The National tribune., 1890-01-09

around Corlnth ere the close of that day Mon
day., which no did very successfully.
We reached Memphis and were safely quar-
tered in the Hotel De Overton until the fol-
lowing morning. Many of the boys who
| enjoyed smoke had the privilege of choice
segar, but it is not the purpose of this article to
tell how they got them.
Near our quarters train of coaches appeared.
into which we were ordered and after having
taken our seats, the good citizens of Memphis
appeared upon the scene, laden with all sorts
oil eatabes and / am on the witness-stand
| tathough quarter of century or more has
rolled by to testify that much. needed want
was satisfied, Us wo had had nothing to eat
scarcely since our Sunday morning breakfast.
| / shall never forget this act of charity from
the good people of Memphis. God bless them.
and long may they yet live.
AT every station along tho way scores, and
sometimes hundreds, were gathered to SEQ the
live Yankees" and at many places TRADE of
abuse was heaped upon us. The most dis
| tinctiy-remembered place was Mt Jackson,
| Miss, where large crowd had gathered TO
! give us royal reception, which they did, in
the shape OF sticks and stones. as well rs by
word of mouth. My, how they did go for us!
AT the hotel near the depot a black flag was
unfurled TO the breeze placed there for the
| benefit OF our crowd. We left there, however,
with the remark that in all probability some
! day we would have the privilege of returning
the compliments, but under different circum-
stances, which was afforded us Il little over
! year after. What transpired ut Jackson during
! the Nlcksburg campaign is n matter of history.
We arrived at Mobile safely, the harsh treat
ment along tho way to the contrary notwith-
standing. We took passage on the steamer
Alice Vivian, quartered mostly on the boiler
| deck. The beautiful tune of Home Sweet
| Home, wasplayed upon the caliope, and you can
| well imagine what the effect might be upon us
! boys yet in our teens, far away from homo and
! friends, prisoners of war, not knowing what
! was In store for us. We sailed up the Tom
! bigbcc and Black Warrior Rivers to Tuscaloosa
! Ala, where we were met by the afterward-
| famous Wirz, who received us with all tho
! pOmp of General indeed. We disembarked
! at his command, and were formed in four ranks
like Regulars" j we'll remember how one
of our bravcst and best boys, ]. Il. Greenlcc
was compelled TO avoid being cut over the head
with the saber in the hands of Wrz by obeying
his command 10 leave his partner, James Pat
terson, and take position in another file. But
| he had to obey.
We were marched through the beautiful
! streets of Tuscaloosa on the 10Th day of April,
1862, divided into squads in numbers TO suit
the capacity of the different places where we
were placed in the city Our squad was quar-
tered in a large brick building opposite tho
Washington Hotel, aud had hardly got settled
IN our new quarters when crack bang! and
oil goes the head OF Que of our number, who
had put his head out of the window TO sec
where his companion was going. We remained
here just 80 days, subsisting upon ratious of
cornbrcad, etc, doled out to us in homcopathic
doses every morning Tho amount given for
days ration could have easily been eaten at
one meal, and then would not have been suili.
cient to satisfy the demand
At the command of tho powers that were we
were ordered to Montgomery. Ala, by the same
route we had come The hold OF the old boat
was FIRST flied TO its utmost capactv aud the
rest occupied the bOler-dcck On this trim we
ran into a sand bar. and were detained several
days. Our scauty ratious having failed We
were nearly five days without ANYTHING 10 cnt
AT length, arriving at Mobile, bountifnI 70.
past OF boiled yellow beans aud mule meat was
given as, which had we not eaten sparingly
would have sent many of us 10 the 'shapnv
hunting-grounds," rs they had the appearance
OF having been cooked several days. and weIe
totally unfit TO eat; especially by those nearly
famishcd.
We arrived finally at Montgomery, where we
were quartcred ia the old Peuitentiary building |
awaiting 10 be disposed OF IN the way of parole !
Some 200 were parolcd Gud sent in two squads 10 |
Gen. MitchG az Chattanooga The first Eqnad |
was received all right, while the second sgnad
was not The rest of us who were not paroled /
were ~ n few days sent 10 Macon, Ga. aud wero /
quariered in old Camp Oglethorpe After hay. |
ing been there some three weeks, one fine day |
here came the second squad above referred TO- |
marching into camp. Poor fellows | can never |
forget their look of sadness and great disnp- |
pointment as they marched in, many of them /
actually hcartbrUkeu over their disappoiit- |
ment IN not having their brightest homes OF |
seeing home and friends once more realized |
Many OF those brave boys went down to death |
soon after.
During our stay at Macon varied were tho |
scenes aud incidents occurring. Aside from /
N ttch la,
washing, etc. games Of different kinds were |
INDUCED IN, but hunting was the most gen. |
orally observed pastme. 1t was not for game |
to supply our physical needs, but In order TO |
preserve our bodies from being consumed or |
this kind the supply exceeded the demand on /
pleasant Sabbath afternoons the citizens OF
Macon would visit us, in limited numbers how.
ever. The boys, of course, would gather around /
them, anxious 10 hear what they had 10 saw.
and thinking they might hear something Of |
Interest from the outside world, which We were
entirely shut out from. In some WAY the game
above referred TO would find an alightmcnt
upon their broadcl0th. To give the variety of /
ways Of making IL decidedly uncomfortable for
US, an order one fine day was issued TO hangsix
OF our Number which, although never carried
into effect, had its effect upon us as 10 who the
six would he. A great deal of sickness pre-.
vailed, especially during the months OF July,
August aud September, during which time wa
yet see the old cart coming into quarters,
proceeding 10 the tent IN the rear of the hospi-
tai, where the dead were laid. Heart. sickcninR
indeed, was II 10 80 through this PLACE OF misery
aud death, where around the room lying npon |
the hard floor, were the boys with the bones of
their hips aud backs worn through, and i'm
many cases alive with squirming vermin. Gen
orally, when the boys had TO be sent 10 tho
hospital, 10 was only question Of few DAYS
ana in some cases Of only n few hours when
death would come 10 their relief
The writer was one who had TO yield TO the
inevitable and was placed in this abode of
death and suffering; but happily, indeed after
i had been there but a day or two word came
that we were to be par0led and sent TO the Inca
This word was given me, and | was asked if /
thought could go with them. / said yes. or
VIII die IN the attempt The hour was fixed
at o'clock b. N. that same day. The time at
length came, aud two Of my comrades came for
me, and, placing the few rags had around me.
i arose from the (as ! had thought couch of
death, and mastering what remaining strength
i had, marched out aud down 10 the quarters
aud thence to the train, hardly realizing where
was or where i was going. We were put ON
board Of b0x-cars, aud thus for eight dayg and
nights, through rain and shine, part Of the
time in open cars, rode TO Richmond. We
would have suffered for want of something 10
eat had we not have been able to have bought
something along tho road with money received
from the sale of bone jewelFy, which we had
made while at Macon.
The trip from Macon TO Richmond was very
trying indead / Rho1i nayar for,.t a., a"