Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-05-16
CHARLEsToH jan, Dec. /.

- AA-A=
CHARLESTON JAN, Dec l.
DEAR MERRILL: wrote note lest week
sn6 put it in the care Of Mate Nickers0n,
e TIE brig Eisim0re, who has been confined
viii ua, snd expected TO leave last Monday
for New York He hoped @ smugEle thEo'
several letters for Us. he did not get Of,
but Is going tomorrow.
/ addressed 9 noss to Prof +, very has
tiiy. nov have more leisure and propose
70 Be more explicit. wrote you long
letter four or i've weeks sgo, and sent it
through the military authorities.
Well here We src, huddled together, so
ulHosrs and 40 men, in the most filthy and
uncomfortaole Jail in the world. OfioeFs
and in q room 10 by 10; men Is in 3
roS1 Of same size. I and most others are
dssft~te Of money and nearly desitute Of
cIothinr. The DriVates ere many Of them
alrost naked. Their rstions ere three hard
oraskers per Say, about three ounces meat
colFss and sugar Tor 0Re meal Ours Is the
ssmo. TIE men ofSsn eat their FAtions for
I've DAYS in three days, end 60 without the
romaining two. Our meat Tor three weeks
has been bacon, positively deoayed end
alive with shippers. l have hsd no under
clothing ct al, and What clothing have
e n rags. have slept on the hoor with
one blanket under me and one over me-
.EEs nights have been cold and have taken
rhsumatism and suffered fearfuily, being
u1sble to sleep sometimes for several suo-
.cossive nights. Two Of the privates have
died Of lingering fever, snd Surgeon, DR.
8 GrisWold, 3sth New York regiment, is
noE lying dead soross the hall If We re-
main hsre many months more, q large
number viii die, snd many more viii be
rendered useless 10 the country and bur-
den 70 themselves.
But when ] think Of the dear boys in
New Orleans, my own suffsrings are for.
gotten in the intensity OF my grief and
anziety for them. Parmenter is dead
Would to God l could have died in his
stead. RGrmsntsF Vas U1e Of 6Udis rpbiO
men. Sc was not known. a few weeks
before our capture became intimate with
him end loved Rs I scarce ever loved be-
fore. Not q day passed after We we're sep
srated but thought OF him. bis cOOlness
on the field, his wisdom en- our memorable
rstFsat HE eevOtedness 10 the cause during
ali oar service his promptness and energy
inexseutlng the commands Of HE superiorE,
in short his whole department. and bis ear
aast friendship rendered him deaFeF to ne
ahan q brother. Should cur Government
suffer the prisoners to remain there during
next summer, doubt whether there viii
bsone let to tell the mouTnful tale Of his
comrades. Nov don't suppose that ny
courage Is ia The least sbated, OF that
wouid have ibs Goyernment do anything
to the prejudios of it's real interests for the
sake Of our release. would rather drag
out miserable existsBcs hare, snd finally
, die "A igncble death, than have these base
lmiscfesnts recognized By our GoVsrnment
aS anvthinR h1t che traitors which they
a1e. repeat that an not disposed to
whine abont any policy 1ths GoYeEnment
may pursue. can't, Of course, tell on What
premises thsy base their policy, and least
Of an would 7 oomplain in the hearing OF
these As1ttless rebels. Sooner than utter
the slightest complaint, o. ask the slightesi
favor while they retain their present atti-
ande, would have ny tongze drawn from
m5 ssisa thas It might net degrade the
spirit Hbion God gave me, and dishOnor ny
noble Government.