English Diary 1

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The rebel Quartermaster, with an eye to business, put up a shanty about the middle of the northern half of the prison, and appointed two of our "Jay Goulds" and put them in charge of it. He then supplied them on commission with meal, peas, salt, sweet potatoes, tobacco and any article which it was thought would draw hidden money from the Yanks. We call this the sutler's shop. Its goods were sold at incredible prices — a teaspoanful of salt, 25 cents; a small biscuit, 50 cents; turnips, 25 cents each; sweet potatoes, 25 cents each ; and other things in proportion. The famished skeletons would stand around and look in on the good things, then consult their money, then their stomachs, and the money was turned over for the article. No one, except he was there in the prison can form anything liken a correct idea of our appearance about this time. We had been in prison nearly five months and our clothing was worn out. A number were entirely naked; some would have a ragged shirt and no pants; some had pants and no shirt: another would have shoes and a cap and nothing else. Their flesh was wasted away, leaving the chaffy, weather-beaten skin drawn tight over the bones, the hip bones and shoulders standing out. Their faces and exposed parts of their bodies were covered with smoky black soot, from the dense smoke of pitch pine we had hovered over, and our long matted hair was stiff and black with the same substance, which water would have no effect on, and soap was not to be had. I would not attempt to describe the sick and dying, who could now be seen on every side.

article - a particular item or object
sutler - a person who followed an army and sold provisions to the soldiers

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The prison lot contains about 30 acres, located on two hills with a swamp between and a small stream running through the swamp. In this swamp men meet to draw water, wash, etc. We are served with raw rations consisting of corn meal and a small piece of bacon, so the men have to cook for themselves. A large number have nothing to cook in and bake little cakes on pieces of boards held before the fire.

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The prisoners are divided into detachments of two hundred and seventy men, each of these detachments being sub-divided into three companies of ninety, with a sergeant in charge of each ninety. He takes their names, company and regiment and also their occupation and descriptive list, and when and where captured. Roll is called every morning and each sergeant must account for his men. and if he fails to do so, his company is kept in line or ranks until the absentees are found.

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16th. Rations today one pint of corn meal, about four ounces of bacon and a spoonful of salt; cook it the best we can.

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17th. Yesterday a company of my detachment rode a Jew on a rail about the camp. He was absent from roll call and the company did not get their rations until two o'clock in the afternoon. Instead of nine in the morning.

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18th. There were only five hundred prisoners here when we first came, but they are coming fast; two trains a day for the last three days. There must be in the neighborhood of two thousand here now.

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19th, Raining hard this morning. We were told that this was an elegant place for prisoners, a fine stream of water and comfortable quarters, but we know better now. You would pity us to see from five to twenty around a small fire trying to make mush in a canteen and bake cakes on a board.

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20th. There are no buildings or tents of any kind, but lie out on the ground. Some of the fellows dig holes in the ground, and when it is cold or rainy they crawl in and are somewhat protected.

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21st. I only wish I had some of the good things received from home, but alas, that was all gone two weeks ago. There is a wooden fence or wall around this pen, fifteen feet high. It is made of strong logs put close together and sunk five feet in the ground. The guards walk on a platform, their heads and shoulders above the top of the fence. About five hundred more prisoners arrived today from our old quarters. Bell Isle; they look as hard as ever.

pen-a small enclosure in which sheep, pigs, cattle, or other domestic animals are kept.

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22d. Washington's Birthday; thinking of friends at home.

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23d. Rations the same for the last four or five days. The rebels have a large pack of bloodhounds for the purpose of hunting up any of the prisoners who may happen to escape, but I cannot see how any one can get out of this pen, it is so strong and guards are stationed all around, every fifty yards in full view. They call out the number of their post. It is quite amusing to hear them yell out every once in a while such words as these : "The Yankees are safe and the North is trembling; make Georgia's soil rich with the black abolitionists; bury them deep, let the crows have them; free the nigger and enslave the whites;" and all the slurs they can think of.

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24th. Rations one sanitary cupful of corn meal and about three ounces of half-rotten bacon. Each man got about two spoonfuls of soft soap, something we needed very badly. I have an idea that it would take about two pounds to take the black off some of us.

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25th. Five hundred prisoners to-day from Bell Isle; prisoners getting sick fast; four deaths yesterday; a great many can hardly walk to the swamp.

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26th. Rations a great deal better; over a cupful of meal and about a half a pound of corn beef. Men busy all day sitting in the sun and picking themselves. I believe there is scarcely a pair of shoes in the whole place, prisoners all in their bare feet. When it rains, a few of them who have old blankets tie two of them together and stretch it over a pole and keep part of the rain and the night dew off. Ten died yesterday and last night. What a sight! We are pretty looking soldiers now.

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27th. More prisoners today. The rebels say they are going to send every Yankee that is in the Confederacy here before two months. Five more deaths yesterday and last night.

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"Ye sons of Columbia, give ear to my story !
Come hear what I say and your blood will run cold.
'Tis of the poor prisoners confined down in Georgia,
But what they have suffered can never be told.
Deserted by friends and ill-treated by foeman;
Starvation and hunger from morning till night,
And the hopes of our freedom can never be awaking:
Our visions of hope are almost out of sight.
There is Lincoln and Seward, Gideon Wells and Old Butler,
Who figure so high in this American war,
They must be devoid of all humanity and pity,
And resolved to leave us die where we are.
In Richmond, in Danville, besides down in Georgia,
Our bones they lie bleaching above the red sand ;
Although for our friends we may weep broken hearted,
We may never return to our own native land.
When Lincoln came out with his great proclamation.
Resolved, as he said, all the darkies to free.
He did not consider the mistake he was making.
Until it had spread over the land of the free.
When Butler tried to exchange us poor prisoners,
The negro rose up and stood in the way.
And Lincoln declared if he did not get Pompey,
The white and the black man together must stay.
And now to our fate we have bowed in submission.
Although hundreds and thousands are laid in the dust.
Two thirds of our number, the whole world may wonder,
Are laid neath the soil to moulder and rust.
Although our kind friends at home are waiting,
For those that may never again answer the call,
'Tis those fathers and mothers and sisters and brothers.
All sigh that their friends in this manner must fall."

tis=it's

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28th. Rations the same as yesterday, There is plenty of fire-wood here just now, but how long it will last is hard to tell, as new prisoners are coming in all the time. Five deaths last night. Raining hard this morning and cool, but not as cold as it was on the Island. Quite a number sick.

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29th, Rations a little better this morning — about half a pint of meal and half a pound of salt junk. We can live on that. The guards were re-inforced today, and they also brought four pieces of cannon here. They say they are going to make a slaughter-pen out of this place. A great number of the guards are boys and crippled old men.

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March 1, 1864. Rations reduced to a half a pint of meal and four ounces of salt beef. We were also given a little soft soap. Four prisoners died last night. When a prisoner dies here, if his name can be ascertained it is written on a piece of paper and pinned on his breast, and then the body is hauled away in a wagon, one body thrown on top of the other, head to feet, in a previously dug ditch. These ditches are dug in rows about two hundred feet long and three feet deep, and about enough space between each row for a horse and wagon to drive.

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2d. No change in food today. Men busy over the fire making cakes, mush, coffee and a variety of things, all out of corn meal. We can beat the cooks at home. Our recipes are varied and numerous.