The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1865-10-24
ANDERSONVILLE
NARRATIVE or SURGEON A. w. BARR0Ws.


from the Rebel Prison at Andersonvile,
and made his way through the Rebel
territory to our lines at Pensacola, gives
US the following interesting particulars
relative to his capture and escape, which,
We doubt not, will he highly interesting
to our readers.
On the 7th of April about 4 o'clock
p. N. the outer picket post at Plymouth
was attacked By rebel force under the
command of Gen. Hoke. His force was
estimated at 10000, having a reserve of
10000 within four hours march. Our
force in Plymouth numbered only 2200
} men, including citizens, sick and wounded
soldiers, so that our effective force was
but 1900 men. Brig. Gen. W. II. Yves.
sells was in command of the place. After
determined resistance Of three days, the
rebels captured the town.
Our post hospital was in a building
formerly owned by a secesh woman, who
had abandoned it. Her son was Lieu.
tenant on Gen. Hoke's staff. There were
81 sick and wounded of our soldiers in
the hospital at this time, under the
charge of Post Surgeon George z. Bretz
tof Carlisle, Pa, assisted by DR.. Nickerson,
Assistant Surgeon of the 10th Conn. Vols
[ was at this time acting Assistant Sur
geon. We removed the patients to the
cellar of the building on Monday the 18th,
and banked up the earth around SO as to
protect them from the rebel shells and
shot During the bombardment, shells
frequently passed through the building,
but without doing any injury to the pa
tients. On the Goth the Lieut.. before
mentioned came to our place and informed
US that we we're all prisoners.
! The garrison were sent off under guard
to TarborO. and from thence to Ander.
sonville, the officers being left at Macon
4 Numerous opportunities offered them
selves for escape, bnt as our sick boys
demanded all the care we could give them,
| determined on staying with them and
sharing their fate.
On the 26d gave my parole not to
escape, and remained at Plymouth about
three weeks. During that time our sick
had become SO far convaesc ut as to be
able to be forwarded to Audarsonville,
and about the goth of May, in company
with % patients We started for that in
hospitabIe prison. At Macon the Sur
geon and Assistant Surgeon left US. On
. our arrival at Andersonville was sent to
the Hospital, and in three days was as
. signed to the charge of two wards. The
Hospital was an enclosure of six acres, a
grove on the verge of filthy stream,
from which we derived our only supply
Of water. Our only protection was tents,
mostly unProvided with hunks, SO that
our sick and suffering soldiers were com
PEELED to lie OF the ground, many desti
tute Of blankets.
! When | first arrived there were about
1000 patients 10 the hospital, and the
deaths were about 90 per day. But in
a short time our hospital vas crowded
with sick, and the deaths numbered one
day 207. The dead house, which was
simply a corner of the lot, frequently
contained more than that number of bod
les piled up. Frequently the bodies
remained two or three days, and the odor
was almost insufferable The bodies
were removed and buried by the negroes,
captured from our forces. The surgical
force was very inadequate to the number
of sick. Some Of the rebel surgeons were
humane, and did all in their power to
relieve the sutferings of our men, but the
majority of them seemed to enjoy it, and
actually taunted our poor fellows, as they
lay groaning under their woes.
Medicines were very scarce, and Of an
inferior quality, aud the only effective
remedies were roots and herbs
I Many unnecessary amputatioDs were
made, the poor fellows pleading with tears
in their eyes that their limbs might be
spared, but the uufeeling reply was damn
you when we get it off you'll do no more
fighting" Men frequently had their
limbs amputated merely to give their
young surgeons practice, and No care was
taken to save the patisnt unnecessary
suffering. One man had his foot ampu-
tated for gangrene in his toes, and many
similar operations were performed. The
/ food furnished to our sick was corn bread
and bacon, abou: pound of corn bread,
and an ounce and a half of bacon, some
times maggotty. The corn meal was
uubolted, ground cob and ali. This was
frequently half cooked and often contained
whole kernels of corn, and pieces of cob
as large as chestnut. During the latter
part Of our stay, they issued about gill
of -four to man. The corn bread was
so indigestible that it aggravated the
complaints of the men.
Our hospital was surrounded by rebel
guard. We were permitted to 90 any
where inside of the enclosure except near