2020-09 Putnal
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/26/2020
Byron P. Humphrey enlisted on 8/14/1861 at Hampton, NJ as a Corporal into "K" Co. NY 2nd Cavalry, re-enlisted on 2/24/1864. He was listed as POW 6/29/1864 Stoney Creek, VA., Paroled 4/28/1865 Jacksonville, Fla. This is an 1865 New York State 4-pg form in which Humphrey describes his time in Libby Prison. In the first pages , Humphrey answers questions. In the Q&A section Humphrey describes his capture, attempted escape, medical treatment, the deaths, any cruelties, burials, shootings of prisoners, .... in total 29 questions. The last two pages are the narrative of his personal recollections of confinement in Libby. In part, "I was captured on the Wilson raid, then taken to Petersburg where we were confined in a tobacco warehouse. ... From Richmond we went to Georgia ... reached Andersonville July 21st .... Captain Wirz counted us off ... he knocked several men down for not keeping up ... waited twelve hours for a man to die so I could have his place .. for a tent. ... The second day .. there, we hung six of our own men. They called themselves Raiders ..they would knock the sick ones down and rob them of everything ... hear the men yelling murder and crying for pity... the boys formed ..a police force. tried twenty or thirty and hung six. One broke the rope ... was caught again and hung. .. Men lay around naked and insane. .. I have seen one hundred and thirty carried out in a day. .. Sherman got pretty near ... sent us to Savannah. ... They would come in and recruit for their army. They took out two or three hundred. I cannot blame them for going, the poor fellow would have died if they did not go. ... we were marched back again to Andersonville. ... many could not walk but started to creep along. ... No tongue can ever tell the suffering and incidents at Andersonville. ..." Humphrey signs the document, 1865.
Click on a thumbnail above to display a larger image below
Hold down the mouse button and slide side to side to see more thumbnails(if available).
Click above for larger image.