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

The dear old woman, promptly
sent me what I desired, and sev
eral dollars in federal money
She was my friend, peace to he:
sacred dust. We were guarded
by brigade Of New Workers
and reasonable men they were
we suffered no harm at theil
hands. 1t was said by some 0:
the prisoners, that others look
ing through the cracks of the
fence at a pile of collins, one
spoke to another standing aside.
addressing him as "Johnnie
Reb" come here and let me show
you your wooden overcoat;;'
yes, a good many of the poor fel.
lows got their wooden overcoats
there We were given only
two meals each day, breakfast
and dinner, no supper, a cup Of
coffee quite thin, and five small.
crackers or a half loaf of bread
for breakfast. For dinner, a CUP
of bean soup and five crackers
with a slice of pickle pork al
ternating with a cup Of carro1
soup with a slice of fresh
beef. We did not complain o1
the qaulity of food we had
reader. but, oh, my, the quantity,
For supper, we drank a double
portion of copperas water, and
inflated ourselves with air, re-
tired to our humble couches
dreaming of our breakfast the
coming morning. Tobacco was
hard to get, and sometimes we
had to exchange a cracker for a
chew of tobacco. They were at
par. The only thing that cheered
mein my seclusion from the world
out side. was ':Dixie" and her
glorious cause. Time went
slugglshly by. My friend OF
Co. tsI" came around sometimes
to see me. / reciprocated his
visits, he was always a gentle
man, in war and in peace, in
prison, and out OF prison, he
still lives. An unseen hand has
protected him all these years.
There was a young soldier from
Maryland, who had been taken
quite sick, ne was taken out Of
the prison camp, and carried tc
the hospital. Before, leaving:
however, he told my comrade Of
Go. ''I'', that he expected a valu,
able box of provisions from Bal.
timore. that he, my friend, could
appropriate it, he and his mess,
mates. I think the Marylander
died. The box came filled with
eatibles of every variety, ham,
turkey, light bread, cetchup,
pickles and intermixture Of
other good things, too tedious to
mention. My good friend ever
thoughtful. invited me around to
his tent, to partake with him.
of the luxuries. We ate care.
fully and left no scraps for the
cats, but fortunately, reader, the
cats were conspicuously absent.
had they been there, they would
not have had held any hano
in the game. For several months
thousands of boxes were shipped
to the prisoners from Baltimore.
What a blessing it was, to have
such friends, among strangers,
Some bad fellows one night made
a charge upon one of the cook
houses carried off boxes of crack.
ers, meat and other things. The
entire camp of prisoners, had to
suffer for the wrong doing OF
those unthoughtful fellows. We
had no meat to eat for some con-
siderable time. That was the
privation we had to endure with.
out complaint. The month Of
March came 1864. I said to my
friend of Co. Il" see here, our
old uniforms are getting right
old and thin. Won't you write
to Mrs. H and see if you can
get her to send us a suit each.
He answered me in this way.
would cheerfully write the letter
for the much needed clothing,
but the trouble is this, they wont
let letters be mailed now going
from the prison camp. lreplied,
you write the letter, and leave the
matter with me. I unfolded my
plan to him. He saw the point
at once. I willexplain the trick.
Here it is.
One of the Louisianians who
tented with me, was acquainted
with some of the New Workers:
who guarded the prison camp. ]
asked him, if he would do me a
favor. Yes he said: certainly
will. The letter was already writ.
ten. Friend take this 'lettel
said I. and have it mailed out at
the Point, by one your New York
friends, and you will confer 9
kindness, which | certainly vii
appreciate. He did so. Within a
week, my friend and comrade 0:
Co. ''I' and myself, received
each a nice grey suit: 1T is bet
ter to be born fortunate thar
rich" Sometime after the wal
ended, my friend went to Baltl
more on Mercantile business, he
called on our esteemed friend
Mrs. If. If living may GOO
hloss har IF otherwise. may