The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-03-02

four other Vermont regiments and took
part in nearly % battles, including
Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, the Will
derness and the Today battle at Gold
Harbor. Its total killed and wounded
was 800. Seventy seven OF its members
died in Confederate prisons
Mr.. Alden was member OF a re-
connoissancc party Of 500, engaged IN
destroying a railroad line near Rich
mond on june %, 1864, when the Con
fcderates swoopcd down upon them and
captured u. prisoners, % of whom
were members OF Company F. ONLY
four of the latter number lived to leave
Andersonville
Mr.. Alden gives most interesting
account Of his experiences at Ander
Sonyllle. The prison was merely a pas
ture land about % 10 acres. surround
ed by a stockade made of pine logs
About - feet inside this stock
AIDE and running parallel with ii was
the dead line, any prisoner pass
ing this line under any pretense or
even reaching beyond it was immedi
ately shot. Some, temporarily insane,
committed suicide by purposely cross
ing the line. There were 10 sentries.
Whenever one shot a prisoner for go
ing beyond the dead line, he was given
Il two weeks furlough as a reward.
At each corner of the prison were ele-
waited earthworks, on which batteries
were stationed commanding not only
! the inside of the pen but the sur
| rounding territory as we'll Most of
the prisoners were without shelter.
They were given food once a day.
sometimes IL was cooked, sometimes
not. There was 4 great deal of sick
ness but the only medicine given, re
gardless of the nature Of the malady.
was white oak bark. Some DAYS the
/ deaths III the pen numbered over 100.
4 The maximum number of prisoners
there at any one time during Mr.. Al
/ den 5 stay was $4,000. A few of the
I prisoners who had "pull'' with the
guards were able to get tobacco They
traded this with their fellow prisoners
for food. The day before Mr.. Alden
arrived at the prison, six prisoners were
+ hanged III sight of all the others, for
stealing or for other offenses.
Among the relics owned by Mr.. Al
den Is q suit which he made from meal
sacks while confined in the prison.
Mr. Alden and about 1000 of his
/ fellow prisoners were taken to Florida
Just before their discharge. They were
released near Jacksonville From that
city they proceeded to Annapolis and
thence to New York. Mr.. Alden was
mustered out in Brattleboro in Nav,
1868. He resumed his trade as ear
riagc maker and then went to Spring
field Mass, where he was employed in
q wholesale house for about five wears.
Later he became mail agent at the
Springfield station and then secured an
appointment as railway mail clerk be
tween Boston and New York. When
Cleveland was elected he lost this posi-
ton and was placed in charge of the
postoffice at Birmingham, near Derby
/ In 1886 he went to Torrington and
| became assistant postmaster under the
! late Charles Mcneil. He remained in
J the postoffice for four years and at the
end of that time entered the employ of
Brooks Brothers. He has worked as
bookkeeper in the bank on Main street
/ for p years and has made an enviable
record for faithfulncss and efficiency.
Mr.. Alden was married in Spring
field Mass. His wife died in Torring-
i ton III June, l9UO. lnefe IS one daugh-
4 ter, Mrs Charles Harrington, who lives
in Torrington, one son, Walter f., Of
Bridgeport, and one grandchild Mr.
Alden is an authority on stamps and
coins and his collections are among the
best in Torrington. He is affiliated
with the American Numismatic asso-
citation, and is also a member of the
National Association of Andersonville
/ ba
association, the Torrington Rifle club
l.. w. Steele post, "a, G. A. r., and the
Army and Navy club and an honorary
member of W. S. Steele camp, 10, Unit
ed Spanish War Veterans. He is pres.
ident Of the Company F association.