The National tribune., 1910-01-27

by oxen, and driven by man who said
he was detailed to remain at home TO
work at the trade of shoemaker. He
said that all able-bodied men were IN
the army and that those who had trades
were detailed to work at their trades.
On our arrival at Verona we were fed
and fixed for the night as comfortably
as possible and the next morning start
ed for Mobile. Arriving there in due
time, we were taken to the Moore
House CFederal) Hospital, which we
found occupied by the wounded who
were taken on the ill-fated Guntown
expedition, under Gen. Sturgis. We had
q fine place, and having been in prison
in the South in '62, 1 was in hopes that
we could spend the whole term of our
Imprisonment there. But alas for all
such hopes, Commodore Farragut SAIL
ed into the bay one fine day and that
terminated our stay there. On Aug.
8 we were put on board steamer and
sailed for Cahaba, Ala.
Castle Morgan, as the prison at that
place was called, was an old cotton
shed on the banks of the Alabama
River, 1913 feet long and 116 wide.
1t was occupied by about $500 Union
prisoners. Some of our number were
taken to the hospital maintained in
connection with the prison. Those able
to walk went directly to the prison. L
had been shot thru the lungs, but was
lDle TO Walk, lNeItIOIc ulu HOl 81
20 the hospital.
In November we were told that an
exchange had been effected for 10000
sick at Charleston, s. c. OF course, all
that were in the hospital were included.
The doctors came to the prison and eX-
hmined quite a number, ! among them.
As I was quite pale in consequence of
my wound, had no difficulty in being
passed as sick. We left Cahaba on
boat, went up the river to Montgomery,
and j am quite certain that Comrade
Pirkle and / were fellow-passengers on
that trip. Thence we went TO Macon,
ria., where we were put into small
blockade that had been erected since
Dur Imprisonment there in so.
The Agricultural Hall of the Bibb
County Fair Grounds was included in
this stockade. Floral Hall was in an
pther and adjoining stockade, and was
used in "a as a prison for refractory
Confederates; in '62 it was used as
prison hospital How long we remain
ed at Camp Oglethorp-the prison at
Macon-I am unable TO say. We sup
posed We were en- route to Charleston
when we arrived at Macon, and were
cut off from there by Gen. Sherman's
army on its march to the sea, hence
pur confinement there. Some Of Sher-
mans bummers, who came there as
prisoners, were not in as debiltated a
condition as we were, and at once be-
gan planning to escape. A tunnel was
dug from the middle of the hall, reach
Ing outside the stockade, and all was
ready for them to go, when somehow
the rsbel authorities found out what
was going on, filled up the tunnel, and
next day sent US TO Andersonville.
We had heard of this prison and
were in no hurry to reach it. On our
arrival Capt Wirz had us drawn up in
line near the entrance, and our names,
company, regiment, date and place of
capture, etc, were taken. One of our
number was German from the Faith
srland. As Capt. Wirz spoke broken
English, / suppose he thought TO curry
favor with him by speaking German.
As he did so Wirz dropped his pencil
and book, sprang at his throat like a
DOG and threw him to the foot of the
little hill on which we were standing.
and calling him all the vile names i'm
tginable, told him to talk English. 7
suppose DR.. Kerr would call this case
Df pellagra. We finally reached the en-
trance and were admitted to the prison,
md there remained until after the as
Iassination of President Lincoln.
At AndersonviHe.
As we reached the gale what a sight
met our gael About 5000 dirty.
ragged, starved-looking men. faces in
10 by the pine smoke, were gathering
about the gate to welcome the fresh
Ash" a sight the like of which fixes
itself so indelibly on the mind as TO
never be eradicated. As We entered the
hrst question was: What do you hear
about exchange?" Exchange had been
the all-absorbng topic. and continued
TO be until the last of the prisoners left
there.
Andersonville. at the time of which
I speak. was not so crowded as it had
been during the Summer before. 1t had
at one time been entirely emptied. but
as soon as II became apparent that
Gen. Sherman would not go there 10
liberate the prisoners, some that had
been taken elsewhere were returned
and others were added until the num-
br reached over 5000.
One day we heard some cheering in
the camp of the guards near the prison,
and, having heard that President Lin
coin and Gen. Grant had been assas-
sinated at a theater in Washington, and
later that Gen. Grant had not attend
ed the theater, and. therefore. has es-
capped. / felt that possibly II had some
thing to do with our removal l had
but little doubt where We were 10 go.