The next morning during a head count, he said he was forced to stand naked in front of the guards and other inmates. Contrary to earlier testimony, Manning said he was never given a chance to cover himself with his blanket.

His life changed, he said, upon his arrival at Fort Leavenworth. For the first time in nine months, he could move his arms and legs freely without handcuffs or leg iron restraints.

"I was expecting to be put back in restraints," Manning testified. "I knew they were going to put the hammer down eventually."

Instead, he moved freely among other inmates.

Eight months into his time at the Kansas base, Manning said he heard another inmate talking about him and tried to punch him in "the face and ended up hitting him in the shoulder."

The altercation earned Manning 15 days of disciplinary segregation and 14 days of extra duty. Lt. Col. Dawn Hilton, from Fort Leavenworth, testified by phone earlier Thursday that this December fight was Manning's only problem while there.

Manning was questioned by defense lawyers for about five and a half hours Thursday. Prosecutors will get their chance to query him Friday, and the hearing is scheduled to end the next day.