Worcester morning daily spy. (Worcester, Mass.) 1888-1898, 1898-01-02
IN LIBBY PRISON.
Interesting "reminiscences by Junius Henri
praWra
(From DC New York Evening Post@

correspondents had learned that the
confederacy had no intent TO keep faith
with them, 1 asked Major Thomas 2,
Turner the commandant of Libby piis-
on, If he knew that we had been regu-
larly paroled by the commissioner of
exchange at Yioksburg, and that we
had the paroles in our possession. / was
well aware that it would do no good
after Guilds violent reputation of them;
but was curious to see what reply he
would make. 1t was: HOh, that makes
no difference. Your paroles do not go
into effect until after you are on the
truce boat"
When first consigned to Libby, not
more than seventy or eighty officers
were confined there, mostly captured at
Charlottesville. But on the afternoon
of the morning of our arrival Col A.
B. Streight and his command, captured
on raid into Georgia, were added to
the number, and a day or two later
Capt George Brown of the gunboat In
dianola and his fellow-officers. Col.
Strelght had urged Richardson at Mem
phis to go with his raiders. The jour-
nal1st had declined; but the two men
met by roundabout journey, on the
same day in prison.
My silent forebodings as to the conse-
quences of captivity were not unwar-
ranted. had suffered from a severe at
tack of malarious fever, while lying off
Vicksburg, among the swamps of Louisi-
ana, the previous summer, and it had
nearly proved fatal. l supposed that l
had fully recovered. Loss of liberty,
uncertainty of its restoration, the vile
air of Libby prison, unWholesome,
wretched food, if food it could be called,
absence of common necessaries and the
slightest comfort, total unaccustomed-
ness to such conditions, overbore me.
| slowly but steadily sank under the ac-
cumulation of ills and found myself one
afternoon lying on a blanket on
board, unable to rise, with burning in
termlttent fever, a return of the old
disease. They who felt any interest in
me had doubts of my recovery. Some
of the officers took bets in favor of and
against it. l suffered for many days,
but took no medicine, trusting to ma
lures healing powers.
l was cured in a most unexpected,
joyous manner, by what 1 might call
prescription. of patriotism. We in Libby
were intensely anxious about Vicks-
burg, hearing through the Richmond
papers, which we bought daily, that
Johnston was besieging Grant in turn,
and would soon have him between two
hostile armies I had observed the first
day l entered the prison colored bar
Der, who came up to shave the officers,
and who was completely southern in his
feelings, even in the presence of the
northerners. Richardson and l had
never seen his like before. and we were
quite familiar with the south. We ques-
toned him privately and shrewdly, but
he earnestly proclaimed his loyalty to-
the confederacy. He coud not be shaken
in his allegiance Finally, about noon of
July 4, he came to the foot of my bunk,
on which Richardson was sitting, and 1
lay tossing with fever in the sitting,
vicious atmosphere. His face was
wreathed in smiles. He wrung his hands
In glee. He could not contain his emo
tons or his sentiments any longer. He.
burst out: "Lohd Gawd, nassas, Vicks-
buhgs gone Up, shuhH' and he actually
wriggled with delight. He felt that he
could trust us; he knew we were Tri-
hune men.
me. 1 rose instantly, and shouted the
news. The glad tidings ran through
the prison like electricity. The officers
gave a. ringing cheer; then burst into
the "Star Spangled Banner" and John
Browns Body The confederates be-
low cried, Hear thati Those d Yam
KEGS have got the news. They'll sing
another tune before they get out!'' They
had boosted constantly for months and
months of Vicksburg's inviolability.
That was a happy evening for us even
in Libby, and we prisoners sat up till
midnight, singing, cheering and laugh
ing, despite the curses and threats of
the enemy, which were music to our
ears.
Even after the fever had left me, al
though we had access to a few books
that had gathered there, I could not
read, and l was afraid to think lest I
should go mad. Most of the prisoners
appeared not to mind captivity much
They slept about half the hours, and
talked, laughed, played games many
more, making cards, checkers and chess
men when they wanted them. I tried
tobacco and a pipe for consolation.
though not much Of a smoker; I paced
the long floors with different officers.
hour after hour, and so formed many
close friendships. l frequently peered
through the window bars across the
James, at the green slopes and forests
in the southern distance until release
from confinement appeared paradisaic
Mere absence of restraint and con-
straint filled the measure of desire.
With continual new arrivals, Libby
grew more and more uncomfortable in
every way. The air, with the advance
of summer, became almost stifling.
There were one or two sl1ylights in the
root A few CT us climbed out, and the
open air was most refreshing. ppsitivelv
delicious by contrast with the corrupt
air within. When we inhaled it from
the roof it seemed as If it would poison
us. We could not believe that we could
breathe it day and night and yet live.
We had not been out more than two or
three times before we were violently
ordered back and the slylights closed.
We thought this particularly cruel.
We found, as soon as we had reached
Libby, greatly to our surprise and in
dignation, that it was the duty of the
officers, with whom we were elassed, to
clean their own quarters, prepare their
own food and perform all mental offices.
Naturally we did not relish being
turned into common scullions; but re-
Election showed US that it was really for
our good; that we thus had a better
chance OF retaining our health and pre-
serving some degree of comfort
The officers had sought the privilege
of looking after themselves, conscious
that they would be more serviceable
than the negroes, with their ignorant,
careless ways. Watery soup, corn bread.
with a little wheat bread coffee. social
led, coarse beef, bacon and rice.al very
poor, We're then their rations, and were
not eatable, as commonly prepared
however keen the appetite. In truth, it
was starving diet at best The three or
four stoves or ranges were inferior, in
adequate, broken, hardly disable The
messes were divided into large and
small, the former containing twenty to
thirty and the latter four to six mem
bers. belonged to a small mess Each
day one or more members were appoint
ed to do the cooking, DISTINGUISHING, and
the prosaic tasks that devolve on the
lowest servants.
The third day came my turn, and it
was memorable experience, with such
materials and implements as we had