Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-03-19
PRISON EXPERIENCES.
NO. u.


July we went twenty miles, stop
ping twice to let the Johnnies rest.
AS we had left all our baggage with
the porter of Libby Prison, we had
the advantage of the F. F. V's in the
matter of load, and had we been al
lowed to travel at our usual speed
while marching with the old Vermont
brigade, we would have outstripped
the last mothers son of them and left
them many leagues in the rear, a thing
we would have been pleased to have
done. AS it was, we often looked
long and eagerly towards the friend
lyshelter of the Blue Ridge mountains,
far off to our right, as we contemplated
the opportunity which did not pre-
sent itself, for an escape to their
rattling crags. At one of these stop
ping places two of the boys climbed
mulberry tree to gather some of it's
fruit. While one was on the lower
limbs and the other we'll up among
the branches, one of the guard cried
out, s'Look out Yank; there's an
adder in that tree!" The topmost
"Yank" was not long in discovering,
on the next limb above him, within
foot of his head, the reptile with
flashing eye and extended jaws, it's
venomous tongue darting out and in
with lightning rapidity. Instantly
both men were out of the tree and
neither stopped to consider the man
ner of his coming. The guard brought
down the snake with his gun. 1t
proved to be of the spotted variety
and was said to be very poisonous.
July 3rd we only went fifteen miles.
Before leaving Libby 1 heard rebel
lieutenant advising the boys to get
and keep all the clothing they could.
Had we been allowed to keep what
we brought into the confederacy
with us, there would have been no
need of such advice, unless we had
been compelled to dispose of it for
something to eat, which I supposed
the lieutenant thought we should do
with what little we had left. Charley
Foster had smuggled out of Libby a
half of a woolen blanket and this he
was offering for sale. I bought it
with the last twenty dollars of con-
federate money 1 had left. This, L
have no doubt, saved my life, as it
served as shelter from the burning
sun by day, and as a bed at night.
Poor Charley used the money to
purchase something that temporarily
satisfied the cravings of his hunger,
but he died at Charleston Sept. 20.
On our march this day we passed a
schoolhouse. 1 had not supposed |
there was a country schoolhouse in |,
the whole south, but there proved to
be one. The teacher let loose her
saucy little chivalry long enough to
''see the Yankees go by" and they |
climbed upon the fence, swung their i
hats, Growing like roosters, bleating |
like sheep and otherwise "cutting up |
right smart" This was the only |
surprise manifested because we had
no ''horns." "They'ens amt Yanks; |
they'ens just like we'ens; they'ens
haint got no horns!" argued one little
brat to his teacher.
Wherever we passed farm house,
the old farmer would come out with
his wife and sons and daughters and
man servants and maid servants and
pack of dogs who would look upon US
with as much curiosity as any little
urchin ever looked upon a passing
caravan.
The next day-the 4th of July-we
marched seventeen miles and arrived
at Danville, Va. at twelve O'Clock,
and were put into the top story of
an old building that had been used TO
stow away cotton. During this march,
as in fact. during all the time of our
each company kept
together as much as possible, and
many things occurred in some COM
panies of which those in other COM
panies knew little or nothing. AS
before stated, those of our company,