Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1863-04-17


and will find one, am sure in the hearts
Of loyal people.
The twenty-five capiives, when secured,
were thrust into the negro Jail Of Chat,a-
nooga. They occupied single room, half un-
der ground, and but thirteen feet square, SO |
that there was not space enough for them al
tolie down together, and part Of them were.
in consequence, obliged to sleep sitting and
leaning against the walls. The only en-
ing, tina; was raised twice day to let down
their scanty meals, which we're lowered in
bucket. They had no other light or ven
tillalion than that which came through two
small tripple-grated windows. They were
covered with swarming vermin, and the
heat was so oppressive that they were often
obliged to strip themselves entirely of their
clothes to bear it. Add to this, they were
all handcuffed. and, with trace chains Sc
cured by pad ocks around their necks, we're
fastened to each other in companies of twos
and thu ees. Their food, which was doled
out to them twice day, consisted of lit
tic flour, wet with water, and baked in the
form of bread, and spoiled picked beef
They bad no opportunity of procuring any
supplies from the outside, nor had they any
means of doing so, their pockets having
been rifed of their last cent by the confed
crate authorities prominent among whom
was an officer wearing the rebel uniform Of
a major. No part Of the money thus base
ly taken was ever returned.
During this Imprisonment a. Chattanooga
their leader, Mr.. Andrews. was tried and
condemned as a spy, and was subsequently
executed at Atlanta, the 7th of June. They
were strong and in perfect health when
they entered this negro Jail, but at the end
of something more than three weeks, when
they were required TO leave il, they were
so exhausted from tae treatment to which
they had been subjected, as scarcely TO be
able TO walk, ana several staggered from
weakness as they passed through the streets
TO the cars.
Finally, twelve of the number, including
the FIVE who have deposed, and Mr.. Mason
of Co. X, 2lst Regiment Ohio Volunteers
who was prevented by Illness from giving
his evidence-were transferred to the pr;s-
on of Knoxville, Tennessee. On arriving
there, seven of them were arraigned before
a court martial, charged with being spies.
; Their trial, of course, was summary. They
were permitted to be present, but not 10
hear either the argument of their own coun-
sci or that of the Judge-Advocate. Their
COUNSEL, however, afterward visited the pris-
on and read to them the written defense
which he made before the court in their be-
: half. The substance of that paper IS thus
stated by one of the illnesses, Corporal
E Pitenger: He (the counseD contended
that our being dressed in citizens clothes
was nothing more than what the confede-
rate government itself had authorized, and
was only what ali the guerrillas in the ser
vice of the confederacy did on all occasions
when ii would be an advantage to them to
do so; and he recited the instance of Gen.
Morgan having dressed his men in the uni
form of our soldisrs, and passed them off
as being from the Sth Pennsylvania caval>
) ry regiment, and by that means succeeded
in reaching railroad and destroying it.
, This instance was mentioned to show that
our being in citizens clothes did not take
from us the protection awarded to prisoners
of war. The plea went on further to state
that we had told the object of our expedi-
ton; that it was purely military one for
the destruction of communications, and as
| such, lawful according TO the rules OF wal"
This just and unanswerable presentation
of the case appears to have produced its
!: appropriate impression. Several members
of the court-martial afterward called On the
prisoners and assured them that, from the
evidence against them. they could not be
condemned as spies that they had come
for certain known object, and not having
fingered about or visited any of their camps,
obtaining or seeking Information, they could
not be convicted. Soon thereafter all the
prisoners were removed to Atlanta, Ga,
ana they left Knoxville under belief that
their comrades, who had been tried, either
had been or would be acquitted. In the
meantime, however, the views entertained
and expressed TO them by the members of