|  I
was wounded in the battle of Murfreesboro, Tenn. on Dec. 31,
1862 in the ankle just above the joint; the ball breaking
the front bone and remaining between the bones. At five P.M.
I was sent to the Methodist Church Hospital in the east side
of the Public Square; where I was comfortably quartered and
well attended. I lay in the corner next to the door for several
days during which time I was often visited by the Ladies viz
Mrs. Sallie Lawing, Miss Mollie and Mattie Dolle, Miss Eliza
Nelson, Miss Emma Ledbetter, Miss Bedford and others who were
sympathizers and strong "secesh." They would invariably bring
some delicacies with them for their Soldiers, as they called
us, which would always be thankfully received.
Jan.
5th 1863, General Braggs army evacuated Murfreesboro and on
the 6th General Rosecrans took possession, capturing thirteen
hundred wounded, surgeons and nurses. For several days rations
were quite scarce and I fared some what badly. But I done
the best I could on the good given by the Ladies; knowing
the enemy's supplies had almost entirely been cut off by the
Rebel Cavalry. In about a week "Old Rosa" began to furnish
rations. "Old Rosa's" army was about as ragged, dirty and
as much starved as ever they reported the "Rebs" to be. They
had not been paid in eight months, and some of them, who are
fighting only for money, were very boisterous, saying they
would quit and go home if not paid soon. The execution of
such threats was prevented by the payment of three months
wages. After they were paid it was amusing to see them buying,
eating and carrying fruit, pies and delicacies about in abundance.
Many a good apple have I eaten, given to me by some Yankee
soldier who had a better heart than he had brains to govern
his actions. Some might think they would not take anything
offered by a Yankee but I am not that way. I have long since
learned that the better plan is to take all you can get.
While
I was in the hospital I had the measles which kept me in bed
closely for ten or twelve days. While convalescing I unluckily
had a craving appetite for whiskey and as the hospital was
well supplied with it, I took down about a pint and became
most happily drunk and was very sorry for my capers afterwards.
February
24th. I went on parole to the home of John J. Lawing formerly
of Mecklenburg Co. N.C. where I received every attention.
I had a nice room and bed and excellent diet. I was often
visited by ladies and therefore passed off the time very pleasantly.
I stayed at my friends until April 7 until "Old Rosa" issued
an order for every paroled officer to return to the hospital
and accordingly I went on April 8th to Soule Female College
Hospital where I stayed until April 17th when I was sent to
Nashville.
In
leaving the good people of Murfreesboro especially the ladies,
I deem it proper to state that they will merit the sincere
thanks and profound gratitude of every Confederate prisoner
for their sympathy and kindness and good attention to them
while there.
In
leaving them I commended them to the care of God, hoping they
would ere long be relieved of their tyrannical masters and
when the bright star of peace shall twinkle in the sky of
Southern Independence and the Southern Sun rise up majestically
and cast his golden rays over our beloved land and dry up
the stain of Northern oppression that they may be rewarded
for their patriotism, zeal and devotion to our cause.
In
no place is there more Southern feeling than in Murfreesboro
. Every family with the exception of one (and that was raised
North) are of "Secesh dye", southern stripe and "confederate
stamp."
Old
Rosa injured the citizens very much by taking their houses
for negroes, and women (not ladies) who were there to wait
on the Yankee wounded.
April
17th 6 o'clock P.M. I arrived in Nashville and being on parole
and lame I was allowed to stay at the City Hotel, Winborn
proprietor. I was suffering very much from my wound and in
the Hotel I found a good room and comfortable bed which I
enjoyed finely and good humoredly.
April
20th I was ordered to Louisville Ky. and arrived there on
the 22nd and was sent to No. 2 Prison Hospital Cot No. 11.
This hospital is the most convenient, best furnished and best
conducted of any Federal Hospital in the Union. This attention
and kindness given the Rebel prisoners by Dr. Barnum and others
reflect a good deal of credit on the Union. However, the inattention
and unkindness shown at others over-balances the good of those
in Louisville.
I
remained in these comfortable quarters till the 27th. During
this time I was visited by Mrs. Wolby, Mrs. Donally and Mrs.
Sea and others of Southern sentiment. They furnished me in
contraband style, whiskey, delicacies, fruit and clothes and
money. These ladies deserve the highest praise of all Southern
boys who have been unlucky to be caught by "Rosa's infernal
hordes" and then lucky enough to come under the care of these
ladies. As for my part I gave them all the thanks I could
well dispose of, and was proud to do that.
Louisville
is a beautiful city well laid out and kept clean and free
from all kinds of filth. Its facilities for water are hardly
surpassable. The streets are watered by pipes running into
the Ohio River. The buildings are principally of brick and
elegant form and structure. The main population are mostly
of Southern sentiments, so much so, that their present Mayor
was elected on the "Secesh Ticket". A Rebel prisoner passing
through the streets is saluted on all sides by ladies waving
their handkerchiefs. The male "Secesh" are kept down by "Federal
Authority" who has entire control of the City.
April
27th I left Louisville Ky. In company with several other Confederate
officers for Fort Delaware via Indianapolis Ind. Crisline
Ohio, Pittsburg and Philadelphia, Penn. At Crisline we halted
to get breakfast and got an excellent one; those of us who
happened to have green backs. As for myself I had about twenty
dollars given me by Mrs. Donally of Louisville Ky. On the
route the ladies, children and men of all colors, descriptions,
sizes and shapes would flock to the Depots to see the "Nasty
Rebels" as they called us. When they would gaze at us as though
we had been criminals or "African de Zowavis" while we Rebs
would look as bold as possible. On looking about in the motley
mess one could often see a copperhead off to one side nodding
and winking at us; keeping one eye on guard for fear of being
caught by the many government detectives who follow the railroads.
We
stopped in Pittsburgh for two or three hours and got off the
cars in the platform and as we were nearly all on crutches
and somewhat dirty and ragged we occasioned several remarks
from bystanders. I heard one remark-- "If our boys can't capture
better looking men than they, I think they had better quit."
While others would say hardly audible "Pity but what your
necks had been broken instead of your legs." Pretty soon we
were ordered into the cars. After awhile I was sitting in
a seat to myself when quite a good looking fellow came up
to me and spoke very kindly, where upon I invited him to take
a seat which he readily accepted and entered at once into
conversation. After talking to him awhile, I discovered him
to be "Secesh in spots." He lingered a good while and in the
meantime gave me a box of sardines and a plug of tobacco.
In due time he took his leave with all the Yankee etiquette
imaginable-- After he left I had occasion to move, when to
my agreeable surprise I discovered a bottle of whisky. Being
surprised of course I looked around to see if any body was
looking at me. Accidentally I looked through the window and
saw my "Secesh" friend looking at me and laughing and winking
as much as to say "keep cool." Well, I knew He had given me
the whisky and therefore I drank it with a free conscience.--
We arrived in Philadelphia April 29th at 7 o'clock A.M. and
repaired to the headquarters of the City Provost Guard where
we got a pretty good dinner. There we met several "Sly Secesh"
peeping at us, taking every advantage of an opportunity to
speak to us and show their principles by giving us apples
and most anything that we would take. Well, I left Philadelphia
the same evening about 2 o'clock and came down the Delaware
River on "The Major Reynolds" to Fort Delaware in Peapatch
Island opposite Delaware City Del. and repaired to the Hospital
among the bugs and the Dutch. Two sorts of animals that have
more congeniality of manners and preying qualifications than
any other sort in Yankeedom.
 During
the nights bed bugs would almost eat us up and in the day
the infernal Dutch would steal all your money or talk you
to death to get your clothes. The Fort is garrisoned by Dutch
and commanded by General A. Scheopf, one of the most selfish,
deceitful, lying, and pusillanimous men in "the great and
glorious union." I remained in the Fort, with extreme anxiety
and despondency, waiting to be sent to City Point for exchange;
during the time I got gloriously "tight" on lager beer and
"cut up generally" but as usual "no body was hurt."
Accordingly
on May 20th, I with several others, started for City Point.
No one can imagine my delight at the idea getting to Dixie
and Home. We took passage on the "Maple Leaf Steamer" and
were out of Delaware Bay into the ocean running eleven hours.
We struck the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and run up to Fortress
Monroe at the mouth of the James River Va. and landed May
21st. My salt water trip was ….. (3 pages of journal lost)
Thirty
seven of us remained in that loathsome place locked up in
a room about thirty by twenty not allowed to go out at all
till June 10th at which time we left to go back to Fort Delaware
among the Dutch, bedbugs, and that "awful biting" animal that
trouble soldiers so much.
June
10th a ship landed at Port Norfolk from New Orleans with fifty
five officers captured in Louisiana. About ten o'clock A.M.
fifty of us (the number at Norfolk) joined those from New
Orleans on board the "Maple Leaf" and moved off for Fort Delaware.
When we got into Hampton Roads the unparoled officers on board
(fifty-five) commanded by Capt. Simms, son of the Capt. Of
"The Alabama" overpowered the guard and took possession of
the ship; run it within five miles of Cape Hatteras and seventy-seven
of them landed and made their escape to Richmond: leaving
the wounded and sick and the ship in the hands of the Capt.
of the ship. As for myself I was wounded and walking on crutches
and could not escape. Nothing has ever excelled the daring
and coolness and good management, that was displayed in the
capture of that steamer. It was one of our most daring exploits
of the War. The remainder of us (twenty two) were sent on
to Fort Delaware, where I was sent to the Hospital in my old
bunk where I done finely till June 24th when "Old Scheoff"
got mad and sent us to the barracks, one of the most filthy
and disagreeable places in Yankeedom. Such treatment as we
received there, though said to be unauthorized by the U.S.
Government and yet sanctioned by it, convinces me, that we
are contending against a people devoid of all principles of
humanity and whose chief aim is the subjugation and if possible
the annihilation of the South-- No prisoner on our hands ever
received such treatment as we did in that sickly hole. General
Scheoff, who before the war, was a porter in a Washington
Hotel, is an infamous puppy, and looks upon a Rebel as a thief,
vagabond, and heretic, having no feeling and forethought,
much less feelings of humanity. He is six feet three inches
high, broad forehead, long nose, dull hazel eyes, sulky crabbed
countenance, and weighs about 210 lbs. He is destitute of
every feeling of humanity and imbued with so much selfishness
and tyranny that he can not hardly show mercy to his own soldiers.
He gained a little character in the battle of "Fishing Creek"
and was promoted Brig-Gen'l. He has been in command at Fort
Delaware nearly ever since. His conduct towards prisoners
under his charge is said to be unauthorized by "Father Abraham"
yet at the same time it is sanctioned by him and his barbarities
and starvations are permitted to continue filling "Old Scheoff"
with delight.
July
17th A.M. Four hundred and thirty six of us (officers) left
Fort Delaware for Johnson's Island near Sandusky City Ohio.
We passed through Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Pittsburgh,
Penn. Also Mansfield Ohio and reached the Island on the 20th
P.M. 9 o'clock. We did not see many sympathizers on our route,
for we were too closely guarded.
When
I arrived in the morning I found Capt. E. J. Marett and Capt.
Frank White also Lieut. Tom White who were all of my intimate
acquaintances there. The time passed off tolerably pleasant,
occupied by eating and reading as we could buy any thing from
the settlers in the way of vegetables, clothing etc. if we
had any greenbacks--a very necessary comfort.
January
10th 1864. Up to date I have been treated well, had plenty
to eat. I ate my Christmas dinner (Dec. 25, 1863) with Capt.
Al Edgar Asbury who received a box of eatables from his sister
in Virginia. We had cake, turkey, butter, oranges, coffee,
molasses pie, biskits. Since Nov. 1st we have had no suttler
and consequently we have been living on our rations and doing
without delicacies.
We
have all sorts of amusements of the Island. Thespian and negro
shows--- A Mr. Thompson had an eating house all along til
Jan. 1st. He furnished a very good meal for $1.25. (end of
prison journal)
Samuel
was a prisoner of war from January 7, 1863 until May 13, 1864.
He fought in the battles of Shiloh, Perryville, Murfreesboro,
and Atlanta. Samuel enlisted in the Confederate Army October
27, 1861 at Greneda, Miss. and was mustered out June, 1865.
He was breveted Captain, for "Gallantry in Action", at the
Battle of Murfreesboro. Samuel was breveted Major by seniority
at the close of the Civil War.
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