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From the Diary of Augustus Lyon,
A Union Soldier Who Starved to Death at Salisbury, N. C.
Printed in the Wellsboro Agitator January 27, 1885
Twenty Years Ago
The following extract from the diary of Augustus Lyon, a member of Company A, 149th Pennsylvania Volunteers, kept during his imprisonment in rebel prisons, will give the reader a vivid idea of the horrors to which our brave boys were subjected at Belle Island, Salisbury and Andersonville. The keeper of this diary was a son of Mr. Joseph E. Lyon, of Niles Valley. After much suffering he died in Salisbury, January 15, 1865—twenty years ago the present month. He was taken prisoner on the Weldon railroad, August 21, 1864 and was taken to Belle Island, near Richmond, where the sad story begins. His brother John Lyon, was captured at the same time. The first entry after they reached Richmond is as follows:
August 24.—We slept on the ground, no shelter.
25—This is an awful place. We get only half enough to eat. It is horrible.
26—Rained hard last night. All driven out and counted.
27—More rain last night. We got a tent today.
28—A lonesome day. Very hot, and only half rations.
30—Very cold last night. O, how long shall we have to stay here!
31—We are hungry, only half enough to eat.
September 1.—We got our little corn bread and meat, and have nothing to do but cry "bread!"
3—They gave us a new place to go to the water. We can hardly get enough to drink. It is awful.
4—I keep the Sabbath by reading my Testament. Am as patient as possible, but so hungry.
5—Nothing to do but be hungry. We all cry for bread.
6—A reb Lieutenant struck one of our men and bent his sword.
7—The old cry for bread.
8—We drew soft bread today.
10—Drew wheat bread and a little pork. Only half enough to eat.
12—Starvation rules. Only half enough to eat.
13—Let tent down to keep warm.
14—Heard heavy firing towards Petersburg.
15—We got a gill of wormy beans and a small piece of bread.
16—There is a great cry for something to eat.
19—We are driven out and counted every day. O Hunger, when will you depart!
20—Got fresh beef. Bought two ears of corn and boiled them.
21—Got fresh beef today.
22—Nothing to do and not much to eat.
25—Very cold. We are all hungry, but patient as we can be.
26—Worked at rings some. Got nothing to eat until afternoon.
29—Saw two men who dug out to escape, but failed.
October 1.—Cold rain and a wet place to sleep.
2—We get a piece of corn bread, about two inches square, twice a day and a morsel of meat.
3—More prisoners came in. I found a knife and worked at rings a little.
4—Eleven hundred prisoners went south. We shall all be sent off soon.
6—Drew rations and started on the cars to Danville, packed very close.
7—Rode all night. Changed cars at Danville, went to Greensboro, and camped out in a field. Drew a pint of flour for two.
8—Baked our flour on the coals. Went on to Salisbury, and were driven into that cursed pen. There we got half a loaf of bread. Nights cool and wood scarce.
10—Stood by the fire all night to keep warm. We get half rations. A horrible place.
12—Slept in an old house. Got a little bread and no blankets.
13—We get a small loaf of bread to two men. John and I draw together. We have rice soup once a day and a little meat once in a great while. Of some 800 men here seven die daily.
16—Captain Davis was shot today by a guard. Oh how I want to get away!
[For several following days he notes half rations and suffering from cold. On the 27th he notes the arrival of 600 Yankees. On the 28th and 29th they had no bread. His brother John was taken sick on the 29th and continued hard up to November 10th. There was no change in the rations—a pint of meal for two per day and sometimes a little rice soup]
November 12—O Lord! Help us out of this horrible place.
15—Nothing especially going on bur misery and death.
17—John is very sick.
18—John is worse—out of his mind. He says he is going to die soon and leave me in prison.
19—John is worse. Got him in the hospital on the straw.
20—John died this morning about three o’clock. I could only go to the gate with him. Oh, this is an awful thing.
21—Poor John is gone.
23—I am with the 45th boys and glad to get with them. Have only one quarter loaf of bread. We shall starve here, I guess.
25—Half a ration. There was a break out, 12 killed and 20 wounded.
27—I am not very well. I cannot describe the sufferings of this place.
29—I feel very weak.
30—Miller and I drew a beef’s head with meat on it. Feel better.
December 2.—Feel bad, but better.
5—Starvation and horror and no prospect of getting away.
6—Three hundred of our men came in. Some enlisted for the rebs.
12—I have got better again.
17—Albert Bryant died today.
18—It is dreadful, some thirty or forty die everyday.
20—Hunger still prevails. Horror is with us and death.
23—Nothing going on but misery and death.
24—Death and misery rule the camp at Salisbury.
29—The men die very fast.
31—Here I am a prisoner of war at Salisbury, N.C.
[This is the last entry. Fifteen days later starvation had done its work and Augustus Lyon was numbered with the victims of a cruelty unparallel out of Dahomey].
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