The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-08-09
rHF. FARMER AND MECHANIC

october S.-Ine weather pcS'HS 70
grow very cold, but as yet we are al
lowed no fires. and I have but a single
and Indifferent blanket The only
means of keeping the blood in circula-
ton is by walking up and down the
damp pen, in the day time, like horses
in a tread-mill. At night, for the
same dancing is gotten up in
the divisions to the tune of two or
three old cracked violins that have,
some how Or other, found their way
in here.
One of the most disagreeable fea-
lures Of this prison life is the utter
liability of securing a moment of
privacy for any urp whatever.
Still, it is doubtless preferable to that
horrible solitary confinement to which
SO many of our prisoners have been,
at times, subjected.
I had the privilege of hearing the
noble Liturgy Of our church read, and
most elegantly read, today, by Mr..
kinsolvin.
october 14.-By special invitation. l
delivered a lecture before the officers
today in division room No. %. l had
a very large and attentive audience, to
which 1 was by Brighten.
Vance, of our own State. L have every
reason to be greatly gratified by my
success. My subject was Moral
Progress"
October 16-Attended Episcopal ser
vices.
october 1S-Received today what /
stood sadly in need ola box of cloth
ing from my kind friend, Thomas At
kinson, of Baltimore.
The reception of this clothing sug-
gests to me some other features of our
interior discipline, which [ have not
heretofore given.
When clothing arrives, the box con-
tanning it is opened by a Yankee SER
onont of tho ~ 700 onfo on6 &c
prisoners are allowed but a single
suit, they are required to denude them
selves in the open air and leave their
c~ast-off clothes, behind. The discard
ed garments are taken and issued to
the p~rivates. If any of the recipients
garments are at all presentable, he is
not allowed to have the corresponding
new article sent, but it is confiscated
by the authorities. Fortunately my
whole attire was so d~ilapidated that l
was permitted to receive everything
but a pair Of shoes.
When money is sent, the letter is
opened, CAS-, of course, all letters are,)
outside, the remittance taken out, and
it's equivalent issued in suffers checks,
varying in denomination from 5 cents
to $1.00-a percentage, Yankee like,
being retained by the money sergeant
for the trouble of SO converting it. No
prisoner is allowed to have money, as
~ " \ 1Io l. III
kee officials may be venal.
The receipt Of provisions is positive
ly nadmissible Otherwise l should
fare much better, as l have had sew
eral generous offers of boxes, if the
authorities would consent.
The insolence of the sentinels is
sometimes very annoying. Those, par
ticular1y, who ave never been ito the
'front.' and nave imbibed nom of that
consideration for the sufferings and
privatiOns Of others which soldiers in
the field ordinarily acquire, are rude,
harsh and unfeeling. They have the
most stringent Instructions to shoot
for the minutest violation Of regula-
tions-under which, ordinarily, they
are not slow to enforce. But a few
weeks since, a Colonel Jones, of Vir-
ginia, was killed for some trivial mis-
apprehension Of the rules. He was
halted by the sentinel, but, being
very deaf, he did not hear the chal-
lenge and was summarily shot.
l have hitherto mentioned that no
communication is allowed between Of
ficer and private. But this restriction
is often lngeniOuSly c~Ontravened. AS
their respective barracks adioin. it is
a common practice, when a sentinel's
back is turned, for one or the other
to tie a note around a stone and
throw it over the intervening wall.
Whoever picks it up delivers it to the
party to whom it may be addressed.
October 19.-The 9Th Massachusetts,
which has heretofore been guarding
us, left today-its term of service hav-
ing expired. Their place has been
supplied by the 9th Delaware, a regi-
ment Of hundred days men.
October 2O.-There was an accession
Of some forty officers to our umbe
today. Every such arrival is greeted
with intense interest, as it affords
some opportunity of hearing from tho
South and possibly from relatives and
friends.
october 24.-My heart was gladden.
ed today by an unexpected letter from
my wife, bringing the happy tidings
that my dear ones were all well. No
words can describe the joy and relief
which l experienced, as no
can portray the depression and anxiety
under which I have heretofore labor
ed. Indeed, at intervals. so Intense