Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-10-31

D. On the evening of Oct. 2lst, Gen. Prenti
,. addressed large and intensely enthusiast
( meeting of the citizens Of Chicago, at Bry,
Hall. After a brief reference to the condu
of his command at the battle of Shiloh, al
e stating that his treatment at the South hi
made him but the wreck Of once health
and robust man, he gave the following a
count Of what he suffered and saw while
. Southern dungeons. Our readers will find
worthy Of attentive perusal.
We were taken from the battlefield, an
that body of men, among whom, ladies, wer
perhaps, some Of your brothers, wounded
sore. bleeding, were marched TWENTY-FIVE
miles through and over the worst and rough
est road that ever men were compelled t
march, not having eaten anything since tn
break Of day on that ever to be remembers
Sabbath, the 9Th of April. When we ha
dragged ourselves over that muddy and rug
ged twenty-five miles, we were compelled t
take cattle cars at Corinth and hurried ava,
through raging storm, huddled together lik
a flock of sheep. Had it not been that tn
men had in their possession some knives
with which to cut holes through these bo,
cars to admit air, they would have suffocated
We were taken to Memphis, arriving ther,
on Tuesday, and here we were met by an i'm
mense crowd OF people cheering for the victo
~ Of the rebel army. The men were not fed
that night. We were taken to the City Hall
must be brief In that Hall were the poor
soldiers. who in vain had asked for food and
begged for water, crowded together, 1900 oil
US, in one building. half starved. Remember
it was Tuesday night. and nothing to eat since
Sunday morning.
Wednesday morning came. l Ihad been en-
deavoring to get these men some food.
callel upon the Colonel commanding the post,
told him the condition of the men, and de-
manded food 1t could not be had Thank
ed us some crackers. Cheers / went from
the room in which was confined, into that
immense hall, with all those wounded soldiers
lying on the foor-no blankets, no surgeons
no medical assistance. I noticed at one
end of the hall the Goddess of Liberty. I
mounted the table, crying out, "Boys, rise to
your feet. all that can stand up, and sing the
glorious old 'Star-Spangled Banner" [Great
enthusiasm We sang it, and then "Colum-
bia, the Gem Of the Ocean" The citizens
came running, thinking that we had broken
loose, or were trying to. They concluded it
was better to get us out of Memphis, put us
on the cars and started us South. Suffice it to
say it required some four days to take us to
Mobile-making managerie ofus as we pass
ed along-giving notice at each station,
$1,000 Yankee prisoners coming! taken at
Shiloh" They had magnifed our numbers
from 2,2OO to 1000.
At Mobile we were placed upon transports,
and sent to Nothern Alabama The officers
were separated from the private soldiers
We were sent to the town of Talladega-a
very pleasant place, with good water, splen-
did scenery, and hospitable people living
there, am told. We did not experience any
of their hospitality. 1t had been represented
to me that was to be sent to one of those
pleasant watering places in the South, and
would be granted my parole, until met
townsman, and perhaps an old acquaintance
of some of these men here, named Hurley,
no doubt known to some of these tender
footed Union men of Chicago. He inquired:
"Have you any Chicago men with you? /
''yes, the complement of two com
panies." He remarked: ~, too, lived in hi
cago once. but would not stand your devil
ish Aboltionists. l was prosecuted for my
sentiments" replied mo doubt, as you
left there, you were guilty of some offence,
and left in fear of arrest Please get out of
our company, and don't insult us by your
presence again" He left. Laughter and ap-
plause
At Talladega our fare was execrable. We
were confined in one room, had rations Of so
much corn bread, and think it was quar-
ter Of pound of musty bacon. That was all
that composed our rations. Some of the off
GERS complained of being sick. | became i'll
myself. had always been fond Of coffee, and
l sent messenger, lieutenant, think, who
was on the guard. to one Of the hotels in this
hospitab'e place to obtain two gallons of Rio
coffee. l sent by that lieutenant twenty
dollar bill to pay for it, if necessary, but not
expecting that this generous, hospitable peo
pie would receive any pay, as had told him
to tell them it was for sick officers. But, gen.
tleman, have copy at my hotel Of the re-
ceipt brought to me by him: Received Of
Gen. Prentiss, ten dollars for two gallons Of
Rio coffee" Roars of laughter. That was
my first initiation into the swindling practices
in the South,
We were soon taken from Talladcga and
sent over to Selma. There we were placed
under the command of Col Kent. There it
was we began to feel the severity Of our pun
shment, not allowed to gaze out of the win
dow or recline in it, unable to place our feet
on the wall without a butternut soldier plac-
ing bayonct against them and threatening
to shoot you. One Of your officers, Colonel
Lynch, Of this city, came very near being
shot at that prison, because he could not hear
the soldiers challenge him. The gun was
raised and pointed at him and he had to jump
before it was fired.
But that is nothing-come with me further,
to Montgomery, the place where all our Lieu
tenants were sent. 1t was there Of all places
that the officers suffered most-in an old cot
ton warehouse, with not blanket to lie on
not one There were commissioned officers,
intelligent human beings, forced to use all
their Ingenuity in making bone rings to sell
to the citizens to obtain money with which to
buy the food to sustain life. 1t was there that
Col. Bliss, of Michigan, was murdered. am
told to-day that there are men here mean
enough to try to get you to disbelieve these
accounts. My friends, L am here tonight to
testify to the truth, to benefit no man, no set
of men, no party. God knows wish all
party organizations were swept away. fGreat
Applause l would that every man who
lives in Illinois would join hand in hand with
his neighbor in the one great cause of putting
d 'wn this rebellion. Renewed cheers
Col, Bliss was basely mur'ered-letn me tell
you how. He was getting his canteen filled
with milk. He had the privilege from the
commander of the post Of filing it insii lie Of
the guard. He went from the warehouse to
the cabin on the line Of the guard, handed his
canteen to the lady, who was about filling it,
when the guard called out, ''You have been
there long enough, get away" He said,
wait until I get my canteen. He reached his
hand for it, the lady passed it to him, he
turned around and was going to his quarters,
when he was muFdered- two charges from
the shotgun entering his breast. He fell