The National tribune., 1892-09-29

first went there think the number confined
was about 1000 This was increased to about
10000 but death reduced that number to 3ooe
in five months.
The mess that / was in were fortunate in
getting Sibley tent, which answered very well
when lt did not rain, as it gave US a shelter
where we could crawl in at night, and by lying
round in circle, spoon fashion, could manage
to keep what little blood we had in us partly
warm. Some made sort of frame work and
covered it with mud; others burrowed in the
ground, and some would lie down anywhere
they could find place. 1t took but very
short time to transform man from his former
self into mere shadow. The eye would soon
grow dim, the skin dark and fabby, the voice
| husky, the eye taking q wild, vacant, longing
look.
Some of them were the very pictures OF de-
spair, longing for death to release them from
their suffering. We were always hungry, never
warm; not one cheering look for the future.
What wonder that our hearts sank within us,
and that we cried out at times: "Oh, God how
long?" We can see now that 1t was best for
our country, but oh! how hard it was to be
bear.
Time passed on and brought us to Thanks
giving Day Some would try to speak joyfully
of the good times at home, but most hearts were
too full for utterance. 1.-Two were thankful Tor
anything it was that the dear ones at home
did not know cur real condition, nor can any
one ever know. 1t is beyond the power OF
human tongue to describe. But we knew the
loved ones were thinking and praying for US,
aud at times the dim eyo would Tor moment
be bright land the poor heart almost gay, as
we thought of seeing home and friends once
| more; but that day never came to many
| poor fellow. He had looked on home and
dear ones for the last time. Death had already
| begun his fearful work at q terrible rate. Soon
| three of my company out OF the IL had been
;nI ,,l,.o xuht trl, ont nyrt
loaded with its CHASTITY freight every morning;
were thrown in like lot of dead sheep, one on
top of the other some of them in a nude con-
dition, no loving hand TO close the sunken eye
| or fold the cold hand across the breast. No,
they were left to the of the heartless enemy,
who cared but little except to get them out of
sight. 1t seems strange sometimes that God
permitted such things to be.
One thing happened about this time that
panied me more than anything during my stay
there. 1t was the death of Sergt Hunt, the
| 0rderly-Sergeant OF my company. IL came SO
| unexpectedly. He was quartered at the other
| side of the camp but we were In the habit OF
visiting back and forth every day, and he was
so full of hope. If we felt despondent he always
had cheerful word; would often speak of the
good times we would have when we got back to
New Haven, aud was always light hearted, even
| in that terrible place. One day he failed to
come and SEQ US as usual so | thought would
walk over and see Uncle Dave, as we called
him; but he was not in his quarters. was told
he was not feeling we'll the day before, so
thought he would go the hospital for day or
two.
My heart sank at the news, for 1t was a rare
| thing for man to go to that hospital and come
out alive. went back and told Billy, and we
started at once to see him, in hopes of cheer
ing him up little. We found the Steward and
told him our errand. Imagine our surprise
when told he had been taken out in the dead
cart that morning. Poor fellow! He had suf-
fered and died with no one to care for him; no
one to soothe his last moments. 1t caused
| gloom to fall over US that took long time to
drive off and | realized more than ever it
would be terrible fight to come out of there
alive. Serg't Hunt made the fourth of our IL
to die. Who would be the next, God only knew.
1t was now pretty well into Winter; Christ
mas had passed. and with it many an heartache
for those at home. The death rate was fear
| fully increasing, and just at the time we
needed the most nourisbment. our rations were
cut down 10 cne-fourth loaf of bread for "a
/ hours their excuse being they could not get
/ food but il was dabolical scheme to kill us
/ off and their plan was working well. Every
/ few days an officer would come in and try to
! induce the men to enlist into their army, tell
| ing US we should have plenty to eat and good
clothes. few were persuaded; most of them
were of foreign birth-very seldom one of true
| blue.
| told them wanted food, clothes and Free
| dom, but would never purchase it at that price;
] would sooner die there loyal to my flag and
country. Those that did 60 were soon con-
WINGED of the sham practiced On them, and
were glad to return after few days. Then
! every few days there would be false report
started of an exchange to be made on certain
date That also had the desired effect. When
| the time came aud passed, and no exchange,
| the disappointment would be too much for some
of the poor fellows who were just clinging TO
life by that one hope, and the thread would
snap.
One morning, think 1t was sometime in the
month Of January, the Sergeant Of our squad
came TO Us and in quiet way told US there
was plan on foot to make a break, and that
our division was 10 make a rush for the back
! gate. All was excitement. 1t was sad sight
| TO see those poor wretches try and brace them
selves up, and see those dim eyes sparkle for a
moment as the hope Of liberty came into their
! poor hearts. They were only too ready TO face
! death for chance of freedom. But this was
| only another disappointment, for it proved a
! failure, all for the lack of leader. The word
| was given and the thing started, but only one
/ thing was accomplished, and that was to end
/ the misery OF few more, for they opened fire
/ on the prison with cannon, and if the men had
not dispersed they would have killed every
man in short time. There were some at.
tempts made TO tunnel out, but never knew
Of any one being successful at it.
Right here / want to give faint description
of the so-caled hospital. 1t was wood build
ing 30 100 feet, not cot or bed OF any kind
nor blanket; the floor covered with straw that
| was alive with yermn; no fire and but little
light, aud in such place as that the helpless
victims would lie crowded together, row on
each SIDE no relief but death, and that would
generally come in a very short time. The liv
ing and dead remaining together through tho
! day and ell night, as the dead cart did not
! usually come IN but once day. The dead
we're buried Just outside dumped out of the
cart, for they would not touch the bodies with
their hands if they could avoid it) in the trench
and covered over, free at last from their tor
mentors.
But, oh! what death and burial for the
true and brave who had left all for the love
they ore their country.
Tine dragged on; nothing to relieve the
monotony Of prison life, except now and then
the false report of an exchange, or that there
was a carload Of clothing and blankets outside
for us; but il all helped to kill off the Yankees.
On the night of Feb. 81 the Sergeant of our
division came to us with word that VIC must be
ready to leave the next morning He said /:
straight" So the news spread through the
prison; shout after shout went up, and many
thanked God that the day of delverance had
come at last. Not much sleep thar night
| The sick were taken out that night and put
aboard train Of box cars, and on the morning
OF the 22d Of February we were marched out