The National tribune., 1882-11-16


But if the difficulties which attended every
attempt to escape from the stoCkade were so
formidable what shall say of those which had
to be surmounted on reaching the exterior.
There were the guards to be eluded, the blood
hounds to be baffled and finally some three or
four hunsred miles of the enemy's country to
be traversed before a place of safety could be
reached. No wonder that so few who risked
their lives to reach Goods Country" ever
found it.
FIVE HUNDRED LASHES.
Brutal as was the treatment to which we
were subjected, that which the colOred prison.
ers. received was even more inhuman. Their
wounds were allowed to go undressed and they
were compelled to do the hardest sort of work
daily on the scantiest rations. Death was the
only friend they had and he was frequent
visitor. There were several hundred slaves,
In addition to these prisoners, working IN the
vicinity of the camp, and as they were march
ing the colored soldiers back into the stockade
one of these slaves slipped into the ranks and
tried to pass through the gates with them.
This made the rebels furious, and they gave
him 500 lashes on the bare back for that triiing
piece of disobedience. l was a reluctant wit
ness of one of these lashings.
During the month of May, when both armies
had taken the field and the campaign had re-
opened in earnest, there was a very large in
crease in the arrivals of new prisoners. Grant
alone lost some seven or eight thousand men
in that month, and every train that arrived al
Andersonyille brought from one to three squads
OF captives They were first taken to Wlrz's
headquarters, where their clothing was searched
and their names entered upon the prison
records-the clerical work being done by pris-
Oners detailed from the stockade-and then
marched through the gates past the rebel in
fantry and artillery, drawn up i'll line of battle
TO prevent an outbreak. Among them were
large number of zouaves, and VIC always knew
by the size of the squad whether they were
from Grants or Sherman'S army. The heavi-
est arrivals were from the former. By the end
of the month there were fully eighteen thou
sand, five hundred men confined in the stock
AIDE, or nearly fifteen hundred to the acre. 1t
was now impossible to spare the room neces-
sary for streets, and scarcely enough ground
was left for exercise. The soil became indie
scribably filthy and the men were forced to
nestle together like so many pigs. The odor5
arising from the swamp were fairly sitting,
and the Shiny OOze was swarming with white
maggots. Yet we had to use the water which
triclled through this sink of corruption! A
road had been constructed across the swamp on
the west side along the dead-line, where the
stream entered the pen, and thther the ma
jority Of the prisoners used to so for water
which was a little less filthy there than else
where It was at this point that the dead-line
acquired its bloody fame, for the guards-many
of them mere boys-wcre quick to fire upon
any one who crossed the line, and often shot
prisoner down without any prOvocaton or ex-
cuse whatever. 1t was simply butchery,
butchery horrible beyond conception. Scarcely
day passed that some one did not fall victim
to their murderous fire. Yet the men con-
tinued to run the risk-they had to have water
or die! Naturally, the last corners Jared the
worst for they were unacquainted with the
deyilish regulations of the prison, and through
sheer ignorance exposed themselves to the dan
gers of the dead-lne. Did Wirz care? Not 4
whit. He was delighted with this carnage
The guards seemed to think there was no more
harm in killing q Yankee than in shooting
mad dog, and Wirz was of the same opinion
One of them was overheard to say: 81 heard
YOU shot O. Yank' last night" yes" said
the other, 81 did, and, Godl but yer ought ter
of heerd him holler!"