The National tribune., 1882-09-23
THE BYRON REUNION.
Comrade Merritt Relates His interesting Prison
EXperience.

Experience.
Special Correspondence National Tribune.
BYRON, Ill, Sept. 5.-The sixth tri-ennlal
Reunion of the Ninety Illinois Voiun-
teerS at Byron was complete success in every
respect At daylight people and vehicles
came crowding from all parts. The evening
boats and trains were freighted with soldiers
and their friends. The seating capacity OF
the tables was 225 at time, and they were
relaid four times with all that could be de-
sired. The speech of comrade James Merritt,
in which he related a few prison experiences,
is deserving of special mention. The following
is an extract:
mo one dare tell me that the sufcrings en-
dured at Andersonville by our dead and living
survivors have been over-estimated. Picture
to yourselves a camp-ground Of thirteen acres,
occupied by $4,000 prisoners up to the 9th OF
September, 1864, when orders came in camp
for prisoners to be exchanged, but resulted in
an exchange from Andersonville to Charles
ton, Millen, Blackshier and Florence. The word
exchange" was given to deceive the boys.
Our rations consisted of one pint of corn meal,
one-half spoonful of salt and six ounces OF
beans, or eight ounces Of corn bread and four
ounces of bacon; or one-half pint of raw rice
and four ounces OF bacon; or one pint of cooked
rice and six ounces of corn bread; or two
thirds pint cooked stock peas and six ounces
of corn bread; these rations were issued once
day. With these scanty rations, in order to
make two meals, we divided the rations, using
one-half for supper and one-half for breakfast,
and then waiting until afternoon for the next
issue, and If there was man missing we did
not get rations until tho man was accounted
for. During term of ten months prison life
never saw day that l had more than half
enough to eat. AT Andersonville our ratiOns
of wood averaged about one cord-woOd stick
every three weeks, to the man. Can you
doubt why so many boys died in prison? A
camp on two hill sides, with branch dividing,
and $4,000 boys drinking the water impure
from the drainage of a rebel camp. Picture
to your minds boys standing in hole i'll the
ground up to their hips, and mud packed
around them, as a remedy to draw the scurvy
from their system.
"Two catholic priests came in camp to sec
dying prisoner, having with them a little
yellow dog. While the men were in the tent
with the dying soldier the dog was secured.
Presently Wirz came in with an escort for
the dog, but his flesh was meat to the starving
prisoners. During the months of July and
August one hundred and twenty-five men
died daily from disease, hunger and cX
posure. A colored soldier died, and his com
rades asked that his remains might be car
ried outside for burial. Wirz refused to
grant the request saying "you damned Yam
KEGS like the niger so much, now smell him."
The corpse lay in the sun two days. The
spring that made its appearance inside of the
dead-line could only be reached by pole with
string and cup attached, and when n man was
crowded over the dead line by the thirsty
boys he was shot by the guard, and for every
prisoner that was shot the guard that did the
shooting received furlough, hence every time
gun was fired by the guards loud rent the
air another furlough." So destitute and
starved were the boys that l have seen them
fight for tho privilege of taking the clothes
from dead comrade to cover their own naked
ness. November q and %, 1864, the prisoners
at Florence received no rations on account of Il
tunnel being dug to escape from the camp. The
afternoon of the third day the tunnel was
found and the camp received rations. Many
of the boys actually starved to death. l have
seen from fifteen to twenty corpses at Florence
camp iammed into wagon in all shapes, as they
died, and frozen stiff, then hauled out like hogs
| cannot tell you of all the incidents that came
under my observation. l pause and wonder
how it is that so many boys lived to see their
homes and loved ones again, and of these some
only came home to die. While we miss them
to-day we arc also proud to say that we will
never forget the memories of captive comrades
who died from exposure, disease, and starva-
ton Forget them, no, never!"
Speeches were also made by John S. Koincr
and Captains Becker and Preston.