From the National Tribune, 9/19/1901
A Prisoner in
Libby.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
[author describes in three paragraphs his capture on 8/17/1863 and subsequent
journey to Richmond - not transcribed]
...We were up early in the
morning and on the road again. About noon we struck a railroad and without
further mishap or adventure we reached Richmond that evening. We left the cars
and started on the road just a lamplight. We passed Castle Thunder and soon saw
Libby looming up in the gloaming. At the entrance we were searched and all our
valuables were taken from us. We were then sent upstairs with a guard. As soon
as we were in sight of the prisoners on the upper floor they began to shout
“Fresh fish! fresh fish!” I thought they had fish for supper, but was sadly
disappointed. I had nothing to eat for 24 hours; then I got a “loaf” of bread -
about as large as the biscuit my mother used to bake when I was a boy. That
night I lay upon the hard floor of that prison, tired and hungry, thinking I
would soon be paroled and permitted to return North; but my hopes were not
realized. It was 19 long, weary months before I saw the old flag again. While in
Libby an assault was made upon me from which I have suffered ever since. We were
called downstairs to look at some boxes which had arrived in Richmond, directed
to Libby and intended for some of the prisoners. One box was for me.. It was
said to contain a suit of clothes sent by loving hands from the North. The boxes
had been broken open and all marks destroyed that would tell who they were for.
While viewing the wreck of our crushed hopes, Turner (the man in command at
Libby) gave the command to “Get back to your room.” As I was looking very
attentively at the almost empty boxes I did not hear him, and he ordered the
guard to “Bayonet - kill him!” The guard came at me on a dead run, and before I
could gather myself he struck me, making an ugly wound on my hip. I, being
stouter than he, wrenched the bayonet from his hand, and I got away from him
without further hurt. I have written this in hopes that it will meet the eye of
some of my comrades in Libby, who will remember the incident of the bayonet
attack by the rebel soldier. - WM. NYCE, first Lieutenant, 2d N.Y. Cav.,
Caldwell, Kan.
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