The daily tribune., 1903-06-15
A War Story.


several Florence people. friends Of
Morgan Richards who is referred to
in the story. The article is copied
from the Pomeroy, Ohio. Leader:
Wilkesville, O., March go, 1908.
Cormades:- ON the morning of the
oath of June 1 awoke at dawn after as
sound a nights sleep as ever remem-
ber to have had All was still in the
great tent with the exception of the
heavy breathing of the sieepers. The
man who had so kindly furnished me
with shelter was lying wrapped in the
arms of Morpheus by my side. 1t
looked at his plump. we'll dressed
figure and wondered if he was fair
sample of a prisoner long kept in
Camp Sump.er. My gaze was so
strong it must have had an influence
on his dreams. for he turned uneasily
in his sleep and in a moment opened
his eyes After a short while he
seemed to recall how l came there,
and said IN o low tone rs if afraid of
disturbing those around him How
long have you been awake, Curly"
told him only few minutes and
those / spent in wondering how he
came to be so plump and well dressed
when the most of the men saw were
thin and ragged. He replied that he
90 N lafn lao ha1 do
good deal in dealing with the rebs.
The big tent belonged to lot of fell
lows who made it easy to get plenty
to eat and wear by trading with the
prisoners and selling what they got to
a GO between ON the outside. He said
that If would join them and take
the oath / should never want for any
thing while 1 stayed in Anderson
vile. / asked what l was expected to
do. He said there were so many new
prisoners coming in at both gates that
it was hard to keep track of them.
He wanted someone young and active
like me to watch one of the gates and
find out who had valnables, locate
them and report to him so he could go
and see them. The scheme seemed
to plausible fell in with it at once,
and / told him after / had hunted up
some of the boys to come back and i
would only be too glad to help him
if could thereby earn food. l asked
him his name and he said Ross, but
afterwards learned it was Collins,
one of those most famous raider lead
ers He said to come back after was
and he would have place assigned to
me. He said that could leave any
thing | had there, and it would be
perfectly safe. I went out and down
to the south gate where l had been
told to report with the other boys.
In a short time Rebel came in and
called the roll of the prisoners that
came in the day before and assigned
us into hundreds and detachments of
800, making a mess of each 20. l
had the honor to be of the first hun
dred, detachment SO, mess three. We
were then ordered over ON the north
side of the camp to draw rations. We
then elected a sargeant for our mess
and drew rations which consisted of
fat bacon about the size of large
marshallow and piece of bread abont
the size ard shape of brick. For
some reason which l cannot now
remember / had brought my blanket
along and had left nothing at the big
tent.
AS left the place where the ra-
tions had been issued near the north
gate and was passing hpt made of
tow inch pine poles about six by ten
feet electrified by hearing familiar
voice. The broad accents were as
sweet as the sound of running water
l stopped and looked into the hut and
was greeted by the words my God
where did you come from Curly 2"
l replied: 'Morg. Richards, / am
as glad to see you as if you were my
mother, and we were clasped in each
OtH6Ts hTHlb anu ltaFJ DOys We CTleu.
Carr, of Co. 1. was there. / sat down
and i'll as many moments had told
Morg. all about my capture ana he
told me how he came to be there
Then came thick and fast questions
about the boys of the company
How are George Stout and Chris
lille? Do they still hold onto their
Bibles? / told him George and Chris
we're all o. X. and firm and unfiinch-
ing in their faith as boys could be in
an uDgodly camp. How is old Elihu
Parr, the Saunders boys. Rush Lyman,
Steve Shilling, George Crowfoot, the
Hysells, the Humphreys, Forrest.
Price, Mcclure, Sanbury and Pierce.
| think every man and boy in the
company was named and discussed
When we came to talk of the camp
4 L..