The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-07-08
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Prisoners CODSlSlcu vi d cup y IiCt NdlCl.
called soup) and three crackers at 9 a. M;
and the same with a morsel of rancid bacon
At p. m. 1t was just sufficient TO main
tain life yet leaving every one In a condi-
non ofincessant yearning for more. True,
the O was always luke-warm, and gar
ni,hed with white worms, half n inch long
while the solid matter was gritty with dirt
and sand. Hunger however can overlook
rifles of taste; and during the long sum
mer days when the system appeared about
to collapse from gnawlng emptiness, men
could be seen gazing woltilshly at their W
old shoes. ~
1t is perhaps needless to say our captors
took measures to draw profit from the lam
shed condition of the prisoners. Many of
the latter had Northern relatives and friends
who FASTENED to supply them with money
clothes and boxes of provision. A few boxes
we're allowed to coL.e In, from time to time,
10 encourage the prisoners to send tor more.
But V erything of value, o~rluxury wa stolen
from them: and the odds were as three In
five that the box never would be heard trOm,
Notwithstanding that the Express companies
reported its delivery at the prison door.
One scheme, called the wholesale steal
was to make proclamation that all boxes
would be admitted without stoppage. ln-
SANITY each starving prisoner fastened to
rnsack his memory for some one to whom
he could write for a supply Of food and
clothes. Many of the Southerners had sis
rers. or brothers, or old mercantile custom
ers. at the North hence were quickly fur
nished with all that they asked for. Nay,
The articles were started, and duly arrived
atthe Prison, but never reached the PRISONER;
As soon as a large number OF boxes had
come to hand a fresh proclamation was
;ssued confscating the whole lot. Cores
nondence was also shut off for a time so that
Inc prisoners could not warn their friends
Ia withhold their kindness; consequently
the official thieves reveled for weeks upon
the food sent to poor wretches who were be-
ing hauled out daily by cart-loads!
Still. another species of robbery was
through the ''Sutler Shops. The sutler
was brother-in-law of either Maj. II. u.
0. Weymouth, the Provost, or of Maj.
Brady. the Post c~ommandant. At all events,
thew we're interested in his sales, and adap-
ted their regulations to grind the lfe-blood
from the prisoners for mutual profit.
All money sent to them was retained by
Weymouth and greasy bits of parchment
allied suffers checks given in lieu of it.
Large commissions for collecting funds sent
bv draft or express the only way to make
sure of its ~arrival) were expected and dis,
counts we're demanded on torn checks,
even though thus torn when they were
handed out.
The Sutler window was a horizontal slit
in the wall, opening into a cuddy-hole Of a
Sbop containing a stock of cheese, crackers,
tea, coffee, salt, sardines and canned fruits,
pickles, etc; as are generally sold at large
moft. But ordinary profits were desplsed
by the bloated human spyder who sat at the
Internationally licking his claws, as he
u%aliciously demanded two and three hun
ired per cent for his wares well knowing
the furnishing prisoners would be forced to
buy at any price.
Andif occasionally the latter began to COM
plain, the "shop" window was closed for a
day or two; whereupon the wealthler prs
0ners, that is to say those best supplied with
Northern resources, stOrmed at the poor
wretch who had sold his coat for half a loaf
Of bread worth 2 cents in the shops lust
outside the prison WALL because he dared to
murmur against the flavor" of being Skim
ed alive!
These be small things to read about, but
they made a sum of suffering and bitterness
that crushed the soul of many a gallant tel
low, whose loss would blight a happy home
Tar down in Dixie
A FAILURE TO ESCAPE.
Existence became uncomfortable ere the end
Of the first month of our Incarceration, and
all manner of schemes for escape were dis,
used. An open lnsurrectlon was ou' VI
the question. Besides the Parapet guards,
our keepers lined the stockade which ran
across the Point, with guards, and cut port
holes in it, for a battery of brass howitzers,
99adcd to the muzzle with slugs and grape
shot to NOW down the Rebels should they
succeed in breaking out of the Pens.
Besides these precautions a gun boat was
Kept cruising off the Point, ready to sweep
The narrow Peninsula with her guns in case
u an emeute, Lieut. Commander Abbott,
At one time in charge of this war vessel, was a
s9qsln ofmine, and a worthy young man; but,
although his father and mother have ever
Sa1oSn sincere regard for me, their intense
Iassachusett's fanaticism on the subject
VI slavery, and the South, p~recluded any
sNhange of amicable courtesies under the
creumstances.
have said the great subject of discussion