Belle Boyd in Camp and Prison

CHAPTER XXV

CHAPTER XXV A B O U T T H E M I D D L E O F J A N U ary I saw one of the most piteous spectacles, I think, that I ever had the misfortune to witness. Four men, old and decrepid, one of them tottering on the entrance to the valley of shadows, men whose gray beards and venerable aspects ought to have commanded at least sympathy from the presiding powers at Washington, were brought in as prisoners . They were to be held here until exchanged—men who could not possibly be of any benefit whatever to either side, North or South. These men were arrested on the 3d of August last by a captain in the United States navy, who was on shore, in command of a raiding-party, and who brought them back prisoners on board his vessel. They were confined in the hold forfivemonths, and then transferredto the supply steamer Massachusetts, and sent to Philadelphia, and from thence, upon her arrival, were forwarded to Fort Delaware. Truly,if this was the sole result of the brave captain's raid, he had nothing to feel proud of. Upon their arrival here they excited the "commiseration" even of Adjutant Ahl, who informed them, if they would take the oath and draw up a petition to the Secretary of War, that he himself would forward it for them to the proper authorities. Below I subjoin the letter that they had written, by friends who volunteered their services in the barracks, and to which they respectively signed their names. One of them recounted to me his misfortunes and those of his comrades, and I confess that, as I sat listening to his recital, I felt moved. "We have 246 B E L L E BOYD IN C A M P AND P R I S O N been treated very badly, very badly," he said, in conclusion—"confined in the hold of the vessel for most of the time; and we are all of us very old men, sir, and we never did them any harm." Jan.i6th,1865 Capt. GEO. H. AHL, A. A. A. Genl. SIR, In accordance with your request, we enclose you the written petition to the Secretary of War, and we solicit your kindness to have itforwarded at your earliest convenience. Youhave seen our condition, and can appreciate the truthfulness of our statements. If, therefore, you find it consistent with your views of duty and humanity to add thereto the recommendation of the Commanding General of this post, or such other good word in our behalf as you may deem best, you will add greatly to the obligations we are already under for your considerate attention. THE PETITIONERS PETITION Jan.i6th,1865 Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretaryof War. SIR, The Petition of the undersigned humbly sheweth, that they are citizens of the State of Georgia, and residents of Mclntosh County, whence we were seized and taken on the 3d of August last, by a raiding-party under the command of Captain Colverconerris, of the United States Navy, and, after five months of close and severe confinement on board vessel, have been transferred to the military prison at Fort Delaware, where we are at the present writing of this. We were, at the time of our capture, peaceable citizens, engaged in the pursuit of our several civil occupations , non-combatants, having never been engaged in any militaryservice or duty to the Confederate authorities, and are,from our advanced age and physical disabilities, wholly incapable of such service as the field, neither of us being less than fifty, some of us over sixty years of age, and one of us being deprived of a leg, which was lost by accident many years ago. Beingthus incapable of contributing any thing towards the continuance of this war, or the result of this unfortunate struggle between the sections of our once common country, and having, in the course of nature , but few remaining days to look for on this earth, we indulge the hope, and appeal to the humanity of the enlightened Government in B E L L E BOYD I N C A M P A N D P R I S O N 2 4 7 whose hands we are placed, that those days shall not be shortened by the terrific rigors of an imprisonment which cannot otherwise be endured. To this...