The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-12-15
a SOUTH HBRN SOLDIER IN ]
NORTHERN PRISON.
Dr j VIM Flinn's Lecture Before
Hthe Daughters of the Confsderacy

---Dr. y. Wm Fiou of the South Caroiina
College delivered an address last week under
the auspices of the Daughters of the fonfed-
eracy. every word of bis talk De pa
sfeeEiiyeIy listened TO by the audi
enca N assembled IN the ball of the
Graded School The subject was ga South
ern Soldier in Northern Prisoo,' and was
the ;personai experience Of the speaker, ali the
incidepts he related coming of his own per-
sonal Knowledge
Dr. Finn enlisted wbeo be WAS mere boz,
only II years Of age He wss io Longstreet's
corpe, In one of the Miesissispi regiments
went first TO Tennessee asd was afterwards in
she Army Of Nortberi, Virginia BE fought
IN ls battles, was wounded 4 times, and was
8 prisoper from July '64 TO March '65 Be
enlisted as priy.te, and wss mustered ont a
private; strange though true, be was not q
colonel.
His capture was effected by his pushing too
far forward. during areconnoitre and rnn-
ming into party OF hlnecoats. he was
taken TO the tent Of Gen. Butter, Who st 6rst
tried 70 probe him for information. but 6nd-
:aR be would tell nothing became quite af.-
BILE and conversed with him 70, come time
He was soon transferred to Point Lookout in
Maryland, and there became one of the
1900 prisoners.
The description Of this prison life impress
ed everyone With The truth of Gen Sher-
mans ,erse bnt pointed remark, ''War is
he'll = The death rate in this camp was often
30 day, which was s6 per cent greater than
the mortality during the worse New Orleans
yellow fever epidemic. Ia summer il was
tbe d.seass and nn1holesome water, 10 win.
Ter it wAy the cold and the exposure
T6e prisoners were qusrtered Is in a tent,
aud allowed blanket and oil cloth All
money. jewe.ry, and overcoa,s were takeo
away from them when they entered, and the
tents had DO Mattresses or even pallets of
s,raw. The land vas 30 low that be Wy
r.in flooded It,
For breakfast they we're given bread and
meat, and for dinner soor and meat, qaalify
very inferior. For enpper, like Mother
Hubbard S dog, they had none. The qosntity
given was so little that none of the men
could keep s,roog and when they lined up it
rssemb,ed 40 army of epec,res. For warmth
they were allowed every days, as much wood
as one man in The tent could oriog ir al ore
time. Climbing the tent pole was favorite
method for keeping warm. Often said Dr..
Finn, be bad awsked dnrioR The night hear.
ing strange rumoied, and bad recognized
and joined 10 the s,aup.nq Of feet .s The
whole camp was rythmicaily bee,ing their
fee: to keep warm, while the irrepressible
moan kept time. Men had often walked 10
fnd their ciothioe frczeo to the g-ouod, and
they too wesk to free themselves.
Rats were choice eating at the canp, and
whenever visitor came in with dog, the
dog remained ioside-of the camo and the
men Tho.e who were able, conid buy from
the sutler, at exorbitaot rates Wbeu mooey
and traded out. The prisoners made articles
which they sold, some becoming skilled
workman, aad IN this manner managed 10
help ont their misery.
Such was the life, end still anyone of those
prisoners could h4ve been released oy tekirg
the oath of allegiance TO the Uoised States,
but none did.
Dr. Finn read the act of the G S. Congress
which provided that all Northero prison, rs
should receive the same provisions, quantity
and quality, as the soldiers 10 the ARMY. BE
also told OF the efforts of the Southern gov
ernmeot for the immediate exchange of p7is-
oners. aud their Efforts 70 heiehien humane
treatment all of which was ignored or re-
jscted bs the North. The mortality of South.
crn soldiers in Northern prisoners was IL
per. cent greatsr than that of Northern sol.
diers in the prisons Of the South.
Dr.. Finn, BY his address, heightened the
belief Of all his listeners that the Lost Cause
was a boly cause, and that those who labored
to uphold it were heroes