The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-30

ing sketch. enlisted in the Con
 Iederate Service, in the 9th Ala
 oama regiment, as lieutenant. but
 49th Alabama, regiment and later
 promoted to major. and finally to
 Lieutenant Colonel. He was wound-
 and sPe ss Sa.hT aSrnE ffs
 State: military prison; Johnson's
 lslands and there held prisoner
 or war until July. 1865.
 Col. Weeden descended from a
 line of Revolutionary heroes who
 served In old colonial days under
 Washington. One of his ancestors,
 Col Weeden. of the 3rd Virginia
 reRiment, was, after the battle of
 Brandywine. made brigadier gem
 crai. and his brigade was principal.
 the sssssn'at Hessians at Trenaen IT ate capture 0
 Col Weeden filled the chair of
 law at the University of Alabama
 Is now a prominent member of, the
 Florence bar. Florence. Ala
 Some evil genius had suggested the removal. while In front of Atlanta, of Gen. Joseph B. Johnston. that gallant soldier who nothing lacked in soldier ship. except good fortune"
 The disaster at Franklin, Tenn, soon followed, and the morning of Decem- Der 18th, 1864 found our army under General Hood, in front of Nashville vainly resisting an overwhelming force of ths enemy sweeping down on our left flank, and driving our gallant little army from it's intrenchments. The close of the next day,found our army in retreat. much of the fighting that day having been done with the enemy press ing us on the flank, in front and in rear. Numbers were killed. wounded and captured in these two days fight. Those captured were carried back to Nashville. and confined that night in the old penitentiary. and the netx morning were sent on the way to Fort prisoners in the North.
 The greater number of the officers were sent to the United tSates Milf- tary prison on Johnson's Island. When we reached Sandusky Cit, O., we found Lake Erie frozen over, the ice being about thirty inches thick. with the thermometer 25 below zero. We marched three miles over the ice to Johnson's Island. many of the men with cnly the short grey round about" and their feet almost on the ice. My boots were frozen to my feet and had to be cut of. It was thought.I would not be able to walk again, but day or two after. a clever Yankee sergeant of the 12Sth Ohio regiment. brought me pair or nedNy DTOgdn SDOeS, a. SIEc UT too large, but after that I never miss ed a roll call while there. and have never suffered from this terrible ex- perience, which is attributable to the fact that for an hour or more after reaching the prison I stood in tine snow to my knees waiting for my turn to be examined When the sergeant brought; the shoes he offered an apology. saying he knew 1t was the same that we is- k@ UIa t,4 hfFf that 1t was the best his poor govern ment could do. It was the only time while there that I knew of Quarter masters stores being issued to priso- ner, and suspected that they were smuggled In at the instance of some of my comrades. The morning after reaching there. General Sam Moore of of heavy under clothing which was most acceptable, as we came in with only what we had on.
 Johnson's Island. consisting of about 300 acres of land, Is at the mouth of Sandusky Bay, overlooking Lake Erie, three miles from Sandusky City in Ohio. The prison grounds included three acres enclosed by fencs twelve feet high. with a platform on the top for sentinels guarding the prisoners. On this the guard walked day and night. Sometimes they were relieved every half hour on account of the severe cold, as was the case in the winter of 1S64-5. There were from first to last about 15,- 900 prisoners there, and in the winter of 1884 there were 2.000. The build ings were weather boarded on the out side, but neither ceiled nor plastered on the inside, and during severe winds would rock like a ship in heavy gale. On once occasion I remeber the winds were so furious that many. fearing 1t might be blown over, left the building In their night clothes; and that was one time at least, when they showed the white flag fluttering in the breeze. There were thirteen blocks for prisons. each two stories high, guard house. kitchen. and suffers store, where those who were fortunate enough to have friends on the outside who would depos- 1t money for them at headquarters might purchase what they needed by paying high prices. No money was al- lowed to be in the hands of prisoners, though sometimes they managed to smuggle 1t through.
 remember to have seen a young officer from Tennessee. while on the cars, just befor ereaching Sandusky City, with his coat off and busily en- gagged in sowing in the lining of his coat lot of greenbacks, which he had picked up on the battle field. He had a good bark account, If In searching him 1t was not found. but If he was searched as carefully as I was, it cer~ tainly did not escape them. In the small room where each was taken to be searched, Confederate money was thrown on the floor several inches deep. The greenbacks the Federal officer ap- propriated.
 At one time prisoners were allow lowed to have q limited supply of mon- ey in their possession. A friend of mine from Huntsville. Ala, who has several times been Mayor of that beautiful city. for. the time being, be- came an expert at handling cards. It was not long tefore he owned the greater part of the money in prison.