E-text prepared by Graeme Mackreth and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by Internet Archive (https://archive.org) Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustration. See 57440-h.htm or 57440-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/57440/pg57440-images.html) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/57440/57440-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/soldiersexperien00prut [Illustration: C. M. PRUTSMAN.] A SOLDIER'S EXPERIENCE IN SOUTHERN PRISONS by C. M. PRUTSMAN Lieut. in Seventh Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers A Graphic Description of the Author's Experiences in Various Southern Prisons [Illustration] New York Andrew H. Kellogg 1901 Copyright, 1901, By C. M. Prutsman, Lexington, Neb. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Events preceding my capture--The last day of freedom--A major's folly--My picket line captured--Warrenton--I lose a valuable pair of boots--Culpepper--Farewell to the boots--A disappointing test of good faith 5 CHAPTER II. Libby--Now I lose my money--"Fresh fish"--Quarters and rations--Boxes from home--Two majors escape--A general conspiracy--Bad news and new prisoners--General Butler saves two Union officers by threatening to hang Captains Fitzhugh Lee and Winder--Two female prisoners discovered in male attire in Belle Isle--We secure their release 13 CHAPTER III. Sick in the smallpox ward--A new plan of escape--Over a powder mine--The plan fails--Filling the roll, one hundred and nine men "short"--Shot at through windows--"Bread! bread!"--Hopes of exchange--May 1st--Boxes which had passed in the night--Brutes--More boxes--Danville, May 8th--Two weeks later, Macon 20 CHAPTER IV. A tunnel spoiled by the rain--Captain Tabb's cruelties--Corn pone bakers--July 4th squelched--Beyond the "dead line"--Caught--Sherman sixty miles away--Charleston--Negro regimental prisoners--In the gallows' shadow--Whipping-post--Paroles --Money exchange drafts--The Anderson men 29 CHAPTER V. Sherman devastates Northern Georgia--Columbia "Camp Sorghum"--A "dug-out"--I get away--Free--An unexpected plunge--Trouble ahead--Recaptured--A meal--The "debtor's cell" at Abbeville--Back to "Sorghum" 41 CHAPTER VI. An "underground railway"--More paroles--Bloodhounds--Bribing the guard--Bloodhound steaks--Two hundred and fifty prisoners "short"--Back to Columbia--Building barracks--A good tunnel started 50 CHAPTER VII. Five of us have a narrow escape from the train--Friendly negroes--A good old "shakedown" 57