USA > Illinois > Military history and reminiscences of the Thirteenth regiment of Illinois volunteer infantry in the civil war in the United States,1861-65, pt 2 > Part 6
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 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27
I will here introduce a further account by Comrade A. L. Marks and in his own words, as to how they were handled as prisoners, and some of his personal experience as a prisoner until the time of his release. From this time all the experi- ence worth narrating is with the boys that were taken pris- oners rather than with the regiment that was about to return home and go out of the service, at which time our history must close as far as this book recounts it. This is his account.
IN GENERAL RODDY'S HANDS.
" We were piled into the wagons and driven very rapidly to Fletcher's Ferry on the Tennessee river. Shortly after our crossing to the opposite bank, firing was heard close to us and
.*
.416
HISTORY OF THE THIRTEENTH REGIMENT
we were hustled to the rear as fast as they could make us move. The first night we remained in the camp of the Fifth Alabama Cavalry, Colonel Patterson commanding. Our first lesson was a march of thirty-five miles, with cavalry escort, without a bite to eat and very little to drink. That night we camped in a church. The first town we passed through was Danville, Alabama, where we spent the night of the 21st. Colonel Patterson had his headquarters at this place. Our names were now taken. Here we heard the first news, from a Southern standpoint, of the war. Grant and Sherman were terribly defeated in a fight two days before. Forty of our gun-boats were sunk and twenty-eight captured. The natives were wild with joy, while we poor invaders were jeered at by everybody. We remained here two days and were then marched to Dug Springs where General Roddy had his head- quarters. On the 25th we passed through Cortland, Alabama, and on the 26th through Dickson (where we had camped the fall before), and on the 27th through Iuka, Mississippi. On the 28th we passed through Jacinto, Mississippi ; on the 29th we arrived at Rienzi, where we had some rest and something to eat. We were put on cars at this place and left on the 30th. The cars were not of the passenger style, not even bedded with straw, as would have been the case were cattle put in. The cars looked as though they had been in use since Creation. We had nothing to eat since we came to Rienzi. Our next towns were Tupela, and Meridian. We crossed the Tombigbee river, passed Annapolis and Selma where we re- mained until June 3rd. The prevailing prices were : Bread, $1.00 per loaf ; eggs, $3.00 per doz., beef, $2.50 per lb., but- ter, $4.00 per 1b. Here we were placed on a steamboat and taken to Cahaba. To our surprise we found no other prisoners there, for the reason that the report came here ahead of us that Forest had captured ten thousand Yankees and all the prisoners there were removed to Andersonville. Here after being searched (or rather robbed ), our names, rank, company and regiment were recorded, etc., and we marched two or three blocks from headquarters to the south part of town and close
1
-
1 -
417
ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
to the banks of the Alabama river. Here was a stockade built of rough logs standing on end some twenty feet high. On the north side stood two twelve-pounds brass call- non pointing through loop-holes in the stockade. The prison proper (or Castle Morgan, as it was called), inclosed a piece of ground about 192x120 feet surrounded by a brick wall about twenty feet high. A truss roof extended from the top of this wall some forty feet. About half of it on the south and west had been blown down ; the center had at no time been cov- ered ; it had formerly been used for a cotton shed. I will not describe the times in prison until about March Ist, 1865, when from long-continued rains, the water of the river came over the banks and rushed in upon us. Before night we had no place to lie down. We stood in that chilly water, except some few who climbed and fixed some contrivance to the rafters under the roof. We remained in that fearful condition for several days, the officers visiting us in boats. Finally on March 4th, 1865, we were told to get ready to be exchanged. We felt hopeful, but not very joyful, for we had been disappointed so often, that we made up our mind that the rebels were the big- gest liars living, yet the hope of getting out of that mud-hole was received with some satisfaction. We arrived at Black river bridge on March 19th, 1865."
Still furtlier information from Comrade Marks, both of a personal character and experience while prisoner is furnished, and as so few have been ready to furnish much, I will intro- duce some of it. In 1858 he left Chicago and went to New Orleans remaining South until April, 1861. Some of the time he was on a steamboat plying on the Yazoo river. While on his way north and while their boat was tied up at Vicksburg, he saw Jefferson Davis. He formed a great dislike to slavery, and was glad of the prospect of having a hand in breaking it up. He came north to join the army, but found that his father was opposed to the war. He being but eighteen years of age his father forbade his going into the service. He then ran away and assuming his uncle's name, "Charles Harris," en- listed in Company K, of the Thirteenth. He was known by
0
418
HISTORY OF THE THIRTEENTH REGIMENT
that name while with us. Coming out of the service he as- sumed his right name, A. L. Marks, and takes this means to right himself before the boys.
He further says of his being taken prisoner, having been captured, he gave the reb his gun, but the reb said, " Give me your pocket-book." This was done, with $8.oo in green- backs in it. While this was being done another reb snatched off his good hat and gave him his old slouch hat instead. The one reb said, "You can get your things out of your quar- ters if you wish." He did so, rejoicing that he had fallen into such good hands, but at the end of twenty-four hours they were all confiscated, and he had nothing but the clothes on his back. A few days after this his boots attracted the atten- tion of a long-haired sandy-whiskered guard who wanted to "swap " shoes. He was told if he would shut his eyes long enough to give him three hundred yards the start, he would trade. He would not do this but offered $150 in Confederate money for the boots. This proposition was laughed at. At night the long-haired man came and drawing his revolver, bought the boots without money or price. Marks had no shoes till the next February.
JAMES FARRELL ESCAPES.
Marks, while in prison, got on friendly terms with a cer- tain guard where the chances of escape were best. . He plied the guard, and had the assurance that the difficulties would be out of the way. But he had no shoes, and he could not make the tramp without something on his feet. His generous friend, James Farrell, offered to give him his shoes, but they did not fit. The next thing was for Marks to be generous and let his friend have the chance if he could get it for him. He applied to the friendly guard, who said he could go, and he wished he could go too.
Farrell watched the chance, slipped into "the hole" and made good his escape. He bore a message to Mark's father, asking him to send his son some clothes, as he was almost in
419
ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
the state that people are when they are born,-but the clothes never reached him, though an effort was made to send them.
The following personal experience is given by John W. Nichols of Company F, who was captured on May 17th, 1864.
"While we were in quarters at Madison Station, Alabama, on the morning of May 16th, I was sent in charge of the guards on the south side of the town on the main road run- ning to the Tennessee river. On the morning of the 17th, just at the time for guard mount at 8 o'clock, when I was from two to three hundred rods from camp, I saw the rebel cavalry coming over the hill about fifty rods distant. I ordered them to halt but it was their intention to take us by surprise. On they came pell-mell ; I ordered the guards to fire on them ; they did not return the fire but came as fast as their horses could carry them. We retreated and fired the second time, and as I fired, I hit 'my man.' I could not swear to having hit another all through the service. They still came on and took us prisoners. There were nine in my company taken. These were: Daniel P. Bradley, Geo. M. Carr ( died in Chicago in 1888); George Campbell, now in Pennsylvania ; Wilson E. Chapel, taken prisoner at Cane Creek, Alabama, October 27th, 1863, died at Libby Prison, Richmond, Virginia ; Alonzo Houghton, taken prisoner May 17th, 1864, died at Cahaba prison, Alabama, death caused by poisonous vaccina- tion ordered by the General Surgeon of the Southern Confed- eracy ; Joseph L. Locy, now in Nebraska ; Oliver W. Smith, died after coming home ; George Brown, Frederick C. Mires, Chas. W. Orris, now in Nebraska. The captain in charge of the rebel cavalry relieved me of seventy dollars in money, my watch and my hat. We were taken to the rear and there placed in our own wagons that they had captured, and started for the Tennessee river ; a more scared crowd you never saw when they thought our regiment had received reinforcements. They sent us across the river and went into camp for the night. It rained all night and we lay down on our 'soft bed and downy pillows,' choosing either large or small rocks, and
420
HISTORY OF THE THIRTEENTH REGIMENT
without anything to eat or any fire, and not one blanket in the whole crowd.
"On the morning of the 18th, at daylight, we started on the march. It rained all day. We went into camp a little after dark and there got the first mouthful to eat for two days. Our supper consisted of unbolted brown cornmeal without salt. The next day we marched to the Iron Mountain railroad and there were turned over to General Forrest. We were placed on the cars and sent to Selma, Alabama, and there transferred and sent to Cahaba prison. Colonel Jones was in charge of the guard and was under General Henderson, the exchange commissioner of the Southern Confederacy. I must say Gen- eral Henderson was one of the best men the South had, and on the other hand Colonel Jones one of the worst. Arriving here on the 21st of the same month, our company numbered seventy. I will give you the size and description of the prison. It was built of brick, two hundred and seventy feet square, sixteen feet high, roof over one half. It was purposed for a cotton house at first. There was a stockade built around the prison of boards sixteen feet high. In front of the prison where we did our cooking, there was a quarter of an acre. Our water was furnished from an artesian well running through pipes from the town. The prison was on the bank of the Alabama river. The prisoners came until we numbered three thousand. In the month of September there were some of us who thought we would take leave of absence. The water-closet of the prison was situated on the southeast cor- ner. There was some dirt washed from the end of the seat. There was a guard within five feet of the place, Kelly (or Curley as we called him) sat talking with the guard while we slid down under the seat and jumped the stockade. There were forty-nine escaped. It was on Sunday while the citizens were at church. We started down the river until we came across a small skiff. There were two besides myself who got into the skiff and crossed the river. My comrades' names were Shell and Booze. We started up the river until we got
A
421
ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
up opposite Selma. It had been raining for several hours and we stopped for fear of being tracked.
"The next morning we changed our hiding place. We had to cross the main road and we saw a man running down the road. We kept watch of him until we decided that he found our track. We started for the river and got within a mile and sat down to rest. We had not rested an hour when we heard the hounds on our track. We held counsel and the decision was to make for the river. Off we started on double- quick. We got to the river, the dogs howling in the rear. We undressed and swam the river and the dogs stood on the bank barking. We sat and rested until the men came up. We laughed at them and told them to come on. They had to go two miles to get a boat to cross over. We started down the river a mile or so and sat down until we heard the hounds. Then we swam the river back again and started down the river but had no time to lose and had to jump in with our clothes on, being a close call to clear the hounds. The sun was about one hour high and we started west as fast as we could. Darkness came on, and when we reached one of the highest mountains we laid down to rest. When we awoke the sun was shining and we jumped up and looked around to see what move to make. We could see a large corn-field about two miles off and started for the field and it was worth more to us than a gold mine. We had eaten nothing since leaving the prison, this being the third day, and coming through the field we said, 'Thank God for this.' Our thanks were not for the corn. You have seen what is called milkweed, and that is what made us thankful. We gathered what we could find. Rubbing it on the bottoms of our bare feet, it threw the dogs off our track. About 10 o'clock the dogs were heard coming and we lit out and traveled from eighty to one hun- dred yards and then stopped to rub the milkweed on our feet. When the sun was about an hour high they called the dogs off. We then tried to find a negro's cabin. I took the lead, started on the main road with timber on both sides, telling the boys I would keep watch, and if I saw any one I would
422
HISTORY OF THE THIRTEENTH REGIMENT
motion for them to take to the brush. We went about one hundred rods when we heard a wagon coming. The boys jumped in the brush and I went to meet the foe. The wagon in sight I could only see one person. I stopped him, it being a big negro. We intended to hold him if we could do no bet- ter. 'Which way are you going,' said I? 'Well massa, I just lives a little above here,' said the darky. 'Take your team and go down about one hundred rods and get two damn Yankees that broke out of the prison and take them up to your house, and in the morning take them back to the prison,' said I. 'My stars,' said the darky, 'I can't go down to that awful place.' 'Never mind,' said I, 'go along and get the two Yankees.' 'Well, sir, if you say so, I'll have to,' said the darky.
"We drove back to where I left them. 'Come out, you damn Yanks and get into this wagon, be damn quick, too.' In they got and the darky drove us to the house and we went in. We found two negro women, and I told them to get sup- per for the ' Yanks.' The darky went out to take care of the team and I followed to keep watch and find out what he was. He was the overseer of the plantation. When we went into supper I saw the Yanks had new shirts on. They told the women I was a Yank too but was playing off rebel. I wa left out in the cold and not a quarter of a shirt on. The negro stared and looked at the women and then at me to see how I took it, and then told them I was a Yankee too. They gave us some matches and salt after we had finished our sup- per. We started on our march and the next morning found us forty miles from the place. And good-bye to the hounds. We traveled nights and rested days and lived on green corn. When we had been out one week, we came up to a plantation with a pasture in which there were horses. We lay there watching the horses and we made up our minds to take the horses that night and make a big march, but 5 o'clock came and we saw a man coming from the house toward the pasture, get over the fence and come straight towards us until he got to the other fence. We thought he could not see us, but h
.
423
ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
stopped and looked over the fence straight at us for a few moments and turned and went back to the house. We were afraid he had seen us, so we got up and started after him. We walked into the yard and saw him sitting on the porch. 'Say Uncle, we would like to get a drink of water.' He showed us the well and we drank heartily and then went and sat down. We intended to hold him there until dark and then start out. 'Say Uncle, we are three Yanks broke out of prison and we would like something to eat.' His wife came out and said she would have supper as soon as she could get it. Following the old man into the house, he introduced us to his son who belonged to the First Mississippi Infantry. We shook hands and he said he would go and stand guard while we ate our supper, he being sick of the war he would do anything for us. We had a grand supper and the young man showed us the route to take that night to pass to the next place ; because if we left any tracks, the man with his hounds would find us the next morning, making it his business to hunt all the deserters.
"It commenced raining that night and kept up for five days and nights, filling all the streams and making it a hard job to travel. We were within fifteen miles of our lines when we heard the command to halt. 'Click, click,' and looking around we saw five men with their guns cocked telling us to throw up our hands, which we did, because they had the bet- ter of us. Taking us to the house where they stayed until morning they then took us to the railroad which was twenty- two miles off. We were placed in the jail and looking through the bars saw a hotel across the street, in which were some young ladies waving their handkerchiefs at us and we waved back. Shortly afterward the ladies sent us a basket of victuals with their compliments. The next morning we were sent back to Cahaba prison. We reported and my comrades were sent to another prison and I was left. The next im- portant thing we did was to pick out a hundred of the best men, make a general outbreak, and no one knew anything about it but our hundred men. We tried to break out sev-
424
HISTORY OF THE THIRTEENTH REGIMENT
eral times but some sneak would tell on us. We set the day and hour at 10 o'clock in the evening just as the guard was to be relieved. There were some commissioned officers in town on parole, who were to give up the parole and join us as we came out. It was a grand success on our part. W'e took both reliefs off guards and their guns, marching through the gate where we met the officers who told us the town was surrounded by water, so we could not get away. We went back, threw our guns down and went to bed. The rest of the guards all left and were not seen until the next morning when they got every man, old and young, and made a charge on the prison with two cannon, calling for us to give up the guard and the guns we took. We were asleep. They called again and some of the men holloaed back, 'We do not know anything of your men.' When the Major in command said, ' If you do not give them up, we will fire the cannon on you.' Then some one asked him if his cannon were cocked. After the guards had gone out, they were gone for twenty or thirty minutes. They charged on us again driving us to one side of the building. They had us pass between the guards, counting us to see how many had got away, but found not one missing. They went out coming back in an hour and drove us to one side again. Listen to 'General Order, Number One.' 'Any one who will come out and tell who the leaders of the break were will be set free.' There were two who went out and said they could tell, then the officers came out and drove us to one side, and had us pass through two rows of guards with these two sneaks with them, but they failed to pick them out. 'General Order, Number Two.' 'The guards tell us they hurt some of you when you took their guns away, now if you come out we will doctor you, if not you can die.' That failed as the first.
"'General Order, Number Three.' 'Every man undress and tie his clothes in a small bundle and put them on top of his head and pass down between these two doctors, turn clear around and pass on.' This was done to find out whether any one was hurt. That failed the same as the rest did. ‘Gen-
8
425
ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
eral Order, Number Four.' ' 'We offered everything in our power to have the leader found out and not have the innocent suffer with the guilty ones. The order is that no man shall have anything to eat until the leaders are given up.' This lasted two days, then we sent word that we must have some- thing to eat, and that it must come within one hour or suffer the results of hungry men, and it came. The river was get- ting over the banks, every one was frightened about the over- flow, as the water was from three and one-half to four feet deep in the prison. This lasted about four days, the only sleep I got during that time was by tearing my blanket into strips, tying it around me and then fastening it to one of the bars of the window. Some of the prisoners stayed there longer than I did. I was moved up to Selma; then in a few days to Meridian, Mississippi. There I was placed in the stockade with John Fitzpatrick, formerly of Sycamore, DeKalb county, Illinois.
"Not being satisfied we formed a plan to get out and we de- cided fo tunnel under the stockade, so we commenced to dig. We had to dig with a butcher-knife and haul the dirt back and put it under our bed. This was successful. Being low ground we needed our beds raised to keep out of the water. The day we finished digging it rained, and the tunnel became about half full of water ; the night being very dark and still raining, we placed ourselves in a square in front of the tent, and commenced on the left to go into the tunnel, and as fast as one went in another took his seat on the right. We sang songs to draw the attention of the guards. You can imagine how I looked when I got through the tunnel, the water be- ing mixed up like mortar. Four others like myself made their way to Yazoo city, and from there to Vicksburg. The rest were sent to Black river, twelve miles from there. We were sent up the river to St. Louis and went into the Barracks for one week, and then sent to Springfield, Illinois, to wait our discharge."
Marks tells another incident about his "mysterious five- cent piece."
The rebs took his pocket-book when captured. One
جـ
M
426
HISTORY OF THE THIRTEENTH REGIMENT
morning when foot-sore, cold and very hungry, a rebel soldier ' came around selling " corn pones," price $1.00 in Confederate money or $3.00 in greenbacks.
But he could not buy one if they were a cent a hundred. In very desperation he had put his finger in his vest pocket and pulled out something that he supposed must be a button, when lo, it was a silver five-cent piece. He did not know that he had it, or that he ever had had it. He offered it to the man and found that it was of as much value as $3.00 in greenbacks for it bought a "pone " and met his craving ne- cessities.
An incident worthy of note was the conduct of Major Beardsley and a few men whom he had mounted on such animals as he could pick up." They make an attack on the flank of the dismounted rebel cavalry near the Tennessee and drove them from their position, capturing many of their horses.
Surgeon Plummer had a mulatto man as a servant. This man was captured. He professed to be well pleased with the situation, and glad to get back among his old friends. The surgeon of Roddy's men took him for his servant. In the dusk of the evening, the servant was asked to hold his case of instruments. While the doctor's attention was elsewhere, the darky slipped off and came into our lines with the case of instruments. It is not told us what the man said when he found that the darky and instruments were gone.
THE GUILTY PARTIES.
This scheme to take in our regiment was evidently con- cocted by men who had access to our camp. There was a cotton buyer who had a pass through our lines who rode in from the south just a few moments before the attack was made and sat on his horse near headquarters, and kept looking intently in the direction the rebels were coming. I think this man's name was Betts. A man by the name of Fletcher and this man Betts were arrested and sent under guard to Huntsville.
-
------
P
427
ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
If this one man would have been left in camp the boys would have saved him the expense of court and jury. A man by the name of Slater was arrested and then set free, because he had passes or papers from several Generals. Later this negro tes- tified that he was a spy, and some things taken from our camp were found in his possession.
Slater was again arrested ; he and a man by the name of Pride were taken to Huntsville by Major Beardsley. What their fate was I have never learned, but I think the whole quartette deserved a halter."
May 24th arrived and we had served out our full three years, but we were still in the field and in the service. On the 26th we were relieved from duty and in the afternoon turned over our guns and equipments, and were ready to start home.
As all our blankets and coats and cooking material were stolen or burned by the rebels, we can assure you it was cool comfort and close picking for these last days; some of the boys who were captured were those who had been off on the detail and had come to the regiment without arms to be mus- tered out. When the fight began they skipped into the woods only to run into the hands of the rebels.
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.