The sun., 1902-12-14
ignored by a subaltern officer in the service

/,
like unto the others, was to ba made again
to feel the iron heel of the despot sent TO
overlook and guard us. IL could be read in
the eyes Of each officer a. he approached.
could he viewed in their many consulta-
tions after and during visit 10 our quar-
ters, ~ they slyly galed from one 20 the
other after looking upon my Limbs, I'M
-hackled a. vet
ARSol d AGAIN PIT IN IRONS
On Nov. IL, 1895, Cap, George w. Cradle,
First Lieutenant United States Artillery,
came into our quarters accompanied 10y
DC sorSeant OF the guard, and IN very gen
:l"manly mai.ner thus addressed me:
Arnold | have very painful duty to
reform, but am forced. "a You are aware,
To carry out and obey the orders from my
-uperors. no matter how grating against
my feelings they may be. | am ordered
irons, b" having received orders TO that
effect from higher authority, as turned
over to him by Major Went worth. just
relieved in command Of the post
| protested against II az violation Of
the organic aw of the land both civil and
military. and also of the sentence msted
me 10y the military commission. / in
formed him that | was prisoner, II was
true, but that no act Of my life had justly
m"ritcd Inc To be imprisoned much less
incarcrrated and weighted down by gall
ing chains, and cried out against such a
-harn' ful abu-" OF power.
He replied that he was grievcd To have
TO perform the duty, but that there was
No alternative l"f, hut to strictly follow
the order assigned him. The sergeant Of
ih" guard was then ordered to execute
the command, and ! was lroned III like
manner 20 the thrr-.
W. five constituted the chain gang at
Dry IUrtugh~ We We're worked by our
selves deuind all intercourse with every
on" upon the derOate island. our footsteps
were always accompanied by an armed
guard ami We were forced in this condition,
10 perform he most m"nial and degrading
work uUou the key.
From Noy Il until Dec. II my person
and the others were dragged here and
there. from morn until night, working in
degrading chains, made, III every instance
that presetl ed it self, to perform the tilthie-t
jobs that the Provost Marshal could hunt up.
CHAINS orr AFTER A MONTH
Things continued thus until Dec. Ia,
when th" prisoner employed as clerk to
the commanding officer was released from
confinement 10y order from the War De-
partmcnt. was sent for, desired to fur
ni-h "a specimen Of my handwriting, which
| did aud from that date was employed as
clerk in the AdjUtant's office,
The uoisc arising from the Clanking chains
upon my feet. when walking about the
Office. soon grated upon the ears Of the
commanding officer, who in consequence
thereof, in special post order, relieved me
from the irons, indefinitely, but kept the
others still roned and occupied at labor,
a. before mentioned.
had been in the Office but few days
when orders were issued which separated me
from my only companions upon the island.
| vas transferred from my dungeon to the
general guardhouse, denied communica-
ton or in ercuurse with the fcw with whom
| was individually imprisoned, forced to
dwell amid the confusion and noise abound
,,s tanl
This Was of anything but pleasant
nature 70 my senses. ] could not con-
cciyr why had been relieved Of suffering
Of on" kind To have another heaped upon
me Of just a. bad nature, and ! deter
mined, If possible, 10 have II corrected In
some way.
In a communication addressed TO the
commanding officer ! requested to I've re-
turned 10 my former place of confinement,
for, although dungeon, II was far prefer
able TO the guardhouse where ! was then
confined. that there We're no consequences
attending the change Of >ituatio ion; that
instead - being an amelioration of my
condition found IL an aggravation. My
request was complied with and / wa again
placed in the dungeon with my companion,
which fact had the tendency to ruff'e the
disposition Of the post adjutant by whose
order | had been placed there without the
sanction or knowledge OF the commanding
officerl, a. he remarked to me afterward,
stating that he placed me in the guard
house to prevent the contents Of coinmuni-
cations received AT the Office being divulged
10 the inmates Of my quarters.
HIS CHARGES OF CRUELTY.
From that time out We remained together
The orderly accompanied me to and fro,
from my Cell io headquarters, and To every
point | required to visit. Al retreat. or
sundown, we were locked together within
our dungeon, remaining until carried out
TO our morning labors at sunrise.
With the arrival Of the Fifth Artillery at
the post the regulations which had been in
force were changed, and cruelty became
the order of the day. Not only wer" pris-
oners the recipients Of II, but to very great
extent it prevailed over the enlisted men,
recruits just arrived TO fill up the different
companies which had been reduced through
expiration of terms of enlistment.
There was scarcely a day that passed hut
that ten 20 fifteen would I've seen, carrying
from morning until night, heavy cannon
balls upon their shoulders, and often con-
tiruing for days as well AZ nights.
To fail 10 salute an officer was a sure
forprllnnnr of punishment, when, in fact at
times it was impossible to distinguish them,
they not being clad in their required uni
form. The manual Of arms was drummed
into the recruits with the butt end or the
musket, and the different evolutions Of the
command were first learned In the regions
OF 'llt tHth, legs anu bItt-N NIlr VI lAliiik
officer not belng particular a. to what part
Of the body the blow was given.
Our close proximity 10 the guardhouse
afforded every opportunity OF becoming
conversa0t with the many different acts oi
cruelty and tyranny practi-ed, which viii
hereafter relate.
LIVED IL FLOODED CELLS.
We remained in our dungeon quarters
until some time in the month of February
1865, at which period our removal took
place arising from the wOful condit ior
( he quarters. II becoming flooded with
water to the depth in places of one foot
created by the rains and leakage through
the walls This had been 80, more or less
ever since our confinement there, but
ililed to attract the attenti ion Of our jaier.
until It became 40 plain that their all-secinG
ewes in all else could not fail hut to notice II
The health Of each had become very much
impaired from confinement IN this nalariOu,
dungeon and when II was announced tina,
we we're To be removed to other quarters
We heralded the change with JOY, feeling
that We would be- able to regain our health
somewhat by coming in contact with tho
pure. fresh sea hrccU.
In This, however, We were sadly dlSap-
pointed our quarters were placed imme'
diatplv over the sally-por' of the fort the
ca-enent. ~ constructed that We obtained
less fresh air and ventilation than in the
quarters We had been removed from, and
10 make it more confined and unwholesoms
an eight inch wall was erected between
the arch division dividing III" easements
tl,rpby 1arkapipp the utlar tprS and break