Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1861-09-27
Fcdcral prIsomors at Tsichmond.


A correspondent of the Buffalo Com
mercial gives some interesting particulars
in reference to the Federal prisoners now
confined at Richmond. He derived his in
formation from the statements of the three
who recently escaped-Capt. Hurd, and
Lieut.. Murphey and Rayuor--and who
with much difficulty and suffering made
their way to Washington. We copy the
following paragraphs from his communica-
ton:
The condition of the prisoners in Rich
mond as stated by Capt. Hurd is briefly
this. There are 1900 of them confined in
five large tobacco factories. They are sup
piled with sufficient rations of bread and meat
only-no vegetables. No tea, no coffee,
and no blankets or bedding of any kind
are allowed them. Such as have money
are at liberty to get materials for comfort
ers and bed quilts and to purchase such
articles of food as they please. Since the
Hatteras Inlet affair, all privileges of leaving
the prisons, under guard, on parole, DC,
have been Withdrawn, and no one is per-
mitted TO leave the buildings, buy news-
paper, or send out any letter, unless in
spected. The treatment is becoming con-
stantly more rigid.
Tho health of our prisoners is much bet
ter than that of the Southern troops. The
climate appears to agree with them, and
almost all Of our wounded men and officers
are out of bed and able to get around
Col. Corcoran was perfectly well, and never
was wounded. The condition of the build
ing in which Capt. Hurd was confined is
disgusting. 1t is three story building
the upper one occupied by privatcs, who
having no change of clothing, are Of neces.
sity very filthy; the second by 70 officers
-gentlemen-many of them wealthy
The vermn which crawl upon the pool
men in the upper story fall through the
loose flooring upon these officers. In this
connection | will state that / was informed
by lady in Washington that Mrs. Rick
cts, wife of Capt. Ricketts, of the U. S. Ar
tillery, taken prisoner at Bulls Run, mem
Der of the Lawrence family, refined and
lady-like, is compelled, in order TO be neal
her wounded husband, to stay in the same
room whore FIVE wounded officers lie iu theil
beds, and is not even allowed to retire al
times when, if her love for her husband
did not outweigh her modest inclnations
she would certainly be out of the way
"May God visit such brutality with prope
chastisement," will be the prayer Of all The
brothers and sisters of Mrs. Ricketts,. Blu
she is to have her reward; for her husband
viii save his leg and assume active com
maud some day--and for this he is indebt
ed to the devotion Of his faithful wife.
l will close this by saying that our thre,
friends arrived in Washington, ragged, bare
footed, sorc and penniless, and left it il
funds, we'll clothed and smartly uniformed
for the War Department paid them all ar
rearages, and ticketed them home to thei
families.
1t may be interesting to Masons 10 stat
that Lieutenant Raynor, upon discovering
himself to be Mason at Manassas, wa
told that the South had seeded from Ma
soary, although hO was afterwards supplied
with ice, and his wound attended to by
Southern brother "as SUCH"