615 92 py 1 PRISON LIFE DUBIlSra THE REBELLIOlSr. BEING A BRIEF NARRATIVE OP THE MISERIES AI^D SUFFERINGS OF SIX HUNDRED CONFEDERATE PRISONERS Sent from Fort Dela^vare to MIorris' Island to be F*\inislied. WRITTEN BY FRITZ FUZZLEBUG, ONE OF THE.Il NUMBER. PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR. — -*^A/-^*# -^ ^*^*^». SINGER'S GLEN, YA. : JOSEPH FUNK'S SONS, PRINTERS. 1869. / . RUEBUSH-ELKINS COMPANY ] Prison Life During the Rebellion By Frite Fuzzlebug, one of their number. 8vo., wrappers, pp. 48 Singers Glen, Va., 1869. $1.50. The book is a Brief Narrative of the Miseries and Suffering of Six Hundred Con- federate Prisoners Sent from Fort Delaware to Morris' Island to be Punished. The author, in bringing- before the public the work, has had two objects in view: First to furnish to the public. North. South, East West, a brief and correct narrative of the struggle for constitutional liberty; and, secondly, to refute the common error, so rife in many places, that Confederate prisoners were not ill treated in Federal prisons. Both of these objects will become commonplace in the mind when the book is once carefully read and impartially understood; and the truth of these assertions can be attested by the united evidences of the survivors of the Six Hundred. Virginia's Leading Bookmen Interested in this Item. General John E. Roller, Harrisonburg, Va., My dear General: I have a copy of "Prison Life During the Rebellion", being a brief narrative * * ^^vritten by Fritz Fuzzlebug, one of their number. * * Please tell me about Mr. Fuzzlebug. Is it a real name or a Nom De Plume? With kind regards, I am yours sincerely. Lyon G. Tylek. Hon. Lyon G. Tyler, Williamsburg, ^ a. Dear Sir and Friend: It is quite a joke on you and the German race that you should think Fritz Fuzzle- bug is a German name. If the Kaiser and the army knew such a slam as that on their Nationality they would invade Virginia and take WUlimsburg- for the first place- The work you refer to was written and compiled by one Capt. J. J. Dunkle, of 25th Va. He lived at Franklin, Pendleton County, W. ^'a. He is of German descent — of our Pa., Md. and Va. colonial German Element which furnished a large body of men to the Southern army. It may interest you to know that the 25th Va. was commanded by your kinsman and ours, John Cabell Higginbothan, of W. Va. That familiar kinsman of whom we should be proud. "Prison Life" is valuable because it contains a true and accurate list of what one. Major Murry has exploited as the Immortal Six Hundred. It is a valuable list and strange to say does not contain the name of Murray at all. It does contain Dunkle's name. Another distinguished name is that of Major LaMar Fontaine, of Miss., the great- est bragger in the Confederate army. I see he registered as belonging simply to the cavalry— no regiment, which is right for he was a free lance, a true Dugald Dalghetty of the South. How he was captured is a mystery to me- I had the "honor to know him among other" big men of the Confederacy. With kind regards, John E. Roller. CATALOGUE VIRGINIAMA Clarke's Conquest of the Northwest By W. H. English, two volumes, 1186 pages, 8vo. illustrated, price $e.OO. Colonel George Rogers Clarke' sketch of his campaign in the Illinois in 1778-9, and life of Gen. Clarke, and Major Bowman's journal of the taking of Post 'Vincennes, with numerous sketches of men who served under Clarke and a full list of those allotted lands in Clarke's grant for service to the campaigns against the British ports, etc., etc. Four Years Under Marse Robert. By Major Robt. Stylet of the Richmond Howitzers. The twelfth thousand. Price $2.15. "Here we have the essentials, the distinctive spirit of the Southern Soldier. As he hastened to thef ront in '61, he felt: "With me is Right, before me is duty, behind me is Home,'— New York Evening Post. "Have not read any book in many years that gave me such pleasure.— General Stephen D. Lee. A Virginian Village By E. S. Nadal. 277 pages. Price $1.75. Here Mr. Nadal writes for the most part of life in a little country village of Vir- ginia. His many happy reminescences of famous people— Lincoln, [Staunton and Lowell, among others— contribute largely to the interest of the chapters. Altogether delightful reading— a gratifying addition to the literature of the distmctly American essay. Virginia— A Tribute By Edwin Alderman, President of the University of Virginia. Price $1.00. An Address delivered in response to the toast "Virginia', at the banquet given by the citizens of Petersburg, Va., to the President of the United States and the Governor of Pennsylvania, on May 19, 1909. The Formation of the State of West Virginia. By William P. Willey. 245 page-^, with photographs, price, $2.00. Cases slightly damaged. An inside view of the formation of the State of West Virginia. With character sketches of the pioneers in the movement. Historic Shepherdstown, West Virginia By D. Dandridge. A book of more than local interest. Will PRISON LIFE X)URIN't+ THE REBELXjION". BEING A BRIEF ^ARRATIVE 01? THE MiSERIESA^ifD SUFFERINGS OF SIX HUNDKED CONFEDERATE PRISONERS Bent from Fort DelaM^are to Morris^ Island to be P'nnislied.. WRITTEN BY FRITZ FUZZLEBUG, ONE OF THEIR NUMBER. PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR. ■*-r^^^^ -^ '^^^r^*** SINGER'S GLEN, VA. : JOSEPH FUNK'S SONS, PRINTERS*^ 1869. Copy-Right secured according to Law, in the llstial form^ n *3 PIIEFA.CE. The author, in bringing before the public the follow- ing work, has had two objects in view ; First, to furnish to the public North, South, East and West, a brief and correct narrative of the suifering and miseries of prison- life during the late dreadful struggle for constitutional lib- erty ; and. Secondly, to refute the common error, so rife in many places, that Confederate prisoners were not ill- treated in Federal prisons. Both of these objects will become commonplace in the mmd when the book is once carefully read and impartially understood; and the truth of these assertions can be attested to by the united evidences of the survivors of the Six Hundred. CONTENTS SECTION I. Causes which led to the selection of the Six Hundred. SECTION II. ^election of the Six Hundred, names, date of capture, command, address, State, &c. , . rffs SECTION III. Voyage to Hilton Head— incidents on the voyage.. SECTION IV. Sufferings in the Boat. SECTION V. Treatment at Morris' Island— situation, description,,. &c. SECTION VI. Voyage to Fort Pulaski — treatment there. . , ^ ,t: SECTION VII. Vjpyage frorri Fort Pulaski to Hilton Head— treatment there- great sufferings — incidents — amalgamation, &c. SECTION VIII. Voyage to Fort Delaware. SECTION IX. General remarks. IPRISON-LIFE DURING THE REBELLION. SECTION I. Causes that led to the selection of the Six Hundred. In the month of July, 1864, Major Gen,, Sara. Jones, the Con- federate commander at Charleston, by authority from superiors,^ selected forty Federal prisoners — Generals, Colonels, and Lieut.- Colonels — and confined them in the city of Charleston. They were confined in the upper part of the toM'n, away from the exploding shells, which were daily hurled into Charleston, from Federal batteries erected on Morris' Island. The erroneous rumor was soon rife in the JVorth, that they were daily exposed to the fire of their own guns, and under fire, as it was termed. It is needless to say such was not the case. The rumor became so prevalent at the North, that the Federal War Department ordered retaliation. Accordingly, Gen. Schoeph proceeded — by orders from the same — to select forty prisoners from those confined at Fort Delaware, among whom were Maj. Gen. Ed. Johnson and Brig. Gen. Jeff'. Thompson. The whole were Gene- rals, Colonels, and Lietenant-Colonels. They were put aboard a steamer at Fort Delaware, and soon found themselves in the Southern waters. They were very inhu- manly treated and indignantly abused. Upon their arrival at Morris' Island, the place of their intended suffering, two small frame huts vrere erected near battery Wagner for their reception. The Federals, supposing that the Corrfederate shells thrown at Wagner, would explode among them. But previous to their land- ing. Gen. Jones proposed an exchange. The Federals, thinking that the rebel officers would be a burden' at home, and their own a great desideratum, acceded to the proposal. They were accord- ingly exchanged. SECTION II. Selection of the Six Hundred. Gen. Jones, having succeeded well this time, resolved to try the experiment again. For this purpose he selected six hundred Fede- PRISON LIFE ral prisoners — Colonels, Lieut.-Colonels, Majors, Captains, and Lieutenants, and confined them in Charleston, beyond the range of Federal shells. The Federals soon blazed abroad the terrible news, that Federal prisoners were under fire in Charleston. The U. S. Government determined on retaliation. Gen. Schoeph was ordered to dispatch six hundred prisoners to the South for purposes of retaliation. He, in obedience to com- mand, on the 25th of August, 1864,'selected from the Confederate prisoners confined at Fort Delaware, six hundred prisoners — Col- onels, Lieut.-Colonels, Majors, Captains, and laeutenants. The following is a list of the selection : MAEYLANDERS. CAPTURE. RESIDENCE.. Gettysburg, July 3, '63, Baltimore. Fredericksburg', May 27, '64, " Yellow Tavern, " "■ Gettysburg, July 5, '63, RANK AND NAME. ARM. Maj. W W Goldsboro, , 1st Md. I, Capt. W Griffin, Md. Bat. " E Diggs, 2d Cav. Lt. E G Duley, 1st Cav. Lt. G E B Pue, Col. E Eice, ViJ 55 Va., I, Lt. Col. C B Christiar ,, 49 I, " J C Council, 26 1, Maj. P V Batts, 44 1, " T B Branch, Staff; " W H Hood, Mil. " A A 8 winder, 7 In. "DA Jones, Staff; " L Woodrum, 26 1, Capt. H A Allen, 9 In. "EG Brown, 7 1, "JOB Crocker, 9 1, " E Carter, 8 1, " E S Elam, 22 1, ^ " W T Johnson, 8 1, " G W Nelson, Staff; "PA Alfriend 39, " T H Board, 581, f G McD Carrington, A, ^' W P Carter, A, '' J E Christian, 3 1, ''ED Camden, 25, " E E DePriest, 23, " ,J J punkle, 25 1, " A Dobins, 42, " W Duff; 501, " J Dunlap, 27, VIRGINIANS. Fall. Wat. July 14, '63, Cold Har. May 30, '64, Petersburg, May 15, '64, Drew. Bluff; " Montgonisery, Essex. Amherst. St. Stevens.. Petersburg.. Eappahannock,May 18, '64, Burlin. " " Sperryville. Spottsylvania, May 12, '64, Harrisonburg, Gaines' June 3, '64, Gettysburg, July 3, '63, Petersburg, June, '64, Spottsylvania, May, '64, H C Dickenson, 2 C, Union. Portsmouth, Albemarle, Norfolk, Henrico. Lynchburg, Henrico. Eockbridge. Petersburg. Bedford. Charlottesville Millwood. New Kent. Sutton. W. Va. Eichmond. Fr'klin, W.Va. Jacksonville. Jonesville. Union. Liberty. SECTION II. BANK AND NAME. ARM. CAPTURE. RESIDENCE. Capt. A M Edgar, 27, Spottsylvania May, '64, Lewisb'g, W. Va. " J D Fitzgerald, u It Norfolk. "RE Frayser, Signal, (( (( New Kent. "AN Finks, 10 1, <( (( Madison. " W S Guthrie, 23 1, (( (( Pr. Edward. " T M Gobble, 48, C( Charleston. " W T Mitchel, 6C, Yellow Tavern , May, '64, Pittsylvania. " T A Moon, 6C, It (t Franklin co. "WW Boggs, 20, ti tt Wh'ling,W.Va " J F Carson, 5, Mortons, Feb., '64, Augusta CO. " J H Childs, 4C, a a Warrenton. ■" I Coles, 6C, Brandy, " Pittsylvania. " T C Chandler, 47 1, Spottsylvania, May, '64, Bowling Green " J Childs, 42, " tt Richmond. " HT Colter, 53, ft tt King William. " CDChaddock, 33 I, ti " Luray. " T P Doyle, 33 1, It (I Staunton. "LB Doyle, 5, l( tt Lexington, " P W Dalton, 421, << It Taylorsville. " S M Dent, 5C, (( tt Alexandria. 8 PRISON LIFE KANIC AXD NAJtB. Lieut. C R Daricott^ " A W Edwards, " C B Estliam, " J W O Funk, " Henry Fry, " J W A Ford, " a W Fin ley, " J W Gillock, " I) W Garrett, " J D Graves, " J W Gilkeson, "WE Hart, " CD Hail, " C P Harper, " G H Hawkins, " H L Hoover, "AG Hadgins, " H C Hewlett, " RB Hewlett, " W L Hunter, " NAIiaskins, " . G H Hillsman, « T J Kirk, " O H P Lewis, " D M Layton, " J F Lytton, " T S Mitchell, " BC Maxwell, "TO Mass, "JO Murray, " R D Merchant, " WH Morgan, " W McGauley, " J W McDowell, " P B Akers, / " J H Allen, " T A Appleberger " J G Brown, " HGBrinkley, " S D Bland, " F C Barns, " T J Berry, ". R C Bryan, " R S Bowie, " G A Burnett, " B V Cannay, " C J Crisp, " A B Cook, " GPChalkley, " RC Campbell, " A B Gawthorn, ARM. 5 A, 15 C, 10 1, o, 37 I, 20 C, 56 1, 27, 42, 50, 25, 25 A, 48 1, 21, 10, 25, Navy, 5C, 5C, 43 1, 25 1, 5, 4, 31, 42, A, 23 I, • 12 C, 4, 111, 9C, 20 1, 11, 48, ,44, 49, 40, 18 0, 56 1, 25, 48, 37 1, 50, 4, 10, 23, 14, 53, 26, CAPTURE. Hanover, May; '64j Spottsylvania, " Gettysburg, July, '63, Spottsylvania, May, '64, Alb. Landing, ^ Ch'esterfield, " Aldle, SjJOttsylvania, May-, '64, B. & O. R. E. Oct., '63, Mitfordi May, '64. Ashland, July, Cold ILxrbor, June, Logan C. II., Dec, '63, Spottsylvania, May, '64, << " Nansemond, Sept., '63, Pendleton, Jan., '64, Gettysbul-g, July, '63, Spottsylvania, May, '64,- RESlDEXCE; Planover. Prince Ann. Harrisonburg. Winchester. Wh'ling,W.Va. Lewisburg, " Clarksville, Va. Lexington. Morgantown. Tazewell. Mint Spring. King William. Lee. Mecklenburg. McGaheysville. Staunton. , Richmond. Petersburg. Cobbs Creek. Wavnesboro'. Buckh'n,W.Va.- Waynesboro'. Christiansburg. Beverly, W.Va: Mt. Meridian; Long Glade. Martinsville. West Hemlock; Louisa. Richmond. Manassus. Carroll co. Warsaw. ' Greenbrier. Lynchburg. Boone. Fluvanna. Front Royal. Norfolk, Fr'klin, W. Va; Marvsville, Va; SaltL'k,W.Va. Abingdon, Va. Abingdon. Blountsv. Tenn. Elk Creek,''Va. Luray. Louisa. Petersburg. King William. King & Queen. SECTION II 9 BANK AXD N-AME. AU.M. Lieut. W B Carder, 4, « G W Davis, 20 C, « W B Goodson, 5C, « ^I M Duff, 37 1, « J A Danaugh, 10, (( W A Dawson, 27, « K D Embry, lie. (( W L Enos, 2(3 1, (( C D Fitzluigh, IC', « J W Frazier, IC, « C Frates, 3 1, (( S H Finks, 10, « T Tussie, 25, <( J W Groove, 23, C( J L Ganaway, 50, « T M Gravely, 42 1, « ^Y S Gilmer, 37, (( L Green, 5C, « W W George, A, « S W Garey, 3 1, ii B H Hutehi.son, s, (( H Harden, 19, (( W N Hendrix, 25, <( J L Hemijstead, 25, (( A K Humphreyi- S2G, « TEHaynes, 24 C, It K B Ilai-t, 5C, (1 W J Herri ngton ,5 A, <( S J Hutton, 37 1, « W H Hatclier, 42, •' SB Meachum, 5 1, " T Piiikney, 4 C, Lieut. A W Burt, 7 I, » T M Baughman. 1 I, "WW Covington, 23, " H J Clifton, 21, " P W Easterling, 5 C, " S T Anderson, 1 I, " W S Bissell 2, <■<■ W Epps, 4 C, " D Gordan, 4 C, "MP Galloway, 23 I, " J A Garrett, C " J B Gallman, 5 1, " J G Hollford, 8, " W E Johnson, 7 C, " N B Lusk, 12 1, Maj. D F Bootan, 3 C, Capt. J P Allen, 55 I, « J B Asliton, 4 C, " Wm Barnes, 55 1, " T M Carter, 14, " J H Connelly, 44, " H R Dedwyler, 38, " W J Pumuss, 53, III CAEOLIXA. Louisa, .June, 'G4, Petersburg, June, '64, Spottsylvania, May, '64, Gettysburg, July, '63, Hanover, May, '64, Petersburg, June, '64, Martinsburg, July, '63, Gettysburg, " Louisa, June, '64, Petersburg, " Cold Harbor, May, RBSIDEBTCE. Newbern. Lincolnton. Barrack. Jacksonville. Lumberton. Xewbern, Clinton. Jackson. Charlotte. Moore. Onslow. Randolph. Snow Hill. Black Eock. Wadesboro'. Madison. Charleston. Cokesburg. Charleston. Waterbaro'. Spartanburg. Charleston. Cokesburg, Yorkville. Charleston, Hamburg. Florence. Bennetsville. Timmonville. Charleston. Chester. Charleston- King Tree. King Tree.. Marboro'. Spartenburg. Unionville, Timmons, Liberty. Cherokee. GEORGIA. East Tennessee, June, '64, Rome. Cumberland Gap, Sept. '63, Dawson. " " Burke. " " Atlanta. Jackson. Griffin. Elbert. Forsyth. Spottsylvania, May, '64, Spottsylvania, May, '64. SECTION II 13 RANK AND NAME. ARM. CAI'TIKE, RESIDKXCK. (Capt. J Edmonson, 44, Spi jtsylvania, May, '54, Fayettville, (( C R Ezell, 4, do do Jasper. <( A C Gibson, 4, do do Lagrange. « W J Garham, Staff, do do Hamilton, <( H K Harrison, 7 C, J J Henderson, 61 1, do C<3mden, (< W C Knutt, 53, Knoxville, No v., '63, Uriihiu' Lieut. VV J Bosvvell, 5S, Cumberian d Gap, Sept., Canfield. « S VV Branch, s, Gel ttysburjj , J, jly, '63, Savannah, <( B L Brown, 59, do do Fort Gains. .« J J Boss, 35, do do Monroe. « J L Burney, 49, do do Twiggs. « T J Carr, 43, Ch ampion, Ml ly, '63, Jefferson. i( R Childs, 4, Spottsylvania, May, '64, Clinton. << N B Durham, 44, do do Clarke. <.c J D DeLoach, 61, do do Tatnal. <( W H DeLoach, 7C, do do Bryan, << J S Greer, 4 1, do do West Point, « D W Garrett, 11, do do Morgan. rly clad fas the prisoners were, they suffered from the chilly and dafiitp at- mosphere, but were in the proper dress for the heat. The Yankees at no time gave to the prisoners any articles bf clothing, bedding, or anything to shelter the person from obsefva- tiOHj the chilling blast, or the burning rays of the sun. At 9 o'clock every prisoner was required to go to bed. After that time no one was allowed to talk only in a whisper. If any one abused this privilege, as it was called, by talking aloud,- he waS instantly fired upon. SECTION V . 33 No one could leave his tent only for necessary purposes, and then Was frequently fired upon. No one was allowed, during the night, to go out of his own street. Many of the prisoners contracted severe and fatal diseases from their continued confinement, harsh treatment, and aggravated starv- ing. The various changes of the atmosphere were also conducive to disease; and the insalubrity of the climate had an injurious effect upon those used to a more northern and regular climate and tho comforts of home. In cases of disease we received some medical attention. It was called such, but was in reality worse than none, and had an injurious elfect upon the prisoners, and sometimes resulittl in feaiful con- sequences. The medical attendant, styled a surgecnj was one of tlinse vain, villainous, and inhuman northerners whose conduct is offensive to all honest men, and whoso very countenance betrays the wicktd and deceitful heart within the breast: The professed Medicus — but in reality only a common cifizen — would come to the pen every morning to examine the sick, as he said, but for no other purpose in reality, than to heap abu.^-es upon them, and argue with them upon the impropriety and n;eanness of their course in defying the government of the tlnited States. After having abused the prisoners enough, he would frequently leave some pillsj as he called them, which, upon close inspection/ proved to be small lumps of dough. These were to be' taken in small doses by the sick. These pills would have been very desira- ble, if they had been given several pounds at a time. Our rations were given to us three times a day. They were hi small quantities, as the following description will show : In tlie morning after roll-call, two greasy, thick-lipped niggers entered each street bearing a box containino hard bread or crackers^ as they were generally called, or better known by the ai-my phrase hard t-ck. These crackers were the small army crackers, being about three inches square, and one quarter inch thick. They were baked very bard, as all crackers are, and they had the appearance of having been manufactured for the campaign of i77ii. They looked so antique. They evidently were quite a numbei- of years old from their old and musty appearance. They were covered with a fine quantity of very nice mould, which added greatly to their fine acid taste, and made them quite palatable to those wlio preferred sour and mouldy crackers. In short, numbers of them were entirely rotten, and unfit for any use whatever, but the prisoners ate them greedily , and beggedybr ?7?ore. They appeared to be somewhat moth e;iten, for they were full of large and small indentations, anri bore stiong evidence of having been accessible to some rodeniia or gnawing animals, and ceitainiy were visited much and frequently by them. Some of the rodentia had taken up their continual abode in the crackers. They were found in large numbers, and quite corpulent. They were about one quarter inch long and less, and not very thick. 5 34 PRISON LIFE. They had a while appearance, and / believe were catted maggots. Vast quantities of them and their eggs were contained in a single cracker. An attem))t to dislodge theia resulted in the complete an- nihilation of the cracker as a whole, and its entire loss to the ownei , which, considering the circumstances, was a matter of no small con- sequence, but on the contrary, one of very great importance, and no one attempted to rid the cracker of the vermin, knowing the final result, but greedily devoured both. Taking into consideration the fact that the crackers contained quantities of vermin, rust, mould, &c., and were very sour, and some entirely rotten, made it a scene of starving, even if they had been given in sufficient quantities to allay the pangs of hunger, and to satiate the longing appetite. It has been stated that the crackers were given in the morning by the two niggers. They conveyed the box to the door of each tent, and cried aloud, get your Iiard tack. They then, with black, filthy hands, threw them into the tent as if throwing them to dogs. Three of these small crackers were given for one day. This was not sufficient for more than half a meal, and the suffering on the account of the scarcity of food is indescribable. At twelve o'clock the same greasy niggers bore through each street and to each tent door a box of horse or mule meat, rotten, and, of course filthy, full of bugs and worms, and a variety of other filth* They gave the usual shout, come and get your meat, and then with black, greasy, filthy hands, they issued the meat reshuns to the starving and wretch- ed six hundred. They stated that five ounces of meat were allowed for each prisoner, but he really only got about two ounces, and very frequently not tliat. At four o'clock the same niggers came round with a camp kettle full of liquid called soup, though, in reality only warm water in which beans or rice had been cooked. They proposed to give us bean or rice soup every dayi, and they certainly cooked the beans or rice, but when they Were Cooked, the niggers eat the beans and rice, and brought to us the water. Thus our food consisted of three small crackers three inches square, one quarter inch thick, two ounces of meat, (mule or horse,) and half a pint of warm water imitation of soup. Thus we starved day after day and night after night. The rations \Vere nearly enough for one meal. I usually ate it all at once, that was in the evening, and involuntarily fasted till the next. Considering the smallness of our daily ration, it is not at all won- derful that we suffered the bitterest and most pinching hunger. The only w^onder is, that we did not all starve to death in this horrible place. But the hungry scenes of those wrathful days are indescribable, and any attempt to picture them in all their horrible magnitude and terrific grandeur, so as to do equal justice to the sufferers and their inhuman oppressors would be totally impossible with tongue or pen. Yet we may draw inferences from them, and by narrating some of them, we may form some faint idea, and have some very remote conception of their dreadfulness. Try to imagine yourself, gentle S E C T I O N V . 35 reader, deprived of all the comforts of home and friends, confined in some filthy pen, on some sandy and desolate Island, apart from white society, and knowing yourself to be at the mercy of some cannibals, then you may have a narrow idea of the wretched situation of the six hundred. Again, imagine yourself abused and taunted by the ruthless foe, fired upon, and not being permitted to return a single retort for all their otfences, and yourself poorly fed with but one scant meal a day, and that consisting of mouldy, rotten, wormy bread, and rotten mule meat, and warm water, then you can have some idea of the miseries of the starving six hundred. Starvation and Ihe bitter pangs of hunger were depicted in every countenance, were seen in every face, exhibited in every look, and heard on every side. Oh, there is no misery so dreadful, no sorrow so deep, no wretchedness so complete, no agony so much to be dread - ed, as that of starving in the midst of plenty, only that the wrath of man may be satiated and his hated vengeance glutted. My body recoils and shudders when these agonizing scenes are forcetl upon my mind. The prisoners grew familiar with hunger, cold, heat and misery. They submitted to their fate with that cheerfulness which is char- acteristic of the man whose conscience assures him that his course is right and just. They bore their suffering with great fortitude and manly energy. The water given us to drink was of an inferior quality, procured from wells dug in the sand upon the beach. It was given in suffi- cient quantities, the only thing of which we can boast that we had enough. It was hauled inside on wagons, and left for use in tubs and barrels. The inhabitants of Charleston sent to us by flag of truce a large quantity of provisions snugly boxed and nicely prepared for use. But Sambo must first have his share of them, and the remainder could not be given to us until one of the white gemmen was at leisure so he could inspect the distribution. By this time the sweet potatoes, of which there was a large quantity, were all mouldy and unfit for use. The cooked meat and bread was also spoiled. Thus we were deprived of the use of the provisions sent by the generous-hearted inhabitants of Charleston, to their suffering brethren on the dreary and sandy island called Morris'. Vast numbers of shells were thrown every day from the Federal batteries to various points, and from different batteries. Gregg kept up an incessant fire day and night upon Sumpter and Moultrie. This fire drew a return from Moultrie, which was executed at long in- tervals, and only when something was to be accomplished by the action. Wagner frequently threw shells at Moultrie in order to draw her fire, so that, falling short, it might fall amongst us. This was fre- quently the case, fragments of shells falUng among the prisoners, and, indeed, on every side of the pen, yet no man was seriously in- jured by any explosion. But numbers of the niggers, and several of the white gemmen, were seriously wounded, and some were launched into the spirit world. 86 PHISON LIFE. One shell thrown i'rom Moultrie exploded immediately over as, but most of the fragments missed the pen^ and killed a number of negroes composing tlie guard. Another one fell in Wagner and did not explode for some time afterward, but at the explosion killed a number of the garrison. The guard were frequently driven from their posts by the Rebel shells, and numbers of them were frequently killed and wounded. Teamsters, and others, traveling about the Island, were frequently killed and wounded, and no day passed without the death of some Federal soldiers. The gunners at Moultrie were so expert that they eould kill Yan- kees on every side' of us, and we be almost secure from danger. Yet it is to be wondered at that none were killed, considering the great amount of shelling done. The Federals had a gun mounted at Wagner whiich invariably bursted th(> shell immediately after leaviiig the gun. They some- times used this gun to fire directly over our pen, pretending to be firing upon Sumpter, supposing that the fragments wowld kill some of the prisoners, but in this they failed, but frequently killed some of their sable sons of Mars, by experimenting upon Rebels. It was a grand yet fearful sight to behold the shelling at night. The guns were three-hundred-pounder rifled pieces, and at every discharge produced a concussion which shook the sandy Island like the convulsive throes of an earthquake, and shook the entire frame from head to foot. Next was seen the fiery and death-bearing ele- ment springing from the guns with the velocity of a shadow, and by- its projectile force soaring aloft into the smooth space above, a long fiery tail resembling that of a comet trailino- behind, T ■ I • • • It continued its course till being overpowered by the attractmg ])Ower of the earth, and having lost its projectile energy, it began to descend rapidly. The nearer it approached its destiny the greater its velocity. When nearing the destined place, suddenly with the concussion of a thunderbolt it burst, and the fragments were heard singing the death knell on every side. Soon the groans of some poor wretch was heard who had been wounded, or the death shriek of some miserable creature who had found his eternal all. Thus day after day and night after night we feasted our longing eyes with the grandeur of these death-bearing scenes, and filled our minds with the horrors attending the same. Our ears were con- stantly greeted with the roar of artillery, the concussion of shells, the groans of wounded, or the shrieks of the dying. Oh, the misery of having the ear constantly filled with such dole- ful sounds, the misery, the horrible misery, the wretched agony of anticipating death at every moment ! The battle-field was pleasure compared with this, for its scenes only lasted a few hours and only occurred a few times in a year ; but here death from shells was a continual dread. The mind was continually filled with the horrible prospect of instant death, not only now and then, but every moment. Both day and night, there was no one moment that the mind was free from the dreadful thought. Thus exposed to the continual shelling of the Confederate guns. S E C T I O N V I . 37 and also the Federal p;uns of Wagner, we lingered on from day to day. Also at the hands of our ci-uel guards we suffeied eveiy in- dignity and cruel punishment which could be inflicted upon us. Pinched by the dieadful pains of hunger, we longed for' death, and dreaded not to meet the monster. Every day we grew more wielch- ed, and lost more of the traits and character of humans, and by con- tinually abusing and being abused, we grew familiar with sin and wickedness in every shape. Thus living on three crackers and two ounces of meat and some warm water, abused, fired upon, shelled, cursed, starved, and rendered miserable in every form, we lingered on for forty-five days in this horrible place, ere we were permitted to bid a final, and I hope an everlasting farewell to Morris' Island. SECTION VI. Voyage to Fort Pulaski — treatment there, &c. After sufFering the dreadful miseries and unsurpassable wretched- ness of Morris' Island for forty-five days, another ineffectual effoi-t was made for our exchange, but Gen. Jones remained firm as ada- mant, and would not swerve a hair from his fiist proposition. The Federals failino' in their Morris Island undertaking:, determ- ined to ship us to some other point ; and preparations were immedi- ately made for that purpose, but many poor and haggard faces that once had been fresh and blooming, looked vacantly upon the scene of our late suffering, and as we departed, heaped many a silent curse upon the miserable, desecrated, and never to be forgotten place. We were marcbed in silence to the wharf. There were many faltering steps in that small body ti'udging toward the wharf, which had been in former days lively and iveii to act according to the dic- tates of the will and the wishes of the mind. We took passage in an old sea beaten and dismasted schooner, which had to be towed by another vessel ; and after a short, though y somewhat pleasant voyage contrasted with the previous scene of ^r misery and despair, we arrived in safety at Fort Pulaski, Nothing f of interest occurred on our voyage, except the attempt of some of the prisoners to escape. We were taken into custody by the Seventy-fourth N. Y. Volun- teers. They were a nice body of fellows, and displayed most of the traits of gentlemen. They treated us with great respect, and offered no insults to our dignity or position. We at)jieared to en- joy our situation rather better than any we had since we left Fort Delaware. The regiment was commanded by Col. Brown, a New Yorker of fine talents, and possessing all the characteristics of a gentleman of high honor and unblemished deportment. He used all his influence to make us comfortable, and yet we were very far from enjoying any thing like comfort, pleasure or enjoyment. Our provisions were given to us twice a day. They were in small quantities, yet the quality was good. They consisted of ba- 38 P R 1 S O N L I F E . ker's bread anil boilt meat of a good quality. They were isstietl by the hands of white men — quite a different feature from the Morris Island manner of distiibuting reshuns. The bread .-nd meat was about half enopjgh to satisfy the crav- ings of the everloiiging appetite — that is, they were just enough for one meal, and half enough for another. Yet this was a very great improvement upon the quantity at Morris' Island, and certainly an exceedingly gieat improvement upon the quality. We were confined in the casemates of the fort, there being no- preparations made for reception or comfort. The cold brick walls on every side and overhead made the situation more horrble than the Pen of Morris' Island. The damp bricks furnished a very un- comfortable bed, and hurried on the diseases which many of us had previously contracted, and produced the same in many who had, till then, been healthy. Wate)- was given in sufficient supplies, and other accommodation, were of vei-y indifferent character. No fire was allowed within the casemates, and we suffered much from the chilliness and dampness of the atmosphere, and several died from its chilling effects. Considering the scene as a whole, it was one full of misery, and fraught with wretchedness. The provisions were of a good quality, yet of a very inferior quantity, and the conduct of the officers and soldiers was very humane. Exclusive of these two improvements upon the character of the Morris Island treatment, the remainder was equally as miserable and horrible as the Morris Island treatment. We remained at Fort Pulaski for some time, suffering the mise- ries and torments of Federal inhumanity, barbarity and cruelty. Indeed, the barbarity of these scenes scarcely has a parallel in the annals of human history. SECTION VII. Departure from Pulaski — voyage to Hilton Head, and treatment there. After spending some time in the bleak, dismal, damp and sickly casemates of Pulaski, we were suddenly called together, and two hundred of us were selected from the others, that number being half — for we had dwindled down to four hundred — for some purpose lunknown to us — the popular opinion was that we were to be ex- changed. So popular was this opinion, that many strong ajid robust men, y{[i_h a magnanimity worthy of imitation, proffered their places to their weakly and sickly fellows, and many offered large sums of Con- iedeirate money to the select ones to procure their places, and we really sunposeVl that the star of peace was rising, and that the sun of fiieedorn was about to burst upon us and free us from the domin- ion of Yankees and negroes. But we were destined to see and feel greater agonies and more deplorable miseries than any we had ever known, or ever for a mo- ment fancied. We were to change quarters, and be placed again SECTION VII 39 ute'iler the domitiion of a fierce, rigid, tyranical and inhuman foe. We took passage in a small steamer, and sailed from Pulaski to Hilton Head. Nothing of interest occiured on the voyage, and after a few hours of sailing we arriverl at Hilton Head, where we were lanc^ed and placed in tents for two days. At the expiration of this time we were removed to a square en- closure on the beach. This enclosure contained the banacks of the officers and privates, the cookhouses, hospital, guard house and general headquartei-s. It contained several acres, and was square. The surface of the earth beiiig entirely sand, there was no herbage of any kind inside. On the ^de next the beach were erected general headquarters, which consisted of several small, but neatly finished buildings, and ele- gantly furnished with the necessary furniture and fixings. On the west side, the barracks for the privates extended from one end to the other, consisting of small but comfoi table frame huts, and furnished with the niecessary bunks, furniture, &c. On the north and east sides there extended from one end to the- other a high plank wall, hiding from the view the outsi^'e scenes, and rendering the inside inaccessible to outside intruders. Also the un- occupied spaces between the buildings on the south and west were filled with the same wall. There was but one entrace to this Feudal castle, which was a large gate on the east, rigidly guarded. Near the centre was the- guard house, a commodious and comfortable structure for the conve- nience of the guard, both black and white. Near the guard house was the reshun house into which the meat and bread reshxlns were conveyed in a small, filthy, duflgy, and miserable cart, the bread partaking of the filth of the cart. To this building crowded every day at noon a promiscuous Cro-wd^ such as the sun scai'cely ever shines upon ; niggers dumb as mules; niggers wiser, niggers citizens,niggerssoldiers,mulattoes, half whites, oath-takers, white citizens, white soldiers, white women given up to wretchedness and abandoned to misery, nigger women, dirty, mean, filthy, ragged and wretched ; this was the crowd. Near the east side was the buikling for the reception of a part of this promiscuous and unsightly crowd. It was a long, wide and high building constructed of plank, and in every way made comfortable and delightful to its occupants. Near the angle formed by the union of the north and west sides we were situated. We were situated in two buildings, surrounded on three sides by sentinels, and on the fourth by the wall of plank on the north side of the enclosure. Our pen enclosed the cooking; and reshun house for the hospital, but no rations were served up within its portals for the starving two hundred unless they \ve<"e' about to die, when they were carried to the hospiliil. We were placed in two similar buildings, one hundred in each. These buildings were built of plank placed one against another, and of course affording light and plenty of fiesh air ihrnugh the openings between the planks. They had been originrlly erected for the use of military convicts of the Yankee army, and had never been de- 40 P X I S O N L I F E , signed fatiitbe use of white men, but only lawless and miserable ne- groes, for' whom they only sei ved as a place of torment. They would have been cool anrl pleasant in summer, bur in winter admitted all the terrors of the cold and freezing atmosphere. They were probably seventy or eighty feet long, and were tvide enou(T-h to admit an aisle of several feet in the centre, with bunks on each si satiatetheappetite for twenty-four hours. It was just bread enoughfor one meal, if there had been meat, and the bread been a good quality. But considering the quantity and quality of the meal, it was horrible indeed, to be confined with no other article of food but this, and only six ounces of it to satisfy an appetite for twenty-four hours ; and then the sour and bitter taste, with the offensive smell, the rotten, musty, and mouldy quality, and the abundance of worms and their depositesT It was horribly outrageous that humans, in a land of plenty, should be forced by civilized beings, to live on spoilt cornmeal and worms, and their deposites. We generally preferred our food in the morning, and dispatched it with the greediness of a shark, and involuntarily and necessarily fasterf until the next morning. The meal was given raw and unbaked, and' no utensils or cooking vessels of any kind were given us in which we- might prepare our food, and a reasonable conclusion would be, that prisoners had no cooking vessels. A very sm^ll number of the prisoners, perhaps a dozen, had some money which had been sent to them by their friends. With this they procured small frying pans for themselves, which answered to them the purpose of b.ikintj their meal ; but the large number who had no mon- ey, of course could procure no frying pan, anri had no vessel for cook- ing purposes. Some borrowed from others who hari pans and were not using them, but the small nuraberof pans would not supply all the pris- oners, and they were not common property. Having been bought by a few, they were, of course, their property. Thosewhohad none, man- aged, as I have said, to borrow. Those who could not borrow boiled their meal in a cup or mug, or any thing they had or could get. But few of these could be had, and a vast number were left without either a baking or cooking vessel, and were forced to eat their meal like brutes, raw and dry. Considering the quality and quantity of the meal, and the absence of cooking vessels, it is no wonder we suffered all the horrible agony of SECTION VII 43 liunger, despair, and wretchedness. Yet we were forced to comply with the strictures of Yankee rule, and the words of the brutish Thompson were law, and he had only to command, and it was done. For the purpose of cooking our rations we were furnished a small supply of wood. This was green pine or live oak in quality, and the ■quantity entirely insufficient to cook our scanty rations. When the wood was exhausted we dispatched our meal raw. Dry, raw, rotten, "worm-eaten, musty and mouldy cornmeal. We chopped our wood into small fibres or chips, and built little fires on the sand, resembling those built by children in their innocent play ; but this was the best we could do, for if we attempted to build a large fire, our stock for several days would have been exhausted at once. The weather was exceedingly cold, so freezing cold, that many of the prisoners froze their feet, hands and ears, and some other parts of the body. It must be remembered that the season of the year was mid winter, and though we were in South Carolina, we were upon the beach, and so near the ocean, that we received the benefit of all the chillmg winter blasts which constantly pervade the ocean. The chilling winds here were the fiercest I ever felt, and fiercer than those of Virginia. It must also be kept in mind that the house in which we were confined was so open as to admit large quantities of these chilling and freezing blasts ; added to this, numbers had scarce- ly clothing enough to cover their naked body ; some harl no hats; oth- ers no shoes, and but few had coats or shirts ; and scarcely a man had a good suit, and none had a full suit. In addition to the mid-winter, the freezing air, the cold apartment, and the loss of clothing, but three or four had any blankets suflticient to protect them from the terrors of the cold while they reposed in the arms of slumber, and besides all this, we had not a spark of fire in the house. No fire was allowed in the building, and out of doors our small cooking fires afforded no heat whatever. It is not at all wonderful that we suffered all the wretchedness of despair, and the anguish of misery, while freezing in a land flowing with milk and honey. The chilling blast, the freezing house, the loss of clothes, the want of blankets, and the absence of fire, made our hab- itation one of the deepest agony and the most wretched horror. It indeed seemed that we were deserted by God and man, and had been given over to demons and devils to be tormented. Many men, in order to keep from freezing, trudged the floor at short intervals from mornir)g to night, and from night until morning. This had to be resorted to in many cases to keep from freezing. The feet were cold for many flays and nights together. Disease spread among: us at a fearful rate. The dry cornmeal, with- out meat or vegetables, produced both chronic diarrhoea and scurvy. The scurvy spread among us fearfully — I being the only man who did not have the wretched disease. Several died, others were carried to the hospital, and being poorly cared for, lingered for days together, suffering the excruciating pains of scurvy. Others were rendered crip- ples or invalids for life by the ravages of scurvy, and scarcely one who had the disease ever fairly recovered, but was in sytem more or less 44 PRISONLIFE. disorganized by the dire and horrid disease. There being but little noedical treatment, and that of the most indifferent quality, and admin- istered by one wholly ignorant of the science, made the scene more horrid. Chronic diarrhoea spread among us like a contagion, and, seizing many a victim, dragged him to a premature grave ; and many lingered long upon the verge ot the grave, and finally dropped in. The extreme cold hurried upon many the fearful diseases of fever, pneumonia, &c., and these sent destruction in our midst, and thinn«d our ranks with a fearful abruptness. The cold also caused the return of rheumatism to those who had been previously its subjects, and it also initiated many new members into its horrid and undesirable order. A prisoner had to be nearly dead before he could have a place in a hospital, and after his reception there, was scarcely cared for, bu.t was misused and cruelly treated and insulted in a manner that Q)ade a man abhor the hospital more than the rough fare of the camp. Many prisoners attempted to make their escape, but nonesuceeeded, from the impracticability of crossing the stream. Col. Manning and others succeeded in escapingfrom the quarters, and getting clearof the guard, but while preparing to cross the stream, were caught by ne- groes and blood-hounds. They were returned to the prison, and placed in a dungeon. Many ineffectual efforts were made by different ones, at variouspla- ces, and on several occasions, to escape the dominion of Yankees ;. but all these attempts failed, and only procured for the offender some spe- cies of humiliating and dire punishment. About the time of the fall of McAllister, the troops were all with- drawn from Hilton Head except two companies of Infantry and thirty Cavalry. The Infantry were all present at every roll call. The Cav- alry guarded the bridge leading from Hilton Head to the mainland. On the opposite side of the bridge were the confederate pickets. Many fleet steamers, men of war, ironclads, &c., were at anchor in the harbor. The mariners and seamen, except small guards, were on shore at the mariners' inn. We intended to avail ourselves of thisop- i>ni tunity to escape, by seizing and overpowering the Infantry at roll call, and proceeding to the Fort to destoy the guns and munitions of war thete, and by taking advantage of the seamen and mariners, (we being armed anil they not,) to proceed to the fleet, and fire the whole amount of shipping in the harbor, and secure the sailors, soldiers, &c., as prisoners, burn the town and capture the Cavalry by stratagem, and cross in safety to the Confedeiate lines. All this might, and, no doubt, would have been accomplished, had not some of the prisoners informed the Yankees of our design. Col. Manning and myself had been entrusted with the planning and execu- ting of the work, and all had gone well up to the very afternoon on which we were to execute our well matured plans, when all were thwarted by the traitorism of some one unworthy to live, and not fit to