Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1865-04-13

cars, not allowed "a 90 outside the
cars, and supplied 18th nothing but
the scant rations Hrnished at An
dersonville, Wesufered greatly for
water, as the guard gave it to US
just when they plea&d.
On arriving at CD hSrleston, we were
turned out inte-thefold race ground,
about two and a han miles from the
center of the city. I've had no shell
ter save our biapkes, and but few
had them, as many had sold their
blankets for food pder the impress
sion we were b. IL Exchanged. The
!zeatheEwas pfeaskt, and our suffer.
ing was more from heat than cold.
We could distinctlgi see the shells
falling into the city, from our bate
ries, though none reached our camp.
There was no stockale or enclosure,
but strong guard kept up all the
time. The usual dead line" was
marked out around The camp which
Of itself served the purpose of
stockade, as death Was certain to any
poor fellow who by accident or de
sign. happened to step beyond it.
Our supply Of water was procured
by digging about four feet, as the
ground was naturally swampy and
wet. The only tools we had to dig
these wells; was made by heating a
canteen so as to msItthe solder, and
when separated, the parts furnished
us plates to eat of, and dig with -
The water of course was none of the
best.
She rations consisted of -four and
meal. though not enough of either to
satisfy hunger or sustain life. We
received fresh beef EVERY day, but
in small doses. Our rations for four
days, were about enough for one
meal for man in good health. Salt
in homeopathic doses was served 20
US enthusiastically" The quail
ty Of the ratlons on the whole was
much better than at Andersonville,
or Belle Isle, and in fact the best we
received al any point. The citizens
of Charleston treated US very well,
and would have done every thing in
their power to alleviate our suffer
ings, If the demons who guarded us,
would have allowed them to do so.
The sisters of mercy particularly,
were anxious to aid us.Fith food, but
all COMMUNICATIONS were cut or by,
the guard. A man and woman were
sent off one day under arrest, simply
because the lady insisted on giving
one of the boys piece of hard bread.
This incident is related, merely to
show the inhumanity of the guards,
and in support of the general belief,
that that their orders and purposes
were, to starve as many of us, as pos
sible. No articles of food were al
lowed to be sold us, as at Belle Isle
or Ande-sonville. Provisions were
not so scarce among the citizens, but
that we could have purchased them
if permitted to co so.
The mortality at Charleston I can
give no accurate account of, as we
had no access to the hospital. The
number of prisoners did not exceed
5000, but the percentage of deaths,
was in proportion to the number,
about the same as at other prisons.
We remained at Charleston but
about four weeks, anG were then
taken to Florence. 1t was generally
believed that we were taken to Char
lesion, for purpose Of exchange. but
some difficulty arising about it, it
was deemed safer to transfer MS to a
stockade. Our experience of rebel
hospitality at Charleston, although
in some respects better than at other
places was nevertheless hard to bear.
From continued suffering. many of
our men became peevish, irritable,
and in fact more like very old child
ish men, than the brave soldiers they
had been. In such moods they
would frequently complain of the
Federal Government for allowing
them to remain so long in prison, a
feeling which the rebels never failed
to intensity by taunts and sneers.-
This feeling however was at once
dispelled on being exchanged. Eve
ry sentiment of bitterness at once
vanished, and the sight of ''the Stars
and Stripes" seemed to invigorate
the men more than any thing else.
have heard it asserted by Northern
sympathizers, that this feeling of
resentment against the government
largely predominated among the
prisoners. This is as false as most
other opinions advanced by that
class. 1t existed only whilst the
cause that produced it existed. Once
relieved from the 'jaws of death"
and out of the "gates of hell" every
one seemed inspirited with new life,
and l could find none after reaching
loyal State, that were free to cen
sure the government, because of the
long delay in smaking exchanged
Particularly was this the case, when
they once understood why 1t was,
that our government failed to effect
their release. 1 never heard of but
one man, whom I saw in those pris-
ons, that was mean enough to throw
the whole blame on President Lin
coin, but meyer say word against
Jeff. Davis. 1t is due our brave sol
diers to-day, that man never belong
ed to the United States army. In
my next, I shall endeavor to give you
an account Of our prison life rt Flor