The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-12-31

the officers Imprisoned here, and that If.
forwards they were brought % Columbia.
Yesterday they were handed over TO 10,
the contents Of all having Of course been
el thieves. The ..chival-y'' here are not
above robbing boxes, stealing morey from
letters. and accepting brides on all occa-
sions. In fact, think the chivalry Of the
South. Us seen in its officers, is in manners,
morality, and real refinement, infinitely
below anything recognized among North.
ern "mudsils' in the same position. OF
! course. among the former are gentlemen
men who dare be gentlemen in their treat
| tnent Of and associations with unfortunate
prisoners-butt they are the exceptions. We
have to bear. utGrind our teeth and swear
vengeance live ever get the keeping ofthera
or their like ~ prisoners.
" The 5th Of October We left Charleston,
and on the It'll were marched out 70 our
present Iuarters-nearly two miles from
Columbia. We were Placed in an open
ield, without any shelter whatever-no
axes to cut .6rewo God, ETC., were provided,
and only thirteen have beer. to this day,
for over fourteen hundred MEN. Guards
were placed around as, and We were LEFT TO
our reflections. We would rather have re-
NAMED at Charleston and looked through
prison bars and rieked the yellow fever.
We constructed little huis OF pine branch.
es, protection from the sun, but ne: from
the rain and cold Of nights. Many Of the
officers were barefooted and scaptily cloth
ed. and had no blankets. ~ sven If we
had been properly sedsn6ef could have
stoed this exposure better. Our rations
are pint OF unbol.ed cornmeal day, per
man, (no cooking utensils whatever pro-
vided,) q little sorghum molasses, misera-
very little bad dour, fourth ola table,
spoonful Of salt man, sometimes little
rice, but hot q bit Of meat, fresh or salt, or
lard. Hundreds Of the officers have no
money. Those who have, can buy, at ex-
orbitant prices, meat, sweet potatoes, and
some other articles. Beef is g. so per pound;
sweet potatoes % s peck Ga abb s8ss
pound; bacon 81 so per pound, and 80 on.
The consequence Of our diet is symptoms
OF the scurvy on all sides. Ny mouth Is
Sore, and have lost my t3s.e, skin peeling
oil, &c. - Lieut.. Hoyf, q
calnanche, Iowa, Of my regiment, and I
mess together. Col. Shedd'S
hard work, and our diet didn't keep up the
1--WE had originally i,.ss officers here
There are now not more than lt2OO, think.
Every night nearly, more or less escape,
generally by bribing or making other ar
engagements with the guards, to crawl out
on their bellies without being shot at, and
few start across the line on the run, trust
ing TO darkness to escape bullets An on
Ger was badly wounded one night while
crawling out. A great many are arrested
and brought back. Every road is now pa
'trcled and to escape is very difficult. I
have Thought but little Of tryin to escepe,
because fear cannot stand the long
- - A.~,n
dred miles. My right leg very soon gets
tired In walking, and am by no megps
strong. There H. reward offered for every
escaped prisoner, and tie country is full Of
patrols and dogs The nights are very cold
with heavy frosss. and there is a good deal
Of suffering here" nea a ~
s~There are officers among rs who have
been prisoners nearly two years many
no more weary Of this existenoe than we
who have been prisoners only few shert
months. 1t is weafisome to all. EVERY
|1ay or two we have some rumors of 0N-
change. Often ~ we have been deceived,
still Hope will hug the deiusiou. A few
are partially ineane on this subject-the
older prisoners. Several are entirely era
~. A young man, partially insanse, of
in the hospital outside. Ee commanded q
battery adjoining my regiment at the time
|of orr capture His rear gums were cap
tured before w6 we're, but the two with
my regiment went Then 1t did and Lieut.
lowell with them. This morning he cane
I In early and stood, in the middle Of the
room and prayed till tears stood in our
eyes. About noon he ran in, stopped by the
nre, moaned and fell into q spasr1. We
I 9oy MIN out and into the hospital Mejdf
IWnite, talented man, was recently ex-
changed. He had become partially de-
ranged, from thinking SO much Of ex-
cnange. tunay wonder that there are not
more. O1r Government is denounced bv
many lor leaving as thus, but rather than
I sayrlnSo aMy prlncsple, especially that in
/ would choose 10 remain = nrisonar -,
years to come. Yet it is horrihle lifa and
the very soul seems shackled with fhesa
! rebel bay Orets around us.,'
Ally COM mission as lieutenant Co,oro,
is three years old to-day! By vonr lattor.
It appears you first heard was wonnda.a
am glad this was not SO. The dav ~
fore the Odd OF July we charged the rabo,
batteries. never had men fall around - =
so fast. / was where balls and CRANE f1a,,,
thickest and had not q thought could GA.
cape, but was not touched. The dav ~
capture we were behind works. ara
charged by the enemy, and did net lose
many men. The enemy charged on US re-
peatedly, and were as often repulsed with
terrible slaughter. They could not take us
or our works from the front. When taken
prisoners, otter my regimentwas complete
| " surrounded and isolated from the army.
we had moro rebel prisoners probably
double the number) than we had men in
? txE S i