Andersonville, vol 4 | Page 7

jail would be burned
over our heads, as we heard frequent threats of that nature, by the mob
on the streets. But the same kind Providence that had heretofore
watched over us, seemed not to have deserted us in this trouble.
One of the days we were confined at this place was Sunday, and some
kind- hearted lady or ladies (I only wish I knew their names, as well as
those of the gentlemen who had us first in charge, so that I could
chronicle them with honor here) taking compassion upon our forlorn
condition, sent us a splendid dinner on a very large china platter.
Whether it was done intentionally or not, we never learned, but it was a
fact, however, that there was not a knife, fork or spoon upon the dish,
and no table to set it upon. It was placed on the floor, around which we
soon gathered, and, with grateful hearts, we "got away" with it all, in an
incredibly short space of time, while many men and boys looked on,
enjoying our ludicrous attitudes and manners.
From here we were taken to Columbus, Ga., and again placed in jail,
and in the charge of Confederate soldiers. We could easily see that we
were gradually getting into hot water again, and that, ere many days,
we would have to resume our old habits in prison. Our only hope now
was that we would not be returned to Andersonville, knowing well that
if we got back into the clutches of Wirz our chances for life would be
slim indeed. From Columbus we were sent by rail to Macon, where we
were placed in a prison somewhat similar to Andersonville, but of
nothing like its pretensions to security. I soon learned that it was only
used as a kind of reception place for the prisoners who were captured in
small squads, and when they numbered two or three hundred, they
would be shipped to Andersonville, or some other place of greater
dimensions and strength. What became of the other boys who were
with me, after we got to Macon, I do not know, for I lost sight of them
there. The very next day after our arrival, there were shipped to

Andersonville from this prison between two and three hundred men. I
was called on to go with the crowd, but having had a sufficient
experience of the hospitality of that hotel, I concluded to play "old
soldier," so I became too sick to travel. In this way I escaped being sent
off four different times.
Meanwhile, quite a large number of commissioned officers had been
sent up from Charleston to be exchanged at Rough and Ready. With
them were about forty more than the cartel called for, and they were
left at Macon for ten days or two weeks. Among these officers were
several of my acquaintance, one being Lieut. Huntly of our regiment (I
am not quite sure that I am right in the name of this officer, but I think I
am), through whose influence I was allowed to go outside with them on
parole. It was while enjoying this parole that I got more familiarly
acquainted with Captain Hurtell, or Hurtrell, who was in command of
the prison at Macon, and to his honor, I here assert, that he was the only
gentleman and the only officer that had the least humane feeling in his
breast, who ever had charge of me while a prisoner of war after we
were taken out of the hands of our original captors at Jonesville, Va.
It now became very evident that the Rebels were moving the prisoners
from Andersonville and elsewhere, so as to place them beyond the
reach of Sherman and Stoneman. At my present place of confinement
the fear of our recapture had also taken possession of the Rebel
authorities, so the prisoners were sent off in much smaller squads than
formerly, frequently not more than ten or fifteen in a gang, whereas,
before, they never thought of dispatching less than two or three
hundred together. I acknowledge that I began to get very uneasy,
fearful that the "old soldier" dodge would not be much longer
successful, and I would be forced back to my old haunts. It so happened,
however, that I managed to make it serve me, by getting detailed in the
prison hospital as nurse, so that I was enabled to play another "dodge"
upon the Rebel officers. At first, when the Sergeant would come around
to find out who were able to walk, with assistance, to the depot, I was
shaking with a chill, which, according to my representation, had not
abated in the least for several hours. My teeth were actually chattering
at the time, for I had learned how