Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 22.djvu/149

 K.I- i i .1 ( 'mij','1' i-'it, Snlilitr. 137

were forced to remain in our place in the hold. All the information we could get as to what was taking place in the harbor was what we could see in going to and from the wheel-house, and, for the purpose of observation, we kept a line of prisoners from the hold to the wheel-house all the time.

It was the day after our arrival, I think, that our hearts were glad- dened by a report from deck, that a truce boat from Charleston and another from the Federal fleet were approaching each other, and in a very short time another report was brought from a faithful runner that the truce boats had met, later on, that they had separated, and that the Confederate vessel was steaming back to Charleston, and the other returning to the fleet, then expectation ran high among the prisoners, but the glad tidings of exchange did not reach us that day. The next day the truce boats met again, and then we thought r.urely terms of exchange would be agreed upon, but no. Again they met on the third day, but accomplished nothing. I do not know whether they were negotiating for our exchange, but we thought so, and this thought revived our drooping spirits and caused us to for- get, for the time, the horrible hell in the hold.

The next day the Crescent weighed anchor and steamed out to sea, for what purpose we never knew. After a short run, the steamer put in at Hilton Head, which is at the mouth of Broad River, and there anchored. After remaining two or three days, the prisoners being still confined to the hold, the vessel returned to Charleston harbor and anchored near her former position, and we were kept aboard two or three days longer, during which time the truce boats met often as before, but terms of exchange were not agreed r.pon, if that was the purpose of their meeting, and on the i8th day after em- barking at Fort Delaware, we were landed at the wharf on Morris Island, about four miles from the point nearest Fort Sumter. We were then marched up the beach to the point of the Island, and there we found, prepared for our reception, a stockade pen, about fifteen feet high, constructed of poles set in the sand. The stockade was about midway between Forts Wagner and Gregg, Wagner being in rear of the pen and Gregg in front or next to Fort Sumter, and immediately on the beach not more than thirty or forty yards from the water. To the left of Fort Gregg was the Mortar Battery, next the Iron Battery, and further to the left, Swamp Angel. On the left of the pen, and in close range, a battery of field guns was trained upon it. Lying off the right, in the harbor, were two monitors, whose frowning guns bore upon the pen. The guns on the front of Wagner