The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-04-26

rebel prison pens. 4 nave bOiA Al MANY bAL4TS
before IN the presence Of my family"
There is always something IN 1t new TO me,
said his good wife in q manner 10 encourage
him 20 proceed.
Let Us hear that. Of course" said ], for I
an always interested in personal "reminiscences
OF the war
"Our department commander" continued
Lieut. Willis was Gen. Rosecrans, command
Inc the Army of the Cumberland at the time,
st MurireesborO, Tenn. s raid was planned 10
penetrate 10 the heart Of secession, and cripple
rebellion by destroying railroads and fOundrles
supplying munitions Of war 10 the belligerents
at the front. The raidiug party consisted Of
four regiments-the 51st Ind the T3d Ind, the
s0th Ohio and the 3D. Ohio; the whole was
commanded by the gallant and dashing Col. A.
ID. Strcight, OF the 5Ist Ind 20 which regiment
] belonged.
I'VE left Rosecrans's army at Murfreesboro
April . 1853 and proceeded to Nashville, where
we were mounted and placed on transports on
April TO- We went down the Cumberland
River TO its mouth, and then steamed mp the
Tennessee River towards tie rear Of Bragg's
army, 10 PASSPORT, Miss, the head Of nariEa-
ton on the Tennessee River. We pushed ont
from Passport April q, and made swarth
through Alabama. fighting day and night. Our
objective point was Rome, Ca, where we were
20 destroy the railroads Ia Bragg's rear thus
preventing his having that security he boosted
60 much about while his army was lying in
front Of the Army Of the Cumberland. Bgagg's
army, at the time. was at Tullahoma Tenn.
We were also todestroy some large foundTies at
Rome that We're engaged in making cannon
for the rebel army
The object to be obtained by our bold stroke
was as stated, and also 10 educate our officers
up 10 the notion that raids were possible, and
had we been properly mounted at the start we
could have plOwed right through the COnted-
ararv- from end in end Par1pss1oqr we were
the pioneers IN this raid business, that became
SO popular before the war ended. Ours was
bold. perilOus venture.
We were pursued by Forests men, whom
We bad 10 fight IN q continuous, running battle.
When we stopped 10 feed or Tagging horses
Forests forces were on us, and we had 10 form
IN line and fight TO hold our position for
the few minutes our horses fed and then
mount IN hot haste and away. We were on
our horses day and night-almost real Cen
tsuTs-and the weary fight, rs il might almost
be called, wore every body ont entirely. Both man
and beast were completely tagged out, but still
the uGeXpresscd command was On steadily
on The stern realities Of war know no such
thing as pity. Fight and away was the sole
course LETT Us to pursue.
IN the very heart Of the rebel territory we
found ourselves entirely ont Of ammunition,
with no hope Of supplies. We were too far
away in orr virtually disarmed condition 70
Try 70 get back to the Federal forces. In sight
Of Rome, on the morning OF the Sd day Of May,
1852 we gave mp and surrendered TO Gen.
Forrest. II WIS hard, but we had &c do il.
IS an officer was taken 10 Libby prison
AID incdrcefated there May &c following the
surrender. / found about 900 other commits
stoned officers within its y ais.
:. Before the var Libby was 2 great tobacco
warehouse. A single street separated it from
the canal that passed by. and little strip Of
q ID
u addition 10 the cellar the building con-
sisted q three stories, aud was built Of bricks
The cellar was stored luil Of straw and old
boxes aud other rubbish and was not used, but
the prisoners lad free access to il, as they did
DO tae other parts Of the building.
e was placed in the third story, which con
sisted Of three departments or rooms, which
We designated as the east middle and west
rooms The latter room had windows al close
intervals clear around in the three brick walls
and afforded great deal Of light. 1t was about
20 Dy $50 feet 10 size. With about 80 others
occupied this west room.
" me selected our places 70 sleep on the floor,
the only SPACE on which to lie, and ] chose a
spot near q window on The north side Of the
room, where it would be cool OF nights during
the bot Sg4Iacr time. When we lay down il
was with cur heads 20 the wall and our feet 10
toward the center OF the room. making circle
entirely around. Then long, straight row oi
EleepcEs occupied the center Of the ROOM leaving
Asses 90 each side Of them next to the feet Of the
Wall-sieepers -0T those VINO nigh, wish 30 move
about after The rest had lain down. We were
al pat 10 bed ID the evening az q certain hour
By tue tap o; tie drum, aud called up in the
morning lu the same way. When the drum
tap called Us Up we arose 70 q sitting posture,
and then began the hunt for bJdy-lice. The
scene then would be c0micaI, were il not
90 iane8table in fact. This was our first regu-
lar morning duty.
Most Of the time was fn I.ibby-I5 months
y slept a. thar window, even through the
chilly blasts % Winter, WbeE I had nothing
but a single blanket. the one I took in there
Ulth ne, 20 use both as q mattress and as q
spread 70 keep me warm Once for q short
time ] traded sleeping places with a sick man
snd occupied bis place IN the center Of the
r0oT- Bus did not like il there as well. and
Eooa got back my old place again.
DrT ratloHs consisted Of hard, dry corn
bread, uncoOked black beans and coffee. We
had t@o stoves in our room. and on these va
cooked our black beans and boiled our coffee.
~ r0.l-csll We were all driven into the east
room. Then tw0 guards were stationed at The
o0oT Hith Fixed oayoneis, and these bay0nct.
were 50 held iu Tie door that only space enough
Was ifit between the cleaning points for a man
70 pass through Then we flied ont siuglv IN :
continuous stream aud were counted This wa.
repeated every morning. ia time they grew
slte4 q Gaming TIE roll bT tins slow process
AEa thcn wc were counted IN files four deep
hhile in Libby j received two boxes 81
provisions and clothing from my friends Al
home. The third box came for me. but they
Woule not Jet me have il. j was removed from
Tie prison about the time il came aud uevel
got i, iboagh they knew that / knew it wa
there. When they got ready 10 give as 0uI
boxes from cur friends we were called doyr
stain and then they opened the boxes in on
presence and fully inspected the contents Capt
GBoe ard I received a box Of these favors from
home one tine iB my name and our thing
were packed together ia j. The rebel inspect
IMP the box found letter in It, tore il open
and begau 10 read Dear husband and tina
was as far as be got before he turned 10 me an,
quickly inquired IN much surprise:
Are sou married manI'
No, SIT, i answered that letter Is 70
Cap Gudef
iIis answer removed his establishment I'll
eould NOS think IL possible that one with S
boyiss face as / had could be married and i
rebel prison. ] was scarcely IS years old.
Capt. thas w. Payey, Of the S0th H. va
very witty man, and his sarcasm often taunt
ed the rebels into rage. It sometimes got bir
into trouble, too. One day he very seriousl
said 70 one Of the Tebs as the Captain sat gri
ing between bis teeth piece Of the hard corn
bread on which al the prisoners were fed:
would Ike 70 get receipt for this corn
bread
Why asked the Johnny reb innocently
Ea-If 1HH no No. ~