The National tribune., 1897-07-15
infinite deal of trouble. We found a


had tolerably sharp pocket-knife, 70
the use of which couple of hours eacl
day we gave q few spoonfuls of meal
The knife was the only one among |:
large number Of prisoners, as the rebe
guards had an affection for that style O
cutlery, which led them to search in
coming prisoners very closely. The for
tunate owner of this derived quite s
little income of meal by shrewdly loan
ing it to his knifeless comrades. The
shapes that we made for pieces and
pawns were necessarily very rude, but
they were sufficiently distinct for identi-
fcation. We blackened one set with
pitch-pine SCOT, found piece of plank
that would answer for board and pur-
chased it from its possessor for part of a
ration of meal, and so were fitted out
with what served until our release to
distract our attention from much of the
surrounding misery.
Everyone else procured such amuse-
ment as they could. Newcomers, who
still had money and cards, gambled as
long as their means lasted. Those who
had books read them until the leaves
fell apart. Those who had paper and
pen and ink tried 10 write descriptions
and keep journals, but this was usually
given up after being in prison few
weeks. Twas fortunate enough to know
q boy who had brought copy of
"Gray's Anatomy" into prison with
him. / was not specially interested in
the subject, but it was Hobson's choice;
1 could read anatomy or nothing, and
10 | tackled it with such goodwill that
before my friend became sick and was
taken outside, and bis book with him,
/ had obtained very fair knowledge
Of the rudiments of physiology.
There was little band of devoted
Christian workers, among whom were
Orderly-Sergeant Thomas j. Sheppard,
9th Ohio, now leading Baptist minis
ter in Eastern Ohio; Boston Corbett,
who afterward slew John Wilkes Booth,
and Frank Smith, now at the head of
the Railroad Bethel work at Toledo.
They were indefatigable in trying to
evangelize the prison. A few of them
would take their station in some part Of
the stockade "a different one every
time), and begin singing some old
familiar hymn like "Come, Thou fount
of every blessing" and in few minutes
they would have an attentive audience
of as many thousand as could get within
hearing. The singing would be fol-
lowed by regular services, during which
Sheppard, Smith, Corbett, and some
Others would make short, spirited, prac-
tical addresses, which no doubt did much
good to all who heard them, though the
grains of leaven were entirely too small
to leaven such an immense measure of
meal. They conducted several funerals,
rs nearly like the way it was done at
home as possible. Their ministrations
were not confined to mere lip service,
but they labored assiduously in caring
for the sick, and made many poor
fellows way to the grave much smoother
for him.
This was about all the religious SER
vices that we were favored with. Tie
rebel preachers did not make that effort
to save our misguided souls which one
would have imagined they would.
Having us where We could not choose
but hear, they might have taken advan-
tage of our situation to rake us fore and
aft with their theological artillery.
They only attempted it in one instance.
While in Richmond a preacher came
into our room and announced in an
authoritative way that he would address
us on religious subjects. We uncovered |
respectfully, and gathered around him. |
lie was loud-tongued, brawling Boa
nergs, who addressed the Lord as If |
drilling brigade.
He spoke but few moments before |
making apparent his belief that the worst |
OF crimes was that of being q Yankee, |
and that a man must not only be saved
through Christ's blood. but also serve In
the rebel army before he could attain to |
heaven. OF course we raised such a yell |
of derision that the sermon was brought |
to an abrupt conclusion.
The only minister who. came into the |
stockade was Catholic priest, middle |
aged, tall, slender, and Enthusiastically
devout. He was unwearied in his at |
tention to the sick, and the whole day
could be seen moving around through |
the prison, attending 70 those who needed |
spiritual consolation. 1t was interesting |
to see him administer the extreme unc- |
ton to dying man. Placing a long |
purple scarf about his own neck and a |
small brazen crucifx in the hands of
The dying one, he would kneel by the |
latter's side and anoint him upon the |
eyes ears, nostrils. lips, hands, feet and
breast, with sacred oil, from a little
brass vessel, repeating the while, in an
impressive voice, the solemn offices of
the Church.
His unwearying devotion gained the
admiration of all, no matter how little
inclined one might be to view priesth-
ness generally with favor. He was
evidently of such stuff as Christian
hoeoac bax-a