The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-09-27

IdnNlii6 anu WDeu 16tuTutHE was
met by corps of rebel infantry at the Weldon
Road, where quite number were captured
and killed, since which time Costello bad been
missing. To say that / was glad would hardly
express it. to meet comrade Of my company
whom I never expected to see again alive.
Costello's joy was scarcely less than my own,
and although in the most pitiabe and wretched
plight, be shared the pleasure of our meeting
with genuine soldiers feelings. OF course he
could not be allowed to lie out and on top of
the ground while our underground habitation
could afford shelter and so he was invited to
share with us our bed and board; and here it
was that my old Sergeants blouse came in
play. Costello had an old ragged blouse, dirty,
threadbare and worn, over which the graybacks
could plainly be seen crawling; in fact, it
scarcely deserved the name of blouse, as the
garment had very little semblance to that COM
Portable part of soldiers uniform; but it was
all he had, and it was valued accordingly.
When presented him my old blouse he was
oyerj0yed at his good fortune, as it was quite
an improvement on his wardrobe, although it
was badly worn and torn. Besides sharing our
clothes with him, his visit was thought to be
of such importance that Virgins decided to
cook one of his French bouillons in honor Of
the OCCASION and thus show our hospitality to
our unexpected guest. So our savings were all
brought out and Jumped together, and we
dined in royal STYLE the feast consisting princi-
pally of hot water in which was boiled corn
meal and all odds and ends that we could
scrape together, forming conglomerated mess
that discounted all of Wiggins's previous efforts
in that line. In the conversation that ensued
Costello said that he and those he came in
with were going to Goldsboro, n. c., to be
exchanged, when / resolved if he marched out
that would also, and told him so. He said if
l attempted it that would surely be shot, as
only so many were counted in, aud only that
n-or,11 ha tod onf nd &c
attempted TO march out they would certainly
lose their lives. l still persisted in my deter
mination, and Virgins added, If you go, so
dol"
After talking until weary we sought repose
in sleep, but / lay awake long in the night
thinking of the morrow and my chances of
getting out with Costello. When morning came
there was nothing TO eat, and the prisoners
could be seen making their way toward the -
that were to be counted out, and as time passed
the entire mass of prisoners in the pen who
could walk or crawl had collected around them
to see them Off So dense were they that an
opening path was made through the crowd
wide enough for them to march, and in this
crowd stood Virgins and / not very far from
the narrow gate where they were to be counted
through TO the number Of $50. At the word of
command they started through the dense mass
of envious and sad-hearted prisoners that could
stand and see others march out TO freedom
while they must still be confined in that pen Of
death. As they marched through in single file
/ Virgins and / stood ready to take any advan-
tage that might favor us in our determination
to make our escape. The head of the file had
passed me, and as they approached the gate,
over which stood Mai. Gee, whose voice could
be heard counting as each prisoner passed
through / was as yet undetermined what to
do until Costello in the line, was about to pass,
when stepped from the crowd and fell in be-
hind him, while Virgins did the same thing
behind me, and with my heart in my mouth,
expecting every minute to be shot, we marched
along toward the gate that shut US out from
freedom.
LAST GLIMPSE OF SALISBURY PRISON
Before going further LET us turn and take a
/ farewell look at the famous Salisbury rebel
prison, spot of ground on which l doubt
| if ever more suffering or misery was ever
inflicted on human beings anywhere on the
| face of the earth, and all of which could have
! been prevented. AS first described, the Enclosure
called Salisbury Prison it was late in September
or perhaps the first of the following month,
| 1864, very presentable and nice-looking place,
! with the large oak trees, whose leaves had not
! yet fallen and the gentle and gradually slipping
/ grassy lawn where, in the warm sun, after q
nights trottiDg to keep from chilling 10 death,
4 the prisoners lay and slept. That together
with the first issue of rations, rather belied the
4 appearance of the pen as / was about to leave
it forever Looking back now after lapse OF
q years, remember the pen so entirely
changed from my first view of it to that oil
when finally left it, as 70 be almost entirely
unacceptable. Everything within the in
! closure, with the exception of the buildings
named heretofore, had undergone complete
transformation; the large oak trees with their
1 spreading branches had been hacked and whit
tied down by the prisoners for frewood and
/ the bark carefully saved and chopped up into
fine pieces for the purpose OF making oak-bark
/ tea, medicine used to check diseases of the
/ bowels, with which the prisoners were 81
soreiy afflicted, and at the time of my depart
ure they, too, like the human victims of the
pen, were shOrn OF their vitality and strength
and stood bare and unsightly trunks. The
surface of the ground that was covered witt
green grass was also completely changed il
appearance, and presented bare, reddish-clal
color from which had completely disappeared
every Yestige Of Yerdure; besides, the leye
had been broken by heterogeneous colec
ton of Undesirable habitations, composed 0
everything imaginable that could in any wa,
be used for shelter, put up in all kind
Of conceivable shapes, l suppose to suit tn
material they had at hand, and beside
these the surface was pierced with innumeT
able holes. There was also all kinds of oil
ragged tents-Sibley, wedge, bell and dog
put up in irregular order and presenting any
thing but military aspect The reader ca
now imagine for himself what kind of pici
ure Salisbury prison would present; surel
not very attractive. Imagine this picture
you can, and then people it with sick, ragge
and starving men, who could be seen, some
them, slowly tottering and dragging across til