Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-16
PRISON LIFE AT JOHNSON
ISLAND IN 1862.
Extract from the Journal of a Com
federate OmeeF-By Alpheus Ba-


tanQ tmOJnY, UOO,) on the cdstOTH slOpc
of an island, separated by three miles of
water from Sandusky City, whose spires
are seen in the haZy distance to the right
Before us, about two miles of, is another
island ON whose northern point is alight
house, while all on the left the wide ex-
panse of Erie meets the sky. Signal con
trast to our confinement, that silver sea,
''the blue, the fresh, the ever freep
Nevertheless, we have about fourteen
acres of freedom in this bull-pen. Our
pasture (for there is fine field Of clO-
yer here) is enclosed by a plank
fence of white pine fifteen feet high,
garnished with eighteen sentinels, whom
we see from the waist upward, as with
fixed baYonets they perpetually march
their rounds upon the elevated plank
walk on the outside. Our bull-pen is
trapezoid. The south fence, 259 yards
long, is parallel to the north fence 1876 2 3
yards long, the west 308, the east 316
yards long Within this enclosure ar
thirteen two story tenements, l3O by 70
feet, six on each side, and one at the end
of a street fifty yards wide. All these
houses. like the fence, are built entirely
of white pine, and, being new, are free
from bugs, rats or spiders, and smell like
a goods box. Each house is called
block, and each block is divided into
messes. Ours is "block number two,
mess seven" Out of this mess of forty
two men, five of us occupy a room
fifteen by fourteen on the northeast cor
ner of the lower story. Herein behold
five white pine bedsteads; mine. econOmiD'
cal of room, mounted upon Colonel
Clark's; Colonel Dawson's, for the same
reason, upon Colonel Brownsville only
objection to this arrangement beino that
the occupants of the lower story glared
from under there with the somewhat
painful expression of the big beasts in
menagerie.
Col Tom Avery's bed. however, rested
in solitary grandeur on the right OF the
entrance to the "den," suffering from
the solitary disadvantage that visitors to
the menagerie persisted in mistaking it
for a settee, the consequence of which
was a frequent smash-up of the entire
concern, whose reparation upon their de.
parture was Immediately undertaken by
its hospitable and indefatigable proprie-
tor, accompanied, however, with an in
variable indulgence of profanity. A
quadruped stove, marked 50, Era Pat
ented, 1860, Fuller, Warren & Co., Troy,
N "" graced the southwest corner of
the den. Five chairs, three trunks, two
tables, blue bucket, tin wash.pan, a
tin cup and little looking glass COM
prised our furniture. The ice man and
old mine Quaw," the milkman,
rolled In their vehicles with matuti-
nal punctuality; the latter, silent,
sun Drowned, honest little Dutchman,
so called from the unfinished style of
elocution in which he announced to us
the weekly amount of milk we had con-
sumed. Around his early cart the rebels
swarmed, DANGEROUSLY demanding the
observance of a just rotation for their
respective buckets, jugs or bottles,
which they impatiently ratified against
his busy and impartial funnel. While
thus engaged the wild alarm of Break
fast p would often burst upon us with
every conceivable combination of out
cry and chatter. 1t was an invariable
and unalterable breakfast-strong coffee,
strong beefsteak and strong bakers
bread; the two latter strong, certainly,
If toughness be characteristic of strength.
The entire forty-twO sat at one table. A
certain serious and resOlute manducatiOn
explained how it was that they uniform
ly proved equal to the occasion. When
they got through, they left the table
and it was usually about all they did
leave.
Next roll call, to which the entire bull
pen was summoned by drummer boy,
who passed down the street rafting furi
ously upon his kettle We were called
by messes, and formerly this ceremony
was performed by the commissioned
officers of our guard, one to each block;
indeed on one occasion Major Pierson,
the commaudant himself, in awful
splendOr, condescended to perform. But
since the shooting of Captain Meadows,
of Alabama, the evening edition OF this
exercise has been discontinued; we see
no more shoulder straps, and the clever
Captain who officiated for this block has
degenerated into a Corporal, who ad-
dresses us as linen" and who has never
yet accomplished the spelling of our
names.
Next in course the arrival of our
ratiOns, in twO-hoTse wagons. These
are abundant and of good quality coffee,
sugar, beans. rice. beef, salt pork and
bakers bread. Then the newspapers,
for which there is a more hungry rush
than for the ratiOns. The instantaneous
outset from every block testified with
what anxiety the terrific war far to the
south of us is watched by these /, $50
rebel officers. The Sandusky Register
for the latest, the Cincinnati Enquirer
for the most reliable, the New York
Herald for the most news. Instantly
groups were formed. One read aloud,
the others giving ear. Then followed
generally Incl edulous comment and hope
full prOgnostications. After this the
booth of the sutler is encircled by
those who have money to buy
Dinner, games. town ball, promenades
on the eastern slope of the clover field,
base ball in the street and the gleeful
shout of the contestants, the clang of
supper while the sun is not yet half an
hour high, the dc opening shades of even
ing, the lighting of the lamps, the chal.
lense of the sentinels to their relief.
mine o'clock and all's we'll" from post
to post, fading, as it receGes from us on
The eastern line, and now reViving as it
comes along the west aud south until
close at hand. we hear it loud and clear,
''No. 10, 8 o'clock and al's WE'LL" At 10
the taps-the sudden extinguishment of
lights, increasing quiet, silence, sleep.
Thus the day is finished, and this is the
4 ~O,,t;po Of ,OrioO,o lifo -