Good
morning! Everybody needs some java and good dose of what a day in the
life of a POW is like to start the day. Man! These experiences may not
be the same in all POW camps...but captivity sucks on all levels,
regardless of where a person resides.
I'm enjoying the SHARE because I'm learning about my grandfather...right
along with you. So, right on! It seems to me, although he is in the
most horrible conditions imaginable, he is not freaking out. Almost like
he accepts his condition and is surviving. Enjoy your time...
He writes,
Thursday, July 28th, 1864
A number of prisoners arrived this afternoon from Atlanta, taken in Friday's fight. The intelligence brought agrees pretty well with, and is in fact a confirmation of, other reports - and my conclusion at first seems to have been correct, that is, that General Hood had undertaken something that he could not do and got considerably worsted. There is another conclusion I have been forced to, taking everything into consideration; I can see no other object in the rebel authorities giving Hood command of the army - seeing that he is only a Major General - except that it is to sacrifice him, and in doing that, they sacrifice the army.
The fall of Atlanta is a blow from which the Confederacy can never recover, and fall it must. The prisoners report now combatants leaving town, all transportation is used in shipping things out, and arrivals from the eastern army report the rebels to be fortifying Augusta as well as Macon - for Hood's army to attempt to hold both points seems to me to be sheer nonsense. With his forces united, he cannot hold one point, and with it divided he cannot expect to do anything - but if he abandons Augusta his communication with the east cannot be maintained. If he abandons Macon, he gives up Alabama, Mississippi, and the greater part of Georgia, leaving both armies to be supported by Eastern Georgia, North and South Carolina.
If Lee attempts a retreat from Richmond he will do it at the sacrifice of his munitions of war, and these they cannot afford to lose. A concentration at any point will be the beginning of the end, and a separation will give the same result - which would be most disastrous I will not attempt to say.
He writes,
Thursday, July 28th, 1864
A number of prisoners arrived this afternoon from Atlanta, taken in Friday's fight. The intelligence brought agrees pretty well with, and is in fact a confirmation of, other reports - and my conclusion at first seems to have been correct, that is, that General Hood had undertaken something that he could not do and got considerably worsted. There is another conclusion I have been forced to, taking everything into consideration; I can see no other object in the rebel authorities giving Hood command of the army - seeing that he is only a Major General - except that it is to sacrifice him, and in doing that, they sacrifice the army.
The fall of Atlanta is a blow from which the Confederacy can never recover, and fall it must. The prisoners report now combatants leaving town, all transportation is used in shipping things out, and arrivals from the eastern army report the rebels to be fortifying Augusta as well as Macon - for Hood's army to attempt to hold both points seems to me to be sheer nonsense. With his forces united, he cannot hold one point, and with it divided he cannot expect to do anything - but if he abandons Augusta his communication with the east cannot be maintained. If he abandons Macon, he gives up Alabama, Mississippi, and the greater part of Georgia, leaving both armies to be supported by Eastern Georgia, North and South Carolina.
If Lee attempts a retreat from Richmond he will do it at the sacrifice of his munitions of war, and these they cannot afford to lose. A concentration at any point will be the beginning of the end, and a separation will give the same result - which would be most disastrous I will not attempt to say.
Friday, July 29th, 1864
More arrivals from the front but no more news. The population of Andersonville is increasing very fast, the last week has given an addition of upwards of 2000 - but I think emigration will cease for a short time at least. It is remarkable to note the contract in prisoners that have been captured on this campaign. Leaving out the capture of the garrisons at Plymouth and Fort Pillow and with other captures of less importance, and Grant has captured more men in one day from Lee's army than both Lee and Johnston have captured from both armies on the entire campaign. I think 7000 will include all that have been taken from both armies of Grant and Sherman, while on the other hand, the men captured by Grant alone would exceed four to one of the whole, and those taken by Sherman will exceed two to one - but there is a contrast in another respect that is still greater, and that is the treatment of prisoners.
While we are stripped of every thing and confined in narrow limits on cornbread and meat without quarters, the rebs are furnished with good quarters and plenty to eat. As to the quantity we get, it is sufficient, but quality and the manner in which it is furnished is the greatest bore possible, and under other circumstances but necessity it would be intolerable. Met an old comrade.
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