he
replied, handing me the canteen. I toasted him: "Here's hoping you
gorillas will outlive the Southern Confederacy!"--"A d--d equivocal
sentiment," observed my fire-eating, fire-drinking Masonic brother; "but
here we are at Meacham's Station. Good-bye, Yank!"

After our nineteen miles' march it was a most welcome relief to be
placed on platform cars, though packed so closely that we could hardly
stir. We objected that the cars had no tops. "All the better opportunity
to study astronomy," they replied.--"The cars have no sides to keep off
the wind."--"The scenery is magnificent," they rejoined, "and they'll
answer for 'observation cars'; you have an unobstructed view."--"But the
nights are growing cold."--"You'll keep warm by contact with each
other." Mad at this mockery, hungry, half-frozen, squeezed like fish in
a basket, we took little note of scenery or stars; but it was a comfort
to believe that our discomfort was caused by the rapid advance of
Sheridan's cavalry.

More dead than alive, though hardly dead enough to bury, having been
jolted along all the afternoon and all night, we reached Richmond about
sunrise, Tuesday, September 27th. Numbering now nearly four hundred we
were escorted through the streets to the notorious Libby prison and
halted in front. The Union officers inside thronged the windows to see
us come. On every face was a sad, despondent, pitying look, the most
discouraging sight I ever saw. No smiles there nor among us. Conspicuous
among them was the sorrowful countenance of Lieut.-Col. Charles H.
Hooper of the 24th Massachusetts Infantry, with his long handsome auburn
beard. Some one inside whispered loud enough for several of our "Four
Hundred" to hear, "Hide your greenbacks!" We passed the word down the
column, "Hide your greenbacks!"

A few minutes revealed its significance. We were taken in a body in upon
the lower floor. There Major Nat. Turner, prison inspector, cousin of
the celebrated Dick Turner of unlovely reputation, made us a speech.

You will empty your pockets of all valuables. Such as are not
contraband of war, you will be allowed to retain. You will deliver
up all your Federal money. An equivalent amount in Confederate money
will be given you in instalments from time to time, or the whole
will be returned to you when you are exchanged. You will turn
pockets inside out. If you attempt to conceal anything, it will be
confiscated.

We were made to st