USA > Texas > Prison life in Texas : an account of the capture and imprisonment of a portion of the 46th Regiment, Indiana Veteran Volunteers in Texas > Part 1
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GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02324 137 2
Gc 973.74 IN2FR PRISON LIFE IN TEXAS
PRISON LIFE IN TEXAS
AN ACCOUNT
OF
HE CAPTURE, AND IMPRISONMENT 1
OF A PORTION OF THE
46th Regiment Indiana Veteran Volunteers,
IN TEXAS.
JOURNAL OFFICE, LOGANSPORT, INDIANA.
-2002-
--
Allen County Public Library 900 Webster Street PO Box 2270 Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270
ADVERTISEMENT.
This narrative is the experience of a portion of the 46th Regi- ment, Indiana Veteran Volunteers, as prisoners at Camps Ford and Groce, Texas.
.
Although there were many noble representatives of other Regi- ments and States, in those places of torture, no want of considera- tion for them, will be charged in omitting more particular mention of them. The work is designed, more especially, as a regimental history, in which the privations and sufferings of a part of the men may be had in a tangible form, for the satisfaction of the prisoners, their comrades and friends.
THE RED RIVER EXPEDITION.
In December, 1863, an expedition was fitted out at New Orleans, under Major General Banks against Texas, and in conjunction with one under General Steele, against the whole trans-Mississippi Department of the Rebel Govern- ment.
The objective point of this expedition was Galveston, or Sabine City, which it was proposed to reach through the Teche and Bayou Beof countries, by Franklin, Oppe- lousas, Alexandria and Nachitoches-on by Shreveport, across the Sabine River, and south to the point determ- ined upon. The column of General Steele, was expected to meet that of General Banks, at Shreveport.
Nothing was spared to make the expedition certain. The Commissary, Quarter-Master, and Ordnance Depart- ments, furnishes material in the most lavish manner, and nothing seemed wanting but courage, endurance, and good management on the campaign, to ensure its success. The troops forming the expedition, had, the most of them, been in the service over two years, and upon many fields and campaigns had proven their courage and endurance. The reputation of General Banks, guaranteed the gener- alship. .
From New Orleans there went the 13th and 19th Army Corps. Of the former, there were but two divisions present-the 3d and 4th. The Ist and 2d were at Brownsville, Texas. Of the 3d division, the 11th, 24th, 34th and 47th Indiana regiments, were home on Veteran furlough-thus reducing the division far below the mininum. This corps was under the command of General Ransom. The 19th was commanded by General Franklin.
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PRISON LIFE IN TEXAS.
A fleet of gunboats and monitors, under Commander Porter, passed up Red River, and was expected to reduce the forts and batteries along the banks of the river, and kecp open the communication with the Mississippi.
From Vicksburg there was sent the 16th Army Corps, under General A. J. Smith, which went up Red River on transports.
The entire expedition started in good time. That por- tion which left Vicksburg, encountered the rebels at Fort De Russey, and there achieved a splendid victory. The fort was carried by a brilliant movement, and a number of guns and prisoners taken. A large amount of cotton fell into the hands of the Navy.
The corps and navy then passed on up the river. The former joined General Banks at Pleasant Hill, the day after the victory gained by the rebels had settled the ex- pedition. The fleet with an infantry force under General Kilby Smith, went on up towards Shreveport, and was many miles above "Grand Ecore," when the retreating Federal army reached that point, on the road back. The capture of the fleet and troops above, seemed inevitable, but as the expedition was running on luck, rather than management, they escaped with but little loss.
That portion of the column in which was the 46th In- diana, left Algiers, March 6th. The following, a brief diary of the march, will be interesting to those who were in the expedition :
March 6th. Left Algiers, arrived at " Brashear City " and crossed "Berwick Bay " same evening.
7th to 12th. In camp.
13th. Marched sixteen miles to Boreland's Platation.
14th. Five miles beyond Franklin.
15th. In camp.
16th. Marched to within six miles of New Iberia.
17th. Seventeen miles to Spanish Lakc.
18th. Fifteen miles to Vermillion Bayou.
19th. To Camp Fair View, near Grand Coteau, eigh- teen miles.
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PRISON LIFE IN TEXAS.
20th. Eighteen miles, to a point two miles beyond Washington. Camped on " Bayou Cortableaux."
21st. In eamp.
22d. Sixteen miles, and eneamned on " Bayou Beof."
23d. Twenty-three miles. Still on " Bayou Beof."
24th. Marehed twelve miles. Eneamped near a Steam Saw Mill.
25th. Fourteen miles. Honored a rebel Captain's plantation with a camp.
26th. Six miles beyond Alexandria, on the "Bayou Rapids."
27th. In eamp. The cavalry routed the enemy and captured some prisoners.
28th. Very rainy. Eighteen miles on the " Bayou Rapids." 20th. Fifteen miles. Encamped on Big Cane.
30th. In camp.
31st. Sixteen miles. on " Little Cane."
April 1st. To Naehitoches, twenty-two miles.
2dl to 5th. In eamp in rear of the town.
6th. Fifteen miles to "Oak Bottoms."
7th. To " Pleasant Hill," twenty miles.
8th. Fifteen miles to "Sabine Cross Roads," where the battle was fought. Divisions were sent in only as fast as the rebels eould dispose of them. Returned to " Pleas- ant Hills," which was reached at + next morning.
9th. The 16th Corps eame up. Battle of " Pleasant Hills." Beat the rebels off, but started for the river. Marched until 3 next morning.
10th. Started at 5 A. M., and arrived at "Oak Bot- tom " at noon.
11th. Left at 4:30 A. M., and arrived at "Grand Eeore," at noon.
12th. Work on entrenehments. Reports of attack. Portions of our army hurrying in.
13th and 14th. Work on entrenchment. Reports of rebels coming to attack. Bad news from the gunboats above.
15th. Great excitement about the fleet above.
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PRISON LIFE IN TEXAS.
16th to 21st. Still at "Grand Ecore." Rebels watch- ing and waiting for us to move. Fleet comes down. Receive orders to march at 5 P. M. All ready but did not start until 2:30 next morning. Meanwhile, town caught fire.
22d. Marched until 2 o'clock next morning.
23d. Started at 6 A. M. Reached " Big Cane." Also the rebels. Battle. Rebels on front and rear. Beat them off, and traveled.
24th. Left "Big Cane" at 8 A. M., and marched to
"Bayou Rapids," eighteen miles.
" 25th. Eighteen miles, to within two miles of "Alexan- dria." Very hot and dusty.
26th. In camp. Work on entrenchments.
27th. First Division of the 13th Army Corps arrives from Texas. 28th. Ordered to attack the enemy. Did so and came back.
20th and 30th. In camp. Very hot. Working on the dam. 47th Indiana arrived.
May 1st. In line of battle all the time. Rebels inqui- sitive. They get below on the river.
2d. Ordered to go out after the enemy. Skirmished all day. Rebels followed back, and threw shell into camp. Transport " Emma " captured below and burned.
3d. Very hot. In line of battle all day. Rebels in view. Heavy rumors. River open but lined with rebels. " Rob Roy " arrived from below. Work on dam progres- sing. The river and the expedition dam-ed by the army. 4th. Entrenchiing. Cannonading down the river. "City Belle," with the 120th Ohio, captured. Boat burned and Colonels Mudd, Bassett, and Speegle, killed. 56th Ohio start home on the " Warner" on " veteran " furlough.
5th. Marched out. Fought the rebels all day. Sharp shelling. Steamer " Warner" was captured. Many of the regiment killed and wounded. Transport and Gun- boats "18" and "25," burned. " Veteran furloughs " at a discount.
-
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PRISON LIFE IN TEXAS.
6th. Marched out at noon. Skirmi hed all the after- noon. Went five miles. Laid all night at " Middle Bayou " in line of battle.
7th. Started at 6 A. M. Went forward. Met the enemy at once. Skirmished all day. Arrived at " Bayou Rapids Bridge" at 5 P. M. Drove the rebels across. Major McNiel, of Texas, caught sneaking around the skirmish line and shot. Had $700 in rebel money and important papers in his pocket. Left at 10 P. M., and fell back to last night's position.
8th to 12th. In line of battle at " Middle Bayou," keeping the rebels back whilst the dam is being built. All kinds of weather. Corn over a foot high. Rebels keep us busy. Heavy explosion about Alexandria. Many rumors.
13th. Ordered to leave at sunrise. Started at 2:30 P. M. Struck the river some miles below Alexandria after dark. River crowded with boats. The lights looked like those of a city.
14th. Started at 6 A. M. Slow marching. Troops take the levee ; the wagons the road. Hot and dusty. Halted at 12 midnight. Food and fodder scarce. Burn- ing buildings on the right, in front and rear. Men very tired.
15th. Started at 7 A. M. Went one mile and a half by 3:30 P. M. Attack on the rear. Rebels shell sharply. Drove them back. Head of column building bridge over Bayou Chateau. Marched at 3:30 P. M. Made twelve miles by 1:30 next morning. Road full of refugees on carts, wagons, foot and horse-back. Many wagons burned.
16th. Laid down in line of battle at 1:30 A. M. Or- dered to move at 3. Started at 4. Met the enemy at 7. Formed lines. Rebel lines a mile and a half long. Drove them. Battles of Marksville and Mansura. Towns heavily visited. Reports of much confiscation and burning. Started again at 2 P. M. HIalted in the bed of a Bayou at 4:30 P. M.
17th. Started at 2:30 A. M. Went six miles by 5:30. IIalted two hours, and reached and crossed " Bayou Glaze"
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PRISON LIFE IN TEXAS.
by 5 o'clock. Rebel attack on rear and front. Drove them back. Very oppressive weather.
18th. Awaiting the building of a pontoon over the Atchafalya. Rebels in heavy force attacked Genera! Mower's two brigades, on the east of the Bayou. About 15,000 men stood and looked on whilst 8,000 rebels fought 4,000 of our troops. Regiments all ready to fall in, but no orders. Watched the fight three hours, when the rebels retired. Our loss 600. Rebels over 1,000.
19th. Orders to flank the rebels. Made the move- ment down the "Atchafalya," but no rebels there. Re- turned to the big pontoon at 4 P. M.
20th. Crossed the pontoon built of steam-boats. Marched up the Atchafalya and waited for the column. At 5 the bridge was broken up and the boats, at high speed, went towards Red River and the Mississippi. Column started at 11 P. M.
21st. Halted at 8 A. M. for breakfast. Reached the Mississippi at 10 A. M. Marched down it and halted at 7:30 P. M.
22nd. Started at 3:30 A. M., and reached Morganza at 1 P. M.
Battle of Mansfield.
On the night of the 7th of April, 1864, the entire in- fantry force of the army encamped at Pleasant Hill, nineteen miles from Mansfield. The cavalry, near this point, having overtaken the rear guard of the enemy, under General Green, after a brief skirmish, drove the rebel force forward, killing thirty and wounding sixty men. General Lee's loss being twenty killed and fifty wounded. The cavalry then moved on about six miles, and went into camp for the night. The infantry force mentioned, was now well concentrated and in high spirits. The baggage and supply trains were all up, and the artil- lery was conveniently parked. Long lines of camp-fires gleamed brightly through the thick pine forest. Groops of
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PRISON LIFE IN TEXAS.
dusty men, with high hopes sang patriotic songs around blazing pine faggots, whilst others reposed on the soft carpet of leaves, dreaming of home and those who were there watching for their return, little thinking that the next night would find them hurrying to the same spot, broken and scattered; with many lying stiff in death, or with mangled limbs, in the hands of a heartless and ex- asperated foe. Bnt a happy joyous night was soon to be turned to mourning.
On the Sth the sun rose bright in a cloudless sky, usher- ing in a beautiful, but to the Union army a disastrous day. At 5 o'clock, the 4th Division of the 13th Army Corps, commanded by Colonel Landrum, of the 19th Kentucky, numbering about eighteen hundred men, moved forward to support the cavalry. At 6 o'clock, the 3d Division of the 13th Corps, under command of Brigadier General R. A. Cameron, numbering, exclusive of train-guards, about twelve hundred, followed. The 13th Corps was under command of Brigadier General Ransom.
After this force came the supply and ammunition trains of the 13th Corps. The trains of the cavalry were all in front.
At 7 o'clock General Emory, with one division of the 19th Corps, moved in rear of the trains of the 13th Corps, who was followed by the whole train of the army, except the portions specified as going before. The remainder of the 19th Corps, which was the bulk of the army, followed under Major General Franklin.
The train numbered over six hundred wagons, of which those of the General's staff formed no inconsiderable por- tion.
The road over which this enormous train was to pas s was a narrow, tortuous passage, through a dense pine for- est-so narrow in many places. that a single horseman could scarcely pass the moving wagons. The rear-guard of the army did not get away from camp until after 12 o'clock.
At this time the 16th Corps, under General A. J.
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PRISON LIFE IN TEXAS.
Smith, was on the road from Grand Ecore, where it had disembarked from boats.
About 7 o'clock, the cavalry discovered the enemy, about 5,000 strong, strongly posted on a deep Bayou, about eight miles from " Pleasant Hill." A brisk skirm- ish ensued,-on our side principally with carbines,-our envalry being dismounted, the nature of the ground for- bidding the eavalry movements, and permitting but a few pieces of artillery to be used. The 4th Division was at once hurried forward and the enemy was speedily dis- lodged and driven away. The contest here was brief, but fierce. The enemy fell baek, slowly and stubbornly con- testing the ground, and elosely pursued by the cavalry and the small body of infantry. A running fight was kept up for a distance of eight miles, when at 2 o'eloek, the enemy, after passing a plantation of some six hundred aeres, made a determined stand.
A council of war was now held by General Banks, at which all the Generals of divisions were present. It was proposed to go into camp, issue rations, and give the 19th and 16th Corps time to come up, and be prepared on the next morning to fight the battle which appeared im- minent. This wise proposition was over-ruled, and General Lee was ordered to push the enemy. It was ar- gued that the enemy was not in foree in front, but that it was nothing more than the foree that had been opposing the expedition for the day or two previous, and that the cavalry, supported by the infantry, then up, was sufficient for the work.
During this halt the 3d Division had moved up to within four miles of the seene of action. Whilst the eon- sultation was going on, it was ordered to go into eamp. It remained at this point about two hours, when General Cameron received orders to move at onee to the front.
By this time the battle raged furiously. It was found that the entire rebel force was in position, behind hastily eonstrueted works of logs. The cavalry had broken and fell in disorder baek. The cavalry train was halted in the road, bloeking it up against the advance of artillery, and
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PRISON LIFE IN TEXAS.
preventing the mass of retreating horsemen from escap- ing, but through the lines of infantry. The 4th Division fought with desperation. The rebel lines were forced, only to give way again before them. It had to oppose the entire rebel army and the struggle was decided by numbers. But eighteen hundred men, (with a very small portion of cavalry) were engaged on the Union side in this contest.
The Union lines being comparatively short, the ex- tended lines of the enemy were enabled to close around this small force, and the retreat of a large portion was cut off. The cavalry stampeded, leaving infantry, artil- lery and train at the mercy of the enemy. The infantry cut through to find itself again surrounded. The ammu- nition after two hours hard fighting, was exhausted, and a surrender was unavoidable.
Suchi was the condition of affairs when General Came- ron arrived on the ground with the 3d Division, number- ing not over twelve hundred men. Line of battle was immediately formed with the 1st Brigade, (composed of the 46th Indiana and five companies of the 29th Wiscon- sin, under Lieutenant Colonel A. M. Flory.) on the right, and the 2d Brigade, (composed of the 24th and 28th Iowa, and the 56th Ohio, under Lieutenant Colonol Raynor,) on the left. The position of the division was on the edge of a wood, with the open plantation in front. It was about three-fourths of a inile across, with nothing to obstruct the view, but an occasional swell of the ground. The width of this open space was more than thrice the length of the front of the Ed Division, now the only troops left to confront the enemy.
The rebels, elated with their late success, came pouring over the clearing, in successive lines, with closely mass- ed columns. They were permitted to come within close musket range, before the 3d Division opened upon them. The Union position was such that, concealed behind logs and fences, it could not be accurately ascertained by the rebels, giving an unusually fine opportunity for deliber- ate and accurate firing. A deadly volley broke forth
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PRISON LIFE IN TEXAS.
from the whole line-breaking the rebel ranks, hurling them back in confusion, and leaving the ground strewn with their dead and wounded. The rattle of the deadly muskets was unceasing, and the rebel slaughter was ter- rible.
The enemy rapidly retreated, but again reformed heavi- er lines, with fresh troops. Now was the time for the 19th Corps to have been brought up. and forming on the right and left of the line, already there, prevented the flanking by the enemy, through which they gained their victory. But that was not the arrangement. The 19th Corps was some four miles in the rear. in camp. and could not be brought up until the 3d, like the 4th Divi- sion, had been sacrificed.
The rebels advanced again and again, but could not maintain themselves upon the ground. They were driv- en back-lines, numbering not less than eight thousand, by this little force of twelve hundred.
Another, but feebler demonstration, was made on the front by a small part of the enemy, whilst the bulk of the force, under cover of the woods, on either side, pass- ed around to the flanks and rear of the Union lines. This closed the contest. The 3d Division was surround- ed. It maintained the line, and endeavored to fall back, but the rebels, coming actually among the men, forced them to break, to enable the few that might, to escape. The men fought to the last moment, and continued firing until forced to cease by capture, or by the want of amu- nition. They fought from tree to tree, pursued by the rebel cavalry, a mile and a half, when a portion of the 19th Corps coming up, saved the remnant, not killed or captured.
The 19th Corps drove back the rebels with considera- ble slaughter, and night coming on ended the conflict for the day.
The cavalry train being in the road, blocked it up com- pletely. The pine woods were so thick that artillery could not be moved through it, so it was impossible to bring off the wagon, artillery and ambulance trains. All
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fell into the hands of the rebels. The cavalry train was heavily laden with commissary stores and officers' prop- erty, and was rich booty for the rebels.
This was the battle of " Mansfield," or "Sabine Cross Roads," where an expedition, fitted out, without regard to expense, finely appointed, in every necessary material ; with an army never before defeated-men who had stood at Vicksburg, Jackson, Port Hudson and Baton Rouge- defeated and destroyed with a loss of material inestima- ble, and a sacrifice of life, terrible to remember, through a plan of battle which threw into the fight detachments of troops, only as fast as they could be destroyed. Here was committed one of the great blunders of the war, and one for which nobody, as yet, has accounted.
The loss of the Union army at this battle, was six hun- dred killed and wounded, and twelve hundred and fifty captured. The loss of the rebels, as taken from their of- ficial reports, was thirty-one hundred, of whom, ten days after, one thousand were dead. Texas and Louisiana were in mourning for the calamity that fell upon them. Very many prominent officers were killed. General Mouton, of Louisiana, and General Green, of Texas, the hope of that part of the Confederacy, were victims. Scarcely a company came out without the loss of all, or nearly all of its commissioned officers, and the victory was more dearly paid for than would have made repe- tition profitable.
The March to Camp Ford.
After their capture, the prisoners were rapidly pushed to the rear. Along the road from the battle-field to Mansfield, four miles, the road was strewn with dead rebels, and the debris of the battle. The wounded were being gathered up. and the country was covered with tem- porary hospitals, to which the rebels were carrying their crowds of wounded.
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PRISON LIFE IN TEXAS.
At Mansfield, about two hundred of our prisoners were crowded into the Court House, and for the night, were confined in a room scarcely large enough for half that number. This room had been used by rebel troops for quarters, and was filled with filth and excrement; being in just such a condition as a most degraded band of sav- ages would be likely to leave it. The rest of the prisoners were corraled on a freshly plowed field, near the town, and compelled to get what rest they might, after twenty miles' march, and two hours' hard fighting, on the ground, saturated as it was, with recent rains. Nothing, of any consequence, had been eaten since five o'clock that morn - ing. Most of the men had lost their knapsacks in the fight, and with nothing but their clothing, hungry and tired, they began, under such circumstances, a long and tortur- ing imprisonment. The cold, north wind chilled the blood and benumbed the bodies of the captives, and they esteemed their sufferings great, but the time was to come, when they could look back upon this night as pleasantly passed. compared with many of their experience.
On the morning of the 9th, the day after the battle, the entire capture was assembled and moved forward, towards their destination, in Texas. No rations, whatever, werc issued to the prisoners. Chilled, hungry and weary, this band, numbering fifty commissioned officers and twelve hundred men, were goaded forward, between two lines of rebel cavalry, flushed with a blundering success, and void of all the principles of manhood and the honor of the sol- dier, and filled with a brutish ferocity, developed and sharpened by their losses and their triumph. The most insulting epithets were heaped upon these defenceless men, these prisoners, and those who, from sickness or exhaustion, reeled in the ranks, were treated only as a slave-driving chivalry can treat defenceless humanity.
At six o'clock at night, after a march of twenty-four miles, the staggering column was turned into an open field, having had an unbroken fast of two days. About ten o'clock at night, a small allowance of wood was giv- en the prisoners. a pint of musty, unsifted corn-meal,
-
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PRISON LIFE IN TEXAS.
with a small allowance of salt beef, no salt, and one bak- ing pan to each hundred men. There was no water with - in a fourth of a mile. Eight or ten men were taken out at a time to fill the canteens, of which a very small num- ber had escaped the notice of the rapacious captors on the battle-field. The entire night was spent in trying to prepare food from the scanty materials at hand-a task almost impossible.
Poetical imaginations, reveling in sumptuously filled stomachs, and cheered by a bright, blazing fire, speak of sleep as "a sweet restorer;" but a thinly clad man to woo sleep on the cold, wet ground, with the starry sky for a covering, and outside of such a supper as has been alluded to, fails, most decidedly, to see the point.
At daybreak, on the morning of the 10th, the haggard procession was again put in motion, and marched a dis- tance of twenty-five miles. During this day's march, many men were forced along by the bayonet, and by threats of shooting.
About the same rations were issued as the evening be- fore, with the addition of an abundant supply of water from a creek. In keeping with the consideration gener- ally showed the prisoners, by the guards, they encamped above the prisoners, and washed the horses and their own persons in the stream, and in other ways, rendered the water as filthy, as a systematic endeavor could make it.
After marching and halting in this manner for sixteen days, the point of destination was reached. The women and children from the country, on either side of the road, for miles, congregated in motley groups to witness the imposing spectacle. The doors and windows of each house were filled with crowds of haggard women, white- headed, ragged children, and naked negroes, of all sizes and ages ; old men and boys, were posting hurriedly to the front, armed with every conceivable weapon known to the gunsmith for the last century, and mounted in ev- ery imaginable style. Confederate flags were displayed in abundance ; fit emblems of their treachery and villainy. In passing any considerable group. or a town, our un-
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