The horrors of southern prisons during the war of the rebellion, from 1861 to 1865

Front matter

Goi)yrightN^._i.

COPVRIGHT DEPOSIT

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Preface

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■f •♦■^♦•♦••♦•IIAVE often been requested, by numerous friends, to write and 4.^1 w X have published a little book, containing a history of my experi- ^♦4 i ^ ences during the War of the Rebellion, from 1861 to 1865, in Andersonville and other prisons. I am prompted more, to do this, for the purpose of leaving a record with my children, of the terrible trials endured by their father, in his elToits to assist the Union cause in the preservation of this great and grand republic. This is not intended for the critic's eye, for I make no pretentions to being an historian.

As so many soldiers' experiences were very much similar and as so much has been written about all the battles, marches, etc., I shall not commence at the beginning of my service, but at the time we ruturned from the Rossau raid of thirteen and one half days to Marietta, Georgia, and the day after when volunteers were called for, to form a new raiding party of about 2.500 soldiers, known in history as the McCook raid, the raid on which I was taken prisoner.

Trusting that whosoever may read this little volume, will make due allowance for any shortcomings on the part of the writer, is the sincere wish of

Chapter I. Events Which Led To Our Capture

After thirteen and one-half days of liard riding, almost night and day, along by-roads, oow-paths and through blackberry patclies, the Rossau raid was completed by a return to our lines at Marietta, Ga. That niglit a very heavy picket line was needed along the west bank of the Chattahoochee river, and I was detailed as one to help form that line. The Rebel pickets' on the other side, who were behind breast- works, kept up an almost constant fire all night long, but as we were some distance apart and the night very dark, but few accidents happened.

My tent mate was about two hundred yards in the rear, where my horse was left in his charge. During the night an almost spent ball went through one hind leg of his horse, struck him on one knee and rolled down on his blanket. His horse was ruined. He was lamed and therefore could not go on the raid of wliich he and I had volunteered to form a part. It was fortunate for him, for his knee was but slightly bruised. As all had for some time seen constant, hard service, it was not deemed proper to command us to go, but we were asked for volunteers, therefore it was strictly a volunteer command. About one-third of my company and about the same proportion of all the cavalry regiments there, volunteered. A pontoon bridge comjiany went a few miles down the river in the morning to place a pontoon across, below the rebel lines, for us to cross on. We followed a few hours later. When we reached the place the bridge was about half completed. Our command consisted of about 3,500 men. We were previously warned that this was a very dangerous undertaking, for the object was to enter the Rebel lines from twenty to twenty-five miles in the rear "of Hood's immense army for the purpose of cutting ofi" his communications and supplies. While waiting on the bank of the old Chattahoochee for the completion of the pontoon bridge, we were given a chance to go back if we felt that we were too much fatigued for the undertaking or <ha!- our horses were too much rundown. About 200 availed themselves of the last opportunity and went back to Marietta. About fi p. m. wo crossed thf

10 HOEEORS or SOUTHEEN PEISONS

river into Rebel territory. A winding road led up to the top of a high bluff and a short ride beyond, to where the road forked. One branch led to the south, the other to the east. A sign board with an 'index finger pointing to the east, the direction we were to go, read "Five miles to Hell!" Undaunted by the warning, we laughed and continued on our course. About sundown we came to a small town, a station on a railroad. As we were not permitted on such expeditions to burden our liorses with extras, such as a change of shirts, blankets or provisions, we were always on the alert when entering a town, for something to comfort the inner man for a meal or two. In tlie outskirts of the little village we were approaching, I noticed a small building in the rear of a residence that reminded me of similar ones I had seen before, which almost invariably turned out to be smoke houses. I quickly alighted, tied my horse and investigated, but nothing was to be seen except a large box filled with ashes. I was disappointed for a moment for I was quite hungi-y and had nothing but a few Jiardfack in my haversack. I wondered why so much care had been taken with ashes. I shoved my hand down in them, struck something, pulled it out, and to my surprise had a well smoked ham. As I started for mv horse others saw me and what I had ; a rush was made and in a very few moments there was nothing left but the box and ashes. I had never heard 'of smoked meat being preserved in that way during the Jiot sammer months, but believe it to be the best way, for flies cannot possibly get at it. I quickly strapped my ham to the rear of my saddle, mounted and soon cauglit up to my place in the ranks. A few minutes later we came to the depot and set fire to that and a large frame building filled with Rebel supplies. We then quickly formed in single file, counted off by fours, every fourth man held three horses besides his own, and the rest went to work tearing up and destroying the railroad.

JPor the benefit of those who never saw soldiers tear up and destroy a railroad, a slight account here may interest them. One would naturally think the process would be slow, but it was done as fast as a horse could run. One set of men with hand spikes would turn over one length of rails, other sets back and forward would turn over other lengths as far ahead and back as the eye could reach. The ties were then easily knocked off, piled up cross ways, the rails placed on top and the pile set on fire. The heat would soften the center of the rails so that the ends with their weight would bend to the ground and thus destroy them for further use. As soon as the pile was fired, that party would rush for their horses, mount and ride as fast as their horses could run until ahead of all at work, sometimes two miles distant. A constant stream of otlier squads would be riding still further ahead and so continue until the desired amount of track was torn up. We tore up there about ten miles of track in one liour. We then all returned to the village and started on our journey east.

We had marched but a few miles when we discovered in tlie timber by the roadside, what proved to be later on, the advance wagon of a large

DUEING WAR OF THE EEBELLIOK 11

Rebel forage train, in all about 500 wagons. Each one was covered similar to an emigrant wagon. With each was four mules and from two to four men. The mules were unharnessed, tied to trees and the Rebs had retired for the night in the wagons. The entire party, numbering about 1,500, were taken prisoners without firing a shot. The last were not taken mucin before daylight for they were strung along the road for miles.

As fast as they were taken they were compelled to mount the mules and come with us. "We burned all the wagons as fast as their occupants could dress and get out of them. Had we turned back when the last wagon was destroyed it would have been one of the most successful and profitable raids in history, for among the prisoners were many commissioned officers who were out for recreation and benefit of their health. One was a major-general, two brigadiers, many colonels, majors, captains, etc. But instead, we kept on and just at day-break came to another town on another railroad. There seemed to be no one stirring in the place so early, but up the track a half mile in the direction of Atlanta, we saw a train stop and aboTit one thousand Rebels dismount. As we were close to the town, we thought best to rush in, take it and then wliip the regiment that had just arrived. We were very much surprised to find about 8,000 Rebs secreted behind buildings waiting for us. As we were so greatly outnumbered, we were forced to retreat and sacrifice our prisoners and the 2,000 Rebel mules. As the country between Atlanta and where we crossed was quite level, the burning buildings, railroad ties and the forage train, so illuminated the heavens that it attracted their attention at Atlanta, and they could determine the course we were taking. They had undoubtedly been sending down troops nearly all night to cut us off, which they very successfully did.

We fell back about a mile southwest of the town in the borders of the timber, and as there was not any apparent demonstration on their part, we concluded that we had sufficient time to prepare and eat breakfast. As there were so few hams and shoulders secured in the town we passed through the evening before, we divided with those who had none, and it took all we had to give each a scant breakfast.

I had about four quarts of corn meal in my haversack, which I had secured the evening before, and gave the same to my horse. That was the last feed the poor fellow had for four days. AVe made coffee in our quart cups but before it had sufficiently cooled to drink, all the Rebels were upon us. That breakfast was the last meal we had for more than six days. At the first volley from the enemy, we quickly gathered up frying pans and coffee cups, strapped them to our saddles and mounted. We returned tlie fire, but boing' so greatly outnumbered, we slowly fell back on a road leading to the southwest. We soon learned from their firing that they were behind us and to the right and to the left of us ; they had formed in tlie shape of a horse shoe with us in the center. With their superior force, we wero obliged to follow that road leading deeper and deeper into tJie Confederacy. We had a restraining force that commanded their respect, including two

12 HOREOES OF SOUTHEEN PEISONS pieces of flying artillery, which kept them at arms length. When at times they would attempt to to crowd us hard the artillerymen would plant those pieces and shell them a little. We were at all times careful of our ammunition for we carried but little with us on such expeditions, the object of which was to destroy and do as little fighting as possible. They continued to dri-ve us for three and one-half days, when we reached a small town by the name of Newman. During this time we had been constantly in the saddle day and night. We realized our chances were becoming less hopeful the deeper we were driven into their territory and the only resort left us was to make a desperate attempt to escape.

After a brief consultation of the leading officers, Brig. -Gen. McCook and the colonels, we planted our two pieces of artillery on a high hill about a quarter of a mile from the heavy timber west of us on somewhat lower ground. We fought that portion of their force so liard that they had to concentrate their forces there to keep us from escaping. No artillery ammunition had been used up to this time, although both guns were loaded. As a ruse to draw them out of the timber, we fell back down the hill a few steps, apparently out of sight, which led them to believe we had abandoned the artillery. They made a double quick run to capture those pieces and wlien they had covered about half the distance from the timber, our artillerymen rushed up, touched them both off, and we quickly followed and'ppened fire. They soon turned for the timber, the artillerymen constantly shelling them until tine ammunition was all gone. Wo then spiked the two pieces, quickly formed in single file and went in the opposite direction down a ravine as fast as our horses could go, leaning over on their necks to escape a light fire from the pickets on either side. A run of about a mile brought us to a main road leading northwest. We quickly formed in four ranks and struck out for the Chattahoochee river, twenty-five miles away, as fast as our hungry and jaded horses could carry us. A number of those faithful animals were called on, under the circumstances, for more than they could endure and while running fell dead or dying.

Vv'e reached the Chattahoochee about eleven p. m,.to find that the owner of a cable boat, who probably had heard our artillery fire in the afternoon and surmised that we would come that way, had filled it witli rocks and sunk it to prevent our crossing the river. While as many as could got at it to raise it, the rest were on the top of the bluff to protect them. Seeing a corn crib not far from the read in a field, a few of us went to it and secured some corn for our horses. It was risky to feed them much after so long a fast, so we kept tlie balance until about daybreak, when we were informed that the boat was raised, the pulleys on the cable and all in shape to take us across. The boat would take 100 men only at a time, but as the river at that point had a very rapid current, the boat crossed and recrossed in quick time. When 100 would fill the boat, we would march forward to fill up the space. The room between the river and the bluff was about sufficient for half our number. In their haste to get us on the other gide, we were not

DURING WAK OF THE EEBELLION 13

permitted to cross our horses that way, but would take off bridles and saddles, drive them into the river, stone them until they got a good start and with saddles and bridles get onto tlie boat. As I was a member of the rear guard that day, my turn to cross came among the last. In the spells of rest we liad between loads, I let my horse eat the few ears of corn I had left.

Before sun-up the Rebels had overtaken us and were on top of the bluff firing at the boat loads crossing. As is almost invariably the case when shooting at an object far below, the balls pass over and do no harm. So it was in this case, although after we had all landed on the other side and marched some distance from the bank of the river, the angle being much less, a few stray shots did their deadly work.

When the boat was returning for the last of us, I stripped my horse of saddle and bridle and drove liim into the river, kept him moving for the other shore until he was nearly 200 yards out. Only about one-half reached the opposite bank, for being so fatigued, many drowned in crossing and many more when out from 100 to 200 yards turned around and went back. My horse was doing so well I felt sure he would get there. The boat with the load I was on gradually overtook him. I kept my eyes on him from the start for fear that another might get him when he landed, for many were wading into the river nearly to their necks to get anybody's horse that was nearing the shore. About the time we pulled up along side of him, to my utter disgust and dismay, I saw him turn back and land at the starting point. I then lost sight of him forever.

In the army we became so attached to our horses that to lose them was almost like losing a brother. That was the turning point that landed me in Andersonville prison. I often wished I had done as did Col. Brownlow, of the First Tennessee ca,valry. He stripped his clothes off, strapped them to his saddle, started his horse in, grabbed hold of his tail with one hand and followed him across. The river was more than a half-mile wide with a swift current, but that would have made no difference to me, for I was an ^excellent swimmer, trained to it from childhood up and could have easily crossed had my horse drowned before the other shore was reached.

When all had landed we sunk the boat so that if the Rebs wanted it they could fully appreciate the time we had in raising it, besides they would have to cross the river to do so. There were no more than half enough horses to mount us. Some had other's horses, and many a hot discussion arose, not only between the owners and those who had possession, but between their respective captains. If Gen. McOook had possessed the good sense that Col. Brownlow had, or done as the colonel wanted him to, all would have been well and avoided any discussion relative to the horses. Col. B. wanted the mounted ones to ride five miles and then dismount and let the others ride that distance and change about that way until our lines were reached, which would have taken all safely through, even though it was supposed to be 175 miles distant, besides there was a possibility of picking up enough horses in two or three days to mount all. But McOook,

14 IIOKKOES OF SOUTIIEEN PEISONS

I think, was a little scared. He said: "We will go witk the mounted and the rest will have to look out for themselves. "We did look out for ourselves a few days and then the Rebs looked out for us. We will never forget the noble colonel, but twenty-one years of age, but every inch a soldier, a son of the famous Parson Brownlow, wlio always spoke his mind, althougli residing in the midst of Rebs and often threatened, but never daunted.

The last night with my horse, in riding through some timber, my hat was knocked off by an overhanging limb and although I searched well for it in the darkness, I was unable to find it. Bareheaded on that extremely hot July Sunday morning was hard to bear, but the thought of walking 175 miles in our fatigued and almost famished condition, to reach the Union lines did not improve our gloomy forebodings. The horses were so nearly worn out that they could not go out of a walk, but that was a little too fast a gait for us. They gradually gained, but we would sometimes break into a slight run in our anxiety to keep up. Oh, how hot we were. My uncovered head felt almost as though it was on fire.

About five miles from the river we crossed a creek, and, although it was not using good judgment to do so, many of us laid down in it, clothes on, and rolled over in the water to cool our almost burning bodies, and then started on a trot to get nearer the mounted ones. But there was a limit to our endurance. Without food for more than four days, we were too weak for such a task. Squads of four, six eight and ten, and sometimes more, were falling out every two or three hundred yards, some to the right, others to the left, and going back into the deep woods to rest and plan to obtain food. I struggled on until nearly all of my dismounted comrades had disappeared. A dear friend of mine, Thomas Allen, who belonged to the same company I did, Co. E. , Fifth Iowa Cavalry, was mounted on a horse that seemed to be almost exhausted. He insisted on me riding his horse a few miles, and by staying by him and changing often, he thought the horse would take us both through. I was so nearly exhausted that I accepted the invitation. I rode up a long hill and then I looked back to see how far he was behind. I was astonished to see that Tom was quite lame. I could not bear the thought of entertaining his proposition for a moment under the circumstances, so I jumped off and would not ride further, although he earnestly insisted that I should. I saw that it was useless to try to keep up, so seeing a squad of seven fall out to the left, I went with them. This was about four p. m. We went back about a mile from the road into the deep woods and laid down to rest. Almost instantly we were sound asleep and it was about nine o'clock the next morning when we awoke. To our surprise we were laying in mud and wet leaves nearly half way up our sides. There had been a heavy thunder storm during the night, but we were unconscious of it until we awoke. We had then been without food for five days, except a very few crumbs of crackers we had in the bottom of our haversacks, whicli we had eaten more than fi,ve

DUEING WAE OF THE KEBELLION 15

days before. Our first thought was of something to eat. One comrade had four small onions. His good, generous nature prompted him to divide, so each had half an onion for breakfast. We realized tliat our greatest danger was in visiting a house to obtain food, but what could we do?

We took our bearings from the sun and struck out as near as our judgment would permit for the north. Our object was to stick to the woods and keep as far distant from the roads as possible. We found lots of ripe blackberries which we ate freely of for a few moments, but our empty stomachs soon rebelled and we could eat no more. Some time in the afternoon we were astonished to see a road on each side of us, and from the angle they were running we judged they would come together within half a mile. This placed us under the painful necessity of crossing one of them to get away into deep timber. We concluded to cross the west one and approached it for that purpose through a marshy ravine. We knew it was risky, for all the roads were patrolled by old citizens too old to enter the ranks, Rebel soldiers and blood hounds, for they were aware that very many of us were in the woods. I was a few steps in advance of my companions and when I reached the fence, I piacea one loot on a rail, raised up and glanced quickly up and down the highway. On the brow of the hill south I saw three blood hounds and three men horseback coming in sight. I instantly signalled the others to lie down and quickly dropped into the wet marsh myself. The grass was high enough to conceal us, still we could see our enemies pass by. The hounds were about four rods ahead of the foremost horse and rider and the other two about six rods behind. We distinctly heard the one in the lead say, "Come on, come on, there's no danger here." When they had passed over tlie hill north, out of sight, we lost no time in crossing the road and getting at least a mile from it. We congratulated ourselves on our extreme good luck in not crossing before they came up, for we certainly would have had trouble. Each one had a revolver loaded, but the loads had been in so long and w6 had been so much exposed to wet weather that it was doubtful about their going off if we were obliged to try them, besides it would have been very poor policy for us to kill one or more of our pursuers, for being so far from our lines, they would have followed us in large numbers to our death. As it was possible for another patrolling party to cross our tracks before the close of that day, we took tlie precaution to wade in every stream we met with.

We made good headway until darkness set in. We intended to do better by night while our enemies were asleep, but in that deep, almost dense timber, it was impossible to keep our course. We tried it about two hours after night-fall but stumbled over dead limbs and fell over logs so frequently that we had to abandon it till daylight. We tried to sleep and did get some rest but were frequently aroused by unearthly yells from wild beasts. The woods were infested by timber wolves, black bear, panthers, wild cats and probably lynx. I suppose it was on account of our number that they kept at a safe distance. Just at the break of day we heard a cock

16 IIOEEOES OF SOUTHERN PRISONS crowing in the distance, and guided by the sound, followed in tliat direction. We disliked to go to a house, but were so weak from hunger that it was a necessity and we had to make the venture. We soon got near enough to see a log house in a small clearing. There was a grassy lane between the fence and timber. We sneaked up to within about two rods of the lane to take a view of the surroundings. We saw just inside of the yard and near the liouse, four or five women looking intently at something a Rebel soldier had He was probably eighteen years old. We could see no other man and no other house, so concluded in our desperation to not lose this opportunity for a square meal. As their backs were toward us and tlieir attention so ri vetted on what the Reb had, we quickly crossed the lane, bounded over the fence and had them surrounded before they realized that there was a Tank within a hundred miles.

The Reb made no effort to get away, but we had a hard time to prevent the women from escaping to the timber. How wild and frightened they looked in their desperate efforts to break through our little circle. We tried to talk with them and convince them that we meant them no harm and it was some moments before we could quiet them sufficiently to do so. The scene reminded me of pictures in our early history, which I had often looked at when a boy, of women trying to escape from the Indians. We had been described to them by the Rebs as the most hideous beings on earth, with cloven feet and horns like the devil, and they, in their ignorance, believed it. They recognized us by our blue clothes and in their excitement thought they had fallen into desperate hands and all would be killed. When they found they could not get away they piteously begged us to not kill them. We told them that we meant them no harm. All we came for was something to eat. Then one said, in broken sobbing tones, we will give you all we have if you will not kill us. We replied that we did not want what they had, we simply wanted breakfast. After they were assured that we were not such bad men, they went to the house, built a fire and soon had on skillets making corn bread and frying smoked side meat. I told the others to go into the house hold, the Reb, and I would stand guard. The articles that so much interested them were some belts, cartridge boxes, etc. , the Reb had picked up, which some of our boys had thrown away to lighten their loads. As the women had by this time become pacified, talkative and friendly, I walked to the gate where I could look up and down the lane, for we had to be always on the alert to prevent surprises. Nearly a quarter of a mile east I could see two or three houses, but no person in sight. To the west about one hundred yards there was quite a hill, and at the foot of it there was a house, the chimney of which I could just see. I had stood there but a few minutes when a quite handsome young lady came from the house and very pleasantly entered into conversation with me. Her introductory remark was "Why you'uns all look just like we'uns. " I said we are one and the same people, that I had an uncle who was a colonel in the Confederate army and two of his sons were in the Federal army. She had

DUEING WAE OF THE REBELLION. 17

wholly recovered from the scare and became very talkative. She asked me where I was from, how far it was from there, how many sisters and brothers 1 had and what I thought would be the result of the war. She said it was too bad that there was a war and hoped that it would soon end. I agreed with her. There came a call from the house to come to breakfast. I told my comrades to sit down and eat, that I would stand guard while they did so. In a few minutes I saw an old women coming over the brow of the hill, from the west, dressed in deep black, with a black veil that concealed almost her entire features. I quickly called the girl's attention to her and wanted to know what that meant. ' ' Oh, ' ' she replied, ' ' she is an old lady that lives at the foot of the hill. She has a son grown, who is sick all the time in bed. She has seen you'uns and is coming to talk with you. She is a friend of you'uns and is for your side. "