English Diary 2

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15th. We can see wagons haulaway the bodies from the dead-house, like so much dirt; as many as twenty bodies piled on one wagon. Upwards of fifteen hundred men have died since we came here.

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16th. One thousand old prisoners from Danville, Va just arrived.

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17th. About seven hundred and fifty more prisoners, mostly from the army of the Potomac. They were greatly surprised to see so many prisoners here. Raining hard. There are millions and millions of all kinds of vermin here, flies, bugs, maggots and lice, some of them as large as spiders. If they once get the best of you, you are a goner. A great many of the prisoners are hopelessly crazy, starvation, disease and vermin being the cause.

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18th. Rations for the last week have not taken any change. Weather getting warm. Thousands coming in all the time; more guards placed on duty.

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19th. Corn bread and about three ounces of bacon for today. Some fifteen hundred prisoners came in last night and this morning — mostly from the Army of the Potomac. Great many prisoners suffering from scurvy; some of them are all doubled up and cannot stretch either limb; some have their gums rot and teeth drop out.

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20th. What a sad looking place this is this morning; a heavy rain and thunder storm last night and we were almost drowned. No tents or shelter of any kind, and the rain poured down in unceasing torrents. Some of the new prisoners who made tents of their blankets found them of little use. Culberson, Webb, Gallagher and myself compose the party of my company who have held together so long. Culberson's days, poor fellow, are numbered; he was taken outside to the hospital this morning. A few months ago he was a large, hearty, fine-looking fellow, but now — a total wreck. It is not always the largest and the strongest that can stand it the longest. I am weary and sick; sick in body and mind, and don't care whether I write any more or not.

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21st, Fifty prisoners arrived yesterday, captured in Florida. Raining hard today. The raiders killed a man last night. Prisoners dying of dropsy; when they are dead, their bodies swell up as large as barrels. There is quite a fight over a dead man's pants; when a prisoner dies, his shoes, stockings, shirt, pants and cap are stripped from him. One prisoner will almost kill another to gain possession of them.

dropsy - old-fashioned or less technical term for edema

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24th. Quite a number of visitors here today to see a real live Yankee; he is quite a curiosity, especially in this predicament.

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25th. Five hundred more prisoners today from Gen. Sickel's command. Getting very warm and vermin multiplying; our water is full of maggots and filth.

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26th. Raining hard again today. Mud and filth are our bed fellows. Six hundred more prisoners this afternoon. I am somewhat crippled, myself, but manage to try and wash and keep clean, that is the principal thing. One hundred have died within the last 24 hours.

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27th. Rations, half a loaf of corn bread and two ounces of bacon. Prisoners complaining of our government allowing its soldiers to remain so long in misery and suffering.

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28th Eleven hundred prisoners arrived last night, chiefly from the army before Richmond. A great many deaths yesterday but could not learn the number. The rebels are now trying to conceal the number of deaths, but before they were glad enough to tell us how many died. Evidently they are getting alarmed.

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29th, Bread today. They say they must get meal to one half and bread to the other half on alternate days. Raiders are getting worse every day. Some prisoners escaped from the guards yesterday while out after fire-wood; Captain Wirz started the blood hounds after them.

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30th. An order from Capt. Wirz has been read, that each Sergeant who passes men outside the gate must sign a paper for the safe return of the men thus detached, and any violation of that order on the part of the squad will he punished by stopping their rations until the escaped have been brought back.

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31st. Some of the prisoners while out after wood trade with the guards for onions, potatoes, beans, etc., and bring them in here and sell them for exorbitant prices — one dollar for an onion and the same for a pint of black beans.

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2d. Eggs are selling at fifty cents a piece; a solid inch of soap, fifty cents; one head of cabbage, one dollar; a shaving and hair cutting saloon has been opened in the swamp

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3d. Those stores are doing quite a business, especially among the new arrivals, who have plenty of money; it requires a large amount. Weather is getting warm and what a terrible smell there is.

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4th. Deaths increasing every day — almost as fast as they are coming in. God help us! no tongue or pen can describe, or imagination portray, how horrible is this hell on earth.

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5th. Raining hard all day; some cases of small-pox here. There will be no help for us if that disease once gets started. It made me sick when I heard that news, but I will trust in God for He has protected me through twenty fights and skirmishes and through all the hardships and sufferings of prison life for eight months, when many of my comrades who were captured with me are gone. I believe half of the 127 of my company who were captured with me are dead.

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6th. Three hundred more prisoners came in this morning from Sherman's army. They are of the opinion that Atlanta will soon be in the possession of our troops. Raining today; the two men who escaped the other day were brought in and put in irons; one of them had the flesh torn from his legs.