American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1863-12-23

dismounted, put the exhausted prisoners
upon their horses, themselves, in many in
stances, leading the horses which the rid
ers were too weak to control AT last the
longed-for end of the journey came, and
we were turned out on the common for the
remainder of the night. We could hardly
be expected to eat without food or sleep
without covering. Finally, about pint
of coarse cornmeal for three men, and a
small piece of bacon was br6ughtto to us,
and devoured with relish. How the
meal was made into bread and baked /
really do not know. However, the Yam
kee soldier is very shifty, and carries with
him, even into. captivity, his propensity
for burning rails.
On the 23d we were moved to Dalton ;
on the oath to Atlanta. Still no rations
had been issued.
The reason assigned was that they had
nothing. Weary, hungry, and blanket
less, we turned out upon the commons !;
confined to a small'spacc by company of
Home Guards; who, with bright but
trembling bayonets, compelled us to keep
at a respectful distance. This space was
horribly filthy; the ground without sod,
covered with pebbles and jagged rocks
Here it was doubtless intended that we
shouldrepose and sweetly slumber. Heavy
dews fell at night, and no wood was allow
ed. Our condition was anything but
pleasant.
On the 25th we received first one and
afterwards five days rations, consisting of
few crackers and meat in proportion
Citizens who came to give or sell to the
soldiers were driven away by the guard.
AT night we were driven into " Hell's
Half Acre, an enclosure surrounded by a
plank scoH some eighteen feet in height,
with sentries walking their beats above us.
We were guarded by graybacks with guns,
and tormented by graybacks without guns.
The latter were very small and quite in
sinuating in their addresses, also said to
be branded G. S. We called them At
lanta Home Guards. | can give but a
passing notice of the Hell's Half Acre."
yet it has tragic history, which will yet
come to light. A large number of deser-
ters from Bragg's army were confined
there waiting their fate also Tennessee
Major, with ball and chain, brought by
disease to mere skeleton ; for what cause,
let those tell who kept him there until
death released him.
From Atlanta to Richmond, we were
guarded by Texas, Alabama, and Georgia
troops, commanded by Captain John w.
Turner, of the 10Th regiment South Caro-
lima infantry. BY him we were treated
universally with kindness and courtesy.
Arrived at Richmond ON the 1st of Oc-
tober II p, m. The enlisted men were
sent tovarious buildings the officers taken
to the famous Libby.
The sensation prisoner feels upon see
ing Libby for the first time is indescribable.
He certainly feels as if he had already lost
all of his friends, and now his own turn
had come.
In the Office of the prison, as much of
our money as could be heard from was Ia
ken from us and credited. No search was
made.
We were taken into the third story, di-
rected down dark pair of stairs into a
darker room, and to "go down thar" A
horrible stencil greeted us the floor was
wet, and covered from one end to the other
with human bodies. By climbing upon
and under large table in the room we
managed to find space upon which to lie.
The rations of the officers we found to
consist of eight or ten ounces oflight bread,
two or four ounces ofspoiled or badly cur
ed bacon, smelling so badly that VIC were
obliged to hold our nostrils in order to eat
it.
In addition to this we received small
quantity of peas, full of worms, or, in lieu
of peas, three quarts of rice, for fifty men.
We afterwards received about four ounces
of beef per day, instead of bacon, and corn
bread took the place of wheat bread.
At one time The ration ofmeat was stop
ped, two or three small frosted sweet pota-
toes being given instead. The reason for
issuing such potatoes being that they were
commissary stores, and unless used would
rot entirely. At times we received no food
for two days. Then meat would be with
held for several days, and the privilege of
buying denied us. The surge )ns left
Libby on the oath of November. Onthe
21st, I'D 23d and 9th nomeat had been
9 ven us, and the bread was of such char
acter that we could scarcely eat it. On the
goth of November the prisoners in Castle
L. l. 1 loo.. s....~ 4. - 4