Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-05-31

ward at Winchester, the Court House bad been
used by our troops ss hospital and the rebels
fired into il they parsed through the place.
We staid here a week and our numbers increased
to over 1000. Il seemed that every old farmer
with his horse and shot gun WAS engaged in
bringing in prisoners. They gathered about
the yard tsunted, hooted and jeered US. A
large American flag found in Winchester was
taken into our presence by the iends, dragged
through the mud and trsmpled in the ground.
This wss the home of Stonewsll Jackson and
the citizens rejOiced in his return. One profane
old wretch mounted the gate post aud proposed
three cheer, for Stonewall Jackson, JEFF Davis
and our Saviour, which were given by the dem
ous with will.
Money had none, but severe cold which |
had taken a few days before. Al! that had in
nv possession was combination pocket knife,
fork and spoon, purchased of Ed. Walker, our
suffer, few days before, fer fifty cents One
of the guards while walking his beat heckoned
me to hin. He wished to purchase the instru-
ment as a Yankee notion to send TO his sweet
heart. | sold it to him for $1,000 sud with the
proceeds purchased bottle Of Cherry pecto-
raj, pack of cards and some other incitentals,
leaving tsl1nce Of $500 cash in hand. Our
r.tions consisted of nothing for a day or two,
and after that we subssted on = light and IN
certain diet, picked up from among the citi-
zens.
About noon on the lSss day Of May, retro
grade movement Was commenced. Fremont had
entered the valley from the west Snd everything
had changed front. About neon We we're order
Ell TO start, and in five minutes we we're en- the
march south. We had been told over and over
again that we we're to be paroled, and now it
vas postponed only until we could reach place
-aba1 I mill haF #
ternoon to Cedar Greek. in the rain, and were
halted by the road side in deep mud, and more
uncomfortable sest than | occupied that night, a
farmers COW yard could not have furnished.
Atthis time there were about 2300 prisoners,
including 100 loyal citizens picked up in the
valley. The un!on hospitals had been robbed
Of the sick to swell the number.
We we're hurried through the valley Al rapid
pace. Often after marching 20 miles day, with
little or nothing to eat The rain, AZ a rule, fell
in torrents night Snd day. Occasonally there
would be a clear tky, when the Euu would pitch
in. to beat our brains cut. The came no rest
until we reached Waynsboro, beyond the lis
uuted territory, where we arrived June 9Th. This
march Was severe and toll sadly upon the pris-
oners Otentimes We were compelled TO wade
the streams nearly 70 our armpits IN water, and
at night, lH usual thing, were halted on low
groun Is beside come water cOuTse- Upon one
who had never before suffered hunger, nor had
walked 10 miles in day, this wAs rough
There we're no Smbulsnces with US, nor Euy
other mode Of conveyance, and il VAS " Hob
son choice q" to do or die Many | am
sure died by the way side. GA one occasion,
entirely exhausted and able 10 20 10 further, as
I thought. laid down in the highway, but the
sharp thrusts Of the rear guards bsyoneis com
Vhara i. q
spot on that march that | remember with any
subtraction, .ant that i Harrisburg, where We
srriyed June Ali. Here for the hrst time, few
of Us found shelter in the Court House, where
We retired on the carpet iusiie Of the bar. Ia
the morning the rebels fed Us after the manner
the farmer feels his herds in autumn. They
hsd gathered from among the citizens l0aves OF
bresd Of every conceivable shape sud size which
they brought aougsie Of the Court House
yard. One By one the l0Aves were pitched into
the yard pr3niscu9usly. The scram1hng an
fighting in the yard best horned cattle. Being
near the bread cart / captured two large tir-pan
loaves which 1 succeeded in bringing Of the
field, minus several grabs. One Loaf Was de-
vouTei on tie spot and Bugler Squires carried
The other until II disappeared, in the afternoon.
We marched y niles thst day, pAssins through
80 Cr0ss Keys sud Port Republic The Port
is small village on the south eide % the south
fork Of the Sieusnd0ah, Cross Keys IS the
name Of the cross roads near by. where the bat
tie between Fremont aul Jackson was fought ty0
iSys later. Near Cross Keys we cane IN sight
Of the Stars aud Stripes, with scme Of Shields
men who had reached that vicinity, but saw no
more Of the Oh flag until the middle Of Septem-
ber When We crossed the river We were on
grounds never before polluted by the feet Of the
Yankee s0ldiery, and from here the curiosity Of
the rebels wss great While passing through
one Of tie villages We overheard the women
and children express their disappointment in
not seeing ankees with horns. They would tay
.. don't see any horns "a they haven't got
arg horns have they" The usual sslutation
wherever We went was q" Ho Ysnks, What'r ye
i5wn ere f0r'
On the llth o. June We took the cattle cars
st North Garden ami arrived =, Lynch5lrg the
same isy From Winchester 90 Lynchburg We
were guarded by the Us; Virginia regiment
commanded ty Lieut.. Col. Cunningham. There
might hsve been few gentlemen in the req
meut but upon the whole, We thought them Go be
s low, brutal .0t Of yazAb1nis. lt used 70 be
pleasant pasti.me for them 10 bayouet cur boys
from the pumps. AMI compel them to march IN
the heat u the suu, unler the t5rtures Of thirst
Lynch5ur- is s. side hill town On the south
Richmond 81 hrst We were marched to the
rear Of the city in small grove. Here for the
fret time We had an opportunity 10 wash our
selves unmolesied. The citizen prisoners were
separated from Us here, AMI the officers, pris-
oners were sent 20 North Carolina Here We
began 20 discover that We were infested with
yermi1. At .drst the fact WAS mentioned from
one to another in low whispers, but pretty soon
all moies,y was gone, aud stripping bare, those
who expected 10 live organized i war Of ezter-
minstion. After a week or so the guard who
we're with Us were relieved by the 4-d North
Carolina regiment commanded by Col. George
Gibbs, which was in tome respects 6 change for
tue better. These were new tro ps AMI had No,
learned Virginia bsrhsrism About this time
We were admitted 10 the FAR Grounds close by,
enclosed With high board fence. Good fortune
fA7oIel cur Vermont boys who were among the
drst % enter, AMI the most Of them 20 find quar-
tiers under the ,heis By packing cl15e the
sheis would accommodate about oue-thiri Of the
prisoners We occupied shout three OF four
acres along one side Of the grounds the guards
the rest. BY knocking down the partition in
the sheis, Wlere We were. few obtained boards
TO keep then. from the ground, while Weber
sud myself with two boards made scafold in
the attic for A tleepng pIsre Up 20 this tine
we lsI received 70 medical stJention Of any
kind. The ieSths which hsi been only occa-
FiOnGl since We arrived, now became frequent.
Feeble provisions were male for the sick, but
death had commenced its work which increased
the longer We stsyei. We hsi been kept on
starvation diet, aud everything 20 be purchased
was held At starvation prices, and but very little
Of that Our rtti0us now became better and
consisted Of -four, with = small allowance Of
bacon, and occasionally pinch Of salt. Camp
kettles EeJe the oaly articles Of furniture fur
nishei US except two or three Dutch 0yens, in
camp. The bacon was fried. and after iJ bat
ter Of four sud water, which constituted the
regular Diet, when there WAS bacon. We re
ceiyed 10 vegetables while We were prisoners. Of
any kind. For the sake Of convenience, the
prisoners were tepArsted into squads to draw
rstions. The Vermont Cavalry prisoners who
reached Lynchburg, numbered 20, and conIti-
tutei lquad Of which was the chief After
a while the squai was sub-dividei into three
smaller Oaes. Here are the original rolls
Company A.-War-en Gibbs. Patrick Hogan
Ze9ina Laudon, died. Richard Barlow, Charles
If blinn, julius Blshway, Frederick Tau kner. Les
ter Green Alexander Hall, Guy Haynes, D " More
house, george Weber, ia mes G Squires
Company B.-Orvis knight. henry Chiott
Ring Wan Dudley.
Company D-Benilmin Car. Joseph Hu.ehin.
is1n, died.
Company E.-Charles y Jones, Charles Pierce, /
.diedl' Charlie Sisson, David B Daniels, Major
Good, BENZ min Rogers died. Willard Badger, ]
Nshorouse Ihurston, james McMahn. fwaiterl.
Company F.-Lorenzo d keyes, CalvinB Anier- /
son.
Companp G.-John NJ VInieriip. Avery Sibley, /
waldo J CARR, Joseph Cartwri-nt OTIS Derby. /
Daniel Patterson, Eugene Bellows Dexter !
smith, Henry Wilson, Henry Squres. died Mort /
herce william Warner y lillian Reynolds. tdiedl /
burt Richmond. Charles Brown, Charles Stewart, I
William WicKwire, died. James Mcmahon, I'd /
ward Carl. Joseph Taylor, died.. Henry Lamb, /
James Barrett, Joseph Farnhan, John II Hill, Jas |
Frazer, Sylvester Cfumh, (iie0).
c 'mpany -tmmet Mather, Henry " Worthen /
Merritt Barrett, Abner sanderson, Rolph Lock
lin, Darwin Eames, Justin Robinson, ames Stew
att Rufus Edgerton, died.
Company I.-hphraim Miles.
Tne deaths are given only so far as / have been I
able to ascertain.
Here are my memorandum books while prison. 1
er. We were put to our wits ends to live. Flour /
and water without yeast, salt or soda. made /