Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-11-15
SECOND edition.
O'CLOCK p. III.
q O'CLOCK p. M.
GOVERNMENT SECURITIES.
INTERESTING FROM GEORGIA.
Thrilling Experiences of a Prisoner of tn e
LIST ID. e. Cavalry.

LIST ID. T.. Cavalry.
Alfred Onderkirk, of the LIST d. T.. cavalry,
Col. J.. q. Baker, who was captured IN tie vi
entity of the Richmond and Danvilie railroad
on the 18th of May, has made his escape, and ar
rived in this city. His narratives exceedingly
interesting, and in less exciting times would
afford material for columns OF newspaper no.
tice.
After bis capture he was carried to Rich
nond, and afterwards transferred to Ander-
sonyille, Georgia. Here the prisoners were
confined in stockade without q particle Of
shelter from the fierce rays of the sun or the
pelting storm, except when the prisoners de-
prived themselves OF necessary articles Of
clothing to make some Sigh screen.
The prison fare here seemed to have been
graduated by the rebels with the devllish pur-
pose Of killing off the prisoners by slow star
walton, fastened by the exposure TO the
weather.
The daily rations at Andersonville were 4
pint corn meal, 2 spoonsfuls raw rice, do
molasses. When bacon or beef was given the
rice and molasses was withheld, and the m eat
ratlOns when given consisted Of two month
fuls of bacon or five Of beef, and the latter al
ways spoiled. The stockade formed a square
and within the stockade walls and 20 feet from
them was an interior square within which the
prisoners were confined. The lines OF this in
terror square were marked only by line of
stakes with slips Of boards nailed on at ton
something like telegraph posts and wires and
this vaguely defined line was designated as the
"Dead Line" the orders being that any pris-
oper passing hairs breadth past the line
should be shot by the guards stationed on the
walls of the stockade.
1t was reported that for every Yankee thus
shot the guard doing the deed was granted fur
Tough Of 30 days-a piece OF diabolism almost
yond belief, but which receives confirmation
in the fact that in numerous instances prison.
ers were shot dead when they were not within
five feet OF the dead line.
In three instances while Onderkirk was
there, prisoners, wild with the insanity Of hun
ger, and fever from exposure, courted death
and sprang out past the dead line to receive
the welcome bullet that relieved them from the
horrors OF such an existence.
The prisoners were SO ravenously hungry
that they would crawl under the ration wagons
like dogs in quest Of the crum bs that might fall
TO the ground.
Onderkirk says that at the time he was at
Anderson Vile our men were dying at the rate
Of $50 to 300 per day. When Sherman took At
lanta, the rebels, in alarm lest he should make
a raid upon Anderson vile and release the large
number of prisoners there, transferred the pri-
soners in hot haste to various pointS-Sayan.
nah, Charleston and elsewhere.
Onderkirk was sent to Savannah. Here the
fare was somewhat better than at Anderson
vile, but they were kept in stoekade, upon the
bare ground, exposed to sun and rain day and
night. The scanty prison fare was made more
tolerable by the kindness Of citizens of Savan-
of food and clothing until the brutal General
Winder, who seems to indulge the hate of a
devil towards our unfortunate men, interfered,
and imprisoned some of the most respectable
ladies Of Savannah in guard house over night
punishment for their exercise of this mere
act OF Christian charity to the unfortunate,
starving prisoners. With the same systematic
cruelty Winder perem ptorily refused the offer
CT citizens Of Savannah to erect shelters for the
prisoners at their own expense
Eight thousand prisoners were confined in
the stockade at Savannah.
When news come that Hood was moving
lhto Tennessee, in the rear OF Sherman, the
transferred to Miilen, Georgia, where a large
sockade pen had been constructed. Milien is
bout equi-distant from Savannah, Milledge-
Vile. and Augusta, Georgia, and being at
convenient point OF railroad junction, the
-cbels propose to make it their main prison
quarters.
A glance at the map will, however. show
mat 1t will be mighty convenient point for
sherman to drop down upon i'll his march
through the cotton States, and especially so
ihould Savannah or Charleston be his destI-
nation.
When the train conveying Onde rki rk, with
other prisoners, from Savannah to Milien was
about l0k miles west Of Savannah, he Jumped
from the train while the train was moving at
the rate of about Is miles per hour, and though
good deal stunned by the fall, managed to
crawl away and hide himself effectIally from
rebel search until night, when he resolutely
set himself to the apparently hopeless under
taking of making his way, barefoot and I'M
guided, through 27S miles OF hostile country, to
ShermaD's lines at Atlanta. This he absolutely
accomplished. walking by night, in II nights,
making long detours to avoid regular lines of
travel, where he would be liable to detection,
and thus he was obliged to make his way for 81
miles Of his tedious course through cypress
swamps. Twice he had to run for life from the
blood hounds used by the Confederates to
patrol their roads. Once he escaped frora the
hounds by darling into a field of peas, where
negroes had been at work, and hiding amongst
the pea vines, scarce daring to hope for escape,
and saw with glad surprise the hounds lose the
scent among the tracks of the negroes, and 60
off on false trail, giving him an opportunity
to flee again.
The second time he escaped from blood.
hounds by swimming the Oconee River, $50
yards wide, cnd the pursuers having no means
OF conveyance across, reluctantly gave up the
chase, and called back the dogs. His only food
was what he obtained from the fields, sweet
potatoes, &c, and what the friendly negroes
(Who he always found as true as steel) pro.
Vided him with. Until within 40 miles Of At
corning the direction Of that place. but trav-
eled in q northwest direction, s'taking the seven
stars tor his guide" as he says. He escaped
on the 18th OF October, and struck our picket
line miles from Atlanta On the LIST OF No.
vember. He saw, or heard Of but few rebel
soldiers until near Atlanta, when he was
obliged to lay low while some 5000 of Wheel
er's cavalry passed. on raiding expedition,
moving in the direction of Stone Mountain
Our forces at Atlanta under Gen. Schofield, he
found we'll prOvisioned, and on his (Onder-
XIX 81 way over Inc IdllTOaQ from Atiant8 TO
Chattanooga, sixteen trains Of cars, with sup.
plies, passed in one day, en- route to Atlanta.
The road between Chattanooga and Atlanta
was amply guarded and guerrillas were obliged
to keep respectful distance.
Onderkirk's description OF the country
through which he came has much interest In
view OF the reported grand movement Of Sher-
mans in the Cotton States, W hich according to
thex intimations in the Richmond papers, is
startling the rebel leaders out OF their proprie-
ty. Onderkirk, Of course, knows little about
Mobile or Charleston, but he was at Savannah
and thinks that place could be easily taken by
Sherman should that point be aimed at by him.
The defences Of Savannah are mainly on the
coast side, and on the northwest or land side
there are no defences Of account aud the coun-
try is so level not to offord any favorable de-
fensive positions. There were very te " troops
at Savannah when he was there; in fact, so
few that on every third night the marines on
the rebel boats In Savanna harbor were de.
tailed for guard duty at the prison stockade.
The roads through the country from Atlanta,
In that direction, are generally good, being
through a fiat country for the most part. The