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PRISON ACCOUNTS: ENLISTED MEN charles l. sumbardo, company i Incidents of Prison Life Charles L. Sumbardo was first sergeant of Company I at the time of his capture at Shiloh. This account was originally delivered as a speech before the Minnesota Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States in 1891 and subsequently published as ‘‘Incidents of Prison Life, with Causes of Confederate Cruelty’’ (Glimpses of the Nation’s Struggle, 3rd Series, pp. 347–377). That printed version represented an exact transcript of Sumbardo’s speech, which tended to be unduly long and full of the exultation typical of nineteenth-century oratory. In the interest of length and focus, we have omitted the last few pages. The sun was below the tree-tops as we marched from the field towards Corinth — prisoners of war. We passed over the ground which had been occupied until late in the afternoon by the force opposing Prentiss; it was almost covered with Confederate dead and wounded. Having gone into action, as stated, with one day’s rations, our haversacks being about empty many were replenished from those of the enemy, over whose dead bodies we were marching. In each haversack so secured was somewhat more than a day’s rations of good cooked food, consisting of pork, wheat biscuits — not hard bread — roasted coffee, and about four ounces of brown sugar. The writer also secured a linen towel and a gray blanket, which were much coveted during the next seven months. I recall having met but one body of organized troops that night; this was a force of about fifteen hundred infantry, one mile from where we were captured, moving southeasterly towards our left. There were stragglers scattered through the woods on every hand, while many wagons and some artillery were going to the rear, creating the impression that a retreat had already been begun by our enemy. At 9 o’clock p.m. we halted in what had been a corn-field, eight miles southwest of Pittsburg Landing. We lay down in the furrows, but were soon disturbed by a miniature deluge compelling us to stand during { 29 } the night. Strange to say, when morning came there was not a cheerful Yankee countenance visible; however, the rain had subsided, the sun shone brightly, and a cup of hot coffee restored animal spirits, allaying somewhat the discomfort of standing in drenched clothing on muddy ground. There were about twenty-five hundred prisoners. Brigadier General Slaughter had them in charge; for a time it seemed they were ‘‘an elephant’’ on his hands; reports came from the front, and he appeared undecided. His aides were flying in different directions, and it was fully 9 a.m. Monday before we began marching towards Corinth, distant about eighteen miles, which we reached over bad roads about 4 p.m. After nightfall we were ordered into stock cars that had not been cleaned since cattle had been transported in them, for Memphis. It rained, as usual, during the night, and water dripped upon us through the dilapidated cars, soaking our clothing, and rendering the car floors like a reeking barnyard. Reaching Memphis about 5 p.m. Tuesday, we remained in the cars until 2 a.m. Wednesday, when, during a rain-storm that filled the streets with water, we marched two miles to a three-story brick block on the levee. My squad was quartered in the third story, the floors below being occupied as a wholesale grocery. After our severe experiences for three days and three nights, this shelter was exceedingly grateful. Let a Yankee remain in one place long enough to take his bearings, and with or without capital he sets himself up in business. Untoward circumstance quickens his fertile genius and furnishes stimulant for his delicate ‘‘gall.’’ There was a large new tarpaulin of considerable value, forty feet long by eighteen feet wide, that had been prepared with waterproof substance on the floor of our new quarters. This was hastily rolled and left in one end of the room. Exigencies of the service required that this tarpaulin be at once issued as far as it would go, in strips four feet by six, which was accordingly done without ceremony. This appropriation was not discovered by our captors until the day we left Memphis. A windlass and rope for hoisting were also in this upper room, with a hatch-door opening to the room below. The pull-ropes were tightly wedged; a...

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