The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-10-06
IN and OUT OF CHHABH.
An Ex-Prisoner Tells Some Interest,"
"Reminiscences.

An EN-IrfSOner IeuS some intercS.t
| "reminiscences.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In the issue
of Sept 8, saw letter from p ID. Hall,
Co. B, 1st Ala Cav.a Victory, Tenn, an ex-
lprsoner of Cahaba. l was IN inmate of that
prison at the time the comrade speaks of. /
was captured May II, 1864, at Madison Sta
ton, Ala, by q detachment of Gen. Joe
Wheeler's command, six days before my
] term of enlistment expired along with about
go of my regiment. l tell you, it was a sad
blow to u.s. We were to have been sent North
the next day to bs mustered out of service.
Many of us had written our loved ones at
home not to write any more, as we were soon
expecting to be with them What a great
disappointment it was to the many mothers
and friends who so soon expected to meet
their loved ones once more. Many never re-
| turned, and those who did are physical
wrecks to-day, Judging from my own condi-
| tion.
Comrade Hall speaks of the dsarming of
the guards one night, in attempting the re-
lease Of the prisoners. This was planned by
Capt. Hanchett, 18th Ill. Cav, who was
killed, l have learned, after the evacuation
of the prison in 1865. The rebels claimed
he was spy, as he was captured in citizens
clothing and claimed to be citizen. Ger
tainly, they could find some excuse for killing
him. ,t'
| The comrade speaks of one Ridley, Sd
| Tenn. Cav, who was wounded. ] think he
was a little fellow named Rigney, bugler.
After capturing all the guards inside the
warehouse, our boys were guarding them up
in one corner, and Rigney said Z" Don't be
afraid; we will parole you all in the morn
ing" Poor boy, he was the one who ought
to have been paroled in the morning, but in
stead he was identified and punished.
If | remember right it was Maj. HASKELL
IN command of the guards who came to the
door with artillery, and cried:
Surrender those. guns, or l will blow you
all to helln
Pat Kelly, who was sleeping on bunk
near the door, cried - Come in, Major; we
won't hurt You +" The Major thought dis
cretion the better part of valor, and staid out
side till after the guns were surrendered.
| think | must have left the prison with
the same squad the comrade was with. / re-
member the last few days in prison, the water
in the shallowest places, / think, was three
feet deep; the whole country was inundated,
and when they brought food to us it was
brought in boats. When we left we had to
wade to the steamer Henry King, which was
run as far on the bank as possible, the gang
plank showed out, and a thousand of US
climbed aboard.
After boarding her they poured hardtack
from boxes on the deck; then there was
scramble for them Many of the weakest
ones got none; l was more fortunate In
my mess was one ssn Horrigan; he was quite
robust for one who had lived so long on corn
ground cob and all. He just piled in for
hardtack. ! held what few things we had TO
carry, and Tim dived into the struggling crowd
II think they were about five deep. and COM
menced filling inside his shirt, and when he
came out he looked like stuffed turkey /
know we had more 10 eat during our trip on
the boat than we had had during the same
length of time while prisoners
We left Cahaba on this boat, ran down
the Alabama River to the mouth of the
Tombigbee thenup- that river to GAINESVILLE,
Miss; then marched to Meridian; thence TO
Jackson; to BiggBlack, II miles from Vcks-
burg; by train to Parole camp Four Mile
Bridge. e. 10
l remember tie rainy day before we went
into camp at Big Black. / have met quite
number of the survivors Of Cahaba. Among
them was DR. Jesse Hawes of Greeley, Colo.
Should this meet the eye of any Cahaba pris-
oheio oiIouiu Dc picdSeu 10 correspond Win
them. Many might remember me by briar-
root pipe used to smoke and loan to smokers
1t had my name carved on the bowl, with
company, regiment, date, and where capt
ured.
Many may remember the old meat-log
where we used to sit and hunt and kill our
game every morning. 1t was necessary, or
we would have been eaten up by this game |
| often sat Oh this same lOO with other com- |
rades, and smoked and blew the smoke into |
the mouth of the next one TO me- and he |
would pass it a 'ong down the line until it was
exhausted. Tobacco was a scarce article with |
US, and very few were the pipes among US
A. G. TUTHILL, Co. /, 18th ILL.,. g, Marquette,
Wis.