Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-11-19
From the Savannah Republican.

Ga Johnsons Island, small spot of land located In
Lake Erie about four miles North of the city OF San
dusby is ne OF the Yankees prisons, in which your
sponde Mt with twelve hundred other officers
euough to De conihtd ara lucky enough 10
come alive.
This depot Was devoted exclusively to eff .ers, cap
ured at Donaldson, Island 10, and Throughout the west
department. while from the east there were but Tor
weight, from the States OF Georgia and North 'ro
ns Out Of gathering of twelve huLdred there was no
officer the raLk OF Colonetrom that to junior "a
Lieut. all grades and departments OF service were
seated 1t is not my purpose to record here the ha'o
Drivations we endured, the iohuman conduct OF our
guards the suerng- underwent for they too re-
voting to contemplate now, when we are safe
again on Dixie soi'' Revenge and modification
spring up with thoughts OF that prlson-the one ella M
Ur retail aon the other crmsoned at the thought
that such Dee done by people wno claim to be
moral Lnlig hteued refined and worse thar ALL whom we
once called cur cCuntrymen.
The evening Of the 9Th August 1862, will ever be
rsuenbertd by all W no confined in that oathsome
den. The full rose thrOug clcudless sky-not
ripple or Wave disturbed the watersthe lake spread
out far the eye could reach, like vast mirror
smooth its surface, and rtfecting the forests that
envlroned its shores. The moons brgh beams from
cloudess sky mngle with the wa'efs and made the
lake presen tie appearance OF Que Vast sheet OF burn
shed silver The picture was llllntabl", rapturous
vnchanting aud brought mind visions Of fairy land
We mad seen the of the cartel for exchange of.
prisoners having been ratified and buoyant with the
hope OF early 70 country and home, we
could look from prison aud forget the hardships OF
our addition il TIE beauty OF the sceue before 10
spred by all the surroundings song proposed, and
with united voices, and melody and fervor be-
fore equaed, echoiug the lake the words oil
Home gain. Hardly bad the last note did away in the
distance, wien startled by the report OF
ket aud one OF fell to the ground utterDg faint
groan. No allowed to approach the PR srate
be Icy right at the door OF his quarters Was he
dead Yves he wounded Was be only te going in Or
5erf tn iron M
tell, the CROW being prevented from approaching by
the inhuman guards. Thirty minutes elapsed, during
which two field pec loaded with grape, trailsd
upon the prisoners and the battalion, with loaded arms
drawn up line, ready for their work Of murder.
The officer o. the dayhcn approached the PROSTATE man,
i'll keeping back the crowd and retired in haste out
OF the Prison. syng to the anxious enquiries of the
prisoners friends that ne only slightly hurt Fear
ing tor his safety, be thus qleted the till he
got beyond the prison bounds The Surgeon next
IN; be was the only officer n the whole Yankee guard
tLat had kind heart generous Impulse. He
Was much respected by ALL and is RENT mberej kindly
by many for his acts OF sympathy. Ii approach
ed the PROSTATE MN, and calling half d. to bis
assistance lifted the teess body OF Mt Gibson from the
ground. The ball, entering bis left breast, passed
thoush bis h dy ard penetrated the door OF bis quar-
efs For thirty minutes from the time he received his
wound be laid upon the ground 10 friend comrade
was allowed to approach, and his dying words and af
econate farewell to father, mother sister ind friends
tell only upon the ears OF the God OF bis hope and
S3lVatlOn, WnCSe name ne adOreu whose commands
he had kept from his youth up.
Silently ard sorrowfuly the prisoners gathered
around their dead comrade and with their scant re-
prepared the body for the In searching
the baggage of the murdered for clothes to subs
tuelfor his bloody garments We found, carefully pack
ed away, mementoes that ens ed our greatest sympa
thy for the bereaved family when they should learn OF
their loved ones fate. Here fob chain Ingenious
wrought of gutta percha, in measured links, lnaid
with shell taken from the lake, resembling pearl with
seal pending in which the Confederate flag was repre-
sented by the ccors of the shehis for the aged
father br, astpin of the material with cross,
aud the Star of the East above it, with spear below,
symbolic of the christians hope was for bis mother
pair of b aceles TO med in links OF the same mate
rial, the links adjoining the clasp either slde having
the device of heart, the clasp having anchor, ndi
Gated the aectionate sentiment " Ia hope let hears
be united this was tor his sister.
These mementoes Of sous and brothers affection,
80 interesting account of their having been rived
out while in prison. and with tie primitive tools at the
command OF the prisoners, were not allowed to reach
the hands of those for whom they intended he
vadaism of the people of Sandusky and the battalion
composing the guard of prison, prevented On
leaving the pris the men marched to the cars,
and while there surrounded with guards and bristng
bayonets, unknown them, their baggage torn
open with violence and robbed of everything valuable
and particularly of all trinkets and charms that the
men had expended their ingenuity and time while in
prison in making mementoes OF their prison life, and
at the same time aeconate offerings to their kin
drcd and frie. s Thus, they murdered in cold blood
1t Gibson, an appropriated TO unhoy such little
things that valuable only to the bereaved On
count of their association and the circumstances under
which they were made
The sentiment of the prisoners that night is rdascri-
babea DEEP determined spirit Of revenge settled upon
the mind Of every one and found uterance 10 an
Other in solemn pledges to avenge his death. Twelve
hundred Yankees will bite the DUST for each comrade
has pledged himself to Der the fate of Gibson and
strike for vengeance whenever the foe appears We
procured black walnut coffin, and placing The remains
in it, 1t Steele, Of the 28th n. c. regiment performed
the solemn funeral services o murdered brother.
The cOfin then placed in scavenger cart, and six
Yankees mounted thereon. With their spades resting
upon the coffin ey drove eff to the lake shore, where
they buried him with and vulgar Jokes upon "he
dead Rebel
| append some impromptu lines penned by 1t. Thos
| Usher iidmarsh we'll known in the Southern States
and who prisoner Of with US, having been
captured at Island 10:
THE MURDERED OFFICERS FUNERAL IN PRISON.
No marital requiem grand
Ills roun his lonely bier;
No mut1 d drum, no mourning band
Attend the aarri"r hers.
All tun ra' .omp HIM denied
Ao fife or trumpet loud,
No eulrd of honor by his side
No banner for his shroud
No troph'e W on ia dariog fight
Adorn his coffin rude.
To mark the stalwart warriors might
Or prove his noble blood.
No last salute is fred Ger
The pris ner new made grave,
Sunk close by Erie's sloppg shore
And washed by Erie wave.
The coward foe may now d,ride
The noble warrior dead
Who, living, scathed their bastard pride
And filed their souls with dread.