Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1883-01-31

clothing, books, musical instruments
etc. The larger number Of the pris-
oners were from the eastern states;
soft did not take long after a letter
was started until the things sent for
would arrive. They We're drayed
and unloaded in front Of Libby.
The boxes and barrels opened, ex-
amined and if agreeable were sent
into the prison and the mans name
called and the box given him. 1t
was found by close calculation that
about one third Of the goods turned
over to the rebels for their delivery
were stolen and appropriated to their
own use. These goods consisted
largely of canned goods, sweetmeats
and trinkets. These were generally
taken as they were scarce and hard
10 get in Rebeldom and if found for
sale it would take almost a basket
full Of rebel money 10 buy
them. Enough however, reached
us SO shat our cravings for rebel
rations we're considerably diminish
ed. Those who were successful in
getting supplies from hong would
donate their rebel rations to The
more unfortunate ones who did not
get anything from home. The boys
from the western states ON account
Of the distance did not get as
much as others. Some time after
the war | received a letter from a
y. S. officer, then stationed at Rich
stating that among other
things found in Libby was a box
with my name on it. I requested
that it be sent to my home in Iowa,
and the only thing that was recog-
nizable was q tin plate, knife and
fork and a pair of boots. The rest
were badly decayed and mouldy.
1t was not a safe plan TO send
money in this way unless secreted
as it was so handy AND easv to ap-
propriate, although II great deal of
money found its way int" Libby.
Major Marshall received q box of
One of them was peculiarly
marked; sc much so as to indicate
that it was not to be smoked. On
examining it a twenty dollar bill
was found nicely encoiled in the
center. Another in cutting open a
roll Of butter took out a small bot
tie in which was a bunch of green
and SO in different WAYS it
found its way among us. OF course
when money came secreted
in this way there was an under
standing between the parties and
this was done generally by the army
surgeons. BY the terms of tue car
surgeons were not to be held as
prisoners of war; and as they were
often captured and brought into
and as soon as soon as they
would prove their profession were
sent north. They would s<sy soften
carry a little information for a pris-
oner to a friend north that it would
lot be best to pass through the
mails.
The sending Of money secreted
vas soon discovered. Then the
'earching commenced in earnest.
bread and cake were cut into
and cans and jars opened.
n this way they smouged quite a
OF of money. Col. Eley receiv-
ID a box of eighteen cans of corn !
md tomatoes, every ii of which
lad been opened and mussed over.
f used at all they must be used
Immediately or they would spoil.
The rations furnished by the rebels
t this time consisted of q loaf OIL
orn bread about the size of a brick,
perhaps a little thicker and certain
y a good deal heavier; made of
coarse cracked meal with many
Whole kernels in it. 1t seemed to
steamed instead of baked;
nd fresh and corned beef, alternate
about twice a week, and about
lalt a tea cupful Of red sand beans;
called by the soldiers,
niger beans,'' and sometimes a
title salt.
There we've a lot of beggars, both
and white, living in the neigh
orhood Of Libby who would APP
ear in front Of the prison, some
ines a dozen or more at a time,
nd gaze up at the windows for any
hing that might be thrown out to
lem. With what we received from
ne north in addition to our rebel
we could sometimes spare a
w dozen loaves of corn bread or
corn brick" as they were called, a
w dried herring. piece Of cheese,
r often an old garment after receiv-
g a new one by truce boat. These
as a rule, as among all beg
ars, were very young or very
cry old, and would create consid-
able sympathy among the prison
q. who often Oaya moro fhon o,,obt