The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-07-09
NATIONAL TRIBUNE WASHINGTON o. THURSDAY JULY o 1891

here I'll die" said, sold man. you can d,
just as you like; but as for me, l will die her,
before j Will enlist in the rebel army" A
quick as thought could give expression, tht
old man said. I
"BoR. DIE roo"
lie lived to get out on special exchange which
occurred soon after, went 10 his home in Os
wego' aiterward returned to his regiment. and
dled. This special exchange was for 10000 o.
the sick and wounded on each side. There was
taken from our prison about 1000. The me1
were placed In single file by the hundreds. &c
corulng 10 their numbers, To bo examined by
the rebel physicians. The night before ouI
hundred were TO be examined my roommate
Kendall says: " / am going 10 get out tO-mor.
row; you see If don't" IIo certainly looked
as though he ought 10 get out. but there were
hundreds that were much worse than he so IL
was necessary for him TO make believe that he
was worse oil than ho was, AID right we'll did
he do II. We formed in line, and when the
! doctors came along he was one OF the worst
Looking objects IN tho prison. tie cOnld hardly
stand up apparently; would stare at them rs
| lhouEh ne was unconscious " what was going
on; his body was twisted IN fearful shape. one
I hand was on his side, aud he was groaniug as
tnouEh no expected 10 die every moment.
when the doctor reached him he looked at
| nm and said, What ail5 voI?" Kendall
! answered IN a very feeble tone. | don't know,
| SIR; am sick" At this the doctor took him
| 10y the arm, gave him a slight jerk (which was
| Their way OF indicating that they were TO DO
! paroiedj, aud Kendall went sprawling on tho
4 ground. Ho arose very slowly aud went limp
/ ing toward the gate, but rs he went through /
/ thought he Was improving wonderfully. ] was
1 very lonesome after Henry went and while /
/ was anxious TO have him succeed in getting
/ onl' almost wished him back. The saying
ihat misery likes company seemed TO almost
| PreV1li with the at that time. The exchange
or parole went slowly on, aud closed about the
middle OF December, 1854. On tho night of
the lith or 18th crawled into nv lonely dug
out Tor the last time. l was taken suddenly
SICK with a fever, and the
NEXT MoESISG WAS HELPLESS.
My next dugout nGighbor, an old EugIishman,
not seeing or hearing me, looked in aud seeing
my condition said, "Mc bye hits lucky iOr your
bloody heyes that the parole his not hover"
lie immediately got help aud carried mo 90 tire
hospital $50 called IN one corner of the stock
ade. There were no buildings, tent, or cover
lng Oi any kind IN said hospital. IL was simply
tho corner fenced OF with one rail. Ia this
inclosGro they received the sick aud dying, and
made q prctenss OF caring for them. 10 was
SIMPLY farce, TO have it said they had an estab-
Ishtd hospital and rendered medical aid 10 the
sick prisoners. There were no doors or gates
TO TINS Enclosure from the interior Of the prison
and when a sick man was taken TO It, they laid
him on the ground aud rolled him under tho
rall, and he was in the hospital at least, that
was the way got in. The physicians ex-
amlned me, gave mo something 10 drink and
toid mo TO get up aud 20 outside and sign the
parole. | succeeded in getting out, but fell
exhausted at the table where the paroles were
being signed. At this ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
or other"lse-Frank Sweet, Of Fulton, n. Y,
ot Eth y. Y. Cav, came 30 my relief and helped
me TO my feet. while | signed my name lie
then assisted me to the railroad, three quarters
of mile, by carrying me and putting his hand
under my shoulders and pushing mo along.
Our transportation was, as usual, in rough box
frcight-cars. i was helped into ono Of them
and laid upon my back on tho floor.
This was very humane act for Frank Sweet
TO perform in those trying times, as he was
completely eXhaused and ran much risk Of his
own life IN trying 60 save mine, and / firmly
believe but for that kind act
l WOULD HAVE DIED THEN AND THERE
am also under great obligations TO VIM. Gore.
Of Fulton, \. Y, Of tho 9th n. Y. Cav. who,
on our arrival at Charleston. S. C., took me in
his arms and carried Inc on board the rebel
steamer which took rs out in tho harbOr, whera
the Yankee steamers were in waiting 10 receive
Us. / was helpless, and lay on my back on
the hurricane deck. The prisoners who had
strength To laugh, cry, shout or Jump, were 50
Clgted at the thought of once more. being free
they seemed TO forget the helpless ones under
their feet, and we we're roughly handled. or
rather footed" The pandcmonium came
when our transports raised the Starsand Stripes
/ thought for one that my time had surely
come; that the old rebel craft was sinking but
when ! saw hats going into the air aud over
board, and men rolling over on the deck and
heard the cheers for tue old Stars and Stripes
| u gfHa finn I - Il
hard TO get 20 my feet, but fell back exhausted.
We soon reached our transports one hospital
boat and one for those who could help them
selves. The nurses from the hospital boat came
aboard the rebel boat and assisted us 10 theirs.
was carried on board and laid down lust in-
side the hatchway, my ragged shirt aud pants
lall tho clothing ! had !elt) were quickly cut
from my body and kicked into the ocean. /
was then lifted aud put into a bath tub. and
for the first time IN seven months saw aud
sInelled a piere Of soap. 1t seemed 10 me good
enough to eat. had now been sick two or
three days, aud Of course could not rid nv
Clothes OF the vcFmln, which was necessary To
DO twice a day in order 10 live long Nv BODY
was now in "A fearful condition from satisfying
the hunger OF these pests, and this. with the
fever upon me, put me in critical condition.
After a thorough bath. j was put in clean
clothes and laid upon clean cot Two phvsi-
clans came and examined me, gave mo glass of
wine and remarked.
BAD CASE GUESS IT'S ALL UP WITH HIH."
Up to this time had realized all that had
happened. ] now became unconscious and
remained so until we reached Annapolis. Nd.
On our arrival at tho dock ! was put on a
stretcher aud army blanket thrown over
me, which covered my head, and carried from
the steamer to the dock This blanket
over my head smOtheTCd me, and seemed 10
bring me TO CONSCIOUSNESS, and throwing the
blanket from my head / opened my ewes and
began To wonder where ! was and what had
happened. We were at once taken 10 the old
Naval Academy, which at that time was used
as a hospital. / was placed on a nice clean cot /
and received the best Df care from a motberIy
lady, whose name did not know, aud would /
tha. i had 10 and that knew whore She was. if /
living, that might in some way show nv an. |
preciatiou Of her special kindness TO me. She /
would sit beside my cot. smooth my rgrebc,d |
aud talk to Inc, as would my mother had sbe /
been there. God bless the dear women who I
did SO much 10 relieve the sick aud wounded 1
= 90 much cannot be said In their praise. aud /
oar Congress ought 10 blush with shame for NOT /
pensiOninE them long ago. This dear woman
questioned mo about my home and asked il |
my people knew whether / was dead or alive
! told her did not know. She asked me il |
wanted her 10 writo home for me. was more
than glad 10 have her. She wrote that | v,as
in tie hospital, was being well cared for. and
would be home in q few days. That letter from
some unexplained reason, did not reach its dos.
tiuation until after ] arrived home, In the
meantime had been reported dead by the man
who carried me from tine ear at Charleston 10
I a HrE Of Nn i.aI - A..