Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-08-12


hunting escaped prisoners. A pack con-
sisted OF twelve hounds. Some Of the
prisoners tunneIfed out of the camp, but
those who did were not sure of their free /
dom, as the hounds would soon be on I
their track. One man escaped at
O'Clock in the night, had not gone more
than so rods when be was pursued and /
took refuge in q small tree. The guard I
shook him down and the dogs were al
lowed to tear him in pieces. 1t was so
near the camp that the cries and shrieks
OF the wretched man and the baying of
the hounds were plainly heard. Many, |
when retaken by the dogs, died in a
short time OF their wounds; others were
confined ia a dungeon, constructed for
that purpose, five or six at a time. An
other method Of punishment was putting
them in chains, sometimes combining ass
many as is together. This was called
chain gang. The manner of combining
them was this: A ring was fastened
around a mans neck and fastened to the
chain; then, ia about two feet another
was fastened and so on. l have known
twelve men confined together in this
way. Their feet were also chained to-
gether and each man had a 12-pound ball
attached to one Of his ankles. There was
also 64-pound ball in the center, con-
nected with the foot chains. 1 know Of
one man being confined in this manner
and dying in the chains, and Wirz knew
the man was sick. One day a man being
near the gate and knowing that Capt.
Wirz was outside, called his name several
times, as be had something to cOmmuni-
cate. wirz called to the guard to shoot
him, which was done, killing him in
stantly.
''On the 5th of June / was taken from
the prison and Pot to work in the bakery.
l will try and describe the rations in
general way:-The beef would be
chopped and boiled. Each man was to
receive one-third of q pound, but often
after 1t Vas boiled it did not weigh two
ounces, and sometimes ali bone at that,
but as general thing, would weigh
about four ounces. Sometimes the meat
was bacon and when boiled the grease
was barreled and sent away, thus de-
frauding them of their small share of
that. In case there was not bread
enough, they prepared what was called
mush, which was never more than half
cooked, being one Of the worst things for
the men, situated as they were. Rice
was not prepared any better and beans
were never cooked at to be eaten, and
often with so much filth that l can think
Of no comparison suitable, being mixed
with dirt, gravel, stones. etc. Il is al
most impossible to give description OF
the bread; II was baked sometimes, but il
il did not chance to be done when they
: wished to refill the oven, it was all the
same, so il was seldom at to eat from moi
being half cooked, besides the iies being
; so numerous that they formed q larg'
part of the compound.
son the night Of the 18th Of Septem
2 Der, ran away from the bakery in com
: pany with another prisoner. We ran thu
= picket and succeeded in making cur es
' cape. We travelled in q northeasterly di
rection, being out eight days and nights
: travelling only at night. We had &C
: within ten or twelve miles OF Columbus
< when we were overhauled by a pack o
n hounds and delivered ourselves up L
. their masters. the home militia of Colum
e bus city. We were taken TO Macon, Ga.
/, and remained six weeks, where we fare,
= better than in any other camp where vi
: were imprisoned.
s "From Macon we were moved to Cam
+ Laddon, an enclosure OF twelve acres lik
I AndersonviIle, with a stockade, through
4 which ran a stream which kept the cam
! quite clean. There was no shelter OF an
: kluQ. COru mcal was ISSUED ana "
d cooked our own rations. The grange
4 ments we're about the same as at Ander
}, sonville. II was worse for the men o.
J. one account, as the weather grew colder
II with cold rain storms. There was n
II shelter for the sick except a few cid tent
u that were no protection during q rain
During one OF these cold rains, ! sa'
/, three sick men lying on the ground q
d one time. who remained in this situatio
n until they died, and hundreds OF other
Is persisted in the same way. Lice were s
e exceedingly numerous that many sic
7, died from that cause, being unable (
y rid themselves Of tbs vermin. Their
>. we're men still living with the cords c
II neck and arms laid bare by the lice. On
l. would also see hundreds standing arouD
g with legs swollen three times the usus
n size and perfectly black. This was tn
r effect of scurvy, and men in this cond
d ton died in few days.
sin consequence of the want Of men i
4 the Southern service, they invented way
II and means to induce the prisoners to TAX
oath OF allegiance. To effect this, the
Is rations we're often withheld for as hours
y then they would call out q squad Of me
p and try by every means possible to max
ID them enter the service of their Confedei
Is acy.
il 81 was removed from there to Savar
s nah, Ca, paroled and sent through Ii
of lines the 26th Of November, 1854"