The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-13

customers On ono occasion I ives
making display OF my "taffy," which.
caught the eye OF negro guard, and
assuming very proud ana pompous
etitude, said How much for your
tsfty? Realizing that had good
customer told him to take the whole
loe for a greeneack dollar. Thrusting
his fingers in the little leather pouch
on MIS- belt, ne threw me down the bill
ana hade ne move on lively before III.
captain OF the guard saw me, That
dollar was fortune TO me 1 pro-
ceeaed Immediately 10 the sutlers'
tent and LAID me in a good euppiy,
from which l made myself ana tent
mates happy. Our camp. as have
SAID, wsE laid or with streets and
trenches TO drain the camp. About ten
ieet from the pRrapet wall was a
trench. designated az the dead line
NO prisoner was allowed 70 go beyond
In my cracker box house were seven
men. One was an old soldier. who had
oeen 10 prison over twelve months at
ihat limo, and who had given ND all
hopes OF ever being paroled. and had
become disconsoiate, ragged. dirty and
shitueas, his clothes tattered and torn
from long service without chang.
Fortunately he had friend in tho
North, who had learned OF his i'm.
prisonmen, and sent him box. in
when was suit OF clothes two pairs
OF socks and a, few twists Of home
made tobacco. Not having the energy
70 apply for II himself, ! volunteered
70 go myself and get II SO I exchanged
eiothes with him and proceeded to
Inc once 10 get II An amusing In
cident occurred. l had to assume his
name. When the time came for ma 10
sign HIS name came In an ace OF
slenins my own name. Had done
SO would have been severely punish
ed j viii never forget how was
tantalized. The garh presented nv
SELF In seemed u be the most inter
est!ns scene that the officers had aver
seen. They ordered me to divest n,vseIf
AFTER which they took a pitchfork and
threw my clothing in garbage tuh
saving at the same time. that they
We're not in the grayback business. or
making homemade soap. or mapufao-
turing paper.
NO prisoners, through the very great
hihohess OF the commandments, were
allowed TO go outside the camu IN de-
tail 10 cut wood. whitewash bu,ld,nrs
unload boats. etc. etc, and when
acquisition was made for a certai,
hummer OF men to go outside. a thous-
ana men would rush for the gate. all
eager 10 get extra rations for thar
work. On one occasion I was In a de-
tan OF 100 20 help unload larre ho,,
ioaoed with rstions for the prisoners
IN which were hard tack. picked pork.
suesF ana coffee; beans, vegetables
oried for soup. picked beef. etc. etc.
vi course. there were ALWAYS euardz
TO watch our n,anoeuvres. The nrov,s
IONS mad TO he carried from the boat
20 me commssary, a distance Of 400
or 800 yards. and the opportunitv ~
hank was catering. The prisoners
TOOK advantage OF st by going into
cracker box or opening a barrel ~
sugar and coffee and anything also
,hey couid DO. On this occasion thew
hao supplied Themselves with more
man extra rations, not suspecttno
the keen-eyed guards Evsrv,hins
was working lovely. as we thought
ana every rebel had his breeches leg
ana pockets full. like a frog sating
shot' too heavy to move All thInys
were as merry a. a marriage hell. with
bright anticipa.ions OF a feast uh.n
we went back to camp. But when ,ha
time came for march they formsd ms
IN ,"o-rank Ale and marched ug I'M
WITHIN twenty PAGES OF the gate. Tho
pru'nh was matted. with the command.
sn., iace' The officer OF the day
rode up, and down the line. see,ne ,ha,
we took the position OF a soIdier
with drawn sword, he gave tho
command to shake rags. slenca
reiGned supreme for few minutes
ana then the captain gave the sama
command. the prisoners still remain
me perfectly silent. Finally. With n
broad smite OH his face. he gave the
otoer to take off your trousers and
dissorse. which we proceeded Ia dr.
according to the command. each noa au
In rotation. That vas done by turn
ing our pants upside down In order
that what was In the pockets and legs
would tumble out
Now. Just ina CINE the result Tbere
were In one pile a mass of every erti-
Gle that was unloaded from the boat
ana which made heap as big as a
hosshead, which the boys looked ct
very wistfuly and with MANY regrets
so we marched back into camp sad
der but wiser specimens Of human
nature and disappointed ragainuffins.
so 1t was with all the prisoners who
had been suffering for over twelve
months. almost transformed into a
state Of total depravity; nothing to
cheer them or console them.
In the first establishment oe the
prison camp sixteen men were as
signed to one tent, and during nv
nrst winter and in prison. vas
thrown in company with prisoners
from every nation. Kindred and tongue.
and while on variety of discussions.
mainly on how to get something to
eat, and how to make IT conform to
meeting our appetites. some would eat
the whole days ration at one meal,
and the more prudent would divide 1t
into two or three meals, have seen
men eat anything that they could
lay their hands on. On one occasion
when the tile on the bay was high 1T
brought ashore an old sea gull"
which had been dead for month or
more. picked UP by a hungry old rebel
and devoured with gusto that would
have made a modern cpIcure ashamed