The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1865-06-02
Prison Life in the South Capt. AIban'i
Narraiiye- = o.,
[coNTrNUED FROM LAST wEEK.1

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Prison Life in the eSouth-Capt. AIban's
Narraiiyer Nt-, s.p A.
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.
Welcontinued our weary way up
the mountain, on foot. for be IL re.
membered, that / didn't get the mule
to ride. AT noon we stopped at the
cabin Of .mountaineet and, without
knife or fork, dined on corn bread.
butter-milk and bear meat, all cold.
At night we stopped at the house of
MIR. Scott, on the east side OF The
Nantahala Mountains, where we were
provided with ON excellent supper and
breakfastsand good lodgings. Here
again tiled to escape by crawling
to the door and working it open, but
their suspicious being awakened they
never FOR an instant relaxed their Wig
ilance.
We reached Franklin, the capital
of Macon county, North Carolina.
November 3D., about noon, and were
turned over to the Adjutant of the
post, with the njunction-"You must
watch that big red-whiskercd cuss, or
he'll get away; as sure as h-llp-
We were then taken to the county
Jail and there kept until the next
morning. We remained at Franklin
till the morning of the 9th. Our
guard, Mr. johnson, wealthy citi-
zen of the place, remarlting that the
Jail was rather uncomfortable, took
us to his own house where we received
the kindest OF treatment bv all the
members OF the family. Very soon
after reaching Mr.. Johnson's house,
the Adjutant sent him notice that
he'would hold him responsible for the
safe keeping OF the prisoners. He
politely requcste that dignitary to
attend to his own business and he
would attend to,his. On the morn
ing of the 5th, we started under
charge ofour new guard, for Ashvilie,
Buncombe county, North Carolina.
AT night we put up at Webster, Jack
son county. There had been a meet
ing in the town, during the day, for
the purpose of raising n company Of
home guards. Some of the chivalrv
(rendered more chivalrous by the tCo
free use of apple, jack, swore that
"the Id Yankees should never pass
through that town alive" The Lieu
tenant in charge, hearing of their
threats, thought best to stop ut pri-
vate house in the suburbs of the vii
lage. He informed us that in case
Of an attack, I'VE should be furnished
with arms. A few came around and
offered to come into the house. but
being atlmonishcd bv the Lieutenant
that he would shoot the first man that.
offered violence to the prisoners, they
retired and the night passed off quiet
". We reached Ashvillc on the.
evening of the 1th, without any other.
incdentaworth noticing.
We were Immediately taken into.
the presence of Col. -, com
mandant of the post. He told us hc'
was sorry he was unable at present
TO furnish us.with comfortable quar-
ters, but as soon as court would ad.I
jorrn, which would be in two or three
days, he would remove us to the
court house; then calling the Ser
geant Of the guard he told him toI
take us to the Jail and tell the Ser !
geant in charge .of prisoners to put
us in the restroom in the building. |
Accordingly we were conducted to
the Jail, and the Sergeant, after re-
lieying us of everything that might be
of any use in case of an attempt to es
cape, took us to front room in the
third story of the house. When he
opened the door and we looked into
the prison, eur hearts sickened at the
loathsome spectacle, and for the first
time in my life q feeling akin to de-
spair came over me. Here, in q room
fourteen by sixteen, were incarcera
ated twenty -four filthy, ragged, half !
starved, human wretches, all covered !
with vermin. Most of them were de
serters and men who refused to scrN c
in the rebel army. Some of them
had been already seven months in
the horrid place.
In one corner of the room was
stove, and in another q tub used as q
IlNAs HSSC NSlS pilt WHY uilltlCS|
of convenience or comfort in the
room-there not being the semblance'
of chair, bench orstool. We remon.
strated against putting prisoners of
war into suchn place, but all to no
purpose. &'Hhere we must go and
there we must stay until he got or
ders to remove us.
Shortly after our arrival the cook
brought in our grub. II consisted of.
one-half pound OF sad, warm wheat.
cake, and about two ounces of boiled
beet, which was plenty for me, con
sidering that the cook dealt out the
meat with his hands that bore unmis-
taxable avidence of q long standingl
disease called itch. When night
came, we found that only twenty -four.
of lis could lie down at once, so two
were compelled to remain up all night.
We took turns, however, and thus
endeavored to render our misery as
light as possible. ar'
On the fifth day after our arrival,
we sent note to the commandant of
the post, complaining of our usage
and reminding him of his promise to