USA > Delaware > Prison life during the rebellion. Being a brief narrative of the miseries and sufferings of six hundred Confederate prisoners sent from Fort Delaware to Morris' Island to be punished > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5
Lieut. W P Crow,
6 C,
do
do
Stanford. Marshall.
W T Dunlap,
2,
do
do
II P Dunlap,
10,
do
do
Paris .;
1,
do
do
J L. Brent,
18,
& D B Coulter,
" J K Cracraft,
23,
do
do
do
Little Rock.
W A Ferring,
12,
do
do
2,
do
do
do
Liberty.
do
do
Jonesboro'.
Marion.
=
C M Allen,
2 C,
do
do
Washington. do
Capt. Peter Ake,
2 C,
64 M J. Bradford,
10 1,
W Haliburton,
C,
" PG Benton,
8 I,
C. S. C. Ohio, July, '63,
Paducah. Richmond.
Capt. J B Austin,
Iventon. Raleigh. St. Louis. Independence: Savannah. Dent.
Buskville. Danville .: Waco.
do
do
Maj. W E Stewart,
" MR Wilson,
15 I,
Port Hudson, July, '63,
-
17
SECTION II.
RANK AND NAME. Lieut. B S Drake,
ARM.
CAPTURE.
2,
Ohio, July, '63,
" F G Eakins,
12,
do
do
JA Fox,
7,
do
do
W A Kendall,
5,
do
do
B Logiden,
1,
do
do
Fairmount.
H Moles,
7,
do
do
Alleghany.
G C Nash,
C,
do
do
Owen.
S S Atkins,
10,
do
do
West Liberty.
S P Allensworth, 2,
do
do
Todd.
4
M L Aldrich,
3,
do
do
Dallas.
S M Cowan,
C,
do
do
Somerset
¥
A B Chinn,
8,
do
do
Lexington.
W B Ford,
8,
do
do
Winchester.
S S Hughes,
6,
do
do
Standford.
4
R B Haynes,
3,
do
do
Denton.
G W Hunter,
8,
do
đó
Bardstown.
" J D Morris,
8 E,
do
do
Winchester.
B F McNear,
6,
do
Owenton.
4
JO Meadows,
3,
do
'do
Bonham.
=
L D Newton,
3,
do
do
Union.
D N Powitt,
6,
do
do
Perryville.
C E Richards,
5,
do
do
Warray.
TENNESSEE.
Col. A Fulkerson, 63 I,
Lt. Col. T N Daugherty, 8 C,
Capt. J HI Burk, 2 C,
" JW Boyd, 6 C,
" H Baker,
3,
E,
do do
Nashville.
" L P Carson,
35 I,
do do
G R Campbell,
C,
do
do
"
J P Lyttle,
23 1,
do
do
Unionville.
J R McCallum,
63 I,
Petersburg, do
Knoxville.
'cc W N James,
44,
do
do
Carthage.
" S .J Johnson,
25,
do
do
Sparta.
4
Jno. Nicks,
C,
Tennessee, Dec. '63,
Hawkins.
James H Polk,
1 C,
do
slo
Ashwood.
" T F Perkins,
11 C,
do do
Franklin:
Lieut. E Boddie,
71,
Petersburg, May, '6-4,
Gallatin.
W P Callahan,
23 1,
do
do
Livingston:
'J W Cash,
4 C,
do
do
Livingston:
. MI A Douglas
44 1,
do
do
Gallatin.
" I[ C Fleming,
25,
do
do
Spencer.
' TS Goodloc,
44,
do
do
Winchester.
" CL Hutcheson, 63,
do
do
Georgetown:
"
PD Hunter,
8 C,
Cumberland Gap, July, '63, Nashville.
" J D Jenkens,
14 I,
Clarksville:
J Ledford, 3
25 I,
Petersburg, June, '64, do do
Rogersville: Livingston.
Tennessee, February,
Lane, July,
Knoxville.
Jackson.
Natches.
W H Craft,
McMinnville.
-
Manchester.
W T Leathers,
7 ℃,
do
Lawrenceburg.
Petersburg, June, '64,
Corinth, July, Tennessee, July,
RESIDENCE. Lexington. Henderson. Richmond. Denton.
Livingston:
"
18
PRISON LIFE.
RANK AND NAME. ARM.
CAPTURE.
Lieut. J T Lauderdale, 2 C,
Petersburg, June, '64, do do
Claborne.
S A Morgan, 25 I,
Sparta.
S W H Anderson, 1 E,
Columbia, Oct., '63,
Murray.
W H Adams, 51 1,
Ringgold, Nov., '63,
Covington.
B Arnold, 28,
Huntsville, Feb., '64,
Sparta.
J G S Arrant,
63,
Petersburg, June, '64,
Zollicoffer.
W E Allen, 60,
Big Black, May, '63,
Newport.
" TE Bradley, 22,
Chickamauga, Sept.,
Smith.
R C Bryan,
2 C,
Salem, April,
LaGrange.
C D Covington,
45 I,
Lebanon, February,
Lebanon.
H H Cook,
44,
Drury's Bluff, May, '64, do
do
Sparta.
W C Campbell,
28 I,
Petersburg, June, '64,
Cooksville.
A J Elzy,
17,
do
do
Columbia.
ZW Ewing,
17,
do
do
Lewisburg,
W B Easley,
48,
Hickman, Jan., '63,
Vernon.
G R Elliott,
4,
White, do
Alleghany.
" JH Henderson, 31,
Monroe, do Madisonville.
" J H Hastings,
17,
Petersburg, June; '64,
Sa-lorville. Nashville.
J M Henry,
44,
do
do Hartsville:
T Irwin,
11,
Mission. Ridge, Nov., '68,
Nashville,
J A Irvine,
8,
Murray, December,
Columbia.
¥ W C Knox,
4,
Wilson, do
Shelbyville.
J B Lewis,
1st C,
Union, do
Rutlidge.
The selection comprised 600, of whom 6 were Colonels, 6 were Lieutenant Colonels, 16 Majors, 176 Captains, 176 First Lieuten - ants, 220 Second Lieutenants. All the Southern States were rep- resented. Maryland had 6; Virginia 186; North Carolina 111; South Carolina 24; Georgia 60; Florida 10; Alabama 26; Mis- sissippi 21; Louisiana 30 ; Texas 5; Arkansas 28; Missouri 8; Kentucky 35; Tennessee 50.
Great care was taken by the Federal officers to select disabled officers. About 100 of the number were officers rendered useless to the service by dangerous or repeated wounds, and the loss of arms or legs.
The Federal authorities supposed that they would be exchanged, and be a burden to the army at home, while they would receive in lieu of them 100 able bodied men ready for active service in the field.
It may be noticed from the list, that great partiality was shown in the selection of officers, by selecting great numbers from John- son's Division, Morgan's Cavalry, and the Port Hudson capture.
The idea for this course becomes quite apparent, when we con- sider that all the privates of these commands were captured and
1
.
RESIDENCE.
1
Franklin.
W N Cameron,
25,
" J M Hooberry,
44,
do
do
.19
SECTION III.
closely confined in Yankee Pens. The return of the officers to the Confederate States would only be a burden to the government, as no one would have a command.
SECTION III.
-
The voyage to Hilton Head-Incidents on the voyage.
In the latter part of August 1864, we were paraded in Fort Delaware, and after having packed our baggage-consisting of old clothes, and worn out blankets-and bidding farewell to our friends, we were marched in order to the wharf.
We took passage in a steam-ship called the "Crescent ;" into her small hold or middle deck we were quickly crowded-huddled and jammed together like swine on a hog car. We were too many for the capacity of the boat, yet she was made contain us without inflating her the least.
Imagine our condition ; huddled together as close as we could stand ; some having room to lie down, while three-fourths had scarcely space upon which to stand. The heat being up to 95° without steam, and of course increasing greatly when the boiler was heated for sailing, great numbers became sea-sick; and then the " stench," " the filth," dirt, &c., in this crowd, was almost intol- erable.
It is not possible to give on paper a correct account of the suffer- ings of the voyage. They would have to be realized to be fairly comprehended, and those only who felt them, can have an idea of their horrible magnitude.
The water given us to drink was of an inferior quality, had a dis- agreeable smell, and a very sickly taste, weakened the stomach, and in many cases produced sickness of fatal consequence. It was given to us in small quantities, and very frequently we suffered for it.
Our provisions were of the roughest quality and very scarce ; so scarce, that many suffered the biting pangs of hunger. They were given once a day in small quantities.
Our guard consisted of one hundred Ohio militia, commanded by two Lieutenants. . They were just as mean and ruthless as Yankees generally were, exhibiting all that villainy and cowardice so pecu- liar to Yankee soldiers, and especially militia, who had never been in the front of battle.
They offered many indignant insults to our honor and cause,
20.
PRISON LIFE.
Most of them were Ohio fops, having scarcely sense enough to carry them to the table.
The weather was very warm, clear and bright, and no storm or squall disturbed our course. We rounded Cape Hatteras without any difficulty, and if we had been in a comfortable situation, might have enjoyed the voyage to the height of our pleasure.
About three-fourths of us became very sick shortly after leaving Fort Delaware. We contracted sea-sickness by not being familiar with the sea and sea voyages. And as closely confined as we were, the spectacle was horrid-the entire floor covered with sick men- horribly sick, vomited to a fearful extent by the disease, and groan- ing in a terrific manner-presented a sight too sickening to behold, and too repulsive to endure, and too wretched to describe. Even those of us who were not infected by the sickening malady, were made faint by the loathesome spectacle we were obliged to witness.
. We were escorted to the southern waters by a Federal man-of- war, which usually kept close to us, firing a gun over our how and causing us to heave to, when we got too far in advance.
When we arrived within the lines of the blockading sqadron off Charleston, we were deserted by our escort, and left to finish the. voyage alone.
The same night in which the escort left us, at or near four o'clock in the morning, when we were near Port Royal light-house, our pi- lot, having gotten out of his latitude, (whether by mistake or pur- posely, I am not prepared to say,) grounded on a sand-bar, three hundred yards from the beach, about seventy five yards from the boat. A man could have waded with ease to the beach,-landed on the beach he could have reached Confederate troops by traversing the small island, and crossing a small, narrow, but deep stream, the journey being about three miles, quite practicable, except the river, which could have been crossed by ferrying.
Most of the prisoners were awake at the time of the accident, and those not awake were aroused by the shock. In a few moments, r great confusion prevailed.
The crew and sailors being good fellows, were not much alarmed. The Captain appearing anxious that we should escape, used no means to disengage his boat, but sat silently in the cabin.
The prisoners became bold, and quitting their dismal den, rum- maged the boat on every side from deck to hohl, and from stern to : forecastle. The Yankees soon became alarmed at the boldness of their charge, and suffered the prisoners to heap upon them threats, abuses, and curses.
.
:
21
SECTION III.
Col. Manning of Arkansas soon drew up terms of capitulation by which the Yankees were to be paroled and taken to the Confeder- acy. The boat was to be destroyed, the crew released, the prison- ers to be boated to where they could wade, and then make their way to the beach, the boats to be conveyed to shore and transported across the island to ferry the stream beyond.
When all things were ready for the surrender, and we were re- joicing in the prospect of soon reaching the land of promise; two gunboats suddenly hove in sight. Imagine our mortification, cha- grin, surprise and dismay at this unexpected occurrence. Our ex- ulting cries lowered to wrathful curses. Our paper was cast in the sea. We were urged by our guard to quit the deck and take refuge in the hold. Our bright hopes were blasted, and we were forsaken by hope-seized and chained by despair.
. The Captain now for the first time made efforts to disengage his vessel, and after many fruitless endeavors, succeeded ; and we were soon plowing the mighty deep, thinking only of how it might have been, and how near we were the shore of deliverance from Yankee bondage. 1
-: The gunboats approached near enough to ascertain who we were, to enquire into the cause of our detention, our business, and other matters, and proffering aid, if desirable.
We could have escaped, even after the gunboats hove in sight. They were many miles distant, and by no means fast sailers; and added to this, they had to make a circuitous route of many miles, before approaching us.
During these detentions, we could have easily escaped, but all became completely paralyzed on the approach of the gunboats, and tamely submitted to the domination of their brutal masters, who wore the aspect of cannibals.
Nothing else of interest occurred during the voyage, and in a few hours we arrived off Morris' Island. We could distinctly see. the batteries, Wagner and Gregg, pouring their incessant showers, of shells into Sumpter and Moultrie, and the guns of Moultrie slowly replying.
We could also see the batteries of Cumming's Point throwing their shot into the city of Charleston. That was one of the most inhuman of all Yankee villainies; yet it was practiced without in- termission day and night until the city was evacuated. The act was barbarous in the extreme, bombarding a town without first or- dering the removal of the noncombatants. But this was only one of the many exhibitions of Yankee barbarity and inhumanity.
We remained at Morris' Island for one day, during which nego-
22
PRISON LIFE.
"tiations were entered into by both parties relative to an exchange of prisoners. But no definite conclusion being arrived at, we sailed to Hilton Head, and there commenced a scene of suffering, far sur- passing anything -hitherto known to us. Indeed, we quieted our anxious minds with the regaling thought that we had reached the climax of our inhuman sufferings, and that the day of relief from heart-rending pain and disease, was about to dawn upon us.
But we were doomed to witness and to realize that of which we had had no previous comprehension. Life was to be a burden al- most too intolerable to be borne. Death was to be desired and even hunted for, but the grim monster was not to be found. Hunger, with all its biting pangs and debasing evils, was to seize upon us.
The stomach, that organ of full life and joyous health, was to suffer for a tenant, and the craving appetite was to go unsatiated in the midst of plenty, and its owner to repine in the days of meat and bread, only that the ambition of a barbarous, cowardly, malicious and inhuman foe, might be gratified.
'The tongue was to be parched by heat, while nature, so plente- ous in water, and so abundant in liquids, was not able to quench, or for a moment slake the burning thirst. She was denied this privi- lege only that an insolent and haughty foe might wreak their cow- ardly vengeance on the defenseless, who had, like brave men, and men of honor and integrity, gone forth to the field of strife, and staked their all in the face of muskets, cannons and bayonets.
The mind was left to think of home, and friends, of fireside, and childhood's bright days, and wonder that humanity had gone forer- er; and that mercy had hid her face in disgust. . It was left to dream of water to quench the thirst, of food to satisfy the stomach, of clothes to clothe the body, of fire to warm the shivering limbs and naked body.
SECTION IV.
Sufferings in the boat.
After it was ascertained beyond doubt that no exchange could be effected without concessions on the part of the Federals, they re- solved to exhaust the fire of their wrath upon the defenseless pris- oners in their hands, in number the six hundred. Their long pent up wrath, united with thier cowardly perfidy, was now put to work.
Every inhuman device was eagerly sought and diligently medi- tated upon, until finally the plan was matured.
We were soon under sail and anchored in Hilton Head harbor,
23
SECTION IV.
We were then driven in the middle deck or hold, the hatchways were closed, the port holes fastened so as to admit neither light nor air-thus we were entirely excluded from light or fresh air.
I have already stated that we were so densely crowded, that there was not space enough to lie down. An idea may be had of our con- dition in such a mass, and denied light or fresh air.
.. At this season of the year the climate in the South is excessively hot, so hot, that it can scarcely be borne by Northern or Western persons under ordinary circumstances ; much less in our condition- the thermometer being about 96 to 99 degrees.
Added to this immense heat and absence of fresh air, was the heat from the boiler, which was kept heated continually, not for purpo- ses of sailing-for we were 'at anchor- but to torment and punish us with the powerful heat.
The combination of heat from the atmosphere, and that from the boiler, with the absence of fresh air, made the scene one of horror, dreadful agony, and wretched misery. The mouth and lips became fervid and parched with the intolerable heat. The brain became almost senseless with heat and languidness.
The hands and feet almost ceased to move in obedience to the will ; the cheeks became pale, and bore the appearance of the pale- ness of death ; and the whole visage betrayed emotions of the deep- est, though hidden, suffering.
The eyes wore a deathly aspect, a lead paleness, that spoke too plainly the sufferings of the brain. The whole frame quivered with languor and restlessness, beneath the suffocating of the heat.
The pulse almost ceased to beat its accustomed tone of healthy life, and the heart scarcely heaved forth its usual bub dub, the index of a healthy body, and a soul free from the gnawings of conscience.
But there is no pen or tongue can describe the horrid sufferings, the dreadful misery, and the excruciating torments of that wrathful scene. My heart recoils with a kind of dreaded despair, whenever I recall to memory the scenes of that horrible prison, the Crescent.
Misery was depicted in every countenance, and every visage wore the deepest aspect of woe. Every breath that was heaved forth, betrayed the emotions of a repining spirit, hourly losing its vitality, by the horrible suffering, and rushing it rapidly into eternity. Al- most every breath was heaved forth with a groan of horror.
Every groan was. one of misery and wretchedness, and told in words too plain for refutation, how the miserable wretch was wasting away his life, and how fearfully the heat was telling upon his vitals.
Every tear was one forced to the eye by the excruciating pain
24
PRISON LIFE.
occasioned by the heat, and almost every word was one of despair and misery.
There were no words of pleasure-none of home-none of conso- lation ; but on every side was heard the word, "O, how hot! O, for fresh air !" "I am suffocating for want of fresh air !"
The words of woe, misery and despair ; the sighs of wretched- ness ; the groans of anguish ; the tears of affliction, and the con- tinual wail of sorrow and torment, made the scene too horrid for contemplation, and too sickening to behold.
Those hours or days of anguish are too detestable to be forced upon the memory ; and I shudder, when called upon, to narrate the facts. They often haunt me in my dreams, and make vivid to my mind the shrieks of pain, the groans of misery, the cries of despair; and the wailings of agony of the six hundred.
The food given to us during these sufferings was of the roughest quality, and in quantity was not sufficient to allay the gnawing pangs of hunger.
It consisted of pickled pork-having been damaged by shipping and various other causes, until it was unfit for use in the army- and army crackers, which looked as though they had been man- ufactured for use in the War of 1776.
They were entirely unfit for eating, and would not have been eaten by the dogs of a farmer. They were completely filled with worms, bugs, and other living creepers ; and yet so great was our hunger, that we ate them with greediness, and thought they were quite palatable. .
The conduct of the Federals on this occasion was very severe, cruel, and inhuman. Their words were spoken with fierceness and wrath, and their whole deportment betrayed their determination to afflict and punish us.
We were carefully guarded, though confined to the boat and even to the hold, and the boat anchored several yards from the shore, yet it was thought quite unsafe to leave us without a guard: We were guarded in the boat by the strictest sentinels, and not suf- fered to overleap our privileges, which were confinement to the' hold of the boat, without light or fresh air.
During the night we were guarded with greater exactness, and a small boat made a circuit around us continuously the whole night ; And so fearful were they that we would escape, that they suffered but one to leave the hold at a time for natural purposes.
It must be kept in mind that the heat during all this time was almost intolerable, and rendered more oppressive to us by our close tonfinement and exclusion from light and a free atmosphere, together
25
SECTION IV.
with the great heat issuing from the boiler, which was kept heated for the sole purpose of punishing the rebs.
We suffered very much from the scarcity of water. At first water was given once a day in a barrel. This was exhausted long before the usual return of water the next day, thus giving us several hours each day to suffer for water.
After a few days water was given in smaller quantities and not at regular intervals, thus causing greater suffering. The water had a most unpleasant look, an exceedingly offensive smell, and a disa- greeable, disgusting taste, and usually sickened those who used it.
This water was shipped, it was said, from wells on the Island. I am not prepared to say from whence it came, but knew that it was not fresh, but filthy, sickly water, injurious to health and op- pressive to the taste, and offensive to the olfactory organs.
In a short time they ceased to bring water from the Island, and then ensued a scene of suffering for water, which surpassed all hith- erto known. At one time we had no water for forty hours. O, the intense suffering of those forty hours is beyond description ! No pen could convey to the mind an idea of the cruel agony of suffering without water, shut out from light and fresh air in the heat of summer, and confined with a heated steam boiler.
Description might be beggared in vain to convey to the senses a faint idea of this horrible scene. The mind, pregnant with ideas of every character could form no conception of the bitter pains of those hours.
The scene would not have been so terrific had we not been re- fused light and fresh air, and had not been burnt and parched by the excessive heat of the boiler. Men sank, shrank, begged, wept, mourned, lamented, swore, raved, fainted, and sickened under the dreadful blow.
Men of strong and vigorous frames sank down in sickness and misery under the tortures inflicted upon them. Inimense drops of perspiration flowed from every pore, and anguish was heard from every tongue, and misery depicted in every countenance.
Men of powerful nerve fainted away like children, under the dire effects of the heat. Death was eagerly sought and wished for by all, being preferable to life combined with this scene of suffering.
Men of the strongest minds and of the greatest firmress wept like babes for the precious earthly gift, water. Mary bowed on their knees before their cruel tormentors, and begged like children for a single draught of water.
During this time no words were heard but those of sorrow and misery ; no subject was discussed but the one which engrossed every 1
26
PRISON LIFE.
mind, " water." Water, water, was the continual cry heard on every side and from every mouth.
The mind could not for a moment regale itself upon anything else. The only thought was water, water, water. All the thought of home, friends, loved ones, country, cause, liberty, self, God, or eternity, were driven from the mind, and their place supplanted by the thought of water.
Even in sleep the mind could not rest for dreaming of water and ruminating upon the fine springs, wells, creeks and rivulets with which it had in former days been familiar. No calm repose or un- disturbed sleep was left for the mind, but the thought of water, water.
The converse of battle, of home, of friends, of love, of joy, of pleasure, of country, of ease and tranquility, of God and eternity, and of all those things which engage tongue and give exercise to the vocal organs, was unheard, and its place supplied with water, water, water.
·Many persons in sound health became pale and sickly, and their parched lips, sallow complexions, and wrinkled faces, betrayed, in unmistakable lines the approach of the destroyer.
After this horrible agony of forty hours, we were gratified with the return of water. The condensing vessels were put to work, and we were supplied with boiling water,-the external heat not being sufficient, we were given boiling water to augment its strength. During the remainder of our stay in the boat we had no other for use but boiling water as it ran from the condenser.
Men were so eager for water, and it was given in such small quantities, that there was no time given it to cool. It was taken boiling hot, and being poured from one vessel to another, grew cold enough in some minutes that it could be drank without burning the month when it was drank.
We remained in this condition in the boat for eighteen days, en- during all the suffering and misery above enumerated. Indeed, no suffering could have been more cruel, and nothing could have be- fallen us than which would have so reduced ns.
No agony or pain could have been greater than the agony created by thirst and the dreadful misery of being without light or fresh air.
Many of us became so reduced during these sufferings, that we were unable to leave the boat. About fifty had to be carried away, being unable to walk. Many suffered severely from disease even before we left the boat.
General foster commanded in the South at the time above alluded to. He possessed as much villainy, cowardice, inhumanity, and Yankee perfidy as almost any other Yankee.
27
SECTION V.
Several things were kept in view while torturing the prisoners. One was to compel the Southern commander to yield to Yankee proposals for an exchange, but he appeared to be inexorable and firm as adamant.
Another was to wreak their long pent up vengeance upon the heads of defenseless prisoners,-a sure mark of villainy and cow- ardice, and a plain exhibition of inhumanity, and an unmistakable evidence of the perfidy for which Yankees have been so universally known and branded.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.