  come  off  for  several  weeks, 
but  when  he  found  that  the  army  was  retreating 
he  went  to  her  at  dusk  and  laid  the  matter  before 
her,  saying  that  he  did^  not  know  when  the  for- 
tunes of  war  w^ould  bring  him  back — maybe 
never.  He  left  it  to  her  pleasure  and  discretion 
as  to  the  course  to  be  pursued,  and  she  decided 
to  be  his  bride  before  morning.     All  hands  went; 


334  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

to  work,  the  cakes  were  baked,  tlie  parson  was 
sent  for,  and  at  the  strange  hour  of  three  o'clock 
in  the  morning  they  were  pronounced  man  and 
wife.  The  next  morning  he  rode  away,  to  be  gone 
till  the  war  was  over. 

On  Tuesday,  the  6th,  I  rode  over  to  Blountville 
to  see  Major  Rhea  and  Captain  Baufman,  of  my 
regiment.  I  had  been  there  in  1862,  when  it  was 
a  thriving,  pleasant  town ;  now  more  than  half  of 
it  was  in  ashes,  it  having  been  set  on  fire  by 
shells  during  a  cavalry  fight  over  the  town  in  the 
winter  of  1863. 

Wednesday  morning  I  left  a  part  of  my  cloth- 
ing at  Mr.  Worley's,  so  as  to  lighten  my  satchel, 
and  by  two  o'clock  walked  to  Johnson's  Depot, 
sixteen  miles,  from  whence  I  came  to  Jonesboro 
on  a  gravel  train.  The  cause  and  manner  of  my 
arrest  have  been  mentioned  elsewhere. 

Before  leaving  Virginia  I  was  cautioned  by 
several  of  the  refugee  families  from  Jonesboro 
not  to  come  through  this  place,  for,  said  they, 
"  the  people  and  the  soldiery  are  still  like  an 
exasperated,  blood-thirsty  mob,  and  would  not 
hesitate  to  take  advantage  of  the  least  shadow  of 
an  excuse  to  insult,  imprison,  or  even  kill  you." 
During  the  war,  and  even  since  its  close,  I  had 
seen  so  much  needless  scare  and  fear  that  I  did 
not  heed  their  warnings  as  the  sequel  proves  I 
should  have  done.    I  thought  they  magnified  the 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND    PRISON    LIFE.  335 

danger  because  tliey  could  not  in  peace  and  safety 
r<?turn  to  their  homes,  but  I  found  matters  even 
worse  than  they  had  represented. 

Though  the  civil  powers  pretended  to  be  in 
vogue,  a  strong  guard  was  detailed  the  night  of 
my  arrest  to  prevent  the  lawless,  inhuman  sol- 
diers from  attacking  me,  but  I  did  not  know 
it  till  afterward,  when  I  furthermore  learned  that 
they  intended  to  beat  me  up  that  night,  had  I  not 
been  arrested.  I  dreamed  not  of  the  dangers  sur- 
rounding me.  Even  after  I  was  in  jail  they  would 
have  used  any  treacherous  means  to  harm  me. 
Gn  two  occasions,  in  the  absence  of  the  jailer,  a 
soldier  has  come  and  tried  to  get  into  the  jail, 
each  refusing  to  tell  his  purpose,  more  than  that 
he  wanted  to  see  me.  Of  course  it  was  evil. 
Mrs.  Boyd,  the  jailer's  wife  and  my  friend,  was 
spunky,  and  threatened  them  with  arrest  if  they 
did  not  leave.  Now,  none  of  those  soldiers  (4th 
Tennessee)  ever  knew  me  in  person  or  had  a  per- 
sonal grudge  against  me ;  it  was  simply  a  desire 
to  gratify  a  fiendish  spirit. 

A  dozen  Confederate  soldiers  have  been  as- 
saulted in  this  town  for  nothing  except  being 
rebels,  and  those  who  have  returned  home  in  the 
country  are  frequently  driven  from  church.  They 
do  not  pretend  to  come  to  town,  and  even  many 
of  the  Southern  citizens  stay  away,  fearing  insult 
or  injury.     This  is  not  an  overdrawn,  imaginary 


336  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PRISOIS-    LIPE. 

sketcli,  but  reality.     I  wish  the  facts  would  bear 
me  up  in  making  a  brighter  record. 

i^ow  I  will  note  down  some  of  the  incidents 
connected  with  my  jail  life.  I  still  have  a  clear 
remembrance  of  how  matters  looked  and  how  I 
felt  when  I  was  first  initiated  into  prison  life  at 
Johnson's  Island,  Ohio,  and  I  can  imagine  that  I 
will  never  forget  my  similar  inauguration  at  Jones- 
boro  Jail. 

At  about  nine  o'clock  p.  M.  of  June  7th,  1865, 
Sheriff  Shipley,  in  command  of  a  gallant  escort, 
headed  by  Jailor  Boyd,  conducted  me  up  a  wind- 
ing flight  of  steps,  through  two  doors  which  I 
observed^  though  small,  were  strong.  We  stooped 
a  little  in  passing  through  an  iron  grating,  when 
we  found  ourselves  in  the  center  of  an  entirely 
unfurnished  room,  but  which,  a  half  glance  showed, 
had  been  made  for  Tceeps.  I  was  furnished  with 
a  pallet  and  a  tin  of  water;  and  soon  the  iron 
hinges  grated,  the  door  slammed,  and  all  was 
darkness  and  I  alone.  Who  will  blame  me  for 
not  attempting  to  describe  my  feelings  just  then? 
But  I  was  tired,  and  soon  didn't  know  but  what  I 
was  in  bed  at  home. 

Next  morning  Mr.  Shipley  and  Mr.  Boyd  came 
to  see  me,  both  offering  to  do  anything  they  could 
for  my  comfort;  and  I  must  now  say  that  they" 
have  both  ever  treated  me  in  the  most  kind  and 
courteous  manner.    I  thought  that  I  could  give 


CAMP,   FIELD    AXD   PRISON    LIFE.  337 

bail  and  go  right  on  home ;  but  I  was  told  then, 
and  have  since  seen,  that  even  the  Union  citizens, 
though  willing  at  heart,  are  afraid  to  show  any 
sympathy  for  a  rebel. 

Confinement  and  solitude  was  irksome  for  a  few 
days,  but  I  gradually  habituated  myself  to  the 
necessities  of  the  occasion,  and,  though  this  is  the 
thirty-eighth  day  of  my  positive  sojourn  in  this 
little  room,  the  time  has  not  seemed  extremely 
long.  I  have  had  books  or  papers  to  read  most 
all  the  time,  and  have  written  many  a  line.  A 
number  of  ladies  have  ministered  to  my  wants  in 
various  ways.  Mrs.  Blair  and  Mrs.  Slemmons 
have  sent  me  many  good  dinners,  the  former  also 
sending  reading  matter  and  the  latter  money  and 
stationery.  Miss  Maggie  Williams,  an  orphan 
girl  w^ith  a  big  heart  and  generous  impulses,  sent 
me  a  note  offering  to  aid  me  to  the  extent  of  her 
ability,  and  an  unknown  gentleman  friend  placed 
$10  in  the  hands  of  a  lady,  subject  to  my  order. 

On  the  19th  June  a  young  lady  brought  me 
some  gooseberries,  pancakes  and  syrup,  and  on 
the  22 d  I  was  visited  by  Miss  Amanda  Babb, 
whom  I  have  to  thank  and  remember  for  several 
favors.  The  next  day  Mrs.  Yandyke,  with  whom 
I  am  not  acquainted,  sent  me  two  books  to  read. 

Dr.  "BillSketer"  Smith,  Ex- Surgeon  U.  S.  A., 

came  to  pay  me  a  friendly  visit  on  the  24th.     I 

bad  arrested  him  in  June,  1862,  upon  a  grave 
22 


338  CAMP,   FIELD    AND    PRISON    LIFE. 

charge,  by  order  of  Gen.  E.  Kirby  Smith.  He  was 
accused  of  hiring  a  crazy  boy  to  put  an  obstruction 
on  the  railroad  track  just  before  a  train  of  soldiers 
came  along.  I  found  him  at  home,  and,  after 
talking  with  him  for  a  while,  was  so  well  satisfied 
of  his  innocence  that  I  did  not  put  him  under 
guard,  but  rode  alone  with  him  into  Jonesboro, 
sending  my  soldiers  back  a  nearer  way.  And 
then  I  put  him  upon  his  parole  of  honor  to  report 
to  me  at  the  depot  half  an  hour  before  the  train 
started  for  Knoxville.  As  soon  as  he  was  seen  at 
large  on  the  streets  a  half  dozen  of  the  most 
prominent  Southern  men  in  the  place  came  to  me 
and  said  that  if  I  did  not  put  him  under  guard  he 
would  be  gone  in  half  an  hour.  But  I  took  my 
own  advice,  and  that  night  sent  Dr.  Smith  to 
Knoxville  in  charge  of  a  single  soldier,  furnishing 
him  with  a  letter  of  recommendation  to  General 
Smith,  by  which  he  got  the  privilege  of  the  city 
limits  instead  of  going  to  jail.  In  two  weeks  he 
was  unconditionally  released,  as  the  charge  was 
never  verified.  Ever  after  that  he  was  my  warm 
friend,  and  now  offered  to  reciprocate  my  kind- 
ness in  any  shape  in  his  power. 

On  the  25th  my  uncle,  who  had  been  my  guard- 
ian and  protector  almost  from  infancy,  and  for 
whom  I  had  sent  in  the  hour  of  need,  came,  and 
tlie  first  shake  hands  loe  had  after  four  years' 
separation  was  through  a  grated^  iron  door.    I  in- 


CAMP,   FIELD   AXD   PRISON    LIFE.  339 

vited  him  into  my  room ;  we  talked  over  home  mat- 
ters, and  then  set  about  devising  ways  and  means 
for  my  welfare.  Col.  A.  J  Brown,  8th  Tennessee 
Cavalry,  who  was  a  Union  citizen  when  I  had  com- 
mand of  the  Post  of  Jonesboro,  in  May,  1862,  was 
employed  as  counsel,  and  my  uncle,  after  arrang- 
ing matters  as  we  all  thought  most  prudent,  left 
for  home. 

Mrs.  Boyd  brought  me  a  nice  plate  of  delicious 
blackberries,  and  some  young  lady  sent  me  a  good 
novel  to  read  on  the  28tli.  The  next  evening  Dr. 
Joe  Clark,  of  this  county,  took  lodgings  with  me, 
being  charged  with  arson :  he  had  just  come  from 
a  two  months'  term  in  the  Knoxville  jail,  charged 
with  treason.  (Why  didn't  they  have  the  whole 
Confederacy  in  the  calaboose  on  the  same  charge  ?) 
He  was  released  from  there  on  $10,000  bail,  and 
from  here  by  giving  $2,500  security  for  his  appear- 
ance. 

Sergeant  Mathias  Garber,  60th  Tennessee,  C.  S, 
A.,  w^as,  on  the  1st  day  of  July,  admitted  to  my 
sanctum  to  answer  to  the  charge  of  a  murder  dur- 
ing the  war,  which  it  was  well  known  that  he 
simply  witnessed.  The  judge  admitted  him  to 
$5,000  bail,  and  he  has  been  confidently  expecting 
a  release  for  the  past  week. 

For  ten  days  the  weather  has  been  oppressively 
warm,  but  we  have  stood  it  well,  considering. 
Several  ladies  have  been  to  peep  in  at  us,  and 


340  CAMP,   FIELD    AKD   PRISON    LIFE. 

throw  US  apples,  like  little  bovs  to  the  caged  wild 
beasts.  It  was  fan  to  us,  but  their  faces  indicated 
sorrowful  and  sympathizing  hearts,  and  some- 
times, as  they  would  bid  us  good-bye  and  turn  to 
go  away,  tear-drops  would  trickle  down  their 
che(?ks.  Grod  bless  all  such  dear  women !  Mrs. 
Boyd  has  fed  us  well  all  the  time,  and  furnished 
us  one  of  her  best  beds  to  sleep  on,  and  we  have 
danced,  sung,  talked  at  discretion,  and,  I  might 
almost  say,  had  a  good  time  generally. 

Reader,  I  have  given  you  the  bright  side  of  prison 
life  ;  I  would  perpetuate  all  the  pleasing  memories 
of  the  past,  but  the  sad  ones  I  would  fain  obliterate. 
It  is  now  late  in  the  evening,  and  the  midnight  hour 
will  not  find  me  here.  In  the  meantime  I  shall 
bid  adieu  to  prison  walls — I  hope  forever. 


LirE,  341 


CONCLUSION 


At  Home,  Anderson  County,  Kentucky,  1 
July  25,  1SG5.  J 

I  left  Jonesboro  jail  at  eleven  o'clock  on  the 
niglit  of  the  15th,  and  was  conducted  by  Jailor 
Boyd,  through  the  dark  and  rain,  to  the  residence 
of  Colonel  A.  J.  Brown,  with  whom  my  uncle 
had  bargained  for  a  horse,  and  who  had  prom- 
ised to  escort  me,  or  have  me  escorted,  beyond 
danger.  He  had  engaged  Mr.  Billie  Patterson, 
a  disloyal  citizen,  to  perform  the  service.  I 
mounted  Col.  Brown's  war  steed,  and  at  the  dead 
hour  of  night  we  rode  through  the  main  street  of 
Jonesboro,  wending  our  w^ay  in  the  direction  of 
Bull's  Gap,  forty  miles  distant. 

We  encountered  no  more  serious  difficulty  than 
getting  lost  several  times  in  the  dark,  and  at  day- 
light were  at  Mr.  Jacob  Naff's,  twelve  miles  on  the 
way,  where  we  stopped  an  hour  to  give  our  horses 
a  bite  and  ourselves  a  nap  in  his  barn.  After 
riding  all  day  through  an  incessant  rain  we 
passed  through  Bull's  Gap  an  hour  by  sun.     Mr. 


342  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PEISON    LIFE. 

Patterson's  contract  being  complete,  he  turned 
back,  and  I  went  on  to  Mr.  Taylor's,  in  the  edge 
of  Jefferson  county,  where  I  met  with  my  old 
neighbors,  Scott,  Green  and  James  McCoun. 

The  thought  may  occur  to  the  reader,  was  that 
meeting  accidental  ?  No ;  they  had  come  all  the 
way  from  Central  Kentucky  to  meet  and  escort 
me  home  through  the  mountains.  During  most 
of  the  year  1862  I  occupied  so  prominent  a  posi- 
tion before  the  people  of  East  Tennessee  that  I 
was  known  everywhere  from  Bristol  to  Chatta- 
nooga, a  distance  of  two  hundred  miles,  and  the 
news  of  my  arrest  and  imprisonment  had  been 
spread  abroad.  I  had  intended  to  go  through  on 
the  cars,  and  keep  rather  secluded,  to  avoid  being 
recognized ;  not  that  I  felt  that  I  had  any  reason  to 
be  ashamed  or  afraid  of  recognition,  but  because, 
as  I  have  said  a  little  way  back.  Confederate  sol- 
diers were  ev^ry  day  being  assaulted  and  insulted 
as  they  passed  over  the  railroads,  and  I  did  not 
wish  to  subject  myself  to  a  similar  indignity. 
Now,  it  would  not  do  to  think  of  going  that  way, 
for  my  life  would  have  been  in  jeopardy,  and  I 
would  have  run  a  great  risk  in  going  alone 
through  the  mountains  just  then,  consequently 
matters  were  arranged  as  already  indicated. 

And  then  again  comes  the  question,  How  about 
the  bail  ?  It  will  be  remembered  that  his  august 
Majesty,  'Squire   Somebody,  fixed  it  at  $2,000. 


CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE.  343 

When  court  came  on  tlie  judge  reduced  it  one- 
half,  and  laid  the  case  over  till  next  term. 

.[February,  1870. — It  may  well  be  imagined  that, 
under  the  then  existing  circumstances,  I  did  not 
report  at  Jonesboro  at  the  appointed  time.  The 
consequence  was  I  lost  my  §1,000,  as  well  as  $700 
more  in  defraying  expenses.  That  draining  of  my 
purse  seems  to  have  been  ample  atonement  for 
my  sins  against  the  laws  of  Tennessee,  for,  at 
about  the  second  sitting  of  the  court,  the  prose- 
cuting attorney  ordered  a  nolle  prosequi  to  be  set 
opposite  my  case.  Such  a  thing  as  legal  justice 
to  a  rebel  in  that  country  was  then  unheard  of, 
and,  besides,  there  was  absolute  danger  of  per- 
sonal insult  and  injury,  as  I  could  have  proved 
by  the  most  loyal  men  in  that  region. 

In  September,  1865, 1  went  to  Brig.-Gen.  Harlan 
and  Maj.-Gen.  Rousseau,  U.  S.  A.,  both  promi- 
nent Kentucky  lawyers,  and  laid  the  facts  before 
them  as  now  laid  before  the  world,  whereupon 
each  of  them  pronounced  it  a  gross  outrage,  from 
beginning  to  end,  but  said  I  would  have  to  run 
the  risk  of  getting  justice  before  the  Tennessee 
authorities.  I  did  go  to  Nashville  to  see  the  Gov- 
ernor {it  must  he  rememhered  that  Billy  Brown- 
low  was  now  at  the  helm  of  State) ;  he  was  absent, 
but,  after  some  talk  with  the  Secretary  of  State 
and  several  other  knowing  ones,  I  found  that  / 
was  harking  up  the  icrong  tree^  and  concluded  to. 


344  CAMP,    FIELD    AND   PEISON    LIFE. 

do  as  the  "boys  advised  the  Yankee  soldiers  that 
we  passed  between  Sandusky  and  Mansfield,  en 
route  South,  nor  have  I  bothered  my  brain  over 
the  matter  since.] 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  17th  Messrs.  Mc- 
Coun,  Green  and  myself  were  homeward  bound, 
and  at  night  put  up  at  Tazewell,  thirty- six  miles 
on  the  way.  The  next  day  we  passed  through 
Cumberland  Gap,  and  after  riding  thirty  eight 
miles  stopped  with  the  genial  and  hospitable  lady 
of  Mr.  Joe  Smith.  The  day  following  we  passed 
through  Barboursville  and  London,  and  at  the 
end  of  forty-one  miles  took  lodgings  at  Camper's. 
On  the  20th  of  July  we  passed  through  Mount 
Yernon  and  Crab  Orchard,  and  stayed  over  night 
at  the  Meyer's  House  in  Stanford.  July  21st  we 
came  through  Danville,  Harrodsburg  and  Law- 
renceburg,  and  I  reached  home  at  dusk,  after  an 
absence  of  three  years,  eleven  months  and  nine- 
teen days,  almost  one-half  of  which  time  had 
been  spent  in  prison. 

Though  our  journey  through  the  mountains  of 
Tennessee  and  Kentucky  was  tiresome,  there  were 
many  pleasant  incidents  connected  with  it,  for  my 
companions  were  jolly  fellows,  and  knew  every 
foot  of  the  ground,  having  for  years  past  driven 
stock  South  by  that  route  and  put  up  at  all  the 
stopping  places.  From  Crab  Orchard  to  Bull's 
Gap,   150  miles,  the  marks   of  devastation  are 


CAMP,    FIELD   AT^D   PRISON    LIFE.  345 

everywhere  plainly  visible.  One-lialf  of  the  houses 
are  burnt,  most  all  the  fencing  is  gone,  and  the 
wreck  of  ^war  material  is  scattered  along  the  whole 
distance.  Cumberland  Gap,  which  will  hereafter 
be  a  historic  name,  looked  like  a  thriving  little 
city,  and  is  now  garrisoned  by  about  400  Ohio 
troops.  Looking  South  from  the  peaks  around 
the  Gap,  one  can  see  fifty  miles  aw^a}^,  and  the 
view  is  the  most  grand  and  picturesque  that  I  ever 
witnessed. 

Most  of  the  rough  country  in  East  Tennessee 
has  rich  soil,  and  water  is  abundant  and  excellent ; 
but  from  Cumberland  Gap  to  Crab  Orchard,  Ken- 
tucky, there  is  little  desirable  land  and  the  water 
is  miserable  in  quality,  nor  is  there  an  abundance 
of  it.  Several  Northern  companies  are  now  boring 
for  oil  in  the  vicinity  of  Barboursville  and  Lon- 
don, Kentucky,  and  there  are  immense  beds  of 
coal  and  other  valuable  ores  in  the  bowels  of  the 
earth  all  through  that  region. 

The  foregoing  is  but  a  meager  sketch  of  what  I 
have  actually  seen  and  experienced  during  the 
time  consumed  by  the  narrative,  and  I  will  not 
probably  in  all  the  balance  of  my  life  pass  through 
as  much  as  in  the  four  years  just  gone  by.  All 
that  I  have  risked  and  suffered  has  been  for  noth- 
ing ;  but  almost  every  project  in  life  is  an  uncertain 
experiment,  and,  not  unfrequently,  the  most  plaus- 
ible and  reasonable  attempts  prove  abortive.     I 


346  CAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON    LIFE. 

can  not  say  that  I  now  regret  wliat  I  have  done, 
but  I  will  try  to  profit  by  the  lessons  of  the  past, 
and  make  the  most  of  the  future. 

During  my  absence  many,  many  changes  have 
been  wrought.  Almost  a  generation  of  children 
seem  to  have  sprung  up,  and  I  even  do  not  recog- 
nize many  that  were  my  schoolmates.  Some  who 
went  to  the  wars  with  me  came  not  back ;  some 
have  died  at  home  and  some  have  moved  away. 
Most  of  the  negro  population  have  gone  either  to 
the  grave,  the  army,  or  to  live  in  filth  and  pov- 
erty .in  some  hovel  or  camp  whither  they  have 
repaired  in  search  of  freedom  (?) 

The  war  is  at  an  end,  but  peace  and  prosperity 
are  not  yet  returned,  and,  in  many  sections,  long 
years  must  yet  roll  by  ere  the  people  get  over  the 
terrible  scourge  of  civil  war.  My  only  hope  and 
expectation  have  been  to  survive  the  struggle  sound 
in  limb  and  constitution,  and  a  return  to  my  home 
and  friends,  which  has  come  to  pass  even  so. 
Before  tlie  war  I  did  not  know  what  it  was  to  pro- 
vide for  myself,  but  now  my  all  has  been  swept 
away,  and,  if  I  would  rise  or  prosper,  it  must  be 
through  my  own  merits  and  efforts.  Nor  have  I 
been  for  an  hour  cast  down,  but  conclude  that  it 
may  be  even  for  the  best,  since  I  have  noticed  that 
a  majority  of  the  best  men  in  our  land  are  those 
who  have  risen  by  their  own  exertions. 


OAMP,   FIELD    AND   PRISON     LIFE.  347 

War  life  is  not  desirable,  but  altogether  I  can 
not  say  tliat  my  experience  has  been  more  un- 
happy than  it  might  have  been  in  civil  life,  and  I 
can  ever  reflect  back  along  my  war  path  and  find 
scenes  and  incidents  upon  which  it  will  be  pleasant 
to  dwell.  And,  though  most  of  them  I  will  never 
see  again,  I  can  not,  and  would  not,  forget  the 
many  good,  kind  friends  I  found  all  over  Dixie- 
land. 

Probably  four-fifths  of  all  the  Confederate  pris- 
oners who  have  read  this  narrative  through  will 
exclaim  that  it  is  a  brighter  picture  of  prison  life 
than  their  own  experience  would  warrant.  And 
it  would  be  nothing  less  than  the  truth,  for  I  have 
given  it  from  my  own  stand-point,  which  was 
more  favorable  than  that  of  the  large  majority. 
How  and  why  it  was  more  fortunate  will  have 
been  gleaned  by  the  careful  reader. 

And  now,  in  conclusion,  I  would  say  to  those 
who  struggled  with  me  in  the  Lost  Cause :  Let  us 
no  longer  cherish  an  enmity  against  those  who 
were  our  adversaries,  simply  because  they  did, 
and  do  yet,  diff'er  with  us  in  opinion,  but,  with  a 
generous  spirit,  give  due  honor,  friendship  and 
kindness  to  all  who  were  honest,  gallant  and  faith- 
ful. And,  though  our  mutual  desires  and  hopes 
have  been  disappointed  and  we  scattered  over 
the  earth,  let  us  remember  that  we  should  still  be 


348  CAMP,   FIELD   AND   PEISON    LIFE. 

as  a  band  of  brothers,  clierisliing  an  affection  for, 
and  a  remembrance  of,  each  other.  And  last,  but 
not  least,  will  we,  can  we,  forget  that  we  owe  a 
debt  of  fraternal  and  paternal  sympathy  to  the 
helpless  widows  and  orphans  of  our  fallen  com- 
rades who  sleep  on  a  thousand  battlefields  and  in 
almost  every  burial  ground  in  the  Southern  land  ? 


•*.> 


APPEJIDIX. 


The  following  Medical  History  was  not  written 
for  publication  in  this  work,  but,  as  its  heading  will 
show,  was  read  before  a  society  of  medical  men 
in  Alabama.  Its  tone  is  so  entirely  in  consonance 
with  that  of  my  book,  and  it  contains  so  many 
interesting  facts,  that  I  regard  it  as  a  valuable 
addition  to  the  merits  of  the  work.  And  I  am 
sure  the  medical  profession  will  appreciate  the 
statistics  and  practical  comments  concerning  the 
diseases  in  prison  and  their  treatment. 

The  author  is  now  a  member  of  the  faculty  of 
the  College  of  Surgeons  and  Physicians  in  this 
city. 

St.  Louis,  Mo.,  March^  1870, 


(349) 


[Read  before  Montf^omcr}^  Medical  Society,  April  30th,  ISr.O.] 

A   MEDICAL   HISTORY 


OF  THE 


United  States  Military  Prison 

ON   JOHNSON'S   ISLAND,    LAKE   ERIE. 


Montgomery,  Ala.,  Api-il  25th,  1SG6. 
In  writing  this  paper  I  would  have  it  distinctly 
understood  that  I  am  actuated  by  no  feelings  of  a 
political  or  sectional  character.  I  do  not  desire 
to  place  on  record  any  facts  which  may  be  used 
in  adding  to  the  embittered  feelings  and  political 
agitation  now  so  widespread  in  this  great  but 
politically  unfortunate  country.  I  do  not  desire 
that  this  record  should  be  considered  as  an  offset 
for  the  alleged  brutalities  to  Northern  prisoners 
at  Ander.sonville,  or  as  a  Southern  testimonial  of 
the  humane  and  generous  treatment  of  Southern 
prisoners  by  the  Federal  government.  I  simply 
present  it  to  my  professional  brethren  as  a  medi- 
cal record  of  prison  life  on  Johnson's  Island. 


352  APPENDIX. 

An  explanation  of  the  circnmstances  under 
whicli  the  succeeding  observations  were  made  is 
necessary  before  they  can  be  properly  appreciated. 

I  participated  in  the  late  war  as  Colonel  of  the 
1st  Regiment  Ala.  Yols.,  and  was  twice  made  a 
prisoner  of  war,  and  confined  each  time  chiefly  on 
Johnson's  Island.  The  first  time,  in  the  summer 
of  1862,  for  two  months  only.  The  second  time, 
from  Oct.,  1863,  to  March,  1865,  eighteen  months. 
During  the  last  imprisonment,  at  the  earnest 
solicitation  of  my  fellow  prisoners  and  with  the 
approval  of  the  Post  Medical  authorities,  I  ac- 
cepted the  position  as  one  of  the  medical  officers 
of  the  Prison  Hospital.  Associated  with  me  at 
different  times  were  Capt.  L.  E.  Locke,  of  Selma, 
Alabama;  Capt.  Joseph  F.  Sessions,  of  Holmes 
county.  Miss  ;  Col.  Wm.  S.  Christian,  of  Urbana, 
on  the  Rappahannock,  Virginia,  and  Col.  G.  Troup 
Maxwell,  of  Tallahassee,  Florida — all  gentlemen 
of  medical  education  and  ability,  and  now,  as  be- 
fore the  war,  practicing  physicians.  The  usual 
hospital  records  were  kept  under  my  supervision 
during  my  connection  with  the  hospital,  embrac- 
ing a  period  of  nearly  eighteen  months.  I  pre- 
served a  copy  of  this  record,  and  it  is  from  this 
document  that  I  take  the  statistics  used  in  this 
paper. 

Johnson's  Island  is  situated  in  the  southwestern 
end  of  Lake  Erie,  at  the  entrance  of  Sandusky 


APPENDIX.  353 

Bay,  and  is  three  miles  distant  from  Sandusky 
City,  Ohio.  It  is  very  nearly  in  the  same  latitude 
as  New  York  City.  The  island  is  small,  contain- 
ing about  two  hundred  acres,  more  or  less.  It  has 
been  heavily  timbered  with  oak,  hickory  and 
maple,  but  since  the  occupation  as  a  military 
post  this  timber  has  been  cut  down,  and  the 
island  is  now  bare.  The  surface  of  the  island  is 
generally  elevated  from  four  to  fifteen  feet  above 
the  surface  of  the  lake,  sloping  from  the  center  to 
the  lake.  The  prison  is  situated  on  the  north- 
eastern part  of  the  island,  and  is  an  enclosure  of 
eight  or  ten  acres,  more  or  less.  The  surface  of 
this  enclosure  is  a  gradual  slope  to  the  lake.  The 
wall  surrounding  it  is  about  twelve  feet  high.  A 
stratum  of  limestone  underlies  the  surface  of  the 
prison  yard  or  enclosure  at  a  depth  varing  from 
eighteen  inches  to  six  feet,  rarely  more.  The 
drainage  of  the  prison  is  of  the  simplest  character, 
consisting  of  a  large  open  ditch  running  around 
on  the  inside  of  the  walls,  with  smaller  ones,  from 
twelve  to  eighteen  inches  deep,  running  through 
the  yard  at  irregular  intervals  and  emptying  into 
the  lake,  which  runs  very  nearly  up  to  the  eastern 
prison  wall.  All  the  drains  are  open  ones  and 
dependent  upon  washing  rains  for  a  thorough 
cleansing. 

The  prison  barracks  are  white  pine  frame  build- 
ings, thirteen  in  number,  built  in  two  rows,  with  a 
23 


354  APPENDIX. 

wide  street,  perliaps  fifty  yards,  running  between. 
The  thirteen  buildings  are  of  the  same  size  ;  about 
125  feet  long  by  30  feet  wide  ;  two  stories  high ; 
the  lower  floor  generally  about  18  inches  above 
the  ground.  Four  of  these  barracks  are  well  and 
comfortably  constructed,  and  divided  into  small 
and  comfortable  ceiled  rooms,  each  containing  a 
stove.  The  remaining  nine  buildings  are  divided 
into  two  large  rooms  below  and  three  above,  with 
a  small  room  attached  to  each  end  for  cooking 
purposes.  There  was  no  means  of  ventilation, 
except  a  limited  number  of  windows,  which  would 
have  been  sufficient  for  a  small  population.  But, 
when  crowded  as  these  rooms  were  with  from  fifty 
to  eighty  men,  this  amount  of  ventilation  was 
totally  nnsufficient.  The  result  was,  that  each 
prisoner  would  cut  a  small  hole  in  the  walls  near 
his  head,  through  which  to  get  air  and  light. 
This  gave  the  buildings  a  grotesque,  ragged  ap- 
pearance, especially  during  the  winter  when  the 
many  devices  for  windows  were  arranged  to  close 
these  holes. 

Some  of  these  nine  barracks  were  ceiled,  some 
were  not.  A  small  ditch  surrounded  each  build- 
ing, emptying  into  one  of  the  small  cross  drains. 

Each  building,  during  my  residence  in  the  prison, 
accommodated  from  two  to  three  hundred  pris- 
oners, who  slept  on  bunks,  three  stories  high, 
.arranged  against  the  walls.    The  large  rooms  were 


APPENDIX.  355 

heated  by  stoves,  burning  wood.  But  during  the 
prevailing  intense  cold  of  that  latitude  in  winter, 
the  rooms  were  insufficiently  warmed,  and  there 
was  consecjuently  great  suffering ;  the  supply  of 
blankets  and  clothing  being  scant  for  men  unac- 
customed to  cold  winters.  The  supply  of  wood 
was  not  sufficient  to  keep  up  fires  during  the  night. 

The  prison  hospital  is  inside  the  prison  walls, 
and  is  one  of  the  thirteen  barrack  buildings.  In 
construction  it  is  the  same  as  the  barracks,  except 
that  the  building  is  divided  into  four  wards,  two 
up  stairs  and  two  below,  with  small  rooms  at  the 
ends  for  a  dispensary,  kitchen,  surgeon's  quarters, 
dining  room  and  laundry.  The  building  is  plas- 
tered inside  with  one  rough  coat,  and  this  white- 
washed. 

The  supply  of  water  for  the  prison  was  from  a 
number  of  holes  in  the  middle  of  the  street,  from 
six  to  eight  feet  deep  ;  this  water  was  highly  im- 
pregnated with  lime.  In  addition  to  these  holes 
there  were  three  pumps  on  the  lower  side  of  the 
prison,  connecting  by  pipes  with  the  lake.  In 
the  midst  of  winter,  when  the  wells  and  pumps 
were  frozen  up  or  out  of  order,  the  prison  gates 
were  opened,  morning  and  afternoon,  and  the 
prisoners  permitted,  in  detachments,  to  go  on  the 
ice  and  get  water  in  their  buckets,  barrels,  tubs, 
jugs,  tin  cans  and  canteens,  through  the  holes  cut 
in  the  ice  for  that  purpose. 


856  APPENDIX, 

The  hospital  had  no  appliance  for  water  beyond 
the  general  arrangements  for  'the  prison.  Hence 
the  supply  of  pure  water  was  insufficient,  espe- 
cialh"  for  hospital  purj)oses. 

The  privies  for  the  use  of  the  prison  and  hospi- 
tal Avere  simple  sinks  dug  in  the  rear  of  each  build- 
ing, at  distances  varying  from  thirty  feet  to  thirty 
yai'ds.  Over  each  sink  was  a  shed.  There  was 
no  drainage  from  the  privies.  The  substratum 
being  a  limestone  rock,  these  sinks  necessarily 
filled  up  very  rapidly,  and  w^ere  constant  sources 
of  disease. 

The  prison  hospital  accommodated  about  sixty 
patients,  but  in  emergency  would  hold  seventy- 
five,  by  crowding  the  wards.  The  hospital  was 
plainly  furnished,  so  as  to  render  patients  as  com- 
fortable as  the  character  of  the  building  would 
permit.  Each  ward  was  warmed  by  a  large  stove, 
which  was  insufficient  in  much  of  the  extreme  cold 
weather  of  the  winters  there.  The  wards  were 
ventilated  by  w^indows  and  a  box  or  flue  passing 
through  each  room  out  at  the  top  of  the  house. 
But  the  arrangement  for  ventilation  was  exceed- 
ingly defective. 

The  physicians,  nurses  and  attendants  in  all 
the  departments  were  from  among  the  prisoners, 
so  that  the  sick  received  all  the  attention  and 
kindness  within  the  means   of  their  comrades. 


A  p  p  E  X  D  r  X  .  B57 

The  medical  su])plies  were  issued  to  the  hospital 
in  accordance  with  the  supply  table  of  the  Medi- 
cal Department,  U.  S.  Army,  l)ut  were  frecjUtMitly 
insufiicient,  in  consequence  of  the  great  preva- 
lence of  disease  among  the  i^risoners. 

The  supply  of  food  to  the  sick  was  generally 
ami)le  in  quantity,  but  of  too  coarse  a  character 
for  sick  men.  There  was  a  systematic  effort  on 
tlie  part  of  the  surgeon  of  the  post,  Dr.  Evers- 
man,  to  supply  the  necessary  diet  suited  to  the 
sick,  but,  from  the  want  of  sufficient  funds  or 
proper  authority,  his  efforts  did  not  accomplish 
the  good  always  intended  by  him.  Here  I  wonld 
state  that  Dr.  Ever s man  and  Dr.  T.  Woodbridge, 
U  S.  A.,  who  were  the  23ost  surgeons  during  my 
connection  with  the  prison,  always  evinced  a 
desire  to  do  all  in  their  power  for  the  relief  of 
sick  prisoners ;  yet,  in  conseqnence  of  the  rigid 
orders  from  Washington  regulating  the  treatment 
of  prisoners  of  war,  their  good  intentions  availed 
but  little  in  relieving  the  vast  amount  of  suifer- 
ing,  which  could  at  least  have' been  greatly  ame- 
liorated by  a  generous  supply  of  the  wants  of  our 
sick. 

I  regret  that  I  have  not  at  command  a  record  of 
the  temperature  of  this  locality,  hence  I  can  only 
speak  from  memory.  The  lowest  point  at  wliich 
I  saw^  the  mercury  during  my  two  winters'  resi- 


358  APPENDIX. 

dence  was  twelve  degrees  below  zero.  This  was 
a  rare  occasion,  but  it  was  not  unusual  to  see  it 
approximate  zero:  From  December  1st  to  March 
1st  it  was  rare  that  it  was  as  high  as  thirty- two 
degrees,  never  remaining  above  this  point  but  a 
short  while.  The  bay  generally  freezes  over  in 
December  and  breaks  up  in  the  latter  part  of 
February.  Navigation  being  closed  during  this 
time,  the  supplies  for  the  prison  and  garrison 
were  hauled  over  the  ice  in  wagons.  Snow  was 
very  frequent,  covering  the  ground  for  weeks  at  a 
time.  The  ground  in  the  prison  yard  rarely 
thawed  during  the  middle  of  winter.  The  island 
having  little  timber,  the  prison  was  constantly 
exposed  to  the  bleak  winter  winds  blowing  from 
the  lake. 

In  estimating  the  effects  of  disease  in  this 
prison,  the  character  of  its  inmates  must  be  held 
in  mind.  This  was  a  prison  especially  con- 
structed and  located  for  the  confinement  of 
officers,  and,  with  a  few  exceptions,  none  others 
were  ever  kept  here.  These  men  were  from 
the  best  classes  of  the  Southern  people;  they 
were  men  of  education  and  property;  the  great 
majority  of  them  were  young  and  in  the  prime  of 
life.  Hence,  a  better  class  of  men,  considered  in 
every  aspect,  has  never  been,  or  never  will  be 
assembled  again,  in  the  same  anomalous  situa- 


APPENDIX.  359 

tion.  It  is  to  these  favorable  circuinstances  tliat 
I  attribute  the  very  li<i;ht  mortality  in  this  prison, 
in  comparison  with  the  great  amount  of  disease 
which  prevailed  there. 

Below  I  give  a  condensed  view  of  the  total 
admissions  into  the  hospital,  with  the  mortality 
from  each  disease,  during  my  connection  with  it ; 
that  is,  from  November,  1863,  to  April,  1865. 
The  average  number  of  prisoners  conhned  upon 
Johnson's  Island  during  this  time  was  about 
twenty-five  hundred.  In  the  latter  part  of  1863 
there  were  not  more  than  two  thousand ;  in  1865 
there  were  three  thousand. 


360 


APPENDIX 


TOTAL    ADMISSIONS 

Into  the  Prifton  Hospital,  V.  S.  Military  Prison,  Johnson^s  Island, 
Lake  Erie,  from  November  1st,  1863,  to  March  20th,  1865,  with 
the  inortality  resulting  frotn  each  disease. 


Disease. 


Dysentery 

Chronic  Diiirrboea.. 
Intermittent  Fever.. 

Prison  Fever 

Scurvy  

Rheumatism 

Remittent  Fever 

Wound 

Bronchitis 

Neuralgia 

Catarrh 

Pneumonia 

Erysipelas , 

Typhoid  Fever , 

General  Debility.... 

Small  Pox. 

Tonsilitis 

Dyspepsia 

Spinal  Irritation..... 
Congestive  Fever... 

Angina 

Gastritis 

Jaundice 

Hepatitis 

Phthisis  Pulmonalis 

Dropsy 

Pleuritis 

Conjunctivitis 

Cvstitis 


» 

6 

6 

258 

6 

125 

10 

89 

... 

60 

1 

56 

43 

48 

... 

36 

2 

36 

34 

33 

26 

9 

19 

1 

17 

5 

17 

1 

13 

1 

13 

11 

9 

8 

3 

8 

1 

8 

1 

"i 

1 

5 

4 

4 

Disease:. 


Measles 

Heemoptysis 

Convulsions 

Diabetes 

Stricture 

Secondary  Syphilis 

Colic 

Abscess 

Fracture 

Nephritis 

Orchitis 

Epistaxis 

Caries 

Dislocated  Shoulder 

Ulcerated  Leg 

Ptyalism 

Cliorea 

Inflammation  of  Brain... 

Congestion  of  Brain 

Itcir 

Hfcmaturia 

Ulceration  f'm  Vaccin'n 

Paraplegia 

Hernia 

Gonorrhoea 

Asthma 

Cholera  Morbus 

Insanity 

Total 


104/ 


45 


APPENDIX.  3G1 

I  now  propose  to  make  such  practical  remarks 
upon  the  principal  diseases  recorded  in  tlie  al)ove 
statistics  as  will  give  a  general  idea  of  the  influ- 
ence of  prison  circumstances  upon  these  diseases. 
Hence  I  do  not  desire  that  medical  men  should 
regard  these  descriptions  as  complete  histories 
of  the  diseases,  but  simply  practical  notes  ex- 
planatory of  the  statistics  of  the  hosi3ital  record. 

Frequent  reference  appears  in  the  succeeding 
portions  of  this  paper  to  the  diet  of  prisoners 
confined  in  this  prison,  and  the  best  manner  in 
which  I  can  convey  a  correct  idea  on  this  subject 
is  to  insert  here  a  copy  of  a  statement  written  by 
the  physicians  of  the  prison  hospital  in  the  au- 
tumn of  1864. 

Prison  Hospital,  Johnson's  Island,  ) 
November  16,  IS64.         J 

CoLOis'EL :  The  undersigned  officers  of  the  Con- 
federate States  army  (prisoners  of  war)  are,  in 
times  of  peace,  practicing  physicians.  We  are 
now  acting  as  surgeons  in  our  prison  hospital. 

We  adopt  tills  method  of  informing  you  (if 
you  are  not  already  aware  of  it)  that  the  pris- 
oners confined  here  are  suffering  seriously  from 
want  of  food. 

First.  We  make  this  painful  announcement 
from  our  personal  experience  and  observation 
among  our  comrades.  Food  is  the  constant 
theme  of  conversation  among  them,  and  Ave  are 


362  APPENDIX. 

repeatedly  told,  "  We  are  liungiy  ;  we  do  not  get 
enough  to  eat."  Instances  are  not  unfreqnent  of 
repulsive  articles  being  greedily  devoured— rats, 
spoiled  meat,  bones,  bread  from  the  slops^  &c. 

Secondly.  We  wish  to  demonstrate  to  you, 
from  physiological  data,  that  the  ration  issued 
is  insufficient  to  maintain  health. 

Prof.  Dalton  says :  "  With  coffee  and  water  for 
drink,  we  have  found  that  the  entire  quantity  of 
food  required  during  twenty-four  hours  by  a  man 
in  full  health  and  taking  free  exercise  in  the  open 
air  is  as  follows : 

Meat  (butcher's),  ounces  avoirdupois 16 

Bread,  ounces  avoirdupois 19 

Butter  or  fat,  ounces  avoirdupois 3J 

38|  oz. 

That  is  to  say,  rather  less  than  two  and  a  half 
pounds  of  solid  food."  (See  Dalton's  Physiology, 
page  115.) 

Colonel  Hoffman,  Commissary-General  of  Pris- 
ons, in  his  published  order  regulating  the  ration 
of  prisoners  of  war,  establishes  the  following : 

Pork  or  bacon  (in  lieu  of  fresh  beef),  ounces 10 

Fresh  beef,  ounces 14 

Flour  or  soft  bread,  ounces 10 

Hard  bread  (in  lieu  of  flour  or  soft  bread),  ounces....  14 

Corn  meal  (in  lieu  of  flour  or  soft  bread),  ounces....  16 
to  each  ration. 


APPENDIX.  363 

Beans  or  poi\.-,  pouiuls 1-^ 

Rice  or  liomiiiy,  pounds o 

Soap,  pounds 4 

Vinegar,  quarts 3 

Salt,  pounds 4| 

Potatoes,  pounds 15 

to  one  hundred  rations. 

Accompanying  this  communication  we  inclose 
the  abstracts  of  rations  actually  receimd  during 
the  month  of  October  for  the  lirst  and  second 
divisions  of  the  prison.  The  abstracts  have  been 
carefully  prepared  for  this  purpose  by  the  chiefs 
of  those  divisions  from  their  memoranda  taken 
at  the  time  of  issue.  By  carefully  estimating 
the  average  daily  ration  in  ounces  of.  solid  food 
from  these  abstracts  for  October,  you  will  find 
that  each  prisoner  receives  28  1-2  ounces. 

.Colonel  Hoffman's  order  allows  him  about  34  1-2 
ounces ;  Professor  Dalton  would  give  him  38  1-2 
ounces. 

Your  commissary,  therefore,  has  given  ns  ten 
ounces  less  than  the  physiological  requirements 
of  health,  and  -six  ounces  less  than  Colonel  Hoff- 
man's order. 

This  deficit  of  six  ounces  is  the  result :  First, 
of  a  short  issue  of  bread  of  about  1  1-2  ounces ; 
second,  of  a  short  issue  of  beans  or  peas,  rice 
or  hominy  and  potatoes  (only  one,  instead  of 
three,  having  been  issued  daily),  3  1-2  ounces; 


364  APPEl^DIX. 

third,  no  issue  of  meat  at  all  for  three  days,  1 
ounce — 6  ounces. 

As  to  tlie  quality  of  the  ration  issued  for  Octo- 
ber, the  beef  consisted  almost  entirely  of  fore- 
quarters.  neck  and  sliaiik^  the  large  proportion  of 
bone  reducing  the  actual  meat  received  nearly 
one-half,  or  to  seven  ounces  (7  oz).  Salt  heef  and 
fisli,  now  issued  about  twice  a  week,  are  not  in- 
cluded in  Colonel  Hoffman's  published  order  as  a 
part  of  the  ration.  Salt  fish,  with  our  want  of 
facilities  for  properly  preparing  them,  make  a 
most  unpalatable  dish,  and,  from  the  testimony  of 
our  comrades,  are  only  used  from  dire  necessity, 
to  satisfy  the  cravings  of  hunger.  Moreover,  salt 
beef  and  salt  fish  do  not  contain  sufficient  oil  or 
fat  to  answer  the  requirements  of  health  during 
winter  in  this  latitude. 

Though  Colonel  Hoffman's  order  falls  short  of 
the  physiological  requirements  of  a  man  in  health 
by  three  and  a  half  ounces,  yet  we  believe  that  if 
his  order  be  faitlifully  executed  health  can  be 
maintained  for  a  long  while,  considering  the 
limited  amount  of  exercise  generally  taken  by 
prisoner^. 

But,  Colonel,  it  is  our  solemn  conviction  that  if 
the  inmates  of  this  prison  are  compelled  to  subsist 
for  the  Avinter  upon  this  reduced  ration  of  ten 
ounces  less  than  health  demands,  and  six  ounces 
less  than   Colonel    Hoffman's   order  allows,  all 


APPENDIX.  305 

must  suffer  the  liorrors  of  continuiil  liungcr,  and 
many  must  die  from  tlie  most  loathesome  dis- 
eases. A*s  physicians,  we  aslc  you,  for  humanity's 
sake,  to  compel  your  commissary  to  do  his  duty 
faithfully  and  honestly  by  issuing  the  ration  we 
are  entitled  to ;  as  prisoners  of  war,  we  demand  it. 
Relying  upon  your  early  attention  to  this  urgent 
and  important  subject,  we  are, 

Respectfully,  yours,  etc., 

I.  G.  W.  Steedmatt,  M.  D., 

Col.  1st  Reg't  Ala.  Vols. 
L.  E.  Locke,  M.  D., 

Capt.  53d  Ala.  Cavalry. 
Gr.  Teoup  Maxwell,  M.  D., 

Col.  1st  Florida  Cavalry. 
Acting  Surgeons  Prison  Hospital. 
To  Colonel  Palmee,  Commanding  Post. 

This  article,  it  will  be  seen,  was  written  under 
the  pressure  of  the  immediate  circumstances  sur- 
rounding us.  But  the  facts  as  stated  there  will 
not  apply  to  the  period  of  time  embraced  in  this 
report,  between  Nov.,  1863,  and  July,  1864.  The 
ration  issued  to  prisoners  was  cut  down  by  gen- 
eral orders  from  "Washington,  about  July,  1864; 
up  to  that  time  the  ration  was  sufficient  in  quantity. 

dysentery. 

It  will  be  seen  that  two  hundred  and  fifty -eight 
(258)  cases  of  dysentery  were  admitted  into  the 


366  APPEl^DIX. 

prison  hospital ;  the  building  being  too  small  by 
one-third  to  accommodate  the  sick  of  the  x>i'ison, 
a  discrimination  had  to  be  made.  Tlie  milder 
cases  were  always  rejected  when  more  serious 
ones  demanded  attention.  Those  failing  to  obtain 
admission  were  treated  in  quarters  by  physicians 
(prisoners)  living  in  the  barracks  with  the  sick 
man.  The  prescriptions  for  all  cases  in  quarters 
were  filled  at  the  hospital  dispensary.  No  records 
of  prisoners  sick  in  quarters  were  kept ;  hence  I 
have  no  means  of  estimating  the  frequency  of 
disease  in  quarters  except  by  the  number  of  pre- 
scriptions presented  at  the  dispensary.  It  was  a 
common  occurrence  for  from  one  hundred  and 
fifty  to  two  hundred  prescriptions  to  be  filled 
there  daily,  beside  the  regular  hospital  pre- 
scriptions, and  four  hundred  on  some  days. 
Tliese  prescriptions,  of  course,  were  not  all  for 
dysentery,  but  the  various  diseases  existing  among 
the  prisoners.  No  other  prescriptions  were  filled 
in  this  dispensary  except  for  prisoners,  so  that 
the  258  cases  by  no  means  include  all  the  dysen- 
tery which  occurred  in  this  prison.  The  same  can 
be  said  of  many  other  diseases  in  the  above  record. 
The  dysentery  prevailing  in  the  prison  was 
endemic,  but  could  not  be  called  technically  epi- 
demic dysentery  or  flux,  as  we  see  it  ordinarily  in 
civil  practice.  Few  prisoners  escaped  an  attack 
of  it.    From  the  numerous  cases  coming  under 


APPENDIX.  307 

my  observation  and  treatment,  I  regarded  it  as 
the  direct  result  of  prison  diet,  l)ad  water  and  the 
impure  air  of  the  crowded  rooms.  The  remedies 
ordinarily  in  use  in  the  treatment  of  dysenteiy 
were  of  little  avail.  The  only  successful  plan  of 
treatment  was,  to  effect  a  total  change  in  the  diet 
and  habits  of  the  patient.  Give  him  light,  nutri- 
tious, w^ell-cooked  food,  composed,  as  far  as  prac- 
ticable, of  vegetables  and  fresh  meat ;  place  him 
in  a  well  ventilated,  quiet  ward,  and  give  him 
pure  water  from  the  lake.  The  ordinary  anodynes, 
astringents  and  other  medicines  used  in  the  dis- 
ease were  useful,  but  effected  nothing  as  long  as 
the  patient  lived  on  prison  diet,  &c.  When  brought 
to  hospital  these  cases  would  rapidly  recover,  but 
as  soon  as  returned  to  quarters  many  would  soon 
relapse.  In  this  way  began  the  numerous  cases 
of  chronic  diarrhea  and  dysentery  with  which 
prisoners  suffered  so  much. 

CIIROXIC    DIARRHExV. 

The  records  show  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
cases  of  chronic  diarrhea  admitted  into  hospital. 
This  number  includes  only  the  worst  class  of 
cases,  the  milder  ones  being  treated  in  quarters. 
A  limited  number  of  cases  of  this  disease  were 
admitted  into  prison  sick,  having  contracted  the 
disease  in  the  army ;  but  the  great  mass  of  them 


368  APPENDIX. 

originated  in  tUe  prison,  "beginning  as  occasional 
attaclvs  of  acute  dysentery  or  diarrhea. 

Chronic  diarrliea  in  prison  was  an  incurable 
disease.  I  can  not  say  that  I  ever  saw  a  prisoner 
recover  from  it  while  in  prison.  It  very  soon  be- 
came the  great  dread  and  fear  of  the  prisoner. 
When  the  physician  told  him  his  case  was  one  of 
confirmed  chronic  diarrhea,  he  regarded  it  as 
equivalent  to  the  announcement  of  his  death  pen- 
slty,  if  he  remained  in  prison.  I  can  not  say  that 
medicine  was  not  useful  in  the  disease  as  a  pallia- 
tive, but  as  a  curative  it  was  of  no  avail. 

All  possible  changes  were  wrought  upon  the 
many  remedies  recommended  by  our  standard 
authors,  but,  regardless  of  everything,  the  disease 
maintained  its  hold  uj^on  its  victim,  slowly  but 
surely  emaciating  and  prostrating  him,  until  he 
was  but  a  living  skeleton.  The  circumstances 
surrounding  us  in  prison  forbade  post  mortem 
examinations  of  our  dead,  hence  I  am  unable  to 
give  any  description  of  the  pathological  condition 
of  the  bowels  in  this  disease.  But,  from  close 
study  of  it  in  all  its  phases,  I  was  convinced  that 
the  mesenteric  glands  were  seriously  diseased, 
perhaps  the  seat  of  tuberculous  deposits ;  that  is, 
the  disease  was  really  a  consumption  of  the 
bowels.  Physicians  from  the  Southern  States, 
familiar  Avitli  the  marasmus  or  tabes  mesenterica 
which    destroys    so    many    children,   especially 


APPENDIX.  369 

negroes  living  in  our  prairie  and  limestone  regions, 
could  not  fail  to  take  this  view  of  the  chronic 
diarrhea  as  existing  in  prison. 

Our  great  efforts  were  to  change  entirely  the 
diet  and  habits  of  the  patient,  to  give  him  fresh, 
digestible  meat  and  vegetables  instead  of  his  salt 
food.  The  hospital  ration  did  not  j^ermit  us  to 
carry  out  this  idea  as  it  should  have  been,  the 
supply  of  vegetables  only  permitting  a  substan- 
tial vegetable  soup  to  such  cases  as  required  it 
once  a  day.  Much  relief  was  given  to  this  class 
of  sick  by  boxes  of  suitable  provisions  and  hos- 
pital supplies  sent  to  prisoners  by  friends  in  the 
border  States  of  Kentucky,  Missouri  and  Mary- 
land. But  early  in  1864  the  Government  forbade 
the  reception  of  such  supplies,  except  under  such 
restrictions  as  practically  closed  this  avenue  of 
relief  to  our  sick.  Had  the  Government  permitted 
it,  our  friends  in  these  border  States  and  elsewhere 
would  have  amply  supplied  the  prison  hospital 
with  that  class  of  food  so  sadly  needed,  viz. :  fresh 
and  dried  fruits,  pickles,  jellies,  onions,  etc. 

Luckily  for  many  cases  of  chronic  diarrhea  in 
this  and  other  prisons,  the  two  Governments  agreed 
in  the  summer  of  1864  to  exchange  the  chronic 
sick  prisoners.  Under  this  arrangement  our  hos- 
pital and  prison  were  relieved  of  a  very  large 
number  of  unfortunates,  who  must  otherwise  have 

inevitably  died.    After  their  release  I  have  heard 
24 


370  APPENDIX. 

of  many  recoveries,  yet  a  great  number  died. 
The  chronic  diarrhea  of  j)risoners  was  certainly 
the  most  fatal  result  of  bad  and  insufficient  food, 
bad  water,  crowded,  badly  ventilated  rooms,  and 
the  many  other  depressing  influences  surrounding 
prisoners  of  war. 

SCURVY. 

In  the  period  of  time  embraced  in  this  report, 
fifty- six  cases  of  scurvy  were  admitted  and  treated 
in  the  prison  hospital.  These  were  the  severe 
cases  of  the  prison ;  the  milder  cases  were  very 
numerous,  but  were  not  admitted  into  hospital, 
but  treated  in  quarters.  I  place  scurvy  immedi- 
ately after  dysentery  and  chronic  diarrhea,  from 
the  fact  that  I  regard  the  causes  of  the  three  dis- 
eases as  occurring  in  prison  the  same. 

Before  this  time  it  had  never  been  my  misfor- 
tune to  see  scurvy  except  in  its  sporadic  form, 
only  a  rare  case  occurring  here  and  there.  As 
seen  in  prison,  it  ^^^^esented  the  usual  softening, 
bleeding  ulceration  of  the  gums  and  loosening  of 
the  teeth ;  but  the  great  prostration  of  muscular 
power,  the  swollen,  bruised  and  painful  condition 
of  the  legs  and  thighs,  were  the  prominent  feat- 
ures of  the  disease.  The  swelling  generally  began 
on  tlie  legs,  in  the  bend  of  the  knee,  and  extended 
down  to  the  feet  and  up  to  the  hip.  At  first  a  red, 
-swollen  and  inflamed  patch  would  present  itself, 


APPENDIX.  371 

extending  frequently  over  the  wliole  liinl);  in  a 
few  days  the  part  first  iniiaiiicd  would  turn  dark, 
losing  its  redness  and  assuming  a  bruised,  mottled 
appearance,  as  if  the  limb  had  been  severely 
beaten.  The  swollen  parts  were  very  hard  and 
firm,  and  presented  none  of  the  ordinary  soft, 
elastic  sensation  of  a  sound  part.  This  state  of 
things  was  at  first  very  painful.  The  muscles 
attacked  about  the  knee  were  greatly  contracted, 
flexing  the  leg  back  toward  the  tliigh.  In  the 
slighter  cases,  the  patient  could  walk  by  touching 
the  tips  of  his  toes  to  the  ground  and  supporting 
liimself  on  Ms  stick  or  crutch,  but  the  eff'ort  was 
very  painful.  The  more  serious  cases  were  con- 
fined to  bed,  the  leg  so  drawn  wp  as  to  forbid  any 
locomotion.  There  was  rarely  any  febrile  excite- 
ment. The  worst  cases  presented  an  eruption  of 
dark,  livid  spots,  varying  in  size  from  a  pin's  head 
to  a  picayune,  generally  covering  the  whole  body, 
but  thicker  on  tlie  swollen  lower  limbs.  These 
were  cases  of  purpura  hsemorrhagica,  yet  I  rarely 
saw  any  serious  loss  of  blood  from  any  of  the 
mucous  surfaces  in  these  cases.  Many  of  these 
cases  were  complicated  with  diarrhea;  then 
bloody  discharges  occasionally  occurred. 

I  have  seen  ulceration  of  the  cornea  in  a  small 
number  of  the  worst  cases,  yet  they  were  rare. 
I  never  saw  a  prisoner  lose  his  sight  from  this 


372  APPENDIX. 

cause  ;  tlie  ulcer  would  lieal  as  tlie  general  health 
improved. 

Scurvy  was  especially  amenable  to  treatment. 
I  have  never  been  more  gratified  at  the  results  of 
medicine  than  when  I  saw  my  prostrated,  bruised, 
deformed  an^d  miserable  companions  and  friends 
daily  rapidly  improving  under  the  use  of  the 
muriated  tincture  of  iron,  tonic  doses  of  quinine, 
and  a  free  use  of  vinegar,  and  such  fruits  and 
vegetables  as  could  be  commanded  in  the  hospi- 
tal. We  generally  had  a  moderate  supply  of 
cabbage  or  turnips,  Irish  potatoes  or  onions,  but 
not  more  than  enough  to  make  a  good  vegetable 
soup  once  a  day  for  such  cases  requiring  it.  In 
addition  to  this,  these  cases  were  occasionally 
supplied  with  dried  apples  or  pickles,  sent  them 
by  friends  or  relatives  in  the  border  States,  or 
purchased  for  them  by  some  of  the  charitable 
associations  organized  among  the  prisoners ;  the 
chief  of  these  were  the  Masonic  and  Young 
Men's  Christian  Associations,  organizations  which 
effected  great  good. among  the  prisoners,  espe- 
cially in  nursing  the  sick  and  supplying  such  del- 
icacies as  circumstances  permitted.  The  com- 
mander of  the  post.  Col.  Charles  Hill,  frequently 
extended  privileges  to  these  associations  wdiicli 
he  could  not  to  individuals. 

Under  the  above  plan  of  treatment,  even  the 


APPENDIX.  873 

worst  cases  of  scurvy  recoviM-ed  moderate  licaltli 
in  a  luoiith.  A  single  case  of  scurvy  did  not  die 
in  prison. 

At  the  time  when  scurv}^  was  most  prevah^nt 
in  the  prison,  one  of  tlie  medical  inspectors  who 
periodically  visited  the  prison  ordi.'red  an  issue 
of  fifteen  pounds  of  onions  or  potatoes  to  the  one 
hundred  rations,  three  times  a  week.  This  issue 
would  give  each  prisoner  one  very  large  or  two 
medium  sized  onions  or  i)otatoes  at  each  issue. 
The  result  was  almost  magical.  In  two  months 
scurvy  disappeared  from  our  midst.  But  very 
soon  after  the  discontinuance  of  this  ration  the 
disease  returned,  to  be  again  cured  by  another 
issue  of  onions  or  potatoes. 

ERYSIPELAS. 

The  records  show  but  nineteen  cases  of  erysipe- 
las treated  in  hospital.  One  ward  of  the  hospital 
was  set  apart  for  the  reception  of  this  disease,  and 
only  in  extreme  emergencies  were  such  cases  ad- 
mitted into  the  other  wards  ;  though  it  was  not  re- 
garded by  the  ph3^sicians  as  contagious,  yet  the 
prisoners,  especially  the  sick,  were  exceedingly 
loth  to  come  in  contact  with  it  Sometimes  there 
was  difficulty  in  securing  sufficient  nurses  for  such 
cases.  From  my  own  knowledge  and  correspond- 
ence with  my  fellow  physicians  who  were  associ- 
ated with  me  in  the  medical  service  in  this  prison, 


374  appejS-dix. 

I  estimate  one  linndred  and  fifty  cases  of  erysipe- 
las treated  in  the  prison  during  the  time  embraced 
in  this  report. 

The  great  majority  of  the  cases  were  idiopathic 
erj^si^Delas,  yet  there  were  many  cases  of  traumatic 
origin.  The  disease  prevailed  more  especially 
during  the  autumn  and  winter  of  1864  and  1865 ; 
indeed,  during  this  time  the  disease  was  endemic 
in  the  prison.  So  much  was  this  the  case  that  we 
never  dared  to  use  the  knife  for  surgical  purposes, 
except  in  cases  of  absolute  necessity  to  save  life  or 
the  great  destruction  of  tissue ;  the  smallest  cuts 
were  followed  by  erysipelas.  Even  blistered  sur- 
faces took  on  erysipelatous  inflammation.  Many 
of  the  old  suppurating  wounds  were  attacked. 

Nine-tenths  of  the  idiopathic  erysipelas  which 
came  under  my  observation  began  on  the  face ; 
most  frequently  in  the  inner  angle  of  the  eye,  on 
the  prominence  of  one  of  the  cheek  bones,  or  the 
tip  of  the  nose  ;  sometimes  on  the  ear.  "When  not 
on  the  face,  a  hand,  arm  or  the  leg  was  its  most 
frequent  site.  From  a  slight  blush  confined  to  a 
spot,  the  swelling  and  redness  would  gradually 
but  surely  extend  until,  m  the  great  majority  of 
tlie  cases,  the  whole  face  was  implicated,  and  very 
often  the  whole  head  and  scalp,  sometimes  the 
neck  down  to  the  shoulders.  I  can  not  say  that  I 
ever  saw  idiopathic  erj^sipelatous  inflammation, 
originating  on  the  face  extend  beyond  the  neck 


A  p  p  E  X  I)  I  X  .  375 

and  slioulders.  The  disease  would  require  g<'n- 
erally  about  three,  sometimes  four,  days  to  reaeli 
its  limits ;  so  that  when  the  last  parts  were  at  the 
hight  of  intlamniation,  the  lirst  part  attacked  was 
growing  better.  In  the  acute  stage  of  the  disease, 
the  skin  is  very  red  and  tender  to  the  touch,  the 
swelling  is  great,  extending  into  the  subcutaneous 
structures.  When  the  wholeor  a  great  part  of  the 
face  is  implicated  the  patient's  most  intimate 
friend  would  not  recognize  him ;  the  eyes  are 
closed,  and  instead  you  see  a  great  swollen  mass 
protruding  over  each  one,  the  flaccid  tissues  cover- 
ing the  eyelids  suffering  especially  from  the  in- 
flammation. The  nose  is  very  "large,  intensely 
red  and  shining ;  the  ears  lose  all  due  proportion 
to  the  healthy  organ,  the  external  orifice  being 
frequently  closed  by  the  thickened  tissues.  When 
the  scalp  is  implicated,  the  head  is  as  large  as 
two  ordinary  heads.  After  a  considerable  portion 
of  surface  is  implicated,  the  febrile  excitement  is 
very  considerable;  pulse  full  and  frequent,  but 
compressible ;  skin  hot  and  dry ;  tongue  coated, 
with  thirst  and  loss  of  appetite.  The  chief  com- 
plaint of  the  patient  is  from  the  hot,  burning  and 
painfully  inflamed  surface,  the  inconvenience  oc- 
casioned by  the  closure  of  the  eyes  and  ears  and 
the  pain  resulting  from  the  pressure  of  the  back 
of  the  head  on  the  pillow.  In  the  severe  cases 
there  was  great  headache,  followed  by  severe  cere- 


376  APPEI^DIX. 

bral  disorder.  But  these  brain  symptoms  did  not 
generally  appear  until  the  subsidence  of  the  super- 
ficial inliammation.  After  the  headache  came 
delirium,  of  a  low,  muttering  character,  some- 
times coma ;  such  cases  were  very  grave,  the 
delirium  persisting  four  and  five  da3"s.  In  these 
cases  the  asthenic  character  of  the  disease  was 
especially  marked,  the  patient  exhibiting  all  the 
evidences  of  what  we  style  a  "  typhoid  condition." 
In  some  of  the  severer  cases  I  have  seen  the  in- 
flammation extend  into  the  fauces,  resulting  in 
great  destruction  of  tissue,  and  always  in  death. 
ISTearly  every  case  involving  much  tissue  resulted 
in  suppuration,  the  tissues  around  the  eyes  suffer- 
ing especially,  large  abscesses  forming  and  con- 
tinuing to  discharge  for  days,  and  upon  healing 
leaving  a  permanent  scar  under  the  eye  where  it 
had  been  opened.  I  have  seen  the  whole  scalp 
undermined  by  one  abscess ;  by  opening  it  at  one 
point  the  most  remote  part  could  be  discharged. 
This  disposition  of  erysipelas  to  result  in  suppu- 
ration was  almost  universal,  and  had  to  be  con- 
sidered in  the  treatment  of  the  early  stages  of  the 
disease. 

After  the  first  few  cases,  the  following  plan  of 
treatment  was  universally  adopted  as  the  most 
successful:  Twenty  drops  of  the  muriated  tinc- 
ture of  iron  and  two  grains  of  quinine  every  two 
hours  until  the  patient  complained  of  a  fulness  or 


APPENDIX.  377 

pain  ill  the  head,  showing  that  he  was  nnder  the 
influence  of  the  remedies ;  then  the  size  and  fre- 
quency of  the  dose  was  diminislied  so  as  to  main- 
tain the  constant  influence  of  the  remedies.  To- 
ward the  close  of  the  disease  (about  the  end  of  a 
week)  the  dose  was  quite  small,  and  repeated 
about  three  times  a  day.  At  flrst  we  attempted 
to  arrest  the  spread  of  the  inflammation  by  cir- 
cumscribing the  inflamed  spot  by  cauterizing  a 
narrow  strip  of  the  skin  with  the  nitrate  of  silver. 
This  was  useless,  and  only  caused  additional  pain 
and  soreness ;  the  disease  spread  over  tliese  lines 
as  if  they  had  not  been  made.  After  the  flrst  few 
cases  were  tortured  in  this  way,  we  abandoned  it 
and  substituted  painting  the  whole  inflamed  sur- 
face with  a  diluted  tincture  of  iodine — at  flrst 
three  times  a  day  until  the  skin  grew  tender  from 
it,  and  then  once  or  twice  a  day,  as  needed.  Con- 
trary to  what  w^e  would  expect  on  theoretical 
grounds,  this  painting  gave  great  relief  to  the 
local  distress,  the  patients  begging  for  it  before 
the  regular  "painting  hour"  arrived.  Its  tonic, 
stimulating  influence  on  the  skin  seemed  to  pre- 
vent suppuration  and  hasten  the  arrest  of  th^ 
disease,  the  iodine  always  being  applied  an  inch 
in  advance  of  the  inflamed  edge. 

This  plan  was  eminently  successful ;  I  saw  but 
two  cases  of  erysipelas  die,  and  these  w^ere  where 
the  brain  and  fauces  were  attacked.     I  am  aware 


378  APPENDIX. 

tliat  idiopathic  erysipelas  has  never  proved  very 
fatal,  but  the  great  number  of  cases  treated  under 
such  adverse  circumstances  by  the  above  plan 
not  only  convince  me  of  its  great  value,  but  of  the 
asthenic  character  of  the  disease.  I  regard  it  as 
a  blood  disease  and  asthenic  in  type. 

The  traumatic  erysipelas,  or  those  cases  start- 
ing in  wounds,  were  generally  far  more  grave  than 
the  idiopathic ;  the  cases  were  of  longer  duration 
and  much  less  amenable  to  treatment.  The 
wound,  as  soon  as  attacked,  ceased  all  curative 
process,  and,  on  the  contrary,  sometimes  sloughed. 
The  cases  starting  in  blistered  surfaces  generally 
resulted  fatally,  as  the  blister  had  been  applied 
for  pneumonia  or  other  fatal  disease. 

PEISOI^    FEVER. 

Sixty  cases  of  a  fever  called  by  the  physicians 
who  treated  it  prison  fever,  were  admitted  into 
hospital.  It  was  not  typhoid  fever,  presenting 
none  of  the  enteric  symptoms  of  this  fever,  or 
any  other  of  its  distinguishing  marks  except  a 
continued  fever.  Its  duration  was  generally  from 
two  to  four  weeks.  There  was  no  evidence  of  any 
special  organic  lesion,  no  eruption,  no  diarrhea, 
some  prostration,  but  not  so  marked  as  we  see  it 
in  typhoid  fever  or  severe  typhus ;  rare  if  any 
delirium  or  other  evidence  of  cerebral  disorder. 
It  was  simply  a  mild,  continued  fever,  and  I  can- 


APPENDIX.  370 

not  classify  it  otherwise  tlian  as  a  very  iiuld  form 
of  typhus  fever.  This  fact  was  very  early  re- 
marked by  me :  When  a  case  of  this  form  of 
continued  fever  was  admitted  into  my  wards,  I 
invariably  asked  him  if  he  lived  in  a  crowded 
room,  and  if  he  slept  in  an  upper  bunk.  These 
questions  were  almost  invariably  answered  in  the 
aifirmative.  Some  of  these  rooms  contained  eighty 
men.  The  heated  air  and  the  human  exhalations 
rising  to  the  higher  parts  of  the  room  were 
breathed  by  the  occupants  of  these  bunks,  who 
became  the  subjects  of  prison  fever.  A  case 
rarely  occurred  on  a  lower  bunk. 

I  would  remark  here,  in  connection  with  this 
and  other  continned  fevers  of  the  prison,  also  as 
to  erysipelas,  that  the  applications  for  admission 
into  hospital  were  much  more  numerons  during 
very  cold,  raw  and  disagreeable  weather,  when 
prisoners  could  not  exercise  in  the  open  air.  As 
soon  as  a  few  days  of  clear  and  pleasant  weather 
occurred  a  marked  diminntion  of  this  class  of 
disease  was  at  once  apparent.  The  prison  fever 
was  a  blood  poison,  resulting  from  rebreathing  a 
confined,  impure  air,  and  the  other  depressing 
circumstances  surrounding  a  prison.  Had  these 
prisoners  been  confined  for  a  long  time  to  these 
barracks,  without  the  privilege  of  exercise  in  the 
open  air,  we  should  certainly  have  had  the  genu- 
ine typhus  fever  of  a  grave  type. 


380  APPEIS^DIX 


MALARIAL    FEVER. 


Eiglity-nine  cases  of  intermittent  fever,  forty- 
three  of  remittent  and  eight  of  congestive  fever 
were  admitted  into  the  prison  hospital.  Some  of 
these  cases  were  undonbtedly  relapses  of  old  at- 
tacks of  malarial  fever  contracted  in  the  army  be- 
fore admission  into  prison ;  but  the  great  majority 
was  contracted  in  prison.  I  arrived  at  this  con- 
clasion  against  preconceived  ideas.  I  was  a  pris- 
oner on  this  island  for  two  months,  in  the  summer 
of  1862,  and  I  did  not  see  a  case  of  malarial  fever 
among  the  twelve  hundred  prisoners  confined 
there.  I  could  see  no  local  cause  for  malaria; 
there  are  no  marshes,  ponds  or  other  sources  of 
malaria  on  the  island  or  vicinity  within  my  knowl- 
edge. The  lake  is  a  body  of  pure,  fresh  water, 
never  stagnant  or  unhealthy  from  any  cause,  so 
far  as  I  could  see  or  learn. 

During  the  winter  few  cases  occurred,  but  as 
soon  as  spring  weather  came  malarial  fevers  were 
frequent,  the  months  of  May  and  June  presenting 
the  greatest  number.  I  have  not  seen  the  effect 
of  malaria  more  apparent  in  Alabama  during 
August  and  September  than  on  Johnson's  Island 
in  May  and  June.  I  can  only  account  for  it  in  this 
way :  During  winter  everything  of  a  fluid  charac- 
ter freezes  in  that  latitude ;  thus  the  ditches, 
drains,  &c.,  were  filled  with  the  accumulations  of 


APPEND!  X  .  381 

animal  and  vegetable  matter.  Tlie  whole  surface 
of  tbe  prison  3^ard,  esi^ecially  privies,  also  collected 
Ulth,  which,  in  consequence  of  ice  and  snow,  was 
not  removed  until  spring.  When  the  the  thaws 
of  spring  came  on  this  mass  began  rapid  decom- 
position, filling  the  air  with  malaria.  By  tlie 
month  of  June  the  prison  was  thoroughly  cleansed 
and  malarial  fevers  nearly  ceased,  yet  occasional 
cases  occurred  during  the  summer.  These  fevers, 
though,  were  by  no  means  so  severe  as  we  see 
tliem  in  Alabama.  They  were  more  amenable  to 
treatment  and  less  likely  to  relapse. 

RESPIRATORY   ORGANS. 

Of  this  class  of  disease  there  were  treated  in 
this  hospital :  Of  catarrh,  3 ;  pneumonia,  26 ; 
tonsillitis,  13 ;  angina,  8  ;  phthisis  pulmonalis,  6  ; 
pleuritis,  5.  Of  catarrh,  angina  and  tonsillitis 
many  hundred  occurred  in  the  prison,  but  not  of 
sufficient  gravity  to  require  hosjDital  treatment. 

But  the  amount  of  disease  of  the  respiratory 
organs  was  far  less  than  I  had  anticipated.  All 
my  preconceived  ideas  of  the  effects  of  extreme 
cold  upon  men  entirely  unaccustomed  to  it  had 
led  me  to  expect  a  vast  amount  of  lung  disease 
among  our  prisoners.  I  can  not  say  that  I  saw  a 
case  of  phthisis  which  had  its  origin  in  the  prison, 
•^here  was  certainly  little  disposition  to  the  devel- 


382  APPENDIX. 

opment  of  tubercles  in  tlie  lungs,  and  lience  I 
infer  no  great  exciting  cause. 

Much  could  be  said  by  tlie  mental  pliilosoplier 
upon  tlie  effects  of  imprisonment  upon  the  mind. 
I  saw  in  this  prison  many  cases  of  decided  mental 
aberration,  but  they  were  generally  so  slight  as 
not  to  be  detected,  except  under  favorable  circum- 
stances. They  were  monomaniacs  upon  some 
subjects,  yet  I  can  not  say  that  these  were  cases 
of  insanity,  though  for  the  time  the  reason  was 
unbalanced.  But  one  case  of  positive  insanity 
was  admitted  in  hospital.  He  Avas  exchanged 
soon  after  the  development  of  the  disease,  and  I 
have  not  learned  the  result. 

In  conclusion,  I  would  say  that  I  do  not  con- 
sider that  any  local  cause  of  disease  exists  on 
Johnson's  Island.  On  the  contrary,  where  persons 
are  well  protected,  in  substantial  houses,  suited 
to  the  climate,  well  fed  and  clothed,  it  is  a  healthy 
locality.  I  say  this  because  I  know  that  there 
was  an  almost  universal  idea  among  the  Southern 
people  that  the  locality,  independent  of  the  treat- 
ment of  prisoners,  was  the  cause  of  disease  among 
them.  This  idea  had  its  fotindation  in  the  fact  of 
the  intense  cold  on  this  island,  but  I  did  not  tind 
the  cold  productive  of  disease  where  ample  pro- 
tection was  provided  against  it. 

I.  G.  W.  STEEDMAiSr,  M.D. 


^/' 


3^