Freedom
On December 10, guards marched the prisoners down to the Charleston, S.C. waterfront toward
freedom. On the way, they passed many African-American women who threw
corn cakes, sweet potatoes, and biscuits to the POWs. To Sneden, they
had "warm hearts as they sympathized with us in our ragged and forlorn
condition." When the prisoners reached the wharf on the Cooper River,
they could see the damage done to the lower part of the city by months
of shelling. For more than an hour, they huddled on the deck of a tugboat
tied to the pier. Then word came that the sea was running too heavily
to effect a transfer, and the dejected men had to shuffle back for another
night at the Roper Hospital.
December 11, 1864
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Fine and Clear. We all slept soundly as the city was not shelled
during the night. I, with others went on the roof very early, and
from there saw several steamers at anchor quite near Sumter. We
were all in good spirits at the prospect of getting away from the
"cursed Confederacy," and visions of good square meals haunted most
of us during the night, and all were packed up by sunrise expecting
to move at any moment.
About noon, a new guard halted in
front of the gates and we were ordered to "fall in"; which we were
not long in obeying; as this was the only welcome order we had ever
heard the Rebels give. We went this time to the Ashley River, and
passed the Rebel battery of six guns at Chisholm's mills which I
had seen and inspected at my former visit to Charleston. A much
larger steamboat was lying near, and we were packed on board like
sheep, and soon after much blowing of steam whistles started. We
passed a blockade runner of rakish build and fine model, whose crew
stared at us in wonder. We were "human cattle" to them no doubt.
I secured a good place to note the course of the steamer through
the lines of spiles and obstructions, and made sketch of Fort Sumter
from the side next the city before passing it.
Soon we descried our fleet of transport
steamers with large white flags at the fore, and "the stars and
stripes" at the peaks and three feeble cheers were raised by us,
which was responded to by waving of handkerchiefs from our vessels.
The steamer "New York" was the flagship of the commission, and the
name on her paddleboxes was enough to raise our spirits.
We soon came alongside another large
river steamboat to which our steamer was lashed, and we walked over
the fore and aft gangplanks in single file, being counted by one
of our officers and one Rebel officer until all had been transferred,
when the Rebel steamer cast off and returned to the city for more
prisoners. Large tubs of warm water were at the gangways. And every
prisoner was compelled to take a thorough wash, while every article
of clothing of which they had divested themselves was thrown overboard,
which went floating in an irregular line towards the city carried
by the tide. New clothing was distributed to the prisoners, and
after a while all were in clean new clothes from head to foot; while
three or four barbers cut hair, and shaved until night. Many of
the prisoners could not realize the new situation, and were wild
with joy and excitement.
We were formed in long lines and served
with canned beef, wheat bread and coffee, in small quantities, as
it would cause death to have made a hearty meal in our half famished
condition. Many nevertheless got double rations by shifting positions
in line. This was done three or four times before 10 p.m., so our
appetite was diminished by degrees. The smell of real coffee alone
made us very impatient, and every man of us must have drank two
or more quarts apiece. We were now provided with new blankets, and
bunked down on the main deck. Another load of prisoners were undergoing
the washing and clothing process at the tubs, while several of our
surgeons stood by noting the skeleton forms and half idiotic expressions
of delight of the majority.
At midnight all were comfortably asleep;
and the only noise was that made by the ship bell striking the hours.
I went on deck from 10 to 11 and the appearance of the fleet with
lights streaming the waters of the harbor was charming, while a
solitary red light at Sumter alone showed where the Rebel stronghold
lay in our path, sullen and still defiant. We had not been the first
lot in the exchange, and there were on board many of our oficers
who had been prisoners, and their dirty, ragged, faded uniforms
to which they still clung, showed that they had endured privations
and poverty equal to the rest of us. They kept by themselves, and
did not condescend to converse with any below their rank, probably
not knowing that a private is equal to an officer of any grade when
a prisoner of war.
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