The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-11-03

After few hours | was indifferent,
the storm had no terrors to me. |
was sick and very sick, with plenty of
company along that line. Our expert
ence was a rough one in the hold Of
the vessel, and accommodations were
wholly inadequate for the occasion.
@Our negro guards were not able, for
the voyage did not agree with them
any better than with us. The ashy
hue of their countenances Indicated
trouble in the stomach.
Sunday night and Monday our voy-
age was not so rough. Still the most
|of us we're sick. Sometime during
Monday night the vessel anchored in
the bay of New York. Tuesday
morning we viewed New York, Brook
lyn and Jersey City from our prison
ship. From New York we were car
ricd to Hart's Island, in the direction
of Boston. The prison was a new
one, not completed. The island was a
small, sandy, barren place. Until
new buildings were put up, we were
very much crowded. The day we
landed we were put in ward with a
lot Of fellows from Petersburg, Va,
/ whose business was to steal everything
in sight.
| The first time we left the quarters
to answer roll call we did not take our
knapsacks and haversacks with US,
and when we returned what little
clothing we had was gone. I recovered
my clothing, but lost my blanket.
Our rations consisted Of army crack
ers mostly and one-third pound per
day was our allowance. Meat was IS
| sued in small quantity. White bean
soup was served for dinner, consisting
mostly Of water. Coffee for breakfast
was dished out without sugar. we
did not fare sumptuously every day
by any means. It was a tough, hard
life all around. Gen. Lee surren-
dered his army before we reached
prison.
We expected to be released in a
short time, but weeks ran into months
before the oath Of allegiance was OF
fered us, and our parole taken.
Our time was principally taken up
| in daylight examining our clothing in
order to keep the soldiers pest down
to the least number possible, and yet
they grew and multiplied.
| On June 18th we were released
from prison and were required to take
| the oath of allegiance before we were
paroled. The first boat left the is
land Sunday morning, going to Hll-
ton Head, S. G. All that were sent
out on the first boat reached home
without delay. The balance of us on
the second boat did not reach New
| New York in time to catch the steam
er that.day. We were quartered IN
the barracks at Castle Garden eight
days, waiting for the next steamer 60
| ing South. During our stay in New
York our bill Of fare was all we could
ask.
The barracksSwere where the Feder-
al troops were fed as they passed
through the city on their way home.
Confederates, white and colored Fed
erals ate at the same time. There
was no discrimination on account OF
color or previous state Of servitude.
The negro troops passing through the
city were given the same accommoda-
tions that the white troops received.
i
We were not in condition to pick
our company and adapted ourselves to
the situation. Our eight days stay in
the city was pleasant and enjoyed by
all who were well enough to travel
around. We were allowed to go out
into the city without pass. We
promenaded Broadway daily and were
generally treated kindly. L. Z. Rob
inson and myself visited Central
Park one day. Our style of dress at
tracted considerable attention from
the crowd in the park that day. We
were not fashionably attired by any
means and we could see that we'were
out of date.
At one place where large force OF
workmen were putting up building,
we were halted by an Irishman and
| questions asked, what we were doing
there, where we were from, etc.
He then called to the men at work
| to come quick and see genuine j ohm
ny Reb. We were soon surrounded
by crowd that seemed to never tire
| of asking questions and looking at us.
We were the first Confederates some
oe tLo,, boJ eoon Now ond then we