diff options
Diffstat (limited to '57440-0.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 57440-0.txt | 2062 |
1 files changed, 2062 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/57440-0.txt b/57440-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3fecd1c --- /dev/null +++ b/57440-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2062 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 57440 *** + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustration. + See 57440-h.htm or 57440-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/57440/57440-h/57440-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/57440/57440-h.zip) + + + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive. See + https://archive.org/details/soldiersexperien00prut + + + + + +[Illustration: C. M. PRUTSMAN.] + + +A SOLDIER'S EXPERIENCE IN SOUTHERN PRISONS + +by + +C. M. PRUTSMAN + +Lieut. in Seventh Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers + +A Graphic +Description of the Author's Experiences +in Various Southern Prisons + + +[Illustration] + + + + + + +New York +Andrew H. Kellogg +1901 + +Copyright, 1901, +By C. M. Prutsman, +Lexington, Neb. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER I. + + Events preceding my capture--The last day of freedom--A + major's folly--My picket line captured--Warrenton--I + lose a valuable pair of boots--Culpepper--Farewell + to the boots--A disappointing test of good faith 5 + + + CHAPTER II. + + Libby--Now I lose my money--"Fresh fish"--Quarters and + rations--Boxes from home--Two majors escape--A general + conspiracy--Bad news and new prisoners--General + Butler saves two Union officers by threatening to hang + Captains Fitzhugh Lee and Winder--Two female prisoners + discovered in male attire in Belle Isle--We secure + their release 13 + + + CHAPTER III. + + Sick in the smallpox ward--A new plan of escape--Over a + powder mine--The plan fails--Filling the roll, one hundred + and nine men "short"--Shot at through windows--"Bread! + bread!"--Hopes of exchange--May 1st--Boxes + which had passed in the night--Brutes--More boxes--Danville, + May 8th--Two weeks later, Macon 20 + + + CHAPTER IV. + + A tunnel spoiled by the rain--Captain Tabb's cruelties--Corn + pone bakers--July 4th squelched--Beyond the "dead + line"--Caught--Sherman sixty miles away--Charleston--Negro + regimental prisoners--In the gallows' shadow--Whipping-post--Paroles + --Money exchange drafts--The Anderson men 29 + + + CHAPTER V. + + Sherman devastates Northern Georgia--Columbia "Camp + Sorghum"--A "dug-out"--I get away--Free--An unexpected + plunge--Trouble ahead--Recaptured--A meal--The + "debtor's cell" at Abbeville--Back to "Sorghum" 41 + + + CHAPTER VI. + + An "underground railway"--More paroles--Bloodhounds--Bribing + the guard--Bloodhound steaks--Two hundred + and fifty prisoners "short"--Back to Columbia--Building + barracks--A good tunnel started 50 + + + CHAPTER VII. + + Five of us have a narrow escape from the train--Friendly + negroes--A good old "shakedown" 57 + + + CHAPTER VIII. + + Surrounded by rebel forces--Undiscovered--Skirmishing for + food--Sambo--Sambo's schemes--Sambo brings succor--At + headquarters--Sambo's reward 65 + + + CHAPTER IX. + + General Logan--General Sherman--Clean at last--General + Hobart's hospitality--Luxurious ease--A ghastly reminder + of horrors escaped--Washington "short"--Ordered + back to my regiment--An honorable discharge 74 + + + + +A SOLDIER'S EXPERIENCE IN SOUTHERN PRISONS. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + Events preceding my capture--The last day of freedom--A major's + folly--My picket line captured--Warrenton--I lose a valuable pair of + boots--Culpepper--Farewell to the boots--A disappointing test of good + faith. + + +My enlistment in the service of the United States as a soldier to +aid in putting down the rebellion of 1861-5 bears the date, August +2, 1861. I was mustered into the service as a second sergeant of Co. +I, 7th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, August 28, 1861, which regiment +afterwards formed a part of the famous "Iron Brigade." I was afterwards +promoted to the rank of orderly sergeant, serving as such until April +15, 1863, when I was commissioned second lieutenant, and finally on May +4, 1863, received my commission as first lieutenant, in which capacity +I was serving at the time of the opening of my story. + +On or about the first day of October, 1863, after an attack of +sickness, I was discharged from the Seminary Hospital at Georgetown, +D.C., and ordered to report for duty to my regiment which was then +stationed near the Rapidan River, south of Culpepper, Virginia. A few +days after I reached my regiment the whole army in great haste started +north for Centerville, in order to head off the rebel army which was +threatening to get between us and Washington City, _via_ the Shenandoah +Valley. We arrived at Centerville just in time to frustrate their well +laid plans. + +On the morning of October 19th, we started out, Kilpatrick's Cavalry +in advance, in search of the rebs and found them in full retreat, +_via_ the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, Warrenton and Leesburg pike, +and Thoroughfare Gap. We arrived near Gainesville, where, some months +previous, we had fought our first battle. Here we halted a few moments, +to mourn over the long mound of earth, which but partly covered the +remains of our dead, who on this very ground with our brigade and +Stewart's Battery ("B" of the 4th Regulars) had fought the whole of +Stonewall Jackson's division for four hours, repeatedly repulsing +every attack and holding our ground until, finally, Longstreet's +column coming up in our rear, our position became too critical. With +Jackson's Division between us and Washington, and Longstreet in our +rear, discretion became the better part of valor and we were obliged to +retreat, leaving our dead on the field, where this mound now made shift +to cover them. History relates that Fitz John Porter had been ordered +to check and repulse Longstreet at 4 P.M., and failing to do so was +afterwards court martialed, but this is a digression and I must proceed +with my story. + +Resuming our march south, we arrived at the Manassas Gap Railroad, +which we crossed, pursuing our course until we came to a little place +called Haymarket, where our division was halted in the fields and a +detail sent out for picket duty. Forty of this detail were from my +regiment, and I was put in command of the quota furnished from the +brigade. We advanced about one mile further south and then west, +leaving the roads to be picketed by details furnished from the other +brigades of the division. + +Hardly had I established my line, and chosen a place for the support to +bivouac, before the enemy slipped in at a place called Buckley's Mills, +between the picket and the cavalry in our front, and after a short and +sharp engagement they forced Kilpatrick's Cavalry to leave the pike and +flee to the south-east, in order to pass around the enemy's flank and +return to our lines. The corps was compelled to fall back about three +miles in order to get north of the rebel army, which was endeavoring +by advancing _via_ the Bristo station from the east and Thoroughfare +Gap road from the west, to get in its rear. The major in command of the +lines covering both roads, Bristo station and Warrenton pike, gathered +up all the men who could be conveniently reached, and following the +corps, left me in ignorance of our dangerous position and entirely at +the mercy of the enemy. (This major was afterwards court martialed for +conduct unbecoming an officer in the face of the enemy, and dismissed +from the service.) + +In my position I could hear heavy trains moving on the pike, but could +not see them on account of the woods. Finally a couple of rebels, +chasing a few sheep, approached our lines, and naturally I undertook to +capture them, but failed in the attempt. This revealed our position, +and shortly after a long, heavy skirmish line appeared in sight, +advancing upon us from the south. I concentrated my line by drawing in +my right, which was the most exposed flank, dropped back a few yards +in order to give my men the benefit of the timber for protection, and +awaited the result. + +As soon as the advancing line was within range we poured in a volley by +file, confusing and staggering that section directly in our front, but +as each flank of their line extended beyond ours and they continued to +advance we were compelled to retreat, disputing the way from tree to +tree until we reached a point where the Bristo road crossed the pike at +nearly right angles; here I commanded my men to rally on the reserve by +the left flank, but the men on the left, to my surprise, informed me +that the road was full of rebels. I then directed another retreat by +the left oblique, in order to get away from the road and make our way +back to the fields, where we had left the brigade, but upon arriving +there and jumping the fence we found ourselves in the midst of a rebel +battery; the rebels had been massing there for more than an hour. + +I had no alternative but to surrender. My casualty list was two men +wounded, both in their legs. Ah! what a sorry plight we were in. My men +were footsore and weary from their hard marching and maneuvering and +our animals were completely fagged. + +We were gathered in line; I was their first victim, without hat or +sword, both of which had been taken away by the first rebel who had +approached me. + +All and each of the men had shared the same fate. + +We heard a few volleys of musketry north and west of us; then spherical +case shot from our own guns began to fly among us, which caused the +rebs to beat a hasty retreat to protect themselves from the murderous +fire of our artillery. + +As soon as we reached the pike we turned south and, after marching a +couple of miles, we were halted in the woods, and there put in charge +of a guard, which was to take us to Warrenton. + +It was now getting quite dark, and to add to our wretched condition it +began to rain, notwithstanding which we resumed our march to Warrenton, +eight miles distant. Upon our arrival there we were put into an old +storeroom, which had been improvised as a prison, and in which we found +a number of others prisoners who had been captured or picked up from +our army on its retreat from the Rapidan. + +Those prisoners were crowded into one end of the room, while we were +confined in the opposite. The next step was to examine us for boots and +shoes. Previous to this I had secretly taken three twenty-dollar bills +from my wallet, dampened them in my mouth, flattened them out a little, +then slipped them into my watch pocket. But it was not money they +wanted; they were looking for footwear. + +It was my misfortune to have on a new pair of shop made boots, which I +had just received by express from northern Pennsylvania, having been +made to order. The provost marshal came in with a small guard and a +couple of lanterns and proceeded with his examination. I think I was +the first man approached, the officer giving the order, "Examine +that man's feet." The order was quickly obeyed. The guards rolled up +my pant legs to observe the length of their boot tops and the quality +thereof. Their report was "Good." Another of the guard carried an +old sack filled with old shoes which had been cast off by men of our +army. The officer politely told me "to pick out a pair of shoes from +the sack, and get out of them boots." Having no option in the matter +I very reluctantly surrendered my new boots, and replaced them with a +pair of the cast-off shoes. Later we will hear from those boots. They +examined every man's feet, made a number of good trades, then raised +the blockade. After this we were allowed the privilege of the whole +room, and laid ourselves down for a good night's rest. + +Next morning (October 20th) we were marshaled out into the street, +put under a mounted guard in command of a lieutenant, and started for +Culpepper. This guard proved to be an exception to most guards; they +were very gentlemanly, worthy of the responsibility they had undertaken +and would frequently dismount and give some one of the poor fagged and +footsore prisoners a seat in the saddle. We reached Culpepper about +dark, and were ushered into another old storeroom, similar to that +at Warrenton, for the night. Here we found the first infantry we had +seen since our capture, and were turned over to their charge. The next +morning, two other officers and myself were taken across the street +to the provost marshal's office and were asked to give our parole not +to leave the building, except to look after the welfare of our men +when they wanted to report their grievances to the provost marshal, +Major Richardson, whose office we were to be permitted to visit. We +willingly gave the parole. Major Richardson assured us that our private +property should and would be protected, and enjoined upon us to report, +for the benefit of all the prisoners, any and all cases of extortion +that came to our knowledge. + +During the afternoon I observed a good-looking cavalryman stepping +around the provost marshal's office, wearing a fine pair of long +legged, newly blacked, boots. The thought struck me that those boots +were private property and mine, and probably all that I would have to +do to regain them would be to report to the major. I did so, and the +following colloquy took place: + +"Major, I beg pardon, but I believe you made us the promise that our +private property would be respected, and asked that we should report +all extortions to you." + +"Yes, yes, certainly, lieutenant; have you lost anything?" + +"Yes, major, I have." + +"What?" + +"A pair of new boots." + +"Where?" was the major's query. + +"While in prison," I replied. + +"You don't think that I can find them, do you?" he questioned. + +"No, sir, but I can." + +"Where are they?" asked the major. + +"Upon that soldier's feet," pointing to the man with the boots on. + +"Ah, ah, that is one of General Stewart's men and I do not have +anything to do with him." + +This ended both the dialogue and all chance of ever recovering my +treasured boots, so I bid a fond farewell to my late pedal coverings, +and went back to my quarters a sadder but wiser man. I knew then +just how much faith I could pin in the future upon the pledges of my +captors. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + Libby--Now I lose my money--"Fresh fish"--Quarters and rations--Boxes + from home--Two majors escape--A general conspiracy--Bad news and new + prisoners--General Butler saves two Union officers by threatening to + hang Captains Fitzhugh Lee and Winder--Two female prisoners discovered + in male attire in Belle Isle--We secure their release. + + +After remaining in this prison two nights, we were marched out and +south across the Rapidan River, where we found a train of cars awaiting +us. We embarked and were conveyed to Gordonsville, where we were taken +to the court house for the night. Next day, (October 23d) we were again +placed aboard the train and taken to Richmond, where we arrived about 3 +P.M. + +At the depot we were separated, the enlisted men being taken to Belle +Isle, and we three officers placed in the now notorious Libby Prison. +The prison was in command of Major Turner, whom I now saw for the first +time. He was a very gentlemanly looking man, well dressed and a smooth +talker, and assured us he was quite willing to make our short stay with +him as pleasant as possible. + +After taking our names, rank and regiment, he informed us that the +Confederate Government would not allow us to use or even carry United +States money; that we would have to deposit our wealth with him for a +short time, and that we would be entertained by his brother Dick. + +He demanded our pocketbooks, (how thankful I was to know that I had +extracted the three twenty-dollar bills and that he was only to get +about three dollars) and very deliberately opened them, counted out +the money, gave us credit for it in his book, then told a sergeant +that stood nearby to search us. Up stepped the sergeant like a man of +business, thrust his thumb and finger into my watch pocket and fished +out the three twenty-dollar bills. Alas! how soon was my joy converted +to sadness! When I saw those bills vanish I knew that they would meet +the fate of my custom-made boots. + +After serving all alike, we were handed each a chunk of corn bread +about one inch thick and four inches square. We then followed the +sergeant upstairs, and were ushered into the presence of the other +prisoners, where we first heard the cry of "Fresh fish! fresh fish!! +fresh fish!!!" + +The words came back from every room in the building, of which there +were six, and a rush of the prisoners followed the echo, all anxious to +get the latest news from our army and the North. We were besieged with +such questions as: + +"What army are you from?" + +"Army of the Potomac." + +"Where were you captured?" + +"At Haymarket." + +"Are they having a big battle?" + +"What corps engaged?" + +"Have you any news from the Western armies?" + +"Is there any hope or prospects of an exchange of prisoners?" + +Every one showed the most intense interest and loyalty for Uncle Sam. + +Finally the crowd began to scatter and one prisoner came to me saying +that, as I was from the Potomac army, I had better go with him to the +room occupied by the Potomac officers, which was the upper east room. +He led the way and I, following, was shortly installed and assigned in +his squad. After posting me in the rules and customs of the prison, +my new friend showed me a place near the center of the room where he +thought I might find room to lie down that night. He further told me +that I would get my rations from him, which would consist of a hunk of +corn bread, four inches square by one thick, every morning, and that +once a week we would get a meat ration, which would be prepared by the +squad cook before being issued. + +Night came on and I found a place where I could lay my poor weary bones +upon the bare floor, favoring my head a little by using my old shoes +for a pillow. + +After a couple of days I learned that I might write to my friends, and +would be permitted to receive a box from them filled with eatables, +bedding, clothing and books. I at once wrote a letter, and in a short +time received a well filled box, and was then able to support a bed +consisting of a blanket and a quilt. The prisoners also at that time +were permitted to send out to the stores once a week and purchase such +necessaries as they were able to buy, but like other promised favors +this luxury was later denied. + +We had among us two chaplains (non-combatants) who were expecting to +take the next boat down the river and be put through the lines. When +the boat got ready to start their names were called but, not responding +to the call promptly, a couple of majors answered to their names and +were given a few minutes to get ready, which they did with alacrity. +They were soon marched out, went down on the truce boat, and were +delivered over to the Union authorities. A few days after the chaplains +made another demand for their liberty to the great astonishment of +"Dick" Turner, who had to confess that he had "learned another Yankee +trick." + +After getting acquainted and having my loyalty to the Union thoroughly +tested, I was sworn into an organization whose purpose was to overpower +the guard, seize their weapons and effect an escape. We were also to +receive more guns from loyal citizens, then go to the arsenal and get +both guns and ammunition with which to arm the prisoners on Belle Isle, +then capture and hold the city until our army from the peninsula could +meet us at or near Bottoms Bridge, four miles from the city, and with +their assistance, hold the prize. + +At that time it was reported that there were nine thousand five hundred +men on Belle Isle, two thousand five hundred in the Scott building, +(just in sight) and between eight and nine hundred in "Castle Thunder," +making in all an army of about twelve or fourteen thousand, though, of +course, there were some non-effectives; and, too, at that time nearly +ninety per cent. of the men could carry and shoot a gun. + +The only difficulty in my mind was to secure arms and ammunition, +but we had been informed that they were to be had if we could get +possession of the armory. But our plan was soon frustrated, for it was +not long before we heard from the negroes that the prison had been +undermined. + +The next bad news we heard was that Colonel Dahlgreen, who had come +within four miles of the city, had been killed on his retreat and a +portion of his command captured. The officers captured from his command +were brought to Libby prison, and placed in a cell in the middle cellar +on the north side, far from light or ventilation. Communication was had +with them through a hole in the floor, through which they were also fed +by their friends from above. + +From this time our luck began to go against us. First the meat ration +was stopped; next we were denied the privilege of sending out to make +purchases at the stores; then the boxes which arrived for us from our +Northern friends were stored away in an old warehouse and we were +forbidden access to them. This warehouse was only thirty feet away from +us, and, as the boxes continued to arrive, nearly every night, we could +plainly hear the guards bursting them open and plundering them of their +contents for their own use; another proof of the utter faithlessness +of the promises made us by these self-styled "chivalrous southern +gentlemen." + +The only reason I ever heard given for this change of tactics on the +part of our captors was, that they could not negotiate with that "Beast +Butler." I learned afterwards that General Butler, who had superseded +General Mulford, had, a short time previous to this, notified the +rebel authorities at Richmond that he held, as prisoners, Captains +Fitzhugh Lee and John S. Winder, and that if they dared as they had +threatened, to execute Captains Sawyer and Flyn, he would retaliate by +HANGING Lee and Winder. This order had effect in saving the lives of +these officers. + +At one time during the winter some sanitary goods in the shape of +clothing, blankets and provisions, were received and issued to the +enlisted men on Belle Isle. Six officers from the prison were taken +over to the island to distribute these, and while engaged in that duty +they were approached by two rather peculiar looking persons wearing +the uniforms of the Union army. They proved to be regularly enlisted +soldiers who had been captured with their comrades, as prisoners of +war. Upon inquiry it was discovered, or, rather, they voluntarily +gave the information, that they were of the gentler sex. This was a +surprise that came very near taking away the breath of the officers. +They explained how, imbued by a spirit of loyalty to the flag of their +country, and being so situated that a disguise was feasible, they had +donned the garb of the male sex, eluded the vigilance of the examining +surgeon and succeeded in enlisting in the service of Uncle Sam. Up to +this time they had kept their identity concealed and had taken part in +several engagements as valiant soldiers, but by the fortune of war, +were now lying as prisoners at Belle Isle. The treatment received +in prison was more than they felt like submitting to, so now they +confessed their deception and asked to be released. The officers told +them that if they would consent to be released on the ground of being +non-combatants, he would make the effort. Their consent was readily +given. The next day he reported the case and demanded their release, +which was immediately obtained, after which they were brought to +Libby, where they remained until a purse could be raised with which to +purchase suitable female wearing apparel. They were then taken aboard +the truce boat at City Point, amid the "God bless yous" of those who +had secured their release. I never heard what became of them, but they +said their home was in West Virginia, and that they belonged to a +regiment from that State. I have always had a curiosity to know what +our Government did for these and other similar cases that were events +of our Civil War. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + Sick in the smallpox ward--A new plan of escape--Over a powder + mine--The plan fails--Filling the roll, one hundred and nine + men "short"--Shot at through windows--"Bread! bread!"--Hopes of + exchange--May 1st--Boxes which had passed in the night--Brutes--More + boxes--Danville, May 8th--Two weeks later, Macon. + + +By this time my health had become so poor that I was taken to the +hospital, which was in the east room on the first floor of the prison. +I remained there one night, when it was reported by the surgeon in +charge that there were two cases of smallpox in the room and that if I +preferred I might return upstairs, which you may be sure I immediately +did. Then we were all vaccinated; it did not "take" on me, but there +was many a groan for a while from the effects of sore arms. + +One night as I lay sick upon the floor I noticed that one of my nearest +bedfellows was missing. After a few days he returned early one morning, +spoke to his next neighbor in bed and asked him to lie over and give +him his warm place in the bed, as he had been on guard for the last +four hours and was nearly frozen. His friend, who was Lieutenant Wise, +complied with his wish. When he laid down his head nearly touched mine +and I heard the man who had given up his warm place (Wise) ask him +very secretly how near the end was, and heard the reply, "It is done +now; we would have opened it to-night but thought it was too near +morning." + +Now I had a nut to crack; all thought of sleep was gone and I found +myself constantly repeating the question, "Has the time arrived when we +are to overpower the guard?" + +In the morning I approached Lieutenant Wise for further information, +but he was as "mum as an oyster" regarding any intended movement toward +escape. + +I told him what I had heard him say about the end and he assured me I +had been dreaming. But I was not to be so easily evaded, and reasoning +with myself that if it were a tunnel which had been prepared it must +start from the middle room, the one we were allowed to use from 9 A.M. +to 4 P.M. I took my station at the door and was the first to enter the +room as it swung open. I could plainly see tracks on the floor coming +from the east end and began an examination, but without result. It was +plain that I was not in the secret. The day passed--taps were sounded +and all retired. An instant later everybody was up, dressing and +packing. An Illinois captain came over to me and said: + +"Lieutenant, you are not able to make the effort, lie down again." + +I mused to myself thus: "What can be the result; if I lie here I may +be blown up, if I go and faint by the wayside I shall die, so I may as +well be in one place as another." Accordingly I obeyed orders, laid +down and in a few moments was entirely alone in that great, cold, +desolate and deserted room. My heart fluttered as I thought of the +three kegs of powder in the mine underneath me and I tried to keep my +pulse still by holding my breath, but it would flutter on in spite of +every effort, when, suddenly, even before I realized that any time had +passed, there was a rushing of feet and my comrades poured in, one +after another, pell mell, hastily unrolled their blankets and stretched +themselves on the floor, every man in his place. A moment after, the +rebel guard came pushing in with lanterns and scrutinized every man +closely. All were apparently sound asleep but me, and most of them +snoring loudly. The guard was completely deceived and retired, and +then I also fell asleep; but when daylight came I noticed that both +my neighbors were gone. I made no comment, though I knew I would have +to be counted for them at roll call. I did this by falling in on the +right, and being counted, slipped down to the rear of the line, when I +was again counted--first time for Wise, then later for his companion. + +The count being completed, the adjutant announced that "over a hundred +men had answered roll call who were not on the floor." + +We began to smell trouble. + +The adjutant went downstairs and soon returned with "Dick" Turner and a +guard, who drove all of the prisoners out of the room, and then passed +them back one at a time, counting them as they filed through the door. + +After completing the count they announced they were one hundred and +nine men short, and started their patrols out in every direction to +recapture the runaways. By noon they had begun to head them off, and in +less than three days recaptured fifty-six. The remaining fifty-three +were never heard of again as prisoners in Libby; the most of them +succeeded in reaching the Union lines. + +This escape was hard on the rest of us, however, our liberties being +greatly curtailed and our dangers increased. Among other orders, the +guard was instructed to shoot every man who showed his head at a +window. The first man shot at was Lieutenant Burns, who happened to +expose his head too close to an opening in the water closet, where a +board had been torn off. Fortunately he only lost half of one ear. + +Lieutenant Forsyth of Ohio was not so fortunate. He was sitting four +or five feet from the window, reading, when he was observed by a guard +patrolling on the opposite side of the street. He fired at Forsyth, +killing him instantly, and many other brave officers afterwards shared +the same fate as Lieutenant Forsyth, at the hands of those cowardly +assassins. + +Such was life in this prison, kept by people who prided themselves on +their "chivalry." God save the mark! + +The month of March dragged slowly along. The commissary boxes which had +been sent to us from the north were in sight, but we were never allowed +to touch their contents, our only ration still consisting of the one +chunk of corn bread daily. + +April came, and every day the cry was "Bread! bread! bread!" not only +in the prison but also on the streets. + +Bread riots were reported to us as having occurred even in the city. + +Toward the last of April I was approached by an officer of high rank, +who asked if I was "anxious to be exchanged?" Of course I was! I +replied, my hopes going up. + +He then told me they wanted to send a message north to headquarters at +Washington, and I might carry it if they could effect my exchange. The +message was that Longstreet's army from Knoxville, Tennessee, about +forty thousand strong, had just passed through Lynchburg, going north +to join Lee in Northern Virginia; and that Beauregard's army had passed +through Petersburg, going north on the same mission, with about thirty +thousand men. The message was to be enclosed in a brass button, and +they were in hopes they might get me through the lines, as I was in +poor health. + +The application was made, but alas for the hopes of a prisoner in +the hands of rebel captors! I never heard anything further of the +proposition, and again settled down to wait some new disappointment. + +The first of May came, that day of so many bright memories in my +northern home. The city of Richmond was all excitement; old men and +small boys could be seen going down Franklin Street with old muskets +and clean new white haversacks; and the rebs commenced to issue to us +our long-looked-for boxes. Once more hopes of a change for the better +took possession of us, and it seemed as if they could not deliver us +our boxes fast enough. Negroes would carry them over to the lower +middle room and then the roll would be called. + +When my name was finally reached I seized my blanket and quilt and +got a couple of friends to go with me to the room, where a good large +box was waiting to be receipted for. They opened the box, while I +spread both blanket and quilt on the floor in great excitement and +feverish expectation. They emptied the contents upon my receptacles; +next a couple of rebs sat down, each armed with a marline spike made +for the purpose, and began overhauling and searching the contents. The +salt, sugar, coffee and pepper were scattered all over everything; +they reached a roll of butter--think of it, a roll of butter!--and in +that the spike struck something hard, upon examination of which they +found to be a small glass vial in which had been placed a ten-dollar +greenback. No sooner had they laid eyes upon that ten than they +appropriated it to their own use. The despised Uncle Sam's money was a +very Godsend to them, the cowardly robbers. It is needless to say that +I never saw the ten-dollar greenback again. I was permitted to lug my +blanket and quilt, with what motley stuff they contained, upstairs, and +I studied for some time how to separate the sugar from the sausage, and +the salt from the coffee, and I must confess it required some brainwork +to so arrange my provender as to make any part of it palatable. Still I +finally concluded that I was a lucky man to be even permitted to look +upon the relics of the good things that my friends in the north had +taken so much pains to send me, and I said again, "How grand it is to +be among a chivalric people." On the morning of the fifth the old negro +who distributed the morning papers down Franklin Street was heard to +cry: "A Great Battle on the Rapidan! Great News from the Rapidan! Full +Account of the Battle of the Rapidan!" + +My! what an effect this had upon us captives. Our boxes came in thicker +and faster until finally old Libby looked like a great storehouse or +supply depot, and once more our expectations were raised to a fever +heat, only to have them again dashed below the zero mark. + +On the morning of the eighth, after roll call, we were informed that an +order had been issued for our immediate removal and that we would only +be allowed to take one blanket or quilt, which was to be held open as +we passed out of the door. We were to receive our rations outside. What +a surprise this was to us after all the promises that had been made to +us. A perfect bedlam ensued; men would grab up their best books, copies +of Dickens, Shakespeare, law books, medical works, magazines, novels, +tear out the leaves by the handful and throw the empty covers down on +the floor. Next came the groceries, sugar, coffee, pepper, salt, soap, +sardines, pineapples and cheese from New York; soused mackeral from +Maine; pickled eels from Massachusetts; all sowed broadcast on the +floor and mixed into a conglomerate mass a foot or two deep. + +We started and at the head of the stairs I turned to take a last, +farewell look. I could see many a short piece of candle that had been +lighted and stuck fast to the plate which supported the roof, the +blaze beginning to lap up the sheeting, but I did not stop to look +back again, the outside was good enough for me. I passed down and out +through the door, holding my blanket open, and received my hunk of corn +bread as I passed out. We started up Franklin Street on the pavement, +and, oh, how rough it was after seven months on the smooth floor of +the prison. We had bid adieu to old Libby with all its horrors and +terrors, yet it proved to be the best prison of my experience. + +After marching awhile we turned to the left, then came thoughts of +Belle Isle. But, no, we were not destined for that place, for we passed +over the bridge, across the island and on to the depot, where we were +put aboard some old freight cars. The bell rang, the wheels began to +roll, and soon we were whirling over the iron rails. The cars were +filthy with dirt, but the atmosphere was fresh, the meadows green and +the air fragrant with the perfume of apple and peach trees in full +bloom, and I assure you that it was a fragrance we all enjoyed for the +time permitted; it was the free air of heaven. + +It was the eighth of May and we were moving in a south-westerly course, +our destiny being an enigma to us. Late in the afternoon we pulled +into Danville, where we were unloaded and marched to a large brick +building, which had just been evacuated by other prisoners. Around +the outside of the building were a number of Union men, who were just +convalescing from the smallpox; scabs were falling off and the men +pitting nicely; however, we escaped contagion. We were only confined +here about two weeks when we were again put aboard the cars and started +south, passing through Charlotte, N.C., and Augusta, Ga., thence west +to Macon. Here we left the train and were marched to the fair grounds, +which covered about four acres. It was enclosed by a high board fence, +with a platform and sentry boxes on the outside for the guard. When +we got inside we found one large rustic building near the center, +(floral hall) and in the north-west corner was an open shed, fourteen +feet wide by over one hundred feet long, which had been built for our +predecessors, who in turn had made cots or bunks by driving stakes +into the ground about two feet apart, covering them over with boughs +and limbs, and leaving just enough room between each one for a man to +walk without inconvenience. I was fortunate enough to get one near the +center, which was high and gave me a good shelter. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + A tunnel spoiled by the rain--Captain Tabb's cruelties--Corn pone + bakers--July 4th squelched--Beyond the "dead line"--Caught--Sherman + sixty miles away--Charleston--Negro regimental prisoners--In the + gallows' shadow--Whipping-post--Paroles--Money exchange drafts--The + Anderson men. + + +We had been there a few days when I discovered that something unusual +was taking place. Every night I could faintly hear the whispering of +men engaged in some secret enterprise, but concluded that the best +thing for me was to remain quiet and watch. Then came a big rain, which +so thoroughly wet the ground that it caused a strip of earth about two +feet wide and ten feet long to drop below the surface about ten inches, +into a tunnel which these men had been digging. No one _appeared_ +to notice it, as it was outside of the dead line. The project was +abandoned, but the hole under the shed remained intact. Some men who +were digging in another part of the prison deposited the earth in this +exposed hole, but the guards had "caught on" and were on the watch. + +One night shortly after Captain Tabb, who was in charge of the prison, +collected about twenty of his guard and, crawling up on the stockade, +jumped over the fence and came down on us, swinging his sword, the +guard following. They came through under the shed in single file and +encircled my bunk and the one opposite, which covered the abandoned +hole, and the captain said: + +"Now, I have caught you! You will have to pay for this! This is a +pretty scrape!" + +He called for lanterns and shovels, and, seizing a lantern, held it +down under the bunk, saw the hole, stuck the point of his sword down +and it happened to hit some of the abandoned tools. He then rose to +his feet, turned to Major Pasco, who was on a bunk just to his right, +and ordered him to "get up and dig out that hole." The major flatly +refused. This raised the ire of Captain Tabb, and he said: + +"You refuse to obey my orders, do you?" + +"I do," was the calm answer. + +Captain Tabb then yelled: + +"If you don't get up and dig out that hole you will be shot in less +than one minute." + +By this time there were not less than eight hundred or a thousand men +crowding around so close that the guard could hardly stand. I raised +myself so as not to be trampled under foot in case of a rush. + +Major Pasco replied: + +"I am a soldier of the United States army and a prisoner of war. You +have no right to demand any manual labor from me." + +Captain Tabb turned to a guard and gave the order: + +"Shoot that man. Shoot that man, I say." + +The guard brought up his gun, with the muzzle not over two feet from +the major's head, and not over three feet from mine, when Tabb cried +out again: + +"Shoot that man. Shoot that man, I say." + +But the guard seemed to know more, just at that time, than Tabb did; +for, just so sure as the sun shines, had he obeyed the order not a man +of the entire guard would have been left alive. A furious and surging +mob were rushing to the front, and at that very instant every man on +the guard was covered with some kind of deadly weapon. The guard did +not pull the trigger and Tabb so far recovered himself as to not repeat +the order. + +The next morning while the roll was being called a few negroes came in +with the proper tools and dug out the tunnel. + +Captain Tabb was intent on revenge, however, and very shortly saw his +opportunity. Major Pasco sent out a fine gold watch to be sold and all +he received in return for it was eighty dollars in Confederate scrip, +when it was easily worth seven hundred dollars at the rate that money +was then valued at. When Major Pasco protested he was called out by +Tabb, bucked and gagged and made to lie in a hot June sun for three +long hours. + +When we first arrived at this prison our rations consisted of raw corn +meal, one quart each day, besides a very small piece of bacon and +some cow peas. We were also furnished with cast iron kettles, which +were low and flat, about fourteen inches diameter, and with cast iron +covers. This style of kettle I had seen, when a small boy at home, +used in a fireplace to bake in. It was then called a "Dutch oven," or +"bay-kettle." In these kettles we did our baking by building a small +fire both under and over the top. Corn bread now was a necessity of +the past, and we all became bakers of corn "pone." I became so expert +that by regulating the fire, and placing a slice or two of bacon +on top for dressing, I could make and bake a very palatable corn +"pone," and one that was pronounced even a luxury. But like all of our +former experiences, as soon as we began to think we had mastered one +difficulty we found another; in this case our wood gave out and it was +a mighty poor "pone" that we could make without fire to cook it with. + +Situated in the south-east corner of the prison was just one small +spring of water which was good. A half barrel was set in the ground to +act as a reservoir for this spring, and this small reservoir was to +supply the entire camp of fifteen hundred men with water. As we had to +use this water for both washing and cooking, it was insufficient, so +we asked for tools and permission to dig a well, which was granted. In +a very short time we had a well twelve feet deep, but the siphon that +supplied the spring had been tapped, and when the water was used from +the well the spring was dry. Then a second well was dug with the same +effect as the first, but the two wells proved to be a great blessing to +the poor, thirsty prisoners, because, after the exposure of the tunnel, +no prisoner was allowed to be outside of the place called his quarters +after taps. Consequently during the night both wells made a reservoir +that filled up and held the surplus, which otherwise would have been +lost. + +July Fourth came and we determined to celebrate it in true, loyal +fashion. We formed in line and marched around to the front door of +the only building on the ground, where we were to hear an oration, +to be delivered by an officer standing in the doorway. One of the men +resurrected an American flag of small dimensions, three inches by +four, but the Stars and Stripes all the same. He fastened it to an +old, crooked limb, and elevated it above the heads of the crowd in +front of the speaker's stand. We cheered the flag, the first Union +flag some of the men standing in that crowd had seen for over two +years. No words of mine are capable of portraying the effect the sight +of that little banner had upon the crowd. Cheer after cheer rent the +air. Hats, caps and arms were raised in the air, tears flowed down +the cheeks like rain, and men hugged each other for joy. Never to the +longest day of my existence will I forget the scene produced by that +little emblem of loyalty, no larger than my hand, as it was brought +out from its hiding in that prison. I realized then the full meaning +of the Stars and Stripes, and knew why the name "Old Glory" was so +appropriate. But, alas, to the utter shame of those in command, our +joy was soon cut short, and our intended celebration of the birth of +American Independence brought to a sudden and abrupt termination. The +rebel guard came in, ordered the small flag to be taken down, dispersed +our assembly, and gave the order that if we ever made a similar +attempt to show loyalty to the emblem of liberty, they would order +the artillery, in plain view to the south-east of us, to open fire +upon us and "send us to the kingdom come without ceremony," an order +that we well knew would be carried out. We therefore had but one thing +to do--to retire to our quarters, and there meditate again upon that +glorious, chivalric spirit which so long had been the boast of these +representatives of Southern aristocracy. + +My health, which had been improving since I had the opportunity to +breathe air unconfined by roofs and side walls, as it had been in +Libby, was still improving and I made up my mind to attempt an escape +on the first opportunity that offered itself. I watched both night and +day for an opportunity to steal a boat ride down the Okmulgee River. +One morning I was one of the squad sent out after wood, which was +dumped in a disorderly pile near the gate. Seeing a hole several feet +deep and large enough for me to crawl into, I asked one of the detail +to cover the hole over with other sticks of wood after I had crawled +in. This was soon done and the detail left with their luggage. It was +now only eight o'clock in the morning and I was left outside of the +stockade, but still a prisoner in the woodpile near the gate. The day +was long and the sun's rays poured down with great heat, and how I +longed for a drink of water! Still I was braved to the self-denial, +owing to very anxiety to reach the boat undiscovered. But my liberty +was not to be obtained in that way. About six o'clock the guard came +after its wood and my concealment was at an end. They ordered me out, +marched me up to Captain Tabb's office, where I received some unasked +for advice, after which I was marched back to the gate and turned in. +However, I succeeded in getting a hasty drink of water from the spring, +and then had another chance to meditate upon the uncertainty of freedom +and the certainty of another long term under close surveillance, +before I would again have an opportunity to attempt another escape. + +In the latter part of July the Union army, commanded by General +Sherman, took possession of Atlanta, only sixty miles north-west of us. +A cavalry raiding party came near enough to our prison for us to hear +the battle which resulted in their repulse. The cavalry was defeated, +some driven away and others captured, the officers taken being turned +into the prison with us. Then a new organization was effected to plan +another escape, though no definite time was set for the attempt, all +that being left to ten of the ranking officers, at whose command we +were ready to go and obey orders; but it all ended in such a complete +fizzle that I refrain from giving the details. + +As soon as the nine days' armistice between the two armies was declared +off and Sherman's army, instead of turning and following Hood back +north, came rushing toward us, we were put aboard the cars and taken +to Charleston, S.C., and there confined in the Charleston jail yard, +right under the fire of our own guns. Now we were completely corralled +in a small, dirty old pen, without either shade or shelter, save a +solemn old gallows which cast a gloomy shadow over us, reminding +us of the last victim who had his neck broken by the order of the +self-constituted authorities now holding sway with such high hand. + +The jail was a large octagonal brick structure, six stories high. In +the center of each square was a cell surrounding which was a hall of +good dimensions. The building also had an addition four stories high, +and in this addition were kept captives from the 54th Massachusetts +(colored) Infantry, who were treated with terrible brutality. They were +almost naked, and starving, and you could hear their cry of "_Bread!_ +BREAD! BREAD!" all through the night and day. In the octagonal part +of the prison there was also a crowd of peculiar looking half-breeds +of both sexes. These were a mystery to me which I never cleared up. +All I know is they were turned out in the yard every morning, and +there remained until 4 P.M., when they were driven inside again by +the turnkey. It was a strange sight and one never explained to us. +My theory, however, is that this motley crowd was composed of local +prisoners, probably guilty of violating the laws of the community, with +perhaps some deserters and runaway slaves. At any rate we saw enough +in the conduct of this particular crowd to prove that their rules of +morality were away below par. + +In order to get out of the mud and free myself from the mosquitoes, I +was permitted to occupy one of the old cells at night and sleep on the +bare floor, awaiting the regular hour of the turnkey for egress and +ingress, and now and then my gaze would be attracted toward the gloomy +old gallows, the weight of which (used to swing the unfortunate victim +into eternity) was half buried in the ground, where it had sunk after +performing its last execution, an additional incentive to melancholy +speculation. Upon the next corner north was another large building +used for a workhouse; the back part was enclosed by a brick wall and +stockade extending around another yard. In the center of this yard a +post was set in the ground, and nearly every morning, between nine +and ten o'clock, we could hear a whizzing sound, followed by yells. +Then we understood; the post was a whipping-post, and the master of +the cat o' nine tails was at work upon some victim, in all probability +a negro who had been on the street after hours, or guilty of some +trifling digression of the rules and regulations of the slave code, as +a consequence had been sentenced by the police judge to receive so many +lashes on his bare back. We often had to stop our ears, so frightful +were the cries of some of the victims of this barbarous punishment, +dealt out to human beings for simply exercising a God-given right to +think and act for themselves. + +After we had been confined in the jail yard for about two weeks, we +gave our parole that we would not talk to the guard (which was kept +around us only to keep the citizens away), and that we would not leave +or go outside of the Marine Hospital or its enclosure. In return for +this we were permitted to trade and talk with the hucksters through the +palings in front of the building. The hospital was a large three-story +brick structure, with basement and the necessary outhouses, including +a workshop in the rear. It was entirely devoid of furniture, but clean +and comfortable, with plenty of room and good shelter. Wide verandas +ran the whole length, both in the front and rear, and shade trees were +around the whole building. Our rations too, were improved and we could +borrow all the "C.S.S." (Confederate State's scrip) we were willing +to carry, if we would give in exchange a power of attorney, properly +made out and directed to our paymaster, north. I did not care to do +this but many did, and in a short time our yard was full of Confederate +money, much to the hucksters' profit. Here are a few of the prices men +paid for edibles: Apple dumplings, $3.00 each; yams, $3.00 a quart (one +yam made a quart); flour, $4.00 a quart. Eight dollars in Confederate +money was given for the promise of one dollar in gold. By this you will +readily see that money flew like the wind and it was not long before +the supply was exhausted. + +The powers of attorney were run through the lines, either by an +"underground railway" or by slipping through the blockade. They +were presented at Washington, but our Government did not see fit to +recognize and pay claims that had been obtained in such manner as had +these from the prisoners in rebellious States. The lenders came back, +and it is hardly necessary to add that they took no more "powers of +attorney." Instead they would and did accept drafts on some bank or +"best friend" that had your money for safe keeping. This scheme was +worse for the fellows in authority than the powers of attorney, for in +many instances the bills were drawn on fictitious banks, located in +imaginary places, or on "best friends" who had no existence save in the +brain of the man drawing the same. + +I, as I said, had taken no hand in the power of attorney fraud, for I +was a little afraid it might come to a head and I would be a loser, but +when the bill of exchange plan came up I concluded to take a hand. I +drew one, of which the following is a copy: + + "Charleston, S.C., August 3, 1864. + + "To John Crow, Maconsburg, Wisconsin. + + "Please pay to Henry Holloway, or order, one hundred dollars, in cash, + and charge the same to my account. + + "C.M. Prutsman." + +Now, the truth was there was no such place as "Maconsburg" in +Wisconsin, to my knowledge, nor was there any friend of mine by the +name of John Crow, still that did not hinder the cashing of my order, +and in a short time I was the possessor of eight hundred dollars in +clean Confederate scrip. As "John Crow," of "Maconsburg," was never +found by Mr. Holloway I did not lose anything on my investment. Those +who made the "bills of exchange" profited to some extent, however, +and the barrels that were delivered to the poor, weak, diseased and +starving prisoners, were of great service to them and proved a boon in +many instances. It was always a mystery to me why the officers took +such chances as they did in letting us have the Confederate State's +scrip, but I have often thought they had very little confidence in its +real, ultimate value. I also noticed that not one of them ever lost an +opportunity to grab Uncle Sam's money when it was within reach. + +As soon as we moved out of the jail yard it was used for the Anderson +men, but only for one day at a time; then they were marched out to the +race course. They generally arrived there early in the morning, were +taken out of the cars and held through the day, to be moved through the +streets at night, as their clothing was so scant it was not considered +decent for them to be seen by daylight. + +My first investment with my Confederate scrip was to take one hundred +dollars, tie it to a piece of brick and throw it over the wall, from +the veranda of the second story, to one sergeant Stetzer, a member of +my company and regiment; but the guard heard it strike the ground, +drove the sergeant away and pocketed the rags himself. So much for my +attempt to relieve the wants of a fellow prisoner. Now, while we lived +high for us during the remainder of our stay in that building, the time +was very short. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + Sherman devastates Northern Georgia--Columbia "Camp Sorghum"--A + "dug-out"--I get away--Free--An unexpected plunge--Trouble + ahead--Recaptured--A meal--The "debtor's cell" at Abbeville--Back to + "Sorghum." + + +It was now reported that Sherman was on our track, devastating Northern +Georgia. Accordingly, on the first of October, the guard was marched +in and we were surrounded in the yard behind the hospital. The parole +which we had signed was then produced, torn to pieces before our eyes, +and declared at an end. We were then marched out, taken to the depot, +put into some old dirty cars and transported to Columbia. Here we were +unloaded, marched across Broad River, over a long, covered bridge, to +an old pasture of about three acres, around which had been ploughed two +furrows. One of these was designated the line for the guards beat; the +other (inside), the _dead_ line. Into this pasture we were herded like +so many sheep, without shade or shelter. Our rations were reduced, so +that each of us received but a little over a pint of dirty old corn +meal a day, and a little sorghum molasses. I had a quart cup and, +after washing my meal, had just enough left to make one quart of mush +with a sorghum dressing. Think of it, reader, you who have enough and +to spare, and have no taste for sorghum molasses, how you would have +relished this delightful fare; yet we were forced to accept it by the +demands of hunger, and because we were captives to Southern chevaliers. + +We named our quarters (the prison) "Camp Sorghum." The commandant, +whose name I cannot now recall, was a colonel of the rebel army, and +really a kind-hearted man; and I really believe that, had he been +able, he would have made our circumstances comfortable; but he was +a creature of circumstances and could not control his superiors. He +was gentlemanly and courteous to us, and granted us privileges we had +never been allowed before; he permitted us to go out to the woods +under guard, and gather limbs and boughs from trees with which to make +some kind of shelter to protect us from the cold, fall rains. A second +lieutenant and myself dug a hole in the ground about three feet wide, +seven long and two feet deep, covered it over with limbs and dirt, +leaving a small hole at one end to serve as an entrance and exit. This +was not original with us, as many similar ones had been made before, +nor was it convenient to get in and out of, but by pulling our feet up +under us we could manage to keep partially dry and warm. + +I was not satisfied, however, and was continually watching for a chance +to escape. Finally a long, drizzling rain came on and the colonel gave +a number of paroles to some favored, to go out and get limbs, poles and +boughs, with which to fix up their quarters, (if you could call their +dug-outs quarters). This squad was only allowed to carry its luggage +to the guards' beat, throw it over, then return to the woods for more. +Then another party was permitted to go out over the dead line, get the +truck and carry it back to quarters. I watched them for some time and +noticed that the guard did not seem to be very particular about the +mingling of those on the outside of the beat. The next time the squad +came from the woods I walked out, gathered up an armful of the stuff, +returned with the others, and carried the armful to their dug-out. I +then waited until they came again, and deliberately walked out with +those who went to the timber, the ones who had been paroled for the +purpose. I was now outside of the prison in open woods, in plain sight +of the pasture and only about three o'clock in the afternoon. This was +to be the last trip of the paroled men, so I crawled under the top of +a tree, which they had left partly trimmed, and got the men to cover +me over with boughs and limbs sufficient to conceal my view from "Camp +Sorghum," and there I had to lie on the cold, wet earth, without daring +to move, until night. + +Night came and the rain still poured down in torrents. I could easily +see what few lights were visible in camp and, as I crawled out, turned +my back upon these. It was so dark that I had to feel my way, and as I +had my back to the camp I had nothing but the sense of feeling to guide +my footsteps; but as I supposed the long looked for time had come and +I was on my way to liberty, my way seemed easy, and my hopes beat high +with a desire to reach the Union lines, somewhere in East Tennessee. +In the course of a couple of hours I found an old road which I could +follow by means of the small puddles of water that were lying at +intervals all along. Then I began to lengthen the distance between +myself and camp as fast as my poor, weak limbs and empty stomach would +permit. + +After an hour or so I began to warm up, but the storm seemed to be +increasing as well as the darkness, and finally I lost the road, +though still in the woods. I turned and tried to find the road and in +the search I soon heard water roaring and tumbling. A few feet ahead +I could see a white sheet of water and decided that it was the road. +I felt my way carefully along to the edge of the white sheet; there +seemed to be a black space between me and the streak of white, which I +took to be a ditch that I could jump, when I should find myself in the +road again. I made the jump, but alas, the white sheet proved to be a +mill pond, which had no bottom at the place where I struck the water, +yet I had enough presence of mind to swim for a ledge near the bank. +When I reached the ledge, the rocks proved so steep I could not climb +them, and I was forced to make my way by clinging to the rocks as best +I could along the edge of the water, until I came to a place where +some of the stone and earth had been taken away to build a dam. There +I crawled out, went up the bank and into the woods again. Then I saw +a light streak which I went to and, remembering my former experience, +merely followed along its edge until I came to what appeared to be a +bridge; this I crossed, and I soon found myself outside of the woods +and again in a road. On examination I found the road was fenced and on +each side were cultivated fields. The storm was clearing, and I could +begin to see. Presently I came to a cornfield; I entered, plucked a +few ears of corn and, by cracking a kernel at a time with my teeth, +managed to eat some of it; this in a measure appeased my intense +hunger. During the remainder of the night I passed a number of houses +but for obvious reasons did not seek admission. When daylight came I +saw an old log house near the center of a field, which on going to I +found to be well filled with unthreshed cow pease. I climbed up to the +gable, entered the hovel, dug a hole in the peas, crawled in, covered +myself up and there remained through the day, cracking corn and cow +peas with my teeth. About an hour after dark I resumed my way. The +stars were shining brightly, the road was good and I was leaving "Camp +Sorghum" far in the rear, all of which circumstances made me very +hopeful indeed. I continued my march through the night, and as soon as +daylight approached found a covey in a hedge near a small creek, where +I remained through the day with plenty of water to drink. The sun came +out quite warm and dried my clothing, and I washed my face and hands in +the clear water of the brook, and passed the day without any untoward +incident. As soon as it was dark enough I again ventured out and +continued my long anticipated journey, passing through what I called a +very good farming country. + +But trouble was now ahead of me, in spite of all my hopes. As soon as +I could see signs of daylight I began to look about for a safe resting +place for the day. Seeing a piece of woods not far away I went to it, +but upon my arrival I found it to be surrounded by three houses, and +very open. Roosters began to crow, dogs to bark, pigs to squeal, and my +chances of hiding there without discovery were absolutely worthless. +Looking ahead I saw another piece of timber, which looked larger, +thicker and more secluded, so I made for it, when to my astonishment +I saw a boy approaching on a mule. I stepped behind a tree until he +passed, then I continued my way, crossed a road, but had only gone on +a few steps when a couple of men stepped out from behind a tree, armed +with shot guns, which were immediately stuck into my face, accompanied +with the command to "Halt!" Of course I obeyed. They took me in charge +and I found myself again a prisoner in the hands of the enemy. One of +my captors was a young man, a soldier home on a furlough; the other, +an old, nervous, gray-haired citizen, perhaps a neighbor. The soldier +walked by my side, was very pleasant and communicative, and the old +man walked in the rear with his old shot gun continually leveled at my +head, and a determined look, which meant that he would not hesitate +to shoot if I made any effort to escape. They conducted me to the +soldier's house, and, on reaching it, the young man told the old +gentleman that he could go, as he would see that I was taken care of. +This seemed to be satisfactory and the old man departed. + +The soldier then led the way into the house and I followed. Everything +indicated a comfortable farmer's home. I was given a chair in front +of the fireplace, in which was burning a good, hot fire. The family +seemed to be a large one, and as one after another appeared, he or she +would extend a hand, which was grasped by mine in return, much as if we +had been old friends just meeting after a long absence. After getting +warmed, I asked for a chance to get washed, which was soon furnished, +after which I again took my seat by the warm, comfortable fire, but +with such a craving appetite that I began to fear I should have to tell +my hostess that if she would hold prisoners she must needs feed them, +but they had been so hospitable thus far I refrained and waited. Soon +after a negro woman brought in a large server on which was a bountiful +breakfast, which was placed on the table and I was invited to help +myself. You may be sure that I was not long accepting the invitation. I +took a chair at the table, the first table I had sat down to in over a +year, and enjoyed a clean, wholesome meal. + +The lady of the house was a great talker, and while I was eating she +entertained me with her views. She told me that before the State of +South Carolina seceded they were all a happy, prosperous people; that +if they wished to go anywhere all they had to do was to pack their +trunks and go. But now they were in the Confederacy, ruled by old +"Jeff" Davis, and all the laws they had were laws to impress their +property and conscript the men; that all of the best men were being +killed off, the only ones left being either deserters or cripples, and +that God only knew what would become of them. Her ideas of the future +of the Confederacy were anything but flattering or optimistic. + +After I had finished my breakfast the soldier told me he would have +to take me to Abbeville, and there deliver me over to the provost +marshal, the distance being about four miles; but he said that he +would not start until four o'clock in the afternoon; in the meantime I +could have the freedom of the house and yard by giving him my parole +verbally, which I readily did. This soldier and this family were true +representatives of Southern chivalry, and had I received the same +treatment at the hands of my other captors, all that I have heretofore +said in this little story against the false chivalry that prevailed +would have been left unsaid. But to proceed: Through the day the ladies +of the house repaired my torn clothing as far as they dared, and when +the hour of departure came, I was taken in a buggy and delivered over +to the custody of the provost marshal at Abbeville jail. Here I was +taken to a room called a "debtor's cell," and told to enter. I obeyed +the order. Imagine my astonishment on so doing, to behold six other +escaped prisoners from "Camp Sorghum." In figuring up the distance +which I had traveled in the three nights of my journey, I found that +I was sixty miles from Columbia and had traveled on foot and alone, +living on corn on the ear and raw cow peas, fifty-six miles, had rode +in a buggy four, and had had two good square meals. After remaining in +the debtors' room two nights and one day, we were taken out, loaded +into an old carry-all and taken to Lexington County court house, where +we were confined over night, then started out again next morning, with +an entirely different outfit, for Columbia, and there delivered to the +provost marshal, who conveyed us in a stylish rig to "Camp Sorghum." +The gate was thrown open and I found myself back again in the old +quarters, in spite of my ducking in the mill pond, my hard rations +of cow peas and raw corn and sixty miles travel. But such is the lot +of the soldier and I had to submit. When we entered the camp we were +greeted with the old familiar cry of "Fresh fish! Fresh fish!! Fresh +fish!!!" but our identity was soon discovered, and, after giving them +an account of our experiences, we retired to our various quarters. +I found my old dug-out just as I had left it, crawled in and got a +good night's rest and sleep, with a good prospect of another long +captivity--how long only the future would reveal. + +At this time there were many absentees, but all were accounted for at +roll count, which we had gotten so systematized that the count was +kept correct in point of numbers (one man only was selected to look +after the count of the absentees), but the citizens in the country were +continually capturing and returning escaped prisoners. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + An "underground railway"--More paroles--Bloodhounds--Bribing + the guard--Bloodhound steaks--Two hundred and fifty prisoners + "short"--Back to Columbia--Building barracks--A good tunnel started. + + +I was very secretly informed of an "underground railway," by means of +which I could effect a speedy and safe exit to and through the Union +lines, were I ever so fortunate as to get outside again. I was to go +directly west for twenty miles, then inquire for Colonel ---- of such +negroes as I might see and they would take me to him; he would put me +in charge of a guide, who would pilot me in a roundabout way four or +five miles, then put me in charge of another guide to lead me to the +next station; here guides would again be changed, each guide to lead me +in the secret paths and byways as far as he was acquainted, then leave +me with another colored friend and so on until I would be run in to +the Union lines somewhere in Eastern Tennessee. Time dragged its weary +length along, the commandant of the prison was still granting daily +paroles to the men to go out after boughs and limbs until four P.M., +each man writing and signing his own parole. At four o'clock the parole +was taken up, and the men turned back into the prison by the officer +of the guard. But how those "dirty Yanks" were working the paroles. It +was so done that every day about as many Yanks were released from the +bastile as there were paroles granted. + +I will illustrate how this was done: Captain Biggs, of the 147th R.I. +Vol. Inft., gives his parole with four others to go out and spend the +day; each man gives his parole separately, all to return at four P.M. +Now, Captain Biggs has a friend who is aware that he is out on parole +with four others. Along about three o'clock a party presents itself +at post number one; this post is allowed to speak to the guard. The +party enquire for the officer of the guard, who is called, and he steps +inside. Then the men approach him one at a time. The first says, "I +am Captain Biggs, of the 147th R.I. Vol. Inft.; I gave my parole this +morning to go out and spend the day, but we got hungry and came in +after something to eat and to get a little rest; now we desire to go +back and finish the day." The officer of the guard takes out his pencil +and book, then and there takes each man's name, rank and regiment, and +goes to the colonel's tent, compares the names with those signed on +the paroles, finds them to be correct, goes back to post number one +and passes them out. At four o'clock P.M. those who actually signed +the paroles go to the colonel's tent, take up their paroles and are +turned back into camp, all having been faithful to their pledges. The +other five are now outside and left to their liberty. Of course this +program is varied to suit the occasion, sometimes one man claiming the +privilege, sometimes none, yet enough to average at least two men a +day. But the absent men were always accounted for in the morning, by +the plan before referred to, some one else counting in their place. + +About this time there had been so many stragglers picked up and +returned to the prison that bloodhounds were brought forth. Still +this made no material difference, the desire for liberty being so +strong it merely increased the caution of the men who escaped, without +diminishing their numbers. All sorts of things happened in camp. One +night a big hog came in and was at once dispatched by the fire of +the guard. Another night a cow walked in and after five shots she +was disposed of. Another night two men attempted to crawl out, and +just as they passed the dead line a light was started in a sick man's +quarters. They were instantly exposed to the guard. The story is that +they paid the guard a ransom and then were deliberately murdered. I +cannot vouch for this as I did not see the act, but I know such things +did occur. Shots were often deliberately fired into camp, and no man +was safe unless he was in a dug-out. Many of the guard was susceptible +of bribery, however, and some of them carried out their contracts. +The Yankees educated them, it is said, in this way: A prisoner would +approach the guard with an offer to be passed out; the guard would +reply, "That won't do, for you know what the consequences will be +if I am caught." The Yankee replies, "I will fix that all right; I +will give you this gold watch, also two gold rings; you can give +the rings, one to each, to the guards on your right and left. When +your relief comes on I will crawl out to you, give you the watch and +rings, then continue to crawl on a few feet, jump up and run; then +you three guards can shoot your guns in the air. I will be at liberty +and you will have done all that could be expected of you." This plan +is accepted, the prisoner tells a number of his associates, who have +helped to make up the ransom, and they wait until the fire is drawn +from the guns. Night comes, the relief is exchanged as expected, all +crawl near the dead line, the instigator delivers up the treasures, +jumps and runs; the guards fire, not only the three, but from other +posts adjoining; now the guns are empty and a stampede ensues. The +long roll beats, the cry is "Guards fall in," the cannoneers man the +artillery, the camp is patrolled and all found to be quiet; the guard +retires, and all await daylight. Then the hounds are sent out, the +baying commences in the woods west of camp and can be heard for hours. +A number of these men are captured and brought back. One man, whom I +saw myself, had been bitten in the face, besides having one of his arms +almost torn off. + +One day two of the hounds took the back track and came into the camp. +They only lived long enough to be dragged into one of the quarters, +where their throats were cut, their bodies skinned and their flesh +cooked and eaten by their captors. + +The officials by this time began to think they were not using proper +vigilance, and that their method of taking account of the prisoners +was not sufficient. So they came in with a strong guard, drove all the +men to one end, established a line across the center, and then passed +us back over the line, single file, counting us one at a time, as they +did at Libby. I was told afterwards that they found themselves short +two hundred and fifty men. They searched and probed for tunnels, but in +vain; the "parole plan" beat a tunnel all to pieces. Night came on, the +guard was doubled, but all was quiet; no attempts were made that night. +Next morning we were ordered to get ready to move as soon as possible, +and after a few minutes we were marched out and back to Columbia. There +we were put into one end of the asylum yard. This was about the first +of January, 1865. This yard was inclosed with a brick wall, ten or +twelve feet high, and they had made a high board fence across the south +end, cutting off about three acres, which was to be our next prison, +and into which we were marched. The location was good, with a nice +green sod and plenty of good clear water. + +The authorities promised to furnish nails, tools and lumber to build +barracks with if we would do the work; they to send a mechanic to +superintend the first building, which was to be a model for all others. +A call was made for carpenters from our number. I was one of many +who answered the call. This gave me the first responsibility of any +enterprise during my long confinement. The nails and lumber came, also +the tools and boss mechanic, who gave us the dimensions of the first +house. It was to be 26x26 feet square, eight feet high, with double +board crotch roof, a partition in the center and a double fireplace in +the partition; the building was to hold thirty-six occupants. + +A good, comfortable house was built in short order, and as soon as +the outside was done, nails and lumber being plenty, bunks were made, +also tables, benches and stools. While this work was progressing I +made a scuttle hole to serve as the commencement of a tunnel. It was +put down below the surface of the ground about two inches and in the +center of the fireplace. Another of the party made a little sled about +eight inches wide and sixteen long, the runners rounded at both ends, +to be used to draw out the dirt from the tunnel. We surrendered our +tools to the next gang which was to build the next house like ours, but +before it was completed the lumber and nails gave out and that was the +end of the building of the promised barracks. Like all other promises +which had been made to us since our captivity there was no fulfillment. +So the thirty-six that were housed, including myself, concluded that +we would do our part toward aiding the rest, and we very quietly and +secretly began digging the tunnel we had started under the fireplace. + +One of our party, who was quite an artist with the pencil, obtained +permission to go out and make a sketch of the camp, but his real object +was to find out where and how long the tunnel was to be. He made the +discovery that by crossing under the street, which was about fifty +feet, we would open it into a ditch six feet deep, and by going down +that a few yards we would come to a draw, with timber on the opposite +side, consequently the tunnel would have to be about seventy-five feet +long. + +The earth was good, solid clay, very hard to dig, but made a good +secure tunnel. Our progress was slow, only about four feet a day, and +after we had dug about twenty feet a big rain came and the tunnel +partly filled with water, but we bailed it out, scattered it over with +dry ashes inside, and went to work again. I have seen the guard time +and time again come in with picks and shovels and probe the earth right +over that hole, but without success. We had dug straight down from the +fireplace ten or twelve feet, then began the horizontal part, and for +this reason no ordinary probing could possibly detect the tunnel. But +that tunnel was not destined to be completed. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + Five of us have a narrow escape from the train--Friendly negroes--A + good old "shakedown." + + +On the afternoon of February 14th we were ordered out, and put aboard +the cars, which held seventy-five men each besides the guard. Three men +sat in the door with their feet hanging out and others on top. + +I now determined to make another effort to escape. I happened to have +in my possession a long, wide, thin bladed bread knife, which had been +given to me by Lieutenant Dingly of Rhode Island, while I was in Libby +prison, and while we were in the Marine Hospital at Charleston I had +found an old file. I now took the file and made saw teeth in the back +of the bread knife. As soon as we got under headway and outside of the +city I got down on the floor and, working the point of my knife through +one of the cracks, began sawing a hole through which to escape when a +good opportunity should present itself. + +After sawing off two planks I began to saw at the other end, but on +getting through the first one, I dropped both plank and knife and again +I was without means of finishing my work. I sat down over the hole made +by the fallen plank and in that manner kept it covered. Before dark +it began to rain, night came on and the darkness became very intense. +The train came to a stop and I thought I would test the capacity of the +hole to let me through. I found I could squeeze through and I dropped +to the ground. I then got from under the car to the opposite side from +where the guard sat, but found that we were in a cut about four feet +high, on the bank of which was a wood pile which I could not climb. Our +car was number three, near the light. I at once took in the situation +and got back under the car, where I found six others who had followed +me out. + +We arranged ourselves under the side of the car, just outside of the +rails, on the opposite side from where the guard sat. Just then a guard +cried out, "The Yanks are a-trying to escape from car number four" (the +car directly behind the one we were under). Lighting another torch, a +detail of the guard came down the track and we had to get out of sight. +Two of the men got back into the car, but the remaining five of us +were compelled to crawl under the trucks and lie there. The guard came +on, stopped and looked into our car, also number four and, apparently +satisfied, reported, "All's well." The bell rang and the train moved +on, going directly over us, as we had no opportunity to get from under +without discovery, owing to the light from the burning torch; so we +hugged the earth while the entire train passed over us. One of the +party had his clothing somewhat torn, another lost part of his coat +sleeve, but otherwise we were uninjured. The train being now gone, we +began to search for some blankets which we thought had been lost in the +melee, but while doing this we discovered three men, who probably saw +us at the time and, not knowing who we were, ran north; we ran south. +We got away from the station, which was called Ridgeway, as fast as we +could, and finally stopped to hold a consultation. We decided to go +into the woods and stay there until it cleared up enough for us to use +the stars to act as a guide, then we would make for the coast north of +Wilmington Bay. We, therefore, went into the woods and laid down, but +it was so cold we could not stay there, so we got up and began to move +to keep from freezing. We went back to the track, then struck the wagon +road by the side of the railroad and turned south, one in the advance +as a vanguard, the other four following cautiously in the rear. We took +turns at being vanguard. When my turn came to go ahead, I had not gone +far before I heard voices very plainly off from the road on the leeward +side. We came to the conclusion that the road was picketed and that +the voices came from the support. It was decided that I must approach +the reserve but must not follow the road. So I left the others under a +big tree and made a reconnaissance. I started straight for the voices, +which were singing; soon I could see lights, which came from three +houses now within close distance. I went to each house very quietly, +constantly on my guard, and peeped in; I made the discovery that the +occupants were all negroes, sitting in front of a big fire that was +burning in an old-fashioned fireplace. I knew they were friends, and it +looked so warm and comfortable I concluded to go in. I gave a rap on +the door, the answer was "Come in," and in I went. They gave me a seat +by the fire, and we talked a little about the weather, then I turned +the subject and spoke of the war. + +They seemed to be pretty well posted and I was convinced their loyalty +to President Lincoln could be depended upon. I then told them that I +was not a Reb but a Yank. They asked me how I came there. I told them +how I jumped from a train load of prisoners, upon which they became +very much interested. I began to question them in regard to my safety +and as to the danger of betrayal, at which they gave me the assurance +that I never would be betrayed by a negro or colored person; and, +further, they would both feed and secrete me as far as laid in their +power. + +Then I told them that I was not alone but had four companions up in +the road, who were cold, wet and hungry. Some offered themselves as an +escort to go for my companions, and others said they would cook the +best they had for us. I accepted their offer and with two of their +number went after my comrades, whom I found where I had left them. +We all returned to the house again, where they furnished us a supper +of hoecake and bacon. We dried our clothes by the fire and, being +furnished blankets, lay down in front of the fire for a good night's +sleep. Next morning it was still storming, so we could not resume +our journey. We were then told that about half a mile from us was a +plantation whose occupants were gone from home, and we had better go +there to spend the day in the cotton house. They promised to look after +our interests. We went and they went with us, but when we arrived there +were informed that the master was expected back at noon and it would +not be safe for us to remain. Consequently we returned and secreted +ourselves under some brush piles where they were at work. Their master +lived about twelve miles north, but owned this land and they had come +there to spend the winter, cutting cord wood, splitting rails, and +piling brush and limbs. + +They further stated that the master came there at eleven o'clock on a +train which slowed down for him to jump off; that he would stay about +one hour, when another train would come along on which he would return +home. There were about forty of these negroes, of all ages and sizes +from eleven to forty-five years of age. All worked at the slashing, the +older ones with the axe, wedge and beetle, the younger ones at piling +the heaps. + +When they drew their rations they paired off like so many ducks and +drakes to prepare and cook the same, each pair composing a mess by +itself. After they had eaten their suppers they would have a good +time generally, then before retiring they would cook breakfast and +dinner for the next day. On the fifteenth, we still lay concealed in +the brush piles, each one separate from the other so as not to make +a camp that was liable to discovery. The party consisted of Captain +Underdown, Lieutenant Moore of an East Tennessee regiment, Captain +Ewen, Lieutenant Morgan, and myself from Wisconsin. + +When night came we went to the house as arranged and there found the +darkies in one of the huts, dancing. After taking a peep through the +chinks we entered the large house and were seated. They told us there +was a dance in another hut where they were having a mighty fine time. +They had a dance every week, but generally came to this house, as it +had a floor and was larger, but on account of being afraid they would +annoy us they had gone to the other house and were dancing on the +ground. We assured them that we would prefer that they would come over +to our house that we might see them dance. They dispatched a messenger +and in a few minutes they all came swarming in, taking their places on +the floor for a quadrille; then an old six-foot darky began to jerk the +bow, the old fiddle began to squeal, the caller began his duty, and the +dance was on, all keeping time gracefully, and dancing correctly to the +call. + +Joy was unconfined. After they had danced a few changes Morgan spoke to +me and said: + +"Prutsman, if you will take a lady and go on the floor and dance, I +will." + +My answer was: + +"Lead out." + +He at once presented his arm to "Rachel," a little mulatto of about +thirteen years of age, while I followed with one of medium size, about +eighteen years of age, so dark that she never had blushed. Lieutenant +Moore took third choice, while Captain Ewen closed up the cotillion by +leading a large, dusky damsel known as "Rhina Dinah." The set was full +and the dance commenced; not to end, however, with a couple of changes, +as is the custom now. The changes kept coming; my limbs trembled, +and how I longed for the call, "To your seats," that I might get a +drink; but those damsels of color proposed to have all the enjoyment +possible out of the "Lincum boys," and the caller stood in with them. +Finally the cotillion closed with a jig and we seated our partners. The +colored folks then took possession of the floor and after a couple of +quadrilles invited us to dance again. The invitation was accepted on +condition that there were to be but three changes and we again tripped +the "fantastic" to the best of our ability. The dance was then at an +end, but not the party, for immediately a couple took the floor, facing +each other, then another couple took position behind the first; then +the lady said to the gentleman: "Can't you catch, can't you catch, +can't you catch a squirrel?" This was repeated once or twice, after +which the damsel scampered off with the partner after her in a race for +life "or a kiss," but it ended in the female being caught and kissed. +This was followed up by the other couples in the same manner. I nudged +Morgan and told him to lead out again, but he excused himself, saying +that he "never would kiss a lady that could not blush." After the +kissing party broke up we took our positions on the floor in front of +the fireplace to get some sleep. + +At daylight on the morning of the sixteenth we were again under cover +in our brush piles. The sun broke out from the clouds and sent its rays +down upon us. The negroes were chopping and singing as if bedlam had +broken loose, and all nature seemed to be having a share in the general +jubilee. Soon we heard the booming of cannon and learned that General +Sherman was about twenty-five miles south making an attack on the city +of Columbia. The negroes took in the situation, and would come to us as +they could and tell us that a big battle was in progress at Columbia. +At eleven o'clock their master came as usual, but this time he took the +whole outfit away with him. One of them got a chance to slip around and +let us know that they had to go, but said that if they could they would +leave us some bacon and meal in the house. + +Night came and two of us went down to the house in hopes of finding +something to eat, but there was nothing there. In all probability +too close a watch was kept on the darkies, our army now being within +hearing. All talk of a trip to the coast was abandoned, but the +question was--would the army come to us or must we go to it? + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + Surrounded by rebel forces--Undiscovered--Skirmishing for + food--Sambo--Sambo's schemes--Sambo brings succor--At + headquarters--Sambo's reward. + + +The seventeenth came and found us alone and hungry. The brush piles +were secure and we spent another quiet day. When night came we could +see the city of Columbia burning and we felt that our forces had been +victorious. But we were hungry and something had to be done. It was +finally decided that Lieutenant Morgan should cross the main road +and the railroad, go to the house on the plantation where we had +previously been, and seek aid of the negroes there; at the same time +Captain Underdown should take a westerly course to a place where we had +heard dogs barking and roosters crowing. They both started on their +missions. When Morgan got to the road the first thing that caught his +eye was the vanguard of the rebel army standing still, but fortunately +he escaped discovery and hid where he could hear some rebel officers +talking. He gathered from their conversation that they expected to +have a big battle at Winsboro, about fifteen miles north of us, but +the orders were to camp where they were for the night. Morgan then +hustled himself back with the report of his discovery. The rebel army +then began to move around on the little flat that lay between us and +the road, not over a hundred and twenty-five yards from us, and prepare +for camp. In a very short time the little flat along the sides of that +little creek was ablaze with fires of an army cooking their hoecakes, +while the mules brayed and the drums sounded the tattoo of the +drummers. We were in close quarters, but as long as they did not come +any closer we were safe. + +Now we will follow Captain Underdown: He was an East Tennessean, the +oldest of our party, dressed in butternut and thoroughly at home with +the Southern dialect. On arriving at the plantation (Gwyn's) he found +a man standing by the roadside holding some saddled horses. After +watching him for a few moments and being convinced that he was a negro, +he approached him. He told him who he was and what he wanted, which was +something for five men to eat. The negro at once fell in with the idea, +and told him as soon as he could dispose of the horses he would see to +obeying the order and request. + +In a few moments a man came out of the house with a lantern, which he +gave to the negro and ordered him to put the horses, which belonged +to some rebel officers, in the barn. The horses were taken care of as +ordered, after which the negro took the lantern back to the main house, +then went to his own hut, where he stated the case to his "old woman." +He then returned to Underdown with the information that there were five +rebel soldiers at his house and three rebel officers at the master's. +The wife would bake us something as soon as she could, but would have +to supply the rebel soldiers first, for as soon as she got a hoecake +baked a soldier would take it and put it in his haversack. The rebel +soldiers were finally satisfied and took their departure. + +The old lady then baked some hoecake and yams and fried some bacon for +us. Sambo fetched it out, gave it to Underdown and told him to come +back the next night, when he would get something better, as they would +cook some chickens for us during the day. Captain Underdown returned +to us with the warm "snack," which relieved us very materially from +our two days' fasting. We remained outside, watching, the remainder of +the night, while the rebel army slept. As soon as daylight appeared we +crawled into our hiding places, leaving the field to the enemy, who +soon packed up and started off. All day the road was full of marching +soldiers, and when night came the banks of the little stream were again +occupied with the camp fires of the rebel army. + +As soon as it grew dark both Underdown and Morgan went after the +promised chicken from Sambo, but there was no Sambo there. His wife +came out, however, filled the baskets and delivered them over, saying +that if God spared her another day she would cook more and for them to +come again; but her heart was full of grief for she said they had taken +her Sambo and all the rest of the boys up to Winsboro to work on the +fortifications, and that she never expected to see her Sambo again. +Underdown and Morgan returned safely to us after passing a number of +rebs in the old road; their baskets were full, so after eating a +good hearty meal of chicken and other delicacies prepared by the good +old darky woman, we promoted Captain Underdown to brevet colonel and +quartermaster. + +The next morning the rebel army continued to pass along the road and +kept it up during the day. We could plainly hear the tramp and talk of +the passing column, but kept ourselves carefully concealed. When night +came the campers were few in number, and we started our foraging party +out again. When they arrived at Master Gwyn's they found that old Sambo +had returned. He said that they took him with the rest to Winsboro to +work on the fortifications, and, while they were detained in an old +warehouse over night, he managed to crawl up through the chimney, out +on the roof, then down to another roof, and finally to the ground, +after which he took the long walk home and "was mighty tired." Master +Gwyn told him he was very glad to see him back, as he needed him, that +he had always been a faithful servant and he wanted to keep him as long +as he lived. + +I will try to give the rest of Sambo's story in his own language. He +said: + +"Massa telled me dat de Yankee awmy would soon be heah and dat I must +take de boys dat am left down in de field and dig some holes in de +groun', and dat we mus' bury all de hams and de bacon and de flowah and +de groceries and covah dem ovah wid de dirt fust, den wid old dirty +straw, den when dey got heah I mus' take de mules and de boys down in +de old sage field, wheah de brush is mighty thick down dare. Now, I +tells ye, gemmen, when Captain Sherman gets here dese yer niggahs and +his boys and dem mules will come out of dem brush; and next dem hams +and dat bacon and dat flowah will come out of dat groun' and I tell ye, +gemmen, dere will be a great resurwection heah on dat day, ho! ho! ho! +ho! haw! haw! haw! haw!" and the poor old slave laughed until the tears +streamed down his black cheeks at the thought of this wonderful scheme +to outwit his master. + +They then gave Sambo a few instructions which were to the effect that, +as soon as our army arrived and he could see the Stars and Stripes, he +must fetch some of the Union soldiers over to where we were; that he +would find us secreted near the middle of the slashing, under the big +piles of brush. They then bade Sambo good-night and returned to us. It +was now the evening of the twentieth. We could see Sherman's campfires +and hear the beat of the drums for retreat, as well as the taps. + +The rebs were few in number, but on the alert. Morning came and found +us still under the brush piles, but everything outside was amazingly +quiet; after an hour or so we could hear a heavy rumbling noise in the +air, which became more and more distinguishable, until finally we could +hear the talking of a moving army. Morgan crawled close to me, put his +mouth to my ear and said: + +"Prutsman, we are inside of the Union lines, you can't fool me on that +dialect." After listening another moment he said: "I am going out there +to see." + +My reply was: + +"I object; if you cross that flat and it is not our army we will all be +sold within two miles of the Stars and Stripes." + +He left me to consult with Captain Underdown, saying that if he agreed, +he should go. He came back, however, admitting that Underdown had +protested, saying he must keep quiet and wait for Sambo to come and +deliver us to our friends. In a few minutes more we heard mounted +men near us, urging their horses over limb and bush and finally came +to a halt. Then a voice could be heard in a sort of a prolonged: +"O-o-o-o-o-o-o! O-ho-o-o-o-o-o!" + +Then one of the mounted men said: + +"Halloo again, they will hear you next time." + +Then the voice again resounded, this time as follows: + +"O-ho-o-o-o! you five men dat am hid in dat ar brush dare. Why don't +you come out? Here am friends; dey have come to protect you." + +That voice was familiar, and with a great sigh of relief we came out. +There was Sambo with a broad grin on his phiz, and, with him were +four of our own men, all mounted on mules. Well, no words of mine can +describe the emotion that was exhibited at this sight. We were too +overjoyed to express our feelings in words just then. Near by was a +squad of Sherman's bummers in command of a lieutenant, whose name I +cannot now recall. We gave him our names, rank and regiments, then all +went back to Master Gwyn's plantation, where we found a span of mules +hitched to a light carry-all. Sambo did not forget the "resurrection," +so, after dividing the groceries, hams and flour with Master Gwyn, +he packed a good share in the wagon with his family and drove off. We +all went to the railroad, where the bluecoats were engaged in tearing +up the track, heating the rails and twisting them into knots. We went +directly to the headquarters of the Thirty-second Wisconsin Volunteer +Infantry, in command of Colonel De Grotte, with whom both Lieutenant +Morgan and Captain Ewen were acquainted, and, under the grand old flag +of that regiment, we were again breathing the free air of heaven, on +soil protected by the Stars and Stripes, and after an imprisonment of +sixteen months in the bastiles of a traitorous and revengeful enemy. +What a change! We could scarcely realize it. I looked at Old Glory, +as she swung to the breeze, and I remembered our feeble attempt to +celebrate the Fourth of July on that fateful day when we were charged +by the rebel guard and told that we would all be blown to kingdom come +if we did not desist at once. How grand that little flag looked then! +Now, I could gaze upon the banner of the free, as she waved in the +breeze, knowing that this time its full meaning was a reality. Tears +ran down my emaciated cheeks, my tongue was paralyzed and my poor weak +limbs could scarcely support my body. My mind, so long inured to the +hardships of confinement, seemed to be giving away and to be scarcely +strong enough to endure the realization of such a sudden and happy +change. But, God be praised! we were no longer under the surveillance +of those who were trying to destroy the significance of Old Glory, and +we felt that time and good food would soon restore us to our normal +condition. + +While we were still at Colonel De Grotte's headquarters an orderly +rode up, presented the colonel with an invitation to Colonel Tilton, +commanding First Brigade, First Division, of the 17th Army Corps, +inviting himself, his staff, and the escaped prisoners to visit his +headquarters. The invitation was at once accepted and we went over, +followed by many soldiers and contrabands. After being presented to +Colonel Tilton, who received us with great cordiality, and giving our +experience very briefly we were again invited to visit the division +headquarters, in command of Brigadier General Morrow. Here we were +presented to the general and his staff and here we related our +experience in the brush piles, and how we were fed by the negroes +there and afterwards relieved by Sambo. General Morrow then wanted to +know what had become of Sambo and his family. On being informed that +they were at Colonel De Grotte's headquarters he at once dispatched an +orderly for them (Sambo and family) to come to him. In a few moments +Sambo drove up, when the following dialogue took place: + +Gen. Morrow--"What is your name?" + +Sambo--"Sambo-Sambo Gwyn, sah." + +Gen. Morrow--"Did you feed and care for these escaped prisoners?" + +Sambo--"Yes, sah, I did, sah, de best I could, sah." + +Gen. Morrow--"Where are you going now?" + +Sambo--"I am going to follow dat ar flag (pointing to the Stars and +Stripes) till I get out ob dis rebel country, sah." + +Gen. Morrow--"How are you and your family going to live?" + +Sambo--"I have got something in dat ar wagon what we raised ourselves, +sah." + +General Morrow then sent for his quartermaster and told him to give +Sambo a position in his headquarters' train; he then turned to Sambo, +instructed him to follow that train and, if he needed any assistance, +to at once report to the quartermaster. Sambo raised his hat, thanked +him very politely and departed on his mission, a proud and happy man. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + General Logan--General Sherman--Clean at last--General Hobart's + hospitality--Luxurious ease--A ghastly reminder of horrors + escaped--Washington "short"--Ordered back to my regiment--An honorable + discharge. + + +We were conducted to General Logan's Corps headquarters, were received +by "Black Jack" with the same courtesy we had received at the other +headquarters, and related some of our experience. Once more we were +summoned; this time to see General Sherman. We found the hero seated +by a good hot fire, composed of both rails and railroad ties. We were +introduced to him and his staff and again made to review some of our +late experience while effecting our escape. The general gave us a +little talk, then instructed his adjutant general to give each of us +a pass which would enable us to pass all guards and all patrols until +further orders. The passes being written, General Sherman seated +himself at a table, put his own signature to them and we had the +pleasure of receiving them from his own hand. + +After thanking him from the deepest sincerity of our hearts, we +returned to the quarters of the 32d Wisconsin, where we found plenty +of hot water and soap, also some extra clothing which had been found +in some knapsacks, and right there and then we discarded our vermin +filled garments, which had clung to us since our incarceration in old +Libby, gave our bodies a thorough fumigating and scrubbing and arrayed +ourselves in the new clothing given us, after which we looked and felt +more like human beings. + +On the morning of the twenty-second, while the regiment was standing +in line waiting their turn to march in the passing column, a carriage +drawn by a matched team of dapple-gray horses and driven by a soldier, +approached and presented us (the Wisconsin escaped prisoners) with +an invitation to come to Brigadier General Hobart's headquarters, +First Brigade, First Division, Fourteenth Army Corps (The Acorn). We +accepted the invitation, took possession of the carriage, and for the +next twenty-four days we had the privilege and pleasure of holding +down those seats on the line of march, which was almost a direct line +northward. At the end of the first day we found General Hobart and +bivouacked with his brigade at a place called Black Stock in North +Carolina, nearly forty miles from Ridgeway Station. General Hobart, +being an old Libbyite who had escaped through a tunnel from the prison +in February, 1864, had a warm spot in his heart for us, and the reader +may rest assured the welcome he gave us was no unmeaning affair; and +the fact that he had furnished the carriage for us on this march gave +emphatic evidence that he was fully aware of the hardships which we had +been through. + +The next morning the corps countermarched back into South Carolina, a +distance of fifteen miles, then turned east, leaving the rebel army, +which had been massing in our front, far in the rear. The remainder of +my stay with that army was indeed pleasant, we were so comfortable in +that carriage; besides, when meal time came, we enjoyed the luxuries +of the quartermaster's table and every attention was shown to us which +could in any way add to our interest and pleasure. At the end of the +twenty-fourth day we reached Fayetteville, where we bid adieu to our +carriage and those who had shown us so many courtesies. After a few +preparations we took a boat for Wilmington. + +While waiting at Wilmington for the boat we learned there were about +seven hundred ex-prisoners there, enlisted men who were too weak, from +their long confinement and sufferings, to be moved north. I visited +them, thinking that perhaps I might find some one among them who had +been captured with me. On my arrival at the first large warehouse, +where a number of the men were, I went in. And what a horrible sight +greeted my eyes. Instead of men who should have been in the prime of +life and in the full strength of noble manhood I beheld, stretched out +on blankets laid over a little of hay, a number of emaciated forms, +looking more like skeletons than living beings, their eyes sunk in +their sockets, many with no hair on their heads,--all arranged in a +circle around the room with their heads toward the wall. I looked with +horror upon that scene. I searched for faces, or even one face that +was familiar. Alas! they looked at me in utter blankness. I continued +my search and in all that number I found but two who could tell me +their names, and even those two could give me no definite answer or +information other than to name their regiment. My mission was vain, I +could not talk to them; and they could no more answer my questions, +than if they had been six months' old babies. Some of them could and +did laugh; but, oh, such a laugh! It reminded one more of the babbling +of an idiot than that of a sentient, human being. They would roll up +their eyes at me and stare, then turn them in their sockets until the +white appeared, causing indescribable shudders to creep over my frame. +And these beings, when taken into custody by the southern "chivalry," +were the flower of the best blood and brains in the North. They went +forth to do battle for their country and their flag, in all of the +pride of intelligent manhood, many of them from the best schools and +colleges in the land; others from homes of comfort and affluence, where +wives, mothers and sisters ministered unto them with all the love and +devotion incident to a sacred home and fireside. They went forth to +battle in full command of their strong physical constitutions, only, by +the misfortunes of war, to fall into the hands of a set of men who, by +all the rights of the best Government the sun ever shone upon, should +have been the humane protectors of the fallen foe, but instead thereof +had been more brutal in the treatment of their own fellow-citizens, +victims of the same misfortunes of war, than had ever been dealt out +by the savage Indian tribes of North America, or the cannibal natives +of the Sandwich Islands. What a sad commentary upon the teachings that +had been inculcated into the minds of the youth of those States, to +perpetrate which--the oppression of a down-trodden race--they had +rebelled against and attempted to destroy the Government which had been +founded to provide homes for the poor and oppressed of all nations. +No wonder that God in his wisdom finally overthrew the accursed +institutions that were responsible for these atrocities. + +After subduing my wrought-up feelings over the sights I had witnessed, +I called at the quartermaster's office where I was given transportation +on a Government transport to Baltimore and thence by rail to +Washington; also an order to report to a certain officer on my arrival +at the capital city. On reaching Washington I immediately reported as +ordered, but I had to await my turn, being put off from day to day, as +there were so many on the list who preceded me. Many of them were the +same men with whom I had spent my prison life, who had been paroled +and put through the lines and were now settling up their accounts, +receiving their pay and getting their final discharge from the United +States Government. + +On reflection I concluded it would be better for me to see how my own +account stood, so I went to the second auditor's office, and lost no +time in having the clerks produce the books. I found that I was "short" +as follows: "One cone wrench, 30 cents; one cap pouch, 35 cents; total, +65 cents." I produced the money to pay the shortage, but was informed +by the clerk that the shortage could not be paid in that way. It then +suddenly occurred to me that the aforesaid accoutrements had been lost +in action, and I made an affidavit to that effect and my account was at +once squared on the books. Since that time I have learned that many an +officer was kept out of his pay for no more trifling thing than to be +found short in the invoice of accoutrements for which he had receipted. +Payment for the same was always rejected until their loss was fully +explained. "Lost in action" was the best and easiest way out of the +dilemma, and, fortunately for me, it let me out very nicely. + +After I had reported to the officer every morning for two weeks, I +finally received an envelope. I stepped aside to open it and found, +inclosed, an order for me to report to my regiment within the next +thirty days. As it happened, I had not been paroled, consequently I +was still in the service of the army. The thirty days gave me ample +opportunity to visit my friends, and I enjoyed my leave of absence very +much. During that short period Lee had surrendered, Johnson was trying +to dictate terms for capitulation and--the bloody contest was over. + +When the thirty days were up I found my regiment at Burke's station, +near Appomattox, from whence we immediately returned to Washington, +where I marched with my regiment in review. After that, ten of the +western regiments were cut out of the Army of the Potomac, organized +into a separate division by themselves and placed under the command +of Brigadier General John A. Morrill, formerly colonel of the 24th +Michigan. My division reported to Major General John A. Logan, +at Louisville, Ky., where we remained for a time, then went to +Jeffersonville, Indiana, where I was mustered out of my regiment, July +3, 1865. We then went to Madison, Wisconsin, and on September 15th, I +received my final parchment. + +I had served three years and eleven months south of the Mason and Dixon +line and worn a soldier's uniform for four years and two months. When +our regiment was first equipped we were clothed in gray, but later, in +common with all other soldiers under the Stars and Stripes, we were +given the blue, and that was our color to the end of the service. + +While with General Morrill I had the honor of being assigned to his +staff and signing my name as A.A. D.C. (acting assistant aid-de-camp), +serving in the saddle and on duty. I frequently visited General Logan's +headquarters, at Louisville, Ky., and, had the war lasted two weeks +longer than it did, I would have received a major's commission. As it +was, when I received my final discharge I donned citizens' dress and +returned again to the county and state which I had represented with +pride and honor, believing that I had only done my duty as a soldier +should. I had obeyed orders. + + C.M. PRUTSMAN. + + Lexington, Nebraska, December 22, 1900. + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 57440 *** |