Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1864-11-10

u AQlE Nh&Ek W. -
i Ocf. 3erH, 1884
ldr. z. l. Stewart:
! Dear Sir:
In thes
few lines'reed the story which WI
Igiye you an account Of the suffering
of two, of the noble sons of Ohio
By the name OF C. C Wolf ant
Mark Neads, both members of Co
c 9Th Regt. o. v. C. enlisted at ol
near Dayton; ssd to makett plain !
will give it in their oSn words n
they related 1t to me.
= ave were in camp 1t Beverly W
Va. and on the oath of August, we
with l9 others were sent out several
miles to the front to, ascertain if pos.
sible the approach of the enemy, il
being rumored that the rebels were
approaching. We had gone but g
few miles beyond our advance pick.
cts, when we passed the rebs con.
cealed IN a cernfield without know
ING the fact. After we had passed
the febs. went on down TO camJ
surprised the-pickets, drove them
away, and took their horses and CON-
ing after us, fell upon us on Green.
brier river captured eleven and car
ried us off to Richmond, which place
we reached on the 2Sth being only
four days on the route after our cap
ture-'
After We reached Richmond we
were firstput into Libby prison and
so thoroughly searched and robbed
as to completely divest us of every
thing worth having Here we re-
mained for some time b ut the guus
of Gen, Grant becoming much lou
der and more incessant proved to
the rebels as well as us that he was
nearing the city. We were moved
to that Earthly hell Bell-Island.-
Here our real sufferings commenced.
We were compelled to lie on the
ground now getting a little cool
without any blankets or even tents
to shelter US from tbs dew and our
rations consisted of six OF. of, corn
bread. three OF. of meat and one
half pint Of soup per day. We re.
mained in this condition until the 4tb
day of Oct ,ber when we were plsced
on cars and started for some South
ern prison we knew not where but
sa we were marched from our pris.
on to the depot we passed py an old
foundry or Rolling mill and being
deprived of every thing like knives
we each ofus managed to conceal
abort us d small piece of thin. scrap
iron with which after we had been
on the cars until after dark we man
aged to cut or rather saw a plank
out of the bottom of the old car in
which we lad been stored and dur
ing the aight several made their es-
cape through the hole thus made
before we attempted it, When near
Stanton River over which the. Dan;
vile R. r. crosses the cars stopped
to take on wood and. water. We
scrouged our selves down through
the hole laid fiat on the road until
the cars started. They ran over us
without injuring US any and left us
to make our way to Yankeedom as
best we could.
So we started and travelled a South
western direction up the, Stanton
river travelling altogether by night
until we reached the mourtains,-
During all this time we had nothing
to eat only as we could. getit .gener-
ally from the negroes but after we
the mountains this played
out. Then we had to travel over
the highest and rcughest mountains
of Virginia which almost stripped us
of what few old clothes we did have.
We now lived most Of the time on
and grapes and such other
mast as we could find. Occasionally
when we Thought safe we would en-
ter an apple orchard, potatoe patch,
&c. Such was our daily
living until we reached our lines.
Such was the account they gave
of their capture Imprisonment and es
cape They are here with US to night
at Loupcreek where they were re-
ceived very kindly by Maj. H. Slack
of the seventh regiment West Va.
Vol. Cavalry Commanding Post he
will give thsm rations and transpor-
tation to Head Quarters at Charles
ton where they will probably ges per-
mission to visit their homes and
friends, before rejoining their regi-
ment. This is a circumstance only
similar to many Of the same kim
and even worse and how wretched
must be the fate Of those who have
to linger for months or even years in
these Southern hells. E-.f
am