Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-14

saw what had happened he said: "Dah.
dey done got my knapsack, and. 'S6re God.
Dinahs pictures in dahl" On another
occasion one of them on guard on the
street near the clearinghouse, when the
street was crowded with prisoners gong
and COMING from dinner, fired into them
ana wounded four men. II leader had
appeared just then think we would have
broken out so great was the Indignation
among us. Their presence was an insult,
and so intended no doubt, and very gall
ing TO southern pride. The prisoners had
many ways of employment and amuse-
ment. One was large school, presided
over by man of education, and attended
by several hundred prisoners. Among
them were Mr.. A. Moore. Jr., and myself.
Everything was taught, from Latin and
Greek to A b Cs. We refreshed our
memory of Virgil and some other Latin
writer's. In this connection I will say
that at Elnira we had a still larger
school, under the management OF Mr..
Davis. was teacher there, and taught
class of men to read and write, who
did not know their letters. We had a
very large school, running way up in the
hundreds. We were allowed for a few
hours each day the use of an eating
house. Books were sent from New York.
every conceivable kind. Much good was
done by these schools especially in keep
ing the men cheerful under their priva-
TONS At Point Lookout we could battle
when we chose during the day, which
was very conduciveN TO health.
Many were engaged In manufacturing
fans, rings, images made from bone,
chains from guttapercha and horse hair.
One man made a steam engine, by which
he ran a turning lathe. They demon
strated that all ingenuity was not with
the Yankees. A great pastime was gam
bling. On the beach you could, during
the day, find Hundreds OF garles OF faro,
keno, lotto, poker, and sweat cloths, at
which you might bet anything you had
money. chews of tobacco, rations OF
bread, crackers, anything and everything.
/ had a comrade in my house who used
TO frequently steal a start in crackers
from an old gentleman who was with us,
and like the gambler of to-day, he some
times got enough to pay back and have
several good feeds over, but often no.
thing. l tried it myself once. l had only
two hard-tacks and was very hungry, so
concluded TO risk them for enough for n
good meal Luck was with me, and
got big pile, but was not satisfied until
luck turned and left me without one, and
hungrier than ever and mad because I
had not eaten some of them while L
played The experience was enough, and
quit dice for good.
During the summer an old gentleman
from Charles City county, va, was
brought in, about 20 years old,
taken from his home without warn
ing. with no charges against him,
and leaving family OF several
young ladies defenceless. He was Kept
until the close of the war, and was as
signed TO our house. He was lawyer py
profession, but had taught school TOT
boys many years. He determined that
he would not give way, and so by exercise
and every way possible he kept up ms
health until his release. He said he had
made money all his life, and wanted 10
make some there, so that he could say.
that he had turned every occasion to
good account To do 1t he wrote to his
daughter in Richmond to send him box
of tobacco. The authorities let 1t in; ne
sold il for greenbacks; bought up Con-
federate money, and when he got homo
after the war had pile of it. He was
plucky old man, and had faith in the
South. There was another old man
brought during the winter to Elmira from
the southern part Of Florida. 70 years old,
taken with others who attempted TO re-
sist Yankee raid With clothing in
sufficient for such a climate so different
from his own, there could be only one
issue. He was urged by the officer who
brought him to take the oath and leave
the prison. He said that If out he could
not get home and would die, and If he
must die he wanted to die among his
own people. His Imprisonment was
short one, and he died among his own
people. The name and memory Of Mark
Gilmore, the aged patriot, will never
be forgotten by those who saw
and knew him. In August many Of
us were removed from the Point 10
Elmira. n. Y. Tho trip was made by
water to New York city, spending about
forty-eght hours on the ocean. The wea-
Their was fine, and the trip was as pleas
ant as il could be to one of LOO prisoners.
Elmira was situated in sight of the noun
tains. and you may be sure that we
Valley people Toasted our eyes, even If
our stomachs were starving. The officer
in charge-a Major Colt, of New York
was a very kind-hearted man, and did
all he could for us, except feed us, which
was what we wanted most. There were
u 900 prisoners here; and. although in
many respects it as the best prison L was
in, the lack of food and severe climate
caused many to die. During the winter
there were twenty-five per day taken out
and buried. They lie there to-day in UNI
marked graves. How long shall it be so?
Do not these men as much deserve honor
as those who fell on the fields? You VINO
have not endured imprisonment can hard
ly understand the feelings of men who
daily saw a large number of their COM
rades carried TO their graves, ana were
conscious that their turn was likely TO
come at any time: seeing hundreds more
pale. emaciated. ragged. who were being
starved by a slow but certain process;
diseases of all kinds. such as smallpox,
fevers, pneumonia, &C., thinning us OUT
it required the same, or more bravery
than the battlefield. Many prisoners had
friends in the North who helped
them. The liberality of those peo-
pie who sympathized with the South was
and they never seemed 10 tire.
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