The Bright Side of Prison Life - Experience, In Prison and Out, of an Involuntary Soujouner in Rebellion

Samuel A. Swiggett

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• Publié par: lutor
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 35
• Langue: English

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Title: The Bright Side of Prison Life
Experience, In Prison and Out, of an Involuntary Soujouner in Rebellion
Author: Samuel A. Swiggett
Release Date: June 30, 2010 [EBook #33035]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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capt. s. a. swiggett.



The
Bright Side of Prison Life.

Experiences, In Prison and Out, of an Involuntary
Sojourner in Rebeldom.

By CAPTAIN S. A. SWIGGETT.


PRICE $1.25.
Press of
FLEET, McGINLEY & CO.
Baltimore.


Copyright, 1897,
BY
S. A. SWIGGETT.


PREFACE.
The author's name and reputation may sell this book—miracles have
happened; but he does not intend to permit the possible deception of a
confiding public into the belief that they cannot exist without reading it. The
possible purchaser is hereby warned that it is different from any other book
he ever read. It is without plot, moral, historical value, mystery, romance,
horrors and murderous scenes. The best excuse to be offered for its
existence is the fact that the author's numerous friends have repeatedly
urged him to print what they call an interesting and unusual series of
incidents. The responsibility for any injury to the public must rest upon the
heads of these friends, the author not holding himself accountable for
anything except the truth of the narration. My friends being pleased with this
publication, it may be safe for others to try it, but they must not blame me for
any lack of appreciation. Trusting that this warning will prevent the
unsuspecting from buying the book solely on account of the author's literary
reputation, the result is awaited with fear and trembling.
S. A. SWIGGETT.
March, 1895.


[Pg 5]CONTENTS.
Page
CHAPTER I. Preliminaries 9

CHAPTER II. The Capture 18
CHAPTER III. On the March 27

CHAPTER IV. Bright Spots 39

CHAPTER V. The Stockade 44

CHAPTER VI. Incidents 53

CHAPTER VII. Events 61

CHAPTER VIII. An Escape 69

CHAPTER IX. On the Tramp 77

CHAPTER X. Recaptured 85

CHAPTER XI. The Back Track 93

[Pg 6]CHAPTER XII. The Return to the Stockade 103

CHAPTER XIII. Incidents, and Another Escape 109

CHAPTER XIV. Tramps Once More 120

CHAPTER XV. Diplomacy 129

CHAPTER XVI. Making Progress 139

CHAPTER XVII. A Puzzle, and Incidents 148

CHAPTER XVIII. Experiences 158

CHAPTER XIX. Good Luck and Bad 169

CHAPTER XX. In the Toils 177

CHAPTER XXI. Another Return Trip 186

CHAPTER XXII. Foraging, and a New Prison 196

CHAPTER XXIII. To Camp Ford and Joy 207

CHAPTER XXIV. Liberty at Last 219

[Pg 7]ILLUSTRATIONS.
Captain S. A. Swiggett, Frontispiece.
General F. M. Drake, 18
Lieutenant Walter S. Johnson, 39
Adjutant S. K. Mahon, 69
Captain J. B. Gedney, 79
Captain Thomas M. Fee, 89
Captain Charles Burnbaum, 94
Captain J. P. Rummel, 115
Captain B. F. Miller, 167
Sergeant E. B. Rocket, 189
[Pg 8]

[Pg 9]
The Bright Side of Prison Life.


CHAPTER I.
PRELIMINARIES.
My first appearance in the United States was made on the 19th of May, A.
D. 1834. I have no recollection of this important event, but am reliably
informed that the given date is correct, and that Dorchester county,
Maryland, was the locality. At that time I had no premonition of my future life
in a rebel prison, and if anyone had told me of the fourteen months which
were to be spent mostly in such a manner I should have paid no attention
whatever.
The year 1855 found me in Blakesburg, Iowa, after having lived in Indiana
during the three years following my removal from Maryland.
In 1856 occurred my marriage to Miss Eliza H. Van Cleve, and no man
could be more happily wedded. For thirty-eight years, until her recent death,
on April 13, 1894, our life was as much of a honeymoon as it is possible for
a well-mated couple to make it.
I had learned the trade of a tailor, but other employment offered more
[Pg 10]inducements, and, on August 8, 1862, my occupation was that of
postmaster at Blakesburg, Iowa, keeping a small general store inconnection with the postoffice. On this date I enlisted with others, and we
were sworn in at our place.
Our company was organized at Ottumwa, where we went for the purpose,
and my election as first lieutenant gave me much pleasure. Here we spent
about two weeks at squad drill, having the usual experience of beginners.
Many of the town girls had lovers, brothers and relatives in our company,
and we had many fair critics present at our drills on the south bank of the
Des Moines river. The excitement was great at the time, and everybody
seemed to be interested very much in our company. For a while we
received the criticisms of our fair guests with equanimity, but at last we
conceived the idea of turning the tables, and soon had an opposition
company so interested in their own drill that the girls gave us some peace.
Two of the boys afterwards married members of the competing company.
We rendezvoused at Keokuk, where the 36th Iowa Infantry was finally
organized and mustered into the service of the United States on October 4,
1862, Col. Charles W. Kitredge commanding. Our boys were designated
Company B.
[Pg 11]About November 1 the regiment went to Benton Barracks, near St. Louis,
and remained until December 20. After we were ordered to go south all was
bustle till we embarked on two steamboats and started on our voyage.
The boats were loaded to the guards with soldiers, hard tack and coffins,
the last being piled up in all available space. Said Pat Riley, a member of
our company: "Holy Jasus, byes, luk! Luk at that! Hev us ter kerry thim ter
hev 'em handy loike?"
The mute suggestion of the many coffins was not pleasant, but our boys
were hopeful, and many jokes were bandied about in consequence of their
presence.
That sail down the mighty river will never be forgotten. None knew where
we were going, and the conflict between hope and fear was in many a
breast—hope of success and glory, and distrust of the issue. On board all
was confusion; oaths, laughter, witty remarks, hoarse orders, din in general.
Looking inboard, one could forget all save the immediate present, and hope
was predominant. Looking up at the sky, with its sweeping clouds, like vast
billows of dark, stormy sea, rushing on and tumbling over each other in mad
haste, one felt the immensity of the universe and the littleness of man,
despite his thunders of war. Listening to the asthmatic breathing of the
"scape" pipes, and watching the shores gliding by, one half fancied a flight
[Pg 12]in the grasp of some huge monster that was bearing away its prey. Looking
over the side and hearing the sob and swash of the seething water under
the guards, one could imagine a restraining hand on the huge mass, the
panting breath of exertion, and a moan of regret because of ineffectual effort
to keep back the floating giant that was carrying so many human beings
away to death and disaster. Fear of the future now became the paramount
feeling.
We were halted at Memphis by a signal from shore, and found that the
citizens and military authorities were in fear of an attack by Forrest. That
night we slept on our arms in Jackson Square.
The next day some mule sheds were emptied of their living contents, and
our boys were quartered in the vacated premises. We were then detailed
for guard duty at Fort Pickering, which service we performed for several
days, still having the privilege of enjoying our commodious quarters. It washardly fair to turn the mules out into the cold to give shelter to a regiment of
new recruits, but as the mules made no "kick" at this change, why should
we object?
The spare hours of my first night as officer of the guard were spent in trying
to get some sleep on the ground. It was raining hard, and it seemed
impossible to find any spots which were not hollows; at any rate, I could not
[Pg 13]lie down without finding myself in a pool of water when I awoke. My
reflections and comments need not be recorded.
Christmas passed with scarcely a knowledge of the fact, and about the first
of the year we were sent to Helena, Ark., where General Prentiss had about
20,000 men.
We were landed, had tents issued to us, and camped on the river bank for
several days. No stoves were to be had, and the damp, cold weather made
fires a luxury. How to have shelter and warmth at the same time was a
puzzle.
Spurred on by the emergency, my thoughts ran very fast, until they were
brought to a stop and concentrated upon one idea. All my hunting about the