The National tribune., 1910-07-28

they huddled us all into the round
! house. We lay there day and night
without half enough to eat We were
a daH and night getting to Charlotte.
and next day until night before rations
were given to us. We were then hus-
tied on the cars and started for Rich
mond again.
while at Charlotte both sick and
well had to lie out on the wet ground.
Four of our men died there from that
nights exposure. 1t was heartrending
to hear the sick and dying groan in
that cherries place. lady there sent
provisions to our sick. But how could
/ one lady feed nearly 200 sick men,
even if she had the provisions? Nobody
seemed disposed to help this one to do
anything for us. We begged for a
house to put our sickest men in. those
only that were likely to die, but it was
denied us.
I'VE finally arrived at Richmond,
Va, and were treated a little better
than ever we were before by our enc
mics. We had splendid wheat bread
and fresh beef with soup and plenty of
1t. We were prescribed for there and
got some medicine. We stayed there
two days, and were exchanged on Oct.
| Is by parole. We We're sent to Aiken's
| Landing, on James River, in spring
wagons. old carriages and mule wagons
with beds on for hauling stone. The
well men footed 1t down. We were put
| aboard the boat just at night, and it
was there that we began to realize what
real kindness is. The officers and men,
as well as the sailors, seemed to try
to outdo each other in contributing to
our comfort. We were badly jaded by
our long trip on the cars, it being near
ly 900 miles from Macon to Richmond,
the way we Travelled. We arrived at
Washington on Oct 81. The sick were
distributed around to different hospi
tails in the city. while the well were
sent to Alexandria. This is as far as
know concerning the rest of the prison.
ers. There are only few of us at this
hospital.
"I must not forget to tell you of the
devoted kindness OF Dr. HeZekiah Fisk,
of IndianoIa, Iowa, who, when the COM
miSsioned officers were sent away to
Madison, stayed back with us to nurse
the sick. He deserves the lasting graft
tude of every man of us. We were at
tended by two rebel doctors. one named
HinkIe and the other named Quarter
man. They were gentlemen and pretty
good doctors, but they had no medf-
cines suitable for our diseases, and they
honestly told us SO, and that they were
not allowed half enough such as 1t was.
II found all kinds of men down in
that country, good, bad and indifferent,
Dut the Ddu Stiy hC
conscript law is working terrible hard
ships in the South. There were men
put on guard over us who had to be
chained to prevent them from desert
ing and going back to their families.
They would let us escape whenever they
got a chance. These conscripts hate
Jeff Davis most cordially. One of them
was put in Jail In Macon for safekeep-
ing The citizens became enraged and
threatened to turn him out, when all
at once he was spirited away by the
rnilitary-nobody knew where.
There Is very little cotton in the
South this year, but a good deal of
corn. There are about 20 acres, /
should think. planted in corn this year,
to where there was one in previous
years. The planters estimate the yield
at IL bushels to the acre. There is no
wheat at all, the wheat crop being a
total failure all over the South. Flour
was s45 per barrel in Georgia, bacon
so to IS cents per pound, sweet pota-
toes from $3.50 to SO per bushel, but
ter Is cents per pound, eggs so cents
per dozen, chickens IS cents apiece,
green figs one cent apiece, peaches
(green) SO and 81 per bushel, apples
only to be had by the dozen, boots and
shoes and all articles of clothing sell
at incredible prices. A pair of boots of
good Quality will sell as high as $50 in
Shinplasters. Shoes worth So to $40
per pair. Our dress coats would sell at
S12 and SIS In the prison yard.
But am tired of writing and sup
pose you are of reading, so l will close
by assuring you that I am, as ever,
your affectiOnate sOn-James Pike.