The National tribune., 1883-09-13

and one cup This was the only drink we had.
Every man had been searched and every pocket
knife taken possession of by the jailor-a most
brutal aud unfeeling specimen of humanity.
No one was permitted to look out of the win
dow into the street. If anyone violated this
unreasonable order he ran the risk of being
fired upon by the guard below, who was watch
ing for the chance One citizen had been shot
dead few days before our arrival for the above
otfense. The blood stains were still fresh on
the window sill. From this place we were
conducted to the depot by new guard, and
took the train for Augusta.
AS we left Atlanta | was surprised to see so
many locomotives and cars. This was their
depot for supplies for the army, which account
ed for the large amount of rolling stock there.
How | did wish that our cavalry could make
dash into this placei Our trip through Ge9r-
gia was not unpleasant considering our circum-
stances. We arrived at Augusta in the night,
changed cars, and just at daylight crossed the
bridge over the Savannah River We were now
in South Carolina, and in due time we arrived
at Columbia, the capital of the State, through
which we were marched. / must say we found
it a beautiful place. From Columbia we were
shipped in box-ears This / thought very
cruel, but / afterwards experienced the
same treatment in my once adopted State of
Illinois from Alton to Springfield when re-
turning home on furlough as veteran From
passing out of the hot-bed of secession. This
was the only State in which we received any
tauHts from the citizens many of whom seemed
to take delight in splitting their venom upon
us. They twitted US on our ragged and dirty
appearance, but | took pains to tell them the
cause: that when taken prisoners our captors
had made an exchange with us. This did notset
well, and the guards had to use their authority
to protect US from violence. We passed through
Charlotte, Salisbury, Greensboro, Raleigh,
GoldsborO', and Weldon, the last place border
ing clese upon Virginia, and fortified to some
extent, though few troops were stationed there
at that time.
NOVEL MONEY SAFE.
One incident occurred while passing through
this State that is worthy of note. At one of
the wood stations along the line / saw an iEdi-
vidual approaching our ear, who, as soon as he
came up, inquired III North Carolina accent If
any of us had Confederate money we wished to
exchange for Lincoln gFeeubackS. | inquired
how much he had. He replied five dollars, and
said he would give it for five dollars in COnfed-
crate money; that he had carried the abolition
money long enough, and nobody wanted it out
there. Whereupon / hauled out my pile,
amounting to eight dollars, and, handing him
five, received the greenback, which looked
natural enough and made me feel sort of good.
The question then arose in my mind: How
Sdu tO ktcp IL ilfu itUlii tuc S6tTCu-
ing eyes of the Richmond officials? We had
been informed by the guard that we would all
be strictly searched and examined Immediately
on our arrival at Libby Prison, but an idea
now occurred to me which | put into exeeu-
tion. L had remaining, tied up in an old dirty
handkerchief few hard biscuits that l had
bought on the way. L borrowed knife Of one
of the guards and unperceived by them, l cut
square piece out of the side of one of the bis
cults, and scooping a hole out in the center l
concealed my money in it, together with my
miniature pin. Ithen plugged up the hole again,
and took care not to break into those biscuits
afterwards. On our arrival at Petersburg we
were delayed few hours, aud then went on to
Richmond, nineteen miles distant. When about
half way between those two places we came III
sight of the rebel Notifications which were ex-
pected to protect Richmond. The works were
very extensive, some eight or ten miles long
and two to five miles III breadth, and, if well
defended if would take. realized, an immense
army and hard fighting to get possession of
them. l will here take occasion to say, re-
specting the rebel railroads,-those over which
| paSsed,-tha as general thing they were
pretty well used up. The track was very
rough and the rolling stock out of repair.
The speed did not average over eight or ten
miles per hour.
! THE ARRIVAL AT LIBBY.
1t was the afternoon of the 18th of June
when we arrived at the capital of the Southern
Cenfederacy, having been ten days on the way
from jackson. Miss. We were marched down
through the main street. where every idle spec
tator could gaze at us, and you may be sure
we returned the stares with interest. We were
soon introduced to that hospitable mansion,
Libby Prison, familiar to so many of our brave
boys, and where, owingSe close confinement and
cruel Datment many a brave heart beat its
last tlif@b. We were formed in line fronting
the prison, and almost the first men saw were
Sergeant-Maor LIE Sure and DR.. YoIe We
were ordered into the building and formed in
line through q narrow hall, when the search of
our persons commenced, extending through the
entire line. But little plumber besides can
teens and haversacks was found. The two latter
they invariably kept. Upon presenting my
dirty biscuits they were looked upon with con-
tempt. | felt satisfied with the result and still
continued TO freeze to them The next pro-
ceeding was TO take our names, rank, regiments,
State, &c, compel us to sign an article of agree
ment not to do this and that until duly and
lawfully exchanged, aud after this we were
told that we would be sent away TO City Point
next morning for exchange. This was good
news indeed, aud | really felt thankful. From
the hall we were conducted to another apart
ment up two iii ghts of stairs, into u large room
crowded with Union soldiers. The first thing
we heard upon entering was the cry OF Fish
hSn! fiSil more fSn! =" AT firSt could not
imagine what it meant. l thought they were
receiving ratons, and | began to anticipate
something good TO eat Imagine my disap-
pointment when | discovered that we were
ourselves the objects of all this noise and con-
fusion. The prisoners had made it rule to
keep a man on sentry at the stairway, and when
any new prisoners arrived he called out
Fresh fish !" and the cry would be taken
up and repeated by nearly every one in
the room, and the boys would flock to the stair
way, expecting to see some old friends or COM
rades. The size of this room was sixty by forty
feet, with no ventilation except that afforded
by three heavily barred windows at each end.
1t contained no article of furniture whatever,
and was crowded with about $40 men. AT the
lower end, and about the center, was small
closet, four by six feet, in which pipe entered,
coming up from the canal below. This af-
forded drinking water and the only tsilet con-
venienees we had Picture to yourself this
room at night The floor was covered with
men and the stencil that arose was almost suf-
focating-enough to cause disease and death.
Besides the soldiers there was other company,
and plenty of it, well known In the army by
the name of gray backs" Our rations con-
sisted of a limited supply of -four bread. a
small piece of boiled salt beef and mixtGe
called Confederate coffee, which was anything
but agreeable to the taste. Before retiring we
were notified that we would start next morn
ing at o'clock; that every man must be awake
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