A young fellow named Conely tramps around the prison with
ball and chain on. His crime was trying to get away. I say he tramps around, he
tramps away from the gate with it on at nine in the morning, and as soon as out
of sight of the rebels he takes it off, and only puts it on at nine o'clock the
next morning to report at the gate duly ironed off. They think, of course, that
he wears it all the time. Jimmy Devers looks and is in a very bad way. Too bad
if the poor fellow should die now, after being a prisoner almost a year. Talks
a great deal about his younger brother in Jackson, named Willie. Says if he
should die to be sure and tell Willie not to drink, which has been one of
Jimmy's failings, and he sees now what a foolish habit it is. Michael Hoare
stands it well. When a man is shot now it is called being “parolled.”
SOURCE: John L. Ransom, Andersonville Diary, p.
69
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