English Diary 1
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February 2, 1864. About five hundred prisoners came in here today. They were captured at the Rapidan and they say our army is in fine condition for the Spring campaign. Some of them cannot eat the prison rations, and as they have money, they can trade with the guards.
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5th. The prisoners who arrived the second bought some beans, eggs and sausages from the guards and cannot get them cooked right; it is making them sick to eat it. I saw one of the prisoners gather up what one of them vomited, wash it off, cook it over again and eat it. Starvation will make us do anything. Orders received here this morning that some of us would be sent to Pemberton prison and from there to City Point for exchange. About five hundred of us were taken out this afternoon and brought over to the old place. Some say for exchange but others say that we are going to be sent to Georgia,
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7th. Saw Captain Meaney, of my company, had a friendly salute from him. He made signs with his hands indicating that we were bound for Georgia. Rations today just twice as much as we received on Bell Isle. The men are in good spirits, thinking they are going to be exchanged. Some new prisoners came in today and were taken to Libby to be searched. Reports have it that Kilpatrick is making a raid on Richmond. The guards will not talk to us. One of them fired a shot from the guard room up through the floor. The ball passed through the third floor; on its way it struck one of the men on the finger and smashed it. Another man was struck on the head but not fatally, while standing at the window, two other prisoners had narrow escapes and having been fired. Possibly they are furious because of Kilpatrick's raid.
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8th. Left building this morning at 4.00 o'clock and marched to the depot and took the cars. The guards say we are going to Georgia (that is the exchange.) Each man receives a loaf of corn bread as he marches out of the building. There are six hundred of us, about sixty of us packed in each car. No seats, but lying in all positions tall swearing and fighting; remain in the cars all night.
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February 15th. Our train, after groaning and creaking along for five or six days, during which time there were many adventures, escapes and recaptures, at last reached its destination. The trip from Macon was nearly south over a railroad passing through a continuous stretch of dense pine woods and vine tangled swamps. After a run of sixty miles from Macon, we stopped in a clearing, where there were few houses, and which we learned was Andersonville. We were taken from the cars to an open piece of ground just east of the station. Looking eastward about a quarter of a mile we could see an immense stockade. The last few days of our journey we had no water and suffered from thirst; the car that I was in had been used for hauling lime, and had half an inch of lime on the floor. When they loaded us in at Richmond, Va., they put about sixty men in each car and any moving around would stir up the dust. Our lips and tongues seemed parched and cracked; two died in our car on this trip. There was a small brook within two rods of us, but the guard line was between us and the water. I was pleading with the guards to let us go to the water when a little grinning-faced rebel captain on a gray horse rode up and shook a revolver in my face and said : "You Yankee, you must wait, or you get so much water that you drown in putty quick." He rode around us several times, bounding high in his saddle, flourishing a revolver and swearing at the guards and us alternately; by this time we learned that this was Captain Wirz. the Commander of the prison.
train - a succession of vehicles traveling in the same direction
clearing - a tract of land with few or no trees in the middle of a wooded area
hauling - transportation -
We were ordered forward towards the big stockade, moving quietly and painfully along, our spirits almost crushed within us, urged on by the double file of guards on either side of our column of ragged, lousy skeletons, who scarce had strength to run away if given an opportunity. We neared the wall of great square logs, and massive wooden gates, that were to shut out hope and life from nearly all of us forever. The cheerless sight near the gate, of a pile of ghastly dead, the eyes of which shone with a stony glitter, the faces black with smoky grime and pinched with pain and hunger, the long matted hair, and almost fleshless frames swarming with vermin - gave us some idea that a like fate awaited us inside.
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The guards knowing our desperation, used every precaution to prevent a break; the artillery men stood with lanyard in hand at their canister, shotted guns being trained to sweep the gates. All being ready, the huge bolts were drawn and the gates swung open on their massive iron hinges, and we marched into that hell on earth. We felt we were cut off from the world and completely at the mercy of our cruel keepers.
1 - 2025-02-26
2 - 2025-02-25
3 - 2025-02-24
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