Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 22.djvu/146

 134 Southern Historical Society Papers.

soldiers who have met each other on the battle-field. This company of soldiers occupied the deck of the vessel, and besides a heavy guard kept on duty all the time on deck, a sentinel was posted at the foot of the ladder in the hold, where he could keep constant watch over the movements of the prisoners, and another sentinel was kept day and night at the hatch-way above. There were taken with the 600 two mysterious characters. They were Confederate colonels who had become galvanized, as it was termed in the prison, a con- siderable time before we left the island. It was believed that they had taken the oath of allegiance. However this may be, they were furnished with the blue blouse and pants of the Yankee soldier, which they wore before they left the fort.

They were treated with much consideration and accorded unusual privileges whilst on the island; among others, they were allowed to occupy a room in the fort. After they donned the blue, the fort was unquestionably a safer place for them than the prison pen. This pair of colonels was provided with state room, and took their meals with the officers of the vessel, we were informed. One of them was a Virginian and the other a North Carolinian. Why they were in- cluded in the 600 and taken on the expedition, we never knew. Some thought they were spies and others thought they would be exchanged on reaching Charleston harbor, but they were not. They were kept with us throughout the entire retaliatory expedition, and returned with the survivors to Fort Delaware. At Morris Island, Fort Pulaski, and on the return vessel, they were kept separate from the common herd, and furnished with comfortable quarters with extra rations.

Another colonel, but a gallant soldier and true man, Woolfolk by name, was allowed to occupy a state-room, but why he was granted this privilege, I cannot recall.

The Crescent was a side-wheel steamer which plied between New Orleans and Galveston before the war, and many of its crew were with the vessel then. They were sympathizers with the South, and when they could escape the vigilance of the guards and sentinels, they would extend the prisoners such little favors as they were able.

In the condition above described, the Crescent steamed out into the Delaware and put to sea.

As a further safeguard against the escape of these helpless priso- ners whilst the Crescent was coasting around to Charleston harbor, from fifty to a hundred miles from land, the Government conside- rately furnished two gun-boats as convoys.