le laurels, but
they had lost heavily. The Michigan regiment from which we had had so
many patients suffered severely; of the company of Indians, which
started one hundred and ten in number, only six remained; and the other
companies were hardly more fortunate. Dismay and anguish filled the land
at the tidings of the desolation which was the price of victory.

Early in the spring another exchange of paroled prisoners was made. The
New York came several times, bringing hundreds of starved men. Death had
released many from their sufferings during the winter. The men had had
no meat since New-Year's, and their tortures on Belle Isle and in Libby
Prison had been excruciating. Smallpox had broken out among them. The
dead had lain by the side of the living for days without burial.

Among the prisoners who came were twenty-five little drummer-boys. They
had endured the hardships of exile better than the men, and were in the
best of spirits. A little flaxen-haired boy of about thirteen years of
age, on being asked if he were not rather young to come to the war,
answered, "O no, and there are plenty more just as able as I to come and
help put down this Rebellion." There was a man by the name of Schwarz,
who unfurled the flag of his regiment on landing. He was the
color-bearer of the First Maryland, and had succeeded in concealing the
flag, until now, with proud joy, he held it high once more in free air.
His brother was the first man wounded in the war, at Fort Sumter.

General Neal Dow came at this time, having passed nearly a year in Libby
Prison. He was able to come in and take tea with the ladies on his
arrival, and to start for home the next day. He gave a graphic account
of his prison-life in Virginia. The colored people he had always found
good friends. Being without the news of the day was among the
deprivations of Libby, and the prisoners were indebted to the colored
attendants in the prison for an occasional newspaper. When any great
victory had taken place on the Union side, there was always a stricter
watch kept over our men, lest even this gleam of joy should brighten
their dull life; and particular care was taken constantly to inform them
that great battles had been fought, that the South had gained immense
advantages, and that the North would soon be forced to give up the war.
One morning a colored man came to General Dow and told him that there
was a "mighty big piece of news," but that he was afraid to tell, le