The soldier's story of his captivity at Andersonville, Belle Isle, and other Rebel prisons.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Goss, Warren Lee, 1835-1925.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Andersonville Prison.

United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Personal narratives.

United States.

United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Imprisonment.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (382 p.)

Place of Publication:

Scituate, Mass. : Digital Scanning, 2001.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Warren Lee Goss was a prisoner at Andersonville Prison during the Civil War. His book, The Soldier's Story, is his unexaggerated record of a survivor of the horrors of this prison camp. Through agonizing memories he regards this story as a work of solemn duty rather than a work of pleasure.

Contents:

Intro

PREFACE.

THE SOLDIER' STORY

INTRODUCTION.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

WARREN LEE GOSS

PRESENTATION

BAYONETS OF BRUTAL GUARDS

HERO

VIEW OF BLOODHOUNDS

VIEW OF THE MAIN GATE

VIEW OF THE STOCKADE

VIEW OF THE HUTS

VIEW OF THE BAKERY

PLAN OF PRISON BAKERY

HE WAS SHOT THROUGH THE LUNGS

VIEW OF THE PALISADE AND DEAD LINE

VIEW OF THE INTERIOR PRISON

MY SISTER CAME AND TOOK IT AND GAVE IT TO AN ANGEL

SPOT

GEORGIA AREA MAP

FOLLOWING THE DOGS

VIEW OF THE MANNER IN WHICH THE DEAD WERE I NTERRED

VIEW OF THE KITCHEN

VIEW OF THE ANDERSONVILLE GRAVEYARD

PLAN OF PRISON GROUNDS, ANDERSONVILLE

VIEW OF THE PRISON FROM THE MAIN GATE

THEY NEVER FAIL WHO DIE

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Enlistment in the Engineer Corps.

A Prophecy of Dining in Richmond fulfilled differently from Expectations

Battle at Savage 's Station.

Terrible Conflict.

The Army of the Potomac saved.

An Incident.

Heroism in a Wounded Soldier.

A Retreat.

Wounded taken Prisoners.

First Treatment as a Prisoner.

Rebel Prediction of the Capture of Washington.

Confidence in McClellan.

Stonewall Jackson.

False Promises.

Taken to Richmond.

A Sad Scene.

A Rebel Officer 's Wit.

A Retort.

Search and Confiscation of Personal Effects.

Description of Prison.

Life in Libby Prison.

Horrors of such Life.

Various Incidents.

Change of Quarters.

Hope for the Better disappointed

CHAPTER II.

Belle Island.

Sickness and Insensibility.

Want of Medical Treatment.

Description of Belle Isle Prison.

Strict Regulations evaded.

Trading with the Rebels.

Insufficiency of Food.

High Prices of Commissary Stores.

Depreciated and Counterfeit Currency.

Comparative Virtue and Intelligence of Rebels of different States.

Extreme Suffering from Hunger.

Effects on the Character.

Philosophy on the Subject.

A Goose Question

Exchange on the Brain.

Increased Mortality.

A Gleam of Hope.

Exchange and Disappointment.

Escape and its Punishment.

A Rebel Admission that Richmond might have been captured by McClellan.

More Prisoners and Suffering.

Exchange.

Sight of the Old Flag

CHAPTER III.

Parole Camp.

Discharge.

Return Home.

Restoration to Health

Reënlistment.

Plymouth, N.C., Description of, and its Defences.

A Skirmish with the Enemy.

Assault and Surrender of a Garrison.

Raid of the Rebel Ram Albemarle.

Capture of Plymouth and its Garrisons.

Again a Prisoner.

An Heroic Woman.

Disparity of Forces.

Large Rebel Loss.

An Exchange of Hats.

Pretended Union Men become Rebels.

Negro Soldiers hunted and shot.

Similar Treatment by Rebels to North Carolina Soldiers.

Journey South.

The Women curious to see the "Yank "Prisoners.

"Dipping" by Women.

Unattractive Damsels.

Trading Disposition.

Depreciated Currency.

Tarboro '.

Railroad Travel in crowded Cars.

False Hopes of Exchange.

Proposed Attempt to escape.

Delusions in Regard to Prison Life.

Wilmington.

Charleston.

Sympathy of Irish and German Women.

Effects of Shot and Shell.

Rebel Strategy.

Macon,Ga.

Arrival at Andersonville.

Acquaintance with Captain Wirz.

Impressions of the New Prison

CHAPTER IV.

Prison-Life in Andersonville.

Twelve Thousand Prisoners.

A Shelter constructed.

Philosophizing in Misery.

Want of Fuel and Shelter.

Expedients for Tents.

The Ration System.

Continued Decrease of Amount.

Modes of Cooking.

Amusement from Misery.

"Flankers," or Thieves.

New Companions.

A Queer Character.

Knowledge of Tunnelling acquired.

A novel Method of Escape.

Mode of Tunnelling.

The Dead Line.

Inhumanity and Brutality in shooting Prisoners.

Premium on such Acts

Lack of Sanitary Regulations.

Sickness and Death very prevalent.

Loathsome Forms of Scurvy.

A noxious Swamp,and its Effects.

Untold Misery.

Large Accession of Prisoners.

Exposure to heavy Rains and hot Suns.

One Thousand Three Hundred and Eighty Deaths in one Week.

Depression of Spirits,Insensibility,Insanity,and Idiocy.

Tendency to Stoicism.

More Philosophizing.

Human Sympathies a Cause of Sickness and Death.

Philosophy again.

Sad Cases of Death from Starvation.

CHAPTER V.

Prison Vocabulary.

Punishment of Larcenies.

Scenes of Violence.

Destitution provocative of Troubles.

Short Rations.

More Fights.

Advantages of Strength of Body and Mind.

New Standards of Merit.

Ingenuity profitable.

Development of Faculties.

New Trades and Kinds of Business.

Cures for all Ills and Diseases.

Trading to get more Food.

Burden of Bad Habits.

Experience in Trade.

Stock in Trade eaten up by Partner.

A Shrewd Dealer destroys the Business.

Trading Exchange.

Excitement in the Issue of Rations.

A Starving Man killed.

His Murderer let off easy through Bribery.

Considerable Money in the Camp.

Tricks upon Rebel Traders in Prison.

Counterfeit or Altered Money disposed of.

CHAPTER VI.

Rations decreased,and worse in Quality.

Crowded Condition of the Prison.

Heavy Rains and Increased Sickness.

Much Filth and Misery.

Hunger a Demoralizer.

Plots exposed for Extra Rations.

Difficulties of Tunnelling.

A Breath of Outside Air and New Life.

An Escape under Pretext of getting Wood.

Captured by Bloodhounds after a Short Flight.

Something learned by the Adventure.

A Successful Escape believed to be possible.

Preparations for one.

Maps and Plans made.

A New Tunnelling Operation from a Well.

The Tunnel a Success.

The Outer Opening near a Rebel Camp Fire.

Escape of a Party of Twenty.

Division into Smaller Parties.

Plans of Travel.

Bloodhounds on the Path.

The Scent lost in the Water.

Various Adventures.

Short of Provisions.

Killing of a Heifer.

Aided by a Negro.

Bloodhounds again.

Temporary Escape.

Fight with the Bloodhounds.

Recapture.

Attempted Strategy.

The Pay for catching Prisoners.

Reception by Wirz.

Improvement by the Expedition.

Some of the Party never heard from.

Notoriety by the Flight.

CHAPTER VII.

Increase of Prisoners,generally destitute.

Greater Suffering from no previous Preparation.

Sad Cases of Deaths.

Rations growing worse.

Bad Cooking and Mixtures of Food.

Almost untold Misery.

Dying amid Filth and Wretchedness.

Preparing Bodies for Burial.

Horrible and Disgusting Scenes.

Rebel Surgeons alarmed for their own Safety.

Sanitary Measures undertaken.

Soon abandoned.

Scanty Supply of Medicines.

Advantages of a Shower-bath.

Gathering up the Dead.

Strategy to get outside the Prison as Stretcher-bearers.

Betrayal by supposed Spies.

Horrors at the Prison Gate in the Distribution of Medicines.

The Sick and Dying crowded and trampled upon.

Hundreds died uncared for.

Brutality in carrying away the Dead.

The same Carts used for the Dead Bodies and in carrying Food to the Prison.

CHAPTER VIII.

Robberies in Prison.

Means taken to punish such Acts.

A Character.

Big Peter, a Canadian.

His Administration of Justice on Offenders.

Becomes a Ruling Power.

Missing Men and Rebel Vengeance.

Murders of Prisoners by Thieves.

A Police Force organized.

Courts established.

Trials of accused Murderers.-Conviction and Execution.-The Gang of Murderers,

Conviction and Execution.

The Gang of Murderers, Thieves,and Bounty Jumpers broken up.

A Slight Tribute to Wirz, as only the Tool of Others

Character of the Prison Police.

Not all Good Effects.

A Terror to the Good as well as Bad.

Sometimes the Instruments of Rebels.

CHAPTER IX.

Negro Prisoners.

Barbarous Amputations.

None but the Wounded made Prisoners.

Their cleanly Habits.

Treatment.

Major Bogle.

Bad Treatment of him as an Officer of Negro Troops.

A Misunderstanding.

Andersonville a Prison for Privates,and not Officers.

A great Project to break from Prison.

Two Thousand engaged in it.

The Project betrayed when nearly completed.

Despondency at the Result.

Courage renewed providentially.

Addition to the Stockade.

Much short Comfort from the Enlargement.

A new Stock of Fuel soon exhausted.

Dishonorable Offers to Prisoners generally spurned by starving Men.

Fidelity under extraordinary Circumstances.

Instances cited.

Heroic Men.

These also spurned.

Various Evidences of Devotion to Country.

CHAPTER X.

Rumors of Sherman 's Movements.

Great Expectations and sad Results.

Fearful Mortality.

Hot Sun and powerful Rains.

Stockade swept away.

A Spring of pure Water.

A new Tunnelling Operation nearly fatal to its Projectors.

Rebel Aid for once welcomed.

Construction of rude Barracks.

Prospects of Winter in Prison not encouraging.

Weary, miserable Days.

Increased Sickness and Mortality.

Contrast of Loyal Blacks with Disloyal Whites.

Another Tunnelling Operation betrayed for Tobacco.

The Betrayer punished.

Notes:

Originally published: The soldier's story of his captivity at Andersonville, Belle Isle, and other Rebel prisons. Boston: Lee & Shepard, 1866.

ISBN:

1-58218-226-4

OCLC:

70746782