The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-01-23

Jail. The city was quiet, as it was but .
O'Clock, A. NJ, and the time of our arrival
had purposely been kept secret.
The Jail is an immense stone and brick
structure, with very strong tower. The
cells were small, damp and filthy. The three
cells in which we were all confined, would not
make decent sized stable for four horses.
There was no furniture, beds, or blankets
no cooking utensils, plates or cups. Our ra-
tions was maggoty bacon and musty bread
the quality was vile and the quantity stingy
We lay down on the damp floor with feelings
better imagined than described. There was
little sleep that first night. We had no can
dies, and the moon that shone in through the
bars, lent ghastly hue to each face, and
wrought the gloom which We had felt before,
change into something that cannot be named.
1t was wild, reckless, rushing out of every
fantastic notion. The songs, dances, speeches
and conversations sounded almost unearthy.
Every one seemed to try to be gayest, to
laugh loudest and longest, and yet there was
more of insanity in the whole affair than is
found in many madhouses. TIE next morn
ing the walls were covered with union de-
vices" snatches of songs, sentiments and quo
tations, written with charcoal, and over all
a splendid eagle grasping in his talons Re-
belion." and holding Auttering from his beak
+" The Union as it was or death to ALL" |
have often thought of that night, end am
sure that all that was then done was the
struggle of the spirit" to sustain itself in the
crushing atmosphere of close and unnat u
raj prison, We could not fall down in
gloomy despair,nor could We calmly enter that
prison resigned to our fate; so We compro-
missed the matter by having grand Pow
wow"
The rebel officers swore, We laughed. The
story was told in the streets the papers took
1t up, and for a time We were handled very
roughly. The Mercury had an article in which
it was affirmed that We had commenced our
work of vandalism" on the very Jail We
lived in. 1t was urged that We be placed in
dungeons and fed on bread and water. Thus
from few coal marks on the wall and some
Union songs, we got the name of "vandals,
" "unprincipled villains" and insubordinate
yankees
While here, Lieut. A. NJ. Underhill 1lth
n. u, Q'ire Zouaves) was taken sick with
fever, and Chaplain Dodge with jaundice !;
both were sent to the Marine Hospital We
had been here but week, when an order
came for us to be sent to Castle Pinckney, in
Charleston Harbor, and given all the liberty
possible. That Was glorious news 1t was
lifting the load of ennui from our hearts and
letting hope once more show her head. We
Castle.
1t was then in an unfinished condition
piles of brick, rubbish and gun-carriages fill
ed the enclosure, and the bomb-proofs and
casemates, where We were to live, were filed
with all sorts Of odds and ends. The castle
mounted but one gun-a 24-pounder-had a
garrison of so men, and could have been TAX
en- by US at any time; but What will he do
with it ~ came up for consideration, and the
frewning walls of Sumter said: "Let it
alone"
Our condition in this fort was much better
than in Jail. We had the pure air, the
bright, blue sky above US, and the lashing
sea around US, while in the distance we could
see our ships and the "stars and stripes
floating proudly in the breeze. But we could
nave all said:
/" I only heard the reckless waters roar
Those IS that would not bear me from the shore
| only saw the glorious sun and sky
Too bright. to blue for my captivity"
Here the seeds sown in the flesh by the
impurities of Charleston Jail, sprang up, and
fevers, measles, dysentery, and ague prevail
ed. Three died and over twenty were sick.
We had besides the officers, $50 men, mostly
from the New York l1th, Goth and 10Th, and
Michigan lst. They begin to suffer from
want of clothing and medicine, and Col Will
cox, who was always seeking how he could
make his men comfortable, wrote letter to
the Commander of the Blockading Fleet, >
telling him our condition, and asking such
clothing and blankets as he could spare. This
letter was not sent as directed by the Confed-
crates, but forwarded to Washington. Not
long after this, the President ordered cloth.
ing of all kinds to be forwarded to the pris.
oners South. But owing to delays we neve,
got them until March.
| The guards over US were mostly young
men and many of them from the North They
were gentlemanly set, officers and all, ant
while there We had no insults.
The British Press Bribed by the Rebels