The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-10-18
The Released Prisoners from Richmond.


insD has the following intelligence per the
steamer Louisiana, from fortress Monroe on
Monday:
"She brought up thirty-three wounded
prisoners Of Federal regiments, who were
captured at the battle of Bull Run on the
9th of July. Some have lost leg, some an
'arm, and others are considerably disabled
The reason why they received their discharge
is supposed to be owing to the large number
of their own sick and wounded, and the re-
cent order to remove all the sick and wounded
from Manassas Junction to Richmond.
DISCHARGE OF FEDERAL PRISONERS.
On the 25th of July, the day after the bat
tie Of Manassas, the wounded were conveyed
in long trains of wagons and ambulances to
the railroad depot and thence to Richmond,
where they were imprisoned in one large
three-story tobacco warehouse, and confined
therein till the day of their discharge, which
was on Sunday, when Surgeon General Glib
son, who had been very attentive to them,
appeared and read list of the parties, also
told them that they would be carried near
Fortress Monroe in steamer by the way of
James river. A short time afterward num-
Der of wagons drew up in front of the prison,
when the roll was called, the wagons occupied,
and after short time reached the wharf of
the steamer Northumberland, upon which
they embarked.
WHAT THEY SAW On THE ROUTE
Although but few hours Of the trip were
made in daylight, yet the party state they
saw at least 4 halfdozen strong and effective
breastworks thrown up on the banks of the
river, while in the background were hundreds
of tents and many regiments of soldiers
Both the large eamshios-Yorktown and
Jamestown-were seen, the former stripped
of her heavy armament, but well filled with
men. The steamer stopped several times on
the route. and at all the points there were
regiments of soldiers, all Of whom expressed
the tiercest spirit Of enmity to the North. and
declared they would never lav down their
arms until Lincoln and his Cabinet should
let the South choose its own terms of Separa-
ton. They We're well armed. bu, poorly
dressed. Many Of the private soldiers wore
pantaoons lnade Of blankets, linsey woo.sey,
and even OF the commonest carpe,ing.
TREATMENT or rRIS, MRS.
All the wounded agree in the statement
that they were treated more ike Gagged beasts
than human beings, and the first salutaton
in the morning as well as the sentincl's cry
at night. was death TO the - Yankees.
The only kindness they received was from
the Confederate surgeon, who, il connection
with their own surgeons. was daily in at
tendance. The hospital or Jail in which they
were confined was three-story tobacco ware
house, measuring about 10 by l20 feet. In
the second story were confined seyenty-sx
commissioned officers. and in the room above
five hundred non-commi ssioned and privates.
The windows were all iron barred, and the
guards very strict and severe upon the pri-
sOncrS.
Mention las already been made of the
shooting by the guard of Federal rsoner,
and the following are the facts of the case !:
The deceased was Coporal W illiam e. Burk,
of the 18th New York regiment, and he was
shot whilst shaking his blanket from his win
dow, as was required of the prisoners as soon
as they arose from sleep. The guard, a young
Mississippian, called to him to stand back,
and the order was complied with, when he
was pierced in the breast with musket ball
He reeled fell to the ground and expired
without uttcring single word lie was
buried the same day, and the guard acquitted.
He afterward stated that he had determined
to kill Yankee, and was therefore satisfied.
The rations were regularly served 20 them,
such as they were, consisting of salt bacon,
a loaf of bread and water served twice a day.
The commissioned officers were served with
water three times per day, but none of the
prisoners ever received tea or coffee.
Provisions were excessively high in Rich
mond, Notwithstanding nearly all the army
had left there, the whole force at that place
not exceeding six regiments Of thousand
men each. The following were the prices
which the prisoners paid when they wanted
anything extra; Pound of Young Hyson
tea $50; common Rio coffee 4j cents; su-
gar, brown, - cents sweet potatoes, per
quart, 6 cents Irish potatoes, per quart, s
cents coarse salt, per quart, 90 cents; but
ter of good quality 80 cents beans, per quart,
% and % cents"
WHAT "RIp-RArs" MEAN.-Manv persons
have. since the war begun, made inquiry as
to the origin Of the term "Rip-raps." For
the benefit of the uninitiated, we give the
following information In engineering, a
! "rip-rap' is foundation obtained by throw
ing stones together in heap without order,
in deep water or on soft bottom. The bat
tery on the channel between Fortress Mon
roe and Sewall's Point is constructed on
such artificial foundation, and is therefore
styled the "Rip-Rap.' The fortification
was begun about twenty years ago. Loose
blocks of granite were piled up to height
of twenty or thirty feet, and permitted to re-
main for wears, for the purpose of settling