Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-10-21
.Fourth Of JulY In q Rebel Prison.


war veteran of Westerly, Rhode Isl
and, who was in war times George
3. Carpenter, a sergeant in Company
D of the 9TH infantry regiment from
that state, and was a prisoner OF
war for some months. He sends me
an article from the Westerly Sun,
which contains an interesting &C
count of q celebration Of our national
birthday under circumstances not so
very favorable for making merry. !
suspect that some Of the old fellows
who read this, and who were at one
time or another guests Of the John
MES, may recall similar exhibitions OF
patriotism when and where it cost
something to be patriots. Following
is the story:
In a Rebel stockade.
In the summer Of 1864 more than
1900 line officers Of the union army,
prisoners Of war. were huddled in a
small Enclosure on the outskirts Of
Macon, Ga. Their condi ion, however,
while wretched in the extreme, bore
no comparison to that o fthe 10000
enlisted men within the fetid pen at
Andcreonvillc. a few miles away,
where brave souls to the number OF
from 100 to 200 persisted daily.
For days echoes of Shermans guns,
as that warrior was slowly advancing
toward doomed Atlanta, were heard
with genuine interest and pleasure by
the prisoners. all of whom constantly
INDUCED in the fond hope, which,
long deferred had made the heart
sick, that the day of rescue and de
Iivcrance from living deah was now
close a hand.
It was early on the morning Of July
4, during the customary ceremony OF
counting the prisoners, COTralled in
the lower part of the pen as Drelim-
mary for that purpose, that a scene
transpired which for feryOr and eXalt-
ed pa 'riO.ism was never surpassed,
No more enthusiastic Rally Around
the Flag had ever before been made
nor ever viii be. The prisoners were
suddenly reused to the highest pitch
of excitement by the totally uneXpect-
ed display of a tiny silk American tlas
which my companion, Captain Harry
H. Todd Of The Eigh New Jersey
regiment drew from the lining of his
tattercd blouse, where he had long
sccretcd il. and held aloft, writes J.
Madison Drake in the Newark Call.
The little silken color was no soon
er observed by the dense crowd than
cloud reaching cheers made the wei
kin ring and sent the confederate
Home Guards in the adjoining arm,
scurrying to their arms, which they
quickly and tremblingly seized, fear.
ing an emeute AS Captain Todd
waved the treasured relic above the
neads of the men who closely sur
rounded him, Adutant Jules Lombard
of an Illinois cavalry regiment (re-
Gently deceased), a famous vocalist
before the war and long after, in
sptred by the occasion, broke out
with oh, say can you see? His eX,
ceptfonally fine baritone voice pene,
trated to the camp outside, adding to
the fear ana confusion of the armed
confederates.
Louder and louder swelled the ma
tional anthem. the chorus being rem
dered with mighty power, producing
an enervating influence on the minds
of the excl ed and frightened confed
crates Tears coursed copiOusly down
the cadayerous cheeks of the half
starved prisoners, as, singing with
holy enthusiasm, they grasped each
others hands in warm and hearty
clasp and made the camp echo with
cheers that froze the fretful hear OF
the bewildered Home Guards who
mounting the s-ockade overlooking
the pen dOubIe-shitted the pieces OF
artillery and breathlessly awaited the
command of their officers to open fire
upon defenceless men possessed OF
no rights which the guards thought
themselves bound to respect
Song followed song-Columbia, the
Gem of the Ocean. the Battle Cry OF
Freedom. We are Coming, Father
Abraham. 100000 More until
strong force of infantry, with bayo
nets fixed and leveUed, marched brisk
lv into the Enclosure, threatening eN
termination Of the prisoners unless
they ceased singing and resumed their
wOnted quiet
But no threats of punishment OF
abuse could deter US from tndulging
in the eFewescence of JOY we all
felt. and if forcitbly stopped at one
point he grand refrain was sure &c
he taken m at another. 1t gave us
intense satisfaction to witness the
anger of the confederates and to hear
the curses of the southern Officers as
they yainly enCeavored to check the
glorious refrain. which affected then
very much as a red flag is suppose,
to madden and irritate a Spanish bull
A p~oracted search for the faE
nrnyfng unavailing, the confederate.
withdrew from the yard. whereupo1
the prisoners repaired within the ole
fair building FUSED as hOspital( ant
continued their iollifcation. to the tor
men of the guards on the stockade
who stood swe1tering beneath the
burning rays of an almost tropica
sun. Here for a time the prisoner
eove vent to the great Joy they fel
~ he fngnsra ion of the day the,
ra7 haa, taught to esteem as holy
~ ;~-,,1-;,,r~ =; patriOfir SnppcheS