Year: 1876

Selma IS onT the Alabama river
and is very nice looking town O
about 1000 inhabitants. We spent
the night there, and in the morning
we were conducted to the river by
the provost guards, and leaaing dig
natiries of the place, and quarters
! furnished us aboard of small steam
fer that piled up and down the Ala
bama river. We made a run of abou
J J s5 q miles South, and landed at Ca
hawba. We were marched upon ont
of the back streets, and halted in line
and searched once more for articles
eontraband of war. 1 presented my
Pass, from the notorious and never
to be-forgotten Tucker. The officer
scrutinized the document, nodded
his head at me, smiled and passed tc
the next man without any examina
ton. The boys had been laughing
at me for carrying my pass but after
that the tables were turned, for, all
of them were searched. After the
officer satisfied himself that there
was nothing on our persons of value
to him, we were conducted to an old
cotton shed near the river bank, and
admitted to the inside of it through
heavy oak door, and inside we were
greeted by about six hundred prison
ers.


They had been collected from all
parts of the Union army, and none
had been in prison six months.
They were glad to see us, as they
expected to hear from home, and the
inquiry was, when were you taken?
What State are you from2 Do you
know anything about my friends2
&c., questions we couldn't answer
satisfactorily.


The building was about one hun
dred feet square, and in one corner
was brick office. The balance of
the building had dirt floor, and
about fifty feet square in the middle
of the roof I was open. The walls
around the outside were brick, and
about twelve feet high. 1t was
strongly guarded.


It was late when we arrived at our
new quarters, and we for the first
time we're hungry 1t was past the
time Of issuing rations, and before
we could get anything to eat there
had to be requisition made out and
sent to an officer for signature, and
then to some other officer to be coun
tersigned, and by the time all that
was done night was with US. When
our rations did come they consisted
of corn meal and meat, raw.


We were required to organize into
squads of ten, and appoint one man
for each squad, to receive rations
and distribute them equally between
the men. / was chosen to fill that
important Office, and received ten
rations. 1 had nc vessel to cook in
and no wood to cook with. After
impressing the guards with the fact
of our Strengthened circumstances,
they suggested the idea of my going
to town and getting my baking done.
A guard was furnished to accompany
me, and after some little inquiry we
found family that was willing to
furnish skillet and fuel, and 1 got a
nice corn cake and some fried meat
for the boys.


By the time we returned it was 1C
o'clock P. NJ. The boys were asleep,
and 1 reused them up for supper
They had got over their hungry spell
and requested me to keep it until
morning. 1 denied myself supper
also, and laid down with the bread
and meat under my head.


When l awoke next morning the
bread and meat had mysteriously dis
appeared. Some thieving hound
had stolen it, and the truth of it was
some selfish Yankee prisoner haG
done it. The boys got up hungry
and we called for a reissue of grub
but were informed that we woul(
have to grin and bear it until fou1
o'clock in the evening.


We enjoyed ourselves by looking
at the rest of the prisoners eat thei
breakfast. They accomplished tn
feat without any inconvenience ol
our account, and without calling OIL
any of US to assist them. The PAL
ties who stole our rations had doubl
allowance, and if they are still LIVING
1 hope they may reflect on their ba'
conduct.


The time rolled around, and W
received our rations, and were relieN
ed from the gnawing hunger tina
had haunted us for the previous thil
ty hours.


We received our first introductio
to vermin at Cahawba, and they keI
us company and furnished US plent
of work to do The place was aliv
r with the little torments, and as ia:
f as we would dismiss brigade
e them, a division would lltheir place
9 A squad of the old prisoners ma
taken possession of the brick oti(
4 and raised the floor and commence