“The system of punishment was barbarous in the extreme. They had a wooden horse, made similar to a carpenter’s saw-bench, twenty or twenty-five feet long and ten or twelve feet high, which they called a ‘Morgan mule.’ On this I have seen prisoners, as many as could be crowded on, remain six and eight hours in the cold and sleet. It appeared to me they would freeze to death. Another punishment was to make the offending prisoner stand in a bending position with his fingers in the snow as long as they saw fit. In each barracks there was one guard who appeared to have absolute authority to punish at will the prisoners under his charge. The barracks in which I bunked was more fortunate than many. Our guard was a gentlemanly fellow from Memphis named Nelson; he never punished a prisoner during my stay.
“Notwithstanding the treatment we received, we could not be driven to take the oath, but remained loyal to the Confederacy, having the utmost confidence in its triumph. The morning we received the news of the surrender of Gen. Lee, Gen. Sweet, the commandant of the prison, ordered us in line and left it to a vote whether we would have the United States flag hoisted in the prison yard; only two voted in favor of it. The guards were very angry and told the prisoners they ought to remain there always, but the flag was not hoisted. Soon after we received the news of the surrender of the other Confederate armies, and the work of paroling the prisoners was begun. I arrived home on June 18, 1865.”
This evidence of Mr. Ellis is fully sustained by letters from Messrs. John C. Hearn and James D. Rice; the latter writes: “We fared very badly; the rations were very slim and the treatment was cruel indeed. I have seen many old men crying for something to eat.” Mr. T. M. Boggan, who was at Camp Chase writes: “I was treated very well only our rations were rather short.”
In closing this brief sketch of the services of Co. K, the author wishes to place on record that this has been a labor of love. There was not a comrade for whom he had not the kindliest regard; there was scarcely one to whom he was not indebted, during the three years, for some act showing a reciprocal feeling. For any shortcomings in this history he asks their lenient judgment, assuring each and every one that naught has been set down, naught omitted in malice. God bless the survivors of Co. K! God rest the souls of those whose ashes are scattered from the Lakes to the Gulf!
THE END.
APPENDIX.
ROLL OF CO. K, FIRST ALABAMA REGIMENT, C. S. A.
The following is a complete roll of Co. K, First Alabama Regiment, C. S. A., with the highest rank attained, date of enlistment, County residence, and situation at the close of the war of each man.