The National tribune., 1888-08-23

nals and commissioned Union officers. Of
n there were ab0nt l59 from Generals
ln to I.ielteuants. There were also num-
OF rebel citizens confined here, some Of
ON wore balls and chains, from which
sdred they were criminals OF some KIND.
|NTherc were also held rs prisoners three famous
newsnaaor correspondents, who occupied the
three l1-cabins mentioned, each having cabin
for his oHa use. Their names Sere Junius
Henri Browne and Albert ID. Richardson, OF New
York Gig. who were correspondents Tor several
of the New York papers, while the other was
named Davis and was war correspondent Tor
the Ciuciu aafi Tines and other papers. Al
though thcSs three men were civilians and
not soldiers they were captured and thrown
inlo prison. They were allowed the privi-
lege OF going outside Of the s.ockade and INTO
lho city, but were constantly kept under sur
Veillauce. The Grst 500 prisoners were assign
ed place Immediately IN he rear Of the large
building o. factory, and were divided uF lhto
Bquads Of 100 each. 10 squads to q division.
Bach sgaai was put in charge Of Sergeant
and were drawn up IA line two deep, the hlst
squad facing the rear Of the factory and the
rest Occupying position IT regular intervals 10
their rear sud here. without any covering cE-
cept soIae trees. was srsat my first night IN
SALISBURY. nanny Of which were afterwards
spent amid tie most
HAERoWESG ASD AG0EIZISG sCESES OF STAR
vATIoN AND MISERY,
and which can never be cGaced from my memo
". The manner IN which I got away from
Belle Isle placed me among promiscuuus lot
Of soldiers made up OF various regiments from
al the States. so that ! found myself among
strangers. as didn't know even one Of the 500
prisoners with whom ] marched ia, although
was not At a loss for company, as that friendly
and s0cable feeling which Uas one O. lie char
Rcteristics Of the Union volunteer soon made
us ell friends. Besides, our captivity was. with
its attending circumstance, an lutrodae-
ton that no other event could approach
In making Us not only acquainted
with each other, but fast friends
for life OuT rari0ns on the day after our con-
fnement were issued TO the SerEeants Of the
squad, and we're quite liberal in quantity and
good IN quality, and consisted Of corn or wheat
bread and q piece Of meat. The ration OF
bread was about onc-Lalf of a loaf, while the
nest weighed about four or five oauces, per
hRps more; so that j began 10 think that tire
horrors OF q Southern prison were somewhat
overdTaUu. But / was not cf that opinion
very lonE. 2s each succeeding day cur NUM-
bcrs were augmented by additional arrivals
that were sent from the battlctelds. The
weather AutUmn) IN North Carolina is warn
through the day, but very cold and chilly az
night, and hundreds oi uus3 eitered prisoners
were compelled TO keep On adog tfut all tlrGE ia
d
death, while others would crawl under The
hospital That I have mentioned, ard 10y lying
rs close together as they could get keep Wara
Is best they could. None c0ald t8rn after they
once lay down, being packed so dense that il
was im mp0ssiale 70 move. Several weeks passed
IN this way, bus IS the number Of prisoners IN
creased Or raUol5 TezFOndugiy cwludied
to almost nothing and also Tell of 10 quality.
Rnd there Erere days that no rations at all were
issued. We seldom had meat and instead Of
bread they issued four or meal, and the latter
contained all the chat and cob. which, when
eaten, caused the most eZcraciating pains, and
brought on liaTrhea and bloody lux,
WHICH IL 1zrESED MANY TO THEIR GRAVES
There W1s a Surgeon who attended 10 the
wants 0f the sick and injured and regularly at
s in the morning there could be seen motley,
W0beg0nC-i looking set OF individuals gathered
at the geaE ol the hospital 10 answer tAc sur
geon's culs.ions as 10 their ailments. The
Surgeon was assisted By an attendant Of the
hospital, aaG when the prisoners were asked
by the Surgeon What's tho matter with
vou?" tAeaazwer would Invariably be- Cod ia
the chest, Pairs AID rheumatism " while s3ae
would ccl4p.ain Of diarrhca or pans IN tie
bowels. Il tie first, tie doctor would say Ca
tarrh.' when the attendant would hand L.E. .
cup with some c0l5rlcss liquid, and make tie
patient swallow i right there, which he would
do with evident relish. If the second com
plant was named, the doctor would shout Di-
arrhea," and tie patient would stepu and take
PHI, which sEe attendant would see that ne
swallowed before be would let him leave; aud
IA this manner tie poor suffering prisoners
were d0ctOred while the c&taFrh aud diaTrhea
medicine lasted. Finally the cases became so
numerous taat the medicine gave ont
Unlike other prisons Of the South. Salisbury
prison had q dead-ditch instead Of dead -liae.
This diGca was abOug six feet from tie fence,
aud was y some places eight feet deep, which
was made IN order 10 keep the prisoners from
tunacling oGt although some did by digging
Etll 1eefcr. his d-ac-ditcl also served as 4
drain to tie pen, through which shallow drains
were aug, running into the main or dead ditch.
TIE ESCAPE FROM SALISBURY.
This ditch offered quite a chance at that
point fCr those who had The courage 10 effect
az escape, - which I and 8 comrade named
Virgins araised ourselves. i WAS one moon.
light ui chs that Higgius came 70 MY squad
and said faere was a chance 10 make our
escape AID sFbCn questioned how il was 20 bC
done, be SAID that while down a. the fith-
drain some prisoners bad JET themselves down
into the citch aud had crePt along the drair
leading Cadcr the fence and had made . hole
large enough and that several prisoners had zl
ready gone through ] lad with me ct the times
white canvass hzEerslcE, iu which was an old
razor. both of Wb:ch belonged to one ol tht
Z
time Wa precious, and ] could not at taa
time fad hlm. concluded 70 take 81 along
Being anxious, ] Jed the way down 10 wHer
our deliverance WIS 70 be effected, and toJl
glance - Tie surroundings. As usual & en-
was hundreds 9f prisoners 70 the ditch, while
tust above and On tle outside Of the raac
could De seen the guard, v hose body appegle,
half above tie sJ0eka3e rs be slowly paced 4
and fro, ever ready 90 use his gun on amy poo
prisoner tHat might excite his suspicion
watching "a orpgrtuus moment when th
guard Wss - the extreme end Of bis beat. ygi.
his back toward me, let myself down iu IA
dead -lItch, t iPgils following closely after all
into Tie El,5l above our knees. HuZziugc gciossl
g the cz-A O. 5aa8J8ed side We Kept uuT- -er
On the guard as He gradually and stea,tBi.
Boasea Tic bottom 81 the fence, which Ha Eaal
reached, aaa ] found that some one La
preceded ue and left everything easy L
follow, v.ich / Immediately proceeded
do. Carefully drawing -Aysglfup / inserted m
head Sd t.-s Aol1 aud took survey ot the oa
side. Sgr.ug nothing but the sbad5wv form
o. trees drew my body through, fuy head al
afms gong down into tie continuation 81 lL
dram on lag gIJslde, leaving nay feet and lc.
elevated 90 1he inside. ] finally succeeded
placing mys-ii 3 boots and ALL IN the drain ouf-.t
uf tke lr. -e3 fence, and Virgins followed clos
ly after be moon was shining throwing
Eh1dOa o. oll side Of the ditch along the b5
tca, ana on tae shady side Of Whjch Wc craw
ed. We had succeeded BE getting about - .e
Trsr 81 Sea sft tss