Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1876-01-15
When we arrived at Aiken's landing we


had 10 wait one hour for the Federal Con-
missioner of Exchange, Major milford, to
come and receive Us. This Was certainly
an hour Of suspense to the poor starved-out
Yankees on board. During this hour we
were laying up against the shore on the
Federal side. Just across the water was a
Confederate picket post, and up on high
bank above was Il Yankee negro picket
post One of our guards was standing
about the middle of the deck with Il biz
high pair Of boots on. The negro corporal
on the post SAYS to lis comrades in loud
tone which we all could distinctly hear on
the boat
"Dah's some poor Yankees boots out oh
de Libby"
She guard turned and, looking up, began
to curse the negro, when he finished another
negro said:
Give dat dog n bone
That was all that passed tie guard
walked away mutcring and swearing at a
: fearful rate | would not have liked to
have fallen into that @entleman's hands.
Major Milford finally came in sight lie
was on horseback and for :! flag of truce he
had 4 white handkerchief tied on the front
) Of his saddle He rode up, Gismountcd,
| came on board and was told what the negro
! pickcs had said to the guard lie said iii
was entirely against orders and should not
lie allowed" Capt. Hatch then gave him
a drink ont Of a tAvorite bottle We were
then marched off the boat and as many
rebel prisoners rlarCt,cd on in our stead.
This was where left my sack which
have spoken about before with my little
trinkcts i'll it. | was so overlooked with
the thoughts of seeing my home and friends
once more that | never thought about ii
until the Eoal was gone
We were inside of Tie Federal lines once
more. They marched us across Aikcn's
landing which was about two miles, and
placed us on board Of a Federal flag oi
truce boat The sailors belonging to some
gunhoats which We're lying around the
landing, climbed into their rigging, and
stood on deck and cheered us All of lis
that could raise a voice returned the COM.
rlimcnt. We thcn had placed before us
any amount of bread and coffee poor fell
lows, they had not received Il treat of this
kind for many months. Despite the friend
ly warnings some so overloaded thcil
stomachs that ii resulted in death
We were sent n Anno,nliS Nd ,yEorn
procured 4 Through and came home.
never returned to my regiment. | was
sick with the Chills and fever and in Tic
course OF 4 few months when | got wei
the war closed and l was mustered out
three days before my enlistment expired
J Ind enlisted when thirteen years of ace
mad been prisoner Of war niEc months
and fifteen days; having been captured 81:
day OF january 1SG4, and l!alo cd 4Stl
day Of October, 1864 From tie time
Was captured until the close of The war my
regiment was in eighteen engagements
They were AT tie taking OF Richmond ant
capture OF Lees army. There remained
flhccn OF my company to be diSel.;rgcl 81
TIE close OF the War ".ld all but four out o
THIS tttttn he'd felt tie effects OF a bail.
Now, Mr., Editor, / VIII c!,~ .. '..r.
gwen Iot'f lva';c.s a i:;4 alt 5.,palf."
htior. Of wi.al | witnessed III and asou
reNel prisons. | owe my deliyrrsncc t,
him from whom all l,icssinss l,uw: fee
like cSciainlin" with tie psamist of Old
"Ch that men would praise the Iold fol
his goodness! For his wontlcriiil v orlls Il
the children of men ~