Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1875-08-07
OUR CORRESPONDENCE.
Prison Life.
BY II I. POWELL.

Gen. Sherman sent a cavalry raid under
command of Gen. Stoneman with the intcn-
ton of libcrating the prisoners confined at
Macon and Andcrsonvile, which created
quite an excitement with the Confederate
troops guarding us. As was messenger
boy at headquarters | soon noticed that
something was wrong. The officers appeared
greatly annoyed and all in n hustle. They
made what little preparation they could
without being observed by the prisoners,
The first sound of approaching Federal
cavalry would have been glorious to those
hcart-brokcn souls. They would likely
have tried to scale the walls and assist their
libcrators But the first sight we got OF
them they were all brought prisoners to
Anlcrsonvillc. | was over at the depot
when they came. There were twenty-five
hundred of them The rebel officers were
very mad at them. They said there had
been all kinds of outragcs committed by
them on their raid into the South. They
were all formed in two lines on the green
and stripped naked Everything, such as
grccnbacks, pocket books, pieces Tobacco
watches and combs, were taken from
thcm and great many of them had lately
drawn their big bountics. The money was
all put into a wheel barrow and wheeled
off to Gen. Windcrs headquarters. There
was IA handsome pile of grccnbacks there
then, suppose the spells We're divided
that night.
Capt. Wirz was taken sick about this
time, and Lieut. Samuel b. Davis, from
Baltimore, Md, took charge. Wirz soon
recovered; he was only off duty three
weeks, The majority of the Contcdcrates
outside of the officers would have been
glad il lie had died Ii he gave one of
them an order and they hcsitated the least
about executing it he would give them lib
crty to look into the muzZlC of his revolver
Immediately
Before WirZ was taken sick he made me
move my lodgings back to headquarters.
Soon after, met Gen. Winder for the first
time. Old Wirz introduced me in this
way: General, here is Yankee boy from
your State" Windcr, turning to me, said,
where are you from" l replied, MARY.
land" Are you not ashamed of yourself;
native of Maryland-a Southern State
and you in the Yankee army? Now, my
young chap, how would you like it if
gave you Il complete cowhiding?'
There was quite a number of Confcdcr
ate officers at Andcrsonyille. | have for
gotten some of their first names. General
Winder had charge of all the prisoners in
the Southern COnfederacy. OF course his
duties often called him away, but his head
quarters Were established at this place. OF
his two sons, Sidney and Dick, the latter
was chief quartcrmastcr Sidney was pris-
on commander ut first, but, as told You
before, was removed, and Wirz put in his
place do not think he occupied any po-
stion after this except as member Of his
fathers staff. There were Duncan and
IIumcS, assistant qnartcrmastcrs, and no.
ted rascals for robhing the prisoners They
escaped to England after the close OF the
war or | expect they would have been en-
ccuted also. They were equally as bad as
Wirz, but their work was done secretly.
Can't. Reed was provost marshal and bit
ter enemy to the Yankees. Ibid not know