Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-11-19
TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE.
What a Togus Veteran Suffered il
Libby and AndersoWille.
A Tale Of Suffering Only One Of Many That
Can be Told.


tie of Drury's Bluff, May l6, 1864, VIM.
NJ. Tobin of Co. h, lith Connecticut In
fantry, had two ribs broken in his right
side and was taken prisoner. With some
20 or 50 others he was taken To Libby
prison. Richmond. Va, where he remained
some eight days. This notorious prison
was mt that time 81 crowded thai stand
ing room only was the condition. In or
der to lie down men were Obliged to lie in
piles, while the poor, suffering wptchcs,
if they showed their faces AT the windows,
to get relief from the stencil within, Were
shot down like dogs.
Finally Mr.. Tobin, in company with
ABOUT 100 Others, WAS loaded on fiat cars
and cattle cars and carried to Anderson
Vile. When they started they were given
a small piece of corn bread and cantccn
of water TO suhsist on while en- route,
The journey, lasting about two days, was
a terrible one. No medical attention was
granted, and So suffering from wounds
and with nothing but the small piece of
corn bread To eat, with stale, tepid water
to drink, they were finally relieved from
the horrors of the journey only to hc
driven like beasts into that vast field Of
undescribablc misery Andersonvillc.
At distance of 80 years it reads like an
impossibility, this terrible story of the
sufferings of the 30, 900 unhappy wrctchcs,
who, under the torrid beams of the sum
mer sun, groancd and prayed for death
to relieve them from their sutferngs.
Wounded in all manner and shape, with
legs that had been carclcssly amputatcd
ON the field or that hid fairly rottcd of,
is il any wonder they prayed for DEATH
Mr.. Tobin's wounds after time, under
the influence of nature, so far healed that
the two ribs Joined themselves with lap
of n couple of inches, but he remained
there in that pest hole of death fora whole
year being released at the close of the war,
What a year il must have been. Who can
ever tell the full story of those terrible
days? Weighing nearly 100 when taken
prisoner, his weight was about 80 pounds
when released.
Now, he was only one among that vast
number. His case was one of the least
cyentful, but the memory of that year
will follow him till death. We have many
here who, like him, were condemned to
weary months of suffering and pain whose
thoughts turned day after day to the cool
and shaded streams beside which they had
spent many an hour in boyhood. Oh, for
one draught of those cooling waters Hope
dying within them, revived occasionally
by rumors of release, only to he shattered
and dspcllcd by the stern realities of the
horrors around them.
Captain lie Magirc Simpson, com
mandng Co. b here, was for
long time prisoner there. Lieut.. W.
s Oakman, commanding sergeant, had a
full years experience in this field of hor-
rors. No wonder these mon do not like
to talk of those days. Do such men de
serve the tender and considcratc care of
the governments Can any benefits now
received compensate for those terrible
days.
When the Kccley Institute was founded
here two years ago, DR. j. NJ. Turner of
Gardiner, was appointed to administer the
treatment. Since Dec. II, 1892, he or his
partner. DR.. Lamb, have visited the Home
four times each day, except Sundays, when
they drove out with team. On all other
DAYS they come by train. Since the insti-
tutc was founded, Drs. Turner and Lamb
have administered the treatment to over
$50 patients.
There is one branch of business here
that deserves especial mention, and that
is the printing Office. James Manning,
late OF Co G, 17th New York Infantry, has
had charge Of this office for about five and
a half years altogether In addition to all
the official printing, which is Il large
amount, Mr.. Manning, with only one as
sstant, prints 800 musical programmes
every day in the week, except Monday.
he prints about 1900 programmes for each
theatrical show that visits here; about 200
bills of fare for every holiday dinner
about the same number of orders of cXer
cises for Memorial day; orders for the
parties held here; tickets for all entertain
ments. etc The wonder is how he is able
to accomplish so much, and all the work
is done in first class shape. Mr.. Manning
has had years of experience in some of the
best offices in New York. Quiet and un-
assuming, he is an agreeable man to meet
and converse with upon almost any sub
jcct.
Number of men on morning report,
1920. Number of patients in hospital,
PCS.
Died, Nov Is, Michael Sullivan, late of
Co. +, 35th Massachusetts.
The following is the programme for the
Sunday evening concert at the Opera
house:
March-"American Excelsior" Brooke,
arr. Theme
Overture-"King of the Gnomes," Rollison
The "Three Star" Polka, Bagley
(Euphonium Solo, Mr.. Bisset.)
SELECTION from "The Mikado," sullivan
WaNzes-"La Creole" Fare
MEDLEY Of Songs of the Day." White
Congressman Milliken has presented
n II
complete set, 26 volumes, Of the History