Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1862-01-09
Histtlluneans.
Prison Life of Federal Prisoners
ut Richmond.

The following sketch of life in the mill
itary prisons of Richmond is taken from
a letter written by Federal prisoner con-
fined there, and dated the LIST of December ::
cat an early hour in the morning ws are
aroused from our slumbers by the cry of
''milk" resounding through the warehouse,
and stampede Of stewards to the door takes
place, the bevy being armed with tin cups
and FIVE cent pieces. At the door they re-
ceive from a piebald negro the necessary
fuid This negro, by-the-by, is one of our
outside prison associations. Surely shall
never forget the eagerness with which he
seizes half dime, and the terseness of man.
| ncr with which he refuses to barter his COM
modify for five cent shinplaster, by which
he is often tempted.
In few moments the milk pilgrims are
joined by more eager, yet thirsty crowd,
who seek to Gull from the morning papers
balm for the past or hope for the future.
A few heads may now be seen peerng out
from cotton comfortabes and overcoats, and
husky voices exclaimng, Il say, Wabash.
any news about our exchange TIE magic
word exchange is like morning bath, re-
freshing and reviving, for tho dullard of
sleep at once gives place to an animate and
expectant soul.
| Slowly the scene becomes imbuad with
| active life; Indiana robes herself; Wisconsin,
half recumbent, gszcs dreamily around f;
Ohio arises, drawing around her the only
robe de chambre' in the building, whilst
California awakes from golden dreams, dom
ming her shabby habiIiments of woe. The
scene is full of life and animation, as each
representative appears upon the heor wend-
ing his way, soap in hand, towel over sboul-
der, to the wash closet.
Our abutions ended, an early morning
walk as an appetizer commences up and
down, to and fro, at quick time, we march,
avoiding tenderly few representatives Of
Connecticut, Massachusetts and Pennsylva-
mia, who still lie in dormant state. The
stewards cry OF bread soon warns us that
breakfast is nearly prepared; the succeeding
cry of meat gathers us around the respec-
tive mess tables. In those two monosylabic
cries you have the bill of fare for break fast,
dinner and supper; yet many messes who
are in possession Of funds, and can support
the dignity Of treasurer, indulge in luxu-
ries, such as coffee, sugar, molasses, milk and
potatoes. Ours (thc mess) only occasionally
luxurates in a pint Of molasscs, or quarter
Of peck of potatoes. Poverty hath its
contentment, of which riches knoweth not T
(Tupper, I believe;) yet surely the poet never
imagined poverty and prisoner of war So
journing together
We have in all ten messes, each indepen-
dent OF the other, yet drawing their respec-
tive rations of bread and meat from the
Confederate" government. To each mess
is assigned steward, who is generally
nom commissioned officer or private held as
prisoner of war, and whose duties are to re-
ceive the allotment of food for each mess,
prepare the table for meals, and attend to
such duties as may be assigned them by the
sanitary committee. As We gather around
our mess table many are the remarks made
of home and friends; how earnestly we wish
such and such loved ones could look upon
our board, could partake with us our simple
meal IF there is period Of our lives when
friends are distant and the heart is sad, or
when memory has the power of recalling
wildly past associations, it is when we are
gathered at the social board .e |
Breakfast over, some lounge on the prom
enade, others resort to lcttsr-writing, whilst
The majority cluster around the stove. 81
lently engrossed in the morning papers. A
few dligent officers have already abstracted |
The news, and are discussing the pros and |
cons Of speedy erchange-and if thought
ess editor should have unfortunately in
serted in his paper news item concerning
he at once inflicts upon our 'col-
edcracy' both delight and torture delight
It seeing the word printed, but torture at
he indefinite nature of the item. aE< |
So the morning passes on, in its routine
'ut seldom varied; occasionally letters ar
i've from home, and then the excitement is
'lmost painful to witness. The penny
,ost' is surrounded by an eager crowd, jost-
ing shoulders even for a glimpse of the let
ers; name after name is called, repeated and
e-echoed through the room, and the fortu-
ate receiver is looked upon as 'Cresus :
be list is finished, and sober, disappointed
aces are left 10 gaze wistfully into each
ther. Often as the letter carrier is leaving
be room, an earnest, anxious voice may be