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 5
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54
PRISON LIFE IN TEXAS.
Smack, Murphy, Reese and Jackson, met with the usual run of ill-luck, and one fine day found themselves back in Camp Groce.
Nield and Eskew were lost sight of, shortly after they escaped. Nield has never been heard of, nor anything positive about Eskew.
Shaffer escaped with Hartlerode, and was with him several days ; they became separated, and Shaffer being sick, was obliged to give himself up.
Jenkins, passed for a man of the 46th Indiana, who was dead, and was paroled as one of that regiment at Camp Ford.
Colcasieu Bay Expedition.
In April, 1864, an expedition of four transports and gunboats, was sent from New Orleans up the Sabine Pass, into Calcasieu Bay, for cotton, cattle, &c. There accompanied the fleet, a squad of thirty-seven men, from the " non-veteran" camp at Algiers, under the charge of a Lieutenant of the 30th Maine.
The fleet had arrived in the Bay, and whilst two of the boats were below, the others, the " Wave" and " Granite City," whilst lying without steam, and no proper guard, and with the infantry on the opposite shore, were furi- ously attacked, at daybreak, one morning, by a force with a battery, from Sabine City.
The boats were not iron clad, and were exposed, help- less and unmanageable, to the rebels, concealed along the bank. After a short but sharp conflict, the two boats surrendered.
The infantry, on shore, had taken no part in the con- flict, and might have, for the present, at least, escaped ; but through mismanagement on the part of the officer in command, they were surrendered.
Among these prisoners, were Maxwell Reece, R. V. McDowell, Hugh Quinn, Joshua T. Colvin, Phillip M. Benjamin and Jacob Oliver, "non-veterans" of the 46th Indiana.
1
55
PRISON LIFE IN TEXAS.
The infantry, and the officers and crews of the boats, were taken to Sabine City, and thence, to Camp Groce, where they were met by the Red River delegation in August.
The boats captured, were hid, for awhile, in Sabine River, but were afterwards engaged in the rebel service, and, subsequently destroyed.
But little was said about this unfortunate affair, and it will, probably, never be known, for whose benefit the sacrifice was made.
The Loss.
Of the 46th Regiment, Indiana Veteran Volunteers, at the battle of Mansfield, April 8, 1864 :
KILLED.
Lieut. Jacob Hudlow, Private Jas. A. Hastings,
John McClung, 66 Wm. R. Clouse,
Private Archibald Smock,
66
Thos. W. Scott,
Geo. Hunsinger, 66 Hiram Lombart,
Jacob H. Cripliver, 66 Edgar Folk.
WOUNDED.
Capt. Wm. M. Pigman, Private Terrence Dunn, " Frank Swigart,
John McTaggart,
Sergt. Jos. Henderson, 66 Samuel Cree,
Geo. W. Yeates,
66 Johnson Lidgard,
Corp. David Bishop, 66 Jeff. Marshman.
Private Michael Blue, .
Porter A. White,
PRISONERS.
Lieutenant Colonel A. M. FLORY. Captain WILLIAM M. D'HART. Chaplain H. ROBB.
56
PRISON LIFE IN TEXAS.
Sergeant David Murphy, Private William H. Small,
66
Wm. Bacome,
66 Lewis Baer,
Geo. W. Nield,
66 John W. Briggs,
Ellis J. Hughs,
66 Henry Itskin,
John Shaffer,
66 James McBeth,
George Huffman,
Alex. Reid,
Jos. H. Carr,
Chas. T. Rider,
J. N. Mullins,
Moses M. Tucker,
Cyrus J. Peabody,
John W. Welch,
John A Wilson,
Jas. Coleman,
Corporal 66
Lewis Canter,
66
Jacob Gates,
John W. Castle,
John Meredith,
.
Thos. S. Evans,
Herman Hebner,
Dennis Bagley,
M. McConnahay,
J. C. Chamberlin,
66 Theo. Taylor,
Jacob Guess,
Jonathan Hiney,
66 Wm. Hayward,
Bradley Porter,
Allen White,
D. C. Jenkens,
John B. Walden, .
Jesse Shamp. 66
Jas. Fisher,
Private Levi Canter, "
Dan. Garbison,
66 John W. Creson,
Law. Hartlerode,
John T. Reese,
66
J. R. Cunningham,
Amos Orput, John Hamilton,
Joseph Davis, Henry Grant,
66
Wm. Cook,
60
Benj. F. Shelley,
66
Sam. Johnson,
Wm. Kreigbaum,
. Anthony Babeno, Geo. Lane,
Ambrose McVoke,
Robert Lewis,
George Moore,
66 John Sheppard,
Elihu Shaffer,
Isaac E. Smack,
66
Elmore Shelt,
66 Anthony A. Eskew,
John Stallard,
James H. Gardiner,
Wm. Fahler.
66
Geo. W. Mathews,
John R. Shields,
Jas. Passons,
George Sleh,
Geo. W. Oden,
Jacob Sell,
66 John Vanmeter.
Samuel Gable,
AWAY DOWN IN TEXAS
-DURING THE-
GREAT REBELLION!
An account of thrilling interest,
The Experiences, Adventures and ultimate-
Fate of a number of Cass and Pulaski
County Boys.
TITE 46th INDIANA VETERANS WITH GENERAL BAN
Dodging the Rebels.
What an interesting volume might be given to the work, were all the adventures, romantic episodes and thrilling incidents of the late civil war placed in the hands of some ready, graphic writer, to be woven into graceful narritive. Who does not love to linger over the dashing heroism and fine patriotism of the Revolutionary Fathers? The simplest account or story of that glorious epoch never fails to entrance and interest the American readers. So will it be in the future, as each glowing chapter of the 'mighty struggle between patriotism and treason emerges into the light and falls into the hands of posterity. The' war of the Centaurs, the heroism of the Trojans, the glori- ous triumphs of the Grecians may be sang in enrapturing measures; but no age, era, no triumphant march of con- quest and glory can ever enter the heart of impulsive glory. America as do the pages of the history of the "Great Rebellion," and he who will take pains and delight in snatching even but one short paragraph thereof from obscurity and oblivion, will gain for himself a warm place in the heart and memory of the patriotic sons and daugh- ters of our great and prosperous republic.
We are about to undertake this pleasant task, in giving the adventures and terrible experience of a brave and worthy soldier friend and acquaintance-one with whom many of our readers enjoy a very pleasant and intimate ac- quaintanceship. True, our hero was but an humble pri- vate in the rank and file, but our narrative will prove him to be worthy of the highest honor and respect, and his record as brilliant as that of many a glory-crowned chief and epauletted officer.
LAWRENCE HARTLERODE was born in Champaign county, Ohio, 1842. Until the breaking out of the late war he pur- sued the humble and manotonous life of a farmer. In 1861 he was quietly engaged at his avocation on a farm, about three miles south-east of Winamac, in Pulaski county,
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AWAY DOWN IN TEXAS
Indiana, whither he had moved a few years previous. As with the hundreds of thousands of those who cast their all-their fortunes, their sacred homes, and their lives in defense of the nation's integrity-the soul-stirring music of the Union was too much for this patriotic heart; the call for brave arms to strike in behalf of the nation's honor was too pleading and touching in its nature to resist, and he promptly took a place in the ranks of enthusiastic and patriotic volunteers. He enlisted in Company H., +46th Regiment Indiana Veterans. Dr. F. B. Thomas, of Wina- mac, was their original Captain. The Company was at- tached to the 46th Indiana, then under command of Col. G. N. Fitch, of Logansport. Most of the Regiment was made up of brave young men from this section of the State, all of whom won many glorious laurels during their long and dangerous term of service, and those who survived the dreadful contest, returned home to receive a joyful and deeply grateful welcome from the hearts and hands of their beloved "home ones." Many of them are still with us, dearly honored and respected for the glorious part they took in the great work of our country's salvation, and while they live may they ever prove worthy of the grand laurels that encircle them, so that after death the same glorious truths, increased in brilliancy and warmth, may crown their memories while the noble government which they pre- served shall exist to keep them hallowed and sacred.
We shall not attempt to follow the Regiment in its va- ried course, as its history is given in the preceeding pages of a truthful and graceful pen. If you, dear reader, have perused the work this far, you have already learned that our hero (and the regiment of which he was a member) found it his lot to bear an important part in the memora- ble Banks' Expedition, on the Red River, Texas. You have heard how he, in company with a large number of others, was taken prisoner; how they were driven from one! filthy prison pen to another; the terrible sufferiugs and out- rages that they were forced to endure; of their final escape and of the sad fate of all of them, excepting Mr. Hartle- rode, who, after a long, painful and almost fatal journey on foot, hiding and skulking for safety in marshes and for- ests during the day, and causiously plodding his way, with bleeding, blistered and bruised feet, and nude limbs, dur-
-
-
DURING THE GREAT REBELLION. 3
ing the night time, evidently succeeded in gaining the wel- come Union lines. „ Dwell on the thought-fleeing from tortures severer than those of the rack and pillory-pur- sued by blood hounds, whose shrill and blood-thirsty bay- ing smote his ears as he tremblingly hastened toward home and friends, dreading and shrinking momentarily for fear that their sharp fangs would seize his quivering flesh; his bare feet leaving their imprints in blood upon the wild soil; his legs lacerated and torn by sharp briars and brushes; his clothes torn to shreds by the thick undergrowth; his“ tongue hot and swollen for want of cool, refreshing water; his body reduced to a skeleton, pale, weak and emaciated. from cruel and worse than savage starvation! Think of this sad wretch of what was, but a short time previous, a hale, happy, enthusiastic, brave Union soldier, hiding, grooping his way through a trackless wild, living on roots and berries, swimming filthy, slimy, reptile-infested streams, and pursued all the while by hungry hounds and sought after by men whose hearts seemed to be still more savage and cruel, if possible, than the nature of the fierce and irrational brutes that obeyed their friendish com- mands! Does the contemplation not fill you with horror, kindness, and, at the same time, is not your love and ad- miration for the devotion and unyielding patriotism of the Union soldier greatly increased and strengthened ?: Sure- ly, no one can peruse such a picture without having his admiration for devoted patriotism and self-sacrificing hero- ism wonderfully magnified.
The Rebel Prison.
Our narrative opens in a close, filthy rebel prison, at Camp Groce, Texas, on the morning of September 4th, 1864. A number of the poor, half-starved, shivering vic- tims had clustered together, as if to strengthen and support each other by close contact, when they were approached by one of the prison guards, who was a "Union man" at heart, but who was doing guard duty in the vile service, having been forced into the rebel ranks. He pitied the wretched prisoners, and, it seems, he had been busy and on the alert for some time concocting some plan for their re-
4
AWAY DOWN IN TEXAS
lief and escape. At length his plans were matured, and now he approaches the cluster of "boys" that have just attracted our attention, to quietly communicate to "them the welcome secret, for a secret it had to be, and a deadly one, too, it proved to be, to many a one who was unfortu- nate enough to let it "slip" or become known to the prison keepers. He reveals the time, place and manner of escape, and gives the necessary instructions for caution and action. Who can imagine the feelings of joy and hope that were awakened in each patriotic heart on receiving this happy intelligence, in grasping hold of this frail straw, as it. were, of deliverance! Ah, the bright visions of home and dreams that shone in their hearts were no doubt warm and sincere; but, alas, how many never "realized their fond dreams! Only one of that band of truly wretched, forlorn prisoners ever tasted of the sweet realities of the hope awakened by that friend's kind news, or
"Breathed the air again Of their freedom and their own beloved home."
As usual, the pint of corn meal and a little rock salt was served to the famished beings, and right heartily did they set about its preparation. Never did food taste better than it did upon that memorable occasion, for the hope that it would be the last meal of that kind, and in that place, in- creased its palatableness, and also diminished considerably the wanted" time occupied in its preparation and cooking. What a long, long day it seemed to be. The hours hung long and painfnl as the mind worried and struggled with anxiety and dread, anxious for the appointed hour to ar- rive, and fearful but the suspicious, watchtul eye of some one of the beastly guards would detect their plans and frustrate their designs! Many were the anxious, silent, but very expressive and well-understood looks that were exchanged among the eager band during that weary, anx- ious day. How much can be communicated by a silent" look or expression of countenance, especially among those whose hearts are in deep, earnest sympathy and accord! Finally the shades of twilight began to lower over the" scene, wrapping friend and foe alike in its dusky embrace and completely obliterating all lines and features of differ- ence, making the foe unknown and indistinguishable to his
DURING THE GREAT REBELLION. 5
aggressor, and casting its mystic silent spell over all. Nearer and nearer came the appointed moment, and faster and faster beat and thirobbed rhe excited, anxious hearts! At last the signal was given; the way was clear; the gateway was guarded by a friend, whose tongue was sealed and dumb while the forty refugees silently and cautiously emerged from the filthy, pestilential enclosure, determined to regain home and freedom again, if human endurance, aided by a kind providence, could possibly do so. At this hour the officials were less vigilant than usual, making the chance for escape more opening, although the country sur- rounding the camp was very forbidding to an escape at that hour of the night, which was the cause of the accus- tomed lack of vigilance at that time. It was far distant to a town or human habitation; a great expansion of prairie land extended far and near, rendering flight very hazard- ous and laborious, almost too much for mortal persons to triumph over, unless, as in this instance, life and free- dom were the precious rewards held up to the gaze of the struggling one or crowned the happy victors.
After passing, and silently, sadly and grately glancing a last farewell to the friendly guard,-a friend in disguise, who had done so much for them-can the finite mind ever imagine or idealize the emotions, the thoughts of those forty men as they stood outside of the hated stockade walls, deliverance and freedom lying away beyond, with untold suffering and privations and hundreds of wearisome, savage wilds between, and captivity, torture and almost certain death threatening them within the enclosure from which they had just escaped, and to which a thoughtless whisper or unguarded foot-fall might momentarilly recog- nize them! There they stood, bewildered by the sudden transposition, hardly knowing how to proceed; how to over- come the mighty obstacles that faced them so boldly. Men accustomed to hardships and daring, however, do not dwell long in hesitancy and doubt. "Let us regain the Union lines!" was the unanimous and speedy conclusion, and then came the solemn moment when these cowards in suf- fering, marches, battle and imprisonment had to separate; bid each other farewell; a sad, a last farewell! No time was to be lost, and tearfully they grasped each others hand, stammering out the sad, short words of separation,
na. In the fifth line from the bottom read "comrades" for "cowards."
6 AWAY DOWN IN TEXAS
then scattered to the many points of the compass, three and four in a squad, trusting to the great Deliverer for safety and success, for they had no friendly guide to lead; no trusty needle to point the way; no sign or mark to show the way through the trackless wilds; nothing but their own judgments to guide and direct them!
The squad which we shall follow was made up of Law- rence Hartlerode, Isaac E, Smack, David Murphy and Elihu Shaffer. This quartette chose Brashear City, Lous- iana, as their destination, which was distant about three hundred miles. . The first thing to do on setting out, was to make an effort to baffle the blood hounds, which they feared would be set upon their trail, immediately on the discovery of their escape. They happily succeeded in this important advantage by traveling over the prairie on the. first night. Heavy dews fall upon the prairie and low lands in that section of country during the night, which are quickly dispelled in the morning by the glorious sun, completely obliterating any trail or track. that may have been made in the night time, so that the hounds could not trace them far, or their escape being discovered in the morning; which, fortunately, did not occur until a pretty Iate hour. This step was, indeed, considered on the part of the fugitives, and was, no doubt, the cause of their es- cape. In the timber a trail remained traceable to the hounds for forty-eight hours, it is said. This would have been a very unfavorable condition of things for our heroes, and well was it that they bethought themselves of the great advantages of which they so happily and successfully availed themselves. Thirty miles were traveled the first night, showing the energy of hope and the power of deter- mination. On the second night the pint of corn meal was exhausted. Then a new and serious embarrassment stared them in the face. They could travel with bare and sore feet and tired legs through marsh and jungle and over rough and hard surfaces, but how could life hold out with- out food to replace the exhausted muscle and worn-out bones and sinews? " The second day was spent in a fruitless tramp, and just as evening began to close around they came up to a corn field. How beautiful this field of golden maize appeared, almost supernaturally so, because it just then brought success to their weakened and failing bodies. A
DURING THE GREAT REBELLION. 7
good quantity of corn was speedily parched, and was, no doubt, devoured with as much gusto as were the sweet potatoes by the patriotic Marion in the presence of the visiting young British officer. The field also contained a certain kind of black pea, which the party endeavored to cook, but the time for departure came before the peas were sufficiently boiled. " They attempted to eat the undone food, but their stomachs proved too weak to digest the coarse substance, and it was left to mark their resting place. A dark gloomy night was now before them, and their course led through a jungly forest and a thick cane- brake swamp. As might be expected, they lost their way R: in this savage waste. After wandering about for some time, all hope of further progress that night forsook them, and, completely tired out, they sank down to rest in this dark habitation of wild animals. Nothing but the light of Omnicence could look in upon! How many such lonely, sad, darkly-enshrouded pictures the Eye of Heaven be- holds! The next morning on awakening they found their beds of earth resting beneath two inches of water. No trouble for them to wash their faces, which they did, and again set out upon their journey. Soon they brought up on the bank of the Nachess river. After following it up stream for about half a mile, they crossed to the opposite side, carrying their clothing upon their heads. Some time in the afternoon they came upon a party of nogroes, who were engaged in the manufacture of salt. They had some of their rock salt left yet, which they exchanged with the negroes for some of their finer product. The negroes said their masters were rebels. The boys asked them to tell no one of their passing along in that locality, assuring them that they were on their way to fight for the freedom of all the colored people in the land. But little progress was made in that night's travel, owing to the tangled wild through which they passed. About two o'clock in the morning they came upon some water in a pool, in which swine had been wallowing the day previous. Every drop was eagerly drank by them, they being nearly famished, having had no water for many preceeding hours. How great must be the sufferings of one driven to such an ex- treme straight! It is only in such terrible predicaments that we learn to know our insignificance, and the great
8
AWAY DOWN IN TEXAS
love of the Creator toward us in strengthening our powers of endurance and affording us timely relief. Here a halt was made to enjoy a few moment's rest."On preparing to resume their journey, Isaac E. Smack fell over, apparently lifeless! Here was new and frightful trouble! To think that one of their number had to be left dead in that doleful region, was enough to madden their already over-wearied minds. In their anxiety they fell to rubbing the prostrate fellow, and were soon delighted to see signs of resuscitation. He soon became conscious, but was unable to travel. Af- ter leading him slowly along for about two miles, they were forced to stop with him. Here they remained until day dawned, when, happily, a house was discovered not far dis- tant. .. Mr. Smack went to the house, while the remaining trio continued on their weary line of march. But a few grains of their parched corn yet remained at this time, and they began anxiously to look and search about for further supplies. Manydeer and black bear abounded all about them, but they unfortunately had not the means wherewith to capture them. The trials of Tantalus were nothing compared to this, surely! Just think of it-large num- bers of sleek, fat bear and deer dancing and prancing all around you-yet the pangs of starvation keep gnawing at your stomachs, driving you almost to desperation, and no power to relieve yourself. There our little party put in another whole night of weary, fruitless travel. Morning came, but the onward movement was kept up at as.rapid a rate as possible under the eircumstances. About twelve o'clock in the day a house appeared in the distance, but they feared to approach it, lest it might prove the resort of foes and they be re-captured. Here David Murphy began to complain of feeling very sick, and he too was compelled to linger by the wayside, fixing himself as well as he could in the woods to await the result of his illness. The band was now reduced to a duad. A friendly corn field here favored the fugitives with a further supply of food. "They profited by laying in a liberal amount. After several days
and nights of tedious, weary journeying, they reached the Sabine river. A small town marked this point. Here a boat was pressed into service, by which the opposite side of the river was gained. Three or four hours were spent in endeavoring to cross a broad swamp, but the sickle-grass
DURING THE GREAT REBELLION. 9
ing their steps to the river, they built a fire upon its bank thick as could be, proved too much of a barrier. Retrac- and young cane, being eight feet high and standing as
and remained at rest until morning. Again setting forth, they proceeded but a short distance up the river, when they struck an old road. Following this, they were led through the swamp, which was about three miles wide, with ease. Leaving this untraveled road, they soon ap-
water at the approach of the intruders upon their solitude. filled with alligators. The vicious animals plunged into the proached a very deep stream, the banks of which were
of these unsightly, voracious animals in a body, lazily en- `greeted human vision than that offered by a large number Perhaps no more loathsome or abhorent spectacle ever
joying themselves in some wild and marshy locality. We have beheld the sights upon several occasions, and we can- not recall the instance without horror and shuddering.
Here, indeed, was another serious difficulty for our friends
to surmount. " The depth of the stream was itself a great
obstacle to the passage thereof, but how was a crossing to be made in the midst of such a horde of ferocious reptiles! Fortunately, a lot of old telegraph poles was lying near at hand. Several of these were rolled into the stream and lashed together with grass, thus extemporizing a raft, on which to carry the haversacks, clothing, etc., to the oppo- site side. Shaffer swam before and pulled, and Hartlerode puslied in the rear. Imagine their feelings when their naked legs came in contact with some object! Alligators! no doubt thrilled along every nerve filiment in their bodies, and caused them to leap and shriek in terror! Thus days and night's were spent in perilous and exhausting travel, until at last Shaffer became sick and was scarcely able to move along. A halt was made. After parching the usual meal of corn, Hartlerode procured some boneset and made
a tea for his sick comrade. The decoction had the effect of temporarily invigorating Shaffer, enabling him to resume the journey. They were about ten miles from Lake Charles when Shaffer declared that he . could go no further. A house chanced to be in view at the time and thither the twain nearly dragged themselves. They found it occupied by a woman and several children. They informed her that they were escaped yankee prisoners; that they were sick,
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