The Worthington advance., 1876-06-01

for two days. The distance from Cold
Harbor to Richmond is twelve miles,
over q sandy road. The prisoners, 219
in number, were all ordered t4fake the
middle of the road, four abreast, with
mounted rebel guards on Aacilpide; gil
bound for Libby Prison. 81 ThiRwas G(e
Of the severest traDps oRmy lie. He
weather was exceptionally hotthnd ar
guards evinced but little sympathy for
us in our unfortunate condition as we
endeavored to keep pace with them.
Our sufferings were indescriOable;
curses and threats long and loud We're
freely INDUCED in by the guards because
in our starved condition we could not
walk even faster than their horses. Be-
fore reaching Richmond some of our
men fell by the way side utterly ex-
llausted, and were stabbed with bayQ=
nets 6y the brutal guards.
About O'Clock p. III. we reached the,
rebel capital, to be consigned to the:
tender mercies of Libby Prison. AS:
we passed through the streets Of Rich
mond we were saluted with inunmera-
ble questions such as ''How are you,
blue bellies?' ''Why, didn't you-uns
I'LL come into Richmond with your arms
on?" A Mrs. johnny Reb remarked:' =
IF these are the officers of Eincoln's
army what must the privates he! Oh!!
what a pity that our noble sons should;
be murdered by such niserAblei vaga-
bonds!;' Here We were, unceremOni-
ously introduced to Major; Thomas p!
Turner, the rebel commander, of the
prison. We were then diyested- of our
clothing, money, watches, rings, jack
knives, and everything which could ex-
cite either the curiosity or avarice Of
our captors. It was easy to see that
their intention was to leave us nothing
! which could minister to either our COM
fort OF pleasure. 49,
When this disgraceful plundering
was concluded we were driven into
rooms already occupied by federal pris-
oners, and OH entering We're amazed ut
their cries of ''Fresh iish!' ''Close up"
"What army do you belong tor"
"Where were you captured?" ''What's
the news?" and so forth. Libby Prison
is situated on the corner OF Twentieth
and Cary Streets. It is three story
brick building, about one hundred and
thlrty-tive feet long and one hundred
feet wide. Here We're incarcerated
about one thousand officers. olr enlisted
men being confined ut Belle Isle. All
this seems to be pleasing to the chief,
Major Turner, who, though too cow
ardly to meet his enemies, on the battle
ton within the gloomy walls OF a pris-
on. At tue breaking out Of the rebell-
ion he was made Captain in the rebel
! 1,Ss md of
cheney rs q Yankee destroyer he was
promoted to Major and assigned to this
post which is SO c0ngeniAl to his base
desires.
In such struggles were we engaged
until exhausted, that we sank into Il
kind of. stupor which gave us but little
choice between life and death, yet it is
natural for man to hope. This prison
house; we were constantly if the midst
OF the dead and dying. Every day
some of our comrades, and some days
several of them, are borne away coffin.
less and unsllrouded to their un marked
graves. The prevailing diseases were
scuryy, chronic diarhGa and fevers.
How human beings could keep their
unfortunate fellows in prison torment
ed by such ma!adies when they could
afford them the means of relief, must
remain forever a problem in secession
ethics.
Tue burial of our dead was q very
business-like affair. AS fast as men
died they were carried out to the dead
house where they were piled up as bags
OF corn would be until there vert
enough for q load, when the keeper
calls out to the prison carter, "A load
of dead Yankees; drive npyour mule. >
lie then drives up and takes i'll his load
with us much uncOncern us though he
was loading wood or other articles.
On the morning Of June 18th we
were started for Macon, Ga, in filthy
cattle ours. Our ride WAS long and
tedious, and full of plans for escape
Several of our number effected an es
cape, but only to be oyertaken by blood
hounds and their limbs torn from theil
bodis. We reached Macon. Oh the
evening of June 18th, 1864. On our III
rival ut the front gate who should W.
meet bnt Major Thomas Z. Turner, ou1
old friend from Libby Prison. HI
stood ut the 6 ,te and counted us in
The first six months of prison life al
officer is called 4 fresh fish, the next :
sucker. the next a dry cod and the bal
ance of the time i dried herring
Deaths were very frequent here 1T Mi.
con-we called it being exchanged; an(
it certainly was 4 happy transfOrmatiO,
from so much misery. At RiclnDon.
and Macon the authorities adopted :
course which they believed would ren
der us forever unfit for further militar.
duty. Their means were starvation
close confinement in filthy dungeons
and cruel treatment.
We left Macon for Savannah July q
where we arrived the same evening
distance $50 miles. So great was th'
, difference III our treatment here from
that at the other place that we coult
not but think that fortune had smiled
kindly upon us for once. The troop
here had seen service, and there is moth
: ing like the adventures Of Il battlefield
and the natural s,,fferings there expe
rienccd to teach soldiers humanit,
2 toward each other. u:
Sept. II, 1864, we were ordered to pacl
up. A run of ten hours brought ils t,
Charleston. The citizens turned out il
crowds to see us, and called us d.,
J Yankees; Northern blue: bellies; bah
, oons; Lincoln's monkeys, etc. Ou
- quarters were in the Jail yard and tn
whole enclosure WAS surrounded by ;
massive wall Of masonry sixteen fec
in height. Its sanitary condition wa
such That it seemed impossible for u
to remain there long without sufferin,
, from some foul and malignant disease
r The ground was literally, covered witt
, vermin the nastiest, dirtiest, lousies
! Sat ever saw W.. We..a withOnt' sha1