The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-04-28
[Br OUR OWN SPECIAL REroRrnR.l
Trial of Major John Il. Gee.

oisonai-"as entlIIed TO double rations, but neve
got them-got usually Is Id. flour or lb. cor,
meal ana n 10. beef or g h. bacon-others il
the arsenal got the same-went without ration
! several lmcs-lumber was scarce-12 or IA of tn,
carpenters had to stop work for want of lumber
we made some axes, but could not finish them TO
want of steel
Had seen prisoners buying provisions both at til,
wood yard and the creek, also when they went t.
inc wells In the toyn-never saw them prohibited
| from ouylng-had also traded with them himself
CROSS EXAMINED.
we used pine lumber at the arsenal brought
down the w. N. G. Railroad-each carpenter
lurhlshed his own tools-never saw anything pr
soners had bought taken from them-the time Of
greatest scarcity was about two weeks in Novem
Der, but there was never enough.
BY THE COURT
We were said to be entitled to double rations-
don't know what the legal rations were-don't
Know whether double rations meant twice the
usual amount or merely an increase of it.
James Campbell, jr., sworn-residence West
Troy N Y, was a soldier in the 43d N Y Infan-
try-captured September 9Th, 1S64went to Sails
bury 18th October-whcn arrived got about 1 10.
good wheat bread and pint of soup-had Jared
very badly at Danville prison, before coming to
Salisbury-was appointed clerk by Mr. Lyerly-
assisted to keep the prison register-remained
inside the prison till 18th November-then pa
rolled outside and stayed at headquarters-while
inside, messed with the sergeant-majors of divi-
sions-ten of them-had meat three times week
and good bread-often had more than we needed,
and gave some to prisoners in the yard-had
plenty of fuel-sometimes had to come down to
sorghum, butthen we had grease to fry our bread
in-had tripe sometimes, but didn't like trlpe
much-got water from the wells or from the
creek-sometimes forged a pass and got water
from the hospital well-dutics were the same after
being paroed outside. Witness gave form of
parole as written by d. P. Lewis, Il paroled pri-
soner, who acted as assistant clerk with witness
and Moses Palmer-a printed form was adopted
and signed about the last of November. Witness
exhibited blank form of these paroles.l All the
prisoners paroled by Maj Morfitt signed these
paroles, with Il clause added by which the prison
ers agreed to be shot, if they attempted to escape
and were recaptured-thinllsM ortitt paroled some
without Maj. Gees knowledge-Gec objected to
the form of Moritts paroles, and said it was like
making man swear away his own life
After going out, witness, with Palmer and
Lewis slept in Morftt's office, which was under
Maj. Gees offlce-drew his rations from the cook
house while inside the prison-drew raw rations
outside-was allowed by parole to go into the
night-Maj. Gee knew it-saw Maj. Gee every day
but had no ,iirect business with him-he some
times came into the room where we stay cd
always knocked before entering-was always
courteous.
Have known persons to make gifts to prisoners
"a man from Gold Hill gave money and Il blanket
to prisoner from Pennsylvania-knows of no
case of refusal to persons to give things to pri-
soners-prisoners were generally brought to head
quarters to sec those who wished to see them
sometimes the officials took things in to prisoners.
The outbreak was on 25th or 9th of November
witness was in the office at NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ed out and saw missiles flying over the wall-was
advised not to go out on the parapet-went up
into Maj. Gees room and looked out at the win
dow-saw the prisoners running in various direc
tions seeking cover-cannons were fired before he
got to the window-saw Capt. Fuqua at the gun
at the north anglc-saw Maj. Gee the ground
near the small bake house-heard the order to
cease iring-Maj. Gee had his hands raised, earn
estly. Does not think the firing lasted more than
five minutes-saw citizens come up with arms,
apparently anxious to tiIe-the last shot he
fired was by Victor Kirk, yankee deserter, who
fired after the order to cease. The 6Sth \. c.
regiment at the depot when the firing begun,
and came running to the prison, but did not ar
rive till firing ceased-they appeared very anxious
TO fire on the prisoners-saw of the guard fall
from the platform at the gate-don't know that
he fell from a shot, or from lodging the missiles
could not the water-gate-the cannon
not fired after he saw Fuqua-saw the effects of
the cannon shot in the tents-they were strucK
near the top; the gun shot too high.
Maj. Gee cap with glazed cover, gray
roundabout, with a star on the collar, blue pants
without lace, wore no sabre-never him
oil hat limo.
wore an overcoat-he was not particularly careful
in dress. "A dark overcoat, shaggy on one side,
dark mixed on the other worn either side out,
was shown witness. That is the identical coat
worn sometimes by Maj. Gee at the prison; he
wore other.
Witness sick while at Salisbury; hal the
best medical attendance-on conyalescng he was
invited by Mr. Kern to go to his house in the
country-Maj. Gee refused to allow him to go at
first but afterward approved his application, and
witness went and remained about month until
the prisoners left Salisbury.
Witness the piacards mentioned, as
being posted in the prison for recruits. Had seen
Maj Gee sometimes with the officers who came to
recruit. On one occasion an American volunteer
ed, who, on discovery, was handled roughly by
the officer, when Maj. Gee interfered to prevent
it. The recruits foreigners, Irish, French
Gee say that he would not allow the prisoners
treated roughly-that the rights of prisoners were
sacred-tha' they might escape if they could and
it was his business to keep them if he could A
prisoner named Bracket frequently went out of
the prison and returned-Maj. Gee put Il stop to
it when he found it out-heard Maj. Gee order a
prisoner to be fed from the cook house, on being
recaptured and brought in after being out three
weeks.
TWitness gave other instances of Maj. Gees
kind treatment of prisoners, and described the
manner of the escape of many.] There was U.
s. flag that brought out of the prison, which
was festooned around the bed of WITT ess-sup-
poses Maj Gee saw it, as it was right in front of
the door describes the kind of troops on guard
at Salisbury Also, the palisade, substantially as
testified to by other witnesses.
There was plan for escape before the witness
went outside, and clubs and other missiles were
preparcd-did not think his parole required him