The National tribune., 1902-10-23
TRYING TO GET A DRINK OF FRESH WATER.

South, or that Lees soldiers were starv-
ing, is preposterous. There were at times,
owing to lack of transportation facilities.
scarcity of provisions in Lees army, and
in every army, for that matter. l have
seen hardtack worth a dollar apiece in
greenbacks, and none to be had at that
price, in the Army of the Potomac, where
it is generally supposed we lived on soft
bread and butter when We were short OF
short-cake and honey; but that fact does
not prove a scarcity Of provisions IN the
North. In the South, provisions of the
substantial kind used in an army, such as
cornmeal, rice, beans and vegetables
were just as abundant. What earthly
reason can be given why such should not
have been the case? Did they not have,
in the South 10000 900 slaves, every enc
of whom-men, women and children
were compelled to till the ground to pro-
duce food for their lords and masters!
While everything sold at fabulous prices
in deprecated Confederate rag money, one
could buy for 25 cents in silver as
much food as could be bought in the North
for the same money, which fact l have
seen demonstrated more than once.
During the last year of the war Sher-
man marched an army of 10000 men
from Atlanta to Savannah, a distance OF
300 miles, in dead of Winter, subssting
upon provisions they found in the country,
and Sherman's men did not starve, but
came through fat, saucy and in splendid
fighting condition.
This starvation of prisoners was a saw
age, inhuman and cOwardly policy, inau'
gurated by a set of men better qualified
by Nature, and by their education, to be-
come henchmen of the prince Of darkness
than the rulers of nation which they
sought to establish.
The people of the South, generally, may
be exonerated from completely in this
wicked and cowardly policy, but it is use.
| less for them to deny that such q policy
existed; that it was planned after cool and
deliberate consideration by Jefferson
Davis and his Cabinet; that it was ap,
proved by such men as Lee, Johnston and
Jackson, who commanded the Confederate
armies in the field; and that it was ex.
ecuted in cold-blooded cruelty by Winder
Ould and their minions.
OUT OF THE SHADOW.
On or about Aug. 5 an order came to
the prison authorities to exchange or pa
role several hundred prisoners. First, all
the sick were selected, without regard to
priority, which amounted to about half the
quota. Many of the sick were so far gone
that they held to life by q thread, and
| wanted to exchange without fail; but as
many well men were trying to play the
sick dodge in order to get exchanged
among the first, the Confederate official
| Dick Turner, l think, then in charge OF
the prison, took his station in the gate
with a long butcher knife in his hand tc
keep back the surging crowd, and selected
the sick from the well as they were eX
hibited before him.
By this time my terminate, Frank
Wilkins, was barely able to walk. HI
was, seemingly, nearer to deaths dool
than any man could be and recover, anG
for several days previously had expected
to find him dead each morning. / was
not in very robust health or strength my
self, but l could take Frank under my arm
and carry him as I would child, ant
when arrived at the gate the butcher
knife official thought he saw q man or
whom death had set his seal and he said
Let that man pass through" The Off
cial was mistaken. Frank Wilkins's las
day of service for the old flag ended wheI
he tottered through the prison gate, bu
his heroic heart and vigorous constitution
tided him over, and he lived for man!
years after the war ended. After the sicl
had been selected the remainder Of thu
quota was filled in the order Of priority
The Oldest prisoners were called until al
were taken, and there remained only tn,
Winchester and Gettysburg prisoners. Th
quota lacked then 100 or more of bein,
full. The Winchester prisoners were tn
next in priority, but the rolls had beer
mislaid, and the rolls of the Gettysbur,
prisoners were substituted.
This event caused an excitement that i
easier imagined than described. 1t wa
like death-knell to the hopes of the Win
chester men, but it gave a new and un
looked-for hope to every man from Gettys
burg. After getting my terminate through
the gate had gone back to my desOlat
den with no expectation of being ex
changed on that day, but the moment
heard the call for the Gettysburg prison
ers l Joined the excited crowd and watches
the result, with my heart beating like
trip-hammer. We had been enrolled b,
regiments, but knew nothing of tn
priority on the rolls of our organizations
Usually there were only few in each regi
ment, and we watched anxiously for tn
name of the next on the rolls. We hell
tickets in great lottery. Our names ha,
been shaken together, so to speak, in tn
box. Every name drawn out was. to re
ceive prize, and that prize was liberty
hp L. Al F..