The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1906-04-18
WAR STORIES.
Confederate Soldiers in Northern Prisons.
Gen. 3. W. Duke, in Hone and Farm.

A great deal has been written about
the treatment of the prisoners cap.
turcd on both sides in our Civil war,
and enough has been told to demon
stratc that the lot of the prisoner waE
not pleasant one, that, indeed, the
hardships endured in captivity were
harshcr and harder to bear than those
suffered by the soldier in the field.
I have always believed that a more
heroic fortitudo was required of the
Confederate soldier, subjected TO o
long term of imprisonment, TO remain
faithful to his cause than the severest
strain Of active service demanded.
It is not my purpose, and would,
doubtless, now be inappropriate, to
revive discussion, once so prevalent,
regarding whose fault it was that so
many brave men Of both armies we're
compelled to endure en- incarceration
so tedious and painful, and apparent
ly 80 unnecessary; nor shall allude
to the cruelties which each side &C.
cused the other Of having inflicted.
No one cares now, presume, to listen
to such reoi.als. But many things
could be related of that prison life
which need not arouse unpleasant
memories; many Of its traits and in-
cideuts which could, perhaps, interest
and amusc the readers of today, es-
peoially the devices and expedients by
which the unsortunates sought to for.
get or alleviate the terrible monotopy
aud tedium Of their condition.
The methods by which such diver
sion was obtained were as various as
the tastes and temperaments Of those
who required it, and the multitude Of
recreations their ingenuity invented
is amazing, when the limited oppor-
tunities their confinement permitted
are considered. The more artistic be-.
took themselves to carving a great
number aud variety Of small orna.
ments out of cannel coal and yulcau-
lied rubber; aud the extremely imati
Dative devoted great deal Of time to
writing poetry. Much Of the carving
was excellent, and many articles 80
produced were sold for fairly good
prices. Quite probably the poetry
also was Of S:sh grade, although there
is not much testimony extant to that
effect, and never heard of poem
having been disposed Of at any price.
The poets, however, seemed to enjoy
it very much, no matter how their
work may have been appreciated by
other people. Many prisoners de-
voted themselves to ses!ly serious =na
profitable s::a.aS. 7. wee quite eem-
mon for men, previously entirely ig.
norant Of those languages, 70 acquire in
prison tolerably good acquaintance
with Freaoh aud German, aud. a. the
puIohare Of books was allowed 10 eli
the prisoee, those Who could of ,rd
to buy them might pursue almost any
branch of knowledge shey chose.
Fortunately, no oue-vat least, go ia,
as can remember or am informed
essayed to learn musie.. Nor do I
he!:svo that sIJols would ha75 G55ou
suffered to have procured musical in.
s'ruments for suoh purpose. Even
had the guards aud jailers felt no CON-
Germ for the comfort Of the prisoners,
who would have been compelled to
listen to- the efforts Of the amateurs,
they would. denh..!!ee====, a==== .:s==== sssoaass:y
deai. any such privilege on their
own account. >'.''' !. - -
In suoh prisons as Johnson's Is.
land, Camp Chase, Fort Delaware,
etc., where much open ground was
contained within the enclosures, the
prisoners frequently amused them.
selves With athletic games aud sports.
AT Johuson's Island q fsvorits pass.
time 10 winter was mock battle with
snovbails. Parties would be-, told Oh
Tor the CONTEST aud regularly orgai, &.
ized, officers selected and military
usage observed as closely as possible.
Snow forts and entrenohmenes would
be erected, and the spectators we're
always greatly edited BY; the orthodox
conduct Of the ''generals, Z " who, With
proper dignity and oaus:on, carefully
kept out Of the way of the missiles,
but sent In the ''s.sff''& aud ordered
forward the troops with commsndabia
alasrity, "a ,%, N. ,,sj %5 }s,;;;
In the Ohio penitentiary,. where q
number Of Morgan > officers were con. Dol
faed for several months, these Iopan
air sacreations were OF course imposi.
ssible, and We were forced % resort 3to t
more sedeneary methods. Chess wss