Nested Like Hogs: Travails of a Thompson’s Station POW

Captured along with 72 other Federal officers at the Battle of Thompson's Station, Tennessee on March 5, 1863, Lieutenant Colonel James M. Henderson of the 33rd Indiana described the officers' long journey to Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia.

     "At Tullahoma, we were treated by Bragg the worst of any prisoners taken since the beginning of the war," Henderson complained. "Wet and cold, we were stripped of overcoats, oil blankets, canteens, and leggings, and the whole 73 officers were crowded into a small room with no fire, no room to lay down, and we had to nest in like hogs to keep from freezing. Next morning, we were thrown into a train of cattle cars and sent to Chattanooga, nearly freezing along the way. At Chattanooga, we got better treatment. From there we came on day by day till we got to Richmond, making 15 days in all. At some of our stopping places we got good treatment, at others, bad."

Lieutenant Colonel Henderson’s letter, written to his brother-in-law in Bainbridge, Michigan, first saw publication in the May 21, 1863, edition of the St. Joseph Traveler published in St. Joseph, Michigan.

 

The "lobby" of Hotel de Libby. At the time of Henderson's letter, more than 240 officers lay crowded in the prison, subsisting on rations "just enough to live on," Colonel Henderson noted. "One small slice of bread and a quarter of a pound of stinking beef after all the strength is boiled out. Some days we get a little boiled rice and salt for dessert." 

Hotel de Libby, Richmond, Virginia

May 1, 1863

          We surrendered without a load in our cartridge boxes. The boys broke nearly one half of their guns so they got a small prize except the men. As soon as we surrendered (73 officers and 1,131 men), we were immediately started for Columbia which place we reached at about midnight. Here the colonel in command of the escort made the landlord get up and get a good supper for the field officers. We then took a good sleep over it.

          From there we went to Shelbyville and met with a very warm reception by the Union ladies (may God bless them). The officer under whom we were placed would give us no supper and General Polk put him under arrest and permitted the ladies to bring us what they chose. Plenty of hot biscuits and butter, sandwiches, boiled ham, hot coffee, and other good things were brought so that our haversacks were well loaded when we left for Tullahoma. The march from Columbia to Tullahoma was through the worst country I ever saw and it rained five of the six days we were on the route. Colonel Gordon of the 4th Mississippi Cavalry had charge of us except when in Shelbyville and he did all he could to make us comfortable.

We were corralled for a few hours at Shelbyville in the circular courthouse yard, and many Johnnies guyed us about being in favor of miscegenation and amalgamation etc., but our boys were equal to the occasion and pointed out the motley colors of the crowd, of all ranks and races, that had turned out to see the show of 1,200 Yankee prisoners of war. In that crowd were many loyalists who showed us favors in the way of something to eat, handed by them through the iron palings of that fence.

But the climax of our misery was reached at Tullahoma when in a cold soaking rain the enlisted men were turned out into a low flat commons on which were found some brush and a few logs. The officers were given quarters in an old frame house and fared some better. Some of the sick laid on the brush that kept them at least out of the mud and water. The horrors of that night can never be effaced. In the morning, we were ordered to pile our overcoats, haversacks, canteens and blankets. General Bragg’s excuse for this order was that of retaliation for some indignities that he claimed were put upon some rebel prisoners. ~Captain Jefferson E. Brant, Co. E, 85th Indiana Infantry 

          At Tullahoma, we were treated by Bragg the worst of any prisoners taken since the beginning of the war. Wet and cold, we were stripped of overcoats, oil blankets, canteens, and leggings, and the whole 73 officers were crowded into a small room with no fire, no room to lay down, and we had to nest in like hogs to keep from freezing. Next morning, we were thrown into a train of cattle cars and sent to Chattanooga, nearly freezing along the way. At Chattanooga, we got better treatment. From there we came on day by day till we got to Richmond, making 15 days in all. At some of our stopping places we got good treatment, at others, bad.

          Now for old Libby. The prison is a large brick tobacco warehouse four stories high measuring 100 feet by 140 feet. Each room is 40 feet by 100 feet, two are used as hospitals, two filled with officers, and one filled with citizens and deserters. There are 241 officers confined here, 32 of whom are in the hospital. I was taken sick from exposure about a week after we came here and have been in the hospital ever since. First, I had tonsilitis, then mumps, then ague and fever. In all, I have had a hard time but at present am well of all disease but I am so weak that I can’t walk more than 40 rods. I am very poor and as white as you ever saw a man; the sun has not shone on me in 40 days and I look like any sickly plant.

Libby Prison in 1865. 

          Our rations are just enough to live on. One small slice of bread and a quarter of a pound of stinking beef after all the strength is boiled out. Some days we get a little boiled rice and salt for dessert. Officers who were lucky enough to have a little money get along by buying a few things now and then, but prices are so high one cannot eat much. For example, butter is $3.25 per pound, eggs are $2 a dozen, coffee is $5 per pound, etc. Our greenbacks brought $2-5 Confederate money but the government declared it unlawful to traffic in greenbacks. Gold will now only pass and that is worth from 500-600% and at that price everything is high.

          I have not heard a word from any of our folks for 10 weeks. It seems very long, yet I am in fine spirits and hope for the best. There seems to be some difference between the commissioners and we must remain. Our government has 600 Rebel officers at Fort Delaware. There seems to be active operations on the Rappahannock. I hope Hooker will succeed.

          By our fight, I lost about $450 worth of property- a horse, saddle, bridle, a pair of Navy pistols worth $60, a fine sword, overcoat, blanket, rubber goods, and in fact, nearly all of my outfit. This I will have to replace when I get out, if during the war. Give my regards to all friends- write me a good long letter and be careful not to put any contraband news in it or anything very bitter against the Rebels. If you do, I will not get it. Meanwhile, I am truly yours,

J.M.H.

Sources:

Letter from Lieutenant Colonel James M. Henderson, 33rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry, St. Joseph Traveler (Michigan), May 21, 1863, pg. 1

Brant, Jefferson E. History of the 85th Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Bloomington: Craven Bros., 1902

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