The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1912-05-31

SctneI on inc streets 81 the prison. they would be
fired upon by sentinel and one of them killed
or wounded The most innocent mistake would
cost someone his life
All the Free Masons and Odd Fellows were
domicied in barracks to themselves. All the
loyal men, or those who had petitioned for
the oath OF allegiance, or to join the Federal
army were stored away to themselves. We
mean those who had asked to be permitted TO
fight against their homes
The loyal men were the Benedict Arnolds
OF the Confederacv and were small in number
The great body OF prisoners determined to rot
and perish upon the altar OF their country rather
than betray or desert their comrades. Like the
Romans, who declared that while the Colisse-
um stands Rome will stand and when the Col
sseum falls Rome will fall 80 declared our boys
in prison while Richmond stands the Con
federacy vii stand; when Richmond falls, the
Confederacy will fall = and they resolved to rath-
er die as martyrs to the cause of the South and
to the Stars and Bars
An application TO Join the Yankee army had
to be made in writing to Lieutenant Fife. When
a prisoner was seen to enter that office, VIC
knew he would be tranferred to the loyal row."
He would try to keep il a secret but his sneak
ing vlainous presence his hang-dog air and
men, invariably betrayed his treachery, and his
comrades would look at him as though they were
viewing corpse The traitor feeling his shame
ana 0cgTdudllOn would SldUu lSOldlCO dHu dl'HN
with his cap drawn over his eyes, or lie in his
bunk until summoned to retaurn to headquarters
and thence to the loyal and deserters row..
The three barracks composing this row were
looked upon by the boys in gray with more scorn
and hatred than we're the negro soldiers or the
Federals We were told by the federals that
they had orders from Washington to pick out
the white sheep and separate them from the
goats. TO be looked after by the great Shepherd
L.. tbn,
the rebels The Yankee soldiers, however
looked upon this class of men with suspicious
eve and would not trust two or three of them
together with guns in their hands No two OF
them were allowed to serve together in the same
regiment and we heard that no Yankee would
sleep with them under the same blanket
After having undergone all the preliminaries
and taken the oath the prisoner escorted by two
or three Federal soldiers, would return to the
barracks and get his things and then leave, never
to be seen by us again.
We were allowed To write short letters home
within the Federal lines, once month but were
not allowed to seal them, as they had to be IN
specied bv the censor
Lieutenant Fife passed through the prison one
dav. followed by his pet dog. The little dog
was fat and playful and wagged its tail all the
fine The dog was enticed into one OF the bar
racks. Fife missed his dog and put notice ON
the bulletin board, offering ten dollars reward
for its return 4 prisoner wrote under lie
notice: For lack OF bread the dog is dead
for want OF meat, the dog is eat, This cnraged
Lieutenant Fife and he instituted rigid invest
cation As to the fate OF his dog. Ultimately the
barrack was discovered which had butcheTed ana
eaten the dog As penalty for this offence ra-
tons we're withheld Tor three days from inc poys
occupying this barrack.
Ono morning General Joseph Hooker entered
tho ori,on ON horseback followed by an escort
~ officers They were mounted on fine horses
aud their uniforms we're trimmed with lace AM
their shoulders were decorated with iashy epau
Iettcs II was an imposing scene They dashed
around the prison square, and then out through
the cate. making their visit brief indeed
Governor Morton and Governor Oglesby also
,isited the prison in fine carriage. Morton
made a,speech in which he said he was III favor
of an exchange OF prisoners. ,,
We were also visited by twelve Indian chieis
rcnresentinc twelve tribes. They we're on their
nsv 70 Washington City, to confer with the
Great Father" They remained IN the prison
but few minutes
\ BAPTIST preacher would occasionally Visi'
-. fro,, Chicago Ignorance seemed To be ms
", He loved our souls but denounced our
Lnd;os as animal and carnal. that ought to be
Ia.,-o,ed as they consisted OF meat only. beng
,,nso;ritual and brutal He despised our ways
,Iso which he thought should be destroyed a.
.strbble" meaning our principles. habits con
duct etc As our ways were directed Dy inc
shirt tho body being but an instrument 10 90
y: In ,ye could not see how he could love the
.,,,tor ~ our ways and hate the meat The
@,,,ards would stand around and cry amen and
IooE Al rs TO see the effect OF the sermon He
would blow his nose. snifile tears. and smite MS
breast while speaking in a whang-doodle tone.
.sl,;ng the Lord to open our eyes and be merciiui
toward our souls He was the blindest, most
~ 49, co,,ntry But the guards. many OF them
~ ',,s.n as the preacher. enjoyed his low ribad-