+-------------------------------------------------+ |Transcriber's note: | | | |Obvious typographic errors have been corrected. | | | +-------------------------------------------------+ [Illustration: Your Friend Chas. Smedley] LIFE IN SOUTHERN PRISONS; FROM THE DIARY OF CORPORAL CHARLES SMEDLEY, OF COMPANY G, 90TH REGIMENT PENN'A VOLUNTEERS, COMMENCING A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE "BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS," IN WHICH HE WAS TAKEN PRISONER, IN THE EVENING OF FIFTH MONTH FIFTH, 1864: ALSO, A SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE MARCH TO AND BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG, TOGETHER WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR. "If it is never to be my lot to return to you, remember me only as one who went to do his duty."--C. SMEDLEY. _Letter to parents, dated 8th mo. 14th, 1862._ PUBLISHED BY THE LADIES' AND GENTLEMEN'S FULTON AID SOCIETY. PEARSOL & GEIST, PRINTERS, DAILY EXPRESS OFFICE. 1865. April 7th, 1865. At a regular meeting of the FULTON AID SOCIETY, "New Business" being in order, the following resolutions were offered and unanimously adopted: _Resolved_, That the "Fulton Aid Society" request of the friends of the late CHARLES SMEDLEY, that a copy of his diary, kept while a prisoner at Andersonville, Georgia, be furnished for the purpose of publication. _Resolved_, That a Committee consisting of four members of the association be appointed to receive the manuscript, prepare it for publication, and that it be authorized to have printed an edition of four hundred copies for the use of the Society. In conformity with the above resolutions, the following were appointed the Committee: CHAS. H. STUBBS, M. D., Chairman. JAMES H. CLARK, ANNIE SMEDLEY, ELWOOD SMEDLEY. PREFACE. The following pages contain a plain, unvarnished statement of facts that occurred under the notice of one who was so unfortunate as to be taken prisoner by those who sought to destroy and dissever our glorious country. As will be perceived, it is written with great care, hence its reliability. It was thought best to print the author's diary, just as it was received, without any amplification, save that absolutely necessary for the press. To the reader we will say that Dr. Buckley was one of our surgeons who fell into the hands of the Confederates. Corporal Wm. Griffith, of Company G, 90th Regiment P. V., was taken prisoner along with Charles Smedley. He is spoken of as "Griffith." With these few explanations we offer this little book to our citizens, feeling confident that it will be purchased and read by many of them. In purchasing this work you contribute your mite towards alleviating the condition of those whose sufferings are so well set forth in its pages. COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATION. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF CHAS. SMEDLEY. BY CHAS. H. STUBBS, M. D.