Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1875-09-11

News reached us one day that they were
going to commence exchanging prison,rs.
This was glorious news to us but some
doubted it very much, as that was always
the cry when they were going to move us
from one place to another. 1t was policy
for them to do this, for if the boys thought
they were going home they would have
considerably less trouble guarding them on
the road, as none Of them would try to cs-
cape. They SAID we would be exchanged
at a fort which the Yankees occupied nine
miles below Savannah, called, think, Font
Pulaski. This gave their tale, as we
thought, quite an air Of plausiblity. was
in the first squad that left Andersonvilc on
the sth day of September, 1864, having
been there since about the list of March,
1864. We were formed in line in front of
Wirz's head quarters. They were count
ing us when old Wirz came out and ap
preached me, saying, We'll, Ransom, you
are going home now good-by, and when
y
home" He said this in loud tone and it
had the desired effect We were all sure
then we were going home.
| must relate miracle that occurred in
Andcrsonvillc. The water was very filthy.
A great many had diggcd wells in the
sand, and they would sometimes cave in.
One morning there burstcd up out of the
earth a beautiful spring where none had
ever been known before-wherc all could
partakc Of splendid water. l saw an ac-
count in the Pittsburg ChronicIe two years
ago stating that that spring was flowing as
freshly as ever.
We were put on the cars and bid adieu
to Andcrsonville and old Wirz. 1t gricved
us very much to think of the many thous-
ands of brave hearts we were leaving be-
hind us never to return home Up to the
day We left Andcrsonviilc twelve thousand
eight hundred had dicd The first prison
crs went into Andcrsonvillc about the 25th
day of February, 1864, and this was the 9Th
day of September, 1864 They did not all
go TO Andcrsonyillc at once just rs the
number of prisoners increased from day to
day, the deaths increased also Thirtv-tiyc
thousand was the greatest number there at
any one time alive OF course if we count
the dead there were a great many more
1t will be remembered that quito a number
of boys around this vicinity that belonged
to Company G of the Second Maryland
regiment were captured at the same time
and place that was. All of them that
went to AndcrSonyillc died | think | am
the only one who survived to tell the tale
There was Samuel Casey, who did not &C
to Gcorg ia in the same train | did | as.
ccrtaincd from the other boys that he was
taken very sick in the cars, taken out at
Augusta, Ga, and sent to the hospital We
think he died there; at any rate he never
came home. William Anderson, James
Anderson, John Carter, William Carter
Henry Hoop, and others that | did not
know by name from this section of tho
country, died there.
| never shall forget the first day came
home. The wife of one and the mother OF
another came in inquiring about their loved
ones. When told them they were dead
| thought they would go out of their mind
had to tear myself away from them.
had an old sack when | came away
from Andersonviile containing great man,
little trinkcts. One fellow that belonged
to my company gave me picture of his
glrl before he died, instructlng me to re
turn it to her if ever reached home. liz
said they were engaged to he married An.
other instructed me to cut off a lock of hi.
hair after he was dead and take home tc
his wife with other little things. The
most important of all was had book
while | was at headquarters in which
had kept n daily record of everything, a.
| could copy all reports of the books every
morning, and take the rest from obscrva
ton. l will tell you after awhile how
lost my sack and valuablcs. am copying
this from the book on top of my shoulders
1t has never failed me-
TO DE CONTINUED.