The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-05-17

10y movement are not now
~ to my purpose. Suffice
fortunes Of war s number of the regiment, in
Guiding myself, fell into the hands of the
enemy. After being searched for any val
Uables we might have in our possession we
were marched 10 West Point and lodged in Jail.
Here we were again searched and robbed of
nearly everything our captOrS had left US. On
the 31st of July We We're sent by rail to East
Point. Here we began to experience the no
bleness and magnanimity of our enemies.
Again we were gone over" and plucked al
most TO the skin by our generous foes, to atone
for which a pint of -four was issued to each
man, without water or fire to put it i'll an eat
able state. On leaving this place we were
crowded into bOx-caTs, without seats or even
room 10 sit down, and started for, what Ben
Hill said in Congress in 1876 was " Paradise"
Andegs0nyille. Before entering the stockade
We were stripped naked; the rags that were
our only apology for clothing were searched.
We were then sent into this paradise almost as
innocent Of raiment as Adam in Eden.
] viii here state that, TO my knowledge, not
2 garment was ever issued by the Confederate
authorities 10 an inmate of AndeTsOnyllle.
Their only source Of supply was the tattered
rags torn from the bodies Of their dead COM
Tades Thus naked we were thrust into that
he'll Of misery. Could we have known the ter
rible suffering that awaited US we should
thousand times have preferred being shot down
al the entrance. l shall never forget the hOr-
rid stencil that greeted our nostrils as we en-
tered that awful place. And the sight Of its
inmates! o God could this be a civilized,
Christian land, where such things were posi-
bic. There were crowded together thousands
upon thousands Of demonstrating creatures,
filthy to the last degree, hundreds with moth
ing TO cover their nakeduess but a sleeveless
shirt, OF fractional pair Of drawers, and that
friuged with pending rags and covered with
filth and veTmin. Thousands Of emaciated
beings almost helpless, and deliTious from starry
alton and suffering lay or sat upon the filthy
ground, looking the very pictures Of hopeless
despair, wishing and praying for the relief that
only death could bring them. ] thought l had
seen suffering on the battlefield, but it was
happiness compared with this l felt it, but /
have not words TO describe; the most vivid i'm
agIuatiOn could not grasp its unutteTable hor-
rors. On entering we were assigned to differ
ent detachments that had been thinned by
death. 1t was then we began to feel our utter
desOlatiOn-to realize that we had become parts
Of that seething mass of corruption and misery.
We were without blankets or tents and more
than half naked, though better off than thou
sands Of the poor fellows, for we had not yet
been starved TO skeletons, though it took but
short time to bring US to their condition.
/ There were from 10000 to 10000 men herded
together on an area Of about 80 acres, hearty
half Of which was a quagmire. Thousands
had been there for months without covering of
any kind, exposed 20 the pelting rain and the
scOrching sun by day and the cold dews by
night. 1t was so crowded that one could hardly
move about 81 night without treadiDg upon
the poor wretches who had lain down TO try
TO lose for a time their misery in sleep, but
none but the dead could sleep IN such paude-
monium. The marsh that occupied portion
of the Enclosure, and from which the prisoners
obtained their water, and in great part their
wood, by digging out roots, was covered foot
in depth with filth and alive with maggots.
Some for shelter had burrOWed into the bank
near the marsh like ground hogs, but every
rain that fell drowned them out.
ScurVy and diarrhea were the prevailing
diseases, and nine-tenths Of the prisoners were
afflicted with one or both. I remember one
/ poor victim who had lain in one position for
4 two weeks, unable to move, from scurvy. His
! feet were swollen to double their natural size
4 cracked open, and gangTene eating them OFF.
/ Death at length put end = his suHerings
/ This was only one of hundreds of similar cases.
/ The rebel authorities took no more notice Of
our suferings than they would of worms
/ crushed beneath their feet True, our Wretched
and forlorn appearance furnished them with
! subjects Of Jest and amusement, but with that
/ their sympathies ended. This was the ten
! derness and generosity TO captives of which
/ jet Davis now boasts!
Our prison was Enclosed by three stockades,
having wagon roads between them to prevent
/ tuuBeling, which was going on all the time.
4 This, if it did not furnish means Of escape,
/ served to divert the minds Of the prisoners
! from their terrible situation When a tunnel
/ was discovered, wo to those who were squattiug
near. Everything was confscated rations
withheld and often men knocked down and
! cruelty beaten for CHANGING 10 be near where il
/ started, though perfectly innocent When es-
! capes we're reported pack Of blOodhounds were
! let loose, and they seldom failed to bring their
! game 70 bay. Many a half-naked victim who
] had haZarded the danger in vain hone Of lib
erty have l seen returned terribly lacerated
/ by the fangs Of these brute servants of more
/ brutal masters. Our full ratiOns for much Of
! the time through some pretext they were not
/ full} consisted Of a piece of cOrnbread two
1 inches square, made from corn ground cob and
all about two ounces Of mule or horse flesh,
and One-half pint Of buggy peas; or, if I'M
cooked, One-hsif pint Of cob meal one pint peas
and TWO ounces Of beef or bacon
A little incident viii show on what precari-
Gus condition depended even this meager al
/ lowance Of proyender. Discipline was enforced
/ through the stomach, aud with a mob oil half
starved men nothing can be more effective. One
( night during the Winter the guards got asleep,
aud some Of the prisoners tore down portion
4 Of the dead-lIne to make fires to keep from
freezing. Next morning Capt Wirz published
an order that no ratlous would be issued until
the perpetrators OF this heIu0us Offcnse were
found and delivered up Efforts were made by
the Sergeants Of the camp 10 ferret out the
1 offenders, but without success After going
without food for - hours, the situation began
@ grow desperate Something must be done
/ 4 Van WinElcreid must be found To this end
10 days extra ratiOns were offered to the one
who would confess the deed and relieve the
camp. Such a reward TO q starved man seemed
muulhceut. But 10 was a hazardous under.
taking. / might cheat the grim specter on one
side. If / did there was a reward Of 10 DAYS
ratious. On the other was lingering death by
starvation certain sure" Don't anybody give
me credit for an act Of maenauimous self-sacri
fee for the good Of the whole. That was only
a secondary consideration. Ny own necessity
Was thc primary motive. / resolved to chance
! an interview with Capt. Wirz, Tor the hope o
9 full meal Of even such provisions. So | of
fered myself as the scapeg0at."
] was taken before Wirz, who, with cooked
/ revolver IN hand and curses on his lips, con
signed me TO the stocks for "a hours. Thi
/ pleasant instrument of torture consisted o
piauEs set on edge with holes about two fee
from the ground, in which the feet are con
fined. They We're so high that little more thar
the shoulders could rest on the ground On
may imagine that II hours IN this constraine,
position was not an agreeable experience; es
I pecially as ! was barelOoted and halfnaked
and q chilling northwester blowing all the time
? However, ] weathered II with not quite If
: enough 70 stand having tasted As hours, but