The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-04-29

prominent Confederate officers from the
city, VINO seemed to enjoy the jokes,
even when they were at their own
expense, as much as did we. The
leader of this minstrel troupe was
Captain ed" Mass of the Elghty-eighth
Pennsylvania, a man whom every prisoner
remembers with loving gratitude, for al
though ordinarily the most quiet and re-
firing of mortals. he often caused US to
forget the munger and cold aud filth in a
hearty laugh. He Is now "Colonel" Mass.
and is. l understand, connected with the
Custom-house at Philadelphia.
One of the most picturesque characters
of the prison at this time was General Neal
Dow OF Maine, who had been captured in
The summer of 1868 In Port hudson. l saw
General Dow few months ago IN Port
land, Me, and he did not look to be one
day older than when | first met him in
Libby Prison. thirty years ago, though
must say he is at present much better
dressed and decidedly cleaner. In those
days General Dow was very slender and
he looked like a retired Turkish pasha,
with the leg Of red flannel drawers drawn
over his head like feZ The general gave
us frequent temperance lectures. and all
his hearers were ready to lake the pledge
pro TEN. and 10 applaud his efforts in the
cause Of sCbriety.
There was one remarkable character
connected with my prison experience
whom l shall never forget aud whose
name. am sorry to say, l have unfortun-
ately forgotten. but 1t was William"
something, and he was an old negro and
sold the Richmond daily papers. Every
morning about dav light the old man passed
the prison shouting his wares, and Know
ing perhaps that the papers were not
served regularly to the prisoners he tried
as he walked along the Carey-street front
to give us an idea Of The news, something
aftsr this fashion:
"All Richmond daily papersl Great
cavalry raid along de Potomael Yankees
advancing on de city! Great battle a-gwine
to be fought! Lees army just where
t'wasw and so on, in a long. vague and
lusty description of events, for all OF which
he drew on his own imagination.
Immediately after daylight Little
Ross" Sergeant Dick Turner and guard
OF from five TO ten men would enter the
prison and assemble the men in the Upper
Potomac room. from which they were
counted out, as before described. This
was called "rnllcall." Rollcall over. the
men made wild rush for The two stoves
in the dining-ronm, which would have
been wholly inadequate for their wants
had there been anything to cook.
At this time our ratiODs consisted of
black beans and corn bread; TIE latter,
because of its hardness. and the fact that
tue cobs appeared TO be ground up with
the meal, was called "ironclnd." The only
way it could be made palatabe was by
reducing it 10 mea! again and recooking it
In the form of slapjscks on the rusty stove
i'd. The mess that had a few tallow
candles to grease the stove. or piece OF
ham rnd, was considered particularly
fortunate.
The men were divided into messes, not
by the prison authorities, but by them
selves. and one of their number always
drew rations for the lot. The men who
suffered most were those from Kentucky.
Tennessee and Southern Missouri. for,
during the time that supplies we're per-
mitted to come through under flag OF
truce from the North. these men were un-
able TO communicate with their friends.
owing to the fact that they were outside
our lines or in the hands of the enemy,
and so they had to depend on the prison