• Index to Civil War

A Midnight Duel

"I remember it as though it was yesterday, the march of Hill's corps along the winding Shenandoah, up to the famous Luray gap. Who could ever forget that march? The road winding with the beautiful river, and overhung with a majestic chain of BlueRidge mountains, while across the crystal water the magnificent valley, with its charming cottages dotting the bounteous land with white-like balls of snow robed in flowers.

But the most engaging and lovely objects paled into insignificance beside the peelrless women of this blessed country, and you may well believe that when the camp was struck thatthe soldiers lost no time in making their way to the surrounding coattages. Soon the musicof the violin was heard, and the shuffling feet kept time to the music, while, for a time,the face of the soldier was lit with old time joy. At one of those cottages the belle of thevalley reigned supreme, while several southern soldiers vied with each other in paying homageto the queen. Among others were two young soldiers -- one from Georgia and the other fromMississippi; who were specially energetic in their attentions, and so marked had thisbecome that those present watched the play with constantly increasing interest, fulling believingthat both exhibted a case of love at first sight.

The surmise on the part of those present was only too true, as the tragic event which followedfully proved. The Georgian seemed to have the lead on the Mississippian, and when the dancers werecalled to take their places, he led the belle of the valley to a place in the set. At this pointthe Mississippian was seen to approach the couple and heard to claim the lady's hand for thedance. An altercation ensued, but both were cool, brave soldiers; two of the best shotsin the army ;who did not believe in a war of words. So it was ended by the Georgiandancing with the l ady and the significent remark of the Mississippian that "I will see youafter this set."

When the dance was over the Georgian was seen to seek the Mississippian, and together they calledeach a friend from the crowd and departed. When outside, both claimed that an insult hadbeen passed, which could only be wiped out in the blood of the other, and that a duel to thedeath should be arranged at once.

A full moon was just appearing above the tops of the surrounding forest, and I tell you thistalk of blood in the silence of the night was anything but pleasant. No argument, however, wouldavail with these men, so it was arranged that the duel should take place at the top of theBlue Ridge, near the centre of the road that passes through the gap; that the weapons should bepistols at fifteen paces, and to fire at or between the words "lone, two, three", firing to continueuntil one or both were dead.

The point was reached, the ground measured off, and the men took their positions without a tremor.The moon shed its pale light down on a scene never to be forgotten. A moment or two and the\silence was broken by the signal: 'one, two three.' At the word 'one' the report of two pistolsrang out on the midnight air, but the principals maintained their respective positions. TheGeorgian's left arm was seen to drop closer to the side, but the Mississippian was immovable,and still held his pistol to the front. Again, a pistol shot was heard, coming from the Georgian,and the Mississippian still held his position, but he did not fire. The Georgian protested thathe had not come there to murder him, but no answered was returned. The Mississippian's secondapproached his principal and found him dead, shot through the eye on the first discharge of the weapons. Death it seems has been instantaneous so much so as not even to disturb hisequilibrium.

I may forget some things, but the midnight duel on the yop of aspur of the Blue Ridge, with its attendant circumstances, is not one of them."

Camp Douglas Prisoners of War

"An old ex-confederate soldier, who was for a long time held a prisoner at Camp Douglas,and who is familiar with the treatment of the northern soldiers at Andersonville, in conversationwith an Enquirer-Sun representative last night, gave some reminiscenes.Thesouth has been greatly slandered and misrepresented in regards the treatment of federalprisoners at Andersonville, yet the account given by this old soldier of the manner inwhich confederate soldiers were served at Camp Douglas furnishes a comparison in whichthe north can find nothing to argue in favor of her humane treatment of the so-calledconfined within her prisons."

"Talk about the yankee prisoners being roughly treated at Andersonville," said theold soldier, "why I can tell you some of the hardships that confederate soldiers at CampDouglas had to endure that will open the eyes of the civilized world. They call the lateunpleasantness of a 'civil' war, but the treatment we received at Camp Douglas was, in manyinstances, of the most brutal character. I will relate a few instances of how we were punishedfor so-called offenses of the most trivial nature."

"On one occasion, Colonel Sweat, who was in command of the prison, was showing a party ofdistinguished visitors through the camp. While the party was passing through the square theprisoners cried 'more bread! Give us more bread!' This so enraged Sweat that afterhis visitors had left he had us all drawn up in a line and made us 'point' for half an hour.Pointing, you know, is to stand on your feet and lean forward until the tips of the fingers of onehand touch the ground, and then remain in that position until your punishment is through to besufficient. But this is nothing to compare with other things we had to endure. I have beencompelled to stand for an hour at the time holding my hand in the snow because I was accused ofviolating some frivolous rule of the prison. Prisoners were in some cases made to sit in the snowuntil they would afterward die from the exposure."

"Hanging prisoners by the thumbs was an every-day practice. I knew one poor fellow who was kepthanging so long that when taken down he died. If prisoners were heard talking in their banksafter sunset they were brought out and hung up by the thumbs."

"On one occasion two men who were bunking in the same berth with me were overheard talking. Theguard ordered us out. I was about half sleep and asked him if he was speaking to me. With anoath, he replied that he was, and I was compelled to leave my berth with the other men and ridea scantling for two hours. You cannot imagine how I felt when I was permitted to dismount mykeen-back horse unless you have experienced similar punishment. A prisoner was given no hearingwhen charged with an offense. His guilt was assumed, and he had to undergo whatever punishment abrutal guard desired to inflict."

"The weather at Camp Douglas was intensement cold in winter and the barracks was a veritableskeleton of a building. I remember that at one time it was so cold that we were continuouslyhungry that they would light a fire under a dog...If a visitor came in with a terrier followinghim, it was seldom that he left without leaving his pet behind him. Some of the men would throwa blanket over the dog and after the visitor had left he would be served up anddevoured by the starving men. I have eaten many rat pies while in CampDouglas, and was only too glad to get them."

"I remember once that a few of us attempted to tunnel our way out of prison. We worked atnight and had only one more night's work to do, and we would have been free men again. A hardrain came on the night that we had fixed to make our escape and completely thwarted our plans. We might have succeeded the next night, but a tritor informed against us and we hadto undergo the most cruel punishment. On the same day that our tunnel was discovered many otherswere found, and it was developed that but for the rain the previous night nearly every prisonerin Camp Douglas would have escaped."

"I saw many prisoners who were driven stark mad by the sufferings which they had to endure. Iremember once seeing a guard shoot five times at a mad man, but missed him. The guard was notpunished at all for this piece of outrageous inhumanity."

"Talk about the 'horrors of Andersonville'. They were nothing compared with those of CampDouglas. The south was not able to care for her prisoners any better than she did. Shegave them the best she had, and treated them like human beings. No one would be so bold andreckless as to assert that the prisoners at Camp Douglas got the best treatment andprovisions that the north was above to give them.

"I might relate many more instances of cruel treatment received by us at Camp Douglas, but theyare of such a character that I know the public would receive them with incredulity."

Written by an anonymous Confederate Veteran and published in The Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, 26 January 1885.