davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The National tribune., 1882-09-16
ANOTHER Ex-PR1soNER's TEsr1moNY

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
Pour in the shot and shell. TIE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE is the best advocate of soldiers rights
that ever read. see that several bills have
been presented to Congress to pension those
who were confined in rebel prisons. How long
shall we have to wait until Congress acts on
them2 AS to myself, know from experience
the privations of prison life was captured
at Chatahoochee River, and sent to Anderson
vile. As l entered the prison spectacle met
my eyes that almost froze my blood. Before
me were forms that had once been active and
erect-stalwart men once, but now nothing but
mere walking skeletons covered with filth and
vermin. Some of them were forced to crawl
on their hands and knees, their legs being so
drawn up with scurvy that they could not keep
in an erect posture. A prisoner coming in at
such a time, unused to the horrors of prison
life, would turnpale at the sickening sight He
felt things unutterable in the presence of these
half-starved, half-clothed, diseased, and wretch
ed beings, who had once SO proudly worn the
Blue. Yet they were neither convicts nor ex-
lies. They had left behind them happy homes,
and Love was still keeping bright the fire at
many fireside awaiting their return Your
paper is the only one that symPathizes with the
thousands of our brave soldiers who sacrificed
themselves on the altar OF their country-in de-
fense of her laws her institutions, and human
liberty-and that speaks with the courage and
ardor Of patriots, and with unselfsh devotion
to the lofty principles of truth and justice.
Our veterans took their lives in their hands,
and pledged their sacred honor to uphold the
glorious cause Many languished and died in
prisons. The youth of our country and the
pride of the land, the heroic sons Of worthy
sires and the honored braves of spartan-lille
mothers-alasl they have fallen, but the great
heart of the Nation shall be their mausolcum,
and mankind shall ever be grateful for the
deeds they did, and the radiant glory with
which they have crowned the Nation.
G. Il. KELLIAMs
To-
The National tribune., 1882-09-16
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
l have received three numbers of your paper
and am much pleased with it. 1 was a sub
scriber to the Union Veteran, and think my
subscription expires in October, and will
become regular subscriber to your paper
then. VIII also try to get you others. 1 like
the idea of f. E. Phillips, expressed in the
paper of August 10Th, in regard to the prison
sketches, and think that somebody should
write up Salisbury, Belle Isle, and other prisons
as well as Andersonville. / was a prisoner
from August 18th, 1864, to March 10th, 1865
(including the time making my escape,) at
Belle Isle and Salisbury and wish to state a
few facts about the latter place. was among
the first lot of prisoners who went there. We
got there early in October, 1864, and at that
time (between October lst and 15th) just
10000 men were there, they being old prison
oners from Belle Isle. After that many more
were brought in in squads of from 100 to
500 but from the best that can learn, not
more than 10000 ever went there. From the
time the prison was formed until March (less
than six months) there died of this number
121I2, against 1906 at Andersonville. When
we compare the total number confined at each
prison, and the time the prisons existed, we
find that the proportion of deaths was much
higher at Salisbury. am not able to do JUS
tice to this subject, but should be glad to have
some one who is tell your readers and the
world all about the corn-cob and sorghum-seed
bread and beef-head and entrails given to us
there for food. Then, when all the truth re-
garding these hells has been written, would be
in favor Of confning Congress to the same diet
until the survivors were pensioned. l think
that one month would bo enough to wiring
Justice from the stoutest Congressman.
Yours, for the right,
SILAs w. CROKER,
The National tribune., 1882-09-16
A coMRADE's WARM INTEREST.
lditor NATIONAL TRIBUNE

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
l enclose you one dollar for subscription TO
your most valuable paper Keep pounding
away, and /, for one, will keep sending the
material to help you pound.
Oh, that there were more Of just such mate
rial for journalists and editors as you are-men
that are fearless and not afraid TO take a stand
on the side of justice and right, and maintain
the position fearlessly-not question whetherit
will suit this man or that man, this political
party or that political party; but if you believe
you are advocating the side Of right and JUS
tce, never deviate one inch, and you will be
sustained and prosper in your efforts. You
have fought manfully and bravely in defence
of the Eoidiers' claims, and / hope you will be
sustained by the vast army Of soldiers that YOU
are weekly defending, and / am confident YOU
will be, for the soldier learned, by the hard
ships and privatiOns and suferings attending
war, to remember q friend, and trust they
The National tribune., 1882-09-16
NJ. ID. COCHRAN
ANOTHER EARNEST WORKER.

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
Enclosed find 100 for The TRIBUNE. Send
to Thomas Cole, Fulton, n. Y. If you have
not already received a subscriber for every one
of the extra copies you sent me l think you
will. With the exception Of one copy gave
and mailed everyone of them; also, my own
numbers to one-legged and one-armed soldiers
and Andersonville prisoners. None of them were
taking any soldier paper and all have expressed
themselves we'll pleased with it. So much for
the 100000! l am deeply interested in TIE
NATIONAL TRIBUNE, as ! am one of the Ander-
sonville skeletons, and the communications of
Free Lance and others are much welcomed
Then, with the well written editorials and the
legislative news, and the manifest interest you
take in the soldiers welfare make it, all in all,
a great paper. Please tell Free Lance to cor
rect his unintentional error as to Curtis being
dubbed to death instead of being hanged. l
was but q few feet from the gallows when he
was brought back and handed over to Timber
JIM" who after giving him drink of water,
helped him up the ladder and remarked while
adjusting the rope around his neck :" l have
been detailed to hang you and -- yOu | am
going to do it," And he did do it in good
shane was seven months in AnderSOnVille,
Charleston, and Florence.
Yours, in hurry,
T. b. MCCULLY,
Drummer boy, Co.'S and f, 8lst N.Y.SS.V.
EuJTnN n Y Sent, g.
The National tribune., 1882-09-16

They are scattered far and wide over this great
country; many are broken down through sick
ness contracted during the war; some are
blind, some are dead, and their families need
all the help the National Government can give
them. One poor blind man, who was with me
in the army, has been trying for a long time to
get the help he needs, but has not yet succeeded
in doing so. Hope deferred maketh the heart
sick" is an old saying, and l have waited so
long myself to receive what is no more than
my due that L appreciate its meaning, yet the
members of my old regiment, or what is left OF
them, will ever be found doing their duty, ever
ready to stand by Uncle Sam.
Respectfully, yours, g. SHORT.
SHoRTvILLE, Wis, August 26.
The National tribune., 1882-09-16
VANETTENYILLE, n. Y.
PENSIONS FOR MEXICAN VETERANS.

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
There are no ex-Union soldiers in this i'm
mediate vicinity, but there are three or four
Mexican observation-disclosures in the true sense
of the word, for they are all old and fast pass
ing to that bourne from which no soldier
returns. 1t has been thirty-six years since the
beginning of the Mexican war. l think the
least twenty-eight years-36 added to % gives
6f as the present average age, supposng the
mortality to have been equal among them. The
result of the Mexican war was the acquisition
Of our large, rich, and valuable territory on the
Pacific Slope. The Legislatures of more than
three-fourths of the States of the Union have
passed resolutions requesting Congress to grant
pensions to the Mexican War Veterans, but
Congress heeds them not. At nearly every ses-
sion of Congress, for several years past some
one or two of the members have had a few
words to saysin favor Of a pension, but it seems
as though the most of the members thought
that it was none of their bread and butter, or,
rather, perhaps, that the votes that are made OF
lost by doing what justice demands, can have
but little weight in the elections, there being
comparatively SO few of the Vets left, and they,
consequently, make no exertion to have the bill
to grant to the needy veterans the pitifuI sum
of S. per month passed.
To MY knowledge, there are about forty NJ.
". VS.. in almshouses in different parts Of this
State. h. H. LUNT.
YANKEE HILL, CAL.
The National tribune., 1882-09-16

tie of Chickamauga; was confined in Rich
mond; sent to Danville, and from that prison
escaped; travelled $50 miles between the
lines" and reached Unioa post; rejoined my
regiment again, and was severely wounded in
the last battle for Atlanta. September L, 1864.
My wound is of such nature-a partial loss
of the upper third of the tibia bone OF left leg
that through the hot season of the year inham-
nation sets in, and 1 am for the time-being
confined to my room, but as soon as frost comes
l am able to be up again.
JOHN F. HILL,
Late Co. K, 69th Reg't Ohio Vol. Inf
OsWEGO, KAN, Sept g.
The National tribune., 1882-09-16
Truly, yours, VIM. II. Coon,
Corp. Co. K, 45th Ohio Vols.
SPRINGFIELD, O., Aug. %.
"PUsH THEM, COLONEL, PUSH THEM"

PUSH THEM, COLONEL, PUSH THEM
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
Enclosed find 81 for which send The Ma
TIONAL TRIBUNE to He was q soldier
and l know will enjoy reading your paper, for
no one who is soldier could help enjoying
the many excellent sketches Of the war pub
hshCd IN it from time to time | myself have
much enjoyed reading the accounts of the
battle of Lookout Mountain and Missionary
Ridge, in which took part under Hooker, or
Fighting Joe" as the boys called him, and
l shall never forget when ascending the
ridge at Rossvile Gap seeing him ride up in
rear of our regiment (Eighty-fourth Illinois,
and ask permission to ride through our lines,
Lieut.. Waters, commanding the company on
my left, gave the order to give way to the
right, and let the General ride through. He
passed through our lines, and turning in his
saddle saluted the lieutehant and rode down
to the skirmish line, which was composed of
the Ninth Indiana, and when near enough
to be heard, he says: Press them, Colonel,
press them" which Col. Sherman did in good
style. 1t was here that young breckenridge a
captain on his fathers staff, rode into our lines
anu was .ibuIga IAC liI Ouly lClb bNd0
part of the field short time before, aud was
now returning with orders from headquarters
to some Of the under officers, but he found
that somebody had been there since he'd
been gone" He was mad, but they sent him
back to Chattanooga all the same, whore, be-
fore night, he found thousands of his COM
rades. TIE NATIONAL TRIBUNE is the best
soldiers paper in the world, and the best any
mans" paper for a dollar. 1 take a great
many papers, but there is none take more
pleasure in reading than THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE, and shall never fail to speak good
word for it when 1 have an opportunity.
Yours, truly,
A. s. MCDOWELL, Co. I, 84th III. Vols.
CLAYTON Ill, Sept g.
The National tribune., 1882-09-16

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
If there is paper in this conntry that is a
soldiers paper, it is THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE.
Every number get weds me closer to it, and
[ feel as If | would like to do something also
to help sustain its attractive features 1or the
old soldier.
read with much interest those sketches OF
Free Lance, for L know the picture is not over
drawn. l tasted some of the btter-sweets OF a
prison life myself. was captured at the bat
The National tribune., 1882-09-16
PARKERsBURG, w. VA, Aug. 28.
TT "sKUNKS" THEM ALL.

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
Enclosed please find one dollar for which you
will please send me THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE
for one year. / saw your paper, and it pleased
me so much that could not be contented until
l had signed for it. 1t skunks all the papers
L have seen for good reading. May God crown
your efforts in behalf of the soldiers is my
prayer
Yours, truly, NJ. ID. COCHRAN.
WINCHESTER, iowa, August 3.
The National tribune., 1882-09-16
SEMPER IDEM.
PHILADELPHIA, August 10.
A TwEETY-KINTH WISCONSIN BOY.

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
Your paper is just what Uncle Sans boys
need to look after their interests. i have re-
ceived and read six copies, and can recommend
it TO the boys who wore the blue. / was lit
tie over twenty-one when ] entered the army
to fight for my country, and / endured many
hardships and privations, which resulted In
sickness, though / never missed battle that
my regiment was engaged in, and that number
Mas thirteen. Yes, the Twenty-ninth regiment
Cf Wisconsin volunteers did their duty nobly
until mustered out of service, SO l speak for
,hem through your widely circulated paper.
The National tribune., 1882-09-16
ANOTHER PRISONERS EXPERIENCE.
To the Editor NATIONAL tribune:
Yours, truly

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
l like your paper very much, and keep it al
ways on file. What Free Lance writes is the
truth. l was a prisoner ten months at Ander-
sonville-was taken there June 1, 1864, and
released April l, 1865. l will not attempt to
repeat what has been already written, but l
would like to tell you about brave patriot
and a true friend-one Abel 3. Smith, of the
Fourth Vermont volunteers. We were on the
verge of starvation, when he traded off his
boots for some corn-meal and divided it with
US. When the rebs were taking prisoners out
Of Andcrsonville, Abe says: Hank, if we
don't meet again here keep this" and he cuts
his Blanket in to and gives me half of it.
But, rs a rule, while confined in such a
place, men were more like wild beasts than
men And who can blame them? l must
speak about one of the brave boys of Pennsyl-
vania z Rather than enlist in the rebel army,
he chose death by starvation and exposure.
Poor fellow, he died with the scurvy. was
robbed at Libby prison, and taken to Ander-
sonvilIe without blanket. There l was with
out shelter, and compelled to go barefooted
during the winter of 1876.
HENRY G. HENDRICKsoN,
Co. G, II N. J. Vols.
CovINrtTON IND August 27
The National tribune., 1882-09-16
Answers to Correspondents.

Z. a. w., Rdrsqw IHs.-Provided the afida-
Wits were corroborative of your declaration,
there was no harm. The delay may be with
the witnesses to whom the Department has writ
ten.
John M. C., Argyle, Ncb.-1 Not necessarily.
2. Bounty for service in Sixtieth n. Y. vols, de-
pended upon date of enlistment. g. Yes. d.
Attorneys may collect their fees in advance in
claims filed subsequent to June 49, 1878. 5.
No.
Anriety Clinton, THs.-Some time would elapse;
usually, three or four months.
Constant Reader, Ticonder0ga, N VI. The
word "banc" is pronounced bank" 2. No.
g. Yes
IL. II. d., South Boardman, Mich.-It depends
upon its number. II as high as 26, 700 it should
be in progress of adj djudication.
A. d. o., Post Oak Springs, Tenn. From
date of death 2. Loss of sight of one eye
the sight of the other not being affected
half total" would cntitle you to 81 per
month. 3. Impossible to say the rating de-
pends entirely upon the degree of disability
and is determined by medical examination.
4. Depends upon the number of the claim. D.
$l3 and SIT. 6. We should judge about
four dollars; perhaps six. 7. Yes; where there
was record evidence 8. The reply to No. 3
answers this. 8. The Commissioner of PEN
sions. TO- Yes. II. No.
W. E., Lafayette, 1Iicb.-It is out of our power
to render the service.
S. j. B., BeJJGir, INS.-N0t unless your hus-
band died from the disability for which pen
stoned.
f. r. L., Cleveland, Ohio Your attorney
should inform you of cause of delay.
Sub, aurora Neb.-If the number of the claim
has been reached and the evidence satisfactory
it ought not to be long before it is settled.
B. C. w., Rmgfcld, Memo; to the Commits.
sioner of Pensions.
r. ". g., South Chatham, MaSS-1. You might
apply to the Quartermaster-Gene Washing
ton, D. c., for a position as superintendent of
| National Cemetery. 2. Upon receipt of
twenty-five cents we will advertise for the
parties named.
G. H., Marshfeld, Visit relates to pending
cases only.
TIME, Rains5oro, Ohio.-We do not know
him.
WD. d. s., Cherry Yale, Kas-You can easily
calculate-they are being settled at the rate of
! $500 per month.
j. R. C., Toniea, IUs.-We cannot account for
| the delay. You should inquire of the Commis-
siOner.
T. r. C., Pumas co., CaL-1. No. 2. Not IN
less you get mustered back to the date of COM
mission.
Leonidas, San Francisco, CGl.-Not unless he
held commission as colonel.
NJ M, adams Centre, Wis.-We could not
tell you whether your papers were received,
but should think they were, or you would
have received the package back through the
dead letter Office
80 Remaining answers next week.
I'VE are obliged TO answer certain inquiries of the
nature in each issue of paper While We cheeruly
furnish information subscribers in this column,
suggest that much labor time, and expense may be saved
both to ourselves and TO correspondents il all sub
scribers would keep file of the paper They could then,
at ay time turn to the file and probably find the very
INQUIRY answered about which they would have written
10 us that every subscriber will prot by this
The National tribune., 1882-09-16
GO TO THE POLLS WITH YOUR EYES orEN

GO TO THE POLLS WITH YOUR EYES OPEN.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
Enclosed please find $l200 for subscribers to
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE. We are about or
ganizing Grand Army Post here; we had
one some years ago, but it went down and we
lost our charter, but as soon as we find the
number we will reorganize. l think we can get
about forty-fiYe or fifty members, and l believe
when we get properly organized | can send
you lot more of subscribers. | have been a
subscriber to your soldiers paper for nearly
two years and like it exceedingly well. 1 was
myself soldier in the rebellion for over three
years and served in Co. X, First Pennsylvania
Reserves. l went out sound man and came
home diseased. After | came home was offered
81, 500 to go rs a substitute for one year, but
was rejected on account of my disease. /
made application for q pension, got it through,
and received about one-half Of the amount of
what the interest would have amounted to in
seventeen years. Where, now, is the justice
done to me and to the many other diseased
and crippled soldiers who have been similarly
dealt with? want you and the many kind
readers of THE TRIBUNE to carefully consider
the injustice done to the poor soldier, and hope
the "Boys in Blue" will all get their eyes
opened before going to the polls to vote
Very respectfully, yours,
JACOB MACKLEY,
Late Co. K, First Penna. Reserves.
LUCAS, ONO, Sept. Z.
The National tribune., 1882-09-16
CovINGToN, IND, August q.
PLEASED UNION VETERAN SUBSCRIBER

4 PITAHFU UNIUN WHITMAN 30 FotIsIbEh.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
l am much pleased with the change in papers
and shall endeavor TO aid THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE in every manner possible, hoping the
principles which it advocates may find public
favor TO the extent that every ex-soldier in our
sountry may receive his just dues. I was a
soldier four years and prisoner in Anderson
Vile, Florence, and Libby eight months, and
am anxious to see each and every man obtain
his rights Enclosed find one dollar and name
of subscriber. [ hope to procure many more
at an early day. Yours, very truly,
N. II. VINCENT.
The National tribune., 1882-09-16

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
Pardon me for not writing you sooner.
was one of the Union Veteran subscribers, and
liked the paper well and had only one objec-
tion to it. Our ex-Ander5onville prisoners got
awfully hungry and could not wait whole
month for their rations. But through THE
NATIONAL TRIBUNE we now get our rations-
good and fresh-every week, which is more
bealthful.
You may put me down as life subscriber
to The TRIBUNE. l was ten months and eigh-
teen days a prisoner, assigned to the Eighty
ninth detachment in AndersonviIle, and was
known as Banty" or Pony" l had red
morocco-backed testament, which many of the
boys viii remember. 1t was in use nearly all
the time and needed little watching to keep
track of it. I have the promise of some sub
scribers for you. JOHN WALTON.
LITHOPoLIs, ONO.
The National tribune., 1882-09-16
BARNUMToN, Mo-, Aug. 80.
THOSE CRUSHED pAHLaRENs.
LyNAoj tVL tIIV IIE7HOJ
SILAs w. CROKER,

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
The narrator of this, an officer of the First
New York regiment volunteer engineers, being
in Washington, ID. c., some time since, and
having spare time which he desired to kill,
wandered into the Ordnance Museum on 18th
street, and, seeing some 15-inch Dahlgrens !"
lying on the floor, his attention was called to
them by their crushed condition.
The custodian of the museum, when ques-
toned as to their present condition, informed
him THAT it was caused by their coming in
contact with the fort" conveying, at the same
time, the idea that instead of the 'Dahlgrensp'
crushing the fort the fort had Crushed them"
The cream of this anecdote will be relished
by the army officers who were present on Nor
ris Island during the SIEGE because we all
thought that the admiral kept his iron-cIads
"a little too far out to sea-" What different
story would have been told if Uncle Sam could
have sent his d" Foote" to Charleston?
DLORAH
The National tribune., 1882-09-16
BROOKLYN, August %.
JUSTICE, ONLY JUSTICE, WANTED.

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
1t is with pride that read your valuable
paper and realize that the private soldier has
at least one friend left who Will advocate his
rights and proclaim to the world that what he
asks for is nothing moro than what the Gov
ernment obligated itself to do at the outbreak
of the war. Now, when the private soldier,
who became disabled on the battlefield or on
the weary march, and the men who stood the
brunt OF the battle and staked their all in be-
half of their country for the small sum of thir-
teen dollars per month in deprecated money,
ask for that small pittance which the Govern
The National tribune., 1882-09-16

ment has obligated itself to pay to them, it is
next to impossible for him to furnish evidence
enough to establish his claim, while Presi-
dents wives and daughters and high army Off
GERS, who are already capitalists, are having
pensions bestowed upon them regardless of
proof Of their services or their inability to sus-
tain themselves. What the soldier asks and
wants is simply to be paid that which justly
belongs to him that he may secure for HIM
self and family the necessaries of life and
not depend on the charities of friends and neigh
bors for their support May the soldiers friend,
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE, never cease its
pleadings for justice and the right until all our
demands are granted.
Truly yOurs WM H Coon
The National tribune., 1882-09-16
-. Remaining answers next week.

I'VE are obliged TO certain inquiries of the same
nature in each paper While cheerfuliy
furnish information to Subscribers in this column we
suggest that much labor time, end expense may be saved
both ourselves and to correspondents, II all sub
scribes would keep file of the paper They could then,
at ar.v time to the file and probably find the very
INQUIRY answered about which they would have written
to us We that every subscriber will profit by this
SuggestiOn.-ED
The National tribune., 1882-09-16
SMALL SHOT.

OswEGo, KAN, Sept. 6.
The National tribune., 1882-09-16
LIKES HIS RAr1oNs ONCE A WEEK.

o. " S-J 1iOAoNh L WV
FAIR HAVEN, Conn, August 8.
The National tribune., 1882-09-16
TIE HORRORS OF SALISBURY.

Late Co. K, First Penna. Reserves
LUCAS, ONO, Sept. Z.
The National tribune., 1882-09-16
n1rrER.swEETs OF PRISON LIFE.

Drummer boy, Co.'S B and f, s1st N.Y.s.s.V
FULTON, n. Y, Sept. 3.