USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > The story of Camp Chase; a history of the prison and its cemetery, together with other cemeteries where Confederate prisoners are buried, etc > Part 25
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HEADQUARTERS EX-PRISONERS, JACKSON, MISS., December 9, 1862.
SPECIAL ORDER NO. 50.
Lieut. W. H. Herbert.
Company A. Eighty-Ninth Virginia Regiment, is hereby or- dered to take charge of two commissioned, four noncommissioned officers, and forty-two (42) privates and proceed without delay and report them for duty at Lieut. Gen. T. J. Jackson's head- quarters, they having been duly exchanged.
Quartermaster will furnish necessary transportation.
By order
BRIG. GEN. D. RUGGLES. A. A. and Inspector General.
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PERSONAL STORIES OF CAMP CHASE.
In speaking of the time he was at Camp Chase, in 1862, Lieu- tenant Herbert says :
Forty-two years have elapsed since then, and the boys who were with me are either all old men now or have passed over to "the home beyond the tide." I have dwelt at length on our trip from . Wheeling to Camp Chase, for the reason that it is one of the pleas- ant events in my war experience, and have only the kindest re- membrances for those who entertained us so royally.
The latter part of October, 1862, J. Biddle Leopard and I were captured on the Bloomery Gap Road, four miles northwest of Pughtown and about fifteen miles from Winchester, Va., by a raiding party, consisting of a portion of the First New York Cavalry, under command of Major Bailey. On the same raid three others were rounded up-viz., Bob Heironimus, Jake Hei- ronimus, and Mr. Linthicum. We were taken to Paw Paw Sta- tion, on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, thence to Cumberland. Md., and Wheeling, W. Va. There we were joined by a Mr. Brandreth, of Mississippi, Jim Daily, of. Cumberland, Md., C. C. Martin, of Virginia, and four others whose names I have forgotten. We remained in Wheeling prison several days, leaving there one evening, the first part of November, under a guard of seven for Camp Chase, Ohio.
On reaching Newark a gentleman coming into the car took a seat just in front of me. On the way to Columbus we fell into conversation, when I told him I was a Confederate prisoner. He was surprised and wanted to know how many there were of us. I gave him the number-twelve prisoners and seven guards. Then he said: "When we get to Columbus I would like to do something for you boys. If we find a restaurant.open, I'll set up supper for the party." I referred him to the officer in charge. who, upon being informed that the guard was to be included in the supper, gave his consent.
We landed in Columbus about 11:30 at night. marched up High Street, looking for a restaurant. Luckily we found one on the corner of High Street, opposite the Statehouse, that was still open. It was in the basement, entrance down steps on the street leading out to Camp Chase. Here we had a supper fit for the gods. Our host, who proved himself a royal entertainer, was then deputy sheriff of Franklin County.
There was a bar in connection with the restaurant, and while supper was being prepared "John Barleycorn" flowed freely to those who wished to imbibe. We all seemed that way inclined. some more so than others. Several Union officers who had been captured and released on parole came in, and when they found we were Confederate prisoners they were exceedingly kind.
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THE STORY OF CAMP CHASE.
They requested the proprietor to give us the best of everything the house had to offer.
About that time General McClellan had been relieved from the command of the Army of the Potomac and General Burnside appointed to the place. These officers were strong Mcclellan men, and were loud in their opposition to the change.
After we all had had our supper we took one farewell drink "from the same canteen" before starting on the tramp to Camp Chase. The most of the party were groggy and wabbled along as best they could. As we emerged from the west end of the covered bridge we found that one of the prisoners and one of the guards were past locomotion; they were simply paralyzed. The officer in charge had them carried to the roadside at the end of the bridge wall and left them lying there, the balance taking up the line of tramp to the prison, which was reached in due time. When the roll of prisoners was called and one found missing, the officer said he was left by the roadside, too sick to travel, and that he had left a guard with him.
As day was breaking we marched through the gate to our quar- ters in Prison 2, Mess No. 12. About nine o'clock the same morning a cart came driving in with our absent brother. What became of the guard, I never learned. A Major Zinn was then in command of the prison.
The prison was a long barrack's built of rough boards, one story high, running lengthwise of the inclosure, divided off into apartments, each containing twelve bunks, six on a side, three men to the bunk, thirty-six comprising the mess.
A high board fence surrounded the inclosure, at the top of which was a walk used by the guard, and at intervals were small shelters used in inclement weather. The roll of the prisoners was called very morning and evening by the officer from the top of this fence, and all letters were distributed from there also. One of the sad incidents that occurred was the killing of a citizen- prisoner from Kentucky and the wounding of a citizen-prisoner from Virginia by the guard one night after taps had sounded. In each mess was a small cook stove, which sat in the middle of the floor with mouth toward the door. When taps were sounded the guard would call : "Lights out !" On this occasion the light kept flickering from the stove mouth, which could be seen throughi the cracks between the boards. He called out again, "Lights out!" then he fired his gun into the mess where he saw the light, killing one man and wounding another.
One of the funny incidents that occurred while I was there was that a woman was permitted to come inside to do washing for the prisoners. She would have her tubs just inside the dead line near the fence. Sonte. soldiers were fond of their toddy, and generally got it by look or crook; so they worked on the tender
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PERSONAL STORIES OF CAMP CHASE.
sympathies of this washerwoman, and she would bring in a bottle now and then concealed under her dress, and when the opportunity offered they got it. One morning she came in with a quart in one of those old-style flat glass bottles, with General Jackson's head on one side and an ear of corn on the other. The bottle was not quite full. She began her washing. The guard on duty kept close watch, so that the party for whom the whisky was in- tended could not get it at once. She kept on rubbing the clothes. The motion agitated the whisky, creating a gas in the bottle, and there was an explosion like unto the report of a mountain How- itzer. The guard turned out, and, when the cause of the ex- plosion was solved, the old lady was escorted through the gate to the outside. She never returned while I was there. After this occurrence the sutler would furnish spirits on the sly, labeled "Butter," at two dollars the quart.
About two hundred of us left Camp Chase the latter part of November, 1862, with three days' rations, via Dayton and Cin- cinnati, for Cairo, Ill. Here we were joined by boys from John- son's Island and Louisville-about eleven hundred in all. At Cairo we took steamboats, convoyed by ironclads, and passed down the river to Vicksburg, where we landed on December 9, the last exchange of prisoners at Vicksburg, as General Grant began operations there shortly after. At Jackson. Miss., the boys were apportioned off to their different commands, each com- mand placed in charge of an officer, who was furnished transpor- tation in kind and ordered to report with them to their headquar- ters.
We of Stonewall Jackson's Corps, forty-nine all told, reached his headquarters, near Fredericksburg, Va., December 26, and got what was left of the Christmas turkey, having traveled at least three thousand miles to reach headquarters, when, by going to Old Point Comfort when captured. we could have gotten there in one hundred and fifty; but such are the ways of war-"long way round."
The Mr. Brandreth mentioned above, from Mississippi, was originally from Springfield, Ohio, having migrated in the fifties to Canton, Miss., where he had a drug store when the war opened. Samuel Shellebarger, who represented the Springfield (Ohio) District in Congress in 1862, was married to Brandreth's sister. The Jim Dailey mentioned was a brother of Miss Dailey. of Cum- berland, Md., who married General Crook, the Indian fighter. just after the war closed. Jim Dailey was with McNeal when Gen- erals Crook and Kelley were captured. in February, 1865, at Cumberland, Md.
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CHAPTER XX.
JOHNSON'S ISLAND STORIES, NEW AND OLD.
Incidents of the Island Prison First Told in the Confederate Veteran- Pen Pictures of the Place in 1864.
IN the concluding chapter on Johnson's Island mention is made and quotation given from an article printed in the l'eteran which seems to have raised a commotion in some parts of the South. There could have been nothing truer than this article, if it had been confined to the year 1862 and the greater part of 1863. The letters given in this volume from Camp Chase in 1862 tell the story plainly. There is no doubt that in 1864 the situation was different in many respects. It would not pay any one at this time to try to fix the blame. One would probably have the same opinion when the unprofitable argument ceased. Parts of these letters are quoted for their historic interest, but many of the com- ments which are ridiculous are left out.
During the earlier days of the prison at Johnson's Island the - Sandusky Register complained that the imprisonment of the Southern officers was rendered farcical, outside of the fact that they were deprived of their liberty. Their Northern friends shipped them clothing, fruits, game, wine, and all kinds of pro- visions.
This was finally stopped by confiscating the provisions and liquors and giving the same to the guards. When the terrible stories of Andersonville were first circulated in the North, great quantities of provisions and clothing were sent there from the North, but never reached their destination.
Lieut. T. B. Jackson, of Norfolk, Va., in the L'eteran, says :
I was carried from David's Island Hospital, New York, in the latter part of September, 1863, being left wounded on the Gettys- burg field in Pickett's charge July 3. 1863, with some two hundred wounded officers. I reached Johnson's Island about the Ist of October, and had scarcely enough clothing to cover me. All that I received from October, 1863, until March 22, 1865, when pa-
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roled and sent South, was such as came from Southern sympa- thizers.
My case was an exception as to the receipt of clothing ; for of the forty officers in Room 4 of Block 10 not more than five received a stitch of any description during the sixteen months they were in the prison, and those not handy with the needle were more or less ragged.
There were some in the prison who had friends in the North, and from them received clothing and occasionally a box of pro- visions, but these were rare cases.
Capt. J. H. George contributed an article to the October (1900) Veteran, which follows : -
I was among the first prisoners that were confined at Johnson's Island. I was captured at Fort Donelson, imprisoned at Camp Chase. and from there was transferred to Johnson's Island, where I remained to the Ist of September, 1862; hence I was an eye- witness to much that took place on the Island during that time. Your correspondent states that we were provided with suitable clothing ; while if there was a garment furnished to any of the prisoners, I did not see or hear of it. Those who were fortunate enough to have money bought clothing, but those who had none did without. This writer states that our tables were furnished with an abundance of substantials and many luxuries.
All luxuries that I knew of were paid for by those who happened to have money, and always at double prices. Not a pound of flour did we get only as we bought it from the sutler at five dollars per barrel. when it was selling at Sandusky City at two and a half to three dollars per barrel. We were prohibited from buying from any one except the sutler, who was placed there by the commander of the prison. Colonel Pierson had leased the privileges of sut- ler from the government, and the luxuries furnished by him were hard-tack, poor beef, with bacon and coffee once a week.
In this same issue Lieut. E. D. Patterson, then of the Ninth Alabama. now President of the Bank of Savannah, says :
No one who passed through the year 1864 in prison has for- gotten, or ever will forget. the awful suffering from cold and hunger experienced there. During the summer and fall of that year the newspapers of the North were publishing blood-curdling details of the treatment of prisoners at Andersonville, and our ra- tions were reduced to an amount that was barely sufficient to sus- tain life. Boxes of edibles sent by friends on the outside were declared contraband.
I used to think if those clamoring so loudly for retaliation could look in upon prison life and see men staggering about. weak and hollow-eyed from hunger, searching in vain in the slop bar-
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THE STORY OF CAMP CHASE.
rels for scraps and eating rats to keep soul and body together, they would have been satisfied.
I was a prisoner on Johnson's Island for about twenty-two months, and helped to nurse and bury many of those who sleep their last, long sleep upon the Island, and I have no doubt that the lives of several of them could have been saved if they had been furnished with proper medicines and nourishing food.
The Veteran for March, 1891, has a letter from A. W. Side- bottom, Chattanooga, Tenn., from which a few extracts are used:
Like Comrade Patterson, I think nothing is to be gained by recalling the wrongs done to prisoners to either side; but, if we do speak of them, let us have the truth. At this late date I am not disposed to. do any one the least injustice without a proper hearing. Telling the truth never does that. Therefore, I would suggest that your July correspondent, over his signature, tell us who he is, what command he belonged to, and at what time he was a prisoner on Johnson's Island, and how long he was confined there.
The finer feelings of the people, North and South, were not so blunted in 1861-62 as they were later on. Prisoners were no doubt better treated, and some Confederates might have met with unexpected kind treatment by the North, and your correspondent may have been one of that number.
As to what we were given per day to eat, and how much of - it, it is immaterial now ; but I could have eaten at one time all I drew for two days. I have seen men eat at one sitting all they drew for three days, and take the chances of finding bones, catch- ing rats, etc., to tide over until rations were issued again.
Most of us used tobacco in some shape, but were not allowed to buy it ; but. thanks to a Bluecoat who slipped me in half a plug or so at a time in exchange for finger rings, a few of us en- joyed that luxury as long as it lasted. Not a penny's worth of anything was sold at the sutler's shop as long as I was there, nor were we allowed to receive anything from home, friends, or any one else.
Early in 1865, in answer to complaints from the inside as to what we were given to eat and the small quantity of it. from a stairway inside the prison overlooking quite a crowd of us. Colonel Hill, commander of the Post, said he knew our complaints were just, that we were not being given enough to eat, but he was pow- erless to do more than he was then doing. I believed then he spoke the truth, and believe soyet.
In preparing this history no attempt has been made to shield any official who was unnecessarily unkind. Was it possible to
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JOHNSON'S ISLAND STORIES, NEW AND OLD.
learn the name of any guard who shot at an unarmed prisoner, he would be named; but it would have been better had these letters never been read. They are here because it would not do to have it said that an attempt had been made to keep such pictures from the public. One would gladly forget such things. Most peo- ple who know the author believe that he prefers to re- member the noble rather than the ignoble; but he is pre- senting the story of these prisons for Northern readers as well as Southern, and he seeks to tell the truth.
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That circumstances color one's views of situations was never better illustrated than by the story of Maj. James A. Wilson, of Colonel Cluke's regiment of Kentucky cavalry. Colonel Cluke died at Johnson's Island, but not of starvation or exposure. The Colonel was well-to-do and had money and every luxury that money could buy in those days, and yet death came, just as it en- ters the home of rich and poor alike to-day.
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CHAPTER XXI.
A CONFEDERATE SPY IN OHIO.
Promoted from First Duty Sergeant to Major-Scouting in the Moun- tains-A Narrow Escape-Recruiting for the Confederate Army in Ohio-Meeting the Knights of the Golden Circle-Makes Columbus His Headquarters for a Time-Visits Camp Chase-A Peep into the Prison-Getting Confederate Recruits through the Lines-The Story of Major Marlowe.
A. J. MARLOWE now lives in the city of Columbus, Ohio. For four years he followed the fortunes of the Confederacy, a por- tion of which time he was engaged in the perilous duties of a spy.
While this chapter is not strictly of the "Story of Camp Chase," it is kindred to the subject.
In a brick cottage, 750 West Broad Street, the spy had his head- quarters. It is a one-story building and stands to-day looking much as it did forty years ago. Every prisoner on his way to Camp Chase, during the time that Marlowe was in Columbus, passed by his door, while the spy, peering from the blinds, watched the march of his Southern comrades to Camp Chase.
This, however, is anticipating the story which the Major was requested to relate for the readers of this volume.
Major Marlowe's remarkable story is as follows :
I enlisted early in the war in Company C, Second Virginia Infantry, and was made first duty sergeant, which position I held until the 23d day of May, 1863, when I was promoted to the rank of major and transferred to the Nineteenth Virginia Cav- alry. Even at that time I had taken part in thirty-two engage- ments, some of which were severe battles. A portion of this time was spent as courier, carrying orders from one general to another, and through these duties I became acquainted with most of the leading generals in the Army of Northern Virginia.
I served under Gen. Stonewall Jackson until his death, after which I was under Longstreet, with Gen. William L. Jackson my brigade commander. I had delivered messages to Gen. R. E. Lee, the Hills, Early, Breckinridge, and others. I received my com- mission from Gen. William L. Jackson, and by him was sent through the lines as scout and spy.
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A CONFEDERATE SPY IN OHIO.
While the soldier who has participated in a number of battles knows what danger is, he is in the midst of excitement, with his comrades about him, and forgets the danger to a great extent ; but the new duty to which I was assigned made me realize perils that I had not yet known. I knew that death was the doom of the convicted spy. The orders were issued, however, and I at
MAJ. A. J. MARLOWE, CONFEDERATE SPY.
once bade the boys good-by and started away on my new line of duty.
My first night was sleepless, for I was busy with my plans. No general ever went over the details of a battle more carefully than I did over mine. There was one subject ever uppermost in my mind-the saving of my life while doing good service for the Confederate cause.
My camp was near a place called Cloverdale, and morning final- ly came. Of course I had slept some, but it was a restless, dis-
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THE STORY OF CAMP CHASE.
turbed slumber, and I was not sorry when the early dawn bade me stir about.
I made my way the first day to Warm Springs. Bath County, Va., and put up for the night at Maise's Hotel. I gained some information from the landlord, who claimed to be a neutral man. . He was neutral, as far as doing anything for either side was concerned.
He told me where the Union army had been encamped, and how they had left a considerable amount of army stores-clothing. blankets, etc. I found the stores and proceeded to help myself. for there were none of the Federal soldiers nearer than nine miles. I selected a sergeant's.uniform and as many blankets as I needed, and was then ready to proceed on my way.
I intended going by Hot Springs, but was informed of the pres- ence of the enemy in that direction, so I retraced my way a few miles and took the mountain road to the Pocahontas Valley and stopped for the night. I got my breakfast at a farmhouse and had my haversack filled also, for they were true Confederates.
They gave me information about the Federals, and the safest route for me to travel. I rode across the mountain and was not molested all day. About nine o'clock at night I arrived at Mrs. Hinkle's, who resided on a farm at the top of Upine Mountain. Mr. Hinkle had been killed by the Union soldiers early in the war, and the widow conducted a large stock farm. Mrs. Hin- kle made me very welcome, and I stayed a couple of days and rested. I kept concealed most of the time, for the Federal cavalry were liable to visit the place any hour. Sure enough, they came, two companies of them, and stayed about two hours. I was hid- den in an orchard, some one hundred and fifty yards away. The soldiers gave Mrs. Hinkle some advice about not assisting the Confederates, and that if she did, what might happen. From my place in the orchard I could only look on and wonder when they would leave. They rode away finally, taking two pigs and about thirty chickens.
I decided to leave my horse with Mrs. Hinkle and travel on foot, so that I need not follow the highways. My pocket compass was now needed. I wanted to travel in a northwesterly direc- tion, so I took my bearings, changed the gray uniform for the blue, loaded a sixteen-shooter and two seven-shooting revolvers.
I traveled all day, and about sundown came in sight of a large cabin on the side of the mountain. I stopped for a while and looked the place over and finally decided to go in. When I got to the house I met with a cold reception. I heard some one say : "He is a d- Yank!" It seemed a bit rough, coming from a woman ; but it was not hard to forgive her, for she was my friend, if I could only explain the blue clothes.
As I approached the door two women appeared. The look of
A CONFEDERATE SPY IN OHIO. 277
disdain upon their faces as their eyes ranged over the uniforin told how cordially they hated the "Yankees." They did not in- vite me in, but I invited myself.
"You ladies don't seem to like the Yankees very well?" I said.
"I reckon you might know what we think of you. The looks of your back going down the road there would be pleasing," said one of the women.
"I don't believe you know a 'Yank' when you see one; and
HEADQUARTERS OF A CONFEDERATE SPY ON WEST BROAD STREET. COLUMBUS, OHIO.
there is no use in us fighting, anyway," said I. "I am a Rebel scout and spy."
They did not believe me at first ; but I convinced them, and then we were friends. They made me welcome, and I arranged to stay all night. Supper was not ready until a late hour, for we had much to talk about, and they took the time to get me a good supper.
At last, as we were about to go to the table, the door was thrown open, and in walked nine well-armed men. They were a sturdy, dangerous-looking lot. I reached for my revolver prompt- ly, and one of the women, noticing my movement, cried: "This man is a Rebel soldier!" "He don't look good to me in those blue rags," said the leader of the rangers, or guerrillas, for such they were; but he smiled good-naturedly when I was introduced
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as a Confederate spy. We all ate supper together, and they told of their exploits in the mountains as bushwhackers.
The Union home guards made life unpleasant for men in sym- pathy with the South; and from the stories these men told, they did as much against any one suspected of being for the Union. I . urged them to join the Confederate army, as they could do more good there, and I succeeded in enlisting seven out of the nine. They agreed that they would go South with me when I returned; and they did, but the number had increased to seventeen.
It was not a bad place to stay, and I remained two nights and a day. The women helped me to secure a guide who knew every mile of that territory, and, as I was not familiar with that portion of Virginia, his services were very acceptable. I learned the whereabouts of the United States forces, and enlisted twenty-one men. I then returned with these to the home of the women, where the seven men I had enlisted were to meet me.
As has been said, they were there with ten additional recruits. I now had thirty-eight men armed with rifles and shotguns, and, after camping for a day or two, started South by the way of Mrs. Hinkle's, where I had left my horse. When we reached the headquarters of Elk River we ran into a squad of Union home guards, and with these we had a sharp skirmish. They wounded two of my men, and we wounded four of them, killed one, and took eleven prisoners. We reached Mrs. Hinkle's the second night, and left for Newmarket the next day at noon. We went by the way of Piedmont, at which place we met a body of Confed- erate scouts and turned over our prisoners. I then went to New- market and turned my men over to General Early. This ended my first trip.
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