The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-11-30

WEDNESDAY, nov. -.
-..,,(. - =
m. seuxMnnN 1D1sNas.
s,<eresssne yoesaA1vs - ~ $1,000
Sx1oo0o9.
From q intsryisw With ]. L. Elder, u
Cedar Rapids, Iowa. : private 10 company
K, Ilth Iowa ihfankry, ard a 1acaPsa
prisoner from Southern dsn1Dons. We
have gathered many itsns q intsrest. -
Mr.. Elder vas taken prisoner ct Of before
Atlanta in Jnns last, and was successive
y taken to Macon, Andsrsonviile, Augus-
a, Savannah, Charleston and Columhis.
At Macon he WAS fortunsts enough to OBJ.
tain position in the hospital. where be
cared for the wouaded men Of Cook and
StonemAn's saidsre. Among them was =
Tennessee cavalry officer. who vas 10 .
dying condition. This officer gave to
Elder his clothes aud desired him to send
home his shoulder straps and menorar-
dun book to his friends At Knoxville
Elder dOnped the officers coat, and placed
the book and straps in his pocket. which
served him good turn, a. our readers
will see.
Shortly after, he WIS removed to. An
dersonville. that den of horrors worse
than the Black Hole Of Calcutta. or the
terrors of the Jersey, in Revolutionary
days. Tie prisoners we're drrWn up in
line. and examined end registered. FL
der gave his name as private, but upon
saaching him, the book. With the name oil
the Tennessee officer and the straps we're
found in his pocket The rebels ct once
demanded why he had registered himsell
as a private, and told him that he must be
silly to want to go into the pen when hl
could be better treated as an officer. Ri
der at once saw the propriety OF his as
Stunning the rank Of an officer, even il j,
did not belong to him, and acknowledged
has mistake. The result was that he re-
manned in the pen only two days. and wal
soon removed to better and more desir.
able locality
His account of the horrors of that Del
more than confirm previous descriptions
Our poor fellows were in terrible condi
ton. Many Of them we're fearfully cate,
by the scursy, their jaws and thigh bones
In some Instances, protruding through
the skin. Large numbers, although com
parativrly sound in buds, were turned in
to manlacs by the horrors Of the scene
They siepi IN swamp without shelter
They wers stripped of their clothing an,
covered tLer nskedness with old reg
and filthy meal sacks. La this plight tn
cold dews Of the night, the malarious
steaEing yapors of the morning aud lh
unwhoesome food, soon reduced them i.
body and nana. Many and nany a poo
fellow has tottered to the dead line IN
raised It in order to be shot by the guar,
aud relieved Of his miseries BY death
On one occasion Elder saw sergeant de
liberately cross the lines. He folded hi
arms and called cut to the guard to shoe
bin. The bungling wretch fred fiv
times at him, the last shot killing him an
Two Of the othere, wounding other prison
ers, some Of them fatally. The hodies q
the dead men left Unmarried and under Ia
s.eitering, boiling sun, rapidly turpe,
black, and sweled in the most repulsiv
manner. Eaten with sourvy, gaugren
aud vermin starved, beaten and abused
sick, wounded and crazed with the iohu
man treatment, they still chung with un
swerving fidelity 10 the Union easse, an,
no brlbe vas large enough to tempt then
from their allegiance. Noble heroes
gallant meo ! They truly are wasting be
meath the furnace blast. God helm them
From AndersonvilIe Elder was removed
back to Mason, where he made but . tenn
porary stay. and thence on to Augusta
Here he remained but short time, aus
was again moved to Savannah. At thi,
latter place their treatment was muct
better than they had expected. Their,
are Union men in Savannah, q fact the,
discovered by presents of food and none,
conveyed to them ptitiously. Their.
arc no Notifications in the rean of Ssyso
ia J, and garrison Of 1000 men, mostl,
militia hold the place. Elder says Sher
man will have ne difidulty in taking the
place, and will find plenty of Union mer
TO greet the rs-appearsnce Of the Star,
and Stripes
but like ishssuerus, the prisoners mus,
s'ill on, and they next were remoyed
to Charleston where they we're all nlaced
under Federal FIRE. Here they asain or.
Perlenced at intervals the Kindness .,
Union men, who found oppor,upitie,
70 convey articles of com ort and consumn.
nou to them-oppoftuaities when vsre
connsved ct By members of certain yehal
regiments, the specification Of rh;cb
would be OF course improper. DARWIN
.neir stay they were often kept without
1000 for four or Eve days, and thus "a.
ouoed e the starvation point. The .rebel
authorities weaId then offer "a rr,,r;d.
thee with good clothes aud the has, If
1000, with cooks to prepare it and ! ann
iortanie tent 20 lodge. 10. if tsev vo.la
give Their parole and 70 10 work u a.
auar1ermaster and commissary denart.
nents. Many Of cur men worn DIR
"'.n fatigue and sickness accepted the
setins and are now at work in d,v4,. -.
s Turing his stay there he =.
u 'uicfmation from what he believed
70 De reliable source hat there vs... -"
=" nundfed members of Union T,esan.
IN the city Of Charleston. alha;t ~ T..
eta Of secessicn and treason. - ~
FROM CnhrIeston he was removal :
Columbia, s. C. Here "A - a., :"