The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-10-09

Thomas Campbell, of Lsconner. has
furnished the Md With the. terrible
account following Of his safIsrings and
privations in rebel prisons
al enlisted IS private in ca. z.
Gath illinois Regiment, and vac taksn
prisoner at the battle Of Atlantis. July
~. 1864 Ny blankets we're ss the
rear. and | entered prison without
them. There my shoes and shirts
were taken from me. leaving me moth
ing bat pantsloons and biouss, soon 70
rot and wear out lying on the vet
filthy ground thso nearly: nsked. TO
battle with the cold frosty nights and
sieety rains OF 6sll end winter months,
with nothing but the heavens for my
roof and stockade for shelter. Al "
fcsqusutiy see 10 the open field the
brute. with bis back bTscing against
the storm. / stood msny time naked
and hungry, the cold earth being my
bed my hip bones and shoulder blades
cat ssd sore from lying thereon with :.
out shslter OF covering; with difficulty
kept the gsngrens and ,naggoss oat.
while hundreds around me suffered
with them. A days rations consisted
Of q piece Of corn bread ! X By 8 inches.
q spoonful OF nolasses or piece OF bacon
the size Of = spoon. or insssad. o cup Of
beans OF cracked corn. half full Of bugs;
for firs-vood 10 coOk With, they gave
as stick the size Of an ordinary stove
stick. I used 10 eat the beans raw.
bugs and all.
Such wss our prison life until Sher-
mans approach In October. when We
we're removed to another prison at Mil.
len, and again 70 Savannah. Black
shear, and Thomssville. We lwere
carrisd liks cattle inan open car. 60 TO
car, some days without anything 10
eat. and othsss only N ear Of corn.
But a tbe 18th Of December We
again took up line 10 march for Ander.
sonviile. We had TO travel shout 60
miles TO. Columbus, over On alligator
swamp country the ground was frozsn
bard tho ice on the ponds was thick
but We broke 1t with our bare feet and
wsdsd through for miles. which cut
and bled our feet and shins. | often
look back TO see the water deeply color.
cd with blood I; many weak and ex-
hsusted. unable to plunge aud wade
through the water and ice. dropped
down TO die on the line OF march. and
were left behind as food for the Alligs.
tors. Christmas morning found Us
again at Andcrsonviils. Sherman hav-
ing passed by 10 Savannah. The coun.
try around Was wrapped In heavy
coat Of frost; the place seemed vacant
and quiet no noise Of the sick and
dying wAs heard, but on entering
noticed that our burrows In the sAnd
had been filed and lcveled. Here We
were kept during this coolest Of
winters without drs or shelter except
once in . while ~ would DO allowed
ont under guard for distance Of two
miles for wood TO keep ourselves warm.
On one OF these occasions lodged the
guard and tried TO escape, but the
blood hounds were soon on my track.
/ climbed . stub. broke limb, and
KEEP. them 1t bay until white man
and negro came to my rescue. j was
threatened with the stocks but begged
OIL. A rebel soldier gave me an old
blanket, and when in once more |
shared IL with q comrsde. But soon
the rebel recruiting officer came TO the
gate. Ny friend took the oath Of
allegiance and blanket too, leaving me
once again destitute.
AZ time rolled on We added daily to
the number Of the dead, eighteen thous-
and having already been buried just
outside the prison gate. cannot re.
count tho thousandsh part Of the tsrri-
bic suffering md privation expsrieaced
IN this loathaome place.
But kind fortune commenced TO
boam. l soon heard the good sidings
OF Lees surrender In the month oi
April, With tho only survivor Of my
regiment snd others. was taken "a
Baldwin. and there set Ut liberty, q
veritsbls living skeleton, on or aboa,
the last OF April. 1868.
TuoNAa CANppRft