The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-07-13

t'seS - ''te- t''SN' Hel11 "et
through the book. l did remem
Der at that time how far into
the book that ball went, but
have forgotten now. It glanced
outward and entered his arm
That book divine had beel
a providential shield to that
good soldier. After being al
the hospital about ten days
a wounded comrade from Com
pany Il" of the second regimen
and myself were ordered to re
port at the town of Gettysburg
Strange order. I thought thai
prisoners generally were always
conducted to prison by a guard
But in this instance, there was
no guard. to hurry US onward
1t was right laughable, to see a
great grand son, of General
Moultrie. of revolutionary fame,
and your humble servant going
alone to prison. If we had known
them. what we knew later, We
would have skipped, but alas,
we did not know. On the road,
we met those good ladies again
on their kind mission, to the hos
pital, with another supply Of
good things for our wounded.
They inquired where were we
going. We told them. They
gave US some of the delicacies
which they had with them, and
informed US, if we were detained
as prisoners any length of time,
to inform them by letter, and if
we needed any thing, to just let
them know: and our wants should
be supplied. We thanked them,
for their kind consideration of
US, bade them farewell, and went
our way. We soon reached the
old, apparently sleepy town: |
say sleepy. for there was not
any signs of three battles having
been fought so near. My COM
rades and [ entered a shoe store,
and I purchased a pair of shoes.
We went on and reported at the
town jail. We were ushered in
to the yard of the jail, with many
other prisoners. Next morning
we boarded the train for Balti-
more. On reaching this city,
where a greatmany sympathizers
of our cause abided, marching
through the streets. we cut from
our Jackets, palmetto buttons,
and threw them along the pave
ments, pretty maidens and girls,
would picked them up as fast as
chickens eating corn. l do not
mean to infer, that they ate the
buttons, but picked them up as
quick as chickens would corn.
We were incarcerated in a
building inconceivable almost in
it construction. An expansive
rotunda, with two large wings.
We prisoners of war, occupied
one wing. This was Baltimore
Jail. We remained there the
balance of the month of July.
The water we drank was warm.
We we're fairly fed. The time
was monotonous.. There was a
young soldier, who was a fine
singer, and in the lonely mid
night hours, he would sing some
of his pretty songs. s'It wasjust
twenty years ago" and 'shome
sweet home" were among the
number that he sang. 1t made
me think of my Dixie home far
away. The month of August
came. We were marched out one
afternoon to the river edge, and
cot aboard of Steamer bound
for Point Look Out At day
light next morning we arrived at
our destination. We were
marched into an old field, grown
up in weeds, our abode for eight
months. We were on a point of
land between the Chesapeak bay
and the Potomac river. Sentinels
we're thrown around US. In a
short time they had erected a
substantial prison, enclosing US
from the out side world. Tents
were furnished US, and they were
soon dotting the prison camp.
Wells were dug and pumps were
placed in them. The water was
horribly bad, it was impregnated
with copperas. We had one
pump of water out Of dozen or
more, of which, the water was
much better. Cook houses were
built, with messhalls perhaps a
hundred feet in length. nine OF
these buildings were erected,
each fronting a street, containing
a division of prisoners. The
number of prisoners kept aug,
menting. In a short time there
must have been at least, nine
thousand. The weather was
quite warm at that time. How
ever We got !. breeze from the
bay, as the gates We're opened in
the day, but closed at night.
There we're no trees with then
outrageous branches, to shield
US from theDheated rays, Of the
burning sun, no birds to sing
their sweet songs, to be waited
by the gentle winds, toward the
beautiful skies. Everything
around Us, made the sunlight sad.
My good friend and comrade o1
.. ~ ;I1:; foil in with some Vircjn.