The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-09-05
CAMP
Veterans Taken Care of a. Fast as They Come
Stories ia the CAMP.
The arrivals NJ oosta assiOped ~ Camp

Veterans Taken Care of a. Fast as They Come
-S;ore s IA the Camp.
The arrivals of posts assigned TO Camp
McGinnis were very small yesterday
up to noon. and Capt. Law Nicoli. on
duty rs officer of the day. was not rushed
to any great extent to be able 20 handle
satisfactorily oil VINO reported with proper
assignment cards. The greatest difficulty
that was experienced there was with the
struggling arrivals of members of posts
who had not reported to the post COM
manders that they purposed to attend. and
had consequently not been assigned quar-
tiers any place. Many of this class of ar
rivals reside in other towns than that where
their posts are located or have come here
from q visit 70 the fair. besides
many who have not attended post
meetings for years and nave come
here hoping to once more have a visit with
old comrades and live over the years they
spent together while fighting for the con-
tinuation of the Union. 1t is indeed in
terestiDg TO watch the grizzled veterans as
they come into camp TO report for quarters,
and see the hanpy signs OF recognition as
they meet some old comrade whom they
IN nv JUL az haO " va kho W NJ
and the hearty handshakes OF the two as
they come together shows the depth of the
feeling that binds these old warriors to-
gether.
The posts that reported yesterday morn
ing were: Seaver Post. No. 253. from Ran
I'toul. ILL.,, 5 men. assignments for ID; Hen
nepIn Post. No. 23I, Hennepin. ILL.,, 3 mep,
assignments for 10; Eric Pope Post, No. 1S4.
Ialms. Mo-. 4 men. assignments for 10; T..
t. Jennings Post. No. Is. MOultOn, Ala, 3
men. assignments for .; Charleston Post.
No. 271. Charleston, ILL.,. % men. assign
ments for IS. and Mcpherson Post, No. 10,
Say brook. Ill. 33 men.
Among the arrivals at Camp McGinnis
yesterday was Rev. L. W. Mcintosh. a
member Of the first post organized In this
country at Decatur. Ill. He has decorated
the barracks with numerous pictures Illus
tratIng life al Andersonyille prison. among
them being one, a large gray back" that
Is instantly recognized by all the veterans.
This he has labeled a Dear Old Friend"
he tells quite an interesting story of his
experience In Andersonville prison, and.
although he suffers considerable yet as a
result of the d~eprIvatiOns that ne was com
PEELED TO endure while confined IL that
horrible ~stOokade, he says that be is even
glad to be alive. Il was CAPTURED" SAID
Mr.. Mcintosh. on the 4th day of
October. 1864. after the battle of Atlanta,
where the Fourteenth Illinois had been
placed to guard the railroad at Ackworth.
Hoods army surprised us and captured the
whole battalion after G very short but des-
peTate tight. and We were taken Immediate
lv 10 AndersOnvllie prison. There were six
hundred of Us who went in and only about
235 came out olive. the remainder having
all persisted during the seven months and
nine days that we were confined there. The
scenes that L have witnessed there can
scarcely be believed by those who hear
them told by veterans who have been
through, but the half can never DO told. We
suffered death q thousand times over dur
ing that seven months. and many of the
prisoners who went there were raving
maDiacs W they were finally exchanged"
This sort of anecdOte and TemInIscence
comprise the great majority OF the stories
that are EXCHANGED by the veterans who
that they are still among the living after
SO much hardship.
John NJ. A. Cox. "a resident of this city,
and a member of Phil III. Sheriden Post.
No. $50. of this city. was q caller at the
camp yesterday. and tells an interesting
story of rhe banging Of Captain Wirz. who
WAS the commander in charge of Ander-
sonvilie prison az the time when SO much
cruelty was eXp erienced bT the Union pris-
onrTs. "NirZ was courtfnartialed Rt Wash
lngton and sentenced to he hung IN No
vember. 1864 SAID Mr.. Cox. lat q time
when l was a second lieutenant IN the
Eighth United states Regulars. While his
trial was In progress he lay on a sofa in
the Capitol. He was murh broken down
on account OF being q confirmed drunkard
for so many years. and my company was
detailed TO do guard duty about the Capt.