Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1908-04-18
PRISON LIFE.
Letter Written in 1864 by Capt. Porter
to Mai. George Vanderbilt Appears

Like voice out of the past, let
ter written in 1854 by union prls-
oner at Charleston, s. c., has come 10
light. which tells graphically OF the
sufferings of the men confined in the
confederate prison there. 1t was
found among the effects of the late
Mai. George Vanderbilt, U. 8. A, who
died in Washington last August Mai
Vanderbilt's son, George Vanderbilt,
of this city, deciphered the document,
which is written on scrap of paper
in a penciled hand so small that II
requires a magnifying glass to read It.
The letter was written by Capt Bur-
ton B. Porter of G company, Tenth
New York cavalry. Capt. Porter IN
| the early stages of the war was first
lieutenant of L company and close
| friend of Mai. Vanderbilt, at that
time the commander of company L.
The letter he wrote to Capt Wander
| bilt from the prison follows:
Charleston, S. c., Sept. %, 1864
| Friend Van-Yours of the 31st OF
| August came to hand day or two
since and is the only one 1 have re-
| ceived since I have been in the con-
federacy You can hardly conceive
| how glad I was to hear from you. Of
| Capt. Page know nothing, and / think
he must be dead or in the hospital
| Tell Jim Reynolds l am happy to
| learn of his promotion. Our boys are
| all well except Bliss, who is in the
| hospital, but getting better. 1 send
this via underground in a gumboat
| mans boat.
God only knows when 1 will gel
away from here. We are half starved
1 n
one of the number) are almost always
hungry Our rations have been GU
down of late. The ''Rebs'' are gettins
very respondent, and some of the
citizens tell us that the people here
were never so low in spirits as a
present. Old men and little boys arr
guarding u.s. We are under Foster
fire night and day, and once in abou
20 minutes a shell comes screechin'
over u.s. Some pieces have strucl
the building and in the yard.
Fifty cases of yellow fever in tn
city this morning. No cases amon
the prisoners that I know of. Tw
thousand officers and 10000 enliste
men are confined here. The enliste
men are dying fast. They are onl
half fed. with no shelter. My Coo
Van, to be in one continual fight da
and night is heaven to this miserabl
prison life,
want you to do me a favor by blu!
ing up all the @'Reb' money you ca
and send it to me, which will at lea:
prevent me from starving. My healt
is anything but good, but I hope
, live it through. Tell Pratt, Jim Re
nolds and any of the boys, to writ
: who is killed wounded, etc.
The "'Rebs" look to the election
I Mac for, president with great anxiet
For the country's sake re-elect Al
n Lincoln, and it will be just the thir
the "Rebs'' don't want. Their la
l. armies are in the field. Clean the
g out and the rebellion is played OIL
l, Moray, johnson, Getman and all a
in this place. They did not oscar
q Ny respects to all.
Il When you take a drink think
. me. Remember me to all, and g.
IS grant that you and 1 may meet aga
some day George, are you going o
v of the service when your time is u
III Has Seeker been back to the re
ment yet? You told me last spri
about him. Read this letter to all 4
IS boys and acquaiutances.
n Capt. Porter was taken prisoner
d. the battle of ST. Mary's church
t. Virginia Twice he broke through t
a confederate lines but was recaptur'
III On the third attempt he succeeded
OF joining Gen. Sherman's army on F.
e ruary 81, 1865.