Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1883-02-07

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81 DiIlx1 pess wsrv - numerous
Snd ssno ~ y telI half would
~ Sutpzi1ng 4 ons not accustomed
NJ hem. Ws tiled y keep clean.
IWs Ia or spittcons, brooms, mops
ma Wsste baskets, w TIE door,
Wallsand ceiling wers full " them.
The regular time ~ raiding them
~ just before retiring 4 night
when nv lat underwear would BE-
taken "a, thess little rascals caught
and killed, and ths Same was done
befoee folding tho blankets in the
mosning, This was % common that
Il ~ not considered indecent OF 3
dinRrAce fof one = sny time through
tho day with his unmentionables i'm
side out hunting for game. We
wore divided into messes or squads
from one 70 five or more for conven-
isncs and sociability. Each mess
had ! certain area Of door space al
lowed them, designated BY 80 many
boards wide, ! knot or scratch in the
door or when ! trespass was antici-
pated BY chalk mark. So clo9e was
this adhered 70 that some had slept
on tho exact spot without : change
5or moro than twelve months. Here
one had no desire 70 walk around in
his sleep and get into the wrong
bed. There were also three imagin-
ary aisles about eight boards wide
the full length Of the room. This
was public ground and for general
usc.
The lower room or kitchen was
not used as much for domestic and
culinary purposes Is for general ex-
exercises, walk-arounds, military
eyolutions, stag dancing, etc. One
time the boys wers hantering one
andsher TO 80 into this room and
sing afsw national songs. This was
somewhat, hazardous, but they
thought . change Of prison life
might be Ter the better. Finally
about fifty Of them went down and
sang : few without 6Aing molested.
So they thought they <sould try
John Brown" Just about the
time they came to the verse, "!v.e1l
hang JEFF Davis on q SOU apple trecs,s
the big doors opening on main street
swung open and in rushed q lot Of
guards, a couple rushed to the stairs
and cut of the boys retreat and the
others with fixed bayonets charged
on the boys and crowded them into
one corner 70 close that they had to
stand on their tiptoes for about
three hours. So close were the
points Of the bavonets to the boya.
Is to almost prick the skin, the boys
AFTER making some big promises
were allowed TO go up stairs.
Libby had q respondent side also.
What little comfort and conyen-
fences We had was not from rebel
sources. Many . day they gave US
nothing but . loafof corn bread, and
this, in many cases, was eaten in an
hour after receiving it, and the rest
Of the day and night We had moth
ing unless some one sick with the
blues, and consequently having .
: poor appetite, would spare some
Of his. We had meat once in the
month Of April and not again until
the 9Th 81 May. Then the idea Of
gobbled by the ones whom we
went ~ whip; insultsd and poked
into prison from five to eighteen
months with . slim prospect for the
was not pleasant TO think Of.
There was . kind Of q dogs humil-
iation about it; the rebel flag float
ing continually from the top Of Lib
BY. Then there was nothing to
warm by; tho only two stoves be-
ia the kitchen. These were
cook stoves and there was not wood
enough 70. run them four. hours .
day; the mercury often to zero, and
clothed with al We possessed We
walked around the rooms TO keep
warm; and TO make it worse, there
we're our dear boys on Belle Island
p think about; almost in sight.
so near and yet 20 far" They
without : FIRE, with scanty
,lothing, and no shelter except q
tents. These boys were from
,ur own companies, and Of course
Ne fell concerned about them.
The ranking officer then in Libby
Eas Brigadier General Neal Dow,
'he famous Maine liquor law man.
He was then somewhat past the age
i fifty, and consequently gray hair
d. We often spoke Of him as HOur
in Libby" When the boys
vould get blue and Respondent,
len. Dow would have some one in
'ite us u the upper room, when he
would talk TO US on the state and
Of the union, and advise
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