Prison Life History by W.W. Byers
BYERS, CRETCHER, DALEY
Posted By: Volunteer - Norma Jennings (email)
Date: 7/22/2007 at 14:14:40
Prison Life History
by W.W. ByersNote: This scrap of Prison Life History is respectfully dedicated to my dear sister M. A. Cretcher with the hope that it not be altogether uninteresting. (signed) W. W. Byers = Father of Minnie Daley, wife of Philip Daley.
- -Sept. 6th 1863, picked men of the different regiments of our Division left New Orleans, La. where we had been for nearly a month, not doing much, for what purpose we did not know nor have we learned since. We moved up the river, landed at Morganzie close below the mouth of Red River, of our Reg. 19th Iowa there was 200 in this expedition and of our Co. "H: 30. When we landed the 200 of the 19th and a detachment of the 20th Iowa and of the 26th Indiana and 2 pieces of 1" Mo. Light Artillery, 600 in all, moved out 6 miles to Sterling farm - for what purpose the Good Lord and General Grant would have been at a loss to know.
Our General F. J. Herren went home at this time on leave and General And over was in command of the Division. He knew not Joseph, Col. Leak of the 20th was in command of our 600. A good man and true. We knew we were being surrounded by a large force of Rebels. Col. Leak asked repeatedly for help or permission to fall back to the River where the rest of the Division lay. No attention was paid to his request. After two weeks of almost sleepless days and nights on the 29th of Sept. just before dinner and while the rain was pouring down the Rebels came to see us. They had as we learned afterwards 30,000. We fought them 2 hours. They claimed a great victory but dearly bought. Their papers admitted a loss of 620 killed and wounded. I do not remember my total loss. Company "H" had 2 killed and several slightly wounded by the time the fight was over and prisoners corralled it was ark and still raining.
The Rebs had some business on the Atchafalai River 10 miles distant and invited us to go along and we went, crossed the River before morning and were corralled. They had confiscated most of our clothing and all our grubb- so we spent the time until 2 o'clock the next day without any of the luxuries of life. At 2 we had some sweet potatoes scooped into the corrall from a friendly wagon. We eat them raw and they were good. After dark that night (30th) we received a pint of coarse meal each, with the information that we would march at sunrise next morning. There was 27 of Co. "H,2 killed and 1 too badly wounded to travel. The 27 men had one cup. The pint of meal was, as we were told, was our rations for next day, but the most of it was made into mush in our tin cup and eaten before morning. We started at sunrise next morning Oct. 1st, were in light marching order. One pint of chop safely put away.
We marched about 22 miles first day with large detachment of Rebel soldiers camped on either side a good part of the way. Several cases occurred where the negro cooks were so interested watching the Yankees that other Yanks stole their grubb. At night we received our pint of chop. We could sit up until the guards were done cooking, which was usually late, and get their utensils, or we could cook in our tin or eat our chop raw, as we pleased. We felt grateful for the privilege allowed us in the matter of cooking. Thus we traveled 300 miles to Camp Ford, 4 miles of Tyler, Texas, arriving there on the 23rd of Oct., where we stayed until the 29th of November. There we built houses, carrying pine logs, under guard, a mile. Split the logs, also made fireplaces and chimneys out of sticks and mud, covering the houses with puncheons made of pine timber. The pine timber was of the pitch variety which kept dripping on our bedding and Sunday clothes, which annoyed us some. W had at this time, two lindsey blankets for our squad of 27. We could not buy anything with greenbacks, but could swap it on the sly for Confederate money. One for 10. The two blankets cost us 42 Confederate dollars. On the 12th, two of the 26th Indiana , in throwing a house log over the guard line, got, as the guard thought, too close to the line. He shot killing one and seriously wounding the another. 14th Rebs commenced putting up stockade by digging trench 3 feet deep. Pine logs 12 feet long are split in two and stood on end in trench close together. 23rd Paroling Officers here. We are to be paroled as a safeguard against escape whole going to our lines for exchange. they say. 29 left Camp Ford at 11 a.m., raining, traveled 20 miles to Sabine River. 30th cleaned up during the night. Ground froze with ice 3/4 inch thick in horse troughs. This was a rough day for the Boys, about one-half were barefooted. I remember distinctly that I was. The officer in charge, one Lieut. Alford, was a small man in, for him in a big place, and contemptible in any place. The guards were on horseback . He instructed them to keep us in the middle of the road and when I say the road was red with Yankees blood I do not exagerate, as quite a number of yet living witnesses could testify. This trip was rough all the way for a pleasure trip. We arrived at Parole Camp 10 miles from Shreveport, La. on the 4th of Dec. and were put into open box shanties and guarded closely although under parole. The captured prisoners from Vicksburg are in quarters near us, waiting for exchange. Some of them we remembered as having divided our rations with after their capture at Vicksburg. Charge us one dollar for a small amount of chunk. 27th signed another parole, can go 1/2 mile from camp. This did not last long, the Yanks were to trade the natives out of what they had. Col. Theard in command does all he can to make us happy but he is closely watched because thought to have Union proclivity. June 175h. Col Theard is relieved and ordered East. All sorry to see him go. He said he would see us later and did. I quote from Prison Journal of W. H. H. Clayton now of Orange, California. Feb 24th 6 of Co. "H" and one of Co. "I" leave tonight if they can get out. 25th the boys got out all right. The Rebs have 20 blood hounds hunting for them today. Camp much excited. 26 Rebs came back last night without the escaped prisoners and are mad. Say they will get them yet and if the dogs don't kill them, they will. March 4th, the boys who escaped have not returned so we presume they are not coming back
Did not keep a Journal while escaping, only such notes and dates as I could keep on the cover of an old passbook, The 7 escaping prisoners were John S. Ragsdale of "I" Co. and Johnathan Nixon, John F. Daughrity, Simon Botkin, Joseph T. Paxton, Ed P. Taylor and myself of "H" Co. Ed Taylor and I agreed soon after capture that we would escape but didn't want to be traded even up for a Rebel, but it turned cold early and our clothing was not of the latest cut, and this besides, so we put it off from time to time, hoping for a good opportunity, finally decided to make the opportunity and trust in the Lord and Ed's good Yankee sense. When we were ready the other five wanted to go with us and while we had rather started just the two of us we thought we would be less liable to re-capture, we could not say no. We were guarded with what was called a chain guard, men with muskets, five paces apart during the night and 10 paces in day time. The change was made at 7:00 p.m. just after dark. We found two Union men on guard who said they would not shoot if we went out on their beat but we knew if it was known that they did let us out without shooting they would likely be shot so we took chances and crawled out just before the guard was doubled. Slipped out one at a time. Had carried wood under guard for quite a distance and knew of a Bayou about 1 1/2 miles East. We met there by signal. Only got about 5 miles that night. Kept in the water most of the way. Spent the day on a small patch of dry ground in the swamp. Could hear the Blood Hounds all day and knew they wanted us. That night we borrowed a skiff and started down Red River before daylight would sink our skiff and hunt a secluded spot on shore where we could meditate during the day, on the shortness of our rations or anything else else that we might think of. We kept this up for 3 nights and days. The fourth night it was raining. We got our boat up and ready to go. The River was high and full of drift and snags and occasionally, a raft of logs or chain across to keep the Lincun Gun Boats from going up. We had decided all matters by majority vote. A vote at this time showed 5 for continuing the boat business, and Ed and I for quitting it. We could see a light off some distance. Ed and I proposed to go to it and find if we could how far we had got from the starting point. Went. Found an old couple and boy and girl nearly grown. They seemed afraid t talk. Told us they were from Iowa. Said we were 40 miles from Shreveport. We told them where they could find our boat, but don't think they believed us. We left them without their blessing. When we reported to the boys, they were all willing to leave the River. We started in the dark. After traveling about two hours we were in water from shoe mouth deep to u p to our necks and finally deeper. We decided to turn to the right after traveling perhaps 1/2 mile we found land and laid down til morning at a cabin nearby. We found we had tried to ford Black Lake and ways. We spent the day going down the Lake 20 miles to where it had an outlet into Red River. The inhabitants along the river were Spainiard, were neutral on the war. We spent the day with them. Cross'd the outlet after dark. We travl'd to Wichita River 200 miles at night. Stayed in by daytime. Got to the River in the night, tried to ford it. Found it too deep. Went back in the hills and waited until night. Had been without feed of any kind for three days and nights. I went to a cabin 1/2 mile away to get something to eat, found some women folks nearly destitute. I gave them $3.00 for a corn cake, that weighed perhaps 1 1/2 lbs. Learned from that the Rebs were shelling corn on the River just below which there was a ferry run by a darkey. We divided our corn cake in 7 parts and eat it. started after dark, found the ferry and the darkey. He had to make two trips. We promised him $3.00 when we came back. We owe him the $3.00 yet. I had bought before starting a pair of old shoes for $7.00. After crossing I lost one in the mud and failing to find it threw its mate away. We had yet 100 miles to the Mississippi River, as near as we could guess from information rec'd, which we traveled in day time through the swamps , resting at night. After crossing Wichita River we traveled until we were tired. Were awfully hungry. Laid down to rest. Waked up some time along in the morning. There were some cows, one with a bell on grazing close. We started East as we thought, cloudy, could not tell. Came to a sluggish bayou full of alligators, followed up and down, hoping to find a drift from which to make a raft. I was so hungry that I wanted to pick up dead crawfish and eat them but I did not. We imagined we could hear chickens crowing, finally were sure we heard a cow bell and decided to go to it and risk capture for something to eat. Found the cow and bell about noon we thought. The same cows and bell we had left int he morning and near the same place. We were in that stage of hunger when the eyes go back in the head and the voice is hollow and faraway. We joked each other on our general appearance and started again. In about an hour came to a Bayou at a ferry with a fine house on the other side. A darkey came at our call and came over. A company of Confederate soldiers had just gone to another plantation. The negroes had only their allowances, everything else locked up. They gave us some cold baked sweet potatoes, a small amount, but all they had. Gave us corn which we parched enough to do us through. A cypress swamp must be seen to be appreciated.
The trees grow very tall with most hanging so thick that the sun is shut out. The cypress knees are a protuberance from the roots from the size of a pencil to a foot in diameter and 10 feet high, perfectly smooth and sharp with green briars thick at the bottom. Imagine, if you can, the pleasure of traveling through a swamp barefooted with green briars sawing at your ankles. At night we would find a bit of dry land if we could and rest. We were, as we learned afterwards about 30 miles from the Mississippi River.
We came to a deep Bayou about 200 yards wide. We found a pile of native boards 1 X 6 and 12 feet long on the bank. Thought of making a raft but concluded to try to surround it but found it spread out all over the country and came back to the board pile. Just before we got back we saw some horseman on the other side evidently soldiers. We waited until they were out of sight then made a raft of the boards by tying with grape vines and crossed at night. When we got on the other bank the land was higher. Off about a 1/2 mile we could see a large house with a plantation around it. Ed and I had a desire to get acquainted with the people. The other boys stayed in the brush so they could see if we had any trouble. We went to the front porch which was full of cavalry saddles. No answer to our repeated knocks. Went around to another door and were told to come in which we did. We saw that Masses had runned away. They were evidently poor people, consisted of a man and wife about 30 years old, a number of children and Grandma. They made room for us at the table. (They were eating supper.) And we had been too well raised to refuse. While eating the man questioned us pretty closely. It was my turn to lie. I told him we belonged to Lee's army, had been sent to Kirby Smith with dispatches and were out of clothes and failing to get an order to return we were going back to our Command without orders. After digesting what I said, he remarked, that with a little practice I would make a fairly good liar. Said he, You are Yankees, Well, I said, admitting that we are, what are you going to do about it. You ar Yankees and escaped prisoners, ain't you? I told him we he had guessed it. Well, said he, Let's shake. So they all shook hands with us and when Grandma understood we were really Yankees she hugged us and cried like a child. They had moved south in 1858 from Ohio and we were the first live Yankees they had seen. He told us he had kept out of the army as long as he could. Either had to volunteer or be conscripted so he volunteered. His Regiment was just organized, was still in camp about a mile from where he lived; had a Brother in same Regiment. After ascertaining that there was 7 of us he told us to go back to the boys and keep shady and he would get Brother and a horse for each and take us to the Mississippi River that night about 30 miles. After considering his proposition, we told him that we fully appreciated his kind offer, but to accept might involve him and his family in trouble, and that we had full confidence that we could make it ourselves, so would decline his offer with thanks. We left them with their blessings, signal'd for the boys and moved on outside of a square meal.
The blood hounds were after us next day, but do not think our friend of the day had any thing to do with it. We kept in the water and thus eluded the hounds. Within 5 miles of the River as we learned afterwards, we came to a swift stream, perhaps 100 yards across. Stuck it at big drift. We thought first of making small raft for our clothing and swimming but found the aligators so numerous we made a large raft so we could all ride on it. The alligators layed around and watched us, much interested.
After crossing we soon came in sight of what we thought a camp of tents perhaps our troops and moved with joyful hearts but terribly sore feet, What we took for tents were negro quarters, small homes painted white and in rows. Found two white men who eyed us with suspicion and would not talk to us. We learned from the negroes that what we thought was the River was an old bed of the River called Buins Lake. That if we would go down the Lake to the River 2 miles there we would find a Lincum Gun Boat. We learned also that this was a rebel Crossing of the River and our Gun boat was there to watch in. Having been barefooted for at least 100 miles I was in bad shape for traveling. Had not bent my pastern joints for 3 days and did not for 6 weeks. I wanted the boys to leave me, better one be gobbled than all, but Ed, although in the best shape for traveling of any of us said he would stay with his Pard. The rest lit out. Ed and I got in about two hours after then. The boys on the boat gave us more clothing than we needed. We dumped our old clothing in the River, took a bath, dressed up in Sailors clothes and were ready for supper. Had some really Lincum coffee and slept under Stars and Stripes. By the way this was my wedding anniversary also that of J. S. Ragsdale of Co. "I" --13th March 1864. We went aboard a passing boat next day and went to Vicksburg 70 miles up the River, Reported to Gen McPherson. The Sanitary Commission took charge of us and show's us many favors.
After about a week, Gen McPherson ordered us to report to Gen Banks at New Orleans in whose Command we belonged, with a recommendation that we be furlough'd for 60 days when we got to New Orleans we were put into a camp for distribution. The cook sold our rations, were not allowed out without a pass a prison in a mild form. Were meditating escape and an attack of the City. Fortunately for the city we were ordered to join our Command at Brownsville, Texas. There were about 40 all told to go. I was made Commissary for the squad. We managed to draw quite an amount of feed and were sick all the way so did not eat much. Had a 100 dollars worth of feed left, but the boys there were short of rations and we divided. To say we were glad to see the boys is putting it mile. I loafed around unable to do any kind of duty until the 21st when I received a commission as 1st Lieut. of Co. "H". Was detailed Regimental quartermaster, our Q. M. was still in prison, and remained as such until in July when I was relieved by our old Q. M. at New Orleans when the rest of the prisoners joined us after their exchange.
We were captured Sept. 29th '63. Joined our Command at Brownsville, Texas, March 27th '64. We escaped Feb 24th '65, got to gun boat March 13th '65 18 days. In that time we travl'd over 300 miles, crossed 22 streams that we had to raft or swim.
Our clothing was light, I had when we left prison a check cotton shirt for which I paid $11.00 confederate money, 1 pair of pants that cost me $14.00, and old pair of shoes that cost me $7.00. You will, no doubt, ask how we subsisted. We would go to house, two at a time, usually at night, and tell any kind of a story that seemed to fit best. Were not always successful, but lived, although hungry most of the time. There were many incidents occurred on the way, amusing and otherwise. I remembered Jessie's birthday, March 6th. We were laying in the brush by a deep little stream, Sunday, with a canoe in sight on the other side, toward evening a nice looking young man got in the canoe and crossed over and went off seemingly happy, going to see his girl no doubt. When he was out of sight we took the canoe and crossed over to the other side. Never heard how he got back. While passing a camp by the roadside one night some cows were bothering the campers. One of them threw a slab at a cow and hit John Daughrity on the head. This was a little fun, by the way, the Col. Heard who I spoke of as leaving us at Shreveport, we saw him at New Orleans, had quit playing Reb and was glad to see us.
No doubt you think I was in slang phrase, stuck on Ed Taylor. I was and am yet. True as steel always. So also were the other boys. No doubt they thought Ed and me arbitrary at times but the success of our trip made everything right.
A word for the Negro. He was always true to us, always knew us and seemed to think it a privilege as well as his duty to do all he could for us.
And a good word for them much abused Gray Beck (?). I can say in truth that he did not leave us or forsake us, seemed to feel it his duty to stay with us and do what he could for us no matter whether we were sleeping or waking his work went on, always patient, never complaining always cheerful and seemingly happy. If disturbed while he was busy, he would take up another claim and go to work and put in 24 hours every day. May he rest in pardition.
(ed.note: As I type this I cannot locate the name of the person who sent it to me. If they read this, please contact me.) Spelling was left as written in the document.
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