Memphis, Tenn. Aug. 3, 1863

 

Dear Sister:

                        I wrote you a short letter whilst on my way up the river, which I presume you received. It was mailed at Cairo. I propose to now give you a more extended account of my trip.

 

The Prisoners

            Were between 700 and 800 in number, and between ourselves (100 in number) and them the boat was exceedingly crowded. At night almost every available foot of the boat was occupied when they lay down. We had the cabin to ourselves, so that we got along tolerably comfortably. Our prisoners as a lot were the cleanest I have ever seen; but still many of them were exceedingly lousy, and filthy. In fact, sometimes the stench was utterly intolerable, and I have no doubt that had we remained / on the boat a few days longer very many of them would have died. As it was five of them died on the trip up; 4 of them within the last 24 hours. Some 30 or 40 of them were sick, and I pitied some of them exceedingly. They lay in the dirt and filth, some utterly helpless, with hardly a soul to care for them. Their fellow prisoners, in the main part, took no more notice of them than of so many brutes. Two cases particularly interested me. One was a young man so emaciated as to be a mere skeleton. He laid almost helpless, but with a quiet, patient look all the while that could not fail to touch any one. The sick were furnished no other fare or care by us than the well, except that a little medicine was administered by our Doctor. It was nothing more than brutality to transport men as sick as a few of them were in such a place. Before the end of / our trip the young man whom I have spoken of, closed his eyes in death. Poor fellow! I hope he died in peace. This one thing of the care taken of the sick excepted, none of the prisoners could complain of their treatment.

 

            We mingled amongst the prisoners freely, and I learned very much from my conversations with them. Some of them I became well acquainted with, and I parted from some of them with regret. About 200 were Louisianians, nearly all Creoles, speaking the French language. They were nearly all conscripts, and were anxious to return to their homes. Some of them were dashing young men of New Orleans, with all the gayety and vivacity of Frenchmen. One or two of this class were fine specimens of French character. A number were East Tennesseans, some of them good Union men, forced into the war against their will. They told / hard tales of the sufferings of the Union men of East Tennessee. One told me that he tried to escape into Kentucky after being conscripted, but was caught by Indians who were employed to hunt down refugees. Some of them rejoiced exceedingly at the prospect for deliverance in East Tennessee from the Jeff. Davis despotism. Many of the prisoners were Northern men, who where in the South when the rebellion broke out, and were forced in.

 

            The majority of these men are by no means Union men. They are simply tired of fighting, and regard the Confederacy as a hopeless cause. They will not fight on our side. They wish to go home and live in peace. If compelled to fight at all they would choose the Southern cause, but if left to themselves they will not again take up arms. They tell me that such is the feeling to a great extent amongst the poor men of the army. The rich slaveholders and planters are determined to fight, but the bone and sinew of the army is in the men of the poorer and middle classes.

 

            But I will close this letter. At some future time I will speak of other things of interest that came under my observation. Enclosed I send you a specimen of writing paper used in the C.S.A. and a Confederate Postage Stamp. Postage is 10 cents per letter. They have the five cent stamp for change. The Paper is $1.00 per quire.

 

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Write soon to Your Brother

 

SOURCES