The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-01-22

,o,,,a ;nt, o,,r -roro NJ this Acrr. md +bcy,
,rore riod fn avail fbemseIves of the on
,,ortnn;tv ohta;ned 'pefAiss;on TO 90
,,nsta;rs and nreacl, to our enlisted men.
and again 10 On ont into fIa ward and
breach TO onr sailors thefe. We organ
which added greatly TO thdd Sftractiyeness
of the services. nc
Pastoral work seemed eeXep more ef-
were glad to sneak OUT their heart
thoughts to one who could proffer them
sympathy in their need. Nany privileges
we're accorded me in this line. and / have
precious memories of personal interviews
with soldiers and soilors in that iail. who
afterwards went ont to Salisbury and
Andersonville to suffer and to die, far
from home and friends. Ash had a lit.
tie money with me to the last. / would
standing at the door of nv quarters while
the men were passing along on the way
from the hour of recreation in the yard
to their room above, l would give o por-
tion tn tho moro needy on tho sick list
Of course. this was appreciated by men
who had no other variation from the
coarse corn-bread of their prison fare, As
[ handed a loaf to worn and sickly-
looking German soldier one day. he smiled
forlorn smile as he thanked me for my
kindness, and added his extra petition
as if to say that there was one thing bet.
ter than bread:
"Shaplin, wish you vud pray de good
God dat he take us out of dis dam hole. y
1t was in the spirit of earnest prayer
even though not in conventional phrase
that lie blurted out this heart-cry.
IN TIE shADo" Vs DEATH
Confinement and constant nervous
strain were too much for me. After q
few months Imprisonment my health
gave way, and / had an attack of low
fever. A Confederate Surgeon was called
in and prescribed for me. Had it not
been for the unremitting tender ministry
in care and sympathy, of my loved
friend Adj't Camp, should have sunk
beyond hope of recovery. He would not
let me go down. He breathed his own
courage and hope into my failing spirits.
He gave me life when mine was going
out. When seemed at the lowest point
lie secured for me nourishing food from
outside, because l was unable to find
needed sustenance in prison fare. We
had learned that board at a good hosel
was then costing $50 day in Confeder,
ate currency. He sent by one of the
guard request for as good a meal for
me as could be obtained at the best no
tel in the city. He was ready to part
with his gold watch to pay for this, if
necessary. The tempting food came in.
It rallied me by it's appetizing and nutri.
tious qualities When he asked for the
bill, he was told that the proprietor would
not take cent for it, as he learned that
it was for sick Chaplain. 1t was just
at that time that the order came for my
removal to Richmond. presumably on my
way to freedom. And I have always felt
that my life was saved IN this way.
sM years "a ai'er .nis ihe e.;s l was ~
been an officer in the Confederate army
and prisoner of war in Fort Delaware.
We were talking over war times together
We were in the office of the Screven
House. MY friend mentioned that the
proprietor of the Screven House had had
charge of hotel in Columbia during the
war. At this l questioned the proprietor
about the dates of his life there. He
mentioned incidentally that in the Fall oil
1863, he had heard of sick, Union Chap
lain in Richland Jail. and sent him as
good meal as he could provide.
Il was that sick Union Chaplain,
said. "and l have always falt that that
meal was one of the things that saved
my life when l was sinking under prison
life and prison fare" ~
'My heavens, you the man! I'm glat
1 sent it, then" "a
And l was glad.
1t was good to rise mp from that jai
floor and take a start toward home. Bn'
it was hard to part with my, loved friend
Adj't Camp, leaving him. in the gloomy
prison-house- 1t was like the parting OF
friends when one is going out into the
freedom of better life beyond, aud the
other is to stay behind. Each was glad
and each was sad. 1t must be so.
,,, ,,,o r
-
DIR. Luck. the Naval Surgeon. was my
companion toward Richmond. Before
o'clock in the morning we, with severa
Confederate conscripts and deserters, wht
on our way, under guard, to the railroad
station, to take the early train north
ward. The Sergeant in charge of us wa.
eentlemanly coi'ege student, ana n,
for us. 1t was a slow journey at til,
hest. We had long waits at functions
Once we were DELAYED for hours durip.
the night by a broken-down freight train
and then were Obliged to 70 on foo
around the wreck. and take a train OF
the other side.
The cars were crowded with Confed
crate officers and men. We converset
freely with them. and this without an,
bitterness on either side. There were
MANY expressions of Union sentiment. In
deed. with all the degree of unanimit,
there was among the people of the Soutl
as to the war against the Government. :
never at any time in my army service me
a number of them while I was on flag o.
truce. or in my prison life, without find
ing some expression of hearty love fo