The New York herald., 1862-01-18
INTERESTING TESTIMONY OF AN Elk
CHANGED UNION PRISONER

CONDITION OF THE UNION PRISONERS IN RICH
AoND-THgIR PRIvAroNs, sUFFERINas. BUOY
-ANCY AND INGENUIrY-UNfoNIsM IN KEDELDoM-
REIGN OF TERRoR-DEFENcEs OF RICHMOND, ETC.
Mr.. Gillette, member Of the New York Seventy
1rst regiment Of State Militia, who is Of the
turned prisoners exchanged from Richmond gives
Interesting Of his experience prisoner Of
with the Southern conedsrates Mr. Gillette goes
great deal Of the ground already travelled by the read
Of the HERALD but his narrative, where entirely
original, is interviewer with details Of what has
already but briefly appeared that give his entire
story especially portions Of may throw
aitionsl light on matters already made public
Mr.. Gillette says the prisoners taken at Bull
confined in six large tobacco factories and he gives
details Of the classes Of prisoners to which Of these
factories afforded accommodation. Thus prison No /
contained number Of Union officers and members Of the
California regiment taken Leesburg These prison
srs numbered two hundred Prison No. was tenanted
By three hundred men, taken from various regiments
different times No. contained number Of virgnians
suspected of dslcyaty to the Jen Davis government
that is Of loyalty the On and the whole country,
the French rsvoutonsts in 17So-03 would term
s'ineivsm.n With them lodged twenty rebel sol
ies, mostly Tiger zouaves who, nrst joining the ranks
ne treason the traitorsthus
proving themselves douby traitors Thus ncongruousy
DO the rebels lodge together loyal and brave soldiers
taken In honorable battle-men who are suspected Of
and fellows who would disgrace tho gaows whether
erected by loyal men traitors
On the third floor Of the building apartments
fitted up for the treatment Of wounded prisoners
whose wounds were in q state or gangrens. When Mr.
Gillette left twenty five poor fellows, who had been
wounded the battle Of Bull run left in that
almost last deplorable state.
OF the hospitals he thus speaks
Hospital No. is used for the prisoners who have re-
large hospital, in which about two hundred
patients, laboring under various and complicated
diseases, chiefly fever Of a typhoid form, measles
and mumps. Five OF the buildings where the pri-
soners-wounded and whoe-are were kept are
situated Main street, Twenty nth street and
the others Twenty NTH q cross stree.
near by, Mr.. Gillette is not clear which.
The condition Of the prisoners at Richmond is moro
distressing than is that Of any other Union prisoners in
part Of the South This distress arises more from
the poverty Of the rebel authorities Richmond than
from inhumanty 1t however aided by the ignorance,
the vindctveness and the drunken ferocy OF senres
No doubt, II the men In power had the means they
would for their own sakss adopt measures to put stop
10 the abuses so justly complained of.
The unfortunate surrounding the capture
Of upwards Of fifteen hundred prisoners also
had something to do with the privatons they subse
quently suffered They at first, for Of room
scarcely enough for them walk around and to
add their misfortune they placed under the care
Of man in whose heart not drop Of pity seemed to
lnger more tyrannica man than Lieutenant
Todd IL would be difficult 10 find after search Of
years. Under his iron rule It frequently hap
pened that the unfortunate prisoners never re-
ceived their first meal for the day till four O'Clock in
the afternoon; and memorable occasion ren,em-
bered with peculiar bitterness by the furnishing victims
aals; and when 1t ia added that the allowed to
the prisoners above half the quantity
lowed TO the rebel sodiery and that everything with
the exception Of bread, Of very inferior quality
will be that the treatment Of brave boys
cruel in the extreme II under the supervision of
this monster Todd that three prisoners were shot and
by his order too for the unpardonabls offence Of look
ing out Of their windows. Mr. Gillette speaks by the
card. He gives the of victims as follows
W. Back CIV Tibbetts Seventy ninth New York State
Militia; r. Gleeson, New York Fire Zouaves Others who
were wounded stin remained in the hospital The ex.
agance Of Todd arrived such height 70 to cause
his arrest and subsequent removal by General wndor,
who really seems TO be humane The condition Of
the isones rendered more tosraole Captain War
r-n srtermaster having obtained permission D. select
OF the prisoners themselves perform the duties
devoivug in the hospital aud eonmisssrst deparl ent
and n fact TO AL the petty Offices about the prison Cap
tan 1oetgo b. GDos, conlmandant OF the prisons,
also humane man. and did everything TO render the
STsners comfortable, is proved by his prison rules
and regulations which have been published far ard wide
With regard 20 the bedding given by the rebel govern
nent TO the prisoners informant says that vas not
Eli late in November they received quantity OF os,ton
shs sting md straw 10 make beds for themselves Pre-
viocs to that petod the majority Of the prisoners were
comy eed TO lie the bare floor, without bsnkets or
sus.sncy Of clothing In the cold, damp nights Of No
vembsr, IL not unusual for OF these unfortu
nas to pace the eoor Of the prison al night 10 kssp up
he cirozlation Of their blood. Il win be remembered
hst the fate OF Manassas fought on an intensely
,rs Juy day. and that consequently shs troops we're
isf.tly clad. II viii also be borne 10 remsnbrancs
kaH many OF them In going Into battle
,rsv on eyep portion Of that light clothing Ths
,oseous nee that when the prisoners captured
.er c,ctl,ins barely sucsnt 10 subssrvs ths pur
oses Of dAoency. In November warm clothing was re.
c we'd frou\ Inc ANA and Rhode Island
lothe the yrspsd soldiers OF those States But from
he great state Of New York, which bad larger repre-
entssisn of soldier prisoners than all the combed
ut garment recciyef. except stray package
I'D then for indfyifual soldier, sent by sympa-
!, ring relatives or friendS 0ns honorabe exception
: ID be mentioned. Two boxss were received the
of January from the ladies' Of Calvary Baptist church.
wsot, third street New York FOR the OF the suffer
rs1sr s1a ch circumstances 10 no wonder that ssa,h
A. busy The NOR taIity among that small numbsr |