We are all troubled with heart-burn, sour stomach, &c.
Drink weak lye made from ashes for it. Every day some new ones come inside, but
they know nothing as to the prospects of our being exchanged. All are
considerably surprised to find themselves in quite so bad a place, and the
subject of prison life begins to interest them. Good deal of gambling going on
among prisoners. Chuck-a-luck is the favorite game. You lay your ration of
bread down on a figure on a board, and a fellow with a dice-box shakes it up a
little, throws out the dice, and your bread is gone Don't understand the game
myself. That's all I ever saw of the game. Lay down the bread and it's gone.
Rather a one sided affair. Some men are very filthy, which makes it
disagreeable for those of more cleanly habits. I believe that many, very many,
who now die, would live if they adopted the rules that our mess has, and lived
up to them. It is the only way to get along.
SOURCE: John L. Ransom, Andersonville Diary, p.
26-7
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