The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-10-25

the door, il was announced to the men that
their General was coming to pay them visit,
and oh! if ever beheld sight upon earth that
made me feel sad, it was when I entered thst
hospital. There lay over one hundred Of those
brave suffering soliiers-some dying with va
rious diseases, and many of them, although it
was two months and half since they were
wounded at Shiloh, yet wore upon their backs
the foul and bloody shirts they had brought
from that field, never having been furnished
change went among them and took them by
the hand. They cried-I cried Col Gedoes
cried, and could curse the man that would not
cry [Cheers1 found that hospital swarming
with vermin. found my soldiers lying there on
pallets Of hay, between boards set upon the
edge, with none to take care of them save those
OF their own number who had partially recover
ed. turned upon my heel after copveIsing with
them and said, "boys, will do something for
you" l went to the city, and then found two
men from Chicago-married men. They dare
not tell me they we're Union men, but knew
they were. went into the hotel. As passed
through the hall Hooked to the top of the stairs,
and there were two ladies CRYING. l knew them;
approached them and told them the condition OF
our soldiers, and they generously gave me two
hundred and fifty dollars to relieve those unfor-
tunate men. God bless them! TImmese cheers
One of those men took the cars with me, and we
came fifty miles together. He talked secesh and
talked Union all the time, but during the con-
versation remarked gently, general, how are
you off for funds?" 81 have not red cent
was my answer. He slipped into my hand
twenty five dollars which I divided with my
fellow-oficers. Renewed cheers. Many OF
those men in that hospital died, but let me say
in behalf of those ladies. that afternoon they
visited them, taking with them scissors, clothing
and other things necessary for the soldiers. They
trimmed their hair, they furnished them with
clean clothing and bedding, washed their soled
and wounded limbs and took as tender care OF
them as if they had been their own children
To night large majority of those soldiers are
living, and, thank Heaven, are on their way
home. Applause
Go a little farther with me in the prison his
tory. Go to Macon and there you will find l,
200 or 1900 private soldiers, all confined in one
great crowd, among them lieuteants and other
officers
may be permitted to mention Lieut.. Cotton
of Michigan, and the Rev. Mr.. Dean, leutep-
ant of one of the Ohio regiments Those officers
concluded it was their duty to escape They
made the endeavor, were caught, and brought
back, chained together by log chain around
their necks, padlocked at that. They were
marched through the streets, driven to prison
and kept there for several weeks in that condi-
ton Tender footed Union men, what do YOU
think of that? Can you still apologize for them
and say, "compromise with these people ~
[Applause.] Let me tell you, the Southern men
don't want to compromise. You desire to give
these people what they dispise. They say def
antIy, they won't come back and you can't make
them come back. say we can. Let US do it.
TGreat cheers.
Go little further. Take Lieut.. Ford, one of
my own officers. He endeavored to escape, and
what was his treatment? A pack of those in
fernal bloodhounds was sent after him. He was
caught and dragged back with handouts upon
him. He got those handouts, brought them
home with him, and has them tonight. Let me
come nearer home l, too, was prosecuted like
the rest I thought it was nv duty to attempt
20 escape. Col Geddes thought it was bis duty.
Twenty-Five others thought likewise, and we
concluded we would escape. We were caught
in the endeavor. Ten of US were confined in
dungeon sixteen feet square, with an apartment
only six inches wide to admit the light. We
thought we could bring away some token of
those bitter days. We procured file and fled
off the chain-the felon's chain-that hung to
the floor, dividing the links among the different
officers Here is mine. The audience greeted
the display of the iron link exhibited by the
General I shall carry it from this time on
through the war. ! shall have it fastened to my
saddle, and every time l enter an engagement
with the enemy ! will look again at the ring
which helped to file from the chain of our dun
geon, and as l examine it more closely will
learn to hate any mar in our land who will not
lend hand and heart in putting down this rebel.
lion. Great cheering
Go with me to Madison prison. Colonel Ged
des says we Jared worse than any other. say
there is no difference among them. Laughter
At Madison hundred and fifteen of Us were
placed in one room. Fortunately TOR US that
that man, Captain Gregg who sits by me here,
and whom l respect and love, had been sent to
Washington He drew for US two months pay,
sending portion to our families and portion
to US. We received the money gladly. He
would not take his parole, but returned to cap
tivity to suffer with u.s. God bless Capt. Gregg
Applause, and cries of Lets see him-let as
see him. [Captain Gregg being led forward
bv Gen. Prentiss, was received with storm OF
cheers That man kept us from starving. We
were not permitted to have anything but the "a
! tions that we've issued to the common soldiers,
and but half rations at that The time had
allotted TO speak to YOU is nearly expired. Cries
Of ego on" "go on" and applause. II should
talk to you until to morrow night could not
tell you the half of the long story of that imprs
onment. At Madison prison, We were placed
under the charge of one w. l.. Calhoun,th most
contemplate wretch that now sets foot upon
Southern soil. One of my purposes in coming
home was to talk of Calhoun and his sympathi-
ze-s here. When l wanted provisions, when
! oil nfhon them
being sick and in want of medicine, when our
money was all gone, ard Capt Gregg had not yet
returned, had watch present which l Of
tered to sell. mo, sir" says Calhoun, ''you
can't do it." 1 said, ''pefmit one of your bank
eIs to come down here, and let me negotiate q
loan" "You can't do that" Then said, Twill
you permit. one OF your officers to borrow some
money that may relieve these men?' Cant
do tits contrary to oar rules" got lieu
teuan, to take that watch and cham, worth at
! east $780, and sell il For me He obtained for
it the pitiiul sum of 1920, in Confederate scrip,
and with that we purchased proyisions. As soon
I hanover as it was found We had a little money