The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-11-05

mission from Gen. Miles to visit him
in his cell, but failed; l, however,
saw the low fiat house in which he was
confined. It had hallway with small
rooms on each side. Mr.. Davis was
IN the first right hand corner room.
Two sentinels guarded the half door
outside, two olAers guarded the door
leading from hall to room. And
learned there were yet two others in
room with Mr.. Davis. This rilcd and
humiliated me more than my own i'm.
prisonmcnt, but l could only sulk.
From Fortress Monroe we steamed to
Norfolk, Va, where all of our cargo of
prisoners, who could reach their
homes from this place, were allowed
to get off, and we had only about %
parolcd prisoners left to go south. 1
use the word cargo because we were
forced to remain in the hull Of the
ship and upon the same floor with
the steam boiler that propelled the
vessel. The air was very hot and
close, with no means to vcntilatc, ex-
cept through hatch or trap door, by
which also we reached the upper deck
by means of ladder. Thus confined
with our heads even below the surface
OF water, in our apartment, hot, dark,
drcary and dirty, our voyage south
was uncvcntful aud we passed our
time dreaming of home and loved ones
and the horrors of war.
In this dolcful condition, weary and
haggard, wits naught, but dirty
floor to wallow upon, end unable to
keep time in this dungeon, new and
terrible horror confronts us.
The steam boiler upon the same
floor with us had cracked under the
steam pressure, and the escaping
steam, with frightful kissing noise,
almost instantly filed the old hull
densely with hot steam from boiling
water and no way to escape but
through the hatch door. This ordeal
was almost unbearable, and especially
so when most of our boys were sick or
wounded. We huddled Immediately
under the hatch door to get the fresh
air that descended by side Of the
escaping steam. Under this ordeal,
almost to the point of suffocetion, one
of our boys climbed up the ladder to
the top deck and sprawled upon the
floor. The man had one leg cut off
near the Zip joint, but could hop like
jay bird where he pleased without
crutch or stick. I afterwards learned
his name was McGee, from Anderson
County, S. G. He was tall, athletic
in build, weighed about 175 pounds,
erect as an Indian, very intelligent
face and about twenty-five years old
and as brave as lion. He was not
allowed, however, at this time to en-
joy the invigorating sea breeze after
the steam bath in the old hull. For
the captain in charge of the vessel on
this trip (whom we learned was not
the regular captain) Immediately or
dered him back into the hull. He
came, but quickly organized squad
OF seven prisoners, with himself, to
climb to tbe upper deck with the de-
termination to hold it at ell hazards;
emphasizing that not to do 80 would
subject us to horrible death by steam
and brand US the meanest Of towards.
Really, only the seven were able to
go. Our men were nearly all sick,
coming from the hospital camp, end
only the stoutest could stand this
furnace.
We again climbed the ladder, Nc
Gee leading the way and assuming all
command. He was the man for the
occasion, Notwithstanding he had but
one leg.
Reaching the top deck we sprawled
upon the floor. Not more than twen-
ty feet from us sat the old captain up
in the little pilot house with glass in
hand, scanning the watery horizon for
some passing ship that he might sig
nal for help, for his bursted boiler
rendered him unable to turn wheel
and placed him at the mercy of the
winds.
To US, or at least to me, it seemed
that we had been transported to q
new world, tho invigorating ocean
breeze was most delightful. We look
ed around and practically we were in
mid ocean, for there was no land in
sight at all. Our eyes beheld only
vast expanse of water. We also
learned afterwards that we were eff
the coast of Cape Hatteras, rock bound d