The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-03-29

we were allowed to " break ranks" 1t was one
of the seyerest punishments ever experienced.
We were compelled to stand eight hours with
out being allowed TO move an inch. ] would
first rest on one leg, and then on the other;
and then both legs would give out. I thought
1t would actually kill me. Ny body seemed to
weigh ton, my limbs shook, my head swan,
and felt as if / would sink through the floor.
Many poor man dropped down in a heap, but
he would hardly touch the floor before he
would be pricked into life again by the point
of rebel bayonet.
The day following was one Of the most miser-
able days / ever spent In prison. My poor
bones felt as if they had been jammed to-
gether, while the flesh, skin and sinews were
drying up to them. I was sick, physically and
mentally. The last nights failure was making
sad impressi on upon me. To add misery 10
misery, we drew no rations upon that day.
saw that large majority of the poor prisoners
were as despOndent as myself, while the re-
mainder were worse and had given up COM
pletely to despair. The men were afraid to
tell each other their troubles, lest they should
incur another punishment Night came, but
still no food. The men went staggering and
reeling over the floor. Few sought their
usual resting piace-such as it was-but took
their rest wherever they happened to be. We
tried to sleep little, but it was not the sleep
that refreshes mind and body. Curses and
prayers ffOated out on the same breath, and we
felt for the first time as if we were abandoned
by friends, by our country, and by our God.
But sometimes the darkest hour is just before
the dawning of the day.
1t was hardly daylight, when in came our
comrnissary sergeant with orders that six men
should be sent out to bring In bread, and dis
tribute it Immediately. One hundred men
volunteered to go, but only six were sent
They were gone hardly half an hour when
fharva H,oI
rels, baked in small round loaves about the size
of a saucer. On a count being made, it was
found that there was just one loaf to the man.
Never were rations sooner distributed, and
never was a days rations sooner devoured- In
ten minutes from the time the bread was
brought into the prison not pound could have
been found anywhere-and we were still IS
hungry as ever We had scarcely done eating,
when IN came Major Ross and announced to the
men of our room to be ready to leave in twenty
minutes At this news shout upon shout went
up from the men, till | was actually afraid that
the authorities would come in and punish Us
again for our b0isterOuS conduct / remember
locking arms with an old messmate of mine
and, promenading up and down the room,
singing:
Out on the ocean, all boundIess, we ride,
HOmeward bound, hOmeward bound
But, after all, where bound, we knew not
but We looked at the bright side home, it
must be home it could not be any where else.
OFF WE GO.
Itwas Friday morning, November 18th, 1863,
and the sun was up, shining In all its dazzling
brightness, as we bade adieu to our prison and
stepped out of doors into the pure air of
heaven again. There were 700 of Us, and we
We're marched southwark, across the James
River over an old rickety bridge until we were
halted in front of train of empty cattle cars,
hOra %ha ,nff 81 - d ~ r. ID u ,
Those cabalistic letters did not give US much
satisfaction. Our destination was an enigma
that meme could solve. The guards, even If
they knew, would not tell US. They said their
instructions were not to have any conversation
with the prisoners. A little hope still fingered
within our breasts, and some even thought that
Dick Turner would soon be around TO give
them baektheir greenbacks. He had relieved
us of all our money and valuables ON entering
Libby.l
1t must have been about 10 O'Clock, when we
all got aboard and the train started / OBJ
served the direction in which we were going,
and after about an hours travel felt confident
We Were travelling southwest. This, then,
could not be "hOmeward bound" We stopped
after a while at small station for wood and
water, and some negroes gathering around the
ears, We inquired where this road went to-
The answer was, down to Norf Carliner."
We travelled slowly all day, through a very
poor country, with no towns of any consequence
on the line of the road. We were convinced
now that we We're simply on our way to an
other prison probably "out of the frying pan
into the fre"-and fresh projects for escape
entered our heads. Our opportunities for con-
suitatlon, however, were poor. There were
about sixty of US in each car, but one door of
which was open. In it sat two very surly
guards. We We're not allowed to leave the cars
under any pretense whatever, and the guards
eyed US as if they mistrusted that we were
ready to seize the first opportunity to make
dash for freedom. Towards evening we found
out from one of the men that our destination
was, probably, Danville, Va, 140 miles south
west from Richmond, and nearly on the line of
North Carolina, and that it would probably be
after dark before we reached it. Three of US
got together in a far corner of the car and
there, In whispers, talked the matter over
We agreed to wait until it got dark, then steal
up on the guards, who were generally sitting
with their feet hanging out of the side car
door, and IL an instant two OF us were to grasp
the guns or the guards and jump from the
train, bringing either the gun or the guard cut
with us. The ground was generally level, and
the cars We're running ct a very slow rate,
50 that we did not apprehend any danger from
making the leap and as the night would
probably be dark, and there were only two
cars In the rear, we felt that but little danger
WAS To De apprenendeO nom the guns or the
guards in the rear cars.
We were doomed again TO be disappointed
however; for, just as the sun set, an officer
came around, closed and locked ali the doors
on the outside. How we reprOached ourselves
for allowing the whole day TO pass without
making an effort to escape!
THE RECEPTION AT DANvILLE.
1t was about 8 O'Clock at night when the
train reached the depot at Danville and from
the hustle outside we knew we were at the
end of our journey. Finally the doors were
thrown open and we Were ushered out into an
open space on the right of the depot, where we
were Immediately surrounded by a motley
crowd of people that had long been waiting to
get a glimpse of Us. The throng included
young and old, black and white, male and fe-
male, soldier and civilian-all had come out to
see the Yankees. We were the first of the spe-
,ies ever seen in the city, and it was not strange
that we created something of an excitement
md aroused the curiosity of the people. A
heavy homo guard was waiting to act as our
escort TO our new hotel. In conjunction with
citizens carrying torchights of pine knots they
ormed in lines on both sides of US, and we
hen took up our line of march. The distance
vas probably a mile, and the spectacle was
doubtless the most imposing that Danville had
aver witnessed. never knew before that / was
'ueh noted person, nor expected to meet with
such an august reception. Our hotel proved
20 be another brick prison. We fled into back |
yard, through a small wicket gate, Just large |
enough to admit an ordinary man, aud thence |
through door into the prison proper. We |
'ooa scattered through the different rooms and