fort it
was possible to extract from those old literary productions. Our reading
was usually done during the hottest part of the day while lying in our
quarters, when out of door exercise was too uncomfortable, and when we got
tired of reading we would take a nap or go visiting to some of our friends
in other portions of the camp, and there sit and talk over affairs,
discussing the prospects of exchange, spinning yarns, cracking jokes, or
singing old war songs to cheer each other up and pass away the time.
Others would resort to the gambling tent, where there was always a game of
cards going on; sometimes it was three card loo and sometimes poker; but
they would sit there from early morning until dark and play for money,
and, as is always the case, some would come away happy and some broke. But
somehow or other the same gang would be there the next day, anxious to
retrieve their broken fortunes of the previous day, or add to their gains.
Men would there as here, sell the last button off their coat to raise
money to continue the game, with a hope that luck would come their way.
Thus, some who came into prison with enough to subsist them for quite a
long time, would soon be obliged to live on the rations they drew, while
others, who were nearly destitute when they came in, would live like
fighting cocks. I could rehearse incidents of this kind that came under my
personal observation, but as I could not do so without giving names, as
the boys say, I won't give it away.

All sorts of games were played, some for money, and some for pastime.
Cribbage, back gammon, euchre, seven up, and sometimes we would play poker
for the beans we drew for our rations. When the bean ration was given out,
each man would have perhaps a good tablespoonful, then five or six would
sit down and play until one would have the whole, which would make him
quite a respectable dinner, and the rest would have to go without. Thus it
will be seen that our prison camp was a village, where all kinds of
business was carried on, and all sorts of characters were to be found. We
had our church, our prayer meetings, our social circles, our singing, our
visiting, and our gambling houses, all in a space of four or five acres of
ground.

We had some excellent singers, and were frequently entertained during the
long evenings with solos, quartettes, and choruses, patriotic, sentimental
and pathetic.

Among the patriotic songs oftenest heard, were "The Star Spangled