The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-01-18
PRISON EXPERIENCES.
Little Red Cap Concludes His Descrip-
ton of Life at AnderSOnVille.
GUIDED

ICopcIudedI
One Of Wir's fayorite modes of punishment
was the infamous chain gang. The last time [
saw it, it consisted 0f twelve men. The chains
were arranged in the following manner: Each
man carried siXt y-foGr pound ball attached to
one leg, and a thiGty-four FOUNDER attached to
the other There were three sixty-iour pound
balls in all, and four men were chained to each,
while all three of the balls were chained to-
gethcr. In addition, an iron collar was rivetcd
around each mans neck, and these rings were
connected with each other by q network of
chains. Small chains were also attached to
the balls to enable the prisoners to lift them
when they walked. Wirz generally inflicted
this punishment on prisoners who had OCCa-
stoned him trouble by repeated efforts to es-
cape. 1t was terrible punishment. When
one of the gang moved all were obliged to
move. and when a new offender was added to
the gang all were forced TO walk to the depot
i'll order to have the blacksmith Tivet the
chains. | can still see the gang, trampiHg Ia
borously and painfully over the burning hill
side III the MONDAY sun. On one occasion
member Of the gang became seriously i'll, and
was sent to the hospital. After his recovery
he made an attempt to escape, but was captured
by the hounds, brought back to the stUckake,
and, by Virus orders, returned to the chain
gang. Not long afterwards, he was again
taken sick, and when | last saw him he was
lNllB helpless Ill HiN tliIliiH u 'itilul ist1i,,
and cause OF constant suffering To his COM
pauions in the gang.
About this time | noticed one day great
COmmOtiOn at headquarters. Officers We're con-
versing in whispers, and were anxious appar-
emily to prevent the prisoners in the stockaGe
from suspecting that anything unusual had
occurred. WiH WAS as much excited as the
rest, and sent me over to Winder's headquarters
with dispatch. Had | known at the time
tfot ftoDornl Ct0uer,l1r1 1yos 81 upgr he should
have received that dispatch instead Of General
Wiuder. As it was, il was not until the next
noon that we learned what had happened, when
WirZ quietly told Us that General SLOVENIAN
had made n cavalry raid for the purpose Of lib
Grating the prisoners at AndcrsOaylEie, but had
been captured with nearly his entire command,
and that we would soon have the pleasure Of
seeing the raiders brought under guard to the
stockade. Wrz seemed to be very much in
censed by the daring which the raiders had
exhibited, and made preparations to give them
a warm reception. | snail never forget the
evening when they arrived. They were
marched, by WirZ's directions, to q piece of
ground just below the depot, and were there
compelled to submit to the most searching eX-
animation that | have ever witnessed. The
confederate officers actually forced them to
take OF their clothing, il order to make certain
that they had not sCcreted anything about their
persons. They were compelled to open their
Bnapsacl1s in the presence of the guards and hand
over the contents watches, money, pocket
books, combs, knives, everything indeed. which
they possessed. One of them, / remember, III
his anxiety to out-Wit the rebels, dropped .
beautiful watch down the leg OF his pantaloons
and carefully buried it in the sand with his
feet. 1t was afterwards found by boy IN the
neiGhbOrhOOd. As soon as this examination
had been completed the stolen goods were put
into a wheel barrow and carted Off in the direc-
tion of Windcr's headquarters. Noticed among
them several big rolls OF greenbacks, and as
many of the prisoners had but recently re-
ccivcd their bounty the rebels doubtless made
a rich haul.
THE FALL OF ATLANTA.
After this we became very anxious to learn
the fate Of Atlanta. For q long time the only
news we received was that which we found in
the rebel papers. At last we were told that
Sherman had raised the siege and fallen back
to the ChattahOochee, and we experienced all
the bitterness of despair. After that we heard
nothing whatever for many days. AT this time
the guards in the sentry-boyes around the stock
ade were in the habit of calling cut the hours
and half hours to show that they were awake
and attending to their duties. One night,
when our anxiety to know the fate OF General
Sherman's army had reached its height. one of
the guards sang out Post No. 4, half-past
eight o'clock, and Atlanta's gone to hell"
At the word the heart of every man within
hearing Ieaped into his mouth. The next in
slant q ringing cheer went up from that quar-
ter of the prison, and was re-echoed all over the
stockade. All thoughts of sleep were banished
for the night. The men gathered in groups
and spent the evening i'll discussing the stu
alton and the probable effect which the fall of
Atlanta would have upon their prospects.
Stump speeches were made III some parts of
tho stocllade, and the old battle songs were
rod
our excitement. They were alarmed lest we
should be encouraged to make an assault upon
the stoCkade, and tho guards remained under
arms until tho enthusiasm had died away.
When the gates OF AndcrsOnvilie finally
swung back on their hinges, l was among the
first who left the prison. had been sent back
to the stocBade by old Wirz during one of his ire
qucnt outbursts ofauger. He had ordered me TO
go over to General Winders with message and
as his horse was at that time in the generals
stables, l had been forced 20 make the journey
on foot. When | returned ne asked me why |
had not brought tho horse back with me? l
rcpIicd that he had not asked me to DO so,
and he became so enraged ct the contradiction
that he ordered the guard to put me back into
the stOcllado Immediately. The guard, how
ever was well-dispOsed, and permitted me to
take my box of clothes back with me. On re-
entering the stockade | found the condition of
affairs wonderfully changed. With one or two
exceptions, all the members OF my company
were dead, and l was at a loss to know where
TO take up my quarters. | was acquainted,
however, with Charlie Huclelby and Beverly,
who kept the suffers shop, and they allowed
me to sleep there. | also had an acquaintance
with one of the transfers, and l made an
arrangement with him by which he agreed to
do the cooking, and | engaged to forage for
extra TatiOns. I generally managed TO carry
out my part of the contract, but sometimes, III
spite oil all [ could do, we suffered from hunger.
FAREWELL TO ANDERSONEILLE.
However, my period Of imprisonment was
destined to be brief. On the evening Of the 9th
OF September Il few days after the fall of Atlanta,
tho rebel sergeauts whose business twas to call
the roll, entered the stockade, and assembling
his squad each addressed them Is follows:
q Prisoners, am instructed by General Nlnder
to inform YOU that joint exchange has been
agreed upan; 10000 men will be exchanged
Immediately ut Savannah, where yOur vessels
are now waiting for you. Dctachmcnts az from
one to ten Will prepare to leave early tomorrow
morning" The sensation which this announce
ment produced i'll the stoclade was simply in
de5cribable Men who had borne their suffer
ings with at least outward c9mpOSuCc gave way
to their feelings, and sang and shouted until
thew were hoarSe Gods country once more
doomed up before their eyes. That which they
had SO long wished for, prayed for, toiled for,
was at last at hand. 1t did not take long to
make orr preparations. We had no clothing
eycept the rags on our backs. 1t was my good
fortune to belong to one of the detachments
that had been notified 10 he ready 70 leave the
stockade the next morning, and remember