The National tribune., 1882-09-23
SOUTHERN PRISON LIFE.
Free Lance Continues the Interesting
Story Of His Captivity.
XII.

XII.
NOT. 17h.-A thousand of the sick were
taken out of the stockade to-day to be sent
to Savannah for exchange. There is no
doubt but that they are going home, if they
can live long enough to get there. 1t would
be an act of charity to take at least one-third
of them out to the graveyard and shoot them.
| The poor fellows are delighted at the idea OF
liberation. Their sunken eyes glitter, and
temporary strength, at least, inspires many
of them to make the necessary effort to get
out of the black holes of "Secessia." They
want to die under the old flag, if die they
must. l have heard of many mean things
erners since I have been prisoner The
meanest, however, is that which is daily be-
ing done at this prison at the present time.
A surgeon will come in and take the names
of men who are half dead with disease, and
tell them that they are enrolled to be sent
home and will then go off and sell their
chances of exchange to men who are compare
lively well, but who happen to have a few
dollars in greenbacks in their pockets. Such
men are generally prison suffers, whom we
regard with aversion, for those of them who
have made money have generally been on
excellent terms with the rebels The well
man answers to the sick mans name and
goes home the other remains behind to die.
If had S5 in greenbacks l could now buy
my way home, and so could any other p-s-
-bo hoI +6ak oh,
NOU. 19h.-It was nearly dark yesterday
before we got anything to eat. We were nearly
famished, and almost felt like eating one an
other. The rebels are still at work taking
out sick men. Quite alarge exchange of pris-
oners must be taking place. We are cheered
by the hope that perhaps every man in the
stOckade, who doesn't die in the meantime,
will be on board of a Union transport before
ten days are over. In spite of ourselves the
siren Hope continues to delude US. Only a few
hundred prisoners remain at Andersonville.
A TOUCHING MEMENTo.
Nor. 19h.-It rained last night, and the
sick, lying on the cold ground outside of the
stockade, without shelter of any kind, were
exposed to the full fury of the storm. Many
of them, of course, died in consequence
Twenty-four hours have elapsed since we
have drawn ration, which means that we
have had nothing whatever to eat for that
period. This is owing to the exodus of the
sick, wounded, and crippled. These rebels
never know how to do more than one thing
at time, and they never do that correctly
unless they get a lot of Yankees to help
them. If they ever succeed in establishing
a government of their own it will one day
stagnate. The sick prisoners being sent away
fare only trifle better than we are doing.
They are getting penurious rations of raw
sweet potatoes and raw beef doled out to
them. The task of feeding US will not be
likely to bring the confederacy to financial
bankruptcy. Those whom the rebels are en-
rolling as the sick" would be more properly
classified under the head of "the dying"
Anywhere else than here two-thirds of all the
men in the stOckade would be considered fit
subjects for medical attendance. Going out
side of my rude shelter last evening met
miserable looking being shivering in the
rain. His right hand was thrust into his
bosom. As 1 approached him and spoke
kindly he drew out his hand, and gave me
two photographs, one of his wife and the
other of his child and requested me to pre-
serve them till morning, when he would call
for them. 1 have not seen him since, and
presume he is dead. One of them is indorsed
on the back, in fine business-like handwrit-
ing, with the address of " Mrs. M. D. Hodges,
No. ia West Nineteenth street, New York
City" The picture of the child is that of a
handsome boy about two and a half years
old, mounted on gayly caparisoned hobby
horse. Of that child is still living he must
now be young man about nineteen years
of age. ! still have those pictures, and on
to the relatives of the dead soldier. Although
sad souvenirs, they might be highly prized.)
Nou. 2OM.-The first prisoners who arrived
here found plenty of wood and brush in the
stockade, and were thus enabled to construct
tolerably good "shebangs." We who came
in last have not Jared so well. There is no
town at the depot 1t is mere railroad
stopping place The region surrounding US
is covered with pine forests The current
conundrum is: Boys which do you like the
best-roasting in Andersonville or freezing
in Millen?" There is splendid vacant area
south of the brook that would answer for an
exercise ground, but l have yet to see any
body utilize it for that purpose Inview ofOur
thin rations, the only exercise we require is
that of eating and breathing. Increased exer-
else with our masticating apparatus would
be extremely beneficial to most of us.
NoU 21st.-It rained very hard last night.
On waking up, we discovered that large
number of prisoners had been marched out
of the stockade during the night. The
weather is cold We believe that an extern
sive exchange is on foot. No rations issued
to-day. Nobody has anything to eat. Hum
ger is bad bedfellow.
A RED-LETTER DAY.
(November 22d was red-letter day in
prison annals, although we had no means of
knowing the fact. On that day Major
General G. W. Smith moved out of Macon
at the head of twelve or fifteen regiments of
white militia" such as had slaugh-
tered so many prisoners at Andersonville,
and without doubt portion of the Ander-
.-.-.:IIo s-o.r:,o,> ,,,oa ;poluJaJ in tho fnrna