The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-11-23
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commissioned officer should be released on parole. This announcement was I~- ceived with joy. but mixed with regret that a hard fate awaited our faithful or ficers. For this nagnanimous act the Port Hudson prisoners were forever grate- full, and it was an act of magnanimity, pure and simple. and not of motive. Gen eral Banks so assured the writer in a private letter written in 1878.
 The March to Shubuta and Home to
 Alabama.
 The work of paroIing began July 11th and was completed July 14th. During this time several of our sick died at our hos pital. and several of our officers, among them Major s. L. Knox. obtained paroles given to these dead privates. donned a private's uniform. and passed out of the Yankee lines without being detected. A few of the officers, after perilous adven- ture and much suffering from hunger and thirst effected their escape through the enemys Fckets.
 Receiving our paroles we passed through the enemy's lines at our breastworks on the Clinton road, camping that night about ten miles from Clinton. Here sev- eral of our officers who had made their escape rejoined us. We gave these an ovation. The citizens along the way out to Tangipahoa on the line of Mississippi and Louisiana were exceedingly kind and generous. These Louisianians were mo- ble people. and intensely loyal to the South. The railroads being torn up, we had to walk from Port Hudson to Shu- buta. Miss. on the Mobile and Ohio Rail- road, a distance of 1s0 miles. Of this. 12o miles lay across the entire State of Mis- sissippi, which required a weeks travel, and where we had much difficulty in get ting food and shelter. and never without pay. They would not even haul our sick few miles without compensation
 We went by as direct a route as possible to Shubuta, where we took the cars, reaching home during the last days of July. Here we remained two and one-half months. enjoying a much needed rest, bounteous rations and social gatherings.
 Offcers were sent to prison and held to the close of the war.
 From memoranda by Colonel I. c. w. Steedman: .-..-
 After the surrender at Port Hudson, all the commissioned officers of the gar rison. about 1s0 in number. were sent by steamboat to New Orleans as prisoners of war On our way down the river we schemed to overpower our guards and capture the boat, but no proper oppor- tunity offered. We were confined in New Orleans nearly two months, first in the custom house. and then in Mir. Corners residence, a wealthy banker. General Banks treated us with all possible consid- eration compatible with the rules of war. Upon request we could obtain paroles to attend social gatherings given by citi- zens The people of New Orleans over whelmed us with the kindest attentions. Many of us were suffering with malaria. contracted during the siege. The surgeons and physicians of the city visited our prison; and gave us gratis all needed med- icaf attention.
 In September, 1888, we were sent by sea to Governors Island. New York harbor, thence by rail to Johnson's Island. in Lake Erie We had left this prison for exchange about one year previously We found the situation materially changed. Many more prisoners occupied the build ings. officers captured upon many battle fields were confined here. Public senti- ment throughout the North was more em- bittered towards the South and prison CTS were made to feel it upon all possible occasions. The Winters of 1863 and 1864 were very severe upon those of us from the extreme South. We were poorly clad for such a rigorous climate, and housed in such fimsy buildings. The prison soon became very much crowded as disaster met our armies. During 1864 and 1865 the average number of officers confined here was about 5000, at one time it reaching 3,200."
 Soon after reaching Johnson's Island at the request of the prisoners, and by consent of the prison authorities. Colonel Steedman was put in medical and surgi- cal charge of our prison hospital. The Colonel being an M. D., having graduated in the class of 1859 from the University of Louisiana at New Orleans. He, with his four assistants (one of whom was Cap tain l.. E. Locke of Alabama Cavalry also line officers as we'll as M. D.'s, were thus enabled to perform valuable service to fellow prisoners
 'The great subject of thought and pri- vate talk among prisoners. was how to escape prison and get to Dixie" to re- join our commands in the field. We were secretly organized into companies and regiments and ever ready to take advan- tage of any opportunities offered. All manner of schemes were discussed, many of them foolhardy and impracticable. The only feasible one was planned by Lieu tenant Beale of Virginia which involved an expedition from Canada to capture passenger boats on the lake, siege the United States gunbot Michigan. prisoners to overpower the prison guards and take their arms. Escorted by the Michigan, we were to land in the vicinity of Cleve- land. O.. and make a desperate dash for West Virginia. The plan was partially executed. but not to completion. Lieuten- ant Beale was afterwards courtmartialed and hung.
 The Winter of 1864 and 1865 was espe- cially severe and hard upon the Johnson's Island prisoners It was excessively cold,