The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-01-15

through the chain of distractions across
the entrance of the harbOr, and we pro-
cneded to Charleston.
We were led through the lighted streets
of the city, whites and blacks together.
while the citizens looked on and jeered
and derided The battle of Fort Wagner
was the first ore in which negro soldiers
were taken prisoners, and the feeling
against the employing of such troops was
strong and bitter in the South. The Yam
KEGS and the negro soldiers now marched
through the streets of Charleston repre-
scented everything that was most hateful
TO the Southern mind. 1t is easy to say,
in ones home or among friends, that one
has no care for adverse public criticism IT
only he knows he is right: but in practi-
cal experience it is not pleasant thing
to be in a community, or in a crowd.
where every looker-oD has n feeling of
hatred or of contempt because of ones
conduct or ones associations. 1t was not
pleasant march, that evening, through
the streets of Charleston from the steamer
landing to the Provost Marshal's, and
thence to the Jail, nor were we in 4 mood
for its enjoyment.
CHARLESTON JAIL.
About 10 at night we were passed
through the gloomy portals of the Charles
III, Il
confinement. We were told that by spe-
cial orders we two white officers were to
he shut for the night in the same room
with the enlisted men, white and black.
| As this was contrary to the usual custom
with prisoners of war, and as other Union
officers were in another room in the build
| ing, We saw that this was intended as a
| humiliation, against which it was useless
to protest The physical discOmforts of
| the place were, however, the chief annoy
| ance of that night.
For months we had lived in the open
| air, often without even the shelter of O
| tent. This was the month of July. In the
| heat of a Southern Summer. Brought at
once from the freedom of the field to the
confinement of gloomy city prison, shut
in dense darkness, within the close walls
of small room, which lacked even win.
| dow space for sufficient ventilation, and
| which was closed by an oaken door out.
side of the iron grating which was its or.
binary door: packed among SO many pris.
| oners that there was not room for all to
stretch themselves at length on the bare
| foOr-we found the foul air of that place
sitting to the verge of suffocation, and
our first night in prison was a night te
he remembered for all time in our soldier
experiences. But, as the soldiers were ac
| rrlstomed to say about every new trial in
and we lived through that dark night, and
the morning came at its end. Early the
| next day we two officers were removed tt
| the room in which other Union officers
taken on Morris Island. in the two as
| saults on the Confederate works there
were confined. We talked over with then
our mutual experiences. and we condoleG
together over our common misfortune.
1t seemed to us at the time that oul
" lad in hn
sault, and now lay in death on the Nor
ris Island sands. were more favored II
the issne than we who were denied thai
repOse. and condemned to Imprisonment il
the enemy's land. 1t was, therefore, will
a new sense of their force which was m.
reading for that day, the words of Jere
miah 22:1O, weep We not for the dead
neither bemoan him: bnt weep sore 70
him that goeth away: for he shall return
no more, nor see his native country" Ye
we had hope, at the first, that we SHOULD
. soon be exchanged. and returned to on
command. The fact that there were t
he no assured exchanges for months o
, years, would have been too terrible
thought to face at the outset; therefor
we lived on in hope in our dark lot.
ii EXAMINED By GEN. BEAUREGARD.
Soon we were summoned to the jailer'
I Office. for examination by an Aid of Ger
I Beauregard. He examined US separated
with the purpose of obtaining informatio
P ms to the force and plans of the army OF
: Grating against Charleston. OF course.
had right to know our name, rank. reg
ment or battalion. brigade. division, corp,
] and commander. Possessing this infol
: nation. he conld infer, from the variou
b commands represented much concernin
p the force in action. He could, however
( seek by questions to obtain knowledge {
: which he was not entitled, and a prisone
& must be on his guard, while being exam
: ined, lest hs should disclose too much {
I the enemy.
! Talking over. afterwards. our specis