The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1882-07-20


brook, often qnite a distance for
weak men TO travel in tho sum-
these we're worry desirable.
There were several ket,le-makers.
who found material. somehow, OF
sheet tin and iron from the top Of
rail cars, smugglei into prison by
the rebels, who we're fond Of Yankee
greenbacks. These were also con-
venience to those who formed mess,
and made a saving OF wood Ivy cook
ing together. These kettles were
made with no othor implements
than q common railroad spike. They
were made in tho manner govern
mont camp-k ettles are made, by in
g,niously bending the iron together
in seams, 10 this manner rendering
them water-tight without solder.
Thus Yankee ingenuity developed
resources where, at first sight, there
seemed nothing but barronncss aud
misery,
never saw friction match in
the stockado [ doubt if there were
any yet there wero always fires
somewhere in cnmp,-how procured
[ could never understand, except on
tho supposition that they never went
out. I'm tho morning, noon, or oven
lug, you could see the smoke rising
into the air, from thousands of fires
kindlod throughout camp. Every
ono seemed to be busy cooking, the
Lord only knows what.
have entered thus minutely up-
on a description Of these trades and
occupations in prison, from tho fact
that it explains many apparently
conflicting statements made by phi
soners. While those thus engaged
often got the means Of Subsistence,
they were the exceptions of one to n
thousand OF tue great mass Of pri"
sonors, who were daily perishiug for
want Of food aud from exposure.
There was quite sum Of money
circulating in camp, in tho aggre'
gate but eventually it got into The
hands of the Secosh, who raid for
the possession Of groeubacks. The
rebels were constantly coming mt
The prison 10 trade, hayilG, OBJ
Ia ned permissixa the
commandaut oi~the "interiOr Vi the
prison" as he was termed,
They were fond of buying Yankee
boots, watches, aud buttons, ~
superiluous things, such as gooc
caps, boots &C., were freely traded
in exchange for anything eatable, OF
for wood.
One fact was quito noticeable
that when the Johnnies came in tC
trade the second tune, thoy were
sharper than they were at their first
visit. Tho process of cutting thell
oyeteeth was rather gradual, but af-
ter sometime they would become ,
match at drawing a sharp bargain
with the sharpest kind of "Yanks,
and they prided themselves on wha
they termed Yankee tricks. Buttons
we're in great demand by them, es
pecially New York aud staff buttons
for which large prices were,paid, anC
eagerly traded for.
On one occasion johnny came il
to trade, who was evidently as un
sophisticated and green as th'
vegetables no had for sale. ii,
traded in tho first place for pair o
army shoes, laid them down beside
himself,and while busy seeing to his
"fxings, one of tho boys passed the
shoes around to companion, wit
straightway appeared in front, an'
before the Johnny had time to thinl
of anything else, challenged his at
tention for q trade. A trade wa
agreed upon, and tho price paid, be
fore the Johnny found out tha
though making rapid progress il
trade, he had but one pair of shoes
So, for safety of those precious do
corations, he picked up the shoes
and holding them in his arms, in
dignantly declared, "Durnod if
can trade with yourn yanks in tha
sort or way, no how" We were, aC
cording to his exposition of tho mat
ter, "rathor considerable right-smar
at picking up traps what warren
thar own He was thus entertain
ing tho boys with these originY
views, when Quo Of our follows, ius
10 clinch what had boon 30 aptl!
stated by tho chivalrous representa-
two, stepped up behind him, an,