d water, and that growing less
and less. Sometimes I would divide my ration into three
parts and resolve to make it last all day, but invariably it
would be gone before noon. Generally I would eat the whole
ration at once, but that did not satisfy my hunger, and I
had to go without a crumb for the next twenty-four hours. To
illustrate how inadequate the ration was, I can say that I
have seen officers picking potato-peelings from the large
spittoons, where they were soaking in tobacco spittle, wash
them off and eat them.

"'We had an abundance of good, pure water, which was a great
blessing. Pails were furnished, and when five or six men
were ready, the sentry would call the corporal of the guard,
who would send a guard of from four to six with us to the
river, about two hundred yards distant. Twice a day an
officer would come in and call the roll; that is form us
into four ranks and count the files. If any had escaped, it
was essential that the number should be kept good for some
days, to enable them to get a good start, and for this
purpose various means were used. Some, times one of the rear
rank, after being counted, would glide along unseen to the
left of the line and be recounted. A hole was cut in the
upper floor, and while the officer was going upstairs, some
would climb through the hole and be counted with those on
the third floor. This created some confusion, as the number
would occasionally overrun.

"'As the season advanced we suffered more and more from the
cold, for being captured in September our clothing was not
sufficient for December and January. Very few had blankets,
and the rebel authorities never issued either blankets or
clothing of any kind. The windows of the lower rooms were
without glass, and only the lower half of each boarded up;
the wind would whistle through the large openings, and
drawing up through the open floor, upon which we had to lie
at night, would almost freeze us. I finally succeeded in
trading my watch with one of the guard for an old bed-quilt
and twenty dollars Confederate money. The money came in very
good time, for I then had the scurvy so badly that my
tongue, lips and gums were so swollen that by evening I
could scarcely speak. In the morning the swelling would not
be quit