Year: 1876




for eight months. Poor fellow! All
he knew about America was what he
had seen in Libby, Danville and An
dersonville, and he was Judging the
country by their standard.


The rebels at Millen prison were
making every effort to get Yankees
to volunteer and go out and butcher
for the rebel army. They offered
plenty to eat and good clothes, as an
inducement, and numbers If our
men would take the chances.
Some said they did it in order to es
cape, but we had men with so much
patriotism in their hearts that they
would starve befoIe they would as
sist the rebels in any way.


The same Inducements were held
out while we We're in Andersonville,
and great many men availed them
selves of the opportunity and We're
out on parole, doing duty and as
sisting the rebels. But they were
bitterly condemned by the more pa
triotic prisoners, and a great many
of them were reported to our govern
ment by our own prisoners after
their retu q. 1 will admit that
promise OF plenty to eat and wear is
IA great temptation to a half-starve.'
man, and requires more frmne<s to
refuse it, than anyone can rtaliz
unless placed in the same circum
stances.


On the 18th of November, thfrr
was stir again, and a division OF
prisoners WAS called out. We were
told we were to lie exchanged sure
this time. The division was sl1ippe.I
toward Savannah. That evening an
other division was callel for. The,
were stopped at the gates and laid
there until next morning The rel el
officers called the roll in the eve ming.
and took list of ali the names.
The next morning they commenced
calling the roll of the division. Some
had died during the night, and 9th
er men We're so eager to go, they an
swered to the names of the dead
and stepped out. They all seemed
to believe that it was an exchange,
as it was reported that flag of truce
boat was lying at Savannah.


On the morning of the 18th of
November my division was called
for. We filed out of the gate and
over to the station, but from some
unaccountable cause the Cars to take
us away did not come until evening
It began raining about noon, and
completely wet US through. We
didn't get our regular rations, and
in the afternoon some corn meal was
furnished, but no way to cook it.
Some body got hold of some iron
kettles and attempted to make some
mush. 1t was partly cooked, and
some got mush and some didn't. I
got very small quantity.


About that time I fell in company
with Pennsylvania P by the name of
Jones. I have forgotten his Christian
name. He had some money and had
bought a small loaf of wheat bread
He asked me if I was hungry. 1
told him L WAS. He gave me piece
of tha bread, the fist I had tasted
in almost nine months! That WAS
an act of kin lness never to be for
gotten. That one small piece of
wheat bread! OH how sweet it
TASTED.


Jones seemed to take an interest in
me. The long looked for cars came
at last. Jones assisted me into them
We were crowded into the stock car
a slat car, with roof over us
eighty four of us in one carl We
couldn't sit down, and we had to
stand and lean on one another. It
cleared off in the evening, and turn
ed cold. Oar clothes were as wet
as water could make them, and we
were soon chilled to the bone. Our
blood was thin, and the sufferings
of that night can never be told.


The cars started at last, and we
were all night on the road between
Millen and Savannah, running and
backing on to side tracks and stand
ing a while. Oh, the horrors of that
night! None of us could sleep
standing. If you ever saw or heard
a lot of hogs, crowded into a cold,


muddy pen, through the night, you


can have some idea of our condition


We were cold, and in spite of all oul


efforts we were burden to one an


other. Our very weak condition


caused us to impose on each other


and the poor, weak men would beg


others to keep eff them, and growl


orumble and swear at each other