Surviving Bell Island during the Civil War – Part One

    William Savidge was born in Ohio in May 1845 and joined the Union forces in 1861 at age 16. He was taken prisoner in 1863 at age 18 and was released in 1864. He moved to Hampton in 1869.
    He was taken prisoner on Oct. 23, 1863 near Lauden, Tenn. by Longstreet’s men. The group taken prisoner included 300 of Colonel Walford’s brigade and 36 of William Savidge’s Ohio company.
    The Confederate captors took their clothing and left the prisoners with the captor’s dirty rags.
    They were then marched under guard to Dalton and put on a train for Atlanta. While in Atlanta, one poor fellow needed his leg amputated, so he was put on a well curb while another soldier sawed it off. He did not even whimper. They were loaded back on the train and traveled south where they saw very few whites, but black slaves were everywhere. Although many could have escaped from the train, the area was heavily guarded for run-away slaves. Those who did escape were soon caught.
    The whites they did see were dirt poor and uneducated. They stood near the train and yelled at the prisoners for “stealing their slaves.” The prisoners were told they were going to be exchanged for Confederate soldiers, which they later found was a lie just to keep them from escaping.
    The prisoners were not fed for over 24 hours, but later during a stop at Petersburg slaves brought out cornbread and small amounts of meat. They asked for coffee but did not receive any. In fact, no coffee was had while the soldiers were imprisoned by the Confederates.
    At this point the prisoners were told not to talk to anyone or each other. A big sergeant, who had a large cane with a big knot on the end, brutally beat anyone who spoke, so talking ceased.
    Soon they arrived at Libby Prison where an officer came out and said “put them on the island,” and away they went, thinking they would soon be exchanged so they cooperated. They crossed the James River on a bridge, then another bridge and learned this place was called Bell Island. It was 10 miles long and two miles wide at the widest spot.
    Waiting for them was another Sergeant who also had a large cane with a big knot on it. He had them searched for money and asked who could write. They were marched inside to an open field with tents enough for only one-tenth of the prisoners. They were met by half naked prisoners, starved, miserable creatures who were eager for any news from the outside.
    It took all day to wander through the 7,000 prisoners to look for a spot to live. Many prisoners were sitting or lying on the bare ground without covers. Some were crowded around tiny fires of wood splinters, others were combing their fingers through their hair or clothes looking for “gray backs” (lice).
    There was an unmarked empty place near the embankment. Several prisoners headed for the open space and were promptly shot without warning; one man was killed and the other wounded. They later learned that no one was allowed in that spot.
    It was cold at night, but none of their group had a tent, blanket or overcoat. All they could do was lie on the ground and it was very cold being the first of November. Men were sleeping standing up in groups trying to keep warm, but only the ones in the middle were really warm. Men bunched together and marched all night to keep from freezing.
    The rations consisted of six loaves of coarse corn bread the size of three pints, a small piece of meat and a bucket of pea or bean soup full of bugs. This food had to feed 20 hungry men and no one had utensils to eat with, so they had to take turns drinking the soup and use their hands to get a share of the peas or beans. Later that year the rations were cut in half.
    Although thousands of trees could be seen nearby, even in the coldest of weather, the prisoners were given one stick of cordwood for 20 men, that was divided into 20 shares. A tiny fire would be built, and once all the splinters had been burned, the men went back to marching to keep warm.
    The Union government sent overcoats for the prisoners, but they died so fast the Confederates didn’t bother giving them out. The dead would be frozen to the ground in the morning. Their clothing would be taken off by other prisoners and used to keep others alive. The Union government sent blankets for the prisoners, but only every third man received one with the rest going to the Confederate soldiers. William Savidge received a blanket but had to share with two other men.
    Of the company that included Savidge and 35 other young men, 30 were dead in six months from starvation and torture.  Men were tied up by their thumbs so their toes barely touched the ground and left for hours and hours. Some were beaten to death, others were put in stocks and left to die.
    The worst punishment was the wooden horse which was used for attempted escapes and other high crimes. It was a six feet in the air, a hardwood board, 10 inches wide and 10 feet long with the top part sharpened. Prisoner’s hands were tied behind their back and they were made to climb up a stepladder and get astride the sharp board. Cords were tied to the prisoner’s ankles to pull his body down on the sharp board and his cries could be heard all over the camp.
    In 1928, it was reported in the Franklin County Recorder that William Savidge said the bright spot in his memory of the prison was that at any time a prisoner could have gone to the gate and ask to take an oath not to take up arms against the Confederate government. Had anyone done so, they would have been well fed, given a job and place to stay outside the prison. Although they were constantly urged to do so, not one prisoner ever did.