for Greensboro at 8; we rode on top, very cold and slow riding;
arrived at G. (fifty miles) at about 7 a. m. Changed cars and lay over
until 7 p. m. Left for Danville, Va.; slept nearly all night, reaching
D. at daylight; changed cars and started immediately for Richmond,
enjoying the prospect of homeward bound. Washington's birthday, Feb.
22; arrived in Richmond about 2 a. m. Waited till 9 a. m. when we
were put into Libby Prison, remaining there till nine o'clock of the
following morning. Then we started by boat down the River, passing
safely through the obstructions; saw two rebel rams, Fort Darling and
other places of interest, reaching the landing (Aiken's) after two
hours' sail, and were received by Yankee cavalry and escorted to the
Yankee truce-boat, some 3 or 4 miles down the river; passed through
the Eighteenth Corps, mostly colored troops, who used us finely giving
us bread, tobacco, etc. On seeing the good old Flag we felt that we
were free again. We got to our boat all right, except wet feet and
some weariness. We soon got the first drink of Yankee coffee for five
months and more; it tasted splendidly and we got plenty to eat and
felt like new men. We had a safe trip down the river, arriving at
Annapolis Feb. 26, '65; started from Salisbury Prison, Monday; reach
Annapolis Saturday. This journal was written on the way home, written
under difficulties and excitement, and, as a consequence, is not very
minute.
"P. S. Many of the poor fellows who lived to leave prison, died soon
after reaching home so that, at the time Lee surrendered as far as I
could ascertain, four-fifths of those sent to Salisbury were dead, the
remainder being more or less broken in health."
CORPORAL F. A. GLINES' DIARY.
Of the foregoing list, Glines, Horton and Locke, all of "E," kept
diaries or some form of record, as did Corp. E. H. Lewis of "B," the
first two until a few days before their deaths; Private Locke, after
the war, embodied his recollections in a very interesting lecture,
delivered by him many times. From all of these sources items have been
gleaned through the body of the history and especially in the following
pages. From the carefully preserved diary of Corporal F. A. Glines
extracts are made as follows:--
Fri., August 19, 1864--Lay in line all night; moved a little to the
right; were attacked and flanked and I, with the greater part of my
reg't, was taken prisoner; were taken to Petersburg under guard; very
rainy and muddy.
Sat., 20--Lay in a field all night; very wet, cold and uncomfortable;
were taken through the town and put on an island, at the north side of
the Appomattox.
Sun., 21--Lay on the island all day; drew rations for one day; I had
bread and a small piece of pork, full of worms.
Mon., 22--Were called up at 2 a. m.; left the island at 4; were put
aboard the cars and sent to Richmond; are quartered in Libby Prison;
drew rations for one day, half loaf corn-bread and a small piece fresh
meat.
Tues., 23--Were sent across the street to another prison; were
searched and all articles of any value were taken from us; were sent
to Belle Isle this afternoon; met John Davis (H) here; am in the
Forty-fifth Squad.
Wed., 24--Very hot; are having tents put up for us; we have two meals
a day; quarter loaf of corn bread at 10 a. m. and corn bread and soup
at 3 p. m.; have to sleep on the ground with no covering.
Thurs., 25--Very hot and uncomfortable; signs of rain to-night; had
only one meal to-day.
Fri., 26--Very heavy thunder-shower; last evening several men tried to
escape; do not know how many succeeded; several shots fired at them;
one man killed and three wounded.
Sat., 27--Sergt. French, Co. G., shot by the guard, one other man
wounded; got our tents to-day.
Sun., 28--Very hot; were counted this morning.
Mon., 29--2000 more prisoners sent here this afternoon; enlarging the
space for prisoners.
Thurs., Sept. 8--My twenty-first birthday; pleasant weather.
Fri., 9--Were counted to-day; the squads, filled up, stayed outside
nearly all day; took different tents when we came in.
Sat., 10--Great fire in Manchester last night; great deal of dispute
about tents.
Thurs., Sept. 15--Those men whose terms of service have expired were
sent for to-day and their names taken; there was quite a large number
of them from nearly all the states.
Fri., 16--Slept cold last night; a warm day; the guard which has been
guarding us has been relieved by a lot of old cocks who hardly know a
gun from a broomstick; the old guard went off last night.
Thurs., 22--A Dutch reb lieutenant in here this afternoon, trying to
enlist Germans in the reb. service; met with poor success, the boys
were too loyal for him; the guard-tents on the hill removed.
Sun., 25--A lot of our men went out to-day to work for the reb
government as coopers, carpenters and shoemakers; they are a small
loss to us; the fewer such men the government has, the better for us.
Mon., 26--Some of our men building breastworks for the rebs opposite
the camp; it is a pity that they cannot be made to charge on them with
rebs behind the works; did not get anything to eat till about 2 p. m.
Tues., 27--John Davis sent to the hospital; a boat load of tents came
over this morning.
Wed., 28--Counted this morning; two men buried themselves outside with
the intention of escaping, but one of our men told the Lieutenant, who
has kept them in their hole all day buried up to their necks.
Thurs., 29--Heavy cannonading in the direction of Fort Darling; some
excitement in Richmond; a battery planted opposite us, across the
river; counted to-day; had to stay out nearly all day; got nothing to
eat till evening; was very hungry and faint; new tents put in place of
the old ones.
Fri., 30--It is six weeks to-day since we were "gobbled" and about as
miserable a six weeks as ever I passed, but "nil desperandum"; 670
prisoners sent here to-day, the greater part captured at Winchester.
Sat., October 1--Very heavy cannonading in the direction of Fort
Darling; a great deal of excitement in Richmond; the guards have
orders to shoot us if we make any cheering or noisy demonstration;
rained all day, passed a cold, miserable and comfortless day.
Sun., 2--Rained nearly all last night; some cannonading this morning;
a man shot by the guard last night; cloudy nearly all day; the
quartermaster and quartermaster sergeant of the island sent to Castle
Thunder for selling rations.
Mon., 3--Another man shot by the guard this morning; about 200 more
prisoners were sent over here this evening from Libby.
Tues., 4--1100 men were sent away from here this morning; said to be
going further south; they were furnished with two days' rations.
Wed., 5--600 more men sent off this morning.
Thurs., 6--900 of us were turned out at 2 a. m. and furnished with two
days' rations; marched off the island and lay till four o'clock just
off the island, got aboard the cars on the Richmond and Danville R. R.
and started en route for Salisbury, N. C.
Fri., 7--Rode on the cars all night, reaching Danville at 10 a. m., a
most painful ride; we were packed in like herrings; changed cars and
reached Greensboro, N. C, at 10 p. m.; were marched out into a field
for the night; very cold and windy.
Sat., 8--A very cold night, slept very little; left Greensboro this
morning and reached Salisbury this evening, a very cold ride; 100
men were packed into each car; have drawn no rations since Thursday
morning.
Sun., 9--We are in a field of about ten acres, we have no shelter
and have to sleep on the ground with no covering, drew rations this
morning. Saw Captain Kinsley and the rest of the officers; they are in
the field with us in log houses, separated from us by a guard.
Mon., 10--Did not sleep any last night, it was so cold; drew rations
of half loaf of bread and a pint of boiled rice; 2000 more men sent
here from Belle Isle.
Tues., 11--Slept in the house last night, quite comfortable; drew only
half loaf of bread to-day; two men died last night; strong talk of
paroling; guess it's only "chin."
Wed., 12--Water very scarce, went outside to-day with some dippers
after water.
Thurs., 13--Slept in the house last night, slept very cold; drew
rations of hard bread and rice soup to-day; the best rations we have
drawn since we came here.
Sun., 16--During the night Captain Davis of the 155th New York
Regiment was shot by the guard through the head, he was killed almost
instantly.
Wed., 19--All the officers sent away this afternoon; 500 more
prisoners sent here this evening from Danville, Va. Have been a
prisoner two months to-day.
Thurs., Nov. 10--One of our squad fell into the well to-day and
escaped almost miraculously with a sprained shoulder.
Wed., 23--Cleared off this morning; pleasant but very cold; Charley
Jones died this morning at eight o'clock; Allen died at 2 a. m.
Thurs., 24--Thanksgiving Day at home; we are on half rations to-day; a
hard Thanksgiving day for us, but better times are coming, boys, "Wait
a little longer!"
Fri., 25--Made a grand rush for freedom this noon, but we were driven
back by the guard and about twenty-five or thirty were killed and
wounded; we are on half rations again to-day.
Sat., 26--Phillips died this morning; received a letter from home this
evening. It seems good to hear from the dear ones at home; it was
written Sept. 27.
Mon., 28--146 colored prisoners came in yesterday from Richmond; they
have been captured about two months.
Tues., 29--A large number of our men going out to enlist in the rebel
service. I am pretty hard up, but I am bound to stick to Uncle Sam.
Fri., December 2--Rather cloudy but comfortable day; full rations
again to-day, bread, meat and rice soup, so I satisfied my hunger for
the first time in a long time.
Tues., 6--400 more prisoners arrived here yesterday, mostly cavalry
captured in the Valley; 525 men enlisted in the reb service.
Tues., 13--350 men enlisted in the reb service to-day; Thompson of our
company went with them; he is the first man to enlist from our company.
Wed., 14--Slept in the hospital last night.
Fri., 16--30 men from our Corps sent in here to-day; three are from
our regiment and bring interesting news from the boys.
The entry for the 16th was the last made by the young man, whose
Somerville home was as pleasant and comfortable as any which that most
attractive place afforded; whose father was fretting at the absence of
his son, yet the latter, putting duty to his country before all others,
was faithful to the end and died on the 6th of January following, his
body sleeping with nearly 13,000 others in a nameless grave.
CORPORAL JOHN E. HORTON'S DIARY.
Corporal John E. Horton was a very regular observer and chronicler of
passing events, seldom if ever missing a day. The following extracts
are given, not all that he wrote but rather where his records add to
those already given from Corporal Glines' entries. A faithful husband
and father, nearly every day has some reference to the wife and the
baby boy in the far away home and on the 21st of August he laments his
inability to get a letter through the lines to Laura, his wife:
Tues., August 23--(The prisoners are in Libby.) Slept first rate.
Wash up and eat breakfast. They put part of us into another building
opposite; take our names, number of regiment and where we were born,
then search us, take our haversacks, etc. Give us rations about 1 p.
m., take us to Belle Isle; there are a little over 3,000 of us here.
We are divided into squads of 30; Ladd is our Sergeant.
Thurs., 25--Brown is at work, outside, helping the cook; get our
rations from across the river; attend prayer meeting.
Mon., 29--About 2100 came from Libby, of the Second Corps; they were
taken the 25th at Ream's Station; am sorry to see them.
Tues., 30--Provisions are very high; small loaves of bread are $5.00
in Confederate money and $1.00 in greenbacks; coffee, $15.00; sugar,
$12.00; onions, $1.00; apples, $2.00 and $3.00. For $1.00 we get
one-fourth of a loaf of bread, a small piece of bacon and a little
bean soup, just enough to keep us alive.
Sat., Sept. 3--They have stopped the speculation in corn bread. The
Lieutenant says all of it is ours and he will see that we get it.
Write a short letter to Laura; fear she may not get my letters; there
is a prayer meeting every night. I attend and hope they may do me good.
Sun., October 16--Sell my ring for $60.00 Confederate money and buy a
blanket for $40.00. Am sorry to part with the ring, but the blanket
will do me more good. A number die every day.
Thurs., 20--Our rations are bread, molasses and rice soup.
Thurs., 27--500 more prisoners arrive from Richmond; they were taken
in the Valley and belong to the Sixth, Eighth and Nineteenth Corps.
Fri., 28--Twenty-seven died in the last twenty-four hours; it is sad
to see men suffer and die off in this way; my health is still good;
have nothing but rice to-day.
Sat., November 5--A number take the oath of allegiance to old Jeff.
The Union boys hooted them and kicked one so that he died; Creedon
took the oath.
Tues., 8--To-day is Election; wish I were at home to vote for Old Abe.
Get no bread or meat, but about a quart of rice soup; feel hungry and
weak.
Wed., 9--Get some bread; went sixty hours on a little over a quart
of poor rice soup. Felt quite weak and faint, but feel better since
getting some bread; from twenty-five to fifty die every day.
Fri., 11--Get bread, meat and soup, but no salt in soup or on meat,
there is none in camp.
Sat., 12--The long roll was beat three times last night; someone
stoned the guard; have only nine months more to serve.
Mon., 14--The coldest night of the season thus far; sell a pair of
socks for $5.00 Confederate money and buy some salt at $1.50 a pint.
Wed., 16--Rained a little in the night. The papers say Abe is elected
sure.
Fri., 18--Help take Allen of the Fourth New Hampshire to the hospital;
think he cannot live long. It is a sad sight to see how the men are
dying off.
Sun., 20--This does not seem like the Sabbath; little Orren is
seventeen months old; wish I were at home to see him.
Mon., 21--Rheumatism troubles me some; Allen of the Fourth New
Hampshire died last night.
Sat., 26--Get a letter from Laura dated Oct. 2d, and another this
afternoon, dated August 27th; they are all well; am very glad to hear
from them. Phillips (E) died last night.
Mon., 28--The Rebs count every division at the same time to stop
flankers; have an attack of diarrhea.
Tues., 29--370 take oath of allegiance to Jeff and go into the rebel
army; short rations and so many dying urge them to this step; diarrhea
a little worse.
Wed., 30--Am some better; this is my thirty-fifth birthday; hope to
be able to spend my next at home. It is a real Indian Summer day.
P. Merrill of the First Massachusetts Cavalry died in our tent. The
chimney in the hospital fell, killing one man and wounding several.
Thurs., December 1--A fine day for the first of winter; am much
better; sold my rations and bought some bread flour; Locke gave me
some pills.
Fri., 2--It is just fifteen weeks since I was taken prisoner, am in
strong hopes of being exchanged soon; feel about well.
Sun., 4--Could hear the church bells and it made me feel homesick; how
I wish I could be at home with my wife and boy.
Sat., 10--Stormed all night; about three inches of snow fell; a cold,
bad night for us prisoners, but I managed to keep warm. Gorham (E)
died this morning about two o'clock; he was sick but a short time.
Mon., 12--It froze hard, very cold for those who have no blankets.
General Winder and some other rebel officers were here to inspect the
condition of the prisoners. Am some better to-day, got wheat flour.
Fri., 16--A few more Yankee prisoners come in, three of the
Thirty-ninth, one (Burns) from "B" and one (Hemmenway) from "K,"
captured last Sunday (11), near Weldon. Sorry to see them here, but
glad to hear from the regiment.
Thurs., 22--Drew bread, syrup and soup, no meat for a long time.
Sun., 25--Cloudy, with raw, cool wind; a dull Christmas for me. We
got one-half a loaf of bread and a little rice soup for our Christmas
dinner, breakfast and supper; wish I were at home, but see little
signs of an exchange.
Wed., 28--Tipton was elected our squad sergeant in place of White
(deposed); our tent run for Haun, but he got beat; think we have
a good sergeant. Rumor says there is to be a general exchange of
prisoners the first of January; hope it is true.
Thurs., 29--Rained quite hard all night and our tent leaked some; do
not feel very well but hope I shall not be sick.
Fri., 30--A cool, dull day. Have the diarrhea quite bad, but am in
hopes to get rid of it soon. John Locke gave me some pills.
Sat., 31--Rained about all day; comes on cold and snows some. Had
the diarrhea very bad all night; a cold, dull, disagreeable day for
the very last of 1864. It looks like a dark prospect ahead for us
prisoners, but I am in hopes to be exchanged soon; so the story runs.
Sun., January 1, 1865--A fine pleasant morning but cool. It does not
look like a very happy New Year for me, but am in hopes to get out of
this soon. God grant it may be a happy and pleasant one to my wife and
boy. Am a little better this morning.
Five days later the hand that wrote the foregoing and that had given
daily evidence of its fealty to God, home and country, in devotion to
duty and in a daily record of deed and thought, was cold in death,
for on the 6th of January Horton died and what was mortal of him was
borne out to the trenches to rest with the more than two score of his
comrades of the Thirty-ninth who had gone the sad way before him. And
thus perished almost 40,000 loyal men, faithful to the end and, "When
the Roll is Called up Yonder," it seems highly probable that the most
of those, who thus endured cold, hunger and every form of privation in
token of their appreciation of duty, will stand a fairly good chance of
being able to answer "Here."
FROM DIARY OF CORPORAL EDWARD H. LEWIS, CO. B.
As the Corporal's record goes over the same time and place of other
diarists, care is taken to avoid repetitions.
Salisbury, the last of October--The death rate is heavy, owing to bad
weather and small rations; the latter also being poor in quality,
consisting of what is supposed to be coarsely ground corn meal,
including a great deal of the cob. It is mixed with hot water, no
salt or seasoning of any kind, and baked in large loaves, about three
inches thick and these loaves are cut into squares of about three and
one-half inches, the same being a ration for twenty-four hours. In
addition to this we have been having about three-quarters of a pint of
something called "soup." It is made of North Carolina peas (usually
called "cow-peas"), decayed bacon very active with maggots, and water,
the process of brewing being as follows: A large kettle receives its
bushels of peas, along with its due proportion of the said animated
bacon and the necessary liquid, and the combination is boiled until
the outer cuticle of the pea is loosened, scarcely longer, and then is
dipped out for the sustenance of Yankee unfortunates. Were this all,
it would not be so bad, but the foam which appears upon the surface
of the soup is very far from being unsubstantial, since therein float
hundreds of the vermicular denizens of peas and bacon. Not exactly as
appetizing as the bouillon of home preparation nor as clear, yet with
closed eyes and bated breath, we manage to enclose it, probably to our
bodily good, if not to the satisfaction of our several senses.
* * * * *
Nov. 10--Charles Wadsworth, Company B, dies to-day.
Nov. 24--Many of the boys suffering from hunger, thirst and general
exposure, took the oath of allegiance to the Confederacy to-day,
thinking by so doing to find an opportunity to escape and reach our
lines; fully three hundred have done this during the month of November.
Nov. 25--The attempt to break out of prison to-day was unsuccessful.
The prisoners were divided into three divisions, the first being
called the Wood Division, since it was expected to make the attack on
the big gates where wagons bring in our wood; the second division was
to break through the bakeries, while the third was to spike the pieces
of artillery that were trained upon the enclosure; mine was the Bread
Division and in the effort we lost six killed and ten wounded.
Nov. 27--James Kilduff, Co. B, dies to-day.
Dec. 5--Was asked to enlist in the Confederate army and thus escape
this terrible suffering. I replied most positively that I would stand
by the old Flag if I died here.
Dec. 27--My shoes, such as they were, were stolen last night and I am
barefooted. Could only wrap my feet in rags which I picked up in small
pieces. Three rebel Catholic priests came into the prison to-day and
tried to influence our Catholic boys to serve in the Confederate army
and succeeded in getting many of them.
Feb. 19--Leave Salisbury early in the evening, we know not where.
Feb. 21--Arrive in Raleigh, N. C., this morning, where we are detained
during active military operations on and near the Cape Fear River,
near Wilmington, N. C.
Mar. 5--Leave Wilmington on transports for Annapolis, Md., which we
reach on the 8th at 10 p. m. Here we are detained and enrolled, also
relieved of all clothing and reminders of prison life, Uncle Sam
issuing to us new suits of clothing.
Mar. 15--Receive two months' pay and commutation for six months and
eleven days as prisoner, $84.50 in all. (The commutation covered half
rations for the prison period at 25 cents a day.)
Mar. 16--Leave Annapolis, Parole Camp, for home, having a furlough
till April 13.
April 14--Reach Baltimore on my return and at 11 p. m. hear the news
of President Lincoln's assassination; the returning prisoners, several
hundred in number, offer their services to the Provost Marshal in case
of need.
April 21--Detailed to take charge of Barracks, No. 43 (Annapolis), and
am put to work on the pay roll for this barrack.
May 3--Proceed from Annapolis to Camp Distribution, north of
Alexandria, Va.
May 23--Leave camp for Washington via Chain Bridge and, having
rejoined my regiment, take part in the Grand Review.
June 14--Paid off at Readville and discharged from the state service.
June 20--With Co. K of the Thirty-fifth, my Company (B) of the
Thirty-ninth is given a reception and review by the City Government of
Roxbury who were in office 1862, and those on duty now.
JOHN F. LOCKE'S RECOLLECTIONS.
'Twas a gloomy march from the immediate rear of the Confederate Army
to Petersburg and a weary night that was spent in the yard of the
penitentiary of that town. In the morning we were relieved of all
military equipments such as knapsacks, haversacks, canteens, etc., and
also all blankets, shelter-tents, overcoats, or extra clothing.... The
next day we were removed to an island in the Appomattox and the rain,
setting in, rendered the night hideous enough. The boys gathered in
squads and, sitting back to back, on the damp, spongy ground, tried to
sleep but, with such a hapless present and such a hopeless future, few
could enjoy that luxury.
The next day the whole 1800 were escorted out of town about two miles,
that we might take the cars for Richmond. Three hard-tacks (the first
food received from our captors' hands) were given us to make us hungry
and that we might enjoy our excursion. The sound of the battle in
progress (the 21st) on the same ground where we were captured was
plainly heard, and we could but wish that the results might be more
favorable than those of the 19th.... Towards the last of the afternoon
we arrived in Richmond and as we alighted from the coal cars we were
told that only one hotel in the place could accommodate us and that
one was "The Libby" and, as we were strangers in town and might
wish to look around a little, we were escorted through some of the
principal streets.
Finally the procession brought up in front of Libby and we were stowed
away in it; thus in nine of its rooms were packed 1800 men. We spent
a portion of our time in examining our new quarters, the walls of
which were covered with the names of former fellow sufferers. Here
we received our first half loaf of corn bread which was not so bad
in quality as it was in quantity. Then came orders from the Prison
Inspector, Dick Turner, to hand over all moneys to him for safe
keeping, and some unsophisticated ones obeyed, having their names
duly registered, but I have not heard that Turner gave any receipt
or that anything ever came back. After a very uncomfortable night,
owing to our crowded condition, we were glad to see the morning and
soon afterward we were taken across the street (Carey) to Pemberton
prison and distributed in its rooms in squads of twenty-five. Turner
soon came in and, in his insolent, arrogant style, ordered us to
strip ourselves that our clothes might be searched, for he was not
satisfied with the amount already given up. Stripped naked, and with
our clothing a few paces in front of us, we saw our garments searched
for valuables.
Our wallets, watches, jackknives, rings and everything of comfort
or value that was not absolutely necessary was gathered into a heap
and Turner, with greedy eye, not only inspected but appropriated. At
the end of a long half hour we were permitted to dress and then were
conducted back to Libby, and other squads followed, the procession
continuing till well into the next day, everyone being pretty
thoroughly plucked. After all, many of the cunning Yankees were able
to circumvent the rebels, since bills of large denominations were
hidden in such queer places as ears, mouth and hair, thus enabling the
possessor to procure needed comforts in coming days.