The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1864-12-15
VOL. IL:
Letter from Cedar County enldier. .EIow
he il treated I'm 4 Rebel P,is0tl.

Letter from a Cedar County Soldier. ...iIow
he is treated I'm \ Rebel P,ison.
! The following is an extract frona pri:
vste letter written by 3 member Of Co
3D." Gath Iowa infantry, who was cap
tured at the battle of Red River, on the
9Th of April last. Itfally coufr,ns for
mer. statements Of rebel barbarities:
49,. CAxr FoRD. TYLER. TsxAs.l
.- 49, Scptenb, 29th, lSe&
DEAR BRoruEn: .4 , .sa...
l take my pen to write you, with feel
ings few are ever compelled to bear. l
have been confined in this prison nearly
six months; fed as have already init
mated in former let.crs. on corn meal
and beef, and to relieve the monotony Of
the diet, We occasionally receive the
sweepings Of some old confederate mill,
consisting Of rye scouriugs, dirt and old
wheat ground up into one filthy mass,
aud delt out in rstions OF I Of = pound
per day; and then to cap the climax Of
confederate hospitality, occasionally our
rations consist Of shelled corn. But,
brother, / would not have you think
that I feel like complaining; no! for
such thoughts do not exist in my heart.
1t is bu. relation of facts as they have
AID do transpire here. In al this re.
cognize the hand all Divine that cannot
err. Brother, never did the tie seem SO
strorg and iuseparablc that birds our
kiudled hearts in one, aud did not I
know that you often think Of me, Gf
above the green sod,) I should feel far
more uncomfortable than l now do -
There arc norc here with whom ever
was acquainted, nevertheless I find
friends who mo always ready to do
b.othcrs Fart by mo. You may ask,
Where are your com,sds who were cap
turcd with you? They were sent to
camp Gross Hcmslcad, Texas, forty miles
below Houston. Aud why are you not
with them? (Reasou enough.) was
out on q short "Frcuch," as the boys
term it, and did not get back in time to
go was gone four days and three
nights, aud was captured By a bush.
whackcr and brought back. l had rather
a rich time Of it all a'onc without map,
compass or companion.
My health is good, enjoy a continual
feast, con.cnted mind, knowing that it
is for my country that suffer. We have
meetings every evening, Bible class in
the morninr. singing school in the "f,ar.
noon, besides the companiooship Of the
best of men, which goes far towards re-
levins the monotony Of prison life.
Some of the boys began tunnel about
the latter par, Of July, and was of course
a long, hard job, with our facilities for
digging, aud this was not the greatest
difficulty to be surmouutcd We were
closely watched, and the greatest caution
had to be used to prevent discovery. 1t
was ready to be opened some time before
it was deemed safe to do SO, as the nj shts
were too hight. 1t was opened few
nights ago; % succeeded iu making their
escape, when through the indiscretion
of some of our men, it was discovered BY
one of the patrol guard, and thus was
frustrated the work Of two months hard
toll. The next morning, as might natu.
rally be supposed, there would be grand
hunt for the missing Yauks. And of
course the quadruped as we'll as the
biped coufederatcs took part in the chase.
They ran yelling around the camp like
fends fresh from tho lower regions, fol-
lowed by their more fcrocious masters
until they struck the track, when all
dashed into the woods. But the hounds
did not find it such fine fun, as the boys
had used plenty Of black pepper, which
made their dogship snort and sneeze and
bay terribly. About 10 a. m, however,
the yelling in the coufed camp auuoun-
ced the capture Of some Of the boys, and
before night thirteen were again in the
correllc. Imagine my feelings at seeing
these comrads Of mine with their torn
clothes and manglcd limbs. This is no
idle tale or colored picture, but plain
| statement Of facts as | have seen them
transpire. l believe this people is given
over to hardcess Of heart in order that
they might receive the just punishment
due their crimes. Truth. justice, judge
aud mercy have ceased to exist, their
places being filled by all that is to be
dreaded in the human heart. l mean
amoug the leading class there are many
exceptions to this among the masses, and
were it not for the quadrup"d confeder.
| ates, ono third of the hiped soldiers
vonld desert the hateful stnDdard but