POW’s Past and present!

It is and probably always has been one of the top 3 fears for a soldier. It sits, equal to death or serious injury in that dark cloud that hovers over every soldier. It is being captured. I have been reading a lot of American Civil War history as of late, and a lot of my predecessors and their family members became POW’s. The two sons of Col. Joseph M Wells, Miles and John, the last time he saw them they were on a boat, after the surrender at Ft Donelson, they asked him, “Father aren’t you coming”, he wanted to wait for more of the troops, before he left. I think they went to the infamous prison outside Chicago, a hell hole, disease, men freezing to death, you name it, a very unpleasant place to be. They didn’t come home. He was my great, great-grandfather, My Great, Grandfather, James K. Bartlett, Col. Wells, son-in-law, was captured at the west side of Lookout Mountain. He was sent out that morning with his Co. to help strengthen the pickets, on the west side of the mountain along the canyon. The Yanks, in a mighty surge, broke through their ranks, and captured most of their company. They were strong men, used to a hard life, battled hardened, but by now in many cases were shoeless, clothing in pitiable condition, malnourished, diseased, but loyal to their cause. James K. hadn’t eaten in so long, when the Minnie ball pierced his stomach, there was nothing to spread it, so it just went right on through. He was captured, survived, sent to the also, Infamous, Rock Island prison in Illinois, he was there until the war ended. He walked home. If you want to see what Americans can do to each others, Google Rock Island Prison, Ill.
Yeah, and by the way, it wasn’t just the Yankees, Rebs did it too.check out Andersonville!
Now the food for thought, these people were not particularly much difference than us, what makes you think, we would be much difference if this every happened again. Next time, I am going to talk about more recent POW’s.