The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1882-10-19
POST.
REBEL PRISONS.
by DR.. II. RoTHRocK.

one of beans, and one OF hominy.
remember it more particularly,
as one of my comrades, who actod
rs squad sergeant, usually divided
the rations with n common spoon, Ga
tea spoon,) Sometimes this estimate
would fall short, but rarely, il ever,
overruu.
Wood was issued in quantities OF
about one peice as large as common
club for twenty mon per day. Aud
the issue OF wood was very Irregular
Sometimes we would get no wood
or weeks,
There was however, good excuse
for this, for all tho wood, had to be
brought a long distance on the cars.
and then brought in teams to the
prison grounds.
AS there was scare ity Of rolling
stock in those parts, this was bot.
tor GU re iar could bo found ut
Andersonville, where tho prison was
surrounded by dense pine forest,
containing no duubt tho usands of
acres of beautiful timber.
Many of the prison crs wore dcsti-
tute of cooking utensils, and could
not borrow, and either from want OF
strength to run round, or getting
discouraged by failuiea, after re-
peated rebuffs upor application for
such favors the won Id eat their ra-
tions raw. or go without,
A young fellow belonging to a
New York Regt, had nothing in
which to draw his ratious, but a
boot-leg, into which he had fitted n
wooden bottom. Ho had no cooking
utensils, aud ate his rations raw
from this boot leg, without n spoon,
day after dag. uncookod, sometimes
stirred up with some water.
This miserable being ctmpoi on
the ground near the place occupied
lie scarcely over lay downat night
without wishing that ho might never
awake. 1t did, indeed, require more
courage to live than to die. Al last
after days and nights Of lingering
torture, his prayers for death were
answered.
Near me, ono morning, | found
his cold and lifeless iorm stretched
upon tho ground. Ho had died, his
eyes closed as if in sleep. | noticed
something cIasped in his hand, and
stopped to examine it. 1t was the
likeness of a beautiful girl. and or
the back was written in n deticatC
female hand. 10 William, from
Sarah"-a whole history of love
disappointment, and death, in brief
When l reflected that each maj
among the thousands dying arounc
me had histories similar in thoil
Igriofs, and loves, and longings fol
homo, and when considered the
bitter paugs of the dying mel
uncared for, among worse than bar
barians, it seemed too much of hu
mau misery for contemplation OF ut
terance.
One day, when somo Sister o
Charity came into the prison limits
no very agreeable task for cloan
ly female, of thom remarked, il
apology for not having got SOM
article which she had undertaken t.
obtain for one Of our number, tina
tho firing was so heavy that it wa
not safe to venture down in the par
: of the city where such things wor'
sold. These kindly sistors ATTENDED
to all alike without ever iuquirinG
our creed, or appearing to think the,
were doing anything moro than I
duty. God bless them.
My physical condition a this tim'
was worse than at any time during
, my captivity. My clothes were ii
tatters. scurvy had racked my sys
tenn, 30 that my teeth were becoming
: loose in my jaws, that it was diff
cult for me to eat the most common
food. / knew something must b'
! done. | must make continual efforts
= or 60 down to tho dogs, death man.
were suffering around me.
SO l used to wonder around CAM
\ picking up potato poelings frou
, tho mud, and dirt. which som,
/, .well.tO-do" fellows had throw
away. Those l washed, aud ut,
A raw, aud I have no doubt they dit
~ mo much good.
0 Once or twice, l was lucky in OBJ
(taiuing somo turnip tops. which
cooked. aud enjoyed highly. Blu