The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1864-11-24
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.e..... Correspondence Of tho News.
Letter from an Exchanged Prisoner
ofthe 4Sth Ohio--Particulars of their
Imprisonment, Exchange, &c.
2D BAT. CAMP OF Distribution,
Factors Cotton Press, N. o.
October 30, 1864. )su
j. L. BoARDMAN, ESQ. Dear Sir:
The many friends of the 49th Ohio
especially the portion of it that was
captured at Mansfield on the 9Th Of
last April--no doubt are anxious to
hear of their welfare, and l know no
better medium of informing them than
through the columns of the NEWS. u0-
We arrived at this place from the
mouth of Red River-or rather from
Camp Ford" near Tyler, Texas-on
last Monday afternoon, on board the
United States transport steamship "St'
Mary" which lay anchored at the above
place, awaiting our arrival from the
land of our captivity. .-|t... .say1
To give you history in full, of our
capture, is more than I shall attempt
to do. You have no doubt been in
formed long since Of the circumstances
attending it. After we were made
prisoners we were marched off in the
direction of "Camp Ford" where we
arrived on the 18th day of April, dis
tant from the battle field Of Mansfield
about 140 miles. We anticipated du-
ring our march to the Prison Camp, that
upon our arrival there we would find
comfortable quarters in whichto rest
our weary frames. In that, however,
we were sadly disappointed. We found
lot, consisting of about seven -acres'
enclosed by fence some eight or nine
5 feet in height, made of pine timber OF :
about a foot in diameter, split and pla-
I ced or end, two or three feet buried in
# the ground, and no shelter whatever ex-
4 cept the friendly boughs of few lofty
$ oaks and pines, which had been left
n standing for a shade for the few prison.
d ers who were confined there before our
Z arrival.
d Col. R. T. P. Allen, of the 18th Tex
# as Infantry, who commanded the camp;
J. seemed to show some disposition to
a make US comfortable, by allowing us to
l. go to the neighboring forest under the
escort of guard, to procure brush and
d poles, of which we constructed rude hoV-
els that served to protect US partially
from the storm. We had great difficult
ty, however, in getting axes to cut the
timber with. The Confederate Govern
ment were either unwilling or unable to
furnish sufficient number to supply
= the Camp. Our Company bought one,
for which we paid S12 in "green backs"
moderate price for such articles in
cDixie."
Col. Allen did not remain long in
command of the Camp after our arrival,
but was succeeded by 1t. Col. j. P. Bor-
der, man of little principle and less
brains. He cared but little how the
prisoners Jared. He but seldom made
., . his appearance in Camp amongst them.
He left or entrusted all to his Adj't, who
- was considered by the prisoners to be tho
~ "meaneSt man out" At Roll-eall, which
- took place every morning at o'clock,
prisoners who were unable to stand upon
- their feet during the time would take
= their stools out, and while standing up
on them he would pass in their rear aud
}" kick them from under them, and with
his revolver, which he always carried in
At his hand while in Camp, would strike
IT, them upon the head and force them to
le stand upon their feet, when they were
actually unable. Many were the threats
that were pronounced against him. To
at use a common expression, "his hide will
| not hold shucks" should he ever fall in :
At to the hands Of any of the men who were
re prisoners in Camp Ford during bis reign.
~ We suffered very much on account Of
rations. They pretended to issue one
," and quarter lbs. of corn meal and one
lb. of fresh beef per day to the man,
but they seldom ever did it. Our al
se lOwance, as a general thing, was 4 of q
ID 10. of coarse meal and from to 4 of a
| ID. of beef and ON several occasions
ct they issued in place of coru meal,
in chopped rye" Inferior to that fed by
lr the farmers of Ohio to their horses.
ye Twice they issued sheIled corn, and we
"a we're compelled to live upon that unless
s. we were fortunate enough to have mon
IN ey, and then it was only sometimes We
to could buy meal. / have knoyR corn
IN meal sell at 81 per pint or s64 per
s bushel, in "Grsenbacks," which Was
he equal to $500 in Confederate currspoy.
it The Paroling officer arrived from
=" Shreveport at Camp Ford on the 2slh
l. !,s 55i I'D ..aa