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Facts and Events
References
- ↑ June Zimmerman Kern. June's Zimmerman genealogy, Interviewer: Kristina Kuhn, InformantAddress: Fremont, OH. (2001).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 D.J. Powell. The Powell Family a Record and Biography of the Descendants of Thomas Powell, Sr. (1906, Damascus, Ohio).
- ↑ United States. 1880 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T9)
age 38.
- ↑ Editor: C.M. Keyes, 1st Lieutenant 123rd Reg. OVI. The Military History fo the 123rd Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. (Register Steam Press, Sandusky, Ohio, 1874)
page 119-138.
- ↑ D.J. Powell. The Powell Family a Record and Biography of the Descendants of Thomas Powell, Sr. (1906, Damascus, Ohio)
54.
- ↑ American Civil War Soldiers, Url: www.ancestry.com.
- ↑ United States. 1880 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T9).
- ↑ United States. 1880 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T9)
Roll: T9_1065; Family History Film: 1255065; Page: 126C; EnumerationDistrict: 198; Image: 0252; ancestry image 43.
- ↑ Civil War Pension Index, Url: www.ancestry.com
application number: 407.331; certificate number: 537721; image 693.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Ohio. Department of Health. Office of Vital Statistics. Certificates of death, 1908–present. (Salt Lake City: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1983–2005).
- ↑ father born in New Hamshire; mother born in Massachusetts
- ↑ Prison life from the diary of a captain in the 123rd Ohio volunteers:
After our surrender on the morning of June 15th 1863, to Col. Walker,commanding the famous "Old Stonewall Brigade," we were taken to wherethe morning fight had taken place, and were permitted to lie down andrest. After remaining there a couple of hours we were marched intoWinchester, halting there a few moments, and were then taken over to theFort. A couple of tents were then put up for the accommodation of thecommissioned officers, but which failed to prevent the win from annoyingus very much by blowing sand and from all directions. Weary and wornout, and having eaten nothing during the day, we were compelled to liedown at night without even a "hard tack" to refresh us. Next morning,about nine o'clock, a few pounds of meat was distributed among us,shortly after which the officers were separated from the enlisted menand marched over to the Courthouse. Late any evening we received somebread and meat, but previously, a of Capt. Chamberlain had received abasket of provisions kindly tendered by some good Union loving Quakerladies of the city, which he distributed among our officers, and forwhich they will ever hold these ladies in grateful remembrance. Theofficers remained there until four o'clock PM of the following day, Wagnand they were drawn up in line, the role called, and after beingsupplied with blankets, our party, consisting of 108 commissionedofficers, started on our march to Richmond, undercharge of Capt.Wingfield, 58 Va. [Confederate], and his company. That evening wemarched 11 miles, and laid down on the ground for the night at about 10o'clock. Thursday we marched 12 miles, lying by for 3 or 4 hours in themiddle of the day, when flour and meat were issued to us, and we set towork baking out our flour into cakes. The man overtook us here, but wewere not allowed to communicate with them. It rained heavily in theafternoon, completely drenching us through, and at night we were obligedto take up our quarters in an old log stable, which was more thoroughlyinfested by fleas than was particularly pleasant or convenient to us.Wet as we work, we laid down and attempted to gain a few hours repose,but alas, no chance for that desire to boon. All night long theinhabitants of the stable could be heard visiting their maledictions onthe fleas. The next day we were marched 19 miles to Mt. Jackson, andtook up our quarters for the night in the Rebel hospital buildings. OnSaturday we marched 16 miles to Lincoln Springs, where we had a pleasantplace to camp for the night. On Sunday we marched 21 miles. Col.Wilson, Adjt. Blair, Capt. Rings, Capt. Chamberlain and Lieut. Pumphrey,about noon hired a man, with a one horse wagons, to haul them toStaunton, a distance of 23 miles, for which privileging each of thempaid 5 dollars and Confederate money. And, if the man could havecarried them, he would have had more passengers at the same price.
On Monday noon we reached Staunton and remained there are two hours,and then took the cars for Richmond, a distance of 136 miles, which wepassed over during the night, arriving at our destination about 6o'clock A. M., June 23rd. We were immediately marched to the LibbyPrison, where we were searched, and our rubber coats, blankets, etc.taken from us. The most of us managed to secrete our money, so that itwas not discovered. They gave received for the money they didn't get,which assured us that it would be returned to us when released. Theofficials informed us we could draw it as we needed it; which,afterwards, proved to be anything but true. They even went so far as totake a few sheets of paper and envelopes from one of our officers.
We were then taken upstairs, and introduced to our new quarters. The"Hotel de Libby," as it was afterword facetiously called, is a largebrick building, 150 feet in length by 105 feet in depth. It fronted andCary and expanded back to Canal Street, immediately in the rear of whichwas the Canal and James River. This building was, previous to the war,occupied by Libby & Son, who carried on in it their business as shipCandler's and grocers. Internally, it much resembled an Ohio grainwarehouse, being three stories high, with a basement story underneath,and divided into three tiers of rooms. The lower room of the first yearwas occupied by the various officers engaged in the control of thePrison. The two upper rooms work, at the time of our arrival, used forthe confinement of prisoners, and we found they are Col. Streight'scommand and a few others, amounting to 1360 officers. Of the middletier, one room was occupied by citizen prisoners and deserters from theUnion Army. The third tier was used as a hospital for Union officers.The basement contained a couple of cells, for the close confinement ofprisoners; the remainder of it was devoted to the use of the slavesemploy about the premises. The attaché of the Prison were as follows:Capt. Turner, commandant; Lieut. Latonche, is a distance, and, by theway, the most obliging official we had anything to do with-- InspectorTurner being one of the most tyrannical being spent ever lived, and hadbeen a horse jockey in one of the Northern cities previous to the war;Ross, who attended to the role, and was a deserter from the North;George, [a sergeant] under Lackey, who's doing it was to communicateorders to the prisoners; and Charlie, a mulatto, who superintended thegang of darkeys in their labors. When we entered Libby, the opera oneof the two rooms in which we were placed contained box, sufficient forthose who were then in the Prison, while they used the lower one forcocaine and eating purposes.
We were obliged to take up our residence in the lower room and sleep onthe floor at night and to use it to sit on in the daytime, as we had noother seats furnished except stationary benches, at the tables.
Shortly after taking up our lodgings there, we applied for some of ourmoney, but we met with reply that none of "the officers of Milroy'scommand could have a d___d cent." Nor did we get any from them untilthe first of October. We were also informed we would not to be allowedto purchase anything outside-as Straights command was then permitted todo-so we had to smuggle our purchases through them for some time, untiltheir orders were tactically countermanded. During the first fourweeks, while subsisting on the rations furnished, we were often glad topick up crumbs from the table to satisfy our hunger.
In speaking of the attaché of the prison, Gen. Johnson, a gentleman ofcolor, should be mentioned, although he was a prisoner, as well asourselves. His duty consisted in supplying us with smoke, which he didevery morning, carrying a skillet of burning tar through the rooms,crying "Here's your nice smoke, without money or price." He alsocollected the soiled close once a week, which he was permitted to takeout to be washed, returning them Sunday mornings, at the small charge ofthree pieces for 1 dollar. He also, for some time, monopolized theshading and haircutting, which operations he performed at the moderateprice of 25 cents for the former and 75 cents or the latter; but she wasfinally superseded by an enterprising German Lieut., which compelled himto abandon this calling and taken to that of "boot black." The eyefellow was a regular fixture there, having been in the Prison about twoyears. He was an old soldier also, having accompanied a Pennsylvaniaregiment through the Mexican war. Every morning at 9:00 AM quoteGeorge" maybe his appearance, and, with his peculiar intonation ofvoice, would cry out: "Fall and, sick, and go down;" when those whowished to be prescribed for wood huddled together and go down on thefirst floor, where they were examined by the surgeon-who was spoken ofas a kind and attentive physician-and, after making a minute of theircases, would send them back to their rooms, excepting those whom it wasdeemed necessary to send to the hospital. In the course of two or threehours, the medicine would be brought up and distributed to the sick.
Our enlisted men, prisoners of war who were so unfortunate as to becomesick, suffered outrageously. They were often allowed to lie in theirtents and Belle Isle, and the wet ground until the last moment, whenthey would be brought over to the hospital to breathe their last.
If a description of the truth would be fit for publication, some a fewparticular cases could be cited that would make anyone shudder to thinkthat there were, and this day and age of the world, men who were so lostto all feeling of humanity as to permit men, although their enemies, tolanguish and died two sufferings such as no pen should be called upon todescribe.
Once a squad of the Yankees [prisoners] were leaving the Libby buildingwith a supply of the quote so-called "rations" for the prisoners. Itconsisted of weak soup-better stay soiled water-in old, dirty pails, andabout 6 ounces of poor bread per man. We threw a few apples to themfrom the windows, which they received gladly and began to eat as if theywere starved.
The "Living Burlesque Troupe," as they announced in their programSaturday morning, October 17, 1863, appeared for the last time thatevening, owing to their having an engagement in Washington, for whichpurpose they expected to leave on the next "Flag of Truce Boat." Theyexhibited to a crowd of the Yankees with one or two Rebels included.The performances were very good, considering the impromptu manner inwhich they were gotten up. They consisted of songs, dances and thereading of the "Libby Ironical," which was a burlesque and the "LibbyChronicle," the weekly issue of which had been read the forenoonprevious.
During the hot weather of July and August, the variety displayed in thecostume of the inmates of the Prison, was decidedly laughable. Here youwould see a man with nothing but drawers and shirt on, there one withdrawers minus the shirt, while close by was another with the shirt minusthe drawers, and then a number one with nothing on what a linen coat[Raglan style], his close being out washing, no doubt. This style ofdress was here you comfortable during that kind of weather, but when thecold days of October came, it was rather unpleasant to be compelled togo around with out socks or drawers and only one shirt, which valuablearticle we were obliged to dispense with occasionally for the purpose ofhaving been washed. We had blanketed enough during the warm weather,but when the cold nights Fithian, it was discovered that while some hadan abundant supply, others had only one, and many had none at all.Repeated complaints having been made to be Rebel Officials, InspectorTurner made his appearance one Sunday morning and proceeded to make adivision of the house, putting prisoners in one room and blankets in theother. He dedicated to each man as he passed back into the room, tooold blankets [U. S.], but a supply not being sufficient to go around,the remainder of the men had to go with out, and on application to theauthorities we were in form they had no more, and consequently couldgive us no more. The bedding and clothing furnished to our sick in thehospital was supplied by the United States Sanitary Commission.
The principal topic of conversation and excitement in Libby was the"Exchange Question." When we first made our advent in that highlypopular institution, it was certainly thought that we would not possiblyremained there longer than ten days or two weeks. But the end of thattime we were still there, the commissioners not having met; "but just assoon as they do meet we will be exchanged sure, and go home by the firstTruce boat." And this manner we consoled ourselves in our misfortune.Well, the Commissioners met, but did not agree. And the Rebelauthorities then published a statement, that they had made a propositionto our Government, which was so plausible in its base that we thought itwould be immediately accepted, as a matter of course, but somethingintervened to prevent the exchange. And so it went on, first one rumorand then another; first wood, the report that the surgeons and chaplainswere going to leave on the next boat, and the officers were to followimmediately; this statement would be directly succeeded by the reportthat the Commissioners had disagreed and there would be no moreexchangers during the war. The next report wood, from the hospital, tothe effect that a clerk in the War Department has just then to see afriend there and told him that a boat was up, and that the chaplains andsome of the officers would be exchanged. And so on with out end, eachday bringing some new sensation relative to the exchange question, andeach one without foundation. Upon the arrival of any of thesestatements it would be followed by the vociferous cries of "get ready,""pack up," "pack up," from all parts of the house, while the inmateswould soon together in crowds discuss the correctness of the report.One would be certain of its truth, for it came from a reliablegentleman; the next would be a little doubtful, while the third onedeclared he would hardly believe we were exchanged even if Capt. Turnershould come up himself and announce the fact.
Lieut. Flick, for an attempt to bribe the guard and escape, was takenout and confined in the cell for some three weeks, then released andsent back among the officers.
When we first entered Libby we could exchange our Greenbacks forConfederate trash at the rate of 2 dollars of the latter for one of theformer. And a short time they begin to increase the value, until wewere able to get seven and a half Confederate for one of Federal, atwhich rate it ranged for a long time. At first the exchange of moneywas conducted through the sentinel stationed on guard at the stairway,but two or three having been arrested for so doing, put a stop to getmanner of transacting business and another, but less dangerous, plan wasadopted. One hundred dollars in greenbacks would be raised and sent outby one of the negro boys belonging to the establishment, who wouldexchange it with some citizen, and bring us back $750 in the Confederaterags, which was the only kind of currency we could use in the purchaseof provisions.
The following is the list of officers from our regiment were capturedat Winchester and confined in Libby: Col. W. T. Wilson, Lieut. Col. H.B. Hunter, Adjt. Blair, Capts. Riggs, Caldwell, Robbins, Rosenbaum,Randolph, Bender and Chamberlain; lieutenants Davis, Smith, Bevington,Schuyler, Pumphrey, Breckenridge, Sowers, Colver, Williams, Acker, andBoyce, making 21 in all. The enlisted men were taken to the Belle Isle,confined there about three weeks, when they were paroled and sentNorth.
On October 7th, the chaplains were aroused early in the morning,marched to the boat, and then taken down to the James River to CityPoint, where they met the Flag of Truce boat, and went North. They wereall very much elated, except chaplain McCabe, of the 122nd Ohio, who, onaccount of poor health, was obliged to wait for the next boat.
On the 11th a meeting of the Ohio and Pennsylvania officers was heldfor the purpose of making the necessary arrangements preparatory toholding our election. On the 13th election was held. At thePennsylvania polls Curtin received a large majority. And at the Ohiopolls one hundred and sixty-three votes were cast-one hundred andsixty-two for Brough and one for Jewett. Three Ohio officers refused tovote.
On the 16th we were notified by the Rebel authorities that they wouldonly furnished us $25-Confederate-per month out of our money in theirpossession. This amount would not have furnished potatoes for one week,at the rate we were paying for them, but as we were under Rebelauthorities, we of course, had to submit.
Furnished with only a limited supply of Government rations, money takenfrom us, and only allowed in such small sums that it really amounted tonothing, caused us to think that perhaps they meant to starve us.Richmond daily papers were constantly complaining about theirgovernment beating so many Yankees there; and one paper advised theauthorities to confiscate the boxes of clothing and provisions that weresent us by our friends in the North.
On the 19th the Right Rev. Bishop Magill [Roman Catholic] preached tothe officers in the Libby. On the 20th quite a large number of boxes,for officers, from their friends in the North, arrived and weredistributed. A few greenbacks were ingeniously concealed in some of theboxes and, fortunately, escaped the search of the examining officers.Notices were posted, and forming us that there would be, hereafter,roll call twice a day-at 7:30 AM and 5 PM-and that five-minute would beallowed each time to "fall in;" officers not in line for then "would bepunished accordingly." Also, that if "spitting on the floor" and"growing apple course in the spit boxes" were not stopped, the purchaseof tobacco and apples would be prohibited. We received letters from theregiment on the 21st, being the first sense we were captured.
The Rebels had some sugar in hogsheads, stored in the warehouse, nearlyopposite the Libby, where some of our enlisted men were confined. Themen were in the second story, the sugar in the first. On the 24th itwas discovered that the sugar had been too tempting for the boys, andthat they had appropriated some seven or eight hogsheads to their ownuse, amounting to some $20,000 of their money. As a matter of course,the remainder was immediately moved out of the reach of the half starvedYankees.
On the 25th a letter was found, purporting to be from a Michigansurgeon to Capt. Turner, asking for a blanket, in which he stated that,under the circumstances, he would rather be a friend to the south thanan enemy. A drumhead court-martial was immediately convened, theculprit brought forward, and confronted with the letter. It appeared,and examination, that he was guilty of writing the letter, but that hewas a loyal man and, suffering very much for the want of a blanket, hadtaken this method to procure one. He was permitted to go unmolested, ashe had not succeeded in his attempt to deceive our humane captors.
Major Houston, who had been in the hospital for some time, and was atailor by trade, was employed by the Rebel surgeon to repair his uniformfor him, which he did, but, when completed, instead of giving it to thesurgeon, donned the uniform himself and, about dusk, he quietly walkedout, passing himself off as the surgeon. He succeeded in passing theguards without any difficulty.
This escape so alarmed the rebels that they took possession of thelower East room, again locating the officers' hospital in bathroom,nailed up the door between that and the upper brooms, giving us thepossession of the lower, middle room, after taking the precaution tomail up the windows and double the guards on the outside of thebuilding. For nearly forty eight hours after the sick and woundedofficers were brought to the building, the Rebels neither furnished themwith rations nor blanket, but after dark, communication was opened withthem, and they were furnished with blankets by us and a portion of oureatables.
About midnight of the 25th a gun was fired by one of the guards, atwhich signal-premeditated no doubt, as no one was attempting toescape-there immediately assembled in front of the prison to companiesof infantry and a small crowd of men with a howitzer. This was donevery promptly, no doubt with the intention of intimidating us Yankeesinside.
On the 26th we were put on bread and water. The reason assigned forthis was the breaking opened up the door into the hospital, but, mostprobably, the reason was the want of meat to furnish us with.
During the last of this month the weather was very severe, our officerssuffering much from the cold. We were allowed little or no fire, andthe windows having no glass and them, the zephyrs had free access. Manyof us had no underclothing, a number with only one blanket, and somewithout any. One morning the man "George," without any provocation, toa revolver and one of the officers, when Lieut. Reed, 3rd Ohio, awounded officer, told him he must not attempt that here. For thisoffense (?) Read it was taken down to the cell and kept their threedays, the first night without any blanket whatever.
On the 29th of October some 40 boxes and Bales, from the Sanitary andChristian Commissions, were received and Libby; also, about 150 privateboxes, for officers. The boxes from the Sanitary Commission wereconsigned to Gen. Dow, consisting of shirts, drawers, socks,handkerchiefs, and blankets. Those from the Christian Commission andwere consigned to Lieut. Randolph, 5th U.S. Artillery, the contentsconsisting of underclothing, reading matter, hams and liquors, theletter, no doubt, for hospital purposes. The articles were, probably,as well distributed as could be expected under the circumstances,excepting the hams and liquors, which were monopolized by a very few.
On the 30th of October we learned that nine men, belonging to ourregiment, were still on Belle Isle, some of the wounded and allsuffering very much.
On November 2nd some of the officers received money from the Rebelauthorities at the rate of 5 dollars confederate for one of greenbacks.A large number of private boxes also arrived and the next day weredistributed; 6 for the officers of the regiment, one of them from thesutler. So many boxes were arriving at this time that they wereexamined very briefly; the principal object of the search being toascertain whether there was any liquors concealed in them. Both moneyand lengthy letters were frequently so ingeniously concealed as to eludeeven a close scrutiny. There are usually secretive and cans of fruit orbutter, and occasionally a can of whiskey would pass labelled"peaches".
And the fifth Gen. Dow went over to "Belle Isle" and issued to our men,consigned there, the clothing consigned to his care by our Government.He reported their condition to be very destitute indeed, many beingcompelled to sleep on the bare ground without any shelter over them.This sort of treatment, and instead of winter and on a sandy island inthe James River, was simply barbarous.
On the seventh a class in sort exercise was organized, and for a fewdays nothing but the resounding clash of sticks, and the variouscommands were heard. But the novelty of the thing soon the war away,and this, like every amusement gotten up to while away our lonesomehours, was soon dropped.
Large numbers of boxes arrived daily, their contents being distributedto the boys on "Belle Isle," By Union officers designated for thatpurpose.
Gen. Dow occasionally entertained us with a lecture on-his favoritetopic-Temperance. Cornbread was our regular rations; the Rebelauthorities said they had nothing else to give us.
November 8 the Rev. Dr. McCabe, of the city, preached to us in theafternoon, and the minstrels performed in the evening. A gun was firedby one of the guards during the night, the alarm given and the wholeguard turned out to repel the expected outbreak, which, after all, wasonly a false alarm.
On the 12th the daily papers stated that the surgeon had beenexchanged, whereupon everybody went to work writing long letters to besecreted and the persons of the fortunate doctors, and in that way givethem smuggled through the "blockade."
On the 13th several hundred enlisted men were sent to Danville, theRebels beginning to fear that there were too many Yankees in and aboutthe city of Richmond. It did not make much difference to the boys, asthey could hardly be treated any worse than they had been.
On the 14th we had some beef issued to us for the first time in manydays. The cornbread was our staple, and such stuff it was; it looked asthough the meal of which it was stuff composed had been made by grindingthe corn and the cob together, thus utilizing the whole ear. Thecompound was a baked in large sheets about three feet square and fromthree-fourths of an inch to three inches in thickness, and about thesolidity of lead. No one ever attempted to dispute the fact that wereceived our full rations of "bread by weight" during those days.
About this time the most exciting topic of conversation was relative toallowing Rebel ministers of the Gospel to preach to us in Libby. It wasdecided, however, to allow them to do so.
On the morning of the 24th the surgeons were notified to be ready toleave in a few moments, as the Confederate soldiers had arrived; theywere also ordered to disgorge the letters they had concealed about theirpersons; only a few of them, however, did so. We afterwards learnedthat they were searched downstairs but with what results we did notlearn.
Letters were concealed about their persons in a variety of places; inthe lining of hats, coats, pants and boots, under shoulder straps,bandaged around sore legs, twisted up in small lots, and carried looselyin the pockets, concealed in plugs of tobacco, loaves of bread, etc.
Major White, 67th Pennsylvania, hired a surgeon to let him go in hisplace, which he did. It being afterwards discovered-some federalofficer having divulged the fact-notice of it was telegraphed to CityPoint. The Major was stopped, and we were notified that unless wedesignated the surgeon left behind, our rations would be stopped. Somecraven-hearted coward pointed him out. The next day Major White wasbrought back, but was not punished.
And such was life in Libby. It was not safe to trust anyone, save yourmost intimate friends and acquaintances. Volumes might be written offthe brave banks that were done in that terrible place, and then, again,of mean and cowardly things, done by men, whom at home were brave menand gentlemen. The only wonder is that every spark of manhood was notutterly crushed out of those so unfortunate as to be confined within itswalls. Modern warfare presents no parallel in the treatment ofprisoners, as devised and perpetrated by the chivalric gentlemen whomanaged the affairs of the so-called "Confederacy."
But enough has been told to convey some idea of our condition whileprisoners-the many hopes deferred, the long, weary waiting, that madethe heart sick nigh unto death.
It is needless to follow our officers and men to other prisons, wheremany of them were sent, when our forces got in close proximity toRichmond. It would be the same old story, in some cases, perhaps, alittle more revolting, but in the main, one Rebel Prison was a sample ofall the rest.
One thing more that should be mentioned in connection with our life inLibby: on the sixth of July, 1863, all the federal captains, then inprison, were ordered to fall in-there were 72 in number. They were thentaken downstairs, into a large, bacon room in the same building andformed in a hollow square, when Capt. Turner read an order from Gen.Winder, directing him to select, and once by lot, from among the federalcaptains in his custody, two for immediate execution! Each captainsname was then called, and, when answered, a slip of paper, containinghis name and regiment, was placed in a box. We were then givenpermission to select one of our chaplains, if we desired, to draw outtwo games. We selected Father Gray, who, after offering of a prayer,with a troubling hand and tears standing in his eyes, drew out two slipsand handed them to Capt. Turner. That moment was one of anxioussuspense to those 72 men who were a waiting the result. Capt. H. W.Sawyer, 1st New Jersey Calvary, and Capt. Flynn, 51st Indiana, where theunfortunate men. We all thought, at that time, that they would surelybe executed. They were confined in the dungeon a few days, and, ourGovernment taking prompt action in the matter, by holding Gen. Lee andCapt. Winder as hostages for our men, the rebels soon relaxed theirrigor, and permitted them to come back with the other prisoners."
- ↑ when 8 years old
- ↑ in Co I, 123d Regi, O.V.I.; "at the Battle of Winchester, July 15, 1863,he was taken prisoner and sent to Richmond Virginia, where he wasparoled June 14, 1864; was captured again at High Bridge April 6, 1865,but released after three days. Lee had surrendered. With the battlesnamed in which he took part were: New Market, Piedmont, Lynchburg,Martinsburg, Berryville, Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek and others, in all -twelve engagements"
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