New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-08-18
TALK WITH A RETURNED PRISONER.

truce by the Craney Island battery.
TALK WITH A RETURNED PRISONER.
To re Editor Of 7aeN u 7Yibuae
Sin: Returning from Washington Last night,
happened 10 meet u very intelligent young man,
named Dewitt c. Spague, member Of the New
Haven Conn Grays, who has been prisoner at
Manassas and Richmond for three weeks. 1t seems
that he and TWO others from Connecticut, and two
members Of the New. York 79th, were the field Of
taule when Col. Lieut-col Gardner, OF The
Georgia regiment, fell wounded. They carried this
officer among the wounded both sides to a neigh
boring house, and when they found that their own
army was Ietreating, they were about to make good
heir own retreat, when the Colonel requested them
10 remain. and he would tee them protected. They
did So AID ere sent Win The othels 10 Fortress
Monroe under nay OF truce, on Monday.
L. seems thai these young mer having got several oil
the wounded on botI sles TO holse on am emnence,
thew ran No a white flag, but the Seces,oni5ls conin
mel 10 Gre upon il. The Colonel reqpested 10 be
RED 10 the sheltered side Of the house, but the shells
and balls fell thick aud ias. around them. The Colo
mel continued 10 excam against tile firing, and said,
ceased and these younQ cOuipueeal night attend
ing Tic sick ard wounded NJ Smague says lie thinks
Gen. Davis not Conma ding any part OF the Held
the day Of The battle though be was there some part
y
lis horse was . bay. He ysi ed Col. Gardiner and
congratulstod linn on the splendid victory and IN
dulEcd III various remarks about the running OF the
Some howtle Colonel lost sight of hi. friends and
benefactos. They were imprisoned u week a.
Manassas and q y eek At Richmond, when IN order
cane for their release. They We're taken 20 the
Everett House IN Richmond, their board lld and
new co,hing ne Uniform of the sece'.ionis'g, given
10 them TO prevent annoy 20 them enemies and
for week they wandered through Richmoad as they
wisbed.
TIE dead on tie field were all buried, and TIE
wounded cared for but rather slowly. Tie Federal
surgeons were taken away prisoners from their
wounded, tut attended 10 bob iend and foe rs they
/ were brought in. Large numbers undoubtedly DIED
from neglect who, with more prompt Treatment might
have been saved Several were brought in, their
vo3ils mlre. ed, and -warmiHg with maggOis Oar
surgeons he thinks, attended more secesioniste Than
One POOR fellow was brougl. in on horseback from
the field OF bate 70 Manassas, VITA bah in is brain,
entering lie forehead and logging taere. His head
was fightiully swollen. His eyes closed, and
lie wondered budiy aIOnnd, s.na bling The other
wounded. lie made no comp amt never SPOKE
word, made TO signs Of prin and died OK Qlie1y rs
If falling intO peaceful slcepi he must have been
wounded on Sunday, crawled about the battlefield
TIL Tue day, wien lie WAS brought in AVID died on
Wednesday. lie was said 70 beJrg 10 Maine Regi-
inent and was splendic-ookinP fellow.
AZ Manassas, the lover roomoi large building was
occupied by the wounded, the upper floors by The pis
~ hlc1uODu lIisVutlb " ere III our
ing en- two floors. They were packed together, and
suffered goyerely from swarming vcrmin, and from
want of air food, water and room. IL was q luxury
to get down the floor, filthy aud wet as il was.
AT tie hotel 81 SeceetioDisg was very seyero upOn
them. He probably bad not money to pay his board,
and 20 be denounced the lazy Nho kept the Everett
ana LETT witlon, paying his BIZ. He published card
in the raPers denouncng the hotel a. Yankee board
ing-hOuse
TIE talk was very strong against the North. The
common idea il that the NoIbaIe towards They have
no doubt that Washington will soon be 10 their hands,
and that Maryland will lie ont OF the Union. The cry
j. On 10 Washington. One Of Sprague's party sug.
gesied that 1t pity for people Of the same blood
and nation 10 be fighting. The answer was, "lrs
lie, we don't own that the North is the sare
nation with rs
New troops are daily arriving, though Mr. Sprage
thinks there are not more than 1900 in ard about
Richmond lie thinks Richmond il not as well foTii-
fed as Manassas. They have no fear Of Richmond
being attacked. They expect TO engage Mcclellan in
front Of Washington and then cross the Potomac
somewhere and seize Washington and carry Mary land.
Three or four batteries had arrived from the South 10
Richmond Coming ont from Norfolk they passed a
large lot OF artillery for Sewals Point. The people
Of Norfolk crowded TO see the party who were 10 he
sent sndcr a flag Of truce. The crowd suggested that
the leXt lot should be forwarded without their beads.
Mr.. Sprague and biz companions discharged With
out any condition or parole The order for their dir
charge was very complimentary and President Davis
and Beauregard expressed their obligations 10 them.
Obe OF beduGegafdb HaH was AROUND hl'huiOlu VIA
them.
They bring welcome news TO some families in Con-
nedicut. 4. p. Slack OF Clinton, teanstcr, is alive
ard well. ils vile, with six children one born sinec
ne left, had given him up for dead. In the prison
WIN these young men in Richmond were Of TIE Con-
neeucnt regiments, Mr.. Slack lsaac X. Jennings, Al
ired hcddenott, Henry Judson Charles W. Psyn, ir
Martin Harvey, John Jennings &. a. Murray, John
McManqs, ". T.. Rich, l.. G. Lamb S. a. Cooper,
George D. Bryan, David O'COnnor, 4. l.. Benedict,
James Kennedy, g. l.. Galpn, Mark Kilbro, Aug L..
Brennan, George Weed, Il. b. Arnold Jarnes Paight,
T.. s. Blue, @. Nj. Welsh, and Corporal Mouton
Many OF these men were supposed dead and their
friends viii be reloiced TO hear that they are alive
Mr.. Sprsgue had MONDAYS Richmond Wiz and
Enquirer with bin. Tile Tphig rcOices over the M,
rest OF Nelson OF Tennessee, but suggests that be give
hs parole Of honor 10 he true 10 the Coniede rites or il
he refuses, TO hang him. 1t also suggests that Con-
gresham lily and others be sent 10 Cha eston and
have done to them whatever we do to the prvateers
If they are march ed mancled through our streets Ey
Co., too shall be marched aud mapaoled and 20 on
The leading editorial in 1Rc TFzig is ON the superiority
OF the Southern people. The marks of man worthy
o. empire or TO govern three-o ride to shoot and
TO tell the truth. The South excel in these three AZ
tributes, and we fail in all Of them.
A young man named Fontaine, of the Rebels was
Killed az Bull Run, aud the people Of Richmond were
paying him great honOrs A marble eab with a gran
eloquent epaph was made conspicuous in the streets
of Richmond.
Rev. Mr.. Eddy, chaplain Of o Connecticut regiment
supposed TO be dead, was alive and preached sermon
TO his fellow-prisoners Sunday before last
The foregoing from memory Of n long conversation
in the cars send you, aud if worthy OF loom ia at