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men who； all their lives； have used whip and thumb…screw； shot…gun and
bloodhound； to keep human beings subservient to their will？ Are we to
expect nothing but chivalric tenderness and compassion from men who made
war on a tolerant government to make more secure their barbaric system of
oppression？
These things are written because they are true。 Duty to the brave dead；
to the heroic living； who have endured the pangs of a hundred deaths for
their country's sake； duty to the government which depends on the wisdom
and constancy of its good citizens for its support and perpetuity； calls
for this 〃round； unvarnished tale〃 of suffering endured for freedom's
sake。
The publisher of this work urged his friend and associate in journalism
to write and send forth these sketches because the times demanded just
such an expose of the inner hell of the Southern prisons。 The tender
mercies of oppressors are cruel。 We must accept the truth and act in
view of it。 Acting wisely on the warnings of the past； we shall be able
to prevent treason； with all its fearful concomitants； from being again
the scourge and terror of our beloved land。
ROBERT McCUNE。
AUTHOR'S PREFACE
Fifteen months agoand one month before it was begunI had no more idea
of writing this book than I have now of taking up my residence in China。
While I have always been deeply impressed with the idea that the public
should know much more of the history of Andersonville and other Southern
prisons than it does； it had never occurred to me that I was in any way
charged with the duty of increasing that enlightenment。
No affected deprecation of my own abilities had any part is this。
I certainly knew enough of the matter； as did every other boy who had
even a month's experience in those terrible places； but the very
magnitude of that knowledge overpowered me； by showing me the vast
requirements of the subject…requirements that seemed to make it
presumption for any but the greatest pens in our literature to attempt
the work。 One day at Andersonville or Florence would be task enough for
the genius of Carlyle or Hugo； lesser than they would fail preposterously
to rise to the level of the theme。 No writer ever described such a
deluge of woes as swept over the unfortunates confined in Rebel prisons
in the last year…and…a…half of the Confederacy's life。 No man was ever
called upon to describe the spectacle and the process of seventy thousand
young； strong； able…bodied men； starving and rotting to death。 Such a
gigantic tragedy as this stuns the mind and benumbs the imagination。
I no more felt myself competent to the task than to accomplish one of
Michael Angelo's grand creations in sculpture or painting。
Study of the subject since confirms me in this view； and my only claim
for this book is that it is a contributiona record of individual
observation and experiencewhich will add something to the material
which the historian of the future will find available for his work。
The work was begun at the suggestion of Mr。 D。 R。 Locke； （Petroleum V。
Nasby）； the eminent political satirist。 At first it was only intended to
write a few short serial sketches of prison life for the columns of the
TOLEDO BLADE。 The exceeding favor with which the first of the series was
received induced a great widening of their scope； until finally they took
the range they now have。
I know that what is contained herein will be bitterly denied。 I am
prepared for this。 In my boyhood I witnessed the savagery of the Slavery
agitationin my youth I felt the fierceness of the hatred directed
against all those who stood by the Nation。 I know that hell hath no fury
like the vindictiveness of those who are hurt by the truth being told of
them。 I apprehend being assailed by a sirocco of contradiction and
calumny。 But I solemnly affirm in advance the entire and absolute truth
of every material fact； statement and description。 I assert that； so far
from there being any exaggeration in any particular； that in no instance
has the half of the truth been told； nor could it be； save by an inspired
pen。 I am ready to demonstrate this by any test that the deniers of this
may require； and I am fortified in my position by unsolicited letters
from over 3；000 surviving prisoners； warmly indorsing the account as
thoroughly accurate in every respect。
It has been charged that hatred of the South is the animus of this work。
Nothing can be farther from the truth。 No one has a deeper love for
every part of our common country than I； and no one to…day will make more
efforts and sacrifices to bring the South to the same plane of social and
material development with the rest of the Nation than I will。 If I could
see that the sufferings at Andersonville and elsewhere contributed in any
considerable degree to that end； and I should not regret that they had
been。 Blood and tears mark every； step in the progress of the race； and
human misery seems unavoidable in securing human advancement。 But I am
naturally embittered by the fruitlessness； as well as the uselessness of
the misery of Andersonville。 There was never the least military or other
reason for inflicting all that wretchedness upon men； and； as far as
mortal eye can discern； no earthly good resulted from the martyrdom of
those tens of thousands。 I wish I could see some hope that their
wantonly shed blood has sown seeds that will one day blossom； and bear a
rich fruitage of benefit to mankind； but it saddens me beyond expression
that I can not。
The years 1864…5 were a season of desperate battles； but in that time
many more Union soldiers were slain behind the Rebel armies； by
starvation and exposure； than were killed in front of them by cannon and
rifle。 The country has heard much of the heroism and sacrifices of those
loyal youths who fell on the field of battle； but it has heard little of
the still greater number who died in prison pen。 It knows full well how
grandly her sons met death in front of the serried ranks of treason； and
but little of the sublime firmness with which they endured unto the
death； all that the ingenious cruelty of their foes could inflict upon
them while in captivity。
It is to help supply this deficiency that this book is written。 It is a
mite contributed to the better remembrance by their countrymen of those
who in this way endured and died that the Nation might live。 It is an
offering of testimony to future generations of the measureless cost of
the expiation of a national sin； and of the preservation of our national
unity。
This is a11。 I know I speak for all those still living comrades who went
with me through the scenes that I have attempted to describe； when I say
that we have no revenges to satisfy； no hatreds to appease。 We do not
ask that anyone shall be punished。 We only desire that the Nation shall
recognize and remember the grand fidelity of our dead comrades； and take
abundant care that they shall not have died in vain。
For the great mass of Southern people we have only the kindliest feeling。
We but hate a vicious social system； the lingering shadow of a darker
age； to which they yield； and which； by elevating bad men to power； has
proved their own and their country's bane。
The following story does not claim to be in any sense a history of
Southern prisons。 It is simply a record of the experience of one
individualone boywho staid all the time with his comrades inside the
prison； and had no better opportunities for gaining information than any
other of his 60；000 companions。
The majority of the illustrations in this work are from the skilled
pencil of Captain O。 J。 Hopkins； of Toledo； who served through the war in
the ranks of the Forty…second Ohio。 His army experience has been of
peculiar value to the work； as it has enabled him to furnish a series of
illustrations whose life…like fidelity of action； pose and detail are
admirable。
Some thirty of the pictures； including the frontispiece； and the
allegorical illustrations of War and Peace； are from the atelier of Mr。
O。 Reich； Cincinnati； O。
A word as to the spelling： Having always been an ardent believer in the
reformation of our present preposterous systemor rather； no systemof
orthography； I am anxious to do whatever lies in my power to promote it。
In the following pages the spelling is simplified to the last degree
allowed by Webster。 I hope that the time is near when even that advanced
spelling reformer will be left far in the rear by the progress of a
people thoroughly weary of longer slavery to the orthographical
absurdities handed down to us from a remote and grossly unlearned
ancestry。
Toledo； O。； Dec。 10； 1879。
JOHN McELROY。
We wait beneath the furnace blast
The pangs of transformation；
Not painlessly doth God recast
And mold anew the nation。
Hot burns the fire
Where wrongs expire；
Nor spares the hand
That from the land
Uproots the ancient evil。
The hand…breadth cloud the sages feared
Its bloody rain is dropping；
The poison plant the fathers spared
All else is overtopping。
East； West； South； North；
It curses the earth；
All justice dies；
And fraud and lies
Live only