The National tribune., 1905-11-16

OI ITO RSTSOEldl pEOuOuH 6QQ Bp0dH
more or less OF personal memories.
For this reason the present attempt
will be somewhat Of the character de-
scribed by the Greek warrior and his
torian, Xenophon, who "set out to write
Of matters, much Of which he saw and
a part of which he was" Naturally, q
person should be best fitted to portray
events in which he has had most ex-
perience, and. SO, as my army exper-
fence was of less than II months dur
alton, while my prison experience was
OF more than 26 months endurance, the
latter topic is selected. It will be my
effort to steer clear Of romance and
effort to hide the atrocities perpetrated
upon Union prisoners, nor lay too
heavy blame upon the Southern people
who, through despotic military rule,
were forced into the enactment Of trag-
edies OF frightful import.
More Than Two Years imprisonment.
Unimpeachable history estimates the
fact that many tragedies were enacted
upon hapless prisoners during the war,
numbers Of which were needless and
some Of fiendish design. AS 1t fell to
from Dec. 26, 1862, until March 4, 1866.
and being confined in nearly a dozen
different places, it may not seem pre-
sumptuous for me to claim that my op-
portunities for observation were above
the average. Individual hardships
We're frequent enough, and numerous
instances Of personal indignities were
experienced, but the great tragedies
which appalled, the civilized world were
those enacted upon the thousands who
were huddled in Libby Prison, Belle
Isle, Andersonville, Salisbury, Millen
and Florence, and other places where
large numbers were confined.
nIrcn {nrY An nk c&NI>
lished in my mind the Judgment that 40
years Of reflection and historical re-
search has not reversed, that many Of
the atrocious acts were not the result
Of circumstance or necessity, but of
malignant and fiendish design. But
whatever Of brutality was enacted may
not rightfully be charged to the people
at large Of the seeded States. We
must go beyond them and seek the
guilty perpetrators, or instigators,
among the leading class, most Of whom
belonged in the list of pampered in
CRATES upon whom the Government had
bestowed unusual favors and honors.
At Jackson, Miss.
Before the war of 1861-'65 much
stress was laid upon the chivalric and
hospitable character Of the people Of
mitting much upon that claim, for
many instances Of kindly impulse, Of
considerate treatment and chivalric
trust in the honor Of unfortunate cap
tiVes came under my observation, but
in all instances these qualities devel-
oped in localities remote from the
rebel Capital. At Jackson, Miss, where
one Of my early experiences was had,
our treatment was humane and liberal.
1t often happened that 10 or IL men
would be permitted to stroll about town
on pleasant evenings with only one
guard, and he paying little attention to
his charge, only asking that they be
back in time for taps. Be it said to
the credit of our boys that these con-
fidences were not betrayed, but were
reciprocated far as possible. A num-
Der of escapes were effected during my
stay there, but always while the guards
were on duty in full force. Further
more, we were fully fed, as we were in
Mobile, where I afterwards turned up
as the outcome of an escape from jack
son. was there permitted to call upon
Gen. Mackall, and was received with
much courtesy and kindly good wishes
by him.
At Jackson some officers Of a Georgia
regiment visited us, and one OF the Cap
tainS insisted upon my going to his
camp. outside the city. to be his guest
until the then high stage OF water in the
streams should subside, when he could
put me in q safe way to escape TO the
Federal lines. His kindly and sincere
hospitality was rejected with thanks, as
the air was full OF rumors of speedy ex-
change for all OF US. These rumors,