Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 29.djvu/255

 //* i/ Federal Prison. 239

of the casements was planked up and we were put inside and a special guard looked after us, until we were sent to Fort Delaware, March 8, 1865.

On that day all the prisoners were taken out and placed on a steamer. The eight who had escaped and were recaptured were held back and afterwards taken out and placed on the bow of a boat in front of the pilot-house.

It was stormy weather, and we were very much exposed to the waves. Wave after wave four days repeatedly broke over us. We were guarded there until we reached Fort Delaware, March i2th.

The other prisoners were taken off and given other quarters in the barracks at Fort Delaware, but we, the eight, were taken to General Scheoff's headquarters and turned over with instructions to be kept in close confinement. The General inquired what were the charges against us. We told him we had tried to make our escape at Fort Pulaski. He said we had done nothing more than any prisoner of war had a perfect right to do, and told the officer in charge to take us to the barracks and give us the best quarters there. General Scheoff was from Almador, Va.

Nothing more than is common to prisoner's life occurred while we were confined at Fort Delaware, until the iyth of June, 1865, when all the line officers were called out and formed in a hollow square to take the oath.

My name was the first called. I was ordered to go to the barracks, get my baggage, and report to General Scheoff's headquarters. General Scheoff met me at the door and asked me if my name was George. I replied that it was. He remarked that he hated to give up, but that my brother had come for me, and he supposed I must go. My brother was Captain A. G. P. George, in the Sixtieth Vir- gina Regiment, and was with Lee when he surrendered at Appo- mattox. He had gone home to Princeton, Va., and did not know when I would get out of prison. From Princeton, he went to Wash- ington and got a special release for me. I did not know he was present at General Scheoff's headquarters; had heard nothing from him since long before the surrender, and did not know but what he might be dead. My brother and I went from Fort Delaware to Bal- timore. He went on to California, while I returned home.

W. T. BALDWIN.