Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-24
SOME WAR STORIES.
COL. CuxNINGHAMs WATCH AND
CHAIN SENT. ny CAPT. HAYES.
sunerfngs of Confederate Soldiers
I'm Northern Prisons-Crueittes
Practiccd on the 600 Oficcrs In
Retaliation ut Hilton Head.

Prncticed on the OOO Omcers u"
Retaliation ut Hilton Head.
CHASE CITY. VA. February 3.-tSpe-
cial )-During these cold days. before a
bright fire in a comfortable room with
the exterior view suggestive Of Arctic
surroundings are often assembled few
old Confederates, who relate interesting
war "reminiscences. l sometimes ask the
boys II they do not tire OF hearing these
men talk so much about the war, and
they reply that they like TO hear these
stories, and never weary In listening TO
them, even IL they have heard them be-
fore.
There Is a fascination about the perils
OF battle and all the vicssitudes Of war,
and not only the participants. but the
younger generation, are fond OF their re-
cital and repetition.
The Mayor of this town. Captain Or
lsndo J. Hayes, was in the Stonewall Bri-
gade, Twenty first Virginia, from start
TO finish" and was in thirty-thrce regu-
lar engagements, wounded only once. and
sometimes tells OF dangerous predica-
ments and miraculous escapes. He pre-
! ferred remaining with his company, ana
declined promotion, although as captain
he once commanded a brigade in battle.
and often his regiment. His comrades say
he was exceptionally fearless and for
| tunate.
4 WATCH AND CHAIN.
Captain Hayes says he passed Colonel
| Cunningham after he was killed on the
| 1t Ip,., Ia n
| Confederates were moving away. his
watch ard chain, as he had fallen, were
| exposed to view. which he took from his
| lifeless body before the enemy reached
| him. Captain Hayes says Colonel Gun
ningham at first commanded a company
from Richmond. and he gave the waich
and chain to one of this company, TO he
| sent to Colonel CunnngharGs wife, but
| whether she ever received ~ or not ne
! was never informed and would like to
| know. The vcst-hoo,5 OF the chain was
separated from It when he grasped 1t In
his haste 10 spcsrc tie watch. captain
Hayes is i'et . inches high, OF
splendid physique. End looks now as II
he could stand several more campaigns.
PRISON SUFFERING.
But few II any. can relate The history
! OF their captivity and the incidents con-
|
! told by Lieutenant Frank &. Barnes. OF
Company G. tJt,y--ixh Virginia. a
few evenings $50. Indeed. the treat
ment CT northern soldiers In southern
prisons has been published In every con-
! ceivable form, but the sufferlngs Of
southern soldiers in northern prisons have
been only partially exposed. Kelley :
in VincuIis." and few other publica-
tions OF similar kind give but a faint
idea OF the privations Of n southern
prisoner
Lieutenant Barnes relates that he was
taken a prisoner on Cemetery Heights
at Gettysburg. on July 3. 1857. From
there he was carried. with 1900 others
by the Eleventh, Vermont Regiment. tC
Fort McHenry. remaining there on'
night. From there he was taken on a
steamer to Fort Delaware. where HI
remained four DAYS. and thence
carried 10 Johpson's Island. where h,
was kept until January g. 1854. on tina
day 60 Confederate officers were selecte,
20 be carried away aad pass through
terrible ordeal OF suiferings and cruelty
lie, with the number. was taken t.
the State Armory. AT Philadelphia. Ii
"A few days the same GO were carried 4
the old Capitol prison. In Washington
and from there IN n short time to Poin
| lspbhuul, lHtA u1lllA pm VI -ulAFiHi,
In March. 1864, he, with the same CO.
,, were carried back 10 Washington. an
soon went to Fort Delaware the secon
time. ON August % 1864 with the sam
CO., which was then ascertaned wer
chosen for n trip Of trials and retalia
. ton. were put on the ocean steame
Crescent. and taken out To sea.
The vessel stranded of Cape Romain
and had 10 unload before she could sal
, again. The prisoners were put to work
, In the distance a ship or man of war wa
saen approaching. and their captors. ap
pretending esciie. all were placed unde
strict surveillance 10 suppress any ont
| break. out Of sight OF land from the 25tl
OF August TO the 7th Of September. AM
q none OF the prisoners knew their destina
ton: had TO drink condensed water, an
the health of all was impaired. Lieuten
, ant Edwards from below or near Peters
burg. was the first to die. and was give
a burial in the sea.
UNDER FIRE.
e Some time in September the Crescen
5 | arrived at Morris Island, $. G., and tn
prisoners were dsembarked and placed un
der the fire Of the Confederate batteries. L
some way the Confederate officers wer
| informed of their position. got the range
| | and fired over them. and not the frs
l
OF a Federal gun killed twelve OF thel
guards right before them. a big Drum
i mond light to warn or blockades wa
q turned upon the Confederate prisoner
y. | at night, and the eyes OF many were sc
% riousy injured.
Left Morris Island October 2lst and al
l. rived at Fort Pulaski on the 2gd. Slngu
: larry, none died. and one prisoner wa
q killed by a guard accidentally. A Colon,
Of IaI
n Fort Pulaski. and WAS a humane officer
% A mistake occurred in sending to ther
II a barrel OF sugar instead OF a barrel G
- flour, which was the first sweet thin
IS they had seen for long time. This wa
e speedily deYoured.
/, INTENSE CRUELTY.
. Left Fort Pulaski November ~. 1864, an
: arrived at Hilton Head. 6. g.. Novembe
:, Goth. There was then suffering intensified
Ia and retaliation practiced in its most cru,
: forms. The allowance to each man wa
a five ounces OF cornmeal and one pint &
y, brackish water per day. The bunk
- men. in building G0x2i feet. the wors
that could have been made.
;. 300 DIED.
ir Then scurvy and disease invaded Il
T. ranks OF the COO, and over 800 Of the
II members died
The retaliation was. they learne
is caused by the Confederate general pa
4 ing COO Federal prisoners In hospita
the yellow flag raised. and the refus
'e to comply with the demand OF the Fed
In raj general to remove them sOmewhel
At else so as TO not obstruct the fire
their guns. SO co Confederate office
were put under fire.
When the retaliation was over
N abundance OF provisions were furnish'
TX and the men suffered severe sickness al
.. some died from over-eating.
lie They left Hilton Head on Sunda
March g. 1866. and arrived at Fort Mo
n roe the Sth OF March; left there the II
IN OF March. and were carried for the thi
time to Fort Delaware. There they r
manned until paroled, the 18th OF Jun
1855.
THE SURVIVORS.
Y out OF the tJ0 who had passed thr0ul
these hardshps huddled together II
dumb animals. starved and placed ind
fire for nearly two years, only Z93 81
vi viyod. OF these Lieutenant Barnes h
he only met since Captain George w. Fl
lo,- ~ virginia and NOW