Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-11-24

our Prlssners An Isichmpnd.
...,Sa yaon a Lrru1rnAnr or 1nE llxrr-MNrH.
NV Yonk, Monday, Nov 10, 1861.
~ tls Editor Of hs Nsv York Tlms:
Permit me, through the columns Of your uni
yersal journal, 10 lay before the public the In
closed letter from Lieut.. James Cannon, sixty
ninth Regiment (my brother), now prisoner
In Rlchmond. am IN no way deeirons OF nav
Ing my humble name brought Into notice. Nor
would even now, twithstanding the personal
interest / have In the fate Of the prisoner, but
that consider II debt owed By society to the
bravo but unfortunate men generally, 70 express
in some way their sympathy for the very
wrelehed and deplorable condition in which they
are placed. The letter will speak for itselt'
RlcHnoND, Va, Tuesday, Nov. ~, 1861.
DEAR BRorHKR: seize the present opportunl.
ty 70 state for your satlsfaotion that am IN IN
enjoyment Of excellent health, fervently hoping
;ae receipt Of this hurried letter shall hni
all the members Of the family in the same. IL
grieyed me very much this evening 70 see all
nv brother officers recslve letters from their
friendsi and I, who was 90 very anxious 70 hear
from YOU, receiving none, made me very low
and dispIrited indeed. I fear the letters have
sent Won have not been received; however, that
cannot be helped now; ! hope you will at least
get this one. Ihaye nothing Of any import
snce TO communicate (the dull and dreary rou.
tine Of eaptive's life would be somewhat
dlstaal tale), only that our poor but gallant
Colonel 10 In O pretty bad hx. On last Sunday
evening Gen. Winder with some three or tour
Of his staR came into our quartern, and an
nounced to us, "thet as one OF the Con-
federate priyateers (Smitb) was now under
sentence of death In Philadelphia, that
one Of the highest rank Of tho prisoners In the
Confederate prisons should be drawn for us BY
lot, and should be treated In every respect %
convicted felon; and, finally, that II Smith
should be hanged in Philadelphia, 90 should be
be hanged also whose lot might be cast es an
equivalent" Ballots being put Into can,
and Hon. Alfred Ely being called upon TO draw,
took the one with CorcoraD's name inscribed
on Il, 90 that II Smith be hanged 80 shall eur
dear Colonel meet similar fatej the remaining
five Colonels. three Majors and three Captains
to be held as hostages Tor the crew Oh tne pr,
yateer Savannah, now In New York, and should
apy of them be hanged, 90 shall the fearful re-
tailalion be exacted at the expense Of the lives
of the hostages referred to. Their names are
as follows: Colonel Corcoran, Sixty-ninth Regi-
ment; Colouel Coggswell, Tammany Regiment;
Colonel Lee, Twentieth Massachusetts; Colo.
mel Woodruff, Eighteenth Kentuckyj Colonel
Wood, Fourteenth, of Brooklyn; Lieutenant
Colonel Niff. Eighteenth Kentuckyi Lieuten-
ant Colonel Peuya, --; Major Potter, Thir.
ty-eIRhth, Scott Life Guard; Major Revare,
Twentieth Massachusetts,; Captains Boorman
and Rock wood, Fifteenth Massachusetts,. And
II they hang any more, lots will be drawn In
the next highest rank; 90 that, 10 my opinion,
Colonies, Majors, Captains and all must be held
at very cheap rate, If they are worth no more
than sailors of the Southi but II those have
mentioned, and many otaers now prisoners 10
Southern dungeons, had fed from their colors
and their comrades, there would not have been
60 many to pay for the sailors. It 10 now
high time that something should be done by
our Government for some OF those poor crea
lures now In prison. The eventful day on which
we struggled against fearful odds being very
hot, q great many OF our men threw of their
coats on going into battle, and have been unable
to replace them since. Many of our regiments
are shirtless, shoeless, hatless and cap)ess; In
fact, they are bereft Of every artificial comfort,
and would inevitably sink under the weight Of
their woe were Il not for their honor and un-
fiinchipg devotion to the Union. II makes cap
tivity double bitter, when any Of these poor fel-
lows come to you and ask II you can do any thing
for them7 The reply 10, of course, what can
do for you-I have neither money or clothes for
myself. For my own part, gave the only extra
shirt, drawers and stockings had to those whom
considered most in need. The Colonel bought
about forty dollars worth Of shirts, etc., but the
men who came lately from hospital were most
In need, and consequently received them. Ihad
to give my blanket to one today, and an now
Just as badly of as any other; so that II Gov
eminent does not take some measures 10 ale
viate our condition, the balance Of rs will die
G.. n If thia Nraa
was carried on In any other country, the New
York papers would pc teeming with vengeance,
and uttering maledicions on the heads Of those
who, through negligence or otherwise, would
allow men to remain In this pitiable condition.
say this, not under the excitement of the mo-
ment, nor because Of my own unpleasant posi-.
ton, but as can attest to the truth Of the facts
have narrated, I think the public should know
IL, and am sure that If the friends of the Sixty
ninth Regiment were fully aware of our circum-
stances here, they would leave no stone unturn.
ed to at least remedy or ameliorate, as far as
lay within the bounds of their power, the suffer.
ings to which we are subjected.
Il would seem TO me that some means might
be devised whereby we could at least receive
either clothes or money from suoh of our
friends as have the means and the wish to for
ward them. endeayor to adapt myself as best
can 70 the CIRCUMSTANCES surrounding me. vi
course the thought Of home. With its humble
but cheerful influence, sometimes occupies my
mind; yet live in hope for better days to
come; and now, dear John, hope you will use
your influence and solicit your friends also to
effect an exchange of prisoners, or In some 9th.
or way to strive TO do something In behalf of
my poor, naked and suffering fellow soldiers In
misfortune.
Hoping for brighter and happier times, both
social and political, am, ETC., your Affection
ate brother,
JAMES CANNON,
Lieutenant Co. n, Sixty.nlnth Regiment.
! have placed this letter before your readers
elth the confident hope that some means will be
resorted to, Notwithstanding the iDfexible pur-
pose Of the Government not TO recognize the
enemy 90 belligerents. am sure something
can be done, II Q sympathisiDg public take the
matter in hand, and 60 90 far at least as TO re-
lieve temporarily our brave but unfortunate sol.
iiers now lsnguishing in prison.
Hoping to enlist your talented sympathy In
the matter, / am, etc., your obsdient servant,
JOHN CANNON,