New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-05
ANDERSONVILLE.
MEMORIES THAT DO NOT TALLY WITH
JEFFERSON DAVIS'S ACCOUNT

JEtt EKoON DANlo'S ACOOINl'
Asheville, ~ c., Jan. l CspecaD.-one OF the last
to leave the AndersOnville prisonpen during INC
war is in this town searching for health. lie IS OF
middle age once of hardy physique. but now re
ducd by exposure in the Rebel prison and by other
causes.
What did we have to eatl' said he in reply to
the correspondents inquiry. "Well, sir, once a
day only we had a Junk Of bacon the size OF my
two fingers and about inch thick. stock peas ana
varicgatcd beans were served to each man, about a
handful daily with small piece of so-called corn
bread containing the ground cob with the corn. The
peas and beans were old and full OF bugs. Inside
Of them would be found nice fat bugs. The beans
and peas were few enough, but the bugs were plentl
full. Each squad Of prisoners would pool their meat
and peas I'm camp kettle making soup By bOlllnS
the bacon, peas and water until the bacon was us
solved. Circles Of grease formed on the surface
Of the soup, and IN the centre Of each grease cT'e
we would always find a nicely boiled bug WIN only
one meal "A day. which was but fraction Of an
ordinary meal at that, mans appetite increases
lie can eat bugs, bootlegs anything to fill up 80
we soon accustomed ourselves to the bug Diet The
Rebel sentrics were posted around tile stOckaGe
twenty feet apart The dead line inside the prison
was about twenty feet from the fence. Men were
shot for crossing that line remember one poor tel
low who had became crazcd under the exposures
and depriyatOns OF our horrible life. lie was urea
of living 50 he crawlcd over the dead line. set
back or I'll shoot yerP shouted tile sentry. Some
one told the sentinel that the man was crazy The
officer on guard was called. lie warned the crazy
prisoner TO get back or be shot The poor fellow
shouted shoot The order was given to shoot
the rifle cracked and the irresponsible Union soldier
was corpse.
We always knew when a prisoner was dying. be-
cause hall dozen Of his companions gathered about
the sufferer ready to carry the corpse outside the
stochade. This readiness to act pallba3rers arose
from the fact that when outside the prison there was
chance to snatch twigs and grass from the way SIDE
to be used a, food or fuel. Every dead man was
stripped Of all clothing when life left the body. We
rcaoned that clothes we're Of to the dead, and
they were Of use TO protect live men,
"Our shelter and fuel supply was decidedly limited
Where the trees had been cut down inside the stock
ade. poor fellows in urgent need of wood. dug the
roots OF the ground to considerable depth ms
illustrates the wTetched want We experienced. NO
shelter was provided by the Rebels. We were captured
A. raiders cur captOrs considered it their right to
take everything We possessed in the way Of vauabes
We were scarf ned thoroughly. one OF the ten men
i'm our squad had SljO i'm gIccnbachs How to keep IL
from the EcDs wa, question. Finally corn cake
wa, baked i'm the ashes, into which the money was
pushed. When the >earchers arrived they did NOT
iird thn cash with mi, money our comlade bought a
piece OF rough cotton stun, with which to make
tent cover ten men. II was scant covering for 50
many. Ey digging cellar two feet deep we were
exposed POSITION 80 we all took turns on the outside
80 clamped were our quarters that when one man
desired to u.u oyer during the might all the OILERS
were obliged 20 turn with him. | remember one niEh,
"a stone hurt mc-ve slept on the bare earth without
blanket and puchcd the man next 70 me-. desiring
him 10 turn over 80 that | could move. Ny disturb
huce made him mad. He Sworc at me. ! sWOrp AT
HIM We then stepped outside 10 light IL out. When
We squared OF 10 deliver blow, were actually
too weak to strike. We rcsomhed pair If exhausted
pUgliis~ the end Of hard fight, and we agreed t.
finish our difference, after the shook hands and
went to bed again, actually amused 81 Our udlcr0us
efforts 10 fight.
Every morning the dead prisoners were gathered
in rows outside the prison Arms and legs Of the
corpse, tried together. For time the 'Grav
FINALLY Union men were detailed for the purpose.
The hcar@c consisted Of q rough farm wagon. with e
hay rigging. Upon this couveytnc" the bodies were
thrown. aS farmer would throw logs Of wood.
TN" brutal Tailor drove III" CHASTITY load to q trench.
into which 81 bodies were thrown. ON the 90
burial arms and lee protrudod from the cart and
mutiated against tho wheels The nhumaritv eN-
hht"d hv the oyer~ecrs of this prison has been
cqualcd hv civilized man. Too little 4, known by
the rising generation 81 the cruelty Of these
Southcrncre in managing AndcrsOnvillc. II n
damuahlc pest hole for which there Is excuse and
for which J"T Davis was responsible. The Rciol
managed Nndc'~ouvillr said that he would kin moro
YANKEES in prison than would die at the front He
carried ont his threat far os h. cOnd. and was.
believe the only Rebel hanged AZ tho close of the
ne received Instructions from J"f Davis. and wa,
inhuod with outrageous vndiotvcncS, by his in
stwctor which tortured the life ont Of thousands Of
helpless men,