The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1862-10-31

l believe, ny me eHOrts OI uetnt d
gogues North and. South. APP
plsusp.] Permit ire my friends, to
place myself and these officers, to-
night, upon the record concerning
our captivity.
After having vindica.cd the truth !
Of history In relation TO the battle o'
Shiloh and the capture of his men,
he thus detailed his first experience
ss prisoner:
We were taken from tho battle
field aud that body Of men, among
whom, ladies, were perhaps some
Of Your brothers, wounded, sore,
bleeding were marched twenty two
miles through and over the worst
and ronghest road that ever mon
we're compelled to march; not hav
ing eaten anything since the break
of day on that ever.to'be. .relnember.
- Sabbath, the 9th Of April. When
we n,l dragged ourselves over that
'n"uuy shSrugged twenty-five miles,
we were compelled to take cattle
cars Mt Corinth had hurried away
through a raging storm, huddled TO
gether like q flock OF sheep. Had
it not been that the men had had in
their possession Some knives. with
which TO cut holes through those box
cars to aimit air, they wound have
suffocated.
We were taken to Memphis, ar
irving there on Tuesday, and there
we were met by an immense crowd
OF people cheering for the victory o.
the rebel army. The men w.re not
fed that night. We were taken 20
the City Hall. | must be brief. IN
that hall were the poor soldiers, who
in vain bad asked for food and beg.
ged for water, crowded together,
1900 Of us in one building. half
starved. Remember it was Tues
day night, and nothing to eat since
Sunday morning.
Wednesday morning came.
had been endesvorng to get these
men come ood. ! called upon the
Colonel commanding the post and
told him the condition OF tho men,
and demanded food. 1t could no,
be had. Thank Heaven, y Unicn
man was ionnd who inrnisbod ns
some crackers. [Cheers | went
from the room in whi"h was con
6sed. into that iru,nense hall, with
all those ,yos ried soldiers lying up
on the nsvr--no blankets, no sur.
gcons. ho medich! ASSISTANCE. | no,
tic.d at one end oithe hall the 6 I'd.
less of Liberty. moncted the ia
BILE, crying ont, "B ys, risc to your
feet, all that can stand up. AMI sing
the glorious old Star SpangleA Ban
ner' [Great enthusiasm We
Gang it, and then Columbia the
Gem OF tho Ocean" The citizens
came running. thinking wo had
broken loose uT were trying to -
They conclnied i. was better to get
rs Gat Of Memphis, put MS on the
ears and started us South. Suffice
it to say, it required come four days
TO take us to Mobile-making .
lnehsgerie Of us - as we passed
along-eiving notice at each stat;op,
1000 Yankee prisoners comiue!-
taken at Shiloh" They had mag.
n'hed our numbers from . 200 to
1000.
After having detailed the treat.
ment t the prisoners at Mobile,
Talladega. and Selma, including
The separation OF tie officers from
the men he continued:
Bnt that is as no'liny-come
with me further TO Montsnmery.
the place where all our Lientenauts
were sent. II WAS there Of oil
places that the oniceIs suffered
most--in an Old cotton warehouse,
with not n hlanka' 10 lie on--pot
one. There were commissioned of.
ficers, intelligent human beings.
forced to nee all their ingenuity in
making hone rings, to sci, to the
clt'zans TO obtain money with whiah
to bny the food to sustain lie. 1t
WAS there that Col. Bliss of Michi-
gan was murdered. ! am told to.
day that there are men here mean
enough to try to get you to dlebe
lieve these accounts. Ny friends,
| am hero Tonight to testify to the
truth, to benefit no man. no act OF
men, no party. God knows | wish
all party organizations were swept
away. lGrea, checrs.] ! would
that every man who lives in Illinois
wonld join hand in hand with his
neigl hor In the one great cause o!
putting down this rebellion. Ire.
newed cheers.
Col. l}Iiss WAS bascly murdered--
let me tell You how. He wss get
ting his canteen filled with milk
lie had tie privilege from the com.
mander OF tho post Of filing it in
side of the guard. Ilo went from
the warehouse to the cabin on the
line of the guard, handed his can,
teen to the lady, who was about
filling it,when the guard called ont.
lyon have beon there long enough;
get away" He said. swat until |
| get my canteep." He reached his