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you like, and four mule teams with a wagon to haul it in will be furnished.
And this may be done every pleasant day. But this must be upon your solemn pledge that none of you will attempt to escape when allowed beyond the camp fence for this purpose.
If any man forgets the pledge it will result unfavorably to you, because I shall direct that no more shall be allowed to go out, and you will be left with only the regulation amount of wood for your use.”
This they all agreed to with great alacrity, and they treated me with the utmost respect and grateful kindness.
General Marston was in command of their camp, but I had not taken him with me because I wanted them to feel at full liberty to make any complaints without his knowing who it was that complained.
On returning to the office I detailed my visit to General Marston, expressed my thanks to him for the fine condition of his command, and suggested to him that I thought he ought to make fresh vegetables a part of his rations; that it did not appear that any increase in the amount of food was necessary but rather a decrease.
He replied that he had no authority to issue such rations.
I answered that he might do so and I would see that the proper measures were taken to have his account allowed.
I then said to him: “I have some knowledge derived from my experience concerning sailors, especially whalemen, of the necessity for some preventive for the scurvy, and therefore you had better send North for a schooner load of onions for their rations, and they had better be served raw, cider vinegar to be given with them, and I know of no better anti-scorbutic than these, save, perhaps, lemon-juice, which would be too expensive.”
I also informed him that he might draw upon my “provost fund” for the expenses.
No better hearted man lived than Marston, and he joyfully undertook to carry out the orders.
From that hour I never had a complaint of the treatment of the prisoners at Point Lookout, although many hundreds passed through Fortress Monroe on their way to be exchanged, and I sometimes saw them on the flag of truce boat.
I heard of but two disturbances in the camp.
One was when unfortunately one man did not return with the chopping party.
There was great excitement and some inspection of the guards, until
A. M. Thayer and Co. 1892.
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