pted escape of the men in his squad, who haughtily
replied that he was not placed there as a spy or detective, and that he
should not betray the secrets of his comrades, but would, to the utmost of
his ability, render them any assistance they needed. This speech was
cheered by the squad in the most hearty manner.

We always found that our treatment was fair whenever we were guarded by
old soldiers who had seen service at the front; but when the _new issue_,
who were a cowardly lot of home guards, were placed over us, there was no
extremity of cruelty and meanness that they would not resort to, to render
our condition more miserable and unbearable, even to shooting an officer
who was quietly attending to his own business. A case of this kind
occurred on the 11th of June, when Lieut. Gerson of the 45th New York
Volunteers, who was returning from the sink about 8 o'clock in the
evening, was shot and killed by one of the guards named Belger, of the
27th Georgia Battalion (Co. E). This was a BRUTAL AND DELIBERATE MURDER,
as the officer was not within ten feet of the dead line and was coming
from it towards his quarters, besides the full moon was shining brightly,
and the sentry could not have thought he was trying to escape. The truth
is, he had told his girl when he left home, that he would shoot a Yankee
before he returned, and was too cowardly to attempt to kill one who was
armed. This fellow was promoted to a Sergeant and given thirty days' leave
for his cowardly act. Of course, in a prison like Macon, where none but
officers were confined, the indignities and abuses were less frequent and
severe than in Andersonville, where the enlisted men were held. Officers
of intelligence were less liable to submit tamely to these indignities
than were the men, who had been schooled to obey orders, and could and
did, command more respect; besides, there were less of us, and our prison
was more roomy and better kept.

A certain number were detailed every morning from each squad, to
thoroughly police the quarters, and keep them in a good, clean, healthy
condition. Then, officers were usually possessed of more money and
valuables than the enlisted men, and were better prepared to subsist
themselves, when rations were cut down to starvation points. The wonder is
not with me, that so many of our boys died in prison, but that any of them
got out alive. When I saw officers reduced to skeletons, and driven to
insanity by the treatment they