The National tribune., 1901-04-25
BOYDT0N PLANKR0AD.
Capture of the l05th Pa. and the Experience
of Member in Rebel Prisons.

DUIUlUIs fLANhRUAD.
Capture of the 105th Pa. and the Experience
of Member in Rebel Prisons
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Reading
Comrade Saunders's experience in Sails
bury Prison in the issue of Jan. 24 brought
to my mind some experiences in the same
prison. During the siege Of Petersburg,
Oct. 26, 1864, our brigade moved out along
the Weldon Railroad some distance be-
yond the Yellow House, and encamped
for the night. Next morning we moved
in the direction of the Southside Railroad.
We skirmished all day, and along in the
afternoon came to where the enemy was
in force.
Our batteries were planted in an open
field, with our regiment lying in support
Behind US was forest, out of which We
had Just come. Soon skirmishing COM
menced back in the forest, and l think it
was the 9th Mich. that was formed down
in the timber. Brig.-Gen. Pierce, com
manding our brigade, rode up and ordered
that if heavy firing commenced in the rear
to form our regiment on the right of the
regiment already in there, and rode away
rapidly.
In few seconds heavy volley wGs
heard close in the rear, and we, double
quick, formed as commanded. The enemy
had division in behind us, and hanked
and surrounded us. Then came one of the
most desperate hand-to-hand conflicts of
the war. Seeing we were completely
fanked, we fell back to the open field, and
found a column of the enemy in possession
of it. 1t was near night, and the smoke
made it difficult to tell friend from foe.
We had Spencer rifles, and we made good
use Of them. Suddenly about half dozen
rebels had hold of me and my gun, and
in the struggle l attempted to so destroy
my rife that they could not use it, but a
rebel Lieutenant, noticing this, made n
thrust at me. | let go my gun and sprang
to one side, which saved me from being
thrust through. AS it was his sword
slightly pierced my left side. l was rushed
back at points Of bayonets.
Our batteries had now taken q position
and were shelling the woods. Soon / was
taken to where there were over 20 of our
regiment, and both stands of colors be-
longing to the regiment.
We were taken to Petersburg, where
we remained several days in an old tobac-
co factory. Then we were taken to Libby,
where we were thoroughly searched. In
few days we were taken across to Castle
Thunder, where We were kept about a
week, and were then packed in box-cars
SO closely we could not all sit down at
once and shipped to Salisbury, n. c.. The
horrors Of that prison-pen cannot be de-
scribed. For shelter we had canvas
stretched over a pole and open at each
end. We were situated few rods below
the smokestack Of the old cotton factory.
The insurrection spoken Of by Comrade
Saunders was on Nov. 25, 1864. 1t was
reported that the Goth N G.. had been
taken to Wilmington, n. G. / was close
by when the assault was made on the re-
lief guards just entering the yard. One
rabpl rncictaH and EiIIoJ In cfa tlt,
the artillery was opened on US, and the
Goth n. c., that was waiting transporta-
ton at the depot, rallied around the stock
ade. /, with many others, made a rush
for the wood gate, only to find q company
Of the Goth N. g. there firing on the pris-
oners The break was made without due
deliberation or concert Of action.
Our rations consisted of piece of corn
bread about two inches square, which ap-
peared to be made of corn and cob ground
| together, and much Of the time not baked
through, and about one day out of every
week we did not get anything to eat;
hence many said it was better to die in
an attempt at liberty than by slow stsrva-
| tion.
| The stockade was kind Of penitentiary
| for rebel criminals, and they were quar-
tered in the old cotton factory, which was
four stories high, and prisoners, in a state
| of delirium, or driven by the cold sleet
| shelter, only to be thrown out OF the win
dCws. Often in the night from our quar-
ters l have heard their voices while dang
| ling III the air, and in the morning found
their bruised remains ready to be hauled
out to the lanyard. In the early days OF
| the prison the dead were buried by slaves
| in an old lanyard. One of our regiment
who was there In 1862 relates the follow.
| ing: On the 4th of July, 1862, Capt,
Drew, I'd Vt, wrote these lines:
"What though within nameless grave,
Borne there and buried by n slave,
UnhOnored rest our noble dead,
Save what few tears their friend may shed
But will not angels from the skies
Look down with loving, pitying eyes
And mark that lanyard holy ground,
Wild flowers and myrtle plant around
Send sunbeams on that sacred sod,
| Write on the muster-roll of God
Just opposite that soldiers name:
| Promoted for his well-earned fame"
An ordinary lanyard would not sufric,
for many days, as the mortality was very
great
In December we ran a mine about hall
way from the cotton factory to the WOOD
gate, and on dark, drizzly night betweer
Christmas and New Years Day we opened
the mine on the outside of the stockadt
and found guard pacing along foot OF
so from where we made the opening
which foiled our attempt.
Among the prisoners were some citizen:
and seamen, who were allowed to keeI
their money, and they furnished us extri
provisions for doing the mining, they t.
have chance Of escape with us. w,
started another tunnel under the old cot
ton factory, and were nearly under thu
building when we were paroled. Sherman
had captured Columbia, S. O.
In the prison were rebel desperadoes ant
some prisoners in clique with them, whc
formed band of robbers. They woulc
kill man for fiye.cent piece They KEEP
fat and stout by their plunder We or
ganized against them, and in fight witt
the gang l got my eyes blacked, and los
my cap and went bareheaded the rest O
| the time. Twice during my stay at Sails