The National tribune., 1883-11-15
WHERE ARE THEY NOW :?
An Ex-PrisGner'S Inquiry for the Comrades Vino
Escaped With Him.
be Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
I was one of the Andersonville prisoners,
and seeing number of letters in your valu-
able paper in regard to prison experience, has
awakened old recollections, and / would like
TO know if there is any way to reach, through
these letters, either or both prisoners that es
caped with me on December 5, 1864, by jump
ing from the cars on the Gulf Railroad, near
station called Naylor, in Georgia. One of the
mems name is ]. G. Bird. He belonged to the
Eighth Michigan cavalry, If | remember right,
and was taken prisoner at JOnesbor0', Ga.
The other was named Turner, and belonged to
q Michigan or a Wisconsin infantry regiment.
His first name have forgotten. If, after these
long years, ] could hear of either, it would, in
deed, be pleasure, and / hope that this letter
viii reach their eyes.
/ belonged myself to the Seventy-ifth Ohio
mounted infantry, and WAS captured at Gains
vile, Fla, while on raid, in fight which
lasted from daylight till afternoon, and, with
a number of others, was taken up through
Tallahassee to the State arsenal, on the banks
of the CIattahoochee, where re had no place
to sleep except on the bare brick pavement
While there paid 81 in greenbacks for piece
Of cornbread three inches wide, six inches
long, and about one inch thick, and divided it
between three of US.
Seven dollars of Confederate money was then
worth 81 in greenbacks, making $40 in their
money which paid for the cornbread. From
the arsenal we were taken up to Andersonyiile,
and before we were put into the stoekade were
stripped by order of Wirz and searched for
money, as they told us it was the custom.
Most of the men had plenty of money, having
been paid for six months service the night be-
fore starting on the raid. Would it not be JUS
tice TO those men TO give them a small pension
for their losses and suffering in AndersonviIle
and other prisons? All those stolen greenbacks
have been redeemed in gold was too sharp for
them myself, having hid my money while they
were searching my clothes, so l don't speak for
myself.
DASH FOR LIBERTY.
We were confined in Andersonville, Millen,
and Savannah, and about six weeks in the
woods at Blackshire, Ga, on the Gulf Railroad.
From there / was, with five or six car loads OF
Others sent back to Andersonville, by way OF
Townsville, and fell in with Bird and Turner.
told Bird my plans to escape and asked his
company, which was very readily granted. We
were overheard by Turner, who was all crippled
| up with scurvy, and he said he would like to
| 90 with US, but fearing he could not stand such
| a trip we objected. We were SO crowded to.
! gether ia cattle cars that there was Only stand
! ing room. The guards sat on top, with their
/ legs hanging over the sides, and their guns on
| or across their knees, so that if any Yankee
/ tried to jump off they could get a good shot
/ However, pTIed open the door and Jumped
of, Bird following, and Turner coming next
when the guards began to shoot, and fired in
all eight shots at u.s. The train was going 81
fast, however, that they could not take good
aim. AS l crawled up close to the track one
ball struck the road, filling my eyes with sand
| was somewhat bruised and shaken up, but
| that was nothing we're free men once more
never to be taken alive again! Our tunnels
aud all other plans Of escape had been failures
| but this was a grand success. We were Ist
miles from armed friends. but what did tina
| amount to in.our minds? Turner was bare
footed and we not much better off, but w,
started off on our long tramp for the sea coast
and after twenty days and nights of trav
cling reached Jacksonville, Fla, at about :
o'clock in the morning, and found the plac,
! occupied by friends When we reached til,
outpost we heard the sound of the night bell
on a gunboat on st. Johns River, and we sa
down on a log and cried with joy till the tear
ran off our faces and trickled down among tn.
leaves 1t was the only time either of us hai
ever cried for joy. We found the Fifty-fftf
Massachusetts, (colored) regiment On duty, ant