(iopyii^hi N" ^^_ 
 
 COK^KIGllT DEPOSIT. 
 
IX? 
 
p T 7 n n T. T '^ T!" I !' 
 
 '■ y 
 
 v.- i 1 1 i :? m '•' , T i c 
 
 Twt" Cpptain, co rrii ssione^ ■'pjor, 
 
 /--.ithoi- nf 
 
 "The l.)9tli Kpri-aent, N. ■^. '^. '/. 
 
 i r- 1 h. v.'.M' ('-■ t-->.^ pGb'Olion." 
 
 •'rook 1'/ r*, ' . y. 
 
 \ 
 
by 
 Willia:a v. Tie;i;ann. 
 
Kxcej^t for the yearly recurrinp •Memoi-irJil Pcy" when 
 relet Ivca and Bux-vlvin" conwades asaernble to decorate the 
 r?ravGf5 and contnemoratc the rteeda of those nov, de; ijrtcd who 
 parllcipatod in the struggle, or ] oasibly the mention of 
 ponaions to the siu'vlvors or an occasional obituary of sorr 
 deoeanod veteran, our rrve&t Civil War, vYhicli for four yenr , 
 from 1801 to l>-!05, desol2itod our land, has passed Into hit.- 
 tory end there -re today comparatively few among the mill- 
 Ions inhabiting our country to v/hom the War of the Rebell- 
 ion is morr than a shadow. 
 
 To those yet survivinp- who served in th.e Tirmles on 
 either side the remenibranoo of the camp, tlio march, the 
 battlefield, the hospitals and prisons, recalls many scene, 
 and incidents then ocmirrlnr, and it is on incident of 
 prison experience I am asked to relote,- 
 
 ?»y regiment, attached to the flecond Brirrodo, Second 
 Division, !IlnetQonth Army Cor].>s, had been serving in Loiisi- 
 ana until July lHfi4, nnd w;.as then transferred to Rcnnuda 
 T^^ndred8, Va. , froir. whence it was ordered to the Shenando:^.,^ 
 Valley, Va., where, as part of Sheridan's command, it had ' 
 
boen doinr active service and had pai'ticijwited in the 
 several engar;ements a'j-ainat the rebel forces under Early, 
 and was In .^e] tembor 1«h4, with the rest of the arrny, held 
 in readiness for tho forward move orders for which we were 
 in dally expectation of roceivinf;;, our position bein';: a 
 short riif,tnnce to the fJouth of Borryville. 
 
 "jcptember Isth, orders were received to move at ki 
 o'clock A.V, the next day, Soi)tembor lyth, at 1 o'- 
 clock A..'!, a general forward movement of the wiiole army 
 oomraenoed, V/e lairohod up the pike towards Winchester, 
 thirty-two miles South of Harper's ^'orry, where tiio enemy 
 wore rumored to "be in atron: I'oroe. lu the early morniiis 
 wo heard heavy flrinc in our front. Barijaco wacoris and 
 artillery filled the road ana caused a lon^ delay until 
 thoy v/ere hauled out to either side and allowed our pass- 
 ing, Presjslnfj on we sonn passed hospital tents on the 
 road side, where already the Surgeons were busy caring for 
 the wounded who wore rui'idly bein^^ brour it in. At ii 
 o'clock A.:.:, we were marched under the crest of a hill to 
 the ri{%ht of the i>ike, crossing: tlie Oj equan where we 
 filled our canteens, and line of br.ttle was formed, the 
 First and Third brigades of our division (Grovor's) ixx 
 front, t):n Fourth and our brirjacie bcinc in the rear of the 
 
first line in support in^: distance. We then inovod forward 
 to tliQ top of tlie hill fi.^om which vira had a view of tiie 
 field beyond, our forces in front pressing;; forvfc^rd under a 
 heavy firo fro;.i the rebels, Th3 bri:rade3 in our front ir.- 
 clinin-: to the ri;:ht as thoy advanced, and the brigade of 
 the Sixth Gor]>3, which was on our left, keepin.3 too mich 
 to the left made a cap in our fi'ont line which our b-ri^aae 
 was ordered to fill. It vrca about 11, SO o'clock A.i.', when 
 thin order was received. We v;ent down the hill and acros" 
 the field, passin-: a ravine, and the;, mounted a slight eia- 
 incnce dii-ectly in front of a rebel battery posted on a 
 hill opposite our position, which u-as shelling: us as fast 
 as the lieces could be loaded and fired. In our froiit 
 the rebels v/ero coruin/; on in columns, and receiving the 
 order •coin-nence firing" we becan;e enL'iaeed iuiniediately , 
 The regimental line was perfect, the men marching with 
 precision and keeping well drestied on the colors, thoiigh 
 the rebel fire of irtillory and musketry was terrific. V/e 
 were halted and kept up a steady fire for some time. Then 
 oame tne order "cease firing" and shortly after this an 
 aid« dashed at full gallop across the field just in our 
 rear who shouted "Retreat !" "Retreat I !" Lookini; to our 
 right we saw our forces falling back before heavy masses 
 
M of the rebels v/ho wore following them closely, and the 
 order was at once obeyed. When vre reached the ravine, a 
 short distance in rear of the eralnence from whicti we had 
 been driven, an order was given to rally, which I at once 
 I'opeated and triod to atop my men, but before I could 
 realize it we were surrounded by rebels one of whom, aira- 
 inp his musket at me, demanded my sword whica I had in my 
 hand. I tendered it to him, when he yelled "bolt ana all' 
 ■belt and all* emphasized with siindry strong: expressions, 
 so I unbuckled my belt and gave it to him witii the best 
 grace I could under the circumstances. Kineteexi men of ray 
 regiment were also captured, ^as I found later, -fl^. Lieu - 
 tenant Colonel Homor B, Spra^^e and Lieutenant Gardner of 
 the Thirteenth Connecticut, the regiment on our ri^ht, v/ith 
 both of whom I was acquainted. 
 
 Under a strong ^zuard v/e were hurried up the hill 
 directly in the face of the rebel battery which was still 
 flrlnr as fast as the men could load and discharge the 
 pieces, while our own shells were fallin;:; around us and 
 our own bullets whizzing by our ears, but. we soon passed 
 from this and were rapidly marched to the rear where we 
 were put with a number of other r^'i toners. Here w 
 kept for some time surrounded by the ;ruard, Occaf; 
 
groups of angry and cxcltod men would gatlier noar, fi'o;n 
 YrhosG convcrsiitlon v.-e niado up our mlntia that inuttors v/orc 
 Coinr. badly for the robols. DlBmo^mtecl cavalrymen -who we 
 understood belon/;ed to General Imboden'a contnand, which 
 hnd been totally routed ^nd dispersed by our cavalry, were 
 taunted by tiieir own men wltii cowardice and running from 
 the Yankees, and vin .]oinin;;, In the taunts, snrne of thera 
 mide a rush at iv lubbed rouskets and as I had not 
 
 refrained from exjireasinf^ my opinion of rebels /jenernlly, 
 I certainly would luivo been hurt had not our suard inter- 
 foi*od and threatened to shoot tlieni if they did not "^laul 
 ofi'". Lieutenant Colonel 3]^raPXie, for^'tettinr; for the 
 mo.Tiont tliat lio also was s. j'-flsoner, rushed forward to pre- 
 vent the attack but the f;u;ird8 settled t):ie rmitter affect- 
 ually, 
 
 V/e were then marched to the town (V/inchester ) and 
 ])laced in the '.lasonic T.odfo root.i r;ith .'..raircls ]'ostod insiv^o 
 and out. Certainly no lodge was ever bettor tiled. Late 
 in the aftcmopn from the winuor/ in front we saw evidence 
 of a retreat. Cavuli'y, artillery anrl ban-f.^go wa,''ons, wit;i 
 nuinberc of infantrymen, were nvakinfr a wild and frenzied 
 rusl: for tiie rear, the whole body in seemlnr inextricable 
 confusion, men shouting, yelling, ond lashing their horses. 
 
officers on horseback encleavcrlng to atom tho panic, and 
 nil ciaklnc confusion worse coixfoundeci, We sa-v what ur- 
 peured to be ono ol" our own oavalryir4on not three hundrou 
 yards cliatant, and a wild hoi^v of recoue filiod our hearts, 
 but apporcntly he could not i^roas throa£i'i the crowd and \rj.^^ 
 soon quickly ^oin^; the othoi* Wixy, The tiuarda hurried us 
 out of the building, myself and a couple of otiiers trying 
 to conceal ouraclvoa behind a door but beiiic discovei-ed wo 
 were ordered out in savacc tone^i, and then they r^iarolieu uo 
 on a mn out of the tomi, keeping ua ia a solid body and 
 forcing; their wiiy throu^li the cusa of vehicles. After go- 
 Inc aoiae distance tiicy took it :nore quietly but still 
 presceci us I'orward rajddly throui^h the t^athering darknesii 
 end wc could e^-.aily see that everything they iiad was in 
 full retreat. Pasoiag throuch Kernatown, Mewtowa, Middle. 
 town and Strasburc wc finally halted near Fisher's jiill ana 
 clad we were of tnc rest aa we iia.d iriarchcd over thirty 
 n.ilos since Ic^vin:. our c^urip in the .noruing. Septeaiber 
 iriOth at early dawn tre wore marched six iailea to Toin's Brock 
 v;here we halted, Wc woro ko} t under close suard but were 
 porciitted to cet our meala in a house close by, and aa the 
 good worrkan who kej)t it showed her feelings to be with us 
 and for the Union we managed to write letters hoine and to 
 
our regiments which she aonccalyci and afterwards duly 
 forwarded. 
 
 September i^ynd just av, dark v/e were starteu off in 
 a f^reat hurry and after an all night march of twenty-eight 
 miles reached New Market Friday, September «3rd, whoro we 
 had a short rest and were then hurried d: to Hai-risotiburg, 
 twenty-cne iniles, which vre reached Septeiaber ii4th, and 
 again makini: but a short stop were pushed on to Staunton, 
 twenty-tv/o miles, where we arrived Sunday aftOi-noon. 
 
 Part of t.he march would have beon deli;ijhtf'al ii it 
 had been raad9 under less adverse circtunstJinces. At Tom's 
 Brook we feasted on persimmons which, as the weatiisr Iiad 
 been frosty, were ripe and luscious and wore the larb<2st 
 and finest I ever saw. We also gathered quantities of 
 chinquapins, a diminutive cliestmit but much sweeter. At 
 ' one point yte reached just at sundov/n \re coul<l see the 7al- 
 Iny for miles and a n^.ore cliarminc view eye never saw. But 
 v/e had no time for views as our captors were evidently in 
 'jreat fear lest we should bo recaptured, aivl the officer in 
 comnand - Lieutenant V/illi^jna - wss a perfect br^.ite, at one 
 vnint where we had to cross a stream ordcrin'^: tho graards to 
 shoot anv of us who attempted to 'tot a drink of v/ater, so 
 footsore, hungry and thirsty, with no chance for food or 
 
rest after leaving: Tom's 3rock, we were pashod on until we 
 reached Statrnton, Liany iiad been vounded, so;iiG quite se- 
 verely, and they were wholly imable to keej up. We he .re 
 an ujl/ rurnor that tliose v/iio clropjeu out vQre shot by 30;^ r 3 
 loft behind for the x-xirpoae. Lieutenant Sar:;ont of a 
 
 New Hampshire retTlmont, the Fourteenth I think, was badly 
 "ffoxinded in the artn. Ke kept on as lone as pcs::ible but 
 WiS finally Cfvnpellri:' to 3top, ana shortly after the re- 
 rort3 of two fiTuskets were heard, but whether It vus a 31^- 
 :i3 death I do not know,- T/o never saw or heard of 
 -^ in.- At Staunton wc wore surrounded by curious 
 crowds who jeered at and taunted us. Here re boucnt aomc 
 •Rice Hard Tack* and hard indeed it "ffis as it required 
 pounding between stones tc soften aind rerJer it edible, 
 but sucn ;is It T ;8 It was t.'ie beJt to be h&d and -.ve were 
 fain tc be content, with hunger already gnawinj us as vc 
 hid virtually had nothin'j to eat for three- diiys. Oui' 
 Suards were changed here and one of our officers hailing 
 Lieutenant Vllllaras who had ecmended the rcbal guard vowed 
 rnost solercnly to kill hirn on 3i:^t If he ever met hi.iQ again 
 \rilliAir.G tried to explain tr - had been so crael 
 
 but the croans anu hisses of the j'risoncra drowned his 
 woioo and he wr.lked away evidently feelini* severely the 
 
solemn dentine la t ion of hi 3 r.ctn, 
 
 Scy^tembcr i^f^th xre loft Staunton before sunrise, 
 niai'cJied t>irou','h Rockfish Gar* from the auitunit of yihiar. we 
 liad n bouutifiil view of tho country on both sides of tlio 
 laountains, and Just after sxmdcvm reached ?.iachoinps Stutinn, 
 thirty-two miles froui ©-"Jir starting place, where \io 'Ycrc at 
 once r.l:;ccd on coi'non plctfonn cira amt started for Rich- 
 inond, which we reached September «7th. On our arrival -.io 
 uere rnarchod to Tilbby Prison vrhore vfe .7erc carefully 
 docrchcil and ovovy ?.rtiol« cT value, ?.3 well as nil :none:', 
 taken f roi . us, M«ny -jero the t laiin cf concoalracrit used 
 to evade this, some putt in:: the money in tho moutn, or in- 
 side the 3hoe£J, and one officer filled his \iive with Officii- 
 backs, put a little tobacci on top, ?,nd pretended to smoke 
 n'lllo the search waa soln^r on. A list w^.s made, showing 
 riiiiiio, ro::lin3nt, company, and hone address, and we were then 
 marched up two fllchts of :3ters and hustlftd into a lone 
 oblonc room, the •«illnc very low and suP] orted at inter- 
 vals by posts in the center, vnd the \ylndow3 ho-vily CJ'atod, 
 This roo;n, as well :-is one on tho floor ^bove, was full of 
 officers standinc, sittlnc and lyinr: down and on our en- 
 trance sre were w" t once seized uj-on and anked nil manner of 
 : nstione as to when, where and how, we were captured, hovr 
 
-IC- 
 tho war W..S goinL' a^*^ wliat tiio anay ne\.';5 v -^y. 
 
 Poor fellrasl Lvxiy of then* liaa becii i'oi* tuouinc i.i tnio 
 miserable hole anci tne only news tiifiv coulti ^■i.tnor Ww.j ..iO.vi 
 arx'ivaia oT unf ortunatoa like tiieuiaolvea. T.'g mcvc cocu 
 uomlcilod. It aifiij^ly reiuii^eii our i iudin^; a ; Ir.ce c:. t^;. 
 floor not yet ocoui-iec; and we were at onco •* iio-i.e! 
 i.crc ci'.utioned by ou/ oor.ir.acs not to an roacii tne winaows 
 too olcaely £S t.:ie euarc;,8 iied a iiabit of firinL --tt it if 
 i :"i fj-cc, and in soir.e coses tho si-ots i'lau taken 
 
 effect,, V.'e had no treat cr»oice of vi..rds, our rctioi'S 
 consistinr; of u srrcll jloce of cora oi'tvd r.iaue of corn and 
 husk croxind in one, soaked in wator, and bcikec in sheets 
 \/it.. lincG uuirkeri at right ani;los on top to 3ho?r whers each 
 x-^tioii was to bo out. They were :-bout t«o inches qquare 
 by fovr inches lonj;, containing jjossibly a pint of corn 
 meal, sc called, but loov os they were they 7,-erc eagerly 
 locked for ana hi.n(.:rily devoured, Yfo had one iasue of 
 meat, about two ounces to a man, during our st'iy in Libby, 
 la this dark uloomy prison we v/ere kept until Sun- 
 day, October i^nd, when, under - strong i7aard we were all 
 inarcheu out and ] lacei In clouo box fr i i.t Cctrs, Guards 
 were i-ostcd on top of tlie cars all ulcni; bot/i -i 
 
 •raards in e'.oh door insiae. She. 
 
-li- 
 
 we paused Delle Isle, an ialuxid ia the JaLies rivev noi aiuch 
 ubovo UiQ level of tiis v/ater, axiu whica would, pax^tlj over- 
 floiT dui'iiiii hit:,ii floods, v/iiero 'nCi-e coufiiieu tiioiisuuds oi" 
 our i.ieii wiiolly vfitl^ou.. siielter excei'ti auoh aa ■Lhe:>- coald 
 oouBtruct tiiemselves, and exposeu to ull wouthers i'iue oi- 
 inclQinent alike. Aa i ;, wss qaice dark soinc of tao oiTictfS 
 coutrivoa to ,i:et tl:e boards off tlio siiVall squsii-e wiiidovsfs 
 at the side ends of tlic cars anu several :iianat;ed to crawl 
 o-at and drop off as tho cars wei-e uoin/^ up steep oi'ades 
 where they ran vei-y slovly. Another officer anc^ uiysolf 
 drew lots as to -./iiich of uii shoula co lii'St ana he secureU 
 the chance. Hardly iiad he ;;ot through am was iian^ing by 
 his hands to the winaow led^e about to drop vhea a Siiot was 
 fii-ed and with tiie cry "I i.1.1 shot" he let so ana fell. 
 luKiediately volleys \/ere fired by all tiie i^ards on top as 
 tiie train j'assed along witi;out stopjun^, ana I caii only 
 supi'ose the yoor i'ellov was killed. The ,7aaj-ds insiue at 
 once exaijiineu tiie ». indovfs and thei-eafter took stations at 
 each end as v/ell c.s at the doers. \7e readied Dax.ville at 
 noon Octobox- ttrd, and were at oi>co taken out of txie cars 
 but were kept closely to^ietner. i,iijnbers of darkies cauie 
 aroxind ami they, as vel]. i?s the whiter, ax-ove a brisk busi- 
 : J : eatables with those so fortunate as to have iaoney 
 
t 
 
 •1?.- 
 
 ■ ^a;' valujihlea to 'nrtur* :'i'^:3:>. bisci. 
 ^otato i'ies ^ere eajsriy bou . 
 fortun-^te r;i- 
 jreeabrtckd <■ 
 
 lirhtsd w'.iez: . „ .^, .,^>. .. 
 
 thei:' fyy lie, ■•/•ii^tr.i "• :'.■'■..•••, 
 
 1 ohll" 
 
 tnr oolci tc alee.. ft Danville 
 
 early T'-i'^aday mornin,; Octobei' 4th, ana arrive- Salu- 
 
 .-, tne .'? ' ^ -^-v^i.T . 
 
 onolusut'e of 
 
 ;res Sorroiinaea 
 
 •-. 
 
 brick buil 
 
 
 r: ; et :..: 
 
 
 •i : - jujrds anc. i i^ o.-:c.r.- 
 
 
 ■ i.e lefl 'ii-.Tia siie of t»ie ej.cica- 
 
 
 - irhicJi were . ssigr.od tc as. r-r. 
 
 
 r w.'o\Vidii\t: the enclo3-j;r-. 
 
 below the to:-, ^ 
 
 zcnatn-Qf d extf 
 
 wliole Qiatsaoe aroui. 
 
 i 
 '.his ^:iuiras ifevt \ 
 
 intervals overlf 
 
 entire 
 
 .er ooul 
 
 
 ted in. 
 
 
 
 
it, \(us :. 3li..at. iv. iliiii; uoiao three feet tii,:,h '.Yhinii marked 
 tlio "dead line" beyond or inside of wliich no prisonei' rni.-ht 
 so without exj osinr liiinself to be shot instantly, silcii bo- 
 in;; the orders to the jruards. Posr.ibly tho autlioritio^ 
 I'earod th'i ^-uarcls ;ni ;ht be corruyjtoci if too cloi?e cornrjiu- 
 nicatii.in was ailo'/^ed, or that tiie fence .ai^ht be thro^;n 
 doivn in a ru^h if t.ir; jiriaonors ./ere jei-mitted to a] i roiich 
 it clo.--.ely. The C-i^ii'ds wore old iiyn and ymmj boys, too 
 ola Oi- ton youn:,' for service iii the field, Uniform they 
 iiad none, bein^;- clotiied mostly in home s]''-'^^ * -^'^^'- when 
 asaomblod to jet her wer^ a inotlcv crev/, 
 
 oUJiday inorniii(j Octobei' le>th v/e were startle. 
 re];ort of a imisket and all rus':in..r out to see what i:. .v...^ 
 le.irncd tiiat one of the guards, a aiere boy, had shot ono of 
 our officers, Second Lieutenant John Davis, of tJ^e One 
 hundred aiu f if tv-f ifth Hew York, who had been en-^a^^cd in 
 Catherine acorns, v/iiicn we roasted and ground to make cof- 
 fee, aru appi'oachinr near the- uead line iiad bron firca 
 upon and instantly killed, Tlio body wi.s l,.:id cut as /.ell 
 ?s could be done under the circumstances and silently and 
 sadly we ratliered around; a hynu'i was s-an:, "I v/ould not 
 live alvay" -^Lnd then all that re;fiained or our murdered com- 
 rade was carried out by thr rebels a cem- 
 
-1'.- 
 
 etory nn?. fr.r fror, the prision. The txt.Mcst, indignation 
 Y/a:5 aroused by this cruel and cold-blooded lairder, and 
 proiaiae -./as inads us by the prison coniinanaant that a caro- 
 ful investisat ion should bo nade and the .;paard adequately 
 runishsd, but wc were infomod afterwirda that he had been 
 promoted serf^ieant and "ranted i f-irlou;rh as a re\Yard for 
 hi 3 vi::ilarvce. 
 
 Our priso:. life wa:- dull and monotonoits. We a.-rraGo: 
 ourselves a3 best v/^ co-...la, but nlainl^ by sleerinrj; or walk- 
 in,; around. At fir^t v/e had the ran of the entire enclos- 
 ure but as the nuiriber of enlisted raen, prisoi.ers, iiicreasc , 
 we wore restricted to tiie left and the men to the rijht, 
 .'jTuards were jlaccd at short intervals on i line betv.of n 
 the space alloted to tht cfficers and th. t assi{rne:* to the 
 enlisted ;.".3n and no couB-.Tanicut ion was allowed bet^vnen then. 
 The one to; ic of conversition vrcs exchan/^e and that we v/-;r_, 
 always ready to discuss. Plans of escaje v^ere n^ainerous, 
 tunneling bein;; the favorite one as it was deemed mo?;t 
 feasible, ' t I did not. learn of any escayini;; th.-. 
 vrhile we were ir Galjsbui-y as our stay vo.s too r-liort. One 
 plan wr.s undertaken which miyht have been a success but fo^ 
 a most untow. rd circujnstnnce. The officers numbered abou'; 
 three hundrpd and the men upwards of three thousand. ?jep 
 
aratod only by the line of ^-'j.ards betwsou them. It wr.'S 
 det':;"ninod to ovanizo. tho mnn into their rospectivo ro.'-ri- 
 monts, bri^c-des, and corps, :md to aRsi>--'n officers to eac'n, 
 as f?r nr: possible pnttin'^ the rr.en nnd'^r command of thoii* 
 owr; officers, or if none such were prisoners ther to assign 
 officers who shntild be made knou'n to the men as their corn- 
 manders, ^"hen the or':?r-nization shoulrl bo comr-ltsted, at 
 a. fixe'i time anci "t, a ^ivrty, si'^nal, the m3n p.n6 officers 
 vrerc to •*'r.ll in por.ition, a char^i-e vfris tc be mnde upon the 
 firuns and rraard house, the mard to be cver^ o-.verod y.nri the 
 fVJLn?i -nd amirtunition seized, and with t'lese the prisoners 
 vrould make for the nearest voint of safety. It v»as well 
 planned and -.rould have woi*kcd v/itli partial success at 
 least ns our rruards were net n-^nerous and cert^iinly not of 
 a character to be afraid of if \re acted to.Te'her. At 
 
 first there wore frequent o]': ort-mitieo of cotaniunication 
 an the miarrts were not very strict, and when two of tlien 
 v/ouln como to aether and then turn thcl'r brcks to efch 
 otbnr as thej- ch^nrred their direction to retrace thcii- 
 beat, one cj' toore o'"ficrrs would <raickly sli}; ovei* tlie 
 line and in c 'lomert \vould be amon'~ thf^- nen. This how- 
 eve i* was discovered and the '-r'arris v/ei'e oblired to sll 
 march in the same direction either way, so there should 
 
-Ifw 
 
 be no two witii tliolr backs to Gaci-i othf;i*, una. it then ba- 
 oame too dangerous to try to p;et across the line. This 
 however did not ato] us as some of the officers would lie 
 down near one of the groups of men whicli would assemble 
 as close to the line as possible, and a stone, or v/eirjit, 
 with a note attached would be tiirov/n amonf; tho rroup by 
 one of whom it would at once be picked up and soon rer-cJi 
 its destination. This was carried or. for some time and 
 tho plan had nearly reached completion v/hon one day, Octo- 
 ber iMth, one of the officers, sli] ■; in;; his note in a hol- 
 low bone, threw it just as the /ruard turned and thie note 
 unfortunately fell directly at his feet. Fixing- the note 
 on the point of his bayonet he at once called for the cor- 
 poral of the j^urd to who-n he gave the rniBsivo and by him 
 it W0.3 carried out to the officer of the foiard. Very 
 quickly wo saw that aoi^iethinc wan amiss as tiio .^.oiaraB were 
 all doubled and the officers and men compelled to fL.ll 
 much further back fi'o.u the line of ;jentrios so there could 
 be no possible chance of conniunicaticn. Then a. strict 
 search was made by the ju-iaon uuthcritierj to dincovor the 
 autlior of the letter which lie was enabled to evade throueh 
 the efforts of the othei* prisoners. It va.s reported aiiKu;'. 
 ua that tlie letter had contained a full and complete des- 
 
cription of our plan and tlia:. it had imrT)osoly been thrown 
 as it was, but Ihei-e neve;* w,-'o any confirmation of this. 
 
 Tlie swne ni'-ht tliere v/as a lar-e arrival of prison- 
 ers under a nu!nero^^3 r-,iard and next d^:', October 19th, *-.bj 
 officers v/ere all marched out oT th • r-Jfison pen, put., in 
 box oars ancl t.?keri back to T nville, whicli we reached 
 October "^W-.h. Sorio fev; of Iho •j-isojiers eacaperi f ro: i tlie 
 car windo\7,s, but were probably all recn.]- tared. We were 
 .•riarched to c^ lar-^e brick buildiri'-, two stories hi rh, '.vliich 
 had formerl.v be'm "^Tolland's Tobticoo fjoiory", Tlie fi-ont 
 was level with the ro^'d and as i<.. w^s on a sli :ht hill tlie 
 buildir -^ slop^^d to the vav.r makin'; it one story higher 
 there than in front, and at this end, enclosed by a hi^jh 
 fence , was tbe yard where the sinks wai'o, and v/'iere also 
 at tines V^n nvigonors were pennitted to oook. On th^' 
 ri'^ht hani^ si-^e of the buildir.'' was the doorway and en- 
 trance, small and narroY, and here t\,'o r-'.inrds were con- 
 stantly posted. "^irther to t'le ren^', on the so/oe side, 
 •.y-".^ n;-! extension built of brick, the roof slo; in'', the toj 
 of the roof bein'' .^ust below the window sill of the first 
 story, T>iis extension had -.'indov/s in each end and two 
 at t^ie si)©, the entrance beinf^ by a door fro--, the first 
 ■on inside, which y/as borrdoa \ip. The 
 
"irs'. or '-I'oimcl floni* of the prison we v/ere not, allov/od to 
 occnri' pennanfently, end r {^uard was poj^ted thr.rc to prevent 
 More thuii a ccrtciii mitn!)er cominr down at ojice as it v:" '^ 
 aomotinos permitted thct two or tlireo lai^ht walk up anc" 
 dow;; for a time for exercise. The '-lass of tiie vriv.dows 
 oil this floo:^ h3.d all beep, broken out and the sasrios 
 covered with neavy wide boai'ds. Tho oritr^mce to the yard 
 \ra.3 by a utairwa?/ at the re^i* of tiiia floor. In tiie yard 
 a truard ^»as posted, v/ith. ruards 3I30 rested all arox^nd the 
 buildinr on th.e outside, the .^uard house boinr; about ten 
 yards frori the extension. The first story \y::s reaohe:^. 
 by a narrov/ stairway, just at th-- entrance, ^oing up the 
 side of tJic buildin/r, and the second story by another 
 staixnray directly over t!ie first, 3oth hai a slin;ht rail- 
 iniy at the side and to]).. la each of the tvfo storiea there 
 wer«? wlndo'.vs on both sides so v/c had plenty of li.frht and, 
 as -nuch of the Tlas^ was broken, a free supply of air also. 
 There was no ceilin.'C whatever and the hoards of the flc 
 belnfT rather far apart we on tJ-'C first story had plenty of 
 air fron below c.s well as fron the wlndov/s on the sides, 
 the toil story bein" sn;>ievhat more co;r\fortc.ble ir tills re- 
 31-cct t'le hot air f ro • our floor tendin.<^ to keer- the oc- 
 cun-nts much warmer. One huTe drum stove at the front 
 
-1^'- 
 
 hentyfl ouch uj'VCJ' oncix ol' •.<". loi'' . v 
 
 vera about rino prioonera divided Into iTiic::, ^^f to.i (xr 
 twelve, and to o^aoVi was r^nnlcncd a portion of "leer ai>"ce 
 vliort wc could est and sloo^ and ke??:' such bolor.rrinjr. as 
 had been left by the rebels. - Tlis nes^^ with v/hich I wr.s 
 connected wl^b located oi. the first florr, on the left Bide 
 lookinc f roi 1 tl.e front, oj. oaite f^o second wliidov/. The 
 other iiionbcrs of the T^ess were Lieutenant Colonel T'rJ^efielc 
 of ?eni^,. Captain ftaniin':, of Oldtov.'n, Mo,, C'lrtrin Rouxe •, 
 of Frederick, ?'d., T,icntenr,nt Hol]y, of 7/is., ■Lieutenar.' 
 Jor.OB, of lov/a. Lie .tcnrnt Clarke, of Vens^.m^ Tdontenant 
 Towo, several others whose nrunes I do not recoil, r.n^l "i;' 
 particalftr churrriiy T-ieutcn--;iit \7. Charles B. Goff, of \:hc 
 First D.C, Cavali-y» iind ;t splendid fellov/ ho was. One 
 
 officer tnid folloT^-prlsoner esrocially I could nevc:- fcrn;ctf 
 Captain Geor;:e »Tave/i Pvitnam - One hundred and seventy-sixth! 
 JT.Y., whoa I had met before b- in3 captured and vrho had been 
 acquiiinted irith my brother in Germany, He wcxs in another 
 :ac:ir loci'ted On the upper floor, Callin': T»e aside one 
 day h tenderod me ;.» confederate: bill of -^ifty dollars, 
 simply asking that on my reler^se I should repay hi-n the 
 Ten dollv.rs in greanbaeks which It had coct him. Thic 
 may seem like d small matter but only those who heve been 
 
ii'. ii:c.j cciv:.ii:'.K'\ a :. i'f;:.ii ;•.■•: v;-'.r r,ic •:: tcrir •:"•■ ncrn^, 
 Whore it wau next to lu:, imposGlbility to '-el noner nnd 
 every tiiiriL; wc bou- i .;■? c' r ■ ' :"o.-, t. exorhltrint fricon 
 even in confedcr. . ■ com]-arp.tlve sti'tn- 
 
 pei- anci had not tlio sli,^-,htest claici in any wiy or tff any 
 kind on hiia, his renoroaily was most noble and never to 
 be foi'jottcn, '.ro.. each laesa was chonon one v;'ior.o dtity 
 
 IL was: l(; -v.ccivc our food and sp-oi'tion it to each m'-in. 
 
 Colonel ^"ou, or, •:■ "l-issachusetl 3 officer, wr,:: chonon 
 Ciiiel cornni jsary and, w!:ilf i;b.c- t'sk v:as a mont tharkleo-:? 
 one, thci'e was never lieurd a single cofapl-int ref;ardin,'T 
 hia division of tiic rationjs. Tlie dolcjatos fro.i SLsch rr.Gsci 
 met on the grovuid floor v/hei'e the food wns dclivprod; it 
 was divided up as equally and fairly os poJ^r.iblcin portions 
 cbi'respondinti: to tlie xroinber of :aes-.:o3, by Colonel T'oojcr, 
 ono dele'jate turned his back and, as another put hi a ringer 
 < ; -lion, v/ould say "inos.: 30 and so", and t>).Tit jjortion 
 
 voald [o to the inesr. uesisnctod, and so on until all war> 
 distributed. Thi:: would api ly to rnO'it or soup when v.'o 
 aa/i it, wnic:i was not raorc tiian tlu'ce tir,;S3 a week for one 
 oi' tJie ot]^er, t/ic j rincipal rrtion consisting of one snmll 
 jdeo« of corn brc-.-d air:iil:.r to that issued In libby Prison, 
 i ^ '. , one hiilf j'int t' , ■ :^, 
 
"nistjeJ^ beans* we called tliorn, noulcly mid full oi' '..oi'i;.;:, 
 and was a rnoat diogaatiui: looliiui; brown liquid with lililc 
 or no aiibGtnnco, hi?! It wi^.s "squi " an':. }^cl] ed Till up, c.ivd 
 3F. such vrr.n hiuifrrily i-'artoXe;: of. The rieat w;g alwi.ya 
 beef, •ll'^hts* (or l-j^i,"-3) and entrails foi^:iiuc pai-t o£ tiie 
 allovnncQ, on soir.n ocn-.aicns thia be.istly laoss beiaj oookc-d 
 and served v/ithout cloiinin- tho enti-aiis ■,v}iic:-i vyOi'ii full 
 of the half dif;ostcd food oV the animal,. Thla r;avc x^iae 
 to our exiirc3r>ed boliof that the \rh,cl:.- xxi.ial war; driven 
 into the kottlc and coo]-. 06, tho ai.in raid i'.0'>fr. b',.'iii.r- aftsx-- 
 w?.rd8 rc:.aovcd iis ]>03.;iuli np.lt>ahlc:-, ''.".'hej: laoi-.t vat; iaaucd 
 each mail had a smnll i'lece equp.l tc^ L'.uO->.t two truiaos, mid 
 at reiralar intervals the bonOv". wo:.'e iiorvcd ia turn to each 
 mess, Thcne v/ere eateemod a ' reat lux'ary us tj;cy v.'crc 
 broken up and hoilod in watoi to make soup, or if the re- 
 cipient vt\p. so fortuiiato 5.3 to jossesa the w>ierev ithal to 
 purohnse rice, they wore cookea witii t)mt, the nv;.rrotv and 
 erease oomblnod wit.; the- rice ;nakin.': a most palatable and 
 savory meagJI OocHsionally and ua s. rai'e treiit scrghujr. 
 bread t,-i3 nerved ir. place of 3orn braad anti at first .a.iz 
 heartily relished, but findin- it soured vjvy raj-idly boLh 
 before and Sx'ter ei-tinp. we learnod to dre>.d itB apj.e^rance. 
 V.'e could secretly hu i cxorbitunt 
 
prices for tj-.eir wares and di-ove a th.-iviric trade, fi^oi;:! 
 flour bisciiioS, sv/eet ] otatooa and rice princii^ully, v/hich 
 tiie:, maiiarod to s;;tur:lo i.. to us Trhcu it caa.e their tOLU' 
 of service, and tiior.e of us poaseacin'^ ^leans rapidli filled 
 tlieir coffers to ovorf lowinr;. Onu brijht, Sii- x-t fellov; 
 w}io had been our ['-.lard foi- scig tii.;e vns missed by us, and 
 on enquiri.'i.'^ where he w;-is v;e were told lie hri.d realized over 
 two thoa3cxnd dollars in areonb^.cks raid had deserted to the 
 Yankeesli f'e must h.ive be- n something of a Y?.'.nkeo him- 
 selfl ciscuits sold bcttei* t.han anythin.?;; el;:e /s \:c 
 I'L'lished t}\e taste oV rhe sweet i'resh breud after feocing 
 on the neavy socdcn viess callud cor>i bre^d oi- the even 
 worse sorghujn bread, und it wg 3 c rich fe:?.st to cat even 
 one thou^H-i it little sufficea to stay our insatiable hun- 
 ger. Often a few bincuits wore kept to last several days 
 and were put ia the owner's haversack v/hict^ ';unr against 
 the wall, fror.. whicJi tliey would sometimes be taken by those 
 leer, fortanate, but th.is was not co ..lOn even though the 
 pantTS of hiinGer were almost ■anbet.rablG. 
 
 One ir.ain pleasure was ir rettinp; on the "water de- 
 t.-il", a party of six bain^ allowed to ro for '.vftcr to t:ie 
 river Dan, a short distcnce fro;,i the prison, .-narchinjj in 
 couples each carryinc a pail, lander a ^niard of tv7o inen one 
 
at either end of the colujmn, aiicl it was pex'fGot delight to 
 get out and breathe the clear criap air and lone with ail 
 our her.rts for freedom. 
 
 On one side of the x-oad, a short distaneo fro.i the 
 prison, iraa a larr^e old-fashioned brick oven. This v?q3 
 an object of gireat solloitude to vis as, if by any poeni- 
 bility the fraards could both be rot ahead by our loitering 
 behind, ono of the boya passlnc his pail to a coim^ade wcul. 
 bolt into the ovon and then lie there till d:\rkness ea-ic 
 on, after which he would erawl out and endeavor to make hit 
 eaoapo to our linos. It ooomed a r.'.ish undcrtakin^r, but 
 conaiderinc that the oven waa never used and not many peo- 
 ple went to the river by the road we followed, it vras not 
 80 raah aa it looked. Several auooeeded, several failed, 
 but it could not be tried very of ton aa we oould not often 
 evade the vi.f^llcJnce of the ruarda. 
 
 Talk of eaoape was about the only subject of con- 
 voraation alternated with thnt of exchance. Captain 
 Mannlnf' of our mess with two other officers, had been con- 
 fined in the b lack hole or dark cell in Libby, as hoatafjes 
 for aome rebel spies who had boon captured by our troops 
 and were threatened with execution. At last ovir officers 
 r/ero released from oloae confinement and Captain Maniiin{ 
 
w:ii^ sei;:, to T::i\vil.lc, }le prOiOaecl to Oaiaaiii Kouzex', 
 
 T.icMteriant Coff and, .iiyjelf tliat we should uiiaertctke to <:et 
 out eithc:- by tunnel lirj/: ox* iu scnio sach way, ii.nii w« 
 narrowly examined the cellar door at the roar in the yard 
 previously mentioned, to sec if ue cC'Uld effect an enti-cixice 
 there to the ccllt:r beneath tiio prison, but ve found this 
 y;as an object of re-.'ular inspection, a rebel officer goin*; 
 in and tlirou.i^rh the cellar and exojniainf; it carefully at 
 recular intervrls v/hich woi'o veiv 3:iort. II c-.':nt- \-o oi:iG 
 of us that tl-ic extension oa t\ie side ini^ht j[)rove a feasi- 
 ble point and t'.iou.'^h it wus close to the 'j-uard liouoe v/hich 
 faced it dii'cctl;, ajid v-.ia no!: over ten yards distant \;e 
 determined to try what i/.ifjht be done, Tue roof of the 
 extension ca;.ie diractli under t],e sill of a winuow, ao 
 makinc crrcinseinents vvitli the parties who occupied that 
 portion of the floor vre worked at ni/^ht and i:. t;ie dai'kness, 
 as '.TO Y/ished to conceal what v/e v/ero doiuc fro:.) even our 
 o\fi\ fellow prisoners, except those directly in trie plot, 
 and at l;_st sucoeoded in aisplacixac bricks enourh to allow 
 the paaijar;e of a body. Crawling" through tiiia hole we 
 found a sli'^hit ceilin;' of lath and pl.tstor c/hic:; iu:s cau- 
 Licusly and quietly r'?:iiovev; sufficiently for oui- object 
 
 >iQ then proceeded to the construction of a ladder which 
 
was mad'3 of plocos of rope and suoh matoi'liila as ws couia 
 Cathu.' tOijethor, 3trli;o of blankets, atrapa of luiveraacka 
 or ctmtuoji stringa, t!ic cross pieces or vnnf-a being made 
 of lifjht i'iooea of wood picked up around t!ie j[»ri3on, Wg 
 were many ni/rhts and days retting i^a far as this for \ye 
 could not work steadily nor at first all to;:ei]ior, but c..t 
 l?.3t OLir ladder v/3s coi'ipleted, ono nl/^ht it vr:.' ; lo-i7cred, 
 and Oai'tain Manriinc, Rouzer, Coff and .nyself dcscendod. 
 We found the floor covorcrt by plank stronijly nailed dov/ji 
 and thia we had to remove wit a -jl rebel ^'juard pacing ur and 
 down directly under the windows in front of the r'-xard house 
 and witii tlic llr!;ht of the fjuard's fire rcflectlnc throu;:h 
 the windows llf^htin.:: up the whole interior, but by p.itionce 
 w» at Ir.st succeeded in get tine "i^r '•'^ pl;Ank and \7erG con- 
 gratulating- ourselves on our success w-ion suddenly ve heard 
 the shout "turn out the ijusrd I* - "turn out the s'ara'dl" 
 and BUTi'poKin:^ all w:,£ discovored, we laade a d:.sh up the 
 ladder in alinost lesr, time than it tr.kcn to tell it and 
 rapidly piling things to cover the holi?; in the wall under 
 the window awaited In trembling silence whatever jnicht oc- 
 cur, fortunately it proved a false alurm so far hs vfc 
 wore concerned but wo made up our minds vre wo^ild wait for 
 "rie next ni.'ht before roinr: further. That we hsid not been 
 
discovsi'tjd i.i oui'' hux'i-iod fli^iit apw*,rd.s vvtiis a .oiai'vel i..s 
 wc uiusl have aic.de ;aucii aoiae axui ;,iit>aL easily ]i._vc been 
 aeon thi-ou.l; tiic wino'o*; by tlio li::i.t t'roi i tise fi.-o. lioxt 
 ui^-hu V.C went dovi.. :,r;i. j.i:d, luvvex'ini;i ourselves through 
 t\c c-'Ci:ing i/i th. , .'o-and oui-selveii iij a 3;,!j.ll ooilai 
 
 level witn the jaciiii one with onl.y ^ smull i'a.ssuce 
 luadinr to it. Willi a small ^ioce of lighted cuiidle to 
 see b;/, we ia-ocoeded to sci'aije out t]io eai'th under the 
 founaalion, out intention at fii-st beixir; to x-un .i fanuel 
 for a dist.iice -iUil Znen woi-k up, but we r^-ive up that idea 
 anrj. juad'j u;; our mindri we would siiaply i;j:o uade.' the founda- 
 tion ana then diroc'.!:, up in tUo coi-xier outside, takin^; 
 our chuiices of bcin,;; occn, intendin?: to .corai let e tiie hole 
 on acme very dark ni^jht, Vvo v/0i"kc.-:?. av/oiy for several 
 nijhts and uiade considerable of a hole but t.je carili v/aa 
 hard and V.xo found.itioa some distoiice beneatli tiie surf;:.co, 
 wnile ou:' tools were only a sliaru pointed stick :uid the 
 half of a tin cant:;on. One ni[.-ht we felt too ti.'od to 
 work,beside3 whici: v/e Jiad nearly comriicted our task and so 
 detei'mincd to take a rest. Voi'tunately for us \;e aia so 
 for quite l::ite we \,ei'e surprised by the advent of Lieuten- 
 ant Colonel fj:nith, the cotnini;ndant of the p<x'i3on, attended 
 by a number of rebel officers, who walked directly to the 
 
vindo^i under wiiich v/e had beori n'orkin^^, i-alleti away tMi- 
 blanket used to oove:- tho hole ( tnough the bricks wox^c all 
 in an we re; laced the a re'^ularly) and with the expression 
 ■damn t'lese YankeosJ* turned and v/alked o it foliov/ed by 
 the othvn- ofricors. Tao dcor fvo'.n the lowei' floor lead- 
 in." i.-i to tie extenaion was tiion o^'Cnod ar.a a i>iard placed 
 • h-'U too Ihtt oelliir v/as examined and wo 'i^ero loft 
 for the night. Dashod were all our .horea and corrca].ond- 
 in/j our gloom. !To\/ tho jtteim't vi.iv, discovon-d v/o huvo 
 novor kuo\/n tiiou/:ii it ivas sani)i3ed that some oiTicer not 
 ix\ tho project hv.a ^ivon tiie in:. ttor away hopin-; he ••aijrht 
 bouefiu by so doiac* ^nd it aeer.md to l)e confinned by tho 
 directnooa with which tho liole v/aa foTind, but such a 
 thouiTht DociACix too incredible to liold for a ;jiO!nent, At 
 any ri.to our j'lan w{u> discovered oii... could not arain be 
 tried ir. tJit;L way. Tiie day ai'tc;* our attempt T/nr> dis- 
 covered v;e wore all fonned in line on oacn f 1< t-r, by the 
 foiards, and on'j oi' the rebel ofiicors utteiii'ted to couiat 
 us but after aeverul ineffectual trials and aevcrul Bh..rp 
 adjaonitio:;a that "you una hari better kee] youi" i;loces'' it 
 
 u (tiven U]' ia diSGUst and Vie roll was culled. r;ori too 
 there w.. s ti'ouble ae aeveral answered to the same naine and 
 at last, the rebelf; beinc tii*ed and very ancry» we were 
 
coini^elled to answer to our nanes u:j t:it,; wero cali-ju aiia 
 bl; v/e did so step in a nev line under (^u^rd, Xlic i-cll 
 call was at lust conii'ioted and tiiose i.ol aa3v;oriuij were 
 known to Iv^vQ eocq^ea (pi-incipally b^ uay of tiio ovoa) bat 
 I doubt much if utvj know led' -c- -^.-.s ov-j.' r^-in^^ ■:> -ao rebels 
 a:; to ho.i they did it. 
 
 Thaniisjivini: day I'adLiert in ^loo.:i and Giionce. Oj.r 
 tli0Uj;;;iit3 v/er.: all v/itli tJic dear onea at home and our uiiaery 
 was adccd to iii thinkiiig of them txa assemblins together and 
 that their minds too would be sadly disturbed by tjie thou^jht" 
 or us and of our v/elfai'e, and thoii t!:ie ijancs of iiunser were 
 made the laore severe as oux- lainds tur/ied to Vno feasts so 
 many otljer^j vero c:;joyin^ v;it!i little tiiO\*,t:;ht Oij tiieii- ]^ai't 
 of the hunger we were enu-^ring or, if thou^jht oi, litole 
 I'ealizinc how ivi'eat \rL3 oui- need. 
 
 Early in December a plan was organized to rusli upon 
 and ovorjiov/ei" the /j;uard3 stationed within the iiriaoa, seize 
 tiieix- arms and then n^ake a fi^ht fc liberty, 
 
 receinbei- 11th the I'asn was made but was wiiolly un- 
 successl\il. Colonel William G. Raalston, of Lne Tv/enty- 
 fourth h'e% York Cavalry, bein^- shot arrJ killed as he was 
 bravely leaain_ the attack and tiie others wei-e ariven back 
 to their quarters. About the same time Major Ruggles, 
 
GhoiM.l, after died. 
 
 I .:; I'Uic., ±u^i.uU 
 
 ...... - ., 1 , i-(j)-iased a quart of I'ic.:- Lind, cui.- 
 
 raesr. r-;etl,ln*5 ""'t'- '■ ouc:; thu: day, .;iy i"i-iejid (Toff a; a myself 
 ootenn'incd tc> : u-isttaaa dimi-jr, Y/lie-n the rnoiioy 
 
 ■,:,::l\ Uiane(' to me so.'AC of .ny couirados ;.;.dviacd .it ".o ivc-ai' 
 i1. e;itii--]\ for ..-.icnlf, '/ct ^hic I ccmI- -c'. Co i .. ^;off 
 and I ''in.': o-.^j- I'a'oions t('{jo '-•'•*•-' ^> I cc .Id 
 
 back ill jiirri ao:-. I had souiethinij wit- v/liich to 
 L -• scant;, storr-, so v^hilc tiie mone: laai.cd ;vc shai'tjCi 
 
 iv. go: . Oil tliour'i r;ox"f to(' refused at first to profit by rny 
 rood fortune but I finally ovei-c::jne his objections and in 
 "c-intini^ ny bread upoi; the water's" it v/as finuliy retui-ned 
 to rae as I felt iji i.vy heart it v/ould be v/hen I luucit- u]i my 
 ..lind t'v share wit -l hi;.i. - -yar, our Christ.iu-s din:ro'i'ii! L-off 
 stax'ted off to borro\,' a :.ie;ia-i au v.'/iic!i he ouccaodbd in do- 
 iny,, bat he iiad to v/ait for it some time as it w^s iu use 
 wl'ic.i ue found it, ..nu a.xOthcr i.:;;rLy had tiie use of it aftur 
 lliat, A "mess-pan" is one of Vue utonsils used in the 
 anay for cooking* beiiv in ai-yearance 3i.:iil.-r tc. tno oi'di- 
 nary tin diSJi-) an, made of sheet ii-oi. .md holding about 
 four quarts. '"Jhilc Hoff v/iis for-.^in^ foi- I px-o- 
 
(jef>iori t.n brnol: ii'i nnr sliai'e of th(? ho.MCS, cracking the.n 
 Intc s-irll ;>lof!e3 r.bont one half Inch in nize and vorv rich 
 anri f-all of rnari'oY/ l^&;- wore, «nd I fairly {rlocvtod over 
 ther'i an T t.ho\ifht whrt a ralntable ineaa they would pi^ocVaoc 
 Yflion boiled v;it!i the vicellJ At lant rill v/ai in roaclinosij. 
 Wf ' nurd t^.« rlre ir. and filled the vessel nearly two- 
 thirda fiill of water, not v;;iltinr' to wasJi tlio r j cf thorour:h- 
 ly but simply 3klrnf:ln,' off t}>o du 3t and husks vhich floated 
 to tho r.ur-fane, vre ."--ded thr broken honos whloh nearly 
 c^.usei :;r ov':'rflow rir. vfe hao" not ollov/ed quite enou/:h syice 
 for them, and t?ien c:rof\illy rlr.oin- it over th.o firo sup- 
 Tiorter? hv fnv.i- bricT'H, v'o hricl bv.t to ken:: the fire r;oinfT 
 p.nd wntfth tlv.t the rico did not hnrn. '"e iraat have rre- 
 nftntcd z noTiic^^l si^-ht to ol.hors - I in r.n old blouse, v;ith 
 tntterort trousprs, and yrorr; out nhoos, an old fatlrnjo onp 
 pushed SB far back on my hei'J ?.n ponniblc; ncff wit'i hin 
 trousers tucked Insldft the le^s of nn old pair of v/orn out 
 ravp.lry boots, nn old blousfi, and what had boon :<. felt hut 
 bijt which, entirf>ly denuded of tho rii and piirt of the 
 crown., looked In shftpe and color ll>.f; in old wooden bowl, 
 bot'i of un ocrrfiBlonRll;' blordn^" at the fire to keep it gH- 
 inrt p,nd intently watchin;' between titnea foi* tlie "boil* to 
 comol We had ler^med the eeoret of cooklnr rice to per- 
 
foction, whftc]! 1^ -r-crc?!/ not to st.ir it. at all wliilo cook- 
 ing, and whOii -.yq s iv/ V.\o -aIiIIg koi^nals crodually sireli xiid 
 burnt and tliG noiaturo quite absorbed we knov oi<i' dinr-cr 
 Vi3 re^dy to be :->orv;d., Tiio rioh fat had been extracted 
 fro!,; tao bonc3 by V.iQ boiling- and was iilainly pOi'ceptlMe, 
 yo^u •..'3 a lacked our.li,>3 as \»e lookod with gro'rfia:; hiiri£;er* 
 0,1 a disii v/'-.icli wo conaidei'cd even the Godo ini^ht envy unl 
 
 T7e hr^i not foi'.'.-ottcn oiir modiouiM of suit taoiirli it 
 w-:r. ::.'i ;u"ticlc; as v.-liiablo as .'^ola duBt boiJi in and out of 
 th': ] I'inon, but somc kind friend hr.cl j-i'-ovideci us in this 
 pr.rtlcular, I2carinc tho /reciour. load bclv/eea ua vo 
 
 cr.i'i-: dUi- quartci-s. It wt.K boilin ■ liot to he 3;ire 
 
 but hvuvic.' does not sl.and ut any such triflofi as burned 
 r.ouths, :■ "^m momenta v/o v/ero 'nnth hard r.t v/ork as 
 
 if tc> sec •).:.;>/ ;,.cie3:ly we could diai oae of iAvxt it had taken 
 u:- 30 lon/r to ire;3re, and cvea before wo could fairly 
 realize t::o fact the bottom and aides of t'iC , : n vrere b?- 
 Inc scrsiiet' by r-uv s'-^nns in the vain s?;.^r(^h for moreiJ 
 T'a; ;-lcr t , ■;11 ator:iac]i3 and our hungry cr3V- 
 
 in': for t'lc ;,iornent ai'jieased, v;e filloJ oxiv i i^ as (whic'i 
 were somethln.'j we w«i-o no t dei rlveo of) a."d l':iyinr back on 
 our hl'.-.nketa dilated in rlowinL* terriis on Dig floricus feast 
 we hsd r^i't-J^en of. - It w';8 not] i ' toir-.orrow 
 
v<!i Should he himgry ar^ain - vre had had one "squu/'e rnesl" 
 at least and that was all the thou.^^ht v/e h::.d, 
 
 >^o:-ir rf c'l:' CO;:;- : -•' ns f':i'Ofl ovo/, hpttor i.r, . .• ^ ». a 
 tui-ke/ - ?- rovl ' ;• •• < ■'' I - •••.-, ,., gtairs Zr. one of 
 t-i-r masses tf> v' If -. helon-'.-'d, but 
 
 e-.'r.-,- t'->'^sr r!^' ';?!l']ilGr or :2Ty tnore 
 
 f "n r.off one" T. 
 
 ■^or v/nre away rec^fllv an-?, dre.-rllv. It v/'^s 
 hjttei-]- crld; the rivr:- ''^.••.n froze ov'r, somethins which 
 ■ in fift:- 'o:u'5, and. :'oot1- fed and 
 8c:-nMly ol?.d an mo^t. of ivs v/cr? v;o felt the vve'?t'sr se- 
 verely. At nl^ht Bcvervil of us vvoiild spread a blanket on 
 t'-^e flo'^r, thro-?'-'^-! the crscks ir. which, ovnr.'- to the broken 
 • 'id oi^rr v.'lndnv;s beneif.th, the- ryird hlev keerly nnci chilled 
 nr. t>n-o'i'-'i r.vd V-vo^rh, tlion "srnon-'n':" tcTtlioi' rs closelv 
 
 35 r( -''''• ^<' « - ■''"'■, vulllnr rnotlier Market over vis, we; 
 
 vovil' . ■. .. '^.i;; i? ran herd to do, tho cold and 
 
 panrs of hiw-or t' :'.vin.'' ur> ch?ncn fo>^ only a fitful 
 
 rrst, srd v/o woi;ld arise in tho morninr hafrard and forlorn 
 with at-ned crr?vin'-s of nr^elfto, oraitinr o';r njr-.orable 
 ratior of coj-n hre-d \7lth the \at:iost ea'-omoss. And when 
 i; v/ns served ve did not Ocro to oat it all at once as it 
 *:o last U3 all day and vc knew hov/ himrry we should be 
 
before anotlicr ration ccne, but &.t ti.T.os t]j<; ; ;u iv..ii-e t>f 
 entin,'^ vas too irrach and too stronr and wc would devour 
 evory rvio'athful In n few bites only to be sorry for it fii'tor* 
 wardo, Tho ratlona '^rcvi poorer and timclloc cvn-y di^y. 
 At tinps we hr\d meat or soUf-' only one:' a weok, ?,1any of 
 our firuards woro old men, too ared for sorvioo io Iho field, 
 and they too oomplalnod bitterly of t'lr- rations 5 asMod to 
 them, uauc«lly » pint of vcn coin neal a day which the^ 
 mir:ht cook as thoy chose, hut they had frcedo::. and a cliance 
 to purchase othor oriibles, ss well na hnvinr j i-ov.i aiona 
 -ent them fi'or their homes, though on Revcral occMsloaa 
 ro; . our windows ve saw cominr! Ir, fro;-, t^io mountains, oarts^ 
 "■^^Icli were moats and other ."^ofid thin.'^s, which would be 
 1 cd on their arrival in town and tr^-msfei'red to the co-n- 
 nlssary to be sent to the front as we lerrnod fro-;i the 
 
 ::•. The rebellion w?.us on its Inst Ic^a and the anrjy 
 had not onou^-'i to ent so th>^t evc-rytMn * obtnin:ble io. tlic 
 <y of food, moat and flour ear.oclally, wris sent to feed 
 those who were doin"" tho fi^htlnj;: and the homo fjuards were 
 allowed but scant rptlona. 
 
 One dry there wna spilled fro;^ our wlndov; soiTse water 
 whicli fell on t)io raiard outeldc nn r.ce firrd, the 
 
 ball golnfr throurh the window and t: /:■ fl - r ;ibove us, g:.': 
 
Inr In the •ivrist Captain Ocn-oll, of I ev/ York, who \;: s 
 peelln^; potatoes. This was the only incident of the kind, 
 except r3t the Oi.;':bre.k - ■"' •■■ ■ leiiti oncd., and i-i-ob-iblv v/ould 
 
 not. have occurred if '. had not t-iou;J-il that the 
 
 water was thrown at hi: intTtio-iall;:. , V:.. 'i -i always 
 found therri fo.'cl n-icur, , .i;ii- duties 
 
 would j'ennit. 
 
 Y.'r wei'e? poT'ii t te^i to v/rite hoiie at certi^in tirnes 
 and uncier certain i-estrict ions - only one nidc of the paper 
 co'iild bo written on and not a line as to our condition was 
 permitted, the letter jriust be left unsealed, and v/as tlien 
 franker! by the confiandant of the prison. We coulJ simply 
 aay we were yet alive and tliit was all. I i:,iproved the 
 
 opportunity as frequently .-.s pon::iblc and also wrote to 
 Colorol Joh)i Purcell, of the Confederate Aiiny, residing in 
 Riclrriond, who had been an old customer of oar f inn's, ad- 
 vising him I wan a prisonar and askinij him to do wiaat he 
 cn'il'^ for ire, but as I iLT.med Irter my letter did not 
 reach hi'n until after my exchrn'::e, evic'entlp havii;3 been 
 heir b:ck. 
 
 Al] ncrts cf :■.■ • ■?i'e employed - our- 
 
 selves and while RT,'ay the time. ' e possessing 
 
 re used day sfti; ' il the faces were 
 
c-.l.noat woi'ii off and oi.'uld Ina-oly be distinfr. isi . 
 .'.lax-keu out checker bosrdc on tJie flo; v, aria vit'; g::C'j::c rs 
 rnjiic of bones oi- lucces of vccd -jiitLi.eed tlieir.a elver. i«r;;i i i;o:;e<^ 
 t)ie teaiouE Wc.itinr. Ot;:.r.i\'3 ccnstract''- ''' nc. t;:on 
 
 Oi'i:Jii;izod ciiGsr d ■ ;, 1 ci.tii. I^electec! II-. i'lOM- 
 
 : bovfc 1 layin others of the floor bclov/, neitltur 
 
 tacc aeeir.. th.o boards or jaeocc; of tlieii- ori'onents, the 
 moves e.ii the: voi-c nuvuc, belnr called ixv or ucwn the Gtsir- 
 xfny by 3or .'; one stE.tioned for the purpose, Sorno hcC b0( ks 
 and iin] rovec t?ic cijCrtunity to etucTy. Vfeleh v.-.f; ojie of 
 
 >'ii some ntrovc to nv.otoi', tliOi'c l)Ci3i:,. 
 tujvti\ 1 .;i ..•on of V'elsli de:^ccnt, v/iio triei! t<^ inp.-.rt 
 
 c: kill -uars to any v/iGhini lo leaiTi, but 
 
 thcii i ., :i. ;,:.i-v fcv. in nujuber ar:'-", I tu ubt ;iiuc y 
 
 ^rc..; 1 x-oficiciiCi U'-iS ever attr,inea, I tried iu l .. i.ound 
 r:ij toj:j.;o, or tei^Lh, or at loust Boineth;inr, v/cxa not con- 
 sti'LictC'. on t.io ;iro -y , rincii le to eminciuite tho lunjuage 
 fluentlj , ::^. I •. ; :.i-icei\.lli r-jtirea fro,: t.ic olaSB 
 
 lone lU'J , v ins ware also followed as aciuseinonts iu;d 
 
 ly very i^rctty articles were iU'oduced such .- : 
 riiira, Ci'OJses and bryasti ina. Carving, our i i:)03 -^ u j 
 i;re-it i Ic .oure and I uoubt jiot ti:£it even now ;.i;.iiy wosaes.:; 
 Lheir old •briai-wooda* with "Lib:/" - "Salisbux-y" - "Dan- 
 
villc" - handnomely en'-ravcd oi: tlio bov/1:. 
 
 One cor-r.ion p-stlnc we hr-d - s j^ei-feet delii-ht to 
 rll - ninrinr;i The days y:vi-r f;hoi-t, the ni«:htc very long, 
 aiid ae we v/erc .•:'llo\ ed no llrht oxceT>t such e.i- ceiie f roii 
 ;iu rcrl hot stove and t,h ' ir/at.lly obscured by thf poor 
 fcllov.'S y.rer;j-inc: clc t ■- il foi' waniith, v/e uaually 
 
 "rc: Lii-ed" irar'iecliatel: after the short tvilir:ht vrvf. over 
 and v/h.ilc \:c could yet see our i-laceu and be suro not to 
 dintr.rb ou.- r.eijiborii by walking on thcia. V.'e 1: y close 
 torelher ii. ro\. s, o\ii- lie^.ds to\r'ards the sYells at tlie nidcij, 
 thr: i-ow next us beii:C just fcv enoui^i froi-, oux- feet to cl- 
 Ic-.; one to walk bet-./een thou^jh it hf.d to be done carefully. 
 After ccttinc down and the room beins quiet some one would 
 bt -ir. I. hynin and as soon as tVie first line vv.a svnz ^^-f^ the 
 tp.ne i-eco^nizcd all on both floors v/ho knew it v/ould join 
 in Lsiid sine-^ it to the end. Hysin after hyiiui would be suns 
 and tlier. would come wai- son2;s, soaietimes a solo, soi-iietii.ios 
 c duet or quartette, Oiid then .-.11 join in the choiiAS v;ith 
 a '.fill. Iiicutenant Reilly of Pennsylvania ar.d hioutenanu 
 Matthews of V^isconsin were fine singers, as was also 
 Lieutenant McCutcheon, who s:in:j conic son::3 which called 
 forth jaauj a heiU'ty lau^h. 'i'he {ruarda would cone up to 
 
 of the stairs and listen in silence until at last 
 
t;ic "y/cw ;;i'3nrlccl Bai"iner" oi- '•.To}vl J^ro./n's T'c^;,-" v/oulJ 
 evo]:f iheix- wiuth when vrilij a yoll "you uns rlrut i.ip yor 
 iiOidc" Lhey Would coi.i].'el s"j.l:,-nco and tliG concert would 
 ctju-.se. L'-diij ;,n ^i. ..• '.v:..; paaoed. in tiiia ./ay and inany a 
 L,;ii- it'll as Vie v70uld v;andei' to t'lo tiiaa ■■,■,' ■lea 
 
 t !C 3v/et:'o faniliar ^/rvins had he-m sunj in tliG dear hoine 
 cii'clo. On-, of our corndai'os, LiGutenant Oiirdnei' of the 
 ThirtGonti: Coiiiieclicut, devised Ihe bold and audacious 
 exi edient of a theatrical perfonn'.;ncei Ilainlet was to ha 
 und the idea vver, no sooner broafthod than it was 
 Joi^ed uito:: anci tJie parts a33ij:ncd. Gardner, \.'iio 
 .u... -.. a3]iira(.iur for tlie ataxic, va^ ''a.nlct, Lieiitonant 
 Colonel ;"j'ra:_ae, of the o.j;\e rc^-i;:!; nt , wai; the Ghost, and 
 to :. ■ .i^nod tl.o .larl of IToratioi To othe^-c -.yore 
 
 ^.■^si_.. . , ot'ici^ chcractoi's an^.' rrcat vrar* our Gnthusias.Ti 
 and dili;_;ent our ai-.j-'licatioii. As \io liad but one copy of 
 Siiakspeare we had to be drilled sin;j;ly in our sevc.r<,'l 
 jiL^rts, tjie oiie bo^k C-J-vin:; b.;l little chax-'.ce for Acre, 
 "It is a ni]i] in'j and an eager air" cl:\'2 "tripjiinnly f^'O/! 
 the tonijuo" as we ti-ul;, found it so and that at least could 
 be said from the bottoi.'i of the heart. Vie iro;Tresi>5d fine 
 ly a.'iJ I doubt not vroulcc all .^.ave beer; stars but our ex- 
 e finally jrevtnted : 
 
Oo-nhlr."'Mon riTivillo Tron] c" befor«^; v/e v/r^re suff icif^iitl:' 
 proficlont to t. e-r ir pu^^lici 
 
 In the Ir.ttor ]-c.x't of .Trnvary Goff arid I v^erc pretty 
 well reduced as my nicr:ey vo3 all oxripudecl, r)\:' vie felt se- 
 verely tho T-irivaticna \rhlch v;e wore endiiriiT,; . I ;vus 
 troubled with a sovoro boil and also had n touch of scurvy, 
 end WPS so Misorablo ."■f'ncrc.lly as to retair. my couch e.ll 
 thG tine, I thiiik T should havo ^iven up entirely had I 
 not chnrced one day t(^ ovorheai* a ren-rk made by a brother 
 officer tc anotlier - "poor Ticmani^I I am pfraid hu ir> [;o- 
 li"- to nnVe a die of itli" and Vriiotlier intended for :.iy 
 hearln'^ or tint it socrned to rouse niy f".ilin':: encr'-y and I 
 f'eteiriine'' to try tn live at lorst Icnr enou-h to reach 
 home, Shortl;' ^ftcr this one of the c^xerds car:ic tc th.c 
 >i'-ad of th.c stairs and called for Lier.tena^it Coff, xihn at 
 oncf" re??pondod. The 'juard told hi'n a box had becr. ro- 
 coivod for him and as thcr-^' v/as notJiinr; contraband in it 
 he ml"ht h-'V it, f.oinr: to the foot of the stairs with 
 the mard Hoff soon returned lu.-":inc c box vrhich, thou;}! 
 comparatively small, it took all his weak stren;~th tc cax-ry 
 and settin^T it down by ov<r quarters he said "Tiemani-. rue 
 boy! it's fro' the officers of .lo regiment and wont v.'C have 
 a tirr-f'.'!" '■':' •bread . "our- 
 
foldl TJhe'o a box that \;^ii - ham, toi:iJ"-ie, caiKied iiiCats, 
 picklec, sr.xlines, o.nd T knov/ not v/hat all - vfere in tlic.t 
 m.:^f:io box - wc wei-c sr.iJi'licd.fo*- .v.o-r.j days to come. IJot 
 a thin:: woiild Coff touch Ox- tiisto until I had first had 
 llu hardline; of it, end net once did he say a^i^it btit " oar 
 tl.in'js," "the t:rini:s the officers sant us* unu "Ohi aint 
 i;c in clover justii," not or.a did he so.:/ "I" or "i.dne" 
 but always "./e" or " ■:..-■><? ", - and I know he trie;! to ^ivo 
 to !ne the lions sharu if I did not watcii closely tiio di- 
 visioa, and I tliink too we vfcre Oiivicci by fev<^ if any of 
 !»• fellov.-sl i'll knev/ ./hat we had gone thi-oajh, and, wiiile 
 mv^v: ha'I s iff e red equally witli ourselves, yet all sceaicd 
 t" rejoice th'- 1 we were tae favored ones. Other boxes 
 C- ...ie iii sh.ort ly after but none received in that i^rison 
 e::ur'. ..j'.rt-felt I'ejoicino or greater tixankfulness 
 
 thari .: 'MO. \l'i hau a feast Wiiile ti'ie articles lasted 
 but - like all {;oud things here - tiiey at laot Cuiao to an 
 en.'. We \Yoro ho'.vevcr the better fitted to stand our 
 St rv.'.tioi rations and dwelt ij: memory on the ^ood things 
 joyed. 
 As trie weai-y C . i::its wore slowly away a 
 
 brighter, more -hoi' efvil feclinc i-ervaded the prison. Talk 
 . -e was almost constant and a bolder and more con- 
 
ri'^ .^jit tone v(;:3 ;s3t'j.iOd by tliosG \iho n. o>;e of it. On~ 
 ]\:l<} ho.ii'd ^ov'^^iva havo poGitively boon rccoivod to nake 
 out paroles :.': ^^ • ♦"""" ' "-^ ". be prei^redJ" - Aiiothor, 
 
 "oi'lors \\cvc ■ . , - L .■ . .- . :, xie -n'e to '.-je sejit to Ricli- 
 •:ioac> one day this v.'oek for exch . rr ?: I " - --.ik-^. ^vr'in anot'ior, 
 "exchan:;© i'..; or;} 'icivi' boon receivcci and are to be signed 
 i'^ once I" - but still v/g wore kopt uiidsr 'raard and nothing 
 cfflol al -Y s co;ri .v.nic-itcr< tc us. Ths p-aards vfere very 
 ifji:- little to 3;iy to ug. 
 
 One da;,- in "^obrasry (1365) ono of the x-cbcl officers 
 c.:c tc t^'o !icoc' of the stairway and annninced that in a 
 vc:\ C'lor*. tipie y/c vcre to be oxchrinneci. Then o few days 
 1: tCi', ■^obir.n.ry I'lf-i, th.c sr.no officer apieir-d, certain 
 ncuici; v;crQ callc f ro; i a list and tlie coinrcde?. .uisvorinr 
 
 ■ ' •- tr.ke;! fro;). t}io jrison. Celievinc,' our ov/n tvu-n 
 . .1 .. •:;. cor.u; v;e rejoiced to think of then as at last on 
 t:;Oir hoi.icwrrci -.v^; , as of t]\'iae chosen some had s^ ent six 
 ..loa'ohs and -n-r iv c;:.ptivity. Fobi'-a-ry I'nh t>ie sczao 
 officer . .., called tlic roll of .11 the remain- 
 
 in i'risc.'iers, told us "you unc is agoih* noV/":..nd soon Me 
 v/cre Marched out and forned i line nc ison. !fcro 
 
 ^,o sLood anxious and txpectant for a lone v;'iilo and then - 
 -.nded to marci: back a-ain. V.'e \vg. :;.;rly 
 
-41- 
 heart b;''oken to resist t.'iou';h the feelin'^; was sti'onc to 
 nako one; wild r^ash and end it all. We felt wc had been 
 tricked :inrt d'^ccivod and that it wris morel;/ a ruse to keep 
 U3 quiet. Tot a word was sf.id an mournfully and in ci- 
 lonce \[C mounted araln thoric hateful stairs and rosuia-: d 
 o\ir old quart ci-R, At Ir st i :, vran report :>d that the train 
 ■i.'c were to have taker: hs.6 not M-rived ov/in^; to sor.io ;ais- 
 understandin'.: but that it vfould stirely bo tViere reac'v for 
 V'A next di'v, Sadl: and alnost utterly disheartened \rc 
 sou'rht to rest but sleep vc.s far f i*o: ; otxr eyes and t "toi' 
 a tedioiis ni -ht vfe hailed -gladly the d.v.'n of ci:\y , All of 
 r>r 17th, \fc vaited pr.tientl/ but no orders ca:ne foi' us to 
 move -ind ther. our voices 'vei-e loosed 3.nd free expression 
 Yr-^3 :-ive'i to the tJioUt^-ht uppeiTnost in our minds that it 
 vr'3 vill a base deception, - ra^d yet v/c had the belief thtt 
 t'^-'orc rrrast be some truth in what we had been told as oar 
 comrades vfho had left iis had not returned, 
 
 7ebrua:-y 18th dav/ned clear and brirht and asai:i we 
 wore marchei! o'lt of the prison, Tliia tiuie there was no 
 dcceptiojj as far us p move fro..i the prisoii was in question 
 ici we v/ere narched diroctl/ Ir- the cars in which we at 
 once took our places. Pox and freic^ht cars, with no 
 -, - ■ sit dovm, '.vere used for our transportation and 
 
ej.ch ca.- w- c i^ackeci c-i; full as it va>uld hold. Xiic i-udvdz 
 were lee." strict thai: they had beon and treated \ic viiV.i 
 iiior-i cojjsiJlur-:.tio. ' '. d showjj us :;t any time sinos 
 
 <} '.r crXi^turo. V.'c ., . .^..,.. ,. ^ to crowd about the dooi-\:,.j3 
 ni:d at the stopiiini; places v;ere also ijerwittod \,o ret out 
 of tlie c-.rs and "dicker" witli the dax-kios I'oi- the pies and 
 bis^CAitc the., eagei'ly tried to aell while tiic -aards stofd 
 a short dist mcj oi T, 3xid a rich harvest wr.s reaped by th3 
 contrj.bLxnds frci thor.c who had morxoy to ^ijcnd. As the 
 try.ifi Moved along, so li;yht wer,- all .vj£ix'ts, sini^inj; waa 
 iiidul;jed i:i, the only time during; captivity I caa remember 
 vheu it w^is done at any time but niglit, Ouv pi-orress \n.s 
 vci-y alow and we did not I'each Riclunond until "^•''ebraary lyth 
 \/'ie.: wo wci-e ;..;::ain mai-ched to Libby prison but with very 
 
 "'"' ' ■ t. feelings frora those we haa v.'hen first GiiLerin;j, 
 
 w.. . .'^-c \y abode. February kOth the paroles were signed 
 ax;d the cfficerij roccivod back some of thei^- valuables but 
 no ryreenbacks, and if .ajy mone,, was returned I failou to 
 i.u^.r of it. The saiiie day a nuiiiber of boxes v/ere delivered 
 I:' the piiaoKera aiid I received two containinc clot-iii.5 and 
 J. pair of slxo'ia, but . .\ some coffee anc .:,' 
 
 ■'cev. sent i.ie ]-i^.d beei. take: out. However - i-aau maao 
 -■■-■nee as tnere 'ftQi-e ;n;-:i. boxers ..rA tue contuats 
 
were liberally distributed, at^d there w-.s constant cooking 
 and feastlnfr froni that tlroe until our i-elease, belli bv day 
 and nl"-ht, 
 
 February 25^d, during the forenoon, we were 
 marched out and fonned in line near tlie river. Many of 
 us recalled it as beinr the ai-miversar of V/r.3hini;ton»s 
 birthday arid It seemed fittin-^ we should be llbei'ated 
 on that day of all others, t}ie very thou/^ht of 
 WASHINGTON and F R E E P M bein- synon- 
 
 ymous!! Soon \e were marched down to a storLmboat lying 
 alongside the wharf, a larpe white flaf: float inr fro;; the 
 pole In the bow, we filed aboard and then an order v/as 
 given, the lines were fast off and we started. 
 
 Before leavlnr^ the prison, as soon as orders came 
 for us to leave it, a general destruction of the provisions 
 remaininf! was begun. Every thirtG which had not been eon- 
 ■umed was piled in huce heaps on the floors, flour, sugar, 
 ttoffee, salt, hams and tonfnies (which were first carefully 
 Chopped or cut fine), canned meats and canriod fmiits, (whiHh 
 were all out open), with pepper, pickles and vine.iar, all 
 were piled torrether and then so thorou'^hly mixed that it 
 was impossible for the hungry rebels, who 3oo»-i flocked in, 
 to find even a morsel which was edible. It seemed like a 
 
-44- 
 heartless iraate, hut ;■ © fell it. would have beon a worse 
 one to have left so .auch to help feed the rebels, and then 
 too were the bitter feelinrg we h^d in remernbarin-i our 
 treatment and the starvation we h^.d exT'ericncea at their 
 hands. 
 
 We ste9jncd dovrf the J'^iies riv^r until '.ve reached 
 Varlna, which was as f-.r as the rebel ho. it could "-'o, e.nd 
 were then landed. Looking up we saw our dear old flag 
 flyin-' frorii the works a short distance beyond ond with 
 tears atreominf frori our eyes at the si^ht, end hearts 
 full to overflowing with gratitude and thanks"'ivin,<: for 
 our deliverance, we streamed across tlie j'oint to y/here our 
 own boat, the "Leary*, was lyin??. We natjsad our lines, 
 piiarded by darkey soldiers whorn we could have hi^"^"-ed in 
 our axoess of Joy, and soon were safe on board wiHi our 
 own beautiful fl»T over our heods and the feeling deep in 
 our herarts, that we were arain in "God's country*. That 
 it was to us always In our tho\it-hts and i-emarks as compared 
 to reheldm. - Sweet natne and now ohi how sweet J as we 
 roRlized that we wex-e indeed there nt l^ist. 
 
 O'l the boat kind h^'^i'ts received us and Jjlnd hands 
 •Tiinloter«d to our wants. Somethin"- to O'lt and cups of 
 8teHmln>^ fraf;rant ooffee were quickly passed to tjioee able 
 
to receive t len, wlillr- the sur-^eons str-cve :o aid aiid inia- 
 Ister t,o thooe - alsal how many - too we?k to eot or drink 
 and wVioRC failiiv stron-th was almost rone. The officers 
 had suffered acvurely but the poor men had been liracii worse 
 treated as their rntions hart beer, scantier and tiieir cover- 
 In"- mainly the canopy of heaven, no shelter except sucii as 
 they could constr-ict fror:i blankets Ox' by di'jrinr holes in 
 the ground boinr'- theirs, :ind many al.isl reached God's coun- 
 try indeed, freed from all trirsl, exi-osure and h'on'-er. We 
 were coo much overcome to v.'alk or talk irrach but over and 
 over arain was the rejnark made Tjod's country at last" - 
 ■flod's country at lastfj" 
 
 The Bteainer mcde /rend speed and next morninr 'Feb- 
 ruary iiSrd, we vere landed at Annapolis, Md., and \aarched 
 directly to the .f^rounds of the Naval Academy. P crc a 
 breakfast was served undei- the auspices of the Ssj^itary 
 Commission and the same beneficent association distributed 
 clothln,: and blankets to those needin'- them. Ve Y/ere 
 
 quartered in the officer' h hospital where we were provided 
 vith ^ood beds, and thoup-h there were nine of us in a room 
 
 
 usually occupied by six we irere in a j aradise compared 
 
 
 with the close (luarters we had been occupyinr. ^<'e were 
 
 
 well fed sun.d had plenty of medical advice, a number of 
 
 
 
sur.'eonG and physiciap.a bein:^ constantly in attendance. 
 Anythinr and every thia;': seemod jood to 10 pffic the five 
 months of v^'ivation cv.d misery. I applied for leave of 
 absence February y4th, and while «altin; foi- it anrused '^\y- 
 solf in company vith othe;- cor.irades b^/ strollin!: around 
 the city, and listenin- to the sj.eeclies and debates in the 
 Capitol, the "nur,e of r)ele;-at08, ef> it : n o;-.ll€d ir. >'ary- 
 Ij'nd, bejnr then in ceosicr, !-,Tsrch 4th, my furlou-h CiV- 
 rived ari blddinr farewell to my comrHciRB I at once took 
 trelr for ?Jcw York, arrivin; early next nomine, I cfin 
 not picture my reception nor tb.e rcjoicin" made over me, 
 nor can I describe my own feelings when af^ain with those 
 I loved so dearly and -ivhc;: I had feared I mir-ht never meet 
 aroir on earth. I was home acain - and with that thought 
 I was content. 
 
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