USA > Iowa > Story County > History of Story County, Iowa; a record of organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 33
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The rebel rag being placed on top of the cars as we started for our prison, the citizens would ask us how we liked those colors over us. In some of the people 1 discovered a spark of sympathy. They soon under- stood that we weren't sick of it, for this was our second enlistment and Old Abe had many more to follow. We aimed to give them back as good as they sent us and were at times quite saucy : that afternoon two of the cars ran off the track. In fact, the track had been torn up some by some of our cavalry boys. Some of the guards were hurt severely. We marched up to a field till the road was fixed. Some tried to escape, but no go. Soon we were jumbled into a train from Macon like so many hogs, filthy cattle
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cars, and at noon on the 29th of July reached the station at Andersonville, Georgia.
ARRIVED AT ANDERSONVILLE.
Here we marched up to outside the stockade, counted off in squads of ninety men and were searched again. I was hiding a case knife in the sand, Captain Wirz came around and jerked me by the collar. Old Joe recog- nized him as an old rebel friend when he was prisoner at Shiloh, a friend he didn't want to see very often. We marched into the stockade. Such a sight-the boys asking us if there was any talk of being exchanged and hollering out to us "fresh fish," and no shelter from the hot July sun, men dying right before us; wounded men with their wounds full of maggots- such a sight, and we thought we knew all about soldiering! There was a crowd in that prison pen of seventeen acres (exclusive of swamp and dead line there seemed to be no more than thirteen acres) and caged in that small space was some thirty-two thousand human beings, all for their de- votion to their government, and some had been prisoners for over a year. The majority were, you might say, nearly naked ; some were so tanned that it was almost impossible to tell whether they were whites or negroes; a great many were lying down unable to arise, lots were picking lice from their bodies and looking upon us as if they were bereft of reason; many would inquire what corps, what battle, how it had gone, but all wanted something about exchange. We would tell the poor boys we hadn't heard anything about prisoners or exchange, as we had never dreamed about us being at this place. Pen and ink can't depict the dismay that was pictured upon their countenance ; and well they might feel so discouraged, as my own personal experience taught me ere I made my escape. Oh, chilling horrors ! When I look back my heart becomes sickened and I must say, on no battle field have I seen such a sight ; and although life is sweet, yet sooner than remain in that southern bastile month after month, I would prefer death.
Being marched into an open place called main street, we were all left in a huddle with the assurance that if we were not at roll-call next morn- ing our detachment would be minus one day's rations. We were divided, ninety in a mess with a sergeant. Also the stocks were pointed out to us, which was a frame-work. The unfortunate would be placed standing against it and a collar put around his neck and screwed to the frame, hands being extended at full length and fastened by ropes, remaining in that po- sition all day in the sun and rain-for most every afternoon we would have a shower, making the ground wet for us to lie down on. I hadn't been in an hour when I laid my hand on a rail to step over and get a good place against the stockade, wondering why the boys didn't lay over-in a place better than where they were lying. I had no more than got ready to get over, when one of the old prisoners yanked me back and pointed to one of the guards who had drawn his gun. It stood the old prisoners in hand to look out for the new prisoners, for if the guard missed the one they in-
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tended, they couldn't miss all of them. It was said they got thirty days' furlough for every Yank that got over the dead line. During our stay I saw several get over the dead line to be shot.
GETTING SETTLED.
We boys soon found we would have to fix up some abode or headquar- ters, which was indeed a severe task; for the place was so crowded and the old prisoners were so discouraged and alienated from all principles of hu- manity that it was impossible to receive an answer to any question, only when you would talk about exchange ; then all would crowd around us. We boys agreed to stay by and help each other, let come what would. I began to look around, thinking perhaps we might find some of our unaccounted boys. Lew Harris and Tom Davis, who were missing on the Meridian raid. When Lew Harris came up, such a change as had come over him! The strong hearty athletic soldier ; a poor enfeebled being who could hardly walk, and sunburned so black that I should not have known him, only by his voice. I inquired about Tom Davis, but poor Tom died on the 7th of the month (July) ; his last words were about his mother. Tom was a fine specimen of a man, large. well built and very powerful-as much so as any- one in the Third lowa. Others of the regiment coming who were prisoners on that raid presented the same downcast picture that Lew did. A few had died and some of the boys couldn't stand up to talk to us. My comrades were, like myself, unable to form a positive opinion what was best to do. yet soon began to think and feel sensibly that we might remain there all night, and as it was the same to the rebels, Company E went into an or- ganization of mess, J. A. Fitchpatrick, Jess Dunn, Gus Kendall, C. K. 'Aldridge, Jim Trotter and myself, and in a few days John Fitchpatrick of the Eighth lowa Cavalry (Stoneman's raiders) came in with a haversack full of coffee. I saw him first as he came into the stockade and informed him as soon as possible that Joc was here. As he met his brother, he re- marked: "What a h-1 of a place to meet a brother in this southern bas- tile !"
That evening we drew a small piece of corn bread about two inches square. The meal hadn't been half ground and the bread was most all crust and burnt. We also drew a piece of bacon and it was very rotten. but as we were almost starved ere we reached the prison, we were cager to cat the ration that was given us, and soon lying down on mother earth, for we hadn't any blanket. the mantle shades of night wrapped its cloak around us. I think we all thought of home and the events of the past week, and but little sleep I procured that night. Hunger stared me in the face, and an occasional shot from the sentinel along the dead line sending some unfortunate to his long home made the night long and dismal.
Day at last dawned. and taking a walk along the dead line I witnessed sights which will never be forgotten. A Union soldier fell across the line
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who was so weak he couldn't stand-unintentionally fell over-and the cowardly home guards shot him down. The dead line was of stakes driven in the ground thirty feet from an inner stockade, running parallel, the stakes about three feet out of the ground and scantling laid on top and spiked. Such sights as I witnessed on the first morning were of frequent occurrence. We became used to it in time and became seemingly as hard- ened as the old prisoners. At times soldiers would tunnel out but there were several packs of bloodhounds, and the fiends incarnate as from the lower regions would follow after and soon overtake the poor boys and they would come back all torn and mangled by the dogs and then be placed in the stocks for twenty-four hours in sight of the prisoners and perhaps their mess of ninety men would lose a day's ration. So the boys were thinking about their rations and some would inform on the tunnelers. One who had been informing was branded on his forehead with a hot iron a big T for traitor. Several of the boys climbed up trees and preferred being shot to death than come down to be torn by dogs and sent back.
The mortality was so great that it was impossible to carry the dead sol- diers out fast enough ; so the rebels gave every two Yanks the privilege of carrying out a dead soldier and coming in with a few sticks of wood. The little it was would only warm our ration. Our mess put some corn bread in water and made coffee after we used up the real coffee that John Fitch- patrick brought in. I have seen boys fuss, quarrel and fight over a dead soldier, all wanting to carry him out. While I was there I carried out one of our sergeants, Chapman, of Company G, who had been taken prisoner a year before. He had been vaccinated by rebel doctors who came in order- ing us to bare our arm. It killed the most of them, and the poor boys would go and bathe their arms and wounds in the small branch that we used water from which was bad enough with the slime and offal from the rebel camps and cook houses above us.
GETTING SUPPLIES AT ANDERSONVILLE.
Some of the old prisoners had a little extra wood which they would sell. Joe sold his watch to a Johnnie for $20 in Confederate money, which helped our mess out ; and Gus Kendall was good on trafficking and bought some extra rice from the rebel sergeants. Gus told me to try my hand. So one morning I started out with a few tablespoonfuls of cooked rice either to get some tobacco, wood or money ; but I ran across a starving, wounded soldier who couldn't stand up and gave it to him. Of course, Gus didn't send me out any more. As soon as a soldier would die, any clothes that could be used would be stripped off him, and men would fight over the dead soldier's clothes. The first of such sights horrified us, but being in there for a year and nearly naked, it seemed useless to bury the dead soldier
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with clothes that would help to prolong the lives of the wretched ones. So in time we got used to all the dreadful sights. Every one was so distrustful of another that no one would lend a cup or pan except, say to our own mess or to those who came in last. Our mess had a coffee pot, for when the rebs captured me I picked up the coffee pot and was allowed to keep it : and it answered a very good purpose. Also some of the boys retained a canteen. John Fitchpatrick came in with a blanket and canteen, and a few of the Third lowa boys had some cups. So we managed to get along that way. Many of the men would eat their day's rations at once and then not one-quarter enough. Some would divide in two meals. Some would make three meals. Our mess would make at times one meal, but generally three meals ; not that we had any more than enough for one mess.
THE RAIDERS.
Men became so hardened that it wasn't safe to lay anything down, and it was impossible to find out the guilty ones, more particularly among the old detachments. A short time before our lot came in six soldiers belonging to New York city were hung by the prisoners in the stockade. They were a lot of toughs from Sing Sing prison who were enlisted only to get out of the penitentiary. There was a secret band of a few hundred who could spot a soldier coming in and if he was supposed to have any money, blan- kets, etc., at night a lot of them would come over and rob him; or if he showed fight. kill him or any one who would help him. They were termed "raiders." and many a poor soldier had a razor drawn across his throat. So their word was either to get your throat cut or hand over, and they were gone. So strongly entrenched were they that a few couldn't do anything : and matters seemingly progressed to such an alarming extent that men be- gan making clubs out of their rations of wood for self-defense. At last it was seen necessary to take the matter in hand. An organization was ef- fected with the assistance of the rebel officers who remarked that if mat- ters progressed that way long, they wouldn't have any Yanks left. The police force being organized, they received an extra ration. After that a charge on the raiders and a big fight. Lots of heads were smashed, the raiders arrested, the ringleaders given a trial, found guilty of murder and hung. It wound up the raiders. The police being kept on duty, there was a chance for a soldier to sleep without a razor drawn across his throat. Then a court was organized, judge appointed, and in case of theft a hun- dred lashes on the back, or buck and gag. By such means peace and good order were restored.
It was bad enough to be starving to death and shot at by guards without being murdered by one another. One night I felt very sick and wished for a drink. I had got half way to the branch when the cry of "raider, raider" went up and all started toward me, thinking, I suppose. I was one. So I
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dropped down where I was and the crowd went on. So I just stayed where I was till morning and let the water go.
NEWS OF EXCHANGE.
An occasional paper would come giving glaring accounts how the Yanks were getting defeated, Sherman's army being cut off and the Confederacy acknowledged by England, with lots of talk about exchange. The late prisoners would take in lots of the stuff, but the old prisoners were used to the rebel lies and said, when they could be in our lines then they could be- lieve in the exchange.
SICK CALL.
Every morning they would have a surgeon's call ; at times though, they would miss a day or two and a sick soldier, if he had any one who would pack or help him to the gate, would receive medicine, which was simply sumack berries. At times the surgeon would fail to come, and there would be so many there that the sick would have to wait nearly all day ere they would be attended to. Many would die there. Some would be so sick that it would be useless to carry them back ; and as one place was as good as another for sick or well, the sick soldier would be left along the dead line to end his sufferings. The principal disease was scurvy, and men were lying around in all kinds of shapes, limbs much swollen with. blotches all over them and covered over with great sores with maggots in them, and the poor boys were unable to help themselves. In fact, no one could do any good; for no medicine would help. Lots of the boys lost all their teeth and gums dropped out of the head.
My gums being affected, I began to think our mess would be in as bad shape as the rest of the old prisoners if we stayed long enough. Many very heavy showers we had during the summer, and quite a number who were unable to sit up or stand on their feet were drowned and hardly a look of compassion cast upon them, as all had become habituated to such sights. It was "soldier, mind thyself." The Third Iowa boys aimed to be as agree- able as possible and our mess tried to live in each other's affections and formed resolutions that we would take care of one another. Many were the surmises in regard to our prospects for the winter, and we would settle down to the fact that if we were not out in October, we would be prisoners all winter.
FLANKING OUT FOR EXCHANGE.
Matters progressed in such manner till the first of September, when it was currently reported that at last we were to be exchanged. And what made the report look like truth was that the Macon Telegraph came into our prison yard with an article from one of our leading papers stating to the people of the world that the Federal government at last would exchange,
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and on the evening of September 21, orders were received for eighteen de- tachments to be ready to move out-about 3,000 men. Next morning the men began to move out, and glad were the hearts. Smiles were pictured upon the countenances of men who hadn't smiled for months or a year- lucky fellows! I wished 1 was with them and I would give all I ever ex- pected to have on earth if I could only go out with them. Such like ex- pressions were heard on every side. Some of the boys "flanked out." that is, found out the name of some soldier who had died that was on the list to go out, then answered to his name. The penalty for flankers was to be put in the stocks or bucked and gagged. The talk was all of exchange, and a great effort must be made to get out, for there was fear that the com- missioners would have a row. Our own General B. F. Butler got his full rations of cussings. The 3d Iowa boys were in the one hundred and seven- teenth detachment, and as they were commencing with the lower numbers we of course would be the last that would go out, and then before our time came there would be another row about exchange.
So we boys talked, "flank." Some would rather die at once than re- main in the stockade or "Bull pen," as we called it. The punishment seemed great for flanking yet we made up our minds it must be done. Sey- eral of the 3d boys flanked out on the evening of the 7th and on the even- ing of the 11 Gus Kendall was missing. So we knew he had tried it, and as we couldn't see him in the stocks, we thought him lucky Gus. Next even- ing Jim Trotter and myself concluded we would try the flank movement. and John Fitchpatrick and Joe. his brother, would try it the next night. Jess Dunn and Kime Aldridge would next evening attempt it. Before we started I had a talk with Lew Harris who was unable to sit up on his bed which was no more than the bare ground.
Soon the long looked for train arrived that was to carry the prisoners away, and many fears arose in my mind how we would make it, for it didn't look very comfortable to see the boys in the stocks and old Capt. Wirz cussing us all the time. Still we were bound to try to get out at all hazards. The thirty third detachment being ordered up. Jim and I fell in. It seemed so me my heart came up. Jim and I wanted, you might say, to embrace each other to think we were to be exchanged; and we were sorry that our other boys were not along. The officers at the gate remarked to the guards that if any flankers were discovered to run a bayonet through them! Well I felt "rather in spots," a common phrase of the soldier, but there was no detection as we passed beyond the stockade, and once more on open ground, we felt happy. We were strongy guarded up to the de- pot, and the guards on the train were very courteous to us, wishing us a safe arrival to the Federal lines. We believed the guards really thought we were going to be exchanged. At last on board of the train, as we cast our eyes back, we thought we could never find a worse place, as John Fitch- patrick used to call it then the "American Bastile." We congratulated our-
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selves, and our fortunate "flank" rather made us blue that our other boys weren't along.
FROM ANDERSONVILLE TO FLORENCE.
On the night of the 12th one small ration was given us, a small piece of corn cob bread and an inch square of rotten bacon, which we got away with in short time. We were soon rolling out like so many hogs packed away in dirty cattle cars and guarded. The guards were on top of the cars. Some car doors were bolted and some had an inch of space left in the door. A few of the boys who had pen knives cut holes through the cars to let air and light in as we were nearly smothered, and numbers died. We had many stops on the way, and the citizens thought we were going to be exchanged. Some were very kind to us in words, but only a few could see them through the holes cut in the cars and cracks in the door. Arriving at Augusta, Georgia, we remained a few hours and then on to Columbia, S. C. Then we began to fear and doubt yet were not willing to run any risk ; for we might be well enough for all we knew yet. Some of the boys had got a hole big enough cut through during the night to get out of, but few got away. If the shot failed to hit the escaping prisoner the train was stopped, the neighborhood was aroused with blood hounds and he was soon run down. Remaining at Columbia a short time, we soon were moving out again. We were told that our ships had failed to arrive at Pensacola, Florida, and we must be quiet on the train as it was not their fault, and lots more such stuff. What was our dismay to find out that we were to stay at Florence, S. C., a short time, so we were informed, to await our ships; and we began to realize that it was another prison instead of exchange.
FLORENCE AND NO RATIONS.
We were ordered off the cars and marched up to a field surrounded by swamps. Soon great droves of negroes were set to work with pick, shovel and axes; and the awful reality soon appeared that we were in for another pen. But it was a change from our former one, and so we consoled our- selves. The commander of our new prison seemed to be a fair good soldier and lamented so many being sent to him. In fact he was not expecting any company of our kind and he had no rations for any but his own men, which made rations look serious to us, for we had only drawn one day's rations on the cars and had been on them several days. So before we drew any rations we were pretty well starved out-some five days on a pint of corn meal. A great many died, just died before our eyes. Yet I must think our Major was a humane man, for he regretted it so much and sent negroes in all directions to hunt food for us. He had been a prisoner among the Federals and had just returned. He informed us that he had been used very well, and he would like to do all he could for us. It seemed
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to us he regretted how he was located. Ile had been in the regular army and had worn the United States uniform.
The night of the 15th passed slowly away, and most all could be seen meditating some plan of escape. Some were making clubs to fight their way out, as there was some timber on the place and the guards were the militia men. They were old boys and young boys. There were no old soldiers to guard us and no stockade. Yet quite a number died during the night. So many gave up all hope and just lay down and died. The night seemed bitter cold, as we were nearly naked. I had no shirt but an old piece of coat and Jim only a piece of shirt, and we were the only ones of Co. E, there, though a few of the 3d lowa boys came in later. By constant walking Jim and I kept from perishing from cold. Morning dawned. but no rations. Climbing a tree I ate very freely of leaves, which made me feel quite sick. A few of the boys had some rings and some had a little pocket change which they had managed to hide when being searched and which helped them out, as they bought some corn from the guards at the rate of one dollar to two per ear. All day passed away and no rations; but late in the afternoon a load of corn meal hove in sight and it was with great difficulty that the starved boys could be kept away. Guards had to be doubled and then we had to be under organization as messes of one hundred in a mess. It was long after dark and by the time it was dealt out to us it was past midnight. A great many ate their meal raw. Jim and I managed to bake ours on a chip we found by some fire. The fire I had to cook our meal on nearly cost me my life. I took a rail off the fence against orders. An officer close by saw me and made a dive with his saber but I dodged and hung on to the rail. The boys crowded around and bothered the officer so that I got away and saved the rail too. But guards having orders to shoot the first one who laid hands on a rail, put an end to rails for fuel.
PLANNING ESCAPE.
Well. as we had been five days on just one day's ration of corn meal those that could stand up were in for fight or escape. That night Jim and I meditated escape the first chance we got, but we must keep together and, if need be. die together. We saw the necessity of getting out, for in a few days the stockade would be up and an all winter stay assured. The morning of the 17th dawned at last, and a lovely one it was. All nature shone out with its resplendent beauty and yet there we were incarcerated and treated like barbarians by people professing christianity and calling upon God to look down upon their cause as just and good. A general stir seemed to be getting up in camp. Some would be in for dashing on the guards and cutting our way out with fists and clubs, then cut the telegraph wire, seize the train, run as close as we could to Wilmington. N. C., then march to Newburn, N. C., which was the nearest point of our lines. It
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was hard to find a leader as all wanted a say ; and we had spies among us, and soon we were given to understand our plans were known and prepared for. Yet some would dash away from the guards while going after water, but most all would be captured ere they had gone far. Others no doubt died in the swamps, as there were plenty of swamps around us.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE ESCAPE OF ROBERT CAMPBELL.
Captain Campbell's story of his imprisonment and escape, as begun in the preceding chapter, is continued as follows :
THE BREAK FOR LIBERTY.
The Major commanding gave the boys a chance to pick up rails and wood, and simultaneously a grand rush was made pell-mell over the guards and across the field, and as Jim Trotter and I had been watching all the morning for a favorable chance, we were not slow in rushing for freedom. So through the bush and into the swamps, meeting squads of our soldiers, some running while others were walking unable to run or move very fast ! So many were affected by scurvy and starved nearly to death. Some picked up sticks to fight their way through, others to help them along. In passing through the corn field men would stop and fill up on green corn, eating blades like cattle, they were so hungry. Jim and myself only halted long enough to eat a few ears, then plunging into the swamp we were soon lost and at sea, for our desire was to get away from the rebs. While we were thinking which way to go, we heard a blood hound coming our way, so we ran up an inclined tree which had nearly fallen down, just as the hound passed by. The dog was on some other prisoner's track and we felt sorry for the poor fellow.
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