e, declined the tonsorial ceremonies and were remanded to
Camp Chase. In the course of two or three weeks Captains Bennett and
Merriwether, of the Tenth Kentucky, were sent from Camp Chase to the
penitentiary, for having attempted to make their escape, and with them
came Captain Sheldon again, for the same offense. This time no questions
were asked, but hair and beards came off.

Somewhat later, Major Webber was sent back also. He was placed in
solitary confinement, in a cell in a remote part of the prison, and
permitted to hold no intercourse with the rest of us. The reason of his
receiving this treatment, was that he had written a letter in which
occurred the following passage: "I can't say how long I will be a
prisoner. Until the end of time; yes, until eternity has run its last
round, rather than that our Government shall acknowledge the doctrine of
negro equality, by an exchange of negro soldiers. I wish that all
negroes, and their officers captured with them, will be hung, I am
willing to risk the consequences." Webber unhesitatingly confirmed this
language, stating that he had, from the commencement of the war,
entertained such sentiments, and that he felt his right to express them
as a prisoner of war, as well as in any other condition. He claimed that
the very fact that the letters of all prisoners were examined, and
suppressed if disapproved by the officer appointed to examine them,
gave the prisoners a right to use such language as they chose. If the
language was thought improper, the letter could be burned, and no one
but the examiner would be any the wiser. This would seem to be the
correct and manly view to take of the matter. If a prisoner were
detected in clandestine correspondence, it was, perhaps, right and fair
that he should be punished, but I do not believe that in any army whose
officers are, for the most part gentlemen, a man would be countenanced,
who would cause prisoners to send letters to his office for perusal,
with the understanding that they should be suppressed if disapproved,
and would then punish the prisoner who wrote sentiments which did not
accord with his own.

There were officers in position at Camp Chase, when I was sent there
some months afterward, who, I believe, could have been induced by no
combination of influences to do such a thing, or to tolerate the man who
would do it.

Major Webber's description of his initiation into prison usages is very
graphic, and as many of my r