The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-06-08

|
asked Major Hamilton what we should do
he made no reply, 80 every fellow started
out to fight on his own hook. We divided
up into squads and went to work. On ont
side we drove them little piece and tool
few prisoners, but they soon overpoweret
US, having seven or eight brigades agains
US.
We fought two hours, until nearly one
fourth of our regiment was killed or wound
ed. The regiment became divided int
squads, one here and one there, while tn,
balls We're flying in every direction-they
having surrounded US. took to tree
and shot until the balls hit the tree on ev
cry side. looked around and saw but
one man near me, and I thought it abou,
time to get away, and endeavored to make
my escape out North. I started-got 9
| little piece away, when ball cut pine
bush off. hit me on the hip and fell.
thought was ruined; il benumbed my hir
and leg so that could not walk for little
while. hobbled off, thinking that may
be could get away, but meta squad who
had been in that direction, and the ball.
were whizzing after them thick as hail.
I turned back with them. BY this time
the rebels had come up on every side. sc
we surrendered ourselves to one Captain
Meek, Of old 10. Shelby's brigade. He
took nothing from us but our arms.
Henry was in the same squad with me
Hiram was captured little before that
I saw neither of them during the fight.
The rebels then run us about two miles
off to one side; collected in some others
kept us awhile, then marched us back ove1
the battle field. A great many of the deat
were stripped of everything but their shirts
Our knapsacks were being hauled, so We
lost everything but. what we had on. The,
took my canteen from me; they got tn,
| pictures you sent mel hated that more
than all that lost. They got $3.50 wortl
of tobacco. ..- f#-
| We started about shutdown, and marched
all night and all next day without any
thing to eat or any sleep. never was 81
near gone as was when they stopped
I had to get two sticks in order to keep OF
my feet. I had to do without tobacco ant
coffee. .
| They marched us 100 miles around Il
Camden in five days, and all that we hat
to eat in that time was three tinsfull o
meal and about one-fourth Of pound o
meat to the man.
We arrived at Camden on the first o
May, and were put in an old prison house
200 Of us together, and remained in Their,
two days and nights on one meal Of corr
bread and salt beef. gave one dollar fol
two corn dodgers, and Hiram gave dollar
for little pone. We started from there
on the Sd of May for Shreveport, on Rec
river, La, and arrived there on the 9TH
On the 9Th it rained on us nearly all day
The day before we were nearly smothere(
with the dust and heat: the dust was she,
mouth deep and very hot, and our face.
were perfectly muddy.
| Wa started from there to 60 to CamT
18th of May. making our march from Lit
tie Rock, 23d Of March to 18th Of May, SIT
miles.
We were put in the stockade-a place
enclosed with split timber set up endwise
Our company was confined on piece o
, ground 2s by 80 feet, to cook, eat and sleeI
on. The camp had ten acres in it. At one
time, in June, there were 1850 prisoners in
that place. We had to lay in the hot sun
without anything over us, for several days
atIlast they let some of us out under guard
toget some brush to make shade. That il
all the house we had to stay in until tn,
first of November, when they let us out t.
cut and carry timber for shanties; we hat
to carry it three-quarters of mile; yet We
had tolerable quarters through the winter
Occasionally the guards would shoot on.
Of the prisoners. think four were sho
while we were in there. Will. Leslie wa.
the most lamented Of any that were shot
he was good boy.
I got used to doing without coffee bu
tobacco I could not forget.
worked outside in the timber about
month, through July and August, ant
made about 5000 boards for the hospital
done it Just to be exercising. I brough
grapes into the camp and sold them to tn,
boys. sold some SIS or $40 worth. Par
of it spent for Henry and the rest pait
out for tobacco, giving one dollar for
common homemade twist; SO you Sc
money does not go far.
Our meal was so coarse that we made
seive of a tin plate with six penny nail
and one-fourth of it would not go through
then. was rather puny through tn
summer, but think that last fall was a
heavy as ever was. / never had bette
health. Ny eye sight is failing me NOR
than you might think. My hand will new
err get stout again. am one year behin'
the times in knowing what is going on.
| .s- G. HALE.
| ------- --- .4.