The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-02-18

G5J 4 | | Va burg that night with
~ !: !: !: s. !; :: !:
as we could see. there
was one or moro dead or wounded rebels 10
show for our hard days lighting. They herded
US on little island very near a tobacco ware
house. which we named Starvation Island. We
remained there until morning, when we fell in
line, aud thcy commenced relieving as Of what
valuablcs We had in cur possession. They took
our ovcFcoats aud blankets, shelter tents,
knapsacks, haveTsacks, and cautceus. We then
marched into the warehouse. which / think
Was three storys high. The upper story was
filled with as many could very well stand on
the floor. A guard was stationed at the door.
and the next room ard lower floor were crowded
in tho same manner. 1t was very warm
weather, and you can imagine what we suffered
for want of room and air, aud thestenCh which
arose after short time.
We remained there As hours. The second
day, about 4 o'clock, we were marched down
aud out 10 draw rations, the FIRST we had drawn
since being captured. They consisted Of one
hard cracker about as large as four Of what
every comradc has eaten in our lines We had
4 10 pass one al q time between a rebel bayonet
and the building, take our harGtack aud 90
back into the building. We imagined that we
knew something about what suffering in rebel
prisons meant after that, but we were soon 10
fua out that we had not learned all Of the les
son that was taught US before We reached our
lines.
The next morning we were loaded on box
cars and started for Richmond, as we found
after we got there. We were told by them that
We were 90 be exchanged or paroied aud sent
into our lines near City Point. We had not
heard the parole talk then as much as we did
! later. Well, 20 make q long story short, we
irn Of 1 .f.r.
/ slaid, il / remember about 10 days. II WAS
/ the best place we had 10 board while in Dixie.
! latOns were issued every day, such as they
were, eight ounces Of bread for day the soft
1 side Of the floor for bed room enough 10
I stretch out full length. but not healthy place
/ 10 look out Of the windows. The guards on tie
outside had their orders 20 shoot everyone that
/ looked ont. While there We were told that all
who had money must give il up 10 an officer
/ who would take our names, company, and regi-
Weut; that our money would Toe returned when
we were parOled or exchanged and were COM
PEELED TO hold upou hands while they went
through our pockets, TO he sure that we had been
honest with them. But I think they must
have forgotten their promise, for the money
never came back.
in about 10 days we were loaded once more
into box cars snd transported 20 Salisbury.
! This time ID was said we were 10 he IaToled
aud sent into our lines at some other point, ]
/ do not remember where aud il does not matter,
/ as long as they succeeded in making US believe
H. We arrived az Salisbury about Oct y,
] ISGi, when our trouble really began. They
heTded ms into tho Salisbury Pcnteutiary yard.
The building was occupied by rebel doserters
/ and citizens Of the South that were not loyal
90 tho stars and bars. We had no shelter OF any
kind, and for the first six weeks it raiucd most
Of tho time, 50 you can see we lived there in
the mud like a drove OF hogs
q ssHf L.
from AndersOuyllc aud other places, which
swolled our number 90 1000 men. There was
al that time three wells for us 20 drink out Of
a guard At each one Of them. land the only way
we could get water was 10 fall i'm line aud take
our turn at the well. Ia less than q hours
these wells were dipped dry, il being barely
possible 10 get little with a quart cup let
down with string Our suffering from thirst
was greater than the lack Of food. bot they
soon furnished US with tools and allowed rs to
| dig four more wells. We got along better then,
but did not have water to wash our clothes.
During four months and a-half that we re-
manned there our TatiOns consisted of corn
ground cob and al. made into bread without
salt or Tisiug-that D., when we got any. They
were three. and at one time five, days without
anything 10 cat. We were supposed 10 get half
q pound 10 each man for DAYS ration
VIII mention hc;c that after VIC had tasted
three days the rebels would send rpcrr ting
officer inside the gate When they could ret a
man 20 enlist they wugld give him a loaf OF
4 bread and cup 81 C0arc as lac passed ont.
tel you this was gaitc an inducemeut 90 mon
a. hungry rs we were. A good many went aud
the Government decided that they did DO 10
save their lives, aud gave them their pay. the
same as though they stuck il out in the prison
pen.
Tie first night we were there three died.
l. s.... ID a. Fss.
/ 10 bury them Ia, as we supposed. We thought
this was doing well FOR prisoners OF war. The
| next night Eve more died. The collins were
sent In, aud some Of as began 10 think they
were the same ones tia. were there the day
before. so wc marked them. Sure enough. the
next day ia they came again. and that farce
was not kept up but few days. The men
we're dying too fast Soon the mnle-team be-
gan us regular trips 10 carry out the dead,
which were corded one on top Of another in IA
trench dug bv detail OF our own men, another
detail following after covering up the dead.
But enough Of this subject, for IL makes my
blood run cold TO think Of IL now, after nearly
30 years
A good many OF the boys dug what we called
gopher holes, which was a hole in the ground
, for shelter. Some were quite comfortable
They had TO dig with case knives and spoons
or anything they could get but after awhile
they gave Us some old Sibley tents There
, was a good many holes ia these tents. but they
broke the wind of some. j, with few others
was lucky enough 10 get some old pieces o.
, tent 10 cover over ms in place Of blankets IN
, | % that time we had no covering Of any kind
! but would lie down, 10 or 20 Of us together, in
: | what we called spoon fashion; yon all know
, that that means lying on your side close 20
, ! Rctbcr 30 that when one turned over tho RES
4 an had 10 do Likewise. The ones that were on
I the outside were out Of luck and did not hay,
! d very comfortable bed, bat we had 30 b.
. neighborly. IL was not long before the vermit
I I've called them graybacksl began 20 annoy N
!, ! very much. We devoted our spare time {,
!. picking them of called IL skirmishngl.
Our pen WAS surrounded by high fence,
:, should ray nine or 10 feet, with platform OF
= the outside high enough so that a man stand
. ing on 10 his head aud shoulders would jus
! come above IT, This was for guard 10 stand
! on, and they did not forget 20 have them Of
there pretty thick for our benefit Inside Ga
: fence was a shallow ditch that was called Tia