Franklin County: "James A. Sellers," by unknown, April 29, 1921

Summary: Brief description of Union enlisted soldier's experience at Castle Thunder, a Confederate prison.

Served Two Enlistments in the Civil War

He Says, Prison life was not so Bad and Had Its Bright as Well as Dark Side

Most of the Civil War veterans, if not all of them, have past the three score and ten limit and are with us today by reason of strength, but as for tomorrow we cannot say, and for that reason take their story while in life and give it to you in rememberance of their trials, troubles and achievements on the field of battle, and which will be handed down the ages, as the greatest and most successful contest for human freedom in modern times.

In the course of a conversation with Mr. James A. Sellers, we learned that he served two enlistments and was captured and held in Lynchburg, Danville and Castle Thunder prisons for nine and a half months. He first enlisted in Company H, 126 Regiment Pennsylvania Vol. Infantry, serving nine months, and in Company A, 20 Reg. Pa., Vol. Cavalry, serving for three years or during the war.

Mr. Sellers makes the statement that he was taken prisoner at Ashby's Gap, Va., July 19, 1864 and endured the horrors of rebel prisons for nine and a half months. He said, while there were many hardships to endure, prison life was not without its bright side and incidents of a pleasant nature sighted.

He was the first union soldier to enter Castle Thunder and when on his way up a long pair of steps to the next floor a comrade following close back of him said; "Sellers are you prepared to go that high," and while they were enjoying a run of humor a rebel guard with fixed bayonet ordered them to move on, which they did without further question!

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Bibliographic Information: Source copy consulted: Kauffman's Progressive, April 29, 1921