Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-02-25

! q row of sheds, rooted with pine boards,
under each Of which were hunks for 100
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
1. 900 Union officers at Camp Og glethorpe.
| General Alexander Shaler was the only
general officer in the camp, and by yir-
tue Of his rank was accorded 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 tho old
prisoners, who fancied contact with the
earth was a panacea for scurvy, bur-
rowed under the central building.
Among those who were quartered in the
hall was squad Of brilliantly uni
formed naval officers who had been cap
| tured by cavalry on q cruise mp 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,
smooth faced youngster, his blue trou-
sers rolled up from his bare feet and his
woolen shirt gaping wide at the throat,
Joined me, introducing himself as Lieu
tenant Sill Of General Butterfeld's
staff. / had recruited his brother the
winter before mt Rochester. Although
we had never met before, we had pc
culiar 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 adven'
| lures.
was in this camp 30 short time
that had no interest in the tunnels and
no knowledge Of their existence. At
this hot season we had frequent thun-
derstorms. 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 each
morning assembled beyond the quarters
in the empty end Of the yard, and after
sufficient guards were posted we were
passed in single file through the central
building and SO returned 10 our sheds.
After this ceremony on the Fourth OF
July we all assembled in and about
floral hall for celebration. Captain
Todd of the Eighth New Jersey pro-
duced q little copy Of the stars and
stripes wrought in silk OF dimensions .
by 10 inches, which he had carried con-
cealed ON his person throughout his cap
tiyity. The widest scenes Of enthusiasm
greeted the appearance Of the dear old
flag, small as il was. Captain Scher-
merborn, who possessed powerful tehor
voice, sang The Star Spangled Ban
ner." the entire camp swelling the cho-
rus. The little flag was afterward carried
up into the crossbeams Of the building,
where it hung during the ensuing exer-
cises. A rude table placed near one OF
the central pillars served rs rostrum,
from which short speeches were made.
The noise Of cheering and singing
finally attracted so much attention out
side the stockade that corpora's guard
was twice sent in TO quell the disturb
ance and capture the flag. Finally the
officer of the day, backed by a body Of
guards. appeared on the scene and de
manded the surrender Of the flag. Lieu
tenant Colonel Thorpe Of the First New
York dragons was speaking at the time,
and turning 10 the Confederate officer
said:
Lieutenant, please say TO Captain
Gibbs that the flag is the property of the
prisoners and will not be surrendered. y
Colonel Thorpe occupied at the time
the honorary position OF interior com
mandant, but his retori to the officer OF
the day cost him his position, Us Will be
seen by the following order:
c. &. MILITARY Prison,
MACON, Ga, July 4, lsj1
SPECIAL ORDERS 40. q.
First-Lieutenan Colonel Thorpe u relieved
from duty as senior officer Of prisons Tor vio
lation Of prison rules, and Lieutenant Colonel
McCrnry will again assume that position.
second.-The same order and quiet Will b.
observed ON this day on any other.
Third.-A disregard OF this order may SUB
iect offenders to unpleasant consequences
GEORGE c. GIBBs,
Captain Commanding.
During the latter part Of July Gener'
al Stoneman approached so near to Ma
con that the authorities became alarm
ed for the safety of the prisoners. On
July % the first body Of 500 officers was
started for Charleston to be placed un
der the fire Of the Morris island batter
les in retaliation for the situation o'
1000 Confederate officers in an open
stockade between Batteries Gregg and
Wagner. The second 300 followed I'm
mediatoly, and the remainder OF thu
camp was sent TO Savannah. went
with the first trainload to Charleston,
We made the journey in box cars, two
guards being stationed in each of th'
open doors, and on our arrival we were
marched across the city TO the jail.
One side Of the Charleston jailyard
was formed by the inner wall of th'
workhouse. Over the rear wall could b
seen the roof of the Roper hospital. Th'
Charleston contingent was distributed IL
these three buildings, occupying thu
same square, together with the marine
hospital and the medical college. Th'
only tree in the yard was scrae2y M
tree, which grew in one corner OF th'
wall and had at the time Of our arriva
! a few purple figs on its limbs. A tai
pallows stood midway Of the rear wall
and near it an artesian well supplied III
with water for washing. We drank rain
water, as all the citizens did, and ever,
roof and parapet in sight was thickl,
, set with broken bottles to protect TIT
unused watershed from the turkey buz
, yards.
Prisoners were q new fad with thu
Charleston authorities, and we begai
, our career with very generous supplies
, New A tents were pitched in whit
: blocks for our shelter; fresh beef wa
j furnished daily and camp kettles o
, shining tin were distributed to tn
messes. We learned to boil rice without
. burning in these tin kettles over opel
] fires and to make light dumplings il
J our soup by serving the meal the mo
ment the dumplings rose to the top
! Some of the prisoners slept in the rea
! wing of the Jail, and many night W
who lay in the tents below listened T.
the voices at the open windows singini
"Tramp, Tramp" "John Brown
= Body" "The Red, White and Blue
and all the other patriotic songs. Tn