The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-09-02
Il SALISBURY PRISONER.
Taken In at Cedar Creek to Spend Long
Months in Confinement.

at the 'front.' where / had been with some
others for several hours. We had heard the
firing when the rebels made their sudden
onset in the early morning of Oct. 19, 1864
and had been surprised that we had not
gotten into the rumpus ourselves. The fire
ing had ceased, the Eighth Corps had fallen
back, but we knew nothing of all this.
About daylight an officer rode up and
ordered us to deploy as skirmishers, and
fall back on the reserve. We did not go tar
towards our lines before we saw number
OF men who wore blue overCoats. We sup
posed them Union troops sent TO strengthen
the line. When within few yards OF US
they suddenly brought their guns to a
ready and told us they were Confederates
and we were prisoners, And so we were.
Now again the battle was On all along the
line of the Nineteenth Corps Cheers rent
the air. and we soon learned that the Nine
teenth was falling back. Our captors
boasted that our army would be driven to
Harper's Ferry.
When the battle was resumed in the after
noon, we anxiously awaited the outcome,
hoping for recapture. About four o'clock an
Orderly came dashing down the road near
where we were, and gave some orders that
had an immediate effect on the Johnnies.
The doctors who were attending the
wounded near by gathered up their instru-
ments, and the wounded in the ambulances
were taken out and left to care for them
selves. The drivers whipped up for the far
rear. Prisoners, fall in" shouted an
officer, and we went for the far rear too.
When we arrived at the top of a neighb0r
ing nil we caught view of the contending
forces. The Union line stretched as far east
and west as we could see, and looked as
straight as if the boys were on parade. 1t
was ablaze from end to end, it seemed.
The rebel ranks were plainly in confusion,
and the rear was full Of stragglers, coming
peil-meu down the road to the bridge and
the creek. We knew, now how things were
going
We were kept marching all through the
nigh at tifesome pace, and when we COM
planned the Johnnies lt5,d US it was the
Yanks' fault" as they were coming too
fast entirely. We goksomething TO eat near
noon Of the next day; it was pint of -four
apiece We made dough. We were told to
be ready 10 move in Ia half hour We got
better food during the march after that
principally crackers, however.
On the evening of the ,22d we were loaded
on 10 a train of frei2fit-cars, about so men
20 the car, and went over the Stanton,
Gordonsvilie & richmond .RaiIr0ad towards
Richmond. The train WAS running at % or
80 miles an hour, and the single guard was
sitting in The open door with his back
against the frame. All at once he was
missing. There was general confusion, as
every man felt that he was personally re-
sponsible for that guard. An Irish comrade
was accused Of pushing the Johnny from
ha hn1 hnp II IaI 81 C.,
the officer in charge, when Patrick said
Boys, when ! hired out to work for Uncle
Sam, was told that he wanted me to kill
rebels. 1 always have tried to work in the
interest of my boss. Now, let me do the
talking when the officer comes along"
As the speed of the train slackened, ac-
cording to Pats direction we all agreed to
appear as if asleep. Patrick himself lay
near the door, and snored Justify. The
officer when he came around had much
trouble to wake anyone. He asked for the
guard.
What do we know about yer gyard 2"
asked Patrick. "Was we put here Ter kape
ther gyard or ther gyard ter kape us?n
Patrick resumed his former position, and
seemed asleep in 10 seconds. The officer
walked away, and we were not bothered
with another guard.
We arrived at Richmond soon after day
light We were surrounded by large
number of small boys. whose remarks would
have been amusing at any other time.
Gee whiz! Bill, said one to another.
:" they got most of Grants army this time
Y0'uns got here afore Grant did, didn't yo'?o
They threw at us everything taunting that
they had learned from their gentlemanly
fathers.
Some of us found place in Libby, others
in Castle Thunder and the Pemberton
Building Two days later we went away
on. the Richmond & Danyille Road Sails
burg was our destination. We marched
through the town to the prison yard in a
cold, drizzling rain. We had had nothing
to eat but q little Goldfish for two days
We had to camp down in four inches of
mud and nothiug to cover us. | was a
young man of about 90 years then, strong
and healthy, and had never before regretted
that | had left home of comfort and
plenty to serve my country, but now my
courage failed me. / wept bitterly.
What weary Winter we spent in that
prison yard, drawing 13 ounces of cornbread
in the morning, to eat all in few moments
and then drag through the long day. In
few weeks the food began TO tell on the
boys, and about dozensdied each day.
The raid on the guards that was made in
December resulted only in the killing of
about 20 and woundingrof about 60 of our
boys. Now and then eafew men would es-
cape, only to be brought back Very few
reached our lines. -
About the middle of.February we were
all much interested in'atout eight men who
were brought in. They were from Sher-
mans army, and hadS been captured near
Savannah. For the next few days strag-
CLING punches of prisoners were brought in.
From these we learned that Sherman was
coming our way, and 'hopes rose in our
hearts. siIa
On the morning of Feb. % 1865, the gates
of the prison were thrown open, and we were
told 10 march out. 1t seemed too good to he
trne that we were to be released We were
a small company compared with all those
who had been originally imprisoned when
had arrived there. The others had been
buried in the trenches.
We started North on foot over the rail-
road. AT Stony Point, nine miles from Will
N. c., we met our boys in blue, and
the sight of the old flag was thing never
to be forgotten. / reached my home in
N. Y, on March 13, 1865
CHARLES II. HOVER, Co. X, 12Sth N. Y,
n. Y.
IL