Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1865-02-22
From the Trasburgh Standard.
CAMP SUMTER. ANDERsoNvILLE, G.

Again on the bth we were ioteoo ~
these miserable old box cars. damned
in Just as many as could possibly ride
without falling out the doors. We could
only grind our teeth and mutter revenge.
The car that was in only had one door;
no windows, not an air hole any where
else. aud that was half closed, and the
guard stood in the other half. 1t seemed
as though we should all suffocate before
night. We had nothing to eat, nothing
to drink and the sweat rolling off us like
water off the caves when it rains. 1t was
enough to kill an OK. But have found
out that men will endure about as much
as an OK. had always liaed the idea
of a ride on the cars, but this time l
dreaded it, for they said it would take
four or five days to reach our journey s
end. Some wanted to know what kind of
place it was where we were agoing. 80
they said, lit was nice place; good bar
racks beside large river. and a good
chance to swim. They said they should
not be afraid of our swimming too far. |
guess they were not Black hearted sons
of Asia! We should be divided into
squads of eight or ten, have all the wood,
-four, meal beans. rice and molasses we
wanted to use. We should have to do
our own cooking, but could have all the
pots. kettles, frying pans, &c, that we
needed There was yard on purpose for
us to exercise at playing ball or anything
else we liked If we got out of clothing
we should get more. Everything neces-
sary for US to have we should get They
wished they were in our placcs-the lying
blood-suckcrs All these things were told
US. probably 81 that we should not be SO
likely to try to escape. SINE actually
believed what was told us, and made the
encouraging exclamation. 90 we'll, boys
we are not going to have so bad time
after all p Poor fellows, little did they
know what the end would be- We went
on the 9th MS miles to Charlotte, n 9.
We arrived there little before dusk. We
got off the cars and marched about a hun
dred rods westward to big pile of cot
ton and sign board stuck up which said
in big letters, STOP. And we stopped,
because when the guards gave the orders
in their military way Halt Yanks,"
we could not do much better than to
slack up We had been there but a few
moments when another squad of prisoners
came along and stopped a few rods
beyond US. They were captured on a
raid and were all cavalry boys. halloed
and asked if there was any of the Vt.
Cavalry among them "Yes lots of them. ="
Now had two cousins in the cavalry be-
sides numerous acquulntanccs. | asked
one of the guards if he would 60 with
me SO | could see if there was any body
there that | knew. He said yes, if |
would get permission of the Lieutenant.
spoke to the 1t. and asked if the guard
could 60 with me over to the squad so |
could see if my cousins were there He
looked at me as though he would eat me
up without any grease, for daring to speak
to his highness. mo" said he, ''your cous-
ms are damned Yankees just like you. :"
Now he could whip four of me, lust as
easy" But if, when this war is over, |
should come across him, or he should
come across me, and | should get the adj
vantage of him, and he should get the
disadvantage of me, unexpected to him,
l'd-l'd-well, | will not wish any harm
to his soul if he had one but bad luck
to his upper leather. Pretty soon an AT
rican came along with load Of barrels
We were evidently going to get rations
We got three hard tack apiece, which they
said must last Us two days. In five min.
utes most of us had them "downed.' We
thought we were going to sleep there, and
were looking around for soft place tt
lay down, when we were told to fall in
We we're squeezed into those smothering
cars again. We waited long time ant
wondered why they did not start up
Presently the whistle was herd Here
we GO said voice in the darkness. 70,
it was by that time pitch dark. All wa.
still. Not breath was heard to disturb
the unseen silence Again the engin,