The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1909-06-14

'bomb-proof' inside the works
the previous night f0~- :"
ing) the most Of t. State lhnfai,
moved to the main works. and a
few minutes afterward a Yankee |
was seen going into one end of the |
bomb-proof with a torch, and was
warned by a prisoner not to ap-
proach that place with fire, as
there was powder in there; to
which he replied with an oath, 1
am going to see what you id
Rebs have in there. So in he
went, and in a second a fearful
explosion occurred, killing two
or three hundred Yankees (most-
ly negroes) and several OF our
own poor boys, including my
brother-in-law, the brave Lieut..
VIM. r. Buie, who, having been
wounded in the attack on the
Fort, was left with other of the
wounded, awaiting transportation
to the hospital; Ind was never
seen nor heard of after The eXplo-
sion. He was fromRladen coun-
ty. The Yankees at first thought
the explosion was caused by an
electric wire from across the riv-
er, in the hands of the Confeder-
ates, and threatened to execute
as many prisoners as they had
killed in the bomb-proof; but as q.
certalning the cause, they found
that it was the result of Var
kee recklesSness, and we heard no
more of it.
"On Thursday we left the be-
loved shores of our native State
: for a Northern prison, and were
soon in the throes of that terrible
malady - sea- sickness - from
which one of our boys died on
Friday afternoon. His name was
Dan Mcneil, son of ex-Sheriff
McNeill, Of Cumberland county.
! He was a general favorite in the
} command, and the writer minis
tered to him as to a brother.
When he died, so great was the
5 fear of his comrades that his
: body would be cast overheard
t that his death was kept from the
: knowledge of the captain anC
: crew until we reachedPointLook
2 out, our place of confinement
e where we were guarded on the
I outside wall of the prison by ne
: groes, who had no regard for {
h prisoners life; but had white
g guards on the inside who treated
e US much better.
e AS to rations, we got one
q small loaf of bakers bread, {
: tiny piece of beef or pork, and a
t. pint of slop called soup-this fo
{. one day. Soap was NOR
II plentiful, and if you wanted t.
hear fellow 'cuss', just sa,
l here is your soap, instead O
:. your bread. There was a goo
II deal of bartering done tobacco
a bread and toast-water coffee
7, but little demand for soap. Gu
" boys made many little trinkets
n such as rings from buttons, som
to of which, with beautiful gCl
n, sets, sold for $40 as souvenir
ID of the Rebel prisoners. Watc
lr guards made of horse hair wef
re also durable and pretty, fans {
se white pine, toothpicks of bone
he and various other little thing
n occupied some of our weary M
at ments during our prison life
re We were captured on Janual
n 18th, '65, and held as prisoner
until the 4th day of June follow
ne ing.
G. Respectfully,
or J. Evander Afford,
he Rowland, N. C.
lie | am proud to be instrument
ay in forwarding to you the abo'
~ "reminiscences, and wish ever
ny surviving veteran would give
u. u through the press his own pc
W sonal experience. So much
seI interest to coming generation
l and so many deeds of gallant
ho which should form Southern hi
!, tory are already buried in s.
ID Ia diers' graves, never to be resU
pt. rected or recorded, which is
ng fact to be deplored; and now
m Ino would plead with the few ]
W. mLlo naming veterans to give US tn
eV- tI war history. Don't hesitate
Imlle m cause Of false modesty, nor
re- sense of inability to write
"a a grand style of fowery spee'
iea ! f we just want it in your O
i ~ u "everyday" language, and if
tc' &C. old and shaky 20 WELD a p'
'to; y, you just sit down and dictate q
Ieo l have one of the children
Clle grandchildren do the writing.
, up No news in the Fork, exc
,.,il In abundance Of rain. Farmers
olly busy harvesting grain, and so
o;ls M of them are blowing in peas
Wy day in the stubble lands, it
9Clc 9 ing too wet to plow in the gr'
oge ing crops. Cotton has b
Pll, growing rapidly of late afte
s slVg long stubborn spell of slit
'peo fiat on the ground. Corn,
is looking we'll, and some of
we're t7,,e neighbors are beginning
I two ~ clay by.
i liere The Mr.. McCallum referre'
'i1en 1e in Mr.. Affords sketch abov,
ell9 the interesting correspondent
aceo d; The Robesonian, whose lette
ne lerli enjoy, and would gladly
e d come more frequently
:, ,o,o +ho "Aunt Becky
re of Old FORK, N. w. June o.
some -----
,esti- Women who Are Envied