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many others of my acquaintance. We were kept in this pen until
the 25th, when we were ordered to Macon, a distance of ninety-six
miles south. Although the cars were running through from Atlanta
to Macon, the rebel officer informed us we would have to march
twenty miles of the way, as the cars on that end of the road were
all used in conveying their wounded to the rear, and transporting
supplies. Feeling disinclined to do any marching for rebels,
I told the rebel officer if he wished me to go to Macon they would
have to carry me there, as I was unable to march. He sent Captain
Gillespie (who also became indisposed) and myself to the
surgeon, who excused us from marching. The balance of them were
marched off in the morning, and we remained for the comirg
train. We spent the day with Major Deacon, the commander of the
post, who treated us very courteously, and invited us to dine
with him at his quarters. One of the rebel guards informed me
that when I would reach Macon I would probably be searched for
money before entering the prison. In the evening we were placed
upon the cars under a strong guard and started for Macon. I had
one hundred and seven dollars in greenbacks, and two dollars and
fifty cents of rebel currency in my pocket; and what to do with
it become
to me a vexed question, as I did not want to lose it, but rather
than let it fall into the rebels' hands I would have torn it up.
I at length concluded to try and conceal it, as none of them
had yet suspected me of having any. So when darkness set in,
and the guards became a little careless and sleepy, I took a ball
of yarn which I carried in my haversack for darning my socks,
and wrapped it neatly around the folded bills and placed it back
again along with my pins, needles, etc. And true enough when
we arrived at Macon the first thing on the programme
was to search us for greenbacks. They turned every pocket, stripped
us to the shirt and examined us from head to foot. They then
took my haversack and ransacked it. As the officer took the ball
of yarn into his hand, I assure you I began to feel a little "weak
kneed." But fortunately he did not mistrust there was any
money it, and replaced it in my haversack.
Finding nothing that was attracting about us we were
next introduced to the fair ground, which they had arranged for
a prisoner's camp. The ground was enclosed by two lines of fence,
the outer one about twelve feet high, and around the top of which
the guards were posted at proper intervals, and the inner one,
a paling fence about ten feet from the outer one, was the dead
line, which it was a death penalty to touch or approach.
On entering the inclosure
the cry of "fresh fish! fresh fish!" went up from all
parts of the camp, and a general rush was made by about twelve
hundred officers of "Libby" notoriety, who gathered
around us as though we had come from another world, each trying
to catch a word of news. Every now and then the cry would go
up from those who could not get up to us, "Louder, old pudding-head!"
"O, don't crowd 'em!" "give 'em air!" and
"don't put any lice on 'em!" To these ejaculations
I at first felt provoked, thinking they were making sport of us,
but I soon learned that it was only their mode of initiating new
comers. Here I met Lieutenant Paul, of Morgan county, Captains
Reed and Ross, of Zanesville, Captain Poe, of the Sixty-Eighth
Ohio, and "Coon-Skin," of General Force's staff, together
with many others of my acquaintance.
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