Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1868-11-20
& Chapter froi, the Diary OF
3. MADISON BRAKE.
\ NEW PRISON REACHED.


Macon, a place remembered with
horror By thousands OF Americas
braYest sons, was at length reached :
The officers were required to "get off
h-yer, and fall in" but many kept
theif feet with difficulty, owing to
weakness, these emaciated beings the
same ones who, month previous, had
felt ali the yigur of mans strength, and
We're strong us the strongest. The
train passed on, carrying eleven bun
dred brave soldiers to inlersonville-a
place Of torment quite as- bad ~ Belle
Isle-where forty thousand of ear
brave and suffering soldiers were pen
ned Up like cattle, within IN enclosure,
partly swamp, in tie sicklieat re ion of
the Gulf, without the shelter OF tree,
ttat OF shed, to screen them from the
tropical sm or frequent rains.
A short walk brought Drake and his
companions to Camp 0geithorpe, where
they were halted and counted. Capt.
Gibbs, the prison commndant, de-
clined searching for valuablea, General
Hickman assuring him that he would
not be paid for his trouble--those little
matters having been thoroughly attend
ed to in other places, This prelinin-
airy being gone through with, hinge
gate was thrown open, and the party
driven into the enclosure, where cries
of fresh fish," etc, from a thousand
Threats greeted them. Drake was na-
turally surprised, but thought that
hucksters were busy plying their yoca-
ton. BY dint of great exertion he
made his way through the crowd to the
lower part OF the yard, where he sat
down, sick at heart, as well as in body,
to contemplate situation, which APP
peared terrible. Through the kind
ness of friend-a naval oficer-he was
enabled to purchase some eatables,
otherwise he would have suffered, as it
was some days before the rebels issued
rations, and a much longer period ere
cooking utensils were given out.
The camp, a three acre lot, was en-
closed By high board stockade, on
which sentinels were closely posted
From prominent positions, canon
frowned. Inside the stockade, ten feet
distant, ran the dead line, to touch
which would insure death. The day
after his arrival, Drake washed his socks
and was in the act Of hanging them on
the ''line," when his attention was has
lily directed, by brother officer, to
the actions OF boy sentinel, who With
his rifle, was drawing bead. OF
course our Lieutenant lost no time III
stepping back to Il safer locality, whero
he learned Of the penalty he had 80 ig-
norantly incurred. Sentries were daily
in the habit Of pointing their guns al
officers. Tn fact, it mattered notwhorc
one stood, the rebels being particularly
anxious to shoot & "Yankco'-noyeI
having had that inestimable privilege
on the CORY field One evening in
June an officer named Gershon, Of Tic
New York 18th, while returning from
the spring, with a cup Of water for a
sick friend, was fred upon by cold
Llooded wretch Richard barrett, Co.
/ c, 9th Battalion, Georgia Post Vols,
.ho ball passing through his bacl, and
ou5 Of the left breast producing almost
instant death The murderer, Barrett.
next DAY was made a corporal, and re-
ceiyed the customary furlonsh.
Captain Tabb, our new prison COM
nand mt, Il villain without a soul, pun
i5hcI officers by the ,-bucljng ana gag
gins" process, because they refused tc
work in the yard with negroes Tabt
secured many watches, rings, etc.
which he proposed to dispose Of forthc
officers He was one Of the basesttool'
OF Gen. Hog Wmder since lepiltcd
10 receive the reward of his iniquitou.
crimes.
rrNNEAiNo OPERATIONS.
During the months Of June an5
July Ave tunnels were completed. one
being eighty feet in length As trail
tor lips betrayed wisely conceived plans
the prisoners were prevented from
/ gaining the freedom they so much