The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-07-19
A SUGGESTIVE coMpARrsoH.
Editor NATIoxAL TRrBuxE:

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
With your permission, would like to give
your readers little OF my experience as to
the treatment of Southern prisoners compared
with that OF Northern prisoners. First, I viii
say that ! noticed an article in The tribune
from Z. w. Basshaw, Of company 81 Fifth
Indiana cavalry, now Of Everett, Missouri and
| can fully voueh for the truth OF that gentIe-
mans statement. And | viii tell You why
can do so. once belonged to an Alabama regf-
ment and was on detached duty at Anderson-
vile. / guarded the Yanks" for about three
week. At the end Of that time l, with three
others, became so thoroughly disgustcd with
the rules and treatment of Union prisoners that
we deserted. and made Our way 70 Memphis,
Tenn. Here found that I could rot pass N.Y.
self OF q citizen any longer, and finally / fell
in with lieutenant in John Morgan's COM
mand. He took me to Nashville, and from there
we Joined Morgan IN southern Kentucky. This
was IN April, 1863. The company TO which /
was ass gned was bJshwhackiHg on the Green
and Barren Rivers. About the last DAYS OF
April we were oyertaken by squad Of the Fifth
Indiana cavalry near Glasgow, Ky, and the
writer, with party of four, was taken prisoner.
Now" thought l. e / win have q chance
to find out which side treats its prisoners best.o
We arrived at headquarters about noon, hungry
and weary The officer who commanded Us and
the guards called on Il. w. Bagshaw, who was
doing some writing neara tent, and asked him if
he could take charge Of these boys meaning
us prisoners. 'sOh, yes, captain, III take care
of these chaps Immediately" he replied, and
putting on his hat he stepped cut to our line,
and, dismiSsing the guards, turned to Us and
said: . BFvs, are you hangryP Yes" from
all Ofus. well" said he, follow me-" SO he led
US TO a beautiful little grove and set ont beans,
soft bread, bacon, coffee, sugar and hOmlny.
! thought it was the best dinner [ ever ate. Our
guard-f guard he could be caileG-appeared
more like q host entertaining his guests every
jofT-
were csc jrted to MunforCsVille. Here we were
put ON a train and shipped TO Camp Morton,
/ indianapolis, Ind. There l found a large COM
modiou5 camp, well furnished with ali that
/ could reasonably be expected. / could not help
/ thinking what contrast there was between
/ the two camps and the treatment of the in
mates. During my stay of two years and some
/ days, can say that / never suffered for food,
/ water or fuel. / also was 10 the smallpox hos
| pital at indianapolis, of which Z. w. Bagshaw
| speaks. Here | met him for the first time since
/ he had given US q square meal at Glasgow, Ky.
/ He was acting as steward of the hospital, and
much liked by both his own comrades and the
prisoners. Yours, respectfully,
KANSAS CITY, Mo. WILL COTTON.
/ MEMORIES OF ANDERSONvILLE
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
I have been reader of THE TRIBUNE for
the past six months. and / have made up
| the testimony in favor of the noble boys
in blue, especially the AndeTs0nville prison.
ers. l was taken prisoner on the both day Of
/ September, 1868, at Chiekamauga, after Two OF
the hardest days fighting our regiment ever
had. Colonel Harrison G. Hobart commanded
US. We were not captured in the rear as sons
of our Senators say, but were taken while in
the front lines, and we did not give up until ID
was, - throw down the gun, or dief' It would
have been better for most of US had we died on
that field, rather than TO have gone through whaa
we did. / wish Senator Beck had been with us
poor devils for one month, for / think by that
time he would have made up his mind that
there was a hell on earth. We were taken 20
Belle Isle and kept there for fourteen days,
then over to PeTlbertoas old tobacco ware
house, or prison, as the rebels called it. We
were confined in Richmond until the latter part
of December, 1863, and were then removed TO
Danvilie and put in No. 5 prison, where Wa
were kept until the 18th of April. and then
shipped OF to Anders0nville There were
eighty-foUr Of US poor, ragged, miserable SOL
diers IN the party, and we were loaded IN tight
-cars-not passenger coaches We vera
packed so thick that there was not room for 8
man to lie down or rest. We were given one
pound of corn bread for the trip, and it took
five days. / remained in AndersOnviile until
September, with the exception OF three days,
when I tunnelled out. but was followed and re-
| captured by the cursed hounds. / was put IN
the stocks by old Wirz, where I was kept
for twenty four hours and then sent again
into the stockade. On September u I, with
eighty-fve Others, was placed in another box
ear and shipped to Florence, 5. G. This time
the trip occupied six days, and we dida't have
over half pound Of corn bread during the en-
tire time, nor was one of US allowed to leave
the car. was kept IN Florence until the 9th
of December, 1861, aud was finally paTOled az
Charleston, S. C. When enlisted I was thirty
eight years old, AID earned s3 a day, which I
gave up for S13 month. / never saw q sick
day until after l was captured. Ny usual
weight was 165 pounds, but when paroled
weighed but eighty-one.
GEO. ". HOWE,
Company e, 21st Wisconsin Inf.
STOCK BRIDGE MS