USA > New York > History of the one hundred and twenty-eighth regiment : New York volunteers (U.S. infantry) ; in the late civil war > Part 17
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HISTORY OF THE ONE IIUNDRED
and found one nickle cent in it. I did not care so much for the cent as I did for a small rebel flag and some other trophies which had been picked up on the Opequan battle-field one month before. The next question was, " Where is your money ?" I told him I had none as we had not been paid off in three months. I had concealed my watch, two knives, pen, etc., before the man reached me. Twice was I searched after this during the day, as were the most of the men, but my treasures were not found. Being taken to the Provost Marshall, I handed him some Northern papers which I had received on the previous evening by mail, when he said, "You drove us at Winchester one month ago to-day. We will drive you back there by night." This seemed to be the confident expectation of all the confederates, and to all the appearances of that entire morning as the prisoners gathered near the pike-bridge, and from the sounds as they receded, they were not over-boastful. As we lay there sur- rounded by the guards, who were chaffing us on our defeat, we roughly estimated our company at 1300. The final report showed 1591.
PRISONERS OF WAR.
There was an impression during the war, in the North, and even among soldiers, that the men captured were the drones of the army who were ever hanging in the rear, and shirking duty. A few of this class doubtless were taken as they straggled from an advancing army, but the men of the opposite character were the unfortunate ones as far as the 128th was concerned. The first man of our regiment captured was Captain Gifford at Port Hudson, who most exposed himself in the daring feat of burning the Slaughter build- ings in front of the enemy's works. Several others were captured when out on scouting parties for the benefit of the regiment, and still others when guarding wagon trains. And now on this day, the most of the men were taken on the picket line, or in the entrenchments, standing firmly and too long against the fearful odds.
Our hearts sank within us as we heard the firing receding, and we thought of the heavy work done in the Shenandoah, the possi- ble results of a defeat upon our army and upon the country. As the sounds of battle grew louder in the afternoon, the taunts of the rebels became less, and an uneasy look gradually took possession of their faces. The sun was just sinking behind the hills when we were commanded to fall in line, and were hastened away at a double quick. As we passed over an elevation, we looked back and saw the Johnnies rushing over the breastworks on the other side of the
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AND TWENTY-EIGHTII REGIMENT.
creek, and our flags again planted in their places, from which they had been driven in the morning. We could not shout, but with lighter hearts we kept on at a double quick the most of that night. We halted about one hour to refresh the guards at a stream. We marched the ninety miles in fifty hours and reached Staunton. On the way we had received a pint of flour and a slice of raw beef. The beef was eaten at once. The flour was saved for future emergencies. Ten-dollar greenbacks were offered for a hardtack on this journey and refused, perhaps because all thought money a useless burden under the eyes of the Johnnies. Sheridan supposed, and so reported, that a crow would need to carry rations in flying over this country after he had laid it waste, but I saw, on this forced journey, herds of swine and cattle in various places. These doubt- less had been driven in the mountains and protected, and now for the enemy's profit were brought back.
ON TO RICHMOND.
Some large sea-bread was at Staunton, and we were at once packed in tight box cars, from which cattle had just been removed. for shipment. Seventy men were in our car, and the doors were closed except a small space for the guards to get air. We were forcibly reminded of the prison ships endured by our revolutionary fathers when unfortunate alike with us. The air became hot and stifling. Reaching Richmond the next afternoon, we were marched through the city until we were nearly opposite the far-famed Libby Prison. We could see the Union men peering out the windows, but did not catch their cry of " Fresh Fish." In the street we were again raided. Good coats were taken from men's backs, and poor gray ones given in their place. Good shoes were taken from the feet and old sloughs supplied. We were now placed in the Pemberton tobacco warehouse, nearly opposite Libby, the officers being separated and receiving a cordial welcome from their comrades in the aristocratic Libby hotel. It should be said that the confederate authorities regarded officers as too dangerous a class of men to be herded with enlisted men as they were always provoking attempts at escape and violations of southern chivalric laws.
While in the Pemberton building our rubber blankets were taken from us on the plea of using them for our sick and wounded men in their hospitals. It will be remembered that this blanket, with our half shelter-tent, was the only extra covering in our valley campaign, and that the tent had been left in camp on the ISth, when
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HISTORY OF THE ONE HUNDRED
we went on picket. We were thus stripped of the last particle of covering aside from the clothing on our backs. As this had endured a severe campaign and we were awaiting our wagon-train for a new supply at the time of our capture, we had a very scanty outfit for even a southern pleasure trip.
SALISBURY.
For two nights and the intervening day we were in this place of comparative comfort, and received tolerably good rations of bean- soup and corn-bread. We now had issued to us two days' rations, which consisted of eight ounces of corn-bread and a small cod-fish weighing about one pound. This was sufficient of the cod-fish ,as it was constantly asserting its fish desire to swim, and the rebs just as persistently refused to furnish the water for that whole day. Starting in the early morning on. a train, we continued a slow journey until night, when, out of compassion for the cod-fish, we were taken off the cars and down to a stream where we could get a supply of fresh water. Taking the train again the next morning, we reached Salisbury, N. C., about 3 P. M. Providence had taken pity upon the cod-fish on this day, and gave us a plentiful down-pour of water. The rain came in torrents as we left the cars and marched to the prison pen.
The prison yard contained four acres of land, surrounded by a board fence thirteen feet high. A platform was built on the out- side of the fence so that the men on guard could easily level their guns over the top and fire within when they desired, which they did quite frequently. About sixty men were on guard on this platform at one time. When we entered, the 68th North Carolina regiment was doing this duty. In addition to these, at the southeast corner of the yard, was an open place in the fence, behind which and with - out the yard, were placed two cannons loaded with canister-shot. ready for an emergency. Within the fence and all around the yard there was a ditch about ten feet wide. This was called the " dead- line." To approach too near this was quite certain death. Within the yard was a large brick building, 100 by forty feet. This had been previous to the war, a cotton-thread factory. It was four stories high. A part of the first story was used as cooking and baking rooms. The remainder was devoted to hospital service. The second and third stories were also set apart as hospital wards. The fourth story was occupied by deserters from the confederate army, and a rough set of men they were. It was regarded as
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AND TWENTY . EIGHTH REGIMENT.
unsafe for a Northern soldier to enter this floor lest he should be thrown from a door or window. There were within the enclosure six small story-and-a-half brick buildings, which had been tenament houses. These were also used as hospitals, except two or three of the upper half-stories which were occupied by the sergeants in charge of the squads of prisoners. A new frame building sufficiently large to hold forty patients, had been erected after turning this yard into a prison pen. At first, this place was used by the con- federate states as a penitentiary for confining deserters from their army, and for criminals and those of too strong Union proclivities. There had been sufficient room in the buildings for these. After- ward some of our army officers and press correspondents of the North, when captured, were confined here also. Then the officers were removed and the place was devoted mostly to Northern enlisted men. When we entered, the last of October, 1864, we made about 8,ooo in at one time.
REBEL PRISON.
We were marched within the gate and to the west side of the yard. Here we were drawn up in line, counted off in squads of 100, and a sergeant of our own number placed over each squad, whose duty it was to report the number of men each day and draw the rations. Sergeant Frank W. Rickert, of company "C" of the 128th, was chosen for our one-hundred. Then we were turned loose. The mud was over shoe in depth. We had no shelter. Six men from each hundred were allowed to go out to the railroad track near by, and each man bring in an eight foot stick as large as he could carry. When inside we had no axe to cut it. We borrowed some railroad spikes and a club from those who had been longer in the yard, and with these made the sticks sufficiently small to make a fire. We could build three fires with our wood and in the space allowed our squad. Around these fires we crowded. All could not get sufficiently near to feel a little warmth except by the effort of jostling each other. In our space were a number of large oak trees. Our only method of getting sleep was to lean against these trees until we would get thoroughly chilled, and by this means awakened, when we would crowd some one from the fire and let him take his short nap. We had several successive days of heavy rain, to which we were thus exposed. After a week one large Sibley tent was given our squad. Not all the men could get in this at once. We, therefore, alternated between the tent and the fire. There were
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HISTORY OF THE ONE HUNDRED
some comical and strange efforts to sleep in the tent. Not having room to lie down, we sat on our feet, wedged so tightly as not to fail over, and slept. Seating ourselves near the doorway of the tent. after a while we would awake to find ourselves in the back part, and in process of time, might make the entire circle of the interior and ready to be thrust out by the next comer in order to seek a warming at the fire. Two weeks more and we had two other square tents assigned to our one hundred. We then divided up in sections. Now we had thirty-three men in the Sibley tent to which I belonged. Not all could lie down at once in this. Some would sit by the fire near the entrance of the tent while others took their turn at sleeping. In this way we managed until enough men died off to allow us room.
A REBEL PEN.
Our condition was no exception to the rest of the men in the yard. The tents being overcrowded, many resorted to efforts for them- selves and made places under the ground in which to live. A hole would be dug for an entrance and then a square excavation made sufficiently large for several men to stretch out. Some of these would be eight or ten feet square, with steps cut in the ground for an entrance. In some would be constructed small fire-places and rude chimneys ascending above the ground. Full one-third of the men within the prison yard were living in these underground palatial resi- dences, which went by the name of "Gopher holes" As the soil was the color of a brick, the faces and clothing of these under- ground dwellers were of nearly the same red hue. When a heavy rain would come, these burrowing animals would be drowned out and then they were obliged to find shelter as best they could under a tree, or under the eaves of a building. I preferred to stay above ground and take my chances at crowding. After a number of deaths in our tent we had our regular places assigned for sleeping. Here we would wedge in at night as closely as sardines in a box, all lying one way. This helped to keep us warm, especially as some would lie on our feet near the centre of the tent. But this method of sleeping has its disadvantages. Lying on the bare ground, the bones would wear through and soon we became sore and not all on the same side. Then quarrels and fights ensued at the midnight or some other hour. We soon established rules to turn over two or three times in a night. One would awaken and call out "turn over," and all would whop over and go to sleep again until the next call.
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AND TWENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.
SALISBURY PRISON-FARE.
The next day after entering the prison yard, near night, we received our first rations. This consisted of an eight ounce loaf of wheat-bread. Eight ounces became the regular allowance after this. For a few days only it was wheat-bread. Then, for awhile we had sorghum-seed bread. This was as black as a stove-pipe and sour when it came from the oven. Soon we settled down to corn-dodgers. This was made of corn, cob and all, ground together. Frequently whole grains of corn would be found in it. This bread was made with water, often no salt, and rolled into round balls. These we nicknamed " grape and canister." At times we had the bread in two ration loaves, and these must be divided by ourselves with a knife. We had also each day as our regular rations, a half pint of what was called "soup." This was made of beans or rice, some- times salted and sometimes not. Occasionally could be found in it the hock of a pig as if they had attempted to grease it, or make it after the recipe of modern hotel-soup. Once or twice a week we had meat given us. This evidently was the refuse of a slaughter house. I saw the eye-ball of an ox given out as a ration at one time. Frequently a quarrel would occur over a marrow-bone an inch long, as this was a rare ration. The marrow could be taken out and thus make several quarts of soup. We learned, after a little experience, that it was wiser not to eat all we received at once, but to save a little until just before lying down for the night. Then we would boil a quart of water and put in it a little marrow or a toasted crust, and with this hot tea or soup prepare for the night. This would stay the pangs of hunger a little. Hence the value of the marrow bone. A spoonful of sorghum molasses was also received each week. Once during our confinement we had issued to each man a teaspoonful of vinegar.
REBEL PRISON-FARE.
No man could have lived on the rations allowed by the rebel authorities. What then ? Near the centre of the yard was an open space not occupied by buildings or tents. This was under some large oak trees. In this was daily held a market during the most of the forenoon. Many men being sick could not eat the coarse corn-dodger. These would sell their day's ration for one dollar in confederate money. With this they could buy a small pie or a piece of molasses cake from the sutler. In this market, all kinds of soldier's trinkets were offered for sale. Some men had brought in money, and were
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HISTORY OF THE ONE HUNDRED
speculating in various things. Occasionally bits of meat, onions, etc., could be bought of the guards when out under their protection. These things could be exchanged for bread. We sold the buttons from our coats for fifty cents each, and put sticks in their places. The sergeants would not report the men carried to the hospital and to the dead house, and for these would draw many extra rations. Then we became repeaters. Counted off in one squad, we would run around and be counted under another sergeant and draw a second ration. Not being able to stop this repeating by commands and threats, an attempt was made to get an accurate count of all the men in the yard by passing us through a line of guards. This line was stretched across the yard. We were drawn up in line and passed through at one place and counted. Some old men were on guard at this time, and never having been regular soldiers, knew little about a soldier's duty. Coming around near the line, we marched very close to it, when one of our men called out, "Get out of the way, what are you doing in our way." Stepping aside, he allowed hundreds of Yanks to pass through who soon fell in the passing line and were re-counted. They had a larger count than was reported before by the sergeants.
I took another method for eking out a scanty subsistance. Each day the sergeant of the squad would come to our quarters and call out for two men to go after soup. I was always ready to help. Taking a flour barrel, through which two holes had been cut, we would swing it on a stick and go after this food. Within the cook- house we would be obliged to wait our turn of squads. Sometimes the rice or beans would not be quite done. We never counted the time long within. It was warm. I would sit upon the chime of a barrel, not altogether an easy seat, but one always preferred by me. Reaching down my hand into the barrel of salt I would fill my pocket. Now salt was worth one dollar a tablespoonful at the sutlers. Sometimes it would be a handful of rice or beans of which to make a good meal. At one time I put under my coat a whole light of a cow, and for once had some meat, such as it was. Some men were not as fortunate as I was. I have seen men stand in the rain for hours near the cook-house door waiting for the cooks to throw out in the mud the burnt crusts from which they had made their coffee. The cooks would also scrape with a hoe the meal and mud from the floor of the cook-house and throw this in a barrel. This would stand for days and become sour. Then it would be dashed out into the mud. A group of men, always waiting around the door,
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AND TWENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.
would rush and scramble for this. They would boil it into a mush and eat it. It became a common saying in the yard that the men who did eat it would soon die. The captain of one company of the 128th had a pretty little black dog. By some means he found his way among the captives and was brought with us to Salisbury. He became a pet with the cooks, was well fed and grew fat. One night he was missed ; he had been sold for meat. The keeper of the prison yard had a large Newfoundland dog. He fed him better than he did the prisoners. He, too, was missed. He furnished food for starving men. I quote from George G. B. De Wolfe, our Salisbury poet :
"See a cat jumps o'er the dead line, by some prisoner's she's seen, Now there is a rush towards her-ask you what it all doth mean ; Some have got the cat to fix her, fix her for their dinners there, And in Salisbury they'd call it, yes, they'd call it luscious fare ; Puss, oh, puss, thy fate was dreadful, no respect they paid to you, And I'm sure there is no telling what a starving man will do ; Vanderpoel, "a true New Yorker," saw some men the cat divide, Saw them when they feasted on her, sore their stomach's had been tried."
A rat was divided among four of us. It was the sweetest meat I ever tasted. A mouse made a cup of soup at another time. Hav- ing my needle and a towel, I raveled out the thread and turned tailor and earned some money by mending clothes.
Within the yard were six wells. The water took the color of the soil and was almost as red. There were no buckets or means provided for drawing the water. Each man must own his string and quart cup if he would drink. Unfortunately we had not all gone provided with strings. Hence, some men who had the neces- sary tackle would stand by the well and draw water and cry out : "A cup of water for a chew of tobacco, a brass-button or a piece of bread." Some one who had none of these might add, " Or a gold watch." But we had another way to get better water. Two men could take a barrel and a stick, and with a squad of men and their similar equipments, could go under guard to a stream about a quarter of a mile distant and bring back for the tent a half barrel of water. I always enjoyed going to this stream. Here I could get a good wash. On our way we could chat with the guards, sell our buttons and trinkets, and speculate in various things.
About once a week we were placed on half rations. Then an attempt would be made to enlist men in the rebel army. At first there was a very strong feeling against such a violation of the oath
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HISTORY OF THE ONE HUNDRED
of allegiance to our country. I have this entry in my diary of Nov. 5th, "two such traitors killed and several bruised." Three men had been stoned and killed by their own comrades for what we regarded as turning traitors. Soon the rebel officers stationed a line of guards within the yard. As soon as a man enlisted in the confed- erate service, he was pushed through the guards and protected. He was given at once two loaves of bread, and then sent to garrison some fort. November 29th, I have another entry, " 355 enlisted in the rebel service to their disgrace. Life is sweet, but not sweet enough to live one of dishonor." The temptation became too strong for many, and about 2,000 enlisted and thus violated their oath to their own flag. It may be said of these men, however, that most took this step with the expectation of escaping to our lines as soon as possible. But four of the 128th yielded to this pressure and two of these, to my knowledge, reached our lines before we were released from prison. Of the other two I have never been inforined.
THE PRISONERS RUSH.
On the day of Thanksgiving, as observed that year in the north, we were on these shortened allowances. By this the prisoners were much enraged. It was also learned by the sergeants of the squads that the 68th North Carolina regiment had been ordered to the front and that some old men, picked up from the surrounding country, were to take their places on that day. Seeing the young men gone, they planned a break from the prison. The guns of the relieving guards were snatched. One guard was killed. A rush was made for the cannon, and a number leaped out, but not enough to capture the guns, men rushed for the other gates, but these were closed too soon. The cannon opened upon the yard. The break was ill-timed. The North Carolina regiment was yet at the depot. They were ordered back upon the platform and opened fire upon the prisoners. The guards demanded the guns. These had been thrown down the wells. Not daring to enter the yard, the rebel soldiers demanded that all the tents should be lifted. They con- tinued firing promiscuously long after all danger of a break was over. Sixteen of our men were killed and sixty wounded. After this there was frequent firing without provocation. Often it was done in jest. A man was standing quietly by his tent door, and was shot down. When the guard was questioned about this, he replied : "I saw three niggers standing in range. I never had a better chance." He missed fire and hit the wrong man. Yet nothing was ever done to the guard for such conduct.
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AND TWENTY- EIGHTH REGIMENT.
PRISON HARDSHIPS.
The question is often asked why the confederates did not feed their prisoners better ? From my conversation with the old guards after they were placed over us, I had supposed they did not have the food. These old men said they often had food sent from home. They told us the country was scoured for miles around to get food for the prisoners. But the statement of Albert D. Richardson, the correspondent of the New York Tribune who was for a long time a prisoner at this place and escaped, and then wrote his book The Field, Dungeon and Escape, would do away with all such charitable construction of their motives. He states that when he escaped, December 18th, 1864, "the ware-house in Salisbury was filled to the roof with pork and corn. The region abounded in corn and pork." When a subordinate asked the Post Commander, Major John H. Gee, "Shall I give the prisoners full rations ?" he replied, with an oath, "No d-n them, give them quarter rations." The North forwarded tons of private boxes to our prisoners. The rebels confis- cated all of them. On December 18th, General Bradley T. Johnson took charge. No change for the better was seen after this. If anything, it was worse.
PRISON LIFE.
To realize our condition, it must be remembered that we were there in the coldest part of a winter that was noted for being an extreme one in the border and southern states. In November and December, snow fell several times. There were three weeks when it thawed little in the sun. We had only tents and very poor cloth- ing. The door of the tent in which I was, could not be closed. Here again the intentional evil of the prison authorities comes out. We were surrounded by heavy woods on three sides of our yard. It would have been easy to have allowed the prisoners to go out under guard, or on parole, and cut timber and make comfortable log-houses for all. The prisoners would have been glad to do the work. No effort was put forth to save men from the cold. Some men were frozen to death. Others had toes and fingers frozen off. One of my own company had his toes frozen off before he died. There was, at first, one blanket in our tent's company. The owner had secured it somewhere. One man of my company being sick, I paid one dollar for the use of the blanket for one night. The next day I sold my watch for seventy-five dollars in confederate money. I purchased a thin woolen white sheet for thirty-five dollars. This
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