August 1st—Private Dennis Dailey, Company D. He was a great favorite with sailors of the Morning Light, with whom he generally associated.
August 22d—Lieutenant Bartlett, Company I, at one o’clock A.M., of dysentery, after a short illness.
September 3d—Private E. F. Josselyn, Company D, in the afternoon, of dysentery, after a long illness.
September 9th—Surgeon Cummings, in the afternoon. He was in failing health for a month, and was unconscious for some days previous to his death. The burial took place next day with Masonic rites, attended by Federal and Confederate Freemasons. Lieutenant-Colonel Duganne conducted the ceremonies.
Private Parker, Company G, was left sick in Hempstead Hospital. He died December 14th, 1863.
The guard over the officers who marched from Camp Groce to Camp Ford was commanded by Captain Davis, who marched them sixteen to seventeen miles a day over the sandy and hilly roads. The march usually commenced at seven A.M. and ended for the day between two and three o’clock P.M. The weather was pleasant and cool nearly every day, but cold at night. They got caught in two rain-storms, and wet through. The officers arrived at Camp Ford about two o’clock P.M., December 22d, after a twelve days’ tramp.
At Camp Ford the prisoners already there, mostly Western men, had built log cabins and were quite comfortable under the circumstances. The so-called 42d mansion was built in a few days, with help and aid from two officers of the 19th Iowa who understood the way to construct log cabins. Within this cabin, before a roaring log fire, while rain, snow and hail reigned without, were passed the closing days of 1863. Snow blew into the cabin, wetting blankets through, and fell an inch deep upon the ground outside.
The first three months of 1864 were wearisome, with constant and conflicting rumors of parole or exchange, and occasional news of officers who had been exchanged, a subject of all-absorbing interest to everybody. No description of the life they led can afford an adequate idea of the torments to mind and body, their hopes and fears for the future, and constant struggle to make the best of their situation until a change came. Northern papers frequently found their way inside the stockade to be greedily devoured for news, as they were passed around from one to another. A newspaper from home was like a visiting angel. Southern papers were in camp every week. A tolerable correct idea of what was going on in the outside world, political and military, was sifted from these papers, aided by information obtained from Confederate officers.
To kill time the prisoners occupied themselves in repairs and improvements on quarters for business, and visits to brother officers, singing and dancing, for recreation. A violin, purchased by subscription for one hundred and ten dollars Confederate money, Captain May, 23d Conn., as violinist, and a banjo made in camp and played by Engineer R. W. Mars, of the gunboat Diana, accompanied by a flute manipulated by Captain Thomason, 176th N. Y., and a fife by E. J. Collins, made a select orchestra to furnish appropriate music for the dances. Gardens were started early in February, when corn, mustard, lettuce, watermelons, squashes, onions and cotton was planted. Corn and onions showed above ground early in March. A system of barter and exchange in various articles was carried on among the prisoners, affording a means to keep their wits at work if no money was made out of the transactions. A newspaper was published, The Old Flag, edited and printed by Captain May, the printing done with a pen. Editions were issued February 17th, March 1st and 13th, that afforded great interest to the camp. Only one copy was issued of each number, to be passed around, read and returned to the captain. It has yet to be recorded at what post, where Confederate prisoners were confined, did they show so much versatility in amusing themselves as was shown by Federal prisoners in all parts of the South.
The birthday of Washington, February 22d, was duly celebrated. All expenses were met by a subscription among the officers in confinement. Lieutenant-Colonel J. B. Leake, 20th Iowa, delivered an oration, followed by an original poem, written in camp by Lieutenant-Colonel Duganne. In the afternoon an election was held for Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, and Inspector of Insane Asylums of Camp Ford, to carry on a species of fun concocted at the expense of half-witted Sam Morton, a Kansas soldier. Sam was elected Governor, and then taken in a chair through the camp with great eclat. Fine singing by a glee club and a grand ball in the evening closed the celebration.