Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1867-04-05

fallen sufficiently TO render 1t possible 10 get
to them, two young men with stout hearts
braved the angry current, and with great
danger safely reached the building, which
being undermined, was now in danger OF
falling, The family now felt relieved. The
wafer soon left the house. and keeping the
the skia in readiness, in case of further rain,
they remained with the wreck until the next
morning.
Extracts from q Confederate Prls.
oner's Diary.
Feb. l7.-This day our regiment, The Goth
Tennesse, Colonel Sugg, and the 49th Ten
nessee, Colonel Bailey, were placed aboard
the steamer d. A. January, and embarked
for st. Louis, or some other place. we know "
not where. The boat was densely crowded
from stem to stern, from hurricane 10 lower
deck, with sold mass of sad, dspirted
and gloomy men. Such spectacle hope
never to behold again. Rations of the scam
tiest quantity and quality were issued but
the crowd was so dense that but little cook
ing could be done. The commissioned off
GERS were permitted TO occupy the ladies cab.
in, and by the invitation Of the officers OF
the steamer were admitted to the steamers
table.
Most Of our officers had no money, except
Confederate, and bus little of that but we
we've invited to eat and drink without money
and without price. Such acts of kindness
will long be remembered by the Southern
people. The Federnl officers In charge OF us
should have provided us with such comforts
as the usages Of civilized warfare demanded
On our trip down the Cumberland we me.
large reinforcements going to Gen. Grant
If we had had as much courage on that boat
as we did few days before, "leading The
grey lines iron Charge" we could have over
powered the small guard, and either landed
near Paducah or have run the guantlet at
Cairo and Joined our forces at Columbus
In due time we reached Cairo. Large
crowds assembled to see the "Sesesh," as we
were called in Yankee parlance. Most of
the wharf wore an air Of triumph. They
mocked us with the curled lip of scorn.-
They had forgotten or perhaps never knew
that TO be merciful to the vanquished is ever
the motto of the brave
We were soon under way for st. Louis.
Nothing of interest occurred during our trip
up the river, except slight demonstration
made against the boat, while we were passing
Cape Gireaudeau, NO., by some infuriated
hirelings on the shore. Several stones were
thrown at the prisoners, slightly wouuding
some of them. One stone passed through
the sky-lights of the boat with q crashing
sound, but fell harmless on the floor. This
cowardly attack was said to have been call.
ed forth by some of the prisoners shouting
for jeff Davis. Yet this was in the land
boasting of its freedom Of speech and free
press .E.t
After touching at 81. Louis, we started
for Alton, H., expecting then to disembarls
and take the cars for Chicago. Alton reach
ed, we were jammed into the cars, as the
drover would crowd in SO much stock, and
we were soon off for our destined prison
But the bell rings. The cars are stopped
Officials bluster around. The commissioned
officers are ordered back to the steamer
We babe adieu to our brave patriots who
had so nobly followed us in battle, with un-
feigned sorrow, but we were prisoners and
had to obey. This was dark hour to them
A long ways from home in an enemy's coun-
try, not deeply versed in the evils of the
world AMI separated from their officers to
whom they looked for advice and encourage.
ment, the future must have been to them
sbrcuded in gloom. If they ever felt the
need of officers it was at this time. In pur-
suance of an idea widespread throughout the
North, that the privates had been pressed
into the ranks, they deemed 1t polite to
separate officers and prvates in order that
the private could have chance to repen,
and return to their ancient allegiance. This
was skillful stroke Of policy on the part Of
the Federals.
The rank and fle were sent to Camp
Douglass, and the commissioned officers were
sent back to St. Louis, with the expectation
Of being paroled there. In due time we
reached St. Louis, and by order of the off,
Ger commanding, the steamer made across
the river and anchored In front of Illinois
City. Here we were crowded irito another
boat which was already full to overfowing
We then began to think there was no end to
the prisoners.
As soon as we were anchored, large crowds
of gentlemen and ladies came over to see us;
not prompted by idle curiosity, but by the
loftiest emotions of hearts which pulsated in
unison with our own. These visitors, though
not permitted to come within less than thir.
ty PAGES Of the boat, bore about them an air
OF gentility and refinement. They came
bearing gifts TO our prisoners. With the in
tuitive perception of woman they conpre-
hended our wants, and like angels of mercy
they came to relieve them. They brough,
us clothing and many things which we were
nf la t., has va1 hai
snowy handkerchiefs, and recognized us by
thousand little tokens by which woman
shows her affections and sympathies.
Many Of our gallant young officers cut the
buttons from their uniforms, and attached
them TO a card with their address, and threw
them out to some fair lady on the shore
They would be eagerly caught at by the
young ladies' each one, of course, thinking
il was designed especially for herseV. The
lady who was SO fortunate as to get q
button and the address Of Confederate Off
Ger, would acknowledge Il by low courtesy
or n wave Of her handkerchief
Who knows but tho e sympathetic glances
those exhibitions Of kind regard, may have
been the opening scene of an acquaintance
around which will cluster in after years, tn,
romance OF love and poetry2 Perchance In
the coming future, when peace shall wave
her snowy wings over our struggling land
some Confederate officer will sit around hi
hearth-stone, and tell how, in years gone by
when prisoner in st. Louis, be met he
who was his "destiny," and who now sits b,
his side, the angel of his household, and th,
mother of his children.