Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-09-13


viii tell you in as brief way as pos
sible OF a narrow escape from death I
had while IN a Federal prison I'm 1853 and
early part OF IS6A In this have two pur-
poses IN view. one TO show that IL actu-
lly requires more courage 70 meet such an
encounter as I was forced to meet than
Il did 70 face those met In the most dead
" contested battles. and 10 tell OF some
81 the most barbarOus methods that were
used In that war BY both sides; whether
hey could have been avoided by one or
rne other. cannot say. but do say they
were used In a most un-Christian way.
Thus I hope 20 warn all men To think
calmly before entering into war or doing
anything that viii provoke war, for sure
" Sherman was right when he said that
war Is hell" / also wish 10 find the
Whereabouts OF two army sergesnts-One
a Confederate from Mississippi. the other
q Federal who was at Point Lookout the
last Of October. or the very irst OF No
vember Of ISIS. He seemed 10 be on duty
there at that time. The Confederate was
there as a prisoner. ] wish 10 md some
men from Arkansas that I was placed
IN a tent with In the first division OF that
prison They will remember the incident
as I VIII tell Il: also three North Carroll
mans that belonged 20 General Hoke's
brigade ! wish 10 know where Harry
Myers. q Federal who was steward or
November OF that year. and until x was
broken up about the first OF February OF
1ES4. or any OF the nurses OF inmates OF
that ward who viii remember me after
relate what happened 10 me individually
I also want 10 know II the books IN
which the names and diseases OF the IN
mates OF that ward were entered. Is sun
IN existence: and II I can have access
10 them. as I wish BY all OF these wit
nesses 70 establish claim that nave
made for a pension from the state OF
Georgia My case was diagnosed by a
FEDERAL surgeon BY the name OF Miller
who was in charge Of ward Is at the time,
and was then Just what ] now say II Is
have been refused a pension because they
say II such had been 50 then could not
have nived until now. hence you see the
necessity OF inquiry and certainly the evil
dence win be OF the very best X VIII
come directly from experts. II II can De
obtained Therefore I viii ask you 70 print
my story In such a manner that may
get the desired proof
Having been captured on the battle
field at Gettysburg I was hurried 10 Fort
Delaware and incarcerated in the new
barracks II was a structure = feet VIDE
and extended the fun length Of the sides
OF a square with two inside els going
three-ouarters OF the way across The
walls and roof ran up 3 feet high; the
sides OF the square were about 20 yards
long. with no openings on the outside
wall for ventilation. and comparatively
few inside
II become 50 crowded that there were
men enough in Il 10 have formed col
umn six ranks deep throughout the en-
tire building. The supply OF water was
scant and OF poor quality. being river wa
ter from the Brandywine. Our food was
scant and very poorly prepared, ana con-
sisted mainly OF picked meats ana naro-
tack. The changes Of atmosphere was
very sudden-from dead calm In the mid
DE Of the dav. when one felt as though
he was in an oven. 70 high winds az night
when We would SILVER with cold, caused
by the rising and falling OF the tide The
island was protected from flooding by
Ievee. the water on the outside was al
v-nvs when the tide was In. from four
10 eight feet higher on the outside than
the surface OF the land inside, thus the
surface inside OF the levee was thin,
dry turf underiaid by muck cnange
from dry weather TO rain caused Il 10 be-
come as thoroughly muddy as hog pen
Is in wet weather.
The prison was always infected with
CONTAGIOUS diseases. was attacked with
ruuups in September. Having TO climb
up and down on clicks nailed 10 upright
supports 20 the bunk 10 the third TIER,
suffered terribly. and soon had terrible
rising IN nv head. accompanied with te-
yer. and was told by a Federal surgeon
who treated me / had scurvy. too / was
put on soft bread rations- When bit on
a piece OF bread IL was streaked with
blood marks from the sores on my gums
In this condition ] was sent 70 hospital
outside OF the barracks was wei
treated BY a Confederate surgeon whose
name was Mathews and was said 70 have
lived in Tolbert county. Georgia. but y,
my GodI how I suffered with my head
eH4aa r-fEf
Then the fever left me and began 70
mend slowly. Just as I had gained
strength enough 10 SIT up in bed and walk
20 a heater very near by, with blanket
drawn around me. there came an order
for all that could sit up and get around
70 make ready. Their own clothes would
be brought from the baggage room ana
they must change their hospital clothes
for them they were 20 be sent home IN
about an hour. l. with such great dim
Guilty that made me almost faint, had
succeeded in getting. with many others.
on a transport. ard On an open deck
was sent down the Delaware bay, reach
ing the coast about nfghtfalL The cold.
chilly sea braezes and the terrible days
exertiou forced me 10 seek rest and pro-
tecfton By rolling up In M blanket anu
living down Some time during the night
went 70 sleep and awoke next morning
70 find the transport at anchor a distance
perhaps 81 a mile or more from shore
Some houses. a wharf and some other
vessels were in sight and ! quickly saw
that we were deceived Instead OF COM
ing home we were simply transferred
from the hospital at Fort Delaware 10
the stockade prison at Point Lookout
When was being transferred from the
TRANSPORT to the wharf the Federals
searched me. Ny blanket and the last
vestige OF bedding was taken from me-
The reason assigned was IL had Z. 5 on
a. did not give Il up without giving a
history OF my condition / was promised
another at the stOckade-
Aft.r the search was over and the trans