the
purchase, hoping for a decline in the market. Now do not think that I ate
all of this myself. There were three of us in the mess, and I did the
buying and cooking for the party. The above purchase was only one of many,
but will serve to show how much it cost us to live. When it is considered
that five dollars in Confederate money was only equal to one dollar in
greenbacks, and that a dollar greenback was only about forty cents in
gold, it will be conceded that the price paid after all was not so very
high, especially when it is remembered the scarcity of provisions at that
time, May, 1864; for instance, the ham, for which I paid fifty-six dollars
was only four dollars and fifty cents.

CHAPTER VIII.

MOVING INTO THE STOCKADE--SKIRMISHING--MR. CASHMEYER'S SUTLER
WAGON--CAPTAIN IRSH BUCKED AND GAGGED BY ORDER OF TABB--CAPTAIN TABB
RELIEVED--HOW WE PASSED THE TIME--THE MEETINGS--GAMBLING HOUSES--SOCIAL
AND SINGING CIRCLES.

On the 17th of May the stockade was completed and we were moved inside,
where we were joined by eight hundred other officers, who had been
confined in Richmond, among whom were Brigadier Generals Wessels and
Scammon. Twenty-one others, who had been confined in jail in the city of
Macon, were also added to our number. Most of the Richmond prisoners had
been there a long time and were out of money and nearly destitute of
clothing. We had up to this time been comparatively free from vermin,
having thus far been in an open field with only a guard around us and with
some facilities for cleanliness. But contact with these old "salt cod," as
they were called (we being designated as fresh fish), soon brought us to
the daily skirmish line, and we thereafter found plenty to do to keep the
graybacks in any kind of subjection. At first it was with a good deal of
embarrassment and attempted concealment that this necessary duty was
performed.

I shall never forget my first efforts in this new duty. All day I had been
annoyed by something tickling my leg at a certain spot, and had tried all
sorts of ways to rid myself of the annoyance, but though for a moment
relieved, it would every time return to pester me. I more than half
suspected the cause, but did not dare to let my companions see that there
was anything the matter, lest they should drive me out of the tent and
refuse to associate with me. I finally managed to be left alone in the
tent, and quickly taking off my pants and drawers proceeded to i