The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-10-22

ought to leave his master. Among
them was a free negro.
March |. 1862. Arrived at Column
bus at eight o'clock, where we were
furnished with bean coffee i'm tubs,
crackers and raw meat. We were
then marched through Columbus
four miles on pike to Camp Chase.
By this time it had thawed consider
ably, rendering the ground very
muddy. We were marched into a
pen, covering half acre of ground,
surrounded with plank fence
twenty feet high, upon which were
placed sentinels. Inside this and
an adjoining pen were about a thou
sand prisoners, with only house
room for about third of the num-
Der. Tents were stretched in the
mud for those to pile up in who
could not get into the shanties. Our
clothing was all left outside to be
examined and we were tramping
around like herd of swine, so thick
we could hardly turn around; moth
ing to eat but crackers and nothing
scarcely to cook with when we drew
ratiOns. AT this point must confess
| went under deeper than / ever
did before. My feelings can better
he imagined than described. I fell
If this was the good quarters we
had been promised, l could with
good grace go out and volunteer to
be shot. That evening we elected
cOmmssarv for prison No. l. Cor
don, of Rutherford County, was
elected. Pending the election a
fight occurred between two artillery
men.
March 2. To-day we stood
around the entrance to the prison,
in the rain and sleet, trying to get
in the balance of our baggage. My
carpet-sack, filled with clothes, new
er did come. All trunks and boxes
were broken open and many things
which were not contrabapd were
distracted. All the letters and
papers of the prisoners were sent in
all mixed up together Chat is, about
half of them) for the prisoners to
pick out, each his letters. Our per-
sons had been searched as we went
in.
March 3. Showed last night.
Drew crackers, loaf bread, potatoes
and beef. Cooked in camp kettles
with very scant supply of wood.
| Having bad soap and no dish rags
and being new hands at the bust
ness, everything was what we would
call at home very filthy, not fit for a
dog to eat.
March 4. Showed again last night.
Heard that Nashville had sur
rendered without fight, but didn't
believe it. The field officers were
taken out to-day and sent to FIT.
Warren, Boston Harbor. They were
not permitted to take their servants
nor to ride to Columbus. Lieut.
Sweeney, who got off the cars at a
switch east of Dayton and walked
back there, was brought in to-day
Last night a prisoner was shot at by
a sentinel. Up to this time we have
received no plates nor knives and
forks. We are all getting very dirty
many not having changed clothes
since we left Fit. Henry. Sergeant
came around to-day getting oul
names, rank and description. The
hospital in the prison is filled with
sick and there are some outside.
March 5. Cold and showing
wood very SHORTCUT one dull ak in
the pen and that is taken out at night
A great many of the prisoners are
still in tents. l have gotten into g
room with thirty-six others
Bought paper (the first since ouI
arrival) stating that the Confeder
ates had fallen back from Murfrees.
bOro.
March 8. A good many of the
prisoners were moved to prison No
B, where all were able to get house
room. No. was quarters formerly
used by Federal soldiers, now en-
closed similarly to Nos. and 2, blu
larger. Twelve is the number in d
mess. Our mess No. 45, consists Of
Captains G w. Gordon, T. E. Jami-
son, And. j. Campbell and DR.. ]. D
Johnson, with Lieutenants l.. r.
Cheatham, 1. ]. Hewlett, w. d
Walker N. Mckee, H. Mayberry, j
w. Kinnard, E. B. Thompson anC
Joe Love. Our shanty is on Dixie
street, between Price Av., and Buck
ner street. There are ten streets il
the prison with six shanties to each
street.
fro RE CONTINUED1