The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-03-24

nnlsds ~ our purity sIcpl around u % ~ dungeon
eses. We borrowed violin, and vhited svay sons O
~ evening houvs With music and dancing We bad
asnber Of visitors and secession. There was
Characteristic rebel Who when be heard he COMMANDER
n hs post ten day that would coon b moved
70 better quarters ground his teeth and with ghasy
grin upon his countenanoe he said "This place good
sssUsn you you ought be glad that you nave such
quarters" And all the while tho dungeon was Githy
asA she air pestifer0us
IN THE REBEL GUARDHoUsR.
From the Caddo parish prison were moved 70 W.
store principal business street 10 shreveport
marc were joined by eight privates and
couple OF deserters General Kirby smith had just made
scy his headquarters and this vacant store bad just
been made tho rebel guardhouse- The regular rebel
army rations were saued 70 meal fresh beef
and little sugar and moassos. There only tin
shop town. and tho tinker, being detailed soldier,
was working only for the government. the quarter
master furnished us few cooking utensils and some
small tin plates; but the material was go scarce
that our plates wore made OF old tin taken OF
ahe roofs Of houses. In some respects this guard
house was little better than the dungeon; for
20 wero confined 10 the same room with oil
sorts prisoners Including drunken rebel soldiers. One
night rebel who was imprisoned in the same room
with for numbering sailor, succeeded IN enecting
his escape consequence Of which strcler orders
issued 70 the sentinels who would let
approach o window Q About this time we had
visit from Coonel Hubbard who had just been appointed
temporary commander OF the post. Ho was very
polshed and very pleasing gentleman. He told me
that he formerly representative the Congress- OF
abe United States the State Of California He spoke
70 the highest terms OF General Banks q statesman
soldier and gentleman. Seeing the unpeasant place
were confined 10. Colonel Hubbard soon furnished Us
moro comfortable quarters 10 ne third story Of an ad
)ciapg building. ~
Shreveport vas once Gourishing business place Of
few thousand inhabitants but il Is now very materially
sspopulated Comparatively speaking tho city is de-
sered Many OF the stores closed and tnoso that
are open there little 70 Do purchased The enrolling
sfcer searching for recruits. examines every person
arriving departing The provost guard goes through
ahe asking people for their passes for
ctizeus themselves required passes from the
provost marshal Al the time VI General Banks move.
Deut on Port Hudsoo by the way Of Aiexandria many
masters IN Louisiana deserted their planaiious and
their valuable negroes into Texas We them pass
ing through Shreveport with their trains every day
during tue latter part Of spring and the early part Of
summer and months afterwards, when we were In
9sxas, planters with their negroes Eocslug IN,
pOs only from louisiana but also from Arkansas.
Isl SENTIMENTS OF REBEL SOLDIERS.
We had favorable opportunities for Aacerainng the
Sceings Of the soldiers who guarding Shreye
port Occasionally some OF them would give fun ex
ssssso. e :ssr strong secssslo. ssninshls but more
nsquerty sentinels would tell how tired they
u the war; and how pleased they would be to see The
country peaceful and prosperous before and restored
70 ~ former unity These generally persons who
bed been forced into the army. We had carry
70 NE gnardhouse from pump IN town. On one
siou, when soldier guarding ,hrough te streets,
- sAd, "This is mighty unpleasant duty for me TO
perform; y2A heap rather guard you home" Another
ssl64Ap hay h0 bad been taken from bis wife cbu
6Gs VINO ma no means OF support at home. and forced
- nght Against his CONVICTIONS. an very hard"
~ said, 'io have here helping tina, know
wrong, while my wife and children destitute Al
home" Another soldier said There several men
ffom my neghborbood who ike myself, have been com
psicd 10 sbouldcr musket and 90 into this thing But
J have been 10 battle yet nor do ever can to
Ars gun We astonisbec 10 ond 60 many OF the
soldiers privately promugs,e similar sediments Other
soldiers would express their Brm determination to
nghi iii death for freedom from what they called
"the Lincoln despot,sm.p We sometimes question
- such persons very closely, and found aimoss
nvarably. that while ,Hy appeared honest enough 10
her convictions they spoke less from knowledge than
nom prejudice aud know eotbing OF the prosperity and
Mberty OF the people Of the North Iney could not com
prehend how il could be when We told them that, not
whsaGdins the continuance OF the war Northern towns
ssd cities lively and prosperous that business vas
- brisk usual few departments; that the
North there great abundance Of everything con
oucve The peoples necessities and comfort that up 70
period capture all the Union soldiers vol
sn,sers and there Of single conscript
- the muster rolls OF all the Cuon Grm es They could
sos comprehend bow such bngs could be- every
ming IN The South is 8 directly opposite.
ACTS or BLINDNESS.
Wbfhe q Streverprt he aesiduous AZ
ssIsio1s iroto few ladies' IN whom good
pse Of heart beautifully blended with devotion
ihe Un,on II would be dibcult 10 eDumersie al ibe
eocd things We received from them BESIDES choice
ahsss eat and articles Of clothing, tbeyaso sect
cooks 70 read which enabled improve por,ioo
our time The Of these generaDy %
Known 70 the reoei authorities several other Union
ssAse clothing and provoos, bot they were DOS
aiosed 10 reach us OF ladies themselves
Who deelrcd 10 see us, when was known that they
we're Union people, refused edmt,ance. But cot.
wahs.aDding the strict orders from headquarters
90 formed scqua Of Onion people.
even oouversed with houses. 10 prisoners
situated were 10 the hands OF enemies, far away
from kindred and from nome, was delgbifrl thing 10
sssl friendly grasp Of gentle hands the nrob Of
osaSts
rHR WAY TEE REBELS KEEP THEIR coURAcE UP.
We very comfortably situated those quarters
whau day 10 June removed 10 smaller room
n smaller building. There rear windows 10 IL,
end opportunity for the free circulation Of
Duoesmes got hold or the Shreveport newspapers.
Every day Two an extra would DO issued The most
Ndicuious reports circulated among the southern
pscpic Sometimes The news would ,ha, o ,remeu.
dSus eght vcksborg bad sixty thousand gied
end Grant himself wounded sometimes tina, Taylor
Id recaptured New Orleans, and that Lee had
Washington, Philadelphia and New York and was march
ns rpon Boston, According 70 those newspapers Grant
I'D more killed 10 The Of few weeks thao
sbsre wore troops II the whole Of bis department At
time ws heard that the army Of the Potomac
sely destroyed corporais guard, and that that
AAd nod from Washington. wo never beard Of o rebel
rsssrse all glorious vlctoriee The language and
iona those Southern newspapers would indicate thai