The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-09-15

as you may have for it either in whole or
in part. 1t was written for another pur-
pose than publication in your paper, but
i informed Comrade Simmons that it
might reach many of his comrades and
those of his associates who escaped with
him; that l, with his consent, would mail
It to you to make such disposition of as
you thought best.-V. NJ. HoDGsoN.
FROM SURVIVOR OF TRAGEDIES.
was born in New York City, July,
1914, and at the outbreak of the rebellion,
like many of my age, became possessed
with the wish to go to the front. / went
to Rochester, y. Y, several miles away,
and on Sept. 20. 1861, joined company
forming there, giving my age as 10 years
to Capt. Charles NJ. Palmer, and under
the assumed name of John Hall l was
soon became Co. c, 10th n. Y, Col. ID.
ID. Bidwell. Our first camp after muster
in was at Washington, ID. c., a mile or
more northeast of the Capitol, where we
remained for several weeks. We spent
the Winter in the vicinity of Washington.
Our first battle was at Yorktown, Va. in
May, 1862. Afterward i participated in
the engagements at Williamsburg, May q;
Chickahominy Swamp, June 81; White
Oak Swamp, June %. 1862; Malvern Hill.
July i, 1862; Antietam, Sept. IL, 1867.
where / received a gunshOt wound of the
left shoulder, and was sent to the field
hospital The next day, after my wound
was dressed, l was to be sent away to
some general hospital. l refused to go,
and being able to walk / made myself
scarce, and sought out my company, re-
manning with it, but doing no duty for
long time, being under the care of the
Regimental Surgeon. The wound and sub
seQuent exposure in service caused me to
become deaf. At the battle of Freder-
icksburg, in December, 1862. l joined the
ranks again, doing the best l could. l
was in the engagement at the same place
in May. 1868; also at Rappahannock Sta
ton, Compton Pass. Mine Run, and Get
tysburg. At Brandy Station, in the Fall
of 1868. / reenlisted for three years, and
afterward was in. the Wilderness fight, and
was on the skirmish line and joined with
my regiment in all the skirmishes and en-
gagements they had up to this time. AT
Spotsylvania Court House, May II, we
were in advance, and beng close up TO
the works of the rebels, in line of battle,
they made charge upon us, and the line
in our rear having given away, we were
left almost to ourselves, and were soon
overpowered, and the rebels were among us
almost before we knew it. A tall. savage
looking rebel grabbed his musket by the
muzzle and made strike with the butt
of it at my head, calling out: You
Yankee -, surrender right smart
quick / lodged his blow; but there was
no use trying TO get away from him and
his comrades, and myself and others were
soon marched to their rear, with many
curses from them. George ~Hoyt and my
self were the only members of Co. G. cap
tured. A number of the other companies
of the regiment. with lot Of other pris-
oners, were taken to Lees headquarters
and kept there until next day, when we
were marched to a small town some dis
lance in the rear. Here we remained one
day, and were then put on freight cars
and taken, after several delays and slow
travelling, to AndersOnville Prison, Ca,
where we arrived two days later. There
were about 100 of US from different
regiments. Before we entered the stock
ade We were searched, and anything that
could be found upon us Of value was taken
from us-money. clothes, shoes, knives,
and the like. If prisoner had new
pair of shoes they We're taken from him;
sometimes they were even yanked off his
feet; and if the rebel robber had an old
pair they were given in exchange-many
of which lasted but few days or a week
at most; coats were cOnfscated, and the
owner entered the pen in his shirt sleeves.
In some instances. if one happened to be
possessed of q pretty good shirt, that was
exchanged for one tattered and torn! In
many instances money, watches, etc, were
passed slyly down the line, to another pris-
oner. and perhaps recovered by the owner
after he had been put through the search
ing ordeal and had gotten inside Of the
st0ckade. Once inside. We were told off in
attachments of 80 under the charge of a
Sergeant, who was held responsible for
our presence. Roll-eall was had every
morning, and each must be present or ac-
counted for. We were without shelter,
save as q prisoner, now and then, might
bring in a piece of shelter tent or old
blanket, which they would stretch up as
q cover from the burning sun-generally
kinds having generally been used to cook
with. Here were thousands. exposed to
the burning rays of the sun and the pelting
rain, lying upon the ground, or in holes,
like so many woOdchucks. The little
stream that ran through the stockade was
used for washing of all kinds-and for
drinking water as well. The borders of
the stream were alive with yermin, and a
mass of filth. Prisoners could be seen dig
ging for roots. which they ate raw or
cooked in water. without salt. For a few
days We received a chunk of coarse corn
bread, weighing about one pound, for a
days rations; but this did not last long.
We were then given pint Of raw corn
meal, and we had to cook that the best
way we could. My Sergeant was John
Freelove, of the I'd VT, and it was his
duty to draw ratiOns, for which he re-
ceived two rations for himself. About ev-
cry two weeks, or longer, we might get a
piece Of bacon or beef, about half the
length Of two fingers and about as wide
and thick. III We got small bone in 0nr
meat, soup was made with it, keeping it
until next day, then crack it and cook it
again with our corn meal, making a
mighty weak kind of soup, without salt.
Once in two weeks half pint OF small
white beans was given us. The flthiness
and responsiveness of what ] saw men eat
IL not TO be uttered or written for civil
lzed ears or eyes. Men, because of crav-
ings of hunger. ate anything they could
get. They would beg and cry, night and
day, for more TO eat. and many a poor fell
low became crazy from hunger and ex-
posure. One day, when the gate was open,
as the wagon passed out with dead bodies,
q black dog ran in, and in a moment a
hundred men were after him, and those
who could not rise from the ground struck
at him as he passed. He lived only a few
moments. He was literally torn in shreds,
and some did not wait to cook his flesh,
but ate it raw. Every bone was eagerly
sought by starving men. My own hunger
at this time / can not describe. The sights
i beheld no one would believe, unless they
had seen them for themselves.
SCENES IN THE sTOCKADE.
There was among the 20 OO0 nrisonerS