The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-05-07

Life OD BELLE uOno-Th0 0e01e0eOe
or . Released Federal PfisoDeP.
Wspublish tho fcNcwing unvarnished
narrative of one Of the recently released
prisoners from Belle Isle, now recuperat-
ing at Jarvis Hospital:
JARVIS u. s. A. HosP1rAL,
BALTIMORE, Md, April q, 1884.
Messrs. Editors Baltimore American: As
one of the recently released prisoners OF
war, write q few lines by which wish to
draw the attention of your readers for a few
moments TO the real way in which the bar
Southern Confederacy treated US. ! was
wounded and captured on the 9th Of No
vember, 1862, between the river Rapidan
and Orange Courthouse. My company
was at the time deployed as skirmishers,
andwe were ordered to fall back 10 our re-
serve, because the enemy greatly outnum-
bered US. As we were slowly falling back
pieces, I saw a rebel bushwhacker 10 my
righ; behind log. I.turned, took aim and
fired at him. never learned what effect
the shot had on him, but before had time
TO reload my rifle, a bali came tipping, and
wounding me tolerably severely, fell. l
called out to the other boys, but on account
Of the roar Of rnusketry and the deafening
cheers on both sides, they could not hear
me. knew that IN few minutes would
either be killed or captured. I could not
walk, for the ball that hit me caused my
right leg to be entirely useless, and SO the
only resort ! had was crawling, which. I
thought would save me from falling into
the hands 81 the enemy; but ] did not
crawl far before they commenced shooting
at me. They came on closer, and crawled
little faster, but they came very near hit
ting me several times, and saw them
gathering around me and several others
who were also wounded. The rebels hal
looed out, Surrender you - Yankees" !"
and we saw that escape was fruitless, and
70 We threw down our guns, but the most
Of US broke them on stumps and rocks
We surrendered, but they fred not less
than twenty shots at ns afterward, for they
wounded several and killed one after we
had surrendered. I was the severest
wounded one in the crowd, 30 they carried
me to the rear, the rest had to walk. After
We had got clear Of our own mems fire,
could. We fell back that night about four
miles.
The next morning at daylight rebel Of
ncer came galloping up and informed the
officer Of the guard that I'VE all were pref
ty close to the Yankee line Of battle" so
we had to git IN two rows Of Night" ~
me rebels say, and march to the rear again.
~ wound had no dressing yet, and had
% % hop along without anything to eat for
on account Of losing blood. I got along
about . mile, and then Lay down and
tnought to myself would sooner die than
ny to 60 any further. It commenced rain
ing very hard, and can't describe how IA
ngued felt. An odicer belonging to Gen.
Carr's stan, who was also . prisoner, in
ereeded Tor me to the rebel officer. He
soid MIN 70 use me at least like . human
,0elng; After entreating the william for some
ume he ordered an smbulanco driver to
AXE me aboard, but the driver told him
ae had load Of their own wounded, 80
vas out again. The officer of the guard
aen ordered all wounded Yankees TO be
Ha HHeen on slowly toward Orange Court
nnce we would come across. but we did
sot cross any ambulance very soon. I was
Mgged along ~ it were by rebel, and one
~our boys: got into m ambulance after
no. no mad walked almost the whole way to
ofange Court House. lay in the ansbu-