Owing to wet
clothing and a chill I could not sleep. Before day I was watching the country.
At sunrise we were alongside the Little Roanoke River near its confluence with
the Staunton. On the bridge over the Staunton several guns were planted, one so
near the track that the engine swept it off. This was in expectation of a
cavalry raid. We were 46 miles from Danville. Here they retain their slaves and
agriculture is in its usual state. As we approach the Dan River the country is
admirable, rolling land, rich valleys. The road runs near the river several
miles north of Danville, then sight is lost of it. At this point I judge it is
larger than the James at Lynchburg. It was after 3 p. m. when we got off the
train at Danville and marched through the place, and an hour later when we get
into quarters in a large brick building formerly a tobacco warehouse. In
passing through we tried to buy bread of women who offered, but guards would
not allow. Several buildings were filled with prisoners. As we got near the
building we were to enter I saw a man taken at the battle of Chickamauga eight
months before, who attempted to talk but was driven away. He was on parole
building a high fence back of our prison. We were crowded so thickly into the
building that there is scarce room to lie down. While waiting for rations a man
passed through with tobacco at $1 in greenbacks and $3 in "Confed" a
plug. At length rations came, corn bread and bacon warm. This was new, men had
a great relish for it. It was the third day's ration drawn during the nine days
we had been prisoners. Danville is four miles from the North Carolina line on
the Dan, a branch of the Roanoke River. It has water power for manufacturing,
but not developed; lies in a fertile country; the river is boatable to the
falls in the Roanoke 40 miles east to Clarkville. Population, 1,900. Close
confinement, not being allowed to get faces to windows, although they are
heavily barred with strips of oak plank, the nature of our rations and
conditions in general, began to work perceptibly on men. Water is insufficient
and bad, taken from the Dan, muddy in consequence of rain. Diarrhoea is
becoming universal. Bread is coarse, no seasoning.
SOURCE: John Worrell
Northrop, Chronicles from the Diary of a War Prisoner in Andersonville
and Other Military Prisons of the South in 1864, p. 46
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