(CIVIL WAR PRISON) Isaac Spear Questionnaire concerning his

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(CIVIL WAR--PRISON.) Isaac Spear. Questionnaire concerning his experiences as a prisoner at Andersonville and elsewhere. Partly-printed Document Signed, 3 pages, 14 x 8 1/2 inches, plus docketing on final blank page; minor foxing. New York, 1865

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This questionnaire was completed by Sergeant Isaac Spears (circa 1842-1883) of the 13th New York Infantry, who was captured on 17 June 1864. As told here, he was captured "on a midnight charge, cept in Petersburgh 3 days then went to Andersonville Ga., cept there till Sept. 12, went to Florence, S.C. untill Feb. 28, then was released." He describes his fare as "corn meal and bacon, some times beefe or not anything. . . . Sometimes had nothing to eat and fight for a bone that lay in the dirt." Asked whether he ever attempted escape, he describes an escape from Florence with fellow inmates Thomas O'Grady and William Crealman: "Traveled 10 nights, got about 60 miles, was captured and put in Bennetsvill Jail 2 days, sent back to Florance. Lived high while in the open country but after got back to Florance got nothing to eat for 5 days." On his general treatment and health: "Treatment was hard, guards would shoot if a man would get over the ded line. I was well untill Feb. 20, then taken with the feaver. Was sick when releaced. That was not a day too soon." On the funerary rites performed by his guards: "Like burying dogs. If they had anything about them worth taken, they would take it of and say 'Another dam Yank ded, another pint of corn meal saved.'" Perhaps the worst thing he witnessed: "There was 2 men in the creek washing and they got in a fight. One of them took the other by the cuff of the neck, put him under the ded line, and the guard shot him and the other laughed."