The National tribune., 1897-11-04

hence the lie about exchange, for, had it
not been for this, one-quarter at least of
those taken OH the cars would have sue
ceeded in getting off and attempted to
have reached Sherman's lines.
The removal went on with such ra-
pidity that by the end of September
only 8,21S remained at Andersonville,
and these were mostly too sick to be
moved; 300 died in September, 1850
in October and 4S5 in November, so
that at the beginning of December there
were only 1853 remaining.
The larger part of those taken out
were sent ON to Charleston, and subse-
quently to Florence and Salisbury.
About 5000 or 1000 of us, as near as |
remember, were brought to Savannah.
We were all exceedingly anxious to
know how the Atlanta campaign had
ended So far our information only
comprised the facts that sharp battle
had been fought, and the result was the
complete possession of our great objective
point. The manner of accomplishing
this glorious end, the magnitude of the
engagement, the regiments, brigades and
corps participating, the loss ON both
sides, the completeness of the victories,
ETC., we're all matters that we knew
nothing Of and thirsted to learn.
The rebel papers said as little as pos
sible about the capture, and the facts in
that little we're so largely diluted with
fiction as to convey no real information.
But few new prisoners were coming in,
and none Of these were from Sherman.
However, toward the last of September
handful of "fresh fish" were turned
inside, whom our experienced eyes in
stantly told us were Western boys.
There was never any difficulty in tell
ing, as far as he could be seen, whether
a boy belonged to the East or the West.
First, no one from the Army of the Poto-
mac was ever without his corps badge
worn conspicuously; it was rare to see
such thing on one Of Sherman's men.
Then, there was a dressy air about the
Army of the Potomac that was wholly
wanting in the soldiers serving west OF
the Alleghanies.
The Army of the Potomac was always
near to its base of supplies, always had
its stores accessible, and the care of the
clothing and equipments of the men was
an essential part of its discipline. A
ragged or STABILITY dressed man was a
rarity. Dress coats, paper collars, fresh
WOODEN shirts, neat-fitting pantalOons,
| good, comfortable shoes, and trim caps or
hats, with all the blazing brass of COM
pany letters, an inch long, regimental
number, bugle and eagle, according TO
the Regulations, were as common to
Eastern boys as they were rare among
the Westerners.
The latter usually wore blou.es in
stead of dress coats, and as rule their
clothing had not been renewed since the
opening of the campaign-and it showed
this. Those who wore good boots or shoes
generally had to submit to forcible ex-
changes by their captors, and the same
was true of head gear. The rebels were
badly off in regard to hats. They did
not have skill and ingenuity enough to
make these out of felt or straw, and the
makeshifts they contrived of quilted
calico and long-leaved pine were ugly
enough to brighten horned cattle.
| never blamed them much for want
ing to get rid of these, even if they did
have to commit sort of highway rob-
berry upon defenseless prisoners do so.
To be a traitor in arms was bad certainly,
but one never appreciated the entire
magnitude of the crime until he saw a
rebel wearing calico or a pine-leaf
hat. Then one felt as if it would be a
great mistake to ever show such a man
mercy.
The Army of Northern Virginia SEEM
ed to have supplied themselves with head
gear of Yankee manufacture of pre-
vious years, and they then quit taking
the hats of their prisoners. Johnston S
army did not have such good luck, and
had to keep plundering to the end of the
war.
Another thing about the Army of the
Potomac was the variety of the uniforms.
There were members ofZouave regiments,
wearing baggy breeches of various hues,
CATERS, crimson fezes, and profusely
braided jackets. | have before men
toned the queer garb of the Lost
Ducks" Les Eayaats Perda, 4Sth N.Y)