The Soldier's Story of His Captivity at Andersonville, Belle Isle, and Other Rebel Prisons

This is an amazing, first-hand account by a Civil War P.O.W., "The Soldier's Story of His Captivity at Andersonville, Belle Isle, and Other Rebel Prisons" by Warren Lee Goss (of the Second Massachusetts Regiment of Heavy Artillery). 1870; I.N. Richardson & Co.; Boston. The book features numerous full-page illustrations, including a fold-out "Plan of Prison Grounds - Andersonville." "Embellished with a Beautiful Presentation Page and Four Full Page Illustrations by THOMAS NAST, the Celebrated American Artist; a Steel Portrait of the Author; Several Maps Drawn from Actual Measurements, and Many Accurate Illustrations of Prison Life, Taken from Rebel Photographs now in the Possession of the Publishers." "With an Appendix, Containing the Names of the Union Soldiers who Died at Andersonville, with the Numbers of their Graves, their Rank, the Companies and Regiments to which they Belonged, the Dates of their Decease, and the Diseases of which they Died. And also, Many Certificates to the Truthfulness of the Book." The book had been sold by subscription only.

From the Preface: "If the cause for which so many sacrifices were made - which so many died in prison to perpetuate - was worth suffering for, are not the scenes through which they passed worthy of commemoration and remembrance in the hearts of their fellow-countrymen? Justice to the living who suffered, impartial history, and the martyred dead, demand a full, unexaggerated record by a survivor of these horrors. For this purpose this book, through agonizing memories, at last has been finished. (The author) simply states facts, and depicts those scenes of prison life best fitted to convey to the minds of general readers some of its characteristic phases, just as prisoners saw it, - giving to history material for its verdict, and the reader a full understanding of the subject." Here are a few examples of the contents: Heroism in a Wounded Soldier; Sickness and Insensibility; Extreme Suffering from Hunger; Trading with the Rebels; Escape and its Punishment; Sight of the Old Flag; Assault and Surrender of a Garrison; An Heroic Woman; Negro Soldiers Hunted and Shot; "Dipping" by Women; Effects of Shot and Shell; Prison Life in Andersonville; The Ration System; Knowledge of Tunneling Acquired; Inhumanity and Brutality in Shooting Prisoners; Lack of Sanitary Regulations; Sickness and Death very Prevalent; Loathsome Forms of Scurvy; A Noxious Swamp and its Effects; Exposure to Heavy Rains and Hot Suns; Punishment of Larcenies; Tricks upon Rebel Traders in Prison; Crowded Condition in the Prison; Much Filth and Misery; Escape of a Party of Twenty; Fight with the Bloodhounds; Bad Cooking and Mixtures of Food; Horrible and Disgusting Scenes; Gathering up the Dead; Horrors at the Prison Gate in the Distribution of Medicines; The Sick and Dying Crowded and Trampled upon; Character of the Prison Police; Barbarous Amputations...and much, much more. Condition: The maroon cloth on the spine has faded. There are patches at the spine and along the perimeter of the covers where the maroon cloth color has faded (these patches aren't stains, but rather areas where the maroon cloth color has lightened and isn't as dark). The top and bottom edges of the spine are worn. Stain spots at the top half of the back cover. Both the top and bottom of the spine have cloth tears at the left and right edges. Tight binding with no cracks and no loose pages. The pages are age-toned with occasional smudges, stains and foxing here and there. Small tears to the presentation and title pages. The presentation page has old handwriting in pencil. Overall the book is in Good condition.