672 NortH Caroiina Troops, 1861-’65.

get water. On last Sunday one of our men secured a Yan-
kee overcoat and cap and passed out through the gate with a
bucket. This was three days ago and he has not returned yet
and they do not even know that he has escaped.

February 25.—It has been nearly four months since my
confinement on Johnson’s Island and things have not im-
proved at all for the better; in fact, they get worse. It is in
fact what one might call a refinement of cruelty. I have
never yet heard of political or prisoners of war being denied
the right of purchasing the necessaries of life, yet it is done
here by those who call themselves the most civilized and en-
lightened people on the face of the earth. We are now under
the command of one General Shaler. His orders this morn-
ing were to the effect that any prisoners attempting to escape
should be fired on by the guard. Our pen is getting very
filthy, and no wonder with 2,600 officers confined in a space
about twice the size of my garden. I do not exaggerate when
I say that it is worse than a hog pen. All kinds of filth is
allowed to accumulate around the buildings. This, with the
black mud, renders it almost impossible to get from one build-
ing to another. It is not so bad when frozen over, but is ter-
rible when the weather thaws and on rainy days. We have
not a great deal of sickness here now, the average deaths not
exceeding one a day, but the mortality will be increased as
the warm weather approaches .

The moral and social condition of our men is deplorable.
There are many noble exceptions, but generally speaking,
there is much low bred vulgarity, in fact almost as much as
you would find among the same number of men in ranks. In
nearly three years experience in the arniy, I have not heard
as much profanity in my regiment as I have heard from the
officers in my room here. With this there is very little dig-
nity or self-respect. Politeness or chaste conversation is out
of the question. Selfishness predominates, and many bitter
words and angry looks are exchanged. I have often seen in
this room a small number reciting a Bible lesson, and in an-
other part of the room others would be playing cards, while
another group would be telling yarns that would make the in-
mates of a brothel blush with shame to listen to. Few enjoy

Prison Lire at Jonnson’s IsLAND, 673

good health here, and the general complaint is that they do
not get enough to eat. I often get sick at heart when I con-
template my situation and think of the gloomy prospects
ahead of us for an early exchange. We have but one hope,
and that is, a successful campaign in the spring will give us
an excess of prisoners. Then they would be very willing for
an exchange. But time will tell.

March 5, 1864.—-It has now been four months. since my
captivity began, and the prospects for an exchange are very
gloomy indeed. We get letters now very regularly from our
friends which are a great relief to our gloomy situation. The
weather for the past few days has been very beautiful. All
the ice has disappeared from the lake and it is amusing to see
the men fall out of their blocks like bees in the spring time
to taste the sunshine. Our astonishment was great this
morning to see the ground covered with snow and old winter
upon us again with all his vengeancce after such a pretty day
as yesterday. We have had some excitement for the last
day or two and as I am interested in it, I will relate the
facts. We have no regular chaplain for the prison, but have
some eloquent and pious ministers who preach every Sunday
to large congregations, and in addition to this, we have a
Christian Association and a committee whose duty it is to
procnre and circulate religious works. We have at the pres-
ent time a great feeling on the subject of religion among us.
Our enemies know this, so a few days ago some of the chap-
lains belonging to the troops outside called on Colonel Lewis,
one of our able ministers and desired to know whether we
needed any help, at the same time expressing a willingness
to assist our ministers in the good work. As we needed no help
their offers were politely declined. They then requested per-
mission to send to the committee for distribution among the
prisoners a lot of newspapers and tracts of purely a religious
character. The committee thereupon informed them that if
they were of that character they would gladly accept and
distribute them, but if they found upon examination that the
matter was otherwise than religious, they would reserve the
right to reject and return the same. The books and papers
were sent, and upon examination they were found to be abo-

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