American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-04-12

obout 400. That evening we we're taken
to Petersburg, aud kept on hill in the
outskirts of the city; it trained very hard
during the night We woke up the next
morning very tired, wet apd hungry ;
some of the officials came around and ne
asked for something to eat: aud received
an answer that we would get nothing to
| eat until we got to Richmond. They or
dered us to fall in lines, and march to an
Island below the city in the Appomattox
river, which we didz-there we had to go
through our first searching, preparatory
to entering upon our prison life. There
they took all the blankets, both wollen
and gum, from US; our haversacks, knives,
forks, spoons, and tin cups. From there
we were taken to the depot, and shipped
to Richmond, and then we were put into
old Libby prison. | looked around and
everything looked natural to me, for I
had the pleasure of spending six long
weary months there in 1862. | discov-
cred there was as many inhabitants in
then, as there was in '62, for it is place
that is very thickly populated, whether
there is any Yankees there or not. We
had not been in there over two hours,
when up steps Confederate officer and
told us all that lad any money-cither
Green backs or Northern State money
to the clerk, with our name, company and
regiment, and when we were released, we
would receive it, And any money that
was found upon our persons when we we're
searched, would be coniscated and a
great many give up their money. We
we're then taken dowa stairs and search
ed, one by one, we were stripped entire
ly naked, and every seam.and pocket
about our clothes. were thoroughly search
ed. All money, iewelry, and watches,
were taken away from US. After that
we received something to eat, little
cora bread and some beans. From Libby
we moved to Salisbury, N. c. There we
were put into the stGckade. 1t is an en-
closure, containing about five acres, laid
off in the shape of triangle, surround
ed by a board fence, twelve feet in height
Just inside Of the tence is dead line 6
feet vide and 6 feet deep, and the inten,.
tion of the line is this: SO far shall you
come Yankee, and no further For the
first three weeks after we were put in
there, our rations was about 10 ounces of
wheat bread, with a small piece of beef,
or three tablespoons of molasses, for one
days rations. Had we still received that
kind, we would have Jared well, but they
quit giving us that; and for. awhile fed
Us on surgam bread, which we got 10 OF.
a day Surgam bread is made out of su-
gar cane seed but in a short time that
played out, and then came that very heal
thy and palatablc diet-best known to
prisoners of war as corn cobb, and al
when l say ALL include the dirt, and
some which is in the cobb. There we
were, in that miserable, low, marshy
ground, withoNt any shelter, no blankets
or overcoats and with nothing to eat
but this meal, and that without one par
ticlc of salt. 1t made no difference how
near or dear a friend was confined IN there
Eiti you, you could offer them nothing to
relieve their sufferings, but your sympa-
thy.
1t was on the 9th day of October that
we were counted, and there was 9,947
men in the stockade. From that date up
till the morning We w9re released which
was the 22nd day Of February 1866
there was 5,32T of those men died from
nothing but starvation and exposure. The
constant use of no food but the chopped
corn we got, brought on diarahea, and
there appeared to be no remedy for it
scarcely; and lying upon the ground
without any covering, brought on Ty-
phoid Pneumomonia, over which all the
Iaedical treatment that could be brought
to bear upon it, availed nothing. | wit
messed hundreds Of my companions dy-
ing, and | never saw one dying who ap-
peared to suffer any pain--all died very
easy death. | have Witnessed scenes Of
suffering in the stockade which l hope
to God, never to witness again. have
seen men gather up stuff lying on the
ground, and eat it, which know no swine
would eat And why Because life is
dear at ali times And what more hor-
rib1e death could be than starving to
death. | have seen men who were so
weak that they could not get off their
backs, beg of me and other ones, for God
sYke, to get them something to eat t; and
often have asked myself the qucs ton,
where in the name of God will |, or can
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