The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-09-02

which made me more determined TO live
to get through.
Another thing had the same effect on
me. Wood had become quite an object.
The rebels had quit issuing II, and IL
was impossible to get any. The swamp
mad all been dug over, and every root as
big as mans finger had been taken
up. dried and burned. Not stump on
the ground, nor root left OF stump.
All had been dug out and used, and O
wilderness OF trees and stumps had
been transformed in short time into an
old-looking place. The anxiety to get
wood or chips was great, and there was
another even stronger temptation. 1t
was to get something green to eat-to-
matoes, cabbage leaves, or anything
green, and there was only one way to
get out OF the prison TO obtain any OF
those luXuries. When o man died it
took four men to carry him out, and
there were always four ready and
anxious TO perform the duty, 50 that it
got to be business to watch poor
fellow who was near his end, and speak
Tor the jobl l actually knew men to
fight and quarrel about which had the
best claim, while the poor dying prison
er was still alive! Lthink that very cir
cumstance gave me O stronger desire to
live.
There was a squad of four men quar-
tered near where was lying, and over
heard some remarks one day that con-
vlnced me that was "spotted," and
They expected to get an airing in few
days at my expense, and lay in u supply
OF wood, L would have. been glad for
them to have the wood, put l had de-
cided objection OF being the means OF
furnishing II in the way they proposed.
1t reused my obstinacy a little, and l
determined to disappolnt them, If possi-
Bile. They watched me very closely,
and watched them with an equal inter-
est. l thought they were very selfish
and heartless. l don't know what they
thought OF me, but suppose they thought
l was very stubborn and unreasonable
fellow to keep them waiting 80 long.
There were about six thousand men
left In the prison at this time, and out
OF that number not over one thousand
were well. We had more room, but the
treatment was not improved. Our
rations were getting worse. We re-
ceived ration of fresh beef, but it was
soured when we got 1t. The famishing
men would eat anything they could tind.
l actually knew man to eat beans thar
man had vomited up. This'is a
hard story to believe, butt is a fact that
can be proved. In the branch there was
a kind OF mud eel, species between a
lizard and an eel. The men were CATCH
ing and eating them. They didn't wait
to see whether they were poison or not,
but the supply soon ran out.
Conagon, smith and myself were quar-
tered together, and all three Of us were
unable to carry water. l had crawled TO
the spring two or three times and
worked bucket of water back to our
tent, but it was almost impossible to ac-
the feat, and we concluded to
move down nearer to the spring. After
that matter was settled, the question
was, how were we to get there? We
couldn't walk, and we couldn't crawl and
take our little possessions along. l called
a man, who was passing by, and asked
him to help us. He took hold, and staid
with us until we were located near the
5pring-that cool, clear, pure little
stream of water that a merciful God had
given US in our extreme need. Thanks
De to His name forever, for that blessing
so freely bestowed!