Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1921-05-11

| On April 4, 1865, news came that
the prisoners were to be exchanged
at once and marvellous change came
over the lean and dreary faces who
now began to see light ahead OF
them and home. They were loaded
| in cattle cars and after riding all day
arrived in Albany, Ca, where they
camped for the night. After marching
sixty miles they reached Thomaston,
where they were kept waiting until
April g..
Then the fear that it had been too
good to be, true became justified.
They were ordered back to Anderson
Vile. Although disheartened by the
change the prisoners soon learned
that the cause Of the "about face" or
der was Sherman's march to the sea
and the expectation Of the Confeder-
ates that he would march on to An
Jacksonville and release them all
However. on April IS, orders were re-
ceived that they would be EXCHANGED
for a certainty that time, and the
march to Thomaston was made again.
They reached Lake City, Fla, the
night OF April ~, 1865, the next day
went on to Baldwin and then march
ed twenty-five miles to Ferndale.
One Of the most pitiful things OF
the time was that many OF the
former prisoners in their eagerness
to reach the Union lines became ex-
hausted and died on the way. AS
soon as they reached the Union troops
the prisoners were provided with
plenty Of food and clothing, but Mr..
Blake said he was cautious in eating
for several days. Many OF his COM
rades, through being so near Starved,
ate too much and their stomachs be-
ing weak, 1t caused their death.
In a short time they were placed
on board a steamship and sent to An
napolis to regain their health. It was
at Annapolis for the first time that
Mr.. Blake ventured to look at the
money he had secreted after being
taken prisoner. He found that It was
badly worn and after telling his story
to the paymaster received new crisp
greenbacks In return.
II wore the same clothes during
the fifteen months in prison in or
der to keep the money and later the
list OF dead declared Mr.. Blake.
aTIad the rebels known / was taking
that list don't think would be here
now, but worked cautiously and they;
never found out."
Mr.. Blake was soon mustered out at
Rutland, Vt, May %, having been
gone three years lacking six days.
He had left the farm when he was
TWENTY-FIVE years old to enlist, becom-
ing a member Of the Ninth Vermont
volunteers. This regiment which
was HOO strong when it left for the
war. returned with ESQ.
In Many Battles
Mr.. Blake's regiment after a short
period Of training in Washington,
was sent south into the campaign
against Richmond. His first battle
came within thirty days after he had
enlisted-a marked contrast to the
months Of training in the World war.
He was In seven battles Of the war
despite the fact that he was pris-
oner for so long.
He was not wounded, the nearest
escape he had being q shot through
the cartridge box which swung at
the right side OF his belt. To this
fact is due in large measure, no
doubt, the able way he stood up un-
der the hardships Of the prison camp.
Mr.. Blake has been fifty-four years
in the retail dry goods business. He
started his first store in his home
town in Vermont soon after the war.
He came to Iowa in 1857 and settled
in Volga in Clayton county. He
moved to Manchester in 1875 and
has since made his home there.
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