The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1896-02-14
ICONTINUED.I
CHAPTER II.

SGCOllu ll6ul6uduU Ill u HOuoNO iOSoI
from Rochester, Lieutenant Shannon.
When we had been week together in
that swarming hive, we were taken out
TO ioin trainload of 300 enlisted men
passing to Andersonville. The train con
sisted of six cattle cars-opeh cages OF
slats-into each of which so men were
locked for journey of a week. The Con
federate officers and train guards occu-
pied the red caboose at the rear of the
train. Lieutenant Shannon and l were
taken into their company, as were sew
eral of the severely wounded men.
The officers and guards, who were
from the front, treated Lieutenant Shan
non and myself with the utmost kind
ness. No restraint was put upon us,
and when the train stopped for wood
and water we wandered at will along
the track, observing the pitiful condi-
ton of the men. Even in the evening
we strolled about the dilapidated sta
tions unattended. In the cool Of the aft
ernoon we used to climb on to the roof
of the cars and ride for hours, enjoying
the outlook as the train wound among
the red hills of Virginia or crawled on
causeway over the endless levels Of
the Carolina swamps. We passed through
Columbia on a Sunday perched on the
roof, receiving the yellow swells of the
city, body servants in gloves and silk
hats and housemaids in gauzy blue and
spotless white.
At Augusta we were taken from the
train and corral1ed on swampy goose
pasture in the outskirts Of the town for
the night 1t had been raining, and in
the muggy heat we were obliged to
smother our heads under coats and
blankets to escape the huge mosquitoes
which hummed necessarily about u.s. In
the morning Lieutenant Shannon's
hands were pulled up like pincushions,
while mine came out day later in
hard, white Jumps which lasted for a
week.
When the train reached Macon, Ga.
Lieutenant Shannon and l were sent
under guard to Camp Oglethorpe, a
short distance outside the city. A stock
ade Is feet high, constructed of upright
planks, surrounded the prison pen, and
four feet from the top this barricade
was encircled by a board walk, from
which the armed guard looked down up
on the interior. A massive plank gate,
under an archway, on which was paint
ed in black letters Camp Oglethorpe,
swung open at our approach, and arrlv-
ing at the inner side we were instantly
surrounded by a multitude of ragged
officers, mostly barefooted, with I'M
kempt hair and boards and looking al
together unlike the official company we
expected to see. The cry of "Fresh fish"
rang through the stockade, and all were
eager to hear the news from the outer
world.
The field we occupied had been for
merly fair ground, and in the center of
the Enclosure stood big one story build
ing which had been the floral hall in
other days Surrounding this on three
sides and we'll within the dead line was
a row of sheds, rooted with pine boards,
under each of which were hunks for 90
men. The fourth side was occupied by
the sinks, to reach which we crossed the
narrow stream that supplied us with
water.
At the time of our arrival there were
1000 Union officers at Camp Oglethorpe.
General Alexander Shaler was the only
general officer in the camp, and by vir-
tue of his rank was accorded a sort of
interior command. The ranking officers
and such as by influence or precedence
had secured the privilege had their
quarters in floral hall Some of the old
prisoners, who fancied contact with the
earth was a panacea for scurvy, bur-
rowed under the central building.
Among those who were quartered i'll the
hall was squad of brilliantly uni
formed naval officers who had been cap
tured by cavalry on a cruise up the Rap
pahannock. These gentlemen walked
about in suits of spotless duck, and their
mess was abundantly supplied with the
fresh vegetables of the season.
Standing by the entrance of floral
hall the day following my arrival, a
smooth faced youngster, his blue trou-
sers rolled up from his bare feet and his
wooden shirt gaping wide at the throat,
Joined me, introducing himself as Lieu
tenant Sill of General Butterfeld's
staff. I had recruited his brother the
winter before at Rochester. Although
we had never met before, we had Pc
euliar family acquaintance, as DIR. Sill
had often driven over to my fathers
place from an adjoining county and told
me about his boys. am thus particular
In introducing Lieutenant Sill, as he
shared largely in my subsequent adyen-
lures.
was in this camp so short a time
that had no interest in the tunnels and
no knowledge of their existence. At
this hot season we had frequent thun-
terstorms. The rain would suddenly
pour down in torrents and as suddenly
be succeeded by fervid sun, which
quickly dried the gravelly earth.
For the daily count we were zach
morning assembled beyond the quarters
in the emp,J end of the yard, and after
sufficient guards were posted we were
passed in single file through the central
building and so returned to our sheds.
After this ceremony ON the Fourth Of
July we all assembled in and about
floral hall for a celebration. Captain
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