The National tribune., 1897-07-22
HAD A VARIED EXPERIENCE.
First Battle Was with Measles and the Last
with Fire and Water at the Suitsna Dis

with Fire and Water at the suifana Dis
aster.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: / enlisted
in Co. F, oth' Tenn. Cav. in September, 1S62,
before / was of regulation age. The first
battle had was with the measles; the sec
oud with the Johnnies at Stone River.
/ was taken prisoner in August, 1854, by
bushwhackers. Ten of the 80 captured
were trotted out and shot. The rest of us
were turned over to Forrest. / heard ire
queut threats made against any man capt
ured from the 9th Tenn. Cav, so thought
it best policy TO change my regiment and
part of my name, or | might be made
target.
We were sent at once 70 Cahaba, Ala.
where we found about 300 other fellows
equally guilty with ourselves. Here we
stay ed, many barefooted, bareheaded, and
otherwise destitute OF clothing, till the day
before Christmas, when the Government
sent us each pair OF socks, pants, cap, two
blankets for every three men, and blue
blouse.
The Alabama River made raid upon our
quarters, and by the 9th OF March 1t stood
from waist-deep to overhead all over camp.
When our friends in gray thought proper TO
remove us we only had to wade little
deeper than we had been accustomed to for
almost week to get into the boat.
We stood in line for hours in water up to
our armpits, waiting for the boat and the
welcome order to move out. l never snail
forget the time when we were turned over
to our friends at Black River. | told the
Confederate officer in charge OF us that
had not given my right regiment or exact
name. We were taken to Vicksburg, where
we stayed until about April 20.
We started north on the Sultans, reaching
Memphis about dark. Here, in company
| with my bunkma;e, Raleigh Drumgool, of
| Shelbyville, Tenn, | went in search of a
lawyer with whom Raleigh was acquainted,
| and thought if ne could find him he might
obtain some money. We went to the Cen
erals Headquarters and made our wishes
| known. He gave us pass. The boat
started about midnight and | was asleep on
| the hurricane deck when the explosion oc-
Cured.
When 1 got up could see that the boat
| was on fire and that men were jumping into
| the river by the score. / waited for some
| time and finally jumped down on the lower
| deck on the heads and shoulders of a mass of
men all crowded together trying to get Oil
the burning boat.
| Someone called attention to long gang
way plank tied up with ropes some ten or
| twelve feet above our heads. The plank
was very heavy. about twenty-five feet long.
| They cut it loose and it fell on the heads of
| the mass of men below, killing several.
When it was thrown into the river jumped
out and when l rose the plank came up
under me- /, with many others. chung to
| it, and We foated away. So many were on
the plank, and they kept it turning over
and over 30 much, that concluded to take
my chances without it. l probably swan
three miles down the river, when, in the
darkness, / came to a drift, from which /
got arail. Ifoated on this, steering towards
the Arkansas bank, until came to fallen
tree, on which crawled, still holding on to
the rail. 1 stayed here only 20 or
| 30 minutes, as it seemed / would chill to
death.
Hearing halIohing out farther in the bot
tom tine river was very high, l concluded
to try to reach that place. So embarked
on my trusty rail, and after awhile came to
a corn-crib, where I found about dozen
other soldiers. We stayed here till the sun
was two hours high in the morning, when
we were rescued and taken to Memphis.
| l went to Columbus, o., was sent back to
Nashville, and was discharged the 9Th day
of June following. Such was some of the
experiences I had while trying to uphold
the honor of our country's flag. / should
be glad to hear through the same source
from any CANADA prisoner.-JoHN M. PHIL
LIPS, Marionville, Mo.