By an effort he succeeded in calming himself to the point of receiving the news with philosophic coolness, and we went into Committee of the Whole Upon the State of Our Stomachs, to consider how the money could be spent to the best advantage.

At the south side of the Stockade on the outside of the timbers, was a sutler shop, kept by a Rebel, and communicating with the prison by a hole two or three feet square, cut through the logs.

The Dead Line was broken at this point, so as to permit prisoners to come up to the hole to trade.

The articles for sale were corn meal and bread, flour and wheat bread, meat, beaus, molasses, honey, sweet potatos, etc.
I went down to the place, carefully inspected the stock, priced everything there, and studied the relative food value of each.

I came back, reported my observations and conclusions to Andrews, and then staid at the tent while he went on a similar errand.