English Diary 2

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15th. Between three and four thousand prisoners sent off today.

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16th. A prisoner had his leg amputated today at the thigh; this is the third time for him, first at the foot, then at the knee and now half way up his thigh; he sat and held his own leg while they sawed it off.

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17th. No prisoners left here yesterday or today, Alfred Friend, Co. F, 12th. N. Y. C, has just informed me that he is the only man alive out of 53 of his regiment.

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24th. Had to give up writing at last, as I am completely used up with rheumatism.

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28th. Guess my time has come; I was taken to the hospital this morning and put in a tent with ten more sick.

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September 16, 1864. Have been in here over two weeks; the doctor says I will pull through all right; I can't hear any news to put in my diary.

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18th. The doctor wanted to know this afternoon if I got my medicine; I told him that what I wanted was something to eat, instead of medicine.

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24th. The doctor told me that upwards of twelve thousand prisoners have died since we came here.

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28th. One month in the hospital today, but do not seem to improve; our rations are a little better here than in the pen.

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30th. Six men died in this tent since I came here; they say they are dying very fast.

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October 6, 1864. Father Hamilton, a Catholic priest, paid a visit to our tent today; he is a very fine old gentleman, and seemed to take considerable interest in me; he said he would call again tomorrow.

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7th, Father Hamilton called on me again this morning; he says that he is going to attend to the sick at this place, the most of whom are Catholics. He was surprised when I told him I came from "the old sod" and could read Latin; he thought I was too young to be in the army.

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8th. A little better this morning; Father Hamilton and two Sisters of Charity called on me today and gave me something nice to eat.

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9th. I turned on my bed of straw this morning and found that the man next to me was dead; this makes seven out of eleven.

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10th. I got the dead man's rations this morning and feel considerably better: there is great moaring here, day and night, occasioned by so much suffering; it would make you sick to see some of the men swollen as large as a barrell with the dropsy, and doubled up with rheumatism and scurvy, and a great number with arms and legs cut off; I got seven new tent mates today.

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11th. Father Hamilton called today and brought me an under shirt; he said I looked better.

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12th. One year a prisoner today.

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13th. The surgeons have their hands full taking off arms and legs.

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14th. Father Hamilton told me he sold his property in Savannah and bought sixteen hundred barrels of flour for the sick; that accounts for our getting wheat bread.

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15th. Another tent-mate died this morning; I don't seem to improve much; it is quite cool in the mornings now.