Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-07-30


a few items may not be uninteresting.
When we first arrived at Libby, our ra-
tions consisted of about three-quarters of
pound of wheat bread, about one-quarter of
pound of meat, per day, rice enough to
make soup, and what salt and vinegar we
needed. Corn bread was soon substituted
for wheat bread, and of this we received
a piece about three by five inches aud one
and half inches thick. l give the size OF
the piece, instead of the weight, for it was
so miserably baked that piece of the size
mentioned would sometimes weigh two pounds
when il should have weighed three-quarters
of a pound. Some time in February rebel
Congressman, Mr.. Bates, of Kentucky, |
think. came in while rations were being is
sued, and on seeing what we received, ex-
pressed his surprise at the small amount, ana
told Major Turner, cOmmandant OF the prls-
on. that he had always understood that our
rat1ons we're ample, and asked him if he
thought any man could live on such rations
as we received. He then asked one OF the
prisoners for his ration, which he received,
and said he was going to lay the matter be-
fore the War Department. A short time at
ter that our bread ration was increased to one
loaf, about five incnes square, which proved
to be sufficient.
In November and December we received
meat about every other day !; during January
and February about five days each month,
and after that none at all. What meat we
did receive was frequently tainted so that we
could do nothing with it, and those who
ought to be Judges in the matter pronounced
some of it mule meat. 1t was certainly
tough enough, and to be very old mules at
that
Until about the LIST of January we, in the
officers quarters, received the boxes sent to
US honestly and in good condition, but at that
time the issuing stopped for nearly three
months. Meanwhile the boxes continued to
arrive and were piled up in an old building
near the prison, and when issued, great deal
of the contents was rotten and great deal
more had been stolen. What little there was
left we received. Liquors of all kinds were
forbidden to come in the boxes, and it was
often amusing to see the ingenuity displayed
TO cheat the inspecting officer. For long
time LIQUOR came in as can fruit, but that was
discovered after a while and then all cans
we're punched and examined. About the
coolest performance in this line was by a
Wisconsin It. Colonel His box was opened
and the first thing was the bill of goods. On
CHANGING over il he noticed one item, two
bottles whiskey" He very cOolly put the
paper in his pocket, remarking shat it was
nothing but the bill of goods" and then tax
ing out some fruit cans said that seemed to
be about all there was. The inspector evil
IDENTIFY thought the operation cool one, but
suspecting nothing, let him take his box and
90. Another 1T. Colonel, also from WiscOn-
sin, was not so lucky. Twelve cans of fruit,
alias whiskey, were conhscated at one time.
Every can and package was also punched and
closely examined for greenbacks.
The private soldiers rarely received any
thing sent to them, and the suffering of those
on Belle Isle was beyond description. About
half of them had some old leaky tents and
the balance had no shelter at all during the
entire winter. They were marched past our
prison the day before being sent South, and /
never saw such a miserable looking set of
men. Pale, gaunt and haggard looking, they
seemed like hideOus spectres. Many could
barely walk alone, ard others had to be stead
led by the stronger ones At Danville, how
ever / learn that the prisoners we're treated
more humanely, had better shelter, and re-
eeived more food. The 18th, and believe
most of the Chickamauga prisoners were sent
to this place, and those who escaped the
small pox seemed TO do very we'll
The prison authorities at the Libby gener-
ally treated us as meanly as they could, and
we always returned the compliment on every
possible occasion. One of the officers one
day shouted to a corporal of the guard who
was strutiing about, with one of our great
oyercOats on, "Come out of that Yankee
FHn n,
he was, and where was also unfortunate
enough to be at the time, had guard at the
door and we were ordered into live. We
soon smelled a rat and the offender borrowed
his neighbours overcoat, handed his hat to me
and then put on as innocent a look as posi-
BILE. The offended corporal scrutinized US all
very closely, but without success. We were
then told that if we would point out the man
for punishment the rest of US should be re-
leased, but if not we would be kept there
three hours. We chose the latter, and when
we had served out our time faithfully, were
hOnOrably discharged This we called serv-
ing on the "Standing Committee" There
we're frequently similar committees in fession
for different misdemeanors, but this was the
only one of which l had the honor to be a
member.
The ingenuity of the prisoners was all the
time exercised in discovering some means by
which they might escape from prison. A
few got outside of the prison by bribing the
guards, but very few succeeded in escaping,
for the guards would report the case to the
prison authorities and they instructed them
to receive the bride and let them out mean.
while they placed guards on the outside to
take the poor prisoners in again. Thus they
were both robbed and reeaptured
While the carpenters were at work in the
prison, inserting iron bars into the windows
and making some other repairs, several es-
capped by taking an iron bar on their shout
der, or hammer or some other tool in their
hand, and passed out, tie guard supposing
they were workmen. One of these politely
lifted his hat TO Maj. Turin as he passed him
and went out. Another sirpped into the Of
fee and inquired if thisiwAS the Office of so
and so-mentioning some name that he had
seen on a sign from the prison window
Adjt. La Touehe informed him that this was
Libby Prison and stepping to the door show
ed him the name he inquired for, and he of
course passed the guard without molesta-
ton.
The escape of the ITO in February last is a
well-known fact. l have frequently been
asked, why did not you escape through the
tunnelf" as if every one who chose might
have escaped al that time. In the frs place
1 knew nothing about the proceeding until
after dark the evening that the exit was made.
Lit. Buffum, of the LIST Wisconsin. and myself
then determined to try it together, but we
had been without supper that evening, and
had nothing for the next morning. We en-
: deayored To oct something from our eallo,,,