Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1865-03-23

Sag Capt. Richard Blazer of the
91st o V. l., after creating for him
self well merited reputation, as one
of the most dring scouts in the army
; of West Va, had the misfortune to
. encounter superior force Of Nose
by's guerrillas at Cabletown in the
Shenandoah Valley, on the 18th day
of November, 1864, in which he was
defeated and himself taken prisoner.
His force consisted of 20 men all
mounted. The rebels under Major
Richards number $50, but were rep
reseuted as not more than one third
that number.
Richards posted the greater num-
her of lis men in ravine concealed
from view, and with the Others man
aoed to draw Capt. Blazer after him
until he arrived in front Of those in
ambush, when the whole party
charged upon our men, killing ~
wounding and capturing IL.
Capt. Blazer was robi.ed OF Slo2
in greenbacks, of which tlley AFTER
ward generously returned him SlZ,
He had a lot of Confederate scrip
which they declined taking, stat ng
it w.s of no use to them. 1t proved
of essential use to the Capt. after
ward as it enabled him to purchase
provisions at Libby and Danville,
without which he could not have sus-
tanned life. He exchanged his S12
/ in greenbacks for Confederate scrip
at the rate of one for twenty.
After being searched he was fur
nished horse and special guard to
Richmond, his men being taken by
another route and on foot One day
, at noon the guards having Capt. B.
s. in charge, stopped at lawyers resi-
dence for dinner. He was violent
secessionist, and cursed the Yankees
without stint Capt. B. inquired
what they had done to him, that he
should be so bitter against the race.
"Oh! he had lost one hundred and
5 twenty niggers." "And how MANY
t had he left?" ''About twenty" Well
t said Capt. B. "you have just twenty
more to lose," an idea that did not
serve to console him by any means.
: On arriving at Libby he was or
r dered to be searched, before being
y sent in, ana knowing that 1t would
/ end in beng robbed of every thing
: he quietly suggested to the officer ir
J. charge, the folly of searching mar
). who had passed through Moseby'l
t hands, to which he replied 'tru'
<. enough, we never find any thing lef
D. where they have had hand, and or
le dcred him taken pat once. Thi
IS was on the 22d day Of Nov. 1864.
10 The Captain confirms the old stor.
r of the horrors of Libby prison. Ba
h rs it was, it was palace compare
to with the prison at Danville, to whic
as he was removed on the ii day o
id Dec. In this terrible hell, he re
,e, mained without blanket or GOVERN
" of any kind except his clothing unit
n the 18th day ofFeb.
Id The room was SO crowded that :
IS. night when theylay down, the foe
is was literally covered with men pacl
re red together as closely as: they coul
Ne. lie. One small stove was their onl
lc- FIRE in a room 60 by 40,
g. In the.month of January, ont
RS 1900 conf4ed in that prison l5S die
i'm The rations furnished consisted
to bread made of corn, ground in Il
is cob. measuring about 6 inches by
A. and probably 8 inches thick, heav,
zee half baked and wholly unfit for foo
he Even for an ostrich, it would be di
,n- fcult of digestion. Bad as it was,
Ter enough of it had been furnished
,er sustain life. they would have be-
in content. Thepieceiwe have descri
re- ed was all the food any one receiv'
md for twenty four hours Meat "
furnished twice only, duriag his ST