The soldier's story of his captivity at Andersonville, Belle Isle, and other rebel prisons

Front matter

°00^?403-53,

^J

I

Preface

characteristic phases, just as prisoners saw it, — giving to history material for its verdict, and the reader a full understanding of the subject.

In almost every household throughout the land there are saddened memories of these dreadful prisons; but as terrible as has been the past, thous.ands of the same patriotic men are ready to spring to arms again for the preservation of national life and honor. On his crutch, the author makes his bow to the public, hoping that in The Soldier's Story they may find instruction and profit.

Chapter I

Enlistment in the Engineer Corps. — A Prophecy of Dining in Richmond fulfilled differently from Expectations. — Battle at Savage's Station. — Terrible Conflict. — The Army of the Potomac saved.

— An Incident. — Heroism in a Wounded Soldier. — A Retreat. — Wounded taken Prisoners. — First Treatment as a Prisoner. — Rebel Prediction of the Capture of Washington. — Confidence in McClellan. — Stonewall Jackson. — False Promises. — Taken to Richmond. — A Sad Scene. — A Rebel Officer's Wit. — A Retort.

— Search and Confiscation of Personal Efl'ects. — Description of Prison. — Life in Libby Prison. — Horrors of such Life. — Various Incidents. — Change of Quai-ters. — Hope for the Better disappointed Page 17

Chapter II

Belle Island. — Sickness and Insensibility. — Want of Medical Treatment. — Description of Belle Isle Prison. — Strict Regulations evaded. — Trading with the Rebels. — Insufficiency of Food.

— High Prices of Commissary Stores. — Depreciated and Counterfeit Currency. — Comparative Virtue and Intelligence of Rebels of different States. — Extreme Suffering from Hunger. — Effects on the Character. — Philosophy on the Subject. — A Goose Question. — Exchange on the Brain. — Increased Mortality. — A Gleam of Hope. — Exchange and Disappointment. — Escape and its Punishment. — A Rebel Admission that Richmond might have been captured by McClellan. — More Prisoners and Suffering. — Exchange. — Sight of the Old Flag 32

Chapter III

Parole Camp. — Discharge. — Return Home. — Restoration to Health, — ReSnlistment. — Plymouth, N. C, Description of, and its Defences. — A Skirmish with the Enemy. — Assault and Surrender of a Garrison. — Raid of the Rebel Ram Albemarle. — Capture of Plymouth and its Garrisons. — Again a Prisoner. — An Heroic Woman. — Disparity of Forces. — Large Rebel Loss. — An Exchange of Hats. — Pretended Union Men become Rebels. — Negro Soldiers hunted and shot. — Similar Treatment by Rebels to North Carolina Soldiers. — Journey South. — The Women curious to see the " Yank" Prisoners. — " Dipping " by Women. — Unattractive Damsels. — Trading Disposition. — Depreciated Currency. — Tarboro'. — Railroad Travel in crowded Cars. — False Hopes of Exchange. — Proposed Attempt to escape. — Delusions in Regard to Prison Life. — Wilmington. — Charleston. — Sympathy' of Irish and German Women. — EtTects of Shot and Shell. — Rebel Strategy. — Macon, Ga. — Arrival at Andersonville. — Acquaintance with Captain Wirz. — Impressions of the New Prison. . . 53

Chapter IV

Prison-Life in Andersonville. — Twelve Thousand Prisoners. — A Shelter constructed. — Philosophizing in Misery. — Want of Fuel and Shelter. — Expedients for Tents. — The Ration System. — Continued Decrease of Amount. — Modes of Cooking. — Amusement from Misery. — "Flankers," or Thieves. — New Companions. — A Queer Character. — Knowledge of Tunnelling acquired. — A novel Method of Escape. — Mode of Tunnelling. — The Dead Line. — Inhumanity and Brutality in shooting Prisoners. — Premium on such Acts. — Lack of Sanitary Regulations. — Sickness and Deatli very prevalent. — Loathsome Forms of Scurvy. — A noxious Swamp, and its Effects. — Untold Misery. — Large Accession of Prisoners. — Exposure to heavy Rains and hot Suns. — One Thousand Three Hundred and Eighty Deaths in one Week. — Depression of Spirits, Insensibility, Insanity, and Idiocy. — Tendency to Stoicism. — More Pliilosophizing. — Human Sympathies a Cause of Sickness and Death. — Pliilosophy again. — Sad Cases of Death from Starvation 74

Chapter V

Prison Vocabulary. — Punishment of Larcenies. — Scenes of Violence. — Destitution provocative of Troubles. — Short Rations.

— More Fights. — Advantages of Strength of Body and Mind. — New Standards of Merit. — Ingenuity profitable. — Development of Faculties. — New Trades and Ivinds of Business. — Cures for all Ills and Diseases. — Trading to get more Food. — Burden oi Bad Habits. — Experience in Trade. — Stock in Trade eaten up by Partner. — A Shrewd Dealer destroys the Business. — Trading Exchange. — Excitement in the Issue of Rations. — A Starving Man killed. — His Murderer let off easy through Bribery. — Considerable Money in the Camp. — Tricks upon Rebel Traders in Prison.

— Counterfeit or Altered Money disposed of. . . . . . . 101

Chapter VI

Rations decreased, and worse in Quality. — Crowded Condition of the Prison. — Heavy Rains and Increased Sickness. — Much Filth ' and Misery. — Hunger a Demoralizer. — Plots exposed for Extra Rations. — Difficulties of Tunnelling. — A Breath of Outside Air ' and New Life. — An Escape under Pretext of getting Wood. — Captured by Bloodhounds after a Short Flight. — Something learned by the Adventure. — A Successful Escape believed to be possible.

— Prcpai'ations for one. — Maps and Plans made. — A New Tunnelling Operation from a Well. — The Tunnel a Success. — The

Outer Opening near a Rebel Camp Fire. — Escape of a Party of Twenty. — Division into Smaller Parties. — Plans of Travel. — Bloodhounds on the Path. — The Scent lost in the Water. — Various Adventures. — Short of Provisions. — Killing of a Heifer. — Aided by a Negro. — Bloodhounds again. — Temporary Escape. — Fight with the Bloodhounds. — Recapture. — Attempted Strategy. — The Pay for catching Prisoners. — Reception by Wirz. — Improvement by the Expedition. — Some of the Party never heard from. — Notoriety by the Flight 115

Chapter VII

Increase of Prisoners, generally destitute. — Greater Suffering from no previous Preparation. — Sad Cases of Deaths. — Rations growing worse. — Bad Cooking and Mixtures of Food. — Almost untold Misery. — Dying amid Filth and Wretchedness. — Preparing Bodies for Burial. — Horrible and Disgusting Scenes. — Increased Mortality. — Rebel Surgeons alarmed for their own Safety. — Sanitary Measures undertaken. — Soon abandoned. — Scanty Supply of Medicines. — Advantages of a Shower-bath. — Gathering up the Dead. — Strategy to get outside the Prison as Stretcher-bearers. — Betrayal by supposed Spies. — Horrors at tlie Prison Gate in the Distribution of Medicines. — The Sick and Dying crowded and trampled upon. — Hundreds died uncared for. — Brutality in carrying away the Dead. — The same Carts used for the Dead Boches and in carrying Food to the Prison 136

Chapter VIII

Robberies in Prison. — Means taken to punish such Acts. — A Character. — Big Peter, a Canadian. — His Administration of Justice on Offenders. — Becomes a Ruling Power. — Missing Men and Rebel Vengeance. — Murders of Prisoners by Thieves. — A Police Force organized. — Courts established. — Trials of accused Murderers. — Conviction and Execution. — The Gang of Murderers, Thieves, and Bounty Jumpers broken up. — A Slight Tribute to

Wirz, as only the Tool of Others. — Character of the Prison Police. — Not all Good Effects. — A Terror to the Good as- well as Bad. — Sometimes the Instruments of Rebels 150

Chapter IX

yegro Prisoners. — Barbarous Amputations. — None but the Wounded made Prisoners. — Their cleanly Habits. — Treatment. — Major Bogle. — Bad Treatment of him as an Officer of Negro Troops. — A Misunderstanding. — Andersonville a Prison for Privates, and not Officers. — A great Project to break from Prison. — Two Thousand engaged in it. — Tlie Project betrayed when nearly completed. — Despondency at the Eesult. — Courage renewed proridentially. — Addition to the Stockade. — Much short Comfort from the Enlargement. — A new Stock of Fuel soon exhausted. — Dishonorable Offers to Prisoners generally spurned by starving Men. — Fidelity under extraordinary Circumstances. — Instances cited. — H-i-oic Men. — New Methods of Operation. — These also spurned.

— Various Evidences of Devotion to Country 159

Chapter X

Exchange on the Brain. — Rumors of Sherman's Movements. — Great Expectations and sad Results. — Fearful Mortality. — Hot Sun and powerful Rains. — Stockade swept away. — A Spring of pure Water. — A new Tunnelling Operation nearly fatal to its Projectors.

— Rebel Aid for once welcomed. — Construction of rude Barracks.

— Prospects of Winter in Prison not encouraging. — Weary, miserable Days. — Increased Sickness and Mortality. — Names of fifty deceased in the Writer's Company. — Contrast of Loyal Blacks with Disloyal Wliites. — Another Tunnelling Operation betrayed for Tobacco. — The Betrayer punished. — Believed to be a Spy.

— Further Rumors of Exchange. — A Realization. — Great Joy.

— Dying Comrade when Release was ordered. — An affecting Scene. — Delusive Hopes. — Departure from Andersonville. — Short Rations. — Doubtful Deliverance. — Charleston again. — A

Talk with a Rebel Citizen. — Effects of the Siege on the City. - Pity and Sympathy. — Shot and Shell a Civilizer. — The Fair Grounds 173

Chapter XI

Imprisonment on the Fair Ground. — Improved Condition. — Hard-tack, and the Fear of losing it. — Tin Pail stolen. — Great Misfortune. — Loss of Caste by it. — Ivindness of Women. — Ludicrous Tumbling into Wells. — Gilmore's Morning Reports welcomed. — The Dead Line again. — Continued large Mortality. — Want of Hospital Accommodations. — Good Offices of Sisters of Charity. — The Issue of Rations. — More Variety, but not of Quantity. — Expedients to obtain an Increase. — The Rebels baffled in Counting.

— Honorable Conduct of Colonel Iverson. — Scarcity of Wood. — Sad Cases of Destitution. — Shocking Condition of the Writer. — Effects of Scurvy. — Death while waiting for Food. . — Decreased Rations. — Plans for Escape. — A Trial at it. — "Recaptured. — A warm Fire. — Sent to the Workhouse. — Improvement on the Camp. — Discovery of interesting Papers. — Sent back again to Prison. — A new Partnership. — Rations getting worse. — Further Attempts to bribe Prisoners to Disloyalty. — Starved and insane Men consent. — A Speech and its good Effects. — The picturesque Appearance of the Orator. — Yellow Fever. — Ludicrous Incidents.

— Leave Charleston. — Journey to Florence. — Another Attempt to escape 189

Chapter XII

Imprisonment at Florence. — An affecting Scene. — Inhumanity of Rebel Authorities. — The Stockade similar to that at Andorsonville.

— Precautions against Tunnelling. — Disrespect of Rebels to their Chief. — Poor Shelter. — Afterwards improved. — Suffering from Cold. — Scanty Rations. — Woodcutters detailed. — Dreadful Annoyance by Vermin. — Police organized under Big Peter. — The Force perverted to bad Purposes. — Despondency at the Pros-

CONTEXTS. 11

pects. — Further Attempts to purchase Treason. — Despaii has its Effects. — An Apology for the poor Fellows. — Their Hope of Escape while in Rebel Service. — Some of them shot as Deserters. — Sublime Heroism. — Colonel Iverson again. — A Brutal Underofficer. — Good News. — The Arrival of Clotliing. — A scanty Supply. — The Hospital flanked for a good Meal. — The Clouds breaking. — More Food. — Statement of Colonel Iverson that Food was limited by Orders. — Interest in Presidential Election. — Vote by Prisoners. — Majority for Lincoln. 216

Chapter XIII

Philosophy of Humor in Suffering. — Natural for Men to seek for Sunlight. — Smiles and Tears. — Lightness of Heart. — Jesse L. a Sample. — His comical Demeanor. — Jess as a Pair of Bellows. — A queer Remark. — Dealing out Rations. — All Eyes on the Meal-bag. — Squeezing the Haversack. — Eyes big with Hunger. — Jesse's Tactics. — Raising the black Flag. — More Truth than Poetry. — Jack E. — Herbert Beckwith. — Jess cooking under Difficulties. — Scurvy. — Combination of Disease, &c. — Torturing Memories. — Character developed by Suffering. — Arthur H. Smith. — A Break. — Death of Comrades. — A Political Creed. — Escape by Bribery. — Coincidences. — Instances of them. — December, 1864. — A Call for Clerks. — Colonel Iverson's Surprise 230

- CHAPTER XIV.

A New Life. — Plenty of Food. — Better Clothes and Treatment as a Clerk. — Register of Dead made up for our Government. — Large Mortality for the Number of Prisoners. — Many recorded " Unknown." — New Supplies of Clothing. — Colonel Iverson affected. — Fears from Better Diet. — Symptoms of Paralysis. — A large Arrival of Letters. — Longings for Home revived. — Rebel Adjutant Cheatham. — Georgia Troops. — Yankees employed on the Register, for Want of Competent Rebels. — General Winder.

— His Dislike of Favors to Prisoners. — Unfeeling Remarks by him. — All sent back to Prison but the Clerks. — Inhumanity to Prisoners under him attributed to the Rebel Government. — An attempted Palliation by Iverson that Rebel Prisoners were ill treated. — Low Estimate of Yankees by Iverson. — Humor of Adjutant Cheatham. — His Description of a South Carolina Drill.

— New Prisoners. — Orders to prepare for Exchange. — A Joyful Day. — A Poor Comrade. — Sad Sights. — A little Strategy to get off. — A Surprise, and Imprisonment ended. — Left Florence for Charleston. — Awaiting the Subsiding of a Storm. — A Massachusetts Rebel. — Compassionate "Woman. — Under the "Old Flag" again. — Arrival at Annapolis. — Once more at Home. . • 250

Introduction

The world's ear is full of cries from the land of rebel barbarism, where starvation walked at the side of every captive, and suffering, despair, and death sat at every prison door. In these prisons thousands of patriotic hearts ceased to beat during the war that has recently closed. Torn with hunger and hapless despair, they sadly and mournfully died during the long and bitter imprisonments to which rebel cruelty subjected them. Thousands of hearts have bled at the mere recital of the horrors of Libby, Anderson ville, Florence, Danville, and Salisbury. And far lands, looking across the ocean, have shuddered at the spectacle of rebel barbarity, developed before their eyes, wondering how in a Christian country such things could be. It is, perhaps, an old story now ; but, as no detailed account of any one of great experience has ever been presented to the public by the sufferer himself, the writer of this narrative proposes to tell what he has seen, and felt,

14 ENTEODUCTION.

and known, of the slaveholders' mercy while yet the touch of their fierce cruelty is upon him.

During the progress of the war, it has been my misfortune to have been twice a prisoner, once in 1862, and again in 1864, — the first period of captivity four months, the second nine months, — making in all over year of the most unparalleled misery which man e\'er survived. My experience in these prisons was of a kind which few endure and live. Mr. Kichardson, the correspondent, Avho has done so much to enlighten the public mind on this subject, by his own acknowledgment, a great part of his time enjoyed the comparative luxury of a hospital. Sergeant Kellogg, who has written a very true account of his imprisonment at Andersonville, was a sergeant of a hundred men, and drew extra rations ; and a good portion of his time was also spent in hospitals of the prisons. Very hard fare was his, it is true, but a luxury to what the great mass of prisoners enjoyed. My imprisonment was without mitigation of this kind, except the last three weeks of my last confinement.

I propose to relate the tale of horrors experienced in these prisons without exaggeration. All language which my poor pen can command is powerless to convey even a faint impression of what men suffered there. Very few went through those imprisonments without becom-

INTRODUCTION. 15

ing idiotic — mere wrecks of humanity, unfit to convey their impressions by reason of weakness of mind, and unwiUing, even if they had the power, because of the soul-harrowing, frightful memories which were thus recalled. Therefore it is that the most terrible sufferings have never been delineated, or even attempted. Though it may be presumption in me to attempt it, yet I will try to make the world acquainted with some of the details of prison life and experience. I know how hard it is to realize that men can live through some of the cruelties which I shall relate ; but " truth is stranger than fiction," and no truth is stranger than "man's inhumanity to man," as developed in rebel prisons.

THE SOLDIER'S STORY.

o^®io

Chapter I

Enlistment in the Engineer Corps. — A Prophecy of Dining in Rich* mend fulfilled different from Expectations. — Battle at Savage's Station. — Ten-ible Conflict. — The Army of the Potomac saved.

— An Incident. — Heroism in a Wounded Soldier. — A Eetreat. — Wounded taken Prisoners. — First Treatment as a Prisoner. — Rebel Prediction of the Capture of Washington. — Confidence in McClellan. — Stonewall Jackson. — False Promises. — Taken to Richmond. — A Sad Scene. — A Rebel Oflacer's Wit. — A Retort.

— Search and Confiscation of Personal Effects. — Description of Prison. — Life in Libby Prison. — Horrors of such Life. — Various Incidents. — Change of Quarters. — Hope for the Better disappointed.

AT an early date in the war, I was a member of the United States engineer corps of the regular army, at that time consisting of one company, and two others partially formed, all under Captain Duane, for some time chief engineer of the army of the Potomac. I performed the usual duties of an engineer at Yorktown, at Williamsburg, and on the Chickahominy, until, being in the first stages of a fever, I was sent to Savage's Station, where I was taken prisoner. About two weeks previous to my being captured,

2 (17)

I had written to my friends, that, in course of a week or more, I ex2)ected to dine in Richmond. Though it proved to be ?i prophecy, circumstances, in interpreting the language, seemed to have taken me more at my word than at my wish ; for it would have been more congenial mth the wishes of the prophet to have entered the "city of Ids hopes" in a very different style than that which fate ordained.

On the 27th of June I arrived at Savage's Station, the sound of battle on every side telling how desperate was the nature of the contest. On the 28th and 29th, the Williamsburg road, which passed the camp near Savage's Station, was crowded with baggage wagons, ammunition, pontoon trains, and all the indescribable material of a vast army. The hospital camp at Savage's Station consisted of three hundred hospital tents and several negro shanties full of sick and wounded soldiers from the battle-fields.

" There is an open plain of several hundred acres opposite Savage's Station. It was along this plain the Williamsburg road passes, by wliich our troops M^ere mainly to effect their retreat," or change of base. " Beyond the level plain was a dense pine forest." It was here, on the edge of the road, that, on the afternoon of the 29th, General Sumner was stationed with twenty thousand men, who were to hold in clieck the enemy until our troops had escaped beyond the White Oak Swamp. " Here these men awaited, in one dark mass, for hours, the approach of the trebly outnumber-

BATTLE AT SAVAGE's STATION. 19

ing foe, while regiments, divisions, and trains filed by them. The fate of the army was in their hands, and they proved worthy of the trust."

About five o'clock in the afternoon, dense clouds of dust rising in the wood beyond heralded the approach of the enemy. " As they drew near, from their whole mass of artillery in front they opened a terrific fire, to which our guns responded," until tlu-ough the dense smoke was seen only the flash of artillery, like lightning from the tempest cloud. Sometimes the roar of the conflict would almost cease, but only to be renewed with more terrible visior. " For an hour not a musket was discharged, but the reverberating thunder of the cannon shook the hills ; then the whole majestic mass of rebels," with then' peculiar yell, in marked contrast with the three distinct cheers of oiu' men, " sprang forward upon the plain, presenting a crested billow of glittering bayonets, which, it would seem, no mortal power could withstand. Every musket in the Union lines was brought into deliberate aim. For a moment, there was a pause, until it was certain that every bullet would fulfil its mission, and then a flash, followed by a storm of lead, which covered the ground with dead and dying." The three distinct cheers of our men responded to the hyena-like yell of the rebels. Beaten back by tliis storm of lead, the rebel host wavered, broke, and retreated to the railroad. Troops coming up beliind pressed them forward again to om' lines. "Again there leaped from ten thousand guns the fiery blast, and yell answered yell ; for a moment a pause, to be succeeded by the instantaneous discharge of ten thousand guns." And then, as if stung to frenzy, the rage of the conflict was redoubled — the clash of arms interrupted by the occasional arrival of reenforcements in the field on the rebel side, who, as they came up, cheered their companions with loud shouts.

The battle raged incessantly until half past eight or .line o'clock, when cheer after cheer went up from our nen, to which was heard no answering rebel yell, telling that the army of the Potomac was saved. The rebels brought into the field fifty thousand men, and were beaten back by the gallant, devoted men under Sumner.

During the action, and afterwards, I was rendering to the wounded such assistance as it was in my power to contribute. At one time, while aiding a young surgeon (whose name I did not learn) who was amputating a limb, as I turned aside to obtain water for his use, the surgeon and patient were both killed and terribly mutilated by the explosion of a shell.

On the battle-field one sometimes hears sentiments from the rough soldier which would do credit to the most refined and chivalrous. At Savage's Station a young soldier belonging, I think, to the fifteenth Massachusetts regiment, was brought in wounded, had his wound dressed, and lay with closed eyes, apparently thinking. Presently he began to talk with me and others. "I have been thinking," said he, "how proud I shall be some day of these scars " (placing his hand

A VICTORY. 21

upon the dressing of the terrible sabre wound he had received across the face). "How proud mj mother will be of them ! " Suddenly the terrible discharge of artillery brought him to his feet. "Where is my rifle?" inquired he. " Surely," said one, " you will not go into the fight wounded as you are ! " He turned his large, intelligent eye upon the speaker, and, with an expression on his face I never can forget, in those low, suppressed tones which men sometimes use when keeping down or repressing excitement, said, while he buckled on his war harness, "Look yonder 1 On the hill-side is the flag of my brigade, and I never could forgive myself if I neglected this chance to render service to my country." He went, and my heart went with liim. I saw him reach and mingle with his comrades in time to take part in the conflict.

It was no wonder we were victorious, no wonder that the rebel hosts were di'iven back, and that there came no answering yell to the cheers of victory from the Union army ; for our army was made up of patriotic material — men who perilled life for their good government — the material to wring victory from defeat ! Hence, too, it was, that our army, though retreating and outnumbered, whipped the enemy in almost every battle during the seven days' fighting which terminated at Malvern Hill. After the battle of Savage's Station, says the Rev. Mr. Marks, " General Sumner called for reenforc(3ments to drive the enemy into the Chickahominy, thus showing how complete was our victory."

When this conflict was over, Avorn and exhausted with sickness and my exertions, yet content in the conviction that the victory was ours, I wrapped myself in my blanket and slept soundly, but awoke in the morning to find myself a prisoner. Our force had retreated during the night, leaving the whole hospital camp at Savage's Station prisoners in the hands of the enemy. The first intimation was on finding a rebel guard around the camp. During the three or four days we remained here, the treatment experienced in the main was good, although no attention was given us, such as providing rations and medicines. Even our ice, of which there was a meagre quantity for the wounded, was taken by the rebel authorities, and sent to Richmond for the use of the Confederate sick and wounded. The enemy whom we came in contact with from the battle-fields, as a general thing, treated us kindly, or rather let us alone.

As an instance of coolness manifested by our wounded at this time, I recollect one soldier desperately wounded in the leg, who had taken up his abode under a large tree near the station. He was as merry as a cricket, cracked jokes, whistled, and sang, and whittled like a veiitable Yankee, as he doubtless was. A Union surgeon gave him some ice one day to put on liis wound to pievent mortification, for the heat was intense. The poor fellow eyed the ice, and commenced eating it, and at last had eaten all except a small piece, when he began to look first at his leg and then at the ice, as if doubtful

SENT TO RICHMOND. 23

whether to finish eating the ice or to use it to cool his leg. He hesitated but a moment, and then said to himself, " G — d, I guess I'll eat it all and let it ' strike out.' "

Several correspondents of the Richmond press visited us at Savage's Station. " Our army," said one of them to me, casually, while taking notes, "will be in Washington in a few days." I could not refrain from answering the boast, by saying, "Undoubtedly, but they will go there as I shall go to Richmond soon." And such was my confidence in McClellan at that time, that I fully believed him to be manoeuvring to bag the whole rebel army. The correspondent, after recommending me to keep a civil tongue in my head, turned sneeringly away.

About the same time, a seedy-looking oflScer rode up, whom I accosted with the question of how we were to be sent into Richmond. "In ambulances," said he. "That," said a rebel guard, as the officer rode away, "is Jackson, our general." True enough, as I ascertained afterwards, it was Stonewall Jackson, who proved himself, in the few words of conversation I held with him, to be as big a liar as the rest of the rebels I had met ; for he must have known that the rebel army were greatly deficient in the article for the use of their wounded.

On the 5th July, we were packed into filthy cattle cars, the sick and wounded crowded together, and sent into Richmond. About twenty of our wounded are said to have died dui'ing the passage of little over one hour. Arriving at the depot in Richmond, we were formed in order around the canal, preparatory to marching to prison. We were a hard-looking crowd, made greatly so through suffering. The heat of the day was such as to make the thinnest garment intolerable. Many cast away their shirts and coats, and others their pantaloons and shoes. "So many wounded and sick men in the streets of the rebel capital, pale, bleeding, and in some cases nearly naked, starting on their march for the prison" — an imprisonment which, with the great majority, ended only with death — was calculated to excite pity in the hardest heart.

Many were hopping on rude crutches ; others, with amputated arms and shattered shoulders, moved as far as possible from their staggering companions, and were constantly pressed back into the surging mass by the bayonets of the brutal guard. Several blind men were guided by the arms of the wounded, who leaned upon them for support. Others, confused and uncertain, groped and staggered every step like the palsied. "Here," says Kev. Mr. Marks, who was a witness of the scene, "one, wounded in the leg, had thrown away Ids torn and bloody pants, and was limping along with nothing but liis crimson bandages ; another, wounded in the chest and arm, had thrown off his blood-stiffened shirt, and, with the upper portion of the body bare, moved along in the crowd, leaning upon a less injured companion."

Such was the crowd that left the depot and slowly moved around the canal. One would think such a

CARY STREET PRISON. 25

Spectacle was calculated to excite pity, but in this case it excited scoffs and derision. Even the children took the tone of their elders, and one little fellow, about six years of age, perched exultantly upon a gate, condensed in the single sentence of, "We've got you, you d — d Yankees you ! " a whole volume of rebel hate and triumph. If we did not then believe om-selves to be that description of a Yankee, we had occasion to change our opinion when we arrived at our destination. On our way an officer rode up to us, tinselled with gold lace in a most extraordinary manner, — doubtless some officer of the home guard, — and sneermg, asked if that was "Falstaff's army of recruits ! " "No," replied one of the boys at my side, who understood the insult, " we are not ; but here they come ; " pointing to a detachment of dilapidated rebels coming around a corner with the shuffling, unmilitary gait which is peculiar to the Johnnies. The officer rode away without any more attempts at wit.