[339] July 1st. Marched nearly all day and camped on the bank of Stanton River. Have suffered terribly for water, it being very scarce, except at farmhouses, where the rebel guard would not allow us to stop and get a drink. July 2nd. Marched until nearly sunset. July 3rd. Marched at daylight. Rations gave out at noon. Halted toward sunset on the bank of a river and camped for the night. July 4th. Marched until along in the forenoon when we arrived in Danville, where we were put into some old brick buildings and we have to go a few at a time to get a drink. At dark received a small piece of ham fat, about two inches square, but nothing to eat with it. Can hardly stand the pangs of hunger. July 6th. This morning marched to the railroad where we took baggage cars for Georgia. There were 56 men in one car. Arrived at Charlotte, N. C., about dark, left the cars and camped for the night in a field. July 8th. This morning took the cars again and rode all day, passing through a number of places in South Carolina, the last being Columbia. We stopped a short distance outside the city. July 9th. This forenoon we started again at 11 o'clock, with 50 men in a carload and road all day and night. July 10th. Sabbath. Arrived in Augusta, Ga., at three o'clock this morning. Started in afternoon again and rode all night. July 11th. Arrived at Andersonville, Ga., this forenoon. Saw Capt. Wirz who was in command. He is a medium sized German with a disagreeable countenance and an ugly way. We had to stand in line for a long time in the sun, although some of our men were sick with Diarrhea, etc. We were then divided into divisions of ninety men and then into squads of thirty, a sergeant being placed over each. We were then marched into the dirtiest place I ever saw, where were 27,000 half starved men moving about like so many maggots, with nothing to do but to look around. Received rations of mush, salt and ham fat. July 16th. Rations of mush, meal and molasses. July 17th. Rations,—a pint of mush and molasses for all day. July 18th. Rations,—nothing,—not a mouthful. Oh, for a good home meal. July 22nd. In the morning a ration of mush was brought in but it was poor and, hungry as I was, I could not swallow it. Aug. 5th. Rations—a pint of boiled rice and meat. Aug. 25th. Rations changed today Bread, a small piece of ham fat less than a pint of raw, buggy beans and a small piece of raw, fresh beef. For wood to cook with we had two pine branches to be divided between 90 men. Aug. 26th. Rations—bread, ham fat and rice. About all we think of is rations.
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Salem Press. Co., Salem, Ma., 1906.
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