The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-03-29
GOODBYE TO DIXIE.
An Ohio Soldiers Story of His Escape
From DanVille.
lsy John 2. Hia. Co. K. s9th o. p. Il

| Try, with no rank save that of subaltern of
company Z. The regiment was organized in
August, 1852, at Camp Dennison, Ohio, and
| numbered at the time it was mustered into the
United States service nearly ], 100 men--rank
| and file. The regiment was ordered into active
service within month after its organization.
| While en- route for the field it was met in Gin
clnnati by the governor of Ohio, and on account
| OF the unusual size and splendid proportions of
| the men he named them after himself-the
| Todd Tigers" The first years campaigning
was done in West Virginia, Kentucky and Ten
nessee, and at the end of that time the strength
| of the regiment had been reduced to only 33e
men. With this number, embracing the very
best muscle of the regiment, and commanded
| by Colonel G. III. Carlton, a West Point graduate,
! we were called to take part In that memorable
| battle of Chickamauga.
As Chickamauga was the initial point of
many sad, sad story, SO it was with myself
| and my regiment. On the last day of the fight
my regiment was detached from its proper
brigade and assigned to General Steed-
| mans division in General Changers Reserve
Corps. Every cid soldier who took any part in
that sangulnary struggle will distinctly re-
member that after Generals Cook and Crit
tenden's corps-the extreme right and left
had given away, and when the day to the
Union army was supposed to have been lost,
that the weight and responsibility of saving
what little was left to save was thrown upon
Uhe corps OF GrangeT and Thomas.
The position that my regiment, including
chat OF two other regiments, occupied the last
day of the fight-September 20, 1563-was at q
point between two ridges, where the veteran
troops OF LoDgstreet We're attempting to force
passage. We held our point until after dark,
although we were driven back several times;
still again our men would rally, charge the
enemy, and regain our old place once more.
Every time we moved either forward or back
of hast mon foil mt
nearly one-half were either killed or wounded.
Lieutenant Jackson, of company &, was killed.
Lieutenant Mal1ow and another officer, whose
name have forgotten, were wounded. Wesaw
we were Wedged up in pass and could not
move either forward or backward The last
communication we had with the main army
was near sundoWn, when General Steedmau
and part of his staff rode up, and L heard him
tell our colonel that re-enforeements would be
sent soon to help us get out. We still continued
to hold our position. Near dark we noticed
that the enemy in front had ceased to press US,
and we were IN no condition now to press them.
Our ammunition was all gone, and the men
ceased TO Keep themselves IN line as battalionS
or companies either. We were huddled I'D to-
gether III mass like sheep in a pen. Some
were standing, others sitting, and all talking
about what was to be done next. It began to
grow darker, and at last, at distance of per-
haps hundred yards in our rear we heard
troops moving, and from the noise they
made knew they were coming towards US.
When they got nearer our colonel rode out
to meet them, and hailed them, asking
who they were. They replied Friends"
but IN moment more we saw who they
were; for they were rebels coming right on
US with fixed bayonets, and yelling like de-
mons Their commander demanded with an
oath, " Do you never intend TO surrender ?n To
which Colonel Carlton replied, Z" Is there pos
N an And fha hal
manders answer was: None, for we have our
lines entirely thrown around YOU"
CAPTURED.
Without further ceremony we soon found our
selves divested of guns and cartridge-boxes and
under guard of our victors-the Fifty fourth
Virginia. Our captors, being old veteran soldiers,
treated US with much civility. One, who had
made telnt OF thruSting bayonet through me
when they came up on their charge, caught me
by my hand, after had thrown down my gun,
and yelled out: Howdy do, Yank % And as
was MISUNDERSTANDING lost my hat in the
hght-the second question he asked was ''Where
Is your hatf' l told him it was lost on the
field some place, and, as my head was so large,
was afraid could not find another to st. To
this he said nothing, but unslung his knapsack,
and from 1T took a cap and gave to me to put
on. That man | have always thought was more
" Union " than secesh." OF the $50 rank and
Tile that went into the fight only 170were alive
and able to report to the rol-caH of Dixie The
following IS the list of officers then CAPTURED
Colonel G. III. Carlton, Lieutenant Colonel
Glenn, Captains Day, Barrett, Adams Catch
and Glenn, LieutenaDts Scott EdInonson Har-
rison Baifd and Fairfield, and Assistant Sur
geon Purdeem.
in three minutes from the time of our cap
ture we were formed into line, and under
guard of our captors we were hurried at double
quick to the rebel rear. We passed over the
battle-ground of the previous day Here we
noticed that none OF the dead had been Inferred
but were thrown up in piles about Even the
wounded had not all been cared for and the
wall and cry OF many poor fellow fell pite-
ously upon our ears. Some had been lying
there for the last thirty-sx hours, suffering
from painful wounds, in ii hot broiling SUM- and
dying tor want OF water. TO add to the horror
OF the gloon that surrounded US, the wosds in
many places, were on FIRE, and what would be
the late OF the poor helpless wounded none
could tell.
Finally we were halted and drawn up before
an officers headquarters, which one of the
guards told me was General Buekner's. Here we
metwIth several other squads of men broughtin
from other parts OF the battlefield as prisoners
After waiting for about two hours, and until
fully one thousand of our men had been col
Ieeted together ut that point, we were ordered
into line again, and, having been put under a
guard OF what / took to be convaleScents we
began a tramp TO the rear-a tramp from which
many brave man, alas never returned
1t ended tor us only at Libby Prison. Rich
mond, whittier we We're conveyed by rail via
Atlanta, Augusta, Columbia, Raleigh and Pc
tefsaarg, reaching there the FIRST week in
October. We remained at Libby for more
than month, during which time occurred,
among other notable events, the raid on the
sugar and salt stored in the cellar of the prison.
and We're then removed to Danville, whence |
succeeded in making my escape almost as soon
as got there. In order that the reader may
have an intelligent idea of the desperate condi-
ton we were in at the time, however, it will be
necessary tor me to date my narrative back
little. The sugar raid OF which have spoken
was the result of an exploration of the cellar
underneath the prison, undertaken with II view
to tunneiing under the street and making our
escape, but the discovery of the raid by the
Coafederates defeated our purpose We did not
despair, however, and new council of war
was held at which. after long debate, il was
decided to make Il general rush upon the guards
below, pass out through the main entrance door
into the street, and then go wherever fate
might lead u.s. To further our plan, it WAS
agreed to raise the cry that the prison was ON
nre, and then go rushing down the stairway en-
naaSse, yelling fire ut every jump. This we
thought would demoraize the two guards be-
low who, TO save themselves aud their prison.
ers, would throw the entrances door open, and
so rushing forth, pell-mell, into the street.
4 FIAsCo.
Midnight was the hour set, and everything