Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-07-04

DY WIN. GRiEBsoN, co. =, 33D o. v. ".
NUMBER TvO.
Still at Dnnyillc, with the smallpox
very bad up to the middle of March, 1864 /;
from eight to twelve deaths occurring dai.
ly. About April /, the disease hrl done
iis work, aud many were The dkiigured
faces which were pit cd to sicl, an extent
as never to be again smou,hed down to
natural appearance. On April H. the
prisoners were thrown into fever Of cx-
citemcnt, caused by rebel officer making
the announcement that MI who were able
to bear transportation on The cars, should
he IN readiness nj six o'clock on tue follow
ing m0rHing TO go to City Point for inn
mediate exchange. lie positively declared
that the cartel OF exchange had been re-
newed, and all Of us should go 10 the feder.
nl lines ~ fast NJ steam could convey us.
| Thus by his infamous lies, Undoubtedly
the productions Of Muffit) he induced a
great many TO leave Danville who were
unable to stand the journey, hut, slmula-
ed by II hope Of better times, they made
the effort to go. What sal disappoint.
ment it was lnstend Of going to City
Point To be exchanged from rebeldOm 10
the bones Oi our fathers and mothers, we
were switched Uf upon the Richmond &
Charleston Railroad, and hurried on to
the worst Of all earthly places Of torture
and suffering, Andersonvlle. When our
destination became known, many OF those
who we're already enfeebled by privatlun
aud diseare, became completely prOsuated
by this disappointment. and died on the
cars.
We arrived ut Columbia upon the morn.
ing OF April IA, after a rough ride in
stock-cars and rleepless night Of the
mOI in ense anxiety. Here the train was
delayed until the following morning, aud,
to crafty the fendirh srilit that Possessed
the citizens Of the town, those in charge Of
the prisoners ordered us to fall into ranks
in marching order. We were marched up
State street to the State house, where we
met with the SCOTS and insults Of Southern
chivalry, aud were compelled to hear the
most bitter and abusive language against
the Lincoln government that could be ut
tered. After the crowd had satisfied their
desires in abusing the prisoners and the
government, we we're again roughly ordered
to march back to The train. A guard WAS
stationed u short distance from the trnck,
and we were permitted to walk about, in-
stead oi being ordered into the cnrs ut
once. While in this condition a young
man from the 10Th Wisconsin regiment
was shot by the guards. partly blame
his own rnshne.s for l.. A young girl, |
said t" be Ex-Governor Rhelts daughter,
was hurrahing lGr Davis and Benuregard.
and this young man used II little indecent
language Ind conduct toward her, where
upon twelve or fourteen guards fred ut
him, and twelve halls passed through his
body. lie was taken away BY some negr cs,
aud was SAID to have been buried. While |
in ranks in town we paid coed attention to |
the abuses OF Lincoln and the government.
and we retalia ed 10y giving three cheers |
for Old Abe, and three groans for JEFF. |
D,Ui~.
Oh the morning OF april 10 we resumed !
our journey toward AiElersunville. A
menner ot the 79llI Pennsylvania regi.
mcnt, and one from the 36Ih Ohio, with |
myself, resolved TO make our cscape. or /.
die In the effort; and between Columbia |
and Augusta We le"ped from the train in. |
10 ditch at the side Ol The track. The !
unfortunate man from the Both Ohio was |
shot by the guards and killed, while NV |
other comrade was 80 seriously injured by |
the i"ll aS 10 render his flight impossible. !
So | took 10 the thicket "lnme, and hurl led /
on short diSlauce AMI hid IHysslf and |
waited 10 zee What would he done by the
train commanders. The train was halted |
aId backed up to where the Two boys Law,
and after placing them in car, il again
moved on As they had but few guards,
and fearing revolt by the prisoners, |
they made no search for me. | was in.
formed altcrward that their journey Lo
Andersunyi Ie WIS II most miserable ind
iiresomc one, and alsu that my cnmrnde
Whp jumped frum the train died as they
were passing through Macon. ] pgssed Il
lonely day in tne cypress swamp, hardly
knowing which way u look orgo. Finally
started in the direction OF ChattanuOga.
! hnd nothing with me to eut or sleep upon,
but the next day got lIind.ieg ui an
opossuni and II corn cake from an old dar.
Key, who also gave me advice as TO the
cour"e to pursue and how TO obtain some
thing 10 eat. the gext day anuther dar-
key gave me sunIe food, and took me
across little stream, II tributary 10 the
Savannah River. On The following tlay
was recaptured and taken on horseback,
IN company with two rebel cavalry meh,
back 10 Columbia, Ihencu BY cars TO Ander-
sonville, where | arrived on the 24ih Of
April. After being introduced into the
presence OF Capt. Wirz, aud receiving n
cnrSing and threatening for my vile con-
ducI-in trying To make good my Escape
from rebu priSaa-I was ushered into
tho most horrible looking place that had
ever seen human beings penned up in.
On, Gud said is this 10 be my home
until the cloSe Ol this inhuman and cruel
war? BETTER that had shared the late
Ot my two comrades who made the fruit
less attempt escape
AhdeTsunville Prison contained six or
eight acres, and was Surr0,IEiIea with u
SlucKaie made Of pine logs, hewed fiat and
sci on end in II ditch or trench entirely
around the parcel Of ground intended lur
the prison. These logs stood out Of The
ground 'ome ten or twelve feet, and upon
Ihem boxes or sentinel posts had been
erected, about thirty feet apart. The
boxes were occupied 10y the mast vigilnnt
guards that we had yet seen in the COnfrd.
erncy. The principal reason nf their
activity on duty NIL be seen hereafter.
The inside Of tile prison was described hy
llill and others a. being Of the most com.
plete character, ana highly conducive To
the convenience aud comfort ni The pris-
oners; that the prison was amply supplied
with pure running water and an anlind.
nnce uf shade trees. These statements | !
here emphatiealy deny, and slamp their
wh0e dcScrip i've accounts ns the quint.
es-eDce OF lies. Near the center was
miserable qnngmire, or slough, through
winch passed Lille stream that Was too
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