The first day of the
month that it has not rained. The man shot last night is carried out dead this
morning. By trading some, we are enabled to increase our rations to about half
we could eat under normal conditions.
Selden, the Rebel
quartermaster, has set up a sutler shop on main street on the north side, with
a view of absorbing Yankee money men are starved to spend. The fact that some
of the stuff on sale is the same as that issued to prisoners justifies
suspicion that he had a reason for cutting down our rations. He attempts to
whitewash this matter by putting two prisoners in charge, Charles Huckleby, of
the 8th Tennessee, and Ira Beverly, of the 100th Ohio. Nevertheless we are told
by Rebel sergeants that he has a commission from Richmond. He only appears,
however, once every day. These boys expect to live better while in his service,
but admit that the profits are "gobbled" by Selden; that he furnishes
the stuff and fixes prices. It seems an unlikely place to make money, but the
few who have any spend it fast and pay high prices. While exchange in Federal
money is prohibited by Rebel law, it is openly done everywhere by Rebels, and
in this case by a "C. S. A." military officer. Articles in stock
consist of flour, molasses, small sticks of wood, plug tobacco, a vicious sort
of whisky made from sorghum. These things appeal to starved appetites of
thousands; and those who have money cannot resist the temptation to let it go.
Though this is poor stuff, it is better than the scant rations irregularly
issued. We have to pay from 25c to $1 for an onion, 10c to 40c for miserable
apples, 25c a pint for meal, 40c for wormy hog peas, 40c for 1½ pint of flour,
10c for small piece of wood. With the advent of this institution rations grow
less in quantity and quality. It is simply a scheme of this Rebel quartermaster
to catch greenbacks, watches, rings, and things of value which men eagerly put
up. It is not instituted with a view to benefit us. If such were the object,
why do they extort such prices, why are rations cut down, why are we cheated
out of one day in five by not getting rations?
SOURCE: John Worrell
Northrop, Chronicles from the Diary of a War Prisoner in Andersonville
and Other Military Prisons of the South in 1864, p. 77-8
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