The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-06-01

There was no barracks or shelter OF any
kind here. We had to resort to the old method
of chipping in" and putting up sort OF q
tent with the few old blankets that were IN
the possession of the mess of seven or eight
prisoners. We could only muster four, and
they looked like cheese-cloths when held up
to the light.
As to clothing we had very little. My
own wardrobe consisted of sleeveless shirt
made from meal bag, with slits cut in the
corners for armhOles, a pair of Government
drawers that / had on when captured, and
an old hat with the crown torn out. My
boots had given out some time before, and
had been barefooted for several weeks The
rest of the mess individually were In no
better shape. No clothing was ever received
from our Government at any prison where
we were confined at least, we got none of it
if it was. At Salisbury, have been told, a
certain quantity was distributed after the
rebs had helped themselves.
We were as short of cooking utensils as of
clothing. We had one iron skillet, three or
four halfcanteens, tin cup, and broken
caseknife. AS raw rations were issued about
half the time, it can readily be imagined
the trouble we had in cooking. The rations
were so small that many times we were
the bother Of cooking and the loss il entailed.
Hundreds were in worse shape than our
selves. A prisoner who had nothing to draw
or cook rations in, or partner who had, was
IN bad way, and sure TO 60 ous with his
toes tied together before long. A prisoner
who possessed tin pail was prince indeed,
and could live hgh-ihat is if he lived at
all, and was not knocked in the head some
night by someone who thought the prince
ought to have succc ssor-lrOm the tribute
eXacted for its use.
Wood was Just as scarce here as at Auder-
sonville, where pine forests surrounded the
prison, but the Tebs had some excuse here for
not furnishing more of it, as they had TO
draw it a long distance.
While here great inducements were held
out to prisoners 10 go ont and work at the
trades. We were not asked to take
the oath, or enlist, as subst quently was the
case None of whom / knew accepted the
offer
While at Andersonville a swelling had
formed and broken ont on my right ankle,
and gangreen had commenced to do its
work. Al this time so much flesh had been
eaten away that the working of the ankle
joint could be plainly seen. For some time
previous it had been with great difficulty
that / could stand erect, and now the time
had arrived when l was obliged to get
around the best way that could on my
hands and knees.
While in this predicament an order was
issued that all prisoners who were able to
walk - miles should the next day form in
line outside the prison. They should then
be marched to Fort Pulaski, near the month
of the Savannah River, for exchange. After
a good deal of discussion our mess decided
TO go. / did not see how I could get over
that distance, but the boys volunteered to
assist me. We halfsuspected that it
was trick of the rebs TO get the COM
parativeiy well separated from the rest, and
then parole those left in the inclosure |
concluded to go, for if l should stay, and
then not be paroled, it would be
A DEATH-wAERANT
for me. Without my comrades, and the
things we Jointly possessed, ! could not sur
vive week.
We were formed in line outside the next
day and were counted, and after standing
there the rest of The afternoon We're
back again. and no one was paroled
or exchanged. only relate this to show in
what a state of mind the rebs continually
thing of this kind occurred. Experience
to nothing; we were just as ready
to be taken in next iime
1t was seldom that we obtained news
paper, and it was little consolation when we
did. The rebs always put good phase
on the war news for themselves Very few
OF the citizens came to look at the Yanks
Those that did seemed to have little SYM
pathy.
/ remember one Sunday several ladies
went up to the guard platform, and after
Ia king and laughing while commenced to
throw eatables of some kind down amongst
the prisoners, and seemed to greatly enjoy
the scrambling ana fighting that it created
for the possession OF the precious morsels.
Many pieces were thrown so that they fell
inside the dead-line, whether Intentionally
so or not | cannot say. but there they re-
mained, a continual temptation to some
poor, hungry Yank to give the nearest
guard an opportunity TO earn furlough.
| never knew jast how many prisoners
there were at Savannah, but think about
700. The death rate remained about the
same as at Andersonville. It was too late
for pure air alone to be of any great benefit
Aus