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administrators and assigns。
For my own part； I had the greatest aversion to wearing dead men's
clothes； and could only bring myself to it after I had been a year in
prison； and it became a question between doing that and freezing to
death。
Every new batch of prisoners was besieged with anxious inquiries on the
subject which lay closest to all our hearts：
〃What are they doing about exchange！〃
Nothing in human experiencesave the anxious expectancy of a sail by
castaways on a desert islandcould equal the intense eagerness with
which this question was asked； and the answer awaited。 To thousands now
hanging on the verge of eternity it meant life or death。 Between the
first day of July and the first of November over twelve thousand men
died； who would doubtless have lived had they been able to reach our
lines〃get to God's country；〃 as we expressed it。
The new comers brought little reliable news of contemplated exchange。
There was none to bring in the first place； and in the next； soldiers in
active service in the field had other things to busy themselves with than
reading up the details of the negotiations between the Commissioners of
Exchange。 They had all heard rumors； however； and by the time they
reached Andersonville； they had crystallized these into actual statements
of fact。 A half hour after they entered the Stockade； a report like this
would spread like wildfire：
〃An Army of the Potomac man has just come in； who was captured in front
of Petersburg。 He says that he read in the New York Herald； the day
before he was taken； that an exchange had been agreed upon； and that our
ships had already started for Savannah to take us home。〃
Then our hopes would soar up like balloons。 We fed ourselves on such
stuff from day to day； and doubtless many lives were greatly prolonged by
the continual encouragement。 There was hardly a day when I did not say
to myself that I would much rather die than endure imprisonment another
month； and had I believed that another month would see me still there；
I am pretty certain that I should have ended the matter by crossing the
Dead Line。 I was firmly resolved not to die the disgusting； agonizing
death that so many around me were dying。
One of our best purveyors of information was a bright； blue…eyed； fair…
haired little drummer boy； as handsome as a girl； well…bred as a lady；
and evidently the darling of some refined loving mother。 He belonged；
I think； to some loyal Virginia regiment； was captured in one of the
actions in the Shenandoa Valley； and had been with us in Richmond。
We called him 〃Red Cap；〃 from his wearing a jaunty； gold…laced； crimson
cap。 Ordinarily； the smaller a drummer boy is the harder he is； but no
amount of attrition with rough men could coarse the ingrained refinement
of Red Cap's manners。 He was between thirteen and fourteen； and it
seemed utterly shameful that men； calling themselves soldier should make
war on such a tender boy and drag him off to prison。
But no six…footer had a more soldierly heart than little Red Cap； and
none were more loyal to the cause。 It was a pleasure to hear him tell
the story of the fights and movements his regiment had been engaged in。
He was a good observer and told his tale with boyish fervor。 Shortly
after Wirz assumed command he took Red Cap into his office as an Orderly。
His bright face and winning manner； fascinated the women visitors at
headquarters； and numbers of them tried to adopt him； but with poor
success。 Like the rest of us； he could see few charms in an existence
under the Rebel flag； and turned a deaf ear to their blandishments。
He kept his ears open to the conversation of the Rebel officers around
him； and frequently secured permission to visit the interior of the
Stockade； when he would communicate to us all that he has heard。
He received a flattering reception every time he cams in； and no orator
ever secured a more attentive audience than would gather around him to
listen to what he had to say。 He was； beyond a doubt； the best known and
most popular person in the prison； and I know all the survivors of his
old admirer； share my great interest in him； and my curiosity as to
whether he yet lives； and whether his subsequent career has justified the
sanguine hopes we all had as to his future。 I hope that if he sees this；
or any one who knows anything about him； he will communicate with me。
There are thousands who will be glad to hear from him。
＇A most remarkable coincidence occurred in regard to this comrade。
Several days after the above had been written； and 〃set up；〃 but before
it had yet appeared in the paper； I received the following letter：
ECKHART MINES；
Alleghany County； Md。； March 24。
To the Editor of the BLADE：
Last evening I saw a copy of your paper； in which was a chapter or two of
a prison life of a soldier during the late war。 I was forcibly struck
with the correctness of what he wrote； and the names of several of my old
comrades which he quoted： Hill； Limber Jim； etc。； etc。 I was a drummer
boy of Company I； Tenth West Virginia Infantry； and was fifteen years of
age a day or two after arriving in Andersonville； which was in the last
of February； 1884。 Nineteen of my comrades were there with me； and； poor
fellows； they are there yet。 I have no doubt that I would have remained
there； too； had I not been more fortunate。
I do not know who your soldier correspondent is； but assume to say that
from the following description he will remember having seen me in
Andersonville： I was the little boy that for three or four months
officiated as orderly for Captain Wirz。 I wore a red cap； and every day
could be seen riding Wirz's gray mare； either at headquarters； or about
the Stockade。 I was acting in this capacity when the six raiders
〃Mosby；〃 （proper name Collins） Delaney； Curtis； andI forget the other
nameswere executed。 I believe that I was the first that conveyed the
intelligence to them that Confederate General Winder had approved their
sentence。 As soon as Wirz received the dispatch to that effect； I ran
down to the stocks and told them。
I visited Hill； of Wauseon； Fulton County； O。； since the war； and found
him hale and hearty。 I have not heard from him for a number of years
until reading your correspondent's letter last evening。 It is the only
letter of the series that I have seen； but after reading that one； I feel
called upon to certify that I have no doubts of the truthfulness of your
correspondent's story。 The world will never know or believe the horrors
of Andersonville and other prisons in the South。 No living； human being；
in my judgment； will ever be able to properly paint the horrors of those
infernal dens。
I formed the acquaintance of several Ohio soldiers whilst in prison。
Among these were O。 D。 Streeter； of Cleveland； who went to Andersonville
about the same time that I did； and escaped； and was the only man that I
ever knew that escaped and reached our lines。 After an absence of
several months he was retaken in one of Sherman's battles before Atlanta；
and brought back。 I also kn