USA > Alabama > History of the First Regiment, Alabama Volunteer Infantry, C.S.A. > Part 4
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The sickness and mortality at Island No. 10 are not to be wondered at, when all the circumstances are considered. Our men were mostly from extreme South Alabama, two-thirds of whom, fresh from home and wholly unused to hardships, had been suddenly thrown into a cold and rigorous climate at a season of the year most inviting to pneumonia, had been terri- bly and continuously exposed day and night, were without suit- able food, and practically without medicine with which to com- bat the epidemic. The old soldiers of the regiment of 1861 lost very few of their number. Colonel Steedman, one of the ablest officers of the garrison, was stricken with pneumonia in both lungs a week before the surrender, and was in the hospital at the time of that event. When the surrender was known he was placed upon a litter by four of his regiment, «vho intended
*For list of dead buried at Madison, and the report of Col. Steed- man on treatment of Confederate prisoners at Johnston's Island, see Chapter VIII, infra.
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Island No. Ten Campaign, and Prison Life, 1862.
to carry him beyond the enemy's line, sometimes wading water knee-deep. He begged them to leave him and make their own escape which they emphatically refused to do, and all were cap- tured together.
Colonel Steedman was sent first to Gratiot Street prison in St. Louis, Mo., in which city were many Southern sympathizers ; and among these was James Harrison, whose daughters were also in sympathy with the South, one of whom (Dora) be- came the wife of the colonel in the fall of 1865. From St. Louis as soon as he was convalescent, Colonel Steedman was trans- ferred to Columbus, Ohio, paroled for two weeks during further convalescence, thence to Johnson's Island, Lake Erie.
After the surrender to General Payne at Tiptonville on the morning of April 8, 1862, we spent the day in conversation with the Federals. Men and officers repelled as an insult the least insinuation that the war, professedly for the Union, in- volved the emancipation of slaves, declaring they would lay down their arms at once if they had the remotest apprehension that such was the case. Though doubtless sincere at the time, they did not make good this declaration upon the issuance of Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation nine months later. That night, as usual at Island No. 10, the rain fell in torrents.
The next day we went by steamer to New Madrid, built fires of logs on the river bank, while the Federals gave us full rations and planks to sleep on. The next morning our officers left on steamer for Johnson's Island, and late in the evening the men boarded a large transport (used for carrying horses, cattle and supplies ) for Cairo, which place we reached at daylight next morning. About 10 a. m. we were marched to the railroad depot, and late that evening left for Camp Butler. We reached Decatur early next morning, where a curious crowd had assem- bled to see "the rebels." As the train was detained here half an hour some of our men offered at auction Confederate money ; or as the Yankees called it, "Jeff Davis script," and were sur- prised that it found ready buyers from 10 to 20 cents on the dollar.
That evening we reached Camp Butler, were formed in line, searched for weapons, and assigned to tents situated between two rows of barracks.
Camp Butler, an old camp of instruction, was about five miles east of Springfield, Ill., on the Sangamon river; and, ať (89)
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the time of our arrival, had no walls. The soil was black and waxy, and during wet weather was very disagreeable. A line of soldiers called the "dead line" surrounded it. Colonel Mor- rison was in command-a big, rotund, rubicund, mellow-nosed Yankee, but withal a kind-hearted old gentleman. A regiment of Black Dutch constituted the guard. They were a set of sneaks and scoundrels, several times firing into our quarters without provocation, and on one occasion killing, on another wounding a prisoner. There was such a determined protest by the prisoners against such barbarism, that it was not repeated. About a month later these Dutch were sent to Virginia, where the regiment was annihilated (much to our delight) by Jack- son ; and a regiment of citizens (the 69th Illinois) guarded us from then on. These men treated us with every kindness con- sistent with military usage.
Colonel Fonda, their commander, succeeded Colonel Morri- son as commander of the post, and he also was a good man. But, as previously stated, the fearful effects of exposure at Island No. 10 followed us to Camp Butler, and every day the prison hospital was receiving large accessions from our num- bers, most of whom went thence to the cemetery. This fact, with our separation from loved ones, especially during the ex- citing times of war, required all our courage to withstand. Many died solely of melancholy, and it is doubtful if a single prisoner who could not keep up his spirit ever survived prison life. Hence we sought all kinds of diversions, of which making finger rings from bones, gutta-percha buttons and setting them with silver or gold, or with the bright inner shells of mussels, obtained abundantly from Sangamon river, was the chief. It was astonishing what skill some acquired in this art, and what beautiful rings they turned out with rudest tools.
The winter broke suddenly into spring a little after May I. This was the third time that we had seen the trees bud for spring this year: at Pensacola in March, at Island No. 10 in April, and at Camp Butler in May. The prisoners now became healthy and everything more cheerful. We eagerly sought the morning papers for news from the front, but as Nearly all the papers were in sympathy with the Union cause we had little faith in their statements, except the St. Louis Republican, which was thought to be in sympathy with the South. Whenever the news of victory reached us, the prisoners made the welkin ring with cheers and rebel yells.
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Island No. Ten Campaign, and Prison Life, 1862.
In the meanwhile prisoners had been escaping in considerable numbers by running the "dead line" at night, generally in squads of six or seven at a time. Though between four and five hun- dred thus escaped, it was remarkable that not one was ever killed or wounded. A few, after weeks of hunger, toil and per- petual fear, made good their way to Dixie, but most were recap- tured and brought back to prison, where they were put in close confinement for a few days. At this time there were many Southern sympathizers in this part of Illinois, and if the pris- oners had known who they were and where they lived, the trip would have been easy. Colonel Morrison, while commander, was much chagrined by the escape of so many prisoners, and believed that his sentinels were bribed. On one occasion, about half drunk, he addressed a body of prisoners thus: "I want you rebels to explain to me how so many of you have escaped from this prison without a rascal of you ever getting hit by a bullet. You can't fool me; there is trading going on here. You can buy any man I have for 25 cents-any officer here for 50 cents-and me for a dollar," emphasizing the last assertion by a heavy stroke of his hand upon his breast. The prison was soon enclosed by a plank wall twelve feet high. After this two efforts to escape were made by tunneling and bribery, but with- out success. A few, however, made their escape by a bold dash at night to the wall, and by jerking off the planks. The pris- oners at Camp Butler were given the full ration of a United States soldier, which was more than they could eat. The sur- plus was traded at the commissary for stationery, gutta-percha buttons, or for any other article we wished E. J. M. Padgett was the regimental commissary, and he looked closely after our interests.
When the hot days of June came Colonel Fonda every morn- ing formed in line as many prisoners as wished to spend an hour or two bathing, and marched them down to the beautiful San- gamon river. Though there were sometimes more than a thousand prisoners, there were never more than fifteen guards, Colonel Fonda having previously told us that he was doing this for our pleasure, and that he depended upon our honor not to escape, which confidence no prisoner ever attempted to vio- late.
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First Alabama Regiment, C. S. A.
OUR GOOD TREATMENT IN PRISON EXPLAINED.
Owing to our kind treatment while in prison at Camp Butler, Springfield, Ill., in the summer of 1862, it was believed at the time by the Confederate prisoners that the head of the Federal Commissary was a Southern sympathizer, but of course we kept very quiet on that subject while there. After the publi- cation of my sketch in The Advertiser, October 26 and Novem- ber 30, 1902, I received the following letter, which explains itself :
"313 Catoma Street, "Montgomery, Ala., March 13, 1902.
Mr. E. Y. McMorries, Plantersville, Ala .:
"Dear Sir-I have been very much interested in your sketch of the 1st Alabama Regiment in The Advertiser, especially in that part relating to the prisoners at Camp Butler, Ill. I was only a child at the time, but have a distinct recollection of many events of the period. My father, John S. Bradford, although a Southern sympathizer, was head of the Commissary Department for a period at Camp Butler, at what time and for how long I do not know. My mother was born in Kentucky; and was even much more of a ['rebel,' as she was at that time called, than my father. She was very active in helping the prisoners, especially those in hospitals. I remember her saying that what the sick seemed to crave more than anything else was milk. This she always tried to supply. We kept several cows on our place, then just outside of Springfield, and she had a large can made to order, and went almost daily to the hospital with milk, fruits, delicacies, etc. She is still living on the old place, which is now inside the city limits, having been a resident of Springfield over sixty-five years. She is now 87, and in good health, and has never been 'reconstructed.'
"The cemetery at Camp Butler is kept by the government. It is enclosed by a brick wall. The graves of the Federals are marked by marble headstones, and while the Confederate graves are not so marked, the section containing them is well kept.«
"Yours truly, "John Bradford."
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Island No. Ten Campaign, and Prison Life, 1862.
There can be no doubt of the truth of every statement in the foregoing letter, and we owe a debt of gratitude to these noble people far beyond our ability to pay. They were friends in need. It must be remembered that it has cost her much greater sacrifice, and has demanded much higher courage to maintain her Southern sentiments than any native Southern woman re- siding in the South.
While this fair treatment was accorded the prisoners at Camp Butler, especially as to rations, the following from Colonel Steedman (1902) shows the treatment of our officers in prison at the same time on Johnson's Island. The reader must not for- get that this was in 1862, and must not confound this with the cruel treatment in 1863-5, as shown later by the official report of Colonel Steedman. As a rule, we think Southern prisoners were treated reasonably well until after the Federal authorities adopted so-called "Retaliatory Measures."
OFFICERS IMPRISONED AT JOHNSON'S ISLAND.
"All the officers of the First Alabama regiment, except the few who escaped or were absent on furlough, were imprisoned on Johnson's Island for about six months. This island is situ- ated in Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, three miles from Sandusky city. It was a beautiful and healthy location for a prison. No one but officers were confined there. The buildings were new, wooden shells, but clean and comfortable, except in the extreme cold of the rigorous winter in that northern climate. The prisoners were well fed on good army rations, and there was little sickness among them. They were guarded by Home Guard militia, who treated them fairly well.
To this generally good treatment there was a single excep- tion lamentable to the Confederates and disgraceful to the per- petrator. A guard, without provocation or notice, viciously shot Capt. J. D. Meadows through the thigh, which came near resulting in his death. A brave soldier, or more perfect gen- tleman than the victim of this barbarity never breathed.
Early in September, 1862, our officers were sent by rail to Cairo, and thence by steamboat to Vicksburg for exchange. These officers were crowded on the steamboat like so many cat- tle, just as our men were. Colonel Steedman informs me that he was glad to get a place on the Texas deck by the side of the
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pilot house, large enough to spread his blanket. The pilots spit their tobacco juice across him, and some times by acci- dent on him. Their rations were raw pork and "hard tack," which they broiled on long splinters before the boiler furnaces, each man taking his turn. The crew treated them kindly. It was a joyful day when officers and privates met at Vicksburg and in camp at Jackson."
It was difficult to get letters to or from the South beyond the Federal lines. Few ever reached us or our Southern homes.
Governor Andrew Johnson of Tennessee, afterwards presi- dent of the United States, visited the prison during the sum- mer, and induced many Tennesseeans to take the oath of allegi- ance. As these were marched out of prison they were jeered by the prisoners. No one of the First Alabama took the oath.
EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS.
On the morning of September 7, 1862, the First Alabama, forming a part of the second detachment of prisoners for ex- change, and guarded by a company of the 69th Illinois, left on flat cars for Vicksburg by way of Alton, Ill. The fertile lands along the route covered with luxuriant crops of waving corn and large orchards of apple trees bending with heavy clusters of luscious fruit delighted us, the happiest of the happy. At every station were large crowds of every age, sex and condition to see the "rebels." The girls chunked the boys with red apples, and on several occasions slyly exhibited a miniature Confederate flag. At Alton the citizens gave us a lunch at the landing just before we embarked on the steamer. There was a large con- course of citizens and all treated us courteously, especially the ladies. An aged gentleman, with long flowing locks as white as snow, and whose dress and mien pointed him out as evi- dently being a leading citizen of that community, in particular attracted our attention as he walked back and forth along in front of us where we were standing and eating from the tables. He was not making a so-called speech, but he was talking. Pa- thetically he pleaded the cause of the Union while tears flowed freely down his wrinkled cheek. We were deeply touched by the tenderness of his appeal, by his venerable appearance and evident sincerity, but against all we were as obdurate as flint.
About dark we proceeded down the river, now at its lowest water-mark. At Cairo we were met by several boat-loads of
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Island No. Ten Campaign, and Prison Life, 1862.
prisoners, and under escort of the Essex and Conestoga set out for Vicksburg. Our progress was slow owing to the sand- bars and large fleet, and being under flag of truce, we could not travel at night. We viewed with interest Rucker's battery, the east bank, and Island No. 10 as we passed, which now from low water appeared to be upon a bluff fifty feet high. We an- chored at Memphis two days. While here the ladies of the town secured a little steam tug, and, crowding into it as long as one could stand on its deck, came out to our boat, bringing to- bacco and eatables and showering us with kisses-thrown from the hand. As they approached our transport the prisoners nat- urally made a rush to the side nearest the tug, causing the boat to careen very much. The commander of the boat ordered the prisoners back to the other side. They refused to obey. He then threatened to order the Essex to fire into the tug, if we persisted in disobedience. Being plainly told what might happen to him in that case, the incident ended. While here we viewed the battle ground of our Arkansas Ram with the Federal fleet a few months previous, and the wreck of Federal gunboats by the Ram.
On the morning of September 21, 1862, we anchored in sight of Vicksburg. How we realized the goodness of God to us! How sad the reflection that so many of our comrades were left dead at Island No. 10, and at the various prisons of the North, and some even upon the banks of the river along our route from Alton.
The next day we bade our respected guard adieu, shaking hands with each, and assuring them of our appreciation of our kind treatment. They replied: "Now if you Johnnies ever capture us, all we ask is that you treat us as well as we have you." And we certainly should have done so. Landing on the west side of the river about a mile above Vicksburg, we marched down the river and crossed over on a ferry boat.
It has doubtless fallen to my happy lot to chronicle here the time and place Confederate prisoners were treated with more humanity than elsewhere, or at any other time during the war.
At the Vicksburg landing the ladies were serving free lunch of corn bread and barbecued beef from crude tables erected on the banks of the river, and here we spent a happy hour greeting officers and comrades from other prisons who had been ex- changed at the same time at Vicksburg.
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CHAPTER III.
PORT HUDSON CAMPAIGN, 1862-1863.
ORDERED TO PORT HUDSON, AND CAMPAIGN THERE.
We were ordered to Port Hudson, La., but halted a few days in camp near Jackson, Miss. Before leaving Jackson officers were sent to Alabama to recruit the companies to full ranks if possible. From Jackson we went by rail to Tangipahoa, La., thence by march of thirty miles across the country to Clinton, La .; thence over a narrow-gauge railroad to Port Hudson, reaching the latter place October 4, 1862. The next day the regiment pitched camp about 100 yards above the landing on a high bank, affording a fine view of the river above and below, and of sugar-cane plantations across the river in front. Port Hudson, thirty miles above Baton Rouge, was at this time a military position of importance for two reasons : Ist. As an outpost defense to Vicksburg, by keeping back from Vicksburg Banks' army of 40,000 men; 2nd. Because this po- sition commanded the mouth of Red river, by which the Con- federacy obtained supplies from Western Louisiana, Texas, and Southern Arkansas.
· Those of our comrades not captured at Island No. 10, and who had been organized into a battalion of three companies, aggregating 162 men, commanded by Capt. R. H. Isbell, re- joined us a month later. During our imprisonment this battal- ion had rendered valuable service in Northern Mississippi, hav- ing participated in the battle of Corinth, Miss., Oct. 3 and 4. 1862.
Maj .- Gen. Frank Gardner was commanding the post; Brig .- Gen. W. N. R. Beall, a brigade; Col. W. R. Miles, his legion, the total being about 5,500 men. Our regiment was assigned to Beall's brigade.
The river defenses, when completed, consisted of eleven bat- teries mounting a total of thirty guns, varying in calibre from
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Port Hudson Campaign, 1862-63.
a four-inch Parrott to ten-inch Columbiad, and extending about one and one-half miles along the east bank of the river from the heights below Big Sandy creek to a bayou below. The batteries, numbered from the upper extremity, were manned by the First Alabama, and DeGournay's battalion of artillery.
The batteries of our regiment were :
Battery No. I, Co. K, had one 20-pounder and one 30- pounder.
Battery No. 2, Co. A, had two 32-pounders.
Battery No. 3, Co. G, had one 42-pounder, and one 32- pounder.
Battery No. 5, Co. B, had one 128-pounder, and one 32- pounder.
The land defenses, when completed, consisted of a line of breastworks and batteries four miles long, somewhat in the form of a semi-circle connecting the upper and lower extremity of the river line of defenses. The semi-circle thus enclosed was a plateau rising abruptly to a height of eighty feet above low water-mark of the river, gashed here and there by yawning chasms and fringed on the north and south with deep ravines. A space of half a mile on each side of the railroad was an old field comparatively level, and strongly fortified. Distributed along this line were thirty-three batteries and redans numbered from left to right.
Very few of these batteries and fortifications had any exist- ence, except on paper, when we reached Port Hudson, and some were never completed.
The regiment was armed with old flint-lock muskets.
An election held for lieutenant-colonel in October resulted in the election of Capt. M. B. Locke of the Perote Guards, a position he ever honored by his superior ability as an officer, by his dignity, his refined Christian character and uniform courtesy to subordinates. To this time since its reorganization, the regiment had been without a lieutenant-colonel.
As to the number of men and officers on the muster rolls of the regiment when it reached Port Hudson, and consequently its loss at Island No. 10, and in prison, I find different authori- ties widely at variance. But after careful examination and comparison we are bound to accept the official report of Gen. 4
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First Alabama Regiment, C. S. A.
Beal!, Oct. 22, 1862, just eighteen days after our arrival, as the most trustworthy basis. He reports 312 effective men .* To this add 50 officers and we have 362; allowing 20 per cent. at hospital, and on furlough, we have 455; to which adding Is- bell's battalion of 162, we have 617. Col. I. G. W. Steedman, in a letter dated May, 1902, to the writer, says : "We left Bar- rancas, Fla., March 5, 1862, with not less than 1,000 men." If he includes Capt. Whitfield's company, which joined us a week later at Island No. 10, the total loss for this seven months is 1,000 less 617, or 383 men. If Whitfield's company (about 50 men) was not included, the loss was 1,050, less 617, or 423 men. The latter is more probably correct. Appalling as these figures are, they cannot be excessive. Brewery puts the total loss at 150-figures absurdly incorrect when it is a certain fact that 104 of our regiment's dead are buried at the single prison of Madison, Wis., saying nothing of our heavy losses at Island No. 10, Camp Butler, Camp Douglas, Camp Chase, and other prisons, and the loss of Isbell's battalion during the inter- im. Further, subsequent official reports corroborate our esti- mate. Between Oct. 4, 1862, and the investment of Port Hud- son, May 24, 1863, the regiment received over 200 recruits, Co. K receiving in one squad 45}. A letter to Capt. J. P. Jones, July 5, 1863, from Port Hudson (just three days before the surrender ), says : "First Alabama 585 strong." After the losses at Port Hudson and recruiting fall of 1863. Lieut .- Gen. Poik reports the regiment 745 strong at Meridian, Miss.
Companies A, B, G and K at once began the construction of their batteries on the river. The ground was hard, and progress slow and laborious, but by Feb. 1. 1863. nearly all the gun., were in position. The men were daily practiced in the drill of the squad, company, battalion ; and, after completion of bat- teries, the artillery also. The three new companies of the regi- ment and the many recruits to the seven old companies had no experience in any kind of drill, and these together constituted at least two-thirds of the regiment ; but by the superior tact and industry of Col. Steedman, and. our nujatant, Capt. S. D Steedman, a recent graduate of the SouthCarolina Mil-
*Confederate Military History, vol. vii, p. 53.
tHistory of Alabama, p. 589.
#Smith's Company K, p. 46.
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Port Hudson Campaign, 1862-63.
itary Academy, assisted by our veteran officers just ex- changed, the regiment was soon thoroughly drilled and dis- ciplined. It was recognized as the crack regiment of the Port Hudson army. One of the proofs that our regiment was held in the highest esteem was that the commanding general always called upon the First Alabama for important details of men and officers to execute special orders. Louisiana rum was the pe- culiar bane of the Port Hudson Army. The sugar planters, being unable to sell their sugar, converted it into this accursed liquid. Details from our regiment were sent out to destroy these distilleries. We were also placed as police guards on all roads leading to distilleries, and ordered to seize and confiscate the rum being brought into our lines. Many gallons were cap- tured every night and brought to our guardhouse and poured out on the ground. Our old comrades will remember how the thirsty men would dip it up in cups, or drink it out of the ditches until driven off by the guards.
Our daily rations were "blue beef" and "corn bread," to which were occasionally added sweet potatoes and syrup. The ladies of Mobile presented each member of the regiment with a full suit of clothes, including overcoats and blankets; comfortable log cabins were erected for winter quarters; and the regiment was in fine health and spirits. Corn beer, of which every com- pany had one or more stands, was our luxury. Diversions were sought in various ways by the men, but chiefly through "kan- garoo courts." Cases were worked up during the day, a jury impaneled that night, an indictment found, the case argued by our lawyers, and the penalty of treating the crowd to beer im- posed by the court on the unsuccessful party to the suit. The men also published (wrote) a daily newspaper called "The Mule." It dealt mainly in satire of men and officers on drill, and was replied to by a counter newspaper called "Woodchuck."
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