Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-06-20
Correspondence Of the Free Press
FROM A SOUTHERN MILITARY
PRISON.
LITTER FROM CAPTAIN DREW.

LITTER FROM CAPTAIN DREW.
SALISBURY, N. C., May 20, 1862.
Dsar Free Press;
Our wanderinss, since we were
compelled to accept the "Hospitaiay Of fh' SO"fA''
have been greater than those of Uiyasss, and our
imprisonment much more unpleasant, he being de-
tanned by Goddess, VIC by - we'll, will call
no names. From Charleston and Richmond we |
were hurried of to to the tan, Of the yankee guns
Had our feet attacked Charleston, as the people |
there expected, it would have fallen at once.
Thrs Tas 5000 troops there and the forts were
sHfirsiy Hapr,parsd. l say this on bsoiSts kHou-
ledge. Again, had our gunboats run up the James
River as soon as the Merrmac was destroyed, they
could have come to Richmond, for No obsfraefioHs
,rsrs ne cb4HHsi Of n, rvsr and fhs aHHsHti7H
had gone doun 10 "Biufs Point Battery" Tbs
kaov to be iru,. They would have found hundreds
Of Union men IN prison and our, and city ''g'ad
10 BE- eq5fsred." Then what fall in "shin-plas-
tiers =" To show you how Confederate notes
we're regarded there, notice: l sold, on being ord
cred South $50 10 gold for $50 Confederate money
auia sic U. 5. Treasury note for f,o9 SO Goa
fsd,ra.s uofs,. This tells the confidence Of the
people" with a vengeance when We we're cent
South last SUMNER at every place we were greeted
with loud shouts for "Jed. Davis and groans for
the Yankees generally AID "Abe Lincoln" in
particular. This time the crowds we're smaller
and ,,l,uf | heard but shout for JEFF.
Davis" and that fellow was drunk. Every one that
spoke said: " ,risi tls ouey-' IL begins
to look dark to them. Euin stares them in the
face and yet in their Ignorance they think 1t Is
| the T. :. Government that is to blame. The
/ thousands Of Union men in North Carolina and
| Virginia are as poverless to act as infants fer
/ about them are armed desperadoes who always
glad Of any chance to Plunder and any prete1t to
murder.
Nothing can exceed the destitute c3nditi9n Of
the South Of every thing the bare neeessaries
Of life. Medicines are few and hard to be procured
at fabulous prices. For the 1900 prisoners that
have been here for months not enough medicine
,o Gil a haverslck was procured Men have lain
with their limbs blaetsnsd By seurry and nothing
done for them. All the "YarIss ro,'ls" are
gone. needles. thread, pins, paper, and the thou
sand articles Of comfort no more, or II they
exist are only t. be bought BY paying enormous
prices.
Lufrg will not destroy the rebels, fer such a
thing is no, knorn They say they give US as
good as they have, sni this is what We set ta1
rl5g its p77res, KIND IF PORK, and BAR ra''97 ne
-s,sn,t had Of 6,,. We get other hiugsat our own
expense Cof,e costs $3.50 per b., butter sI.0o.
sugar 50 ets Bat amid all these disadvantages
they will fgh 70, v,a,s' Those who expect %
.ubdue them at once or by any one victory are
greatly mistaken. The of the rebel soldiers
are # the Jo.r -i,fs," who never Jared better in
sasir lives; never had so much money never so
good a chance 20 plumber. Besides, there Is 10
Disgusting the fact tia; the h-ot'e Of rsr Is very
taking Co the southern mind. Ruin may iai on
the wealthy and influential, bat these are bat a
small part Of the people. Tie multitude have
/ nothing TO lose. Thee are the fellows that talk
60 patrioticaIly about "i.rrHg ea,'aa and '4ras
and ona and i,ar,ag uaitng taf iheSrsd
rsivs % t.l-om, fis Tart,sf." II they are tet;en
frou Richmond ami Corinth they can never take
u1 another line Of defence th anY hope of sue
cess. ye, they will SIGHT 10 detached parties Tor
years success at Richmond or Coriath will give
them time to concentrate and Discipline the
''rssu.i,- army they intend to rai-e by the Goa
r,rip,ion act These troops will be better than
any other they hsvs raised for the better classes
will rot escape being drafted. Their "9,i srts7ie
is - throw so 600 men into Maryland AMI "-1--y
t's ,r1r 's'a ilr'ra.'
The Confederate officers arc very c5u-luaicativ We
and their plans are pretty freely talked o. Besides
there are plenty If Union men who klou an that
Is going on. and 50 we FAD out much that is %
/ interest IN various ways. Iuv tnvu Wa ." ~
away tomorrow and none but oi8csrs and citizens
will remain. Our position will grow 'r7-ls the
franes Of f5e rc71e fsi. It is cur lot to be made
the victims Of every change Of policy. "Tle Black
Hole in which we're last confined at Richmond
was chosen, as we were told, because cur Govern
msnt put "Tighinan" in jail or i,e4ass ~, ybsl-d
go IN my opinion, though, much Of this petty
tyranny comes from pity of5esrs and is known but
lille about by Davis or any Of his ministers. 4
clergyman visited Us there and finding it so hor-
rible went to Presiden; Davis about it. His reply
was Il supposed they had quarters, comfortable
and suited to their rank Gen. Winder, vb5 at
first very kidd to Us so fas as I know, las
changed. The great hatred against Col. Ca-e1-s7
seems to have died away. At least the papers do
not abuse him, and he IL shown considerable at
tentiou. But Col. Wilcox will never be thought
well Of b. the Confederatss. They remember too
well his zeal in Michigan to prepare troops, even
before South Carolina had gone out.
There are IS officers and 800 citizens here. Inc
citizens are closely confined Tbs ofi,ers 50 out
in the yard to walk by giving their parole that
they will not escape. Guards sll around
the yard. We aave heard a report that an ex
change Of prisoners was contemplated. It soems
to US high time, since there can be 10 more Tecog
milton in oseti=gi-g than in Lol9'vg men as
priso-os If var. We are all anxious to try
Manassas over again" But must bring my
letter to a close and remain,
"E1efus u.sfus."