The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1862-01-24
Capt. spraauc in Cleveland.

Capt. J. w. Spraguc of Co. r., 7th
Ohio, who was captured August 18th, at
Big Birch, md who recently exchanged.
arrived here this morning at 7:l5 on the
Lake Shore truin, from Washington. The
Captain remained here long enough for
breakfast, and then took the Tclcdo train
for his home in Huron, Ohio. Capt.
Sprnguc, although lookingwcll, still bcars
the marks Of his captivity, his hair and
beard having changed wGmcwhat from
glossy black to silvcry gray. But what
else could be expected after the ir r,atment
our men received nt Richmond and
Charleston. Although Capt Spraguc's
story and information has been antici2a-
ted by other papers, we will cndeavor to
give a few items of interest. When first
captured he wa, treated with the utmost
ignomiuy. The feeling in Richmond
against the North was most bitter, and the
populncc took every occasion to insult
our men. II seemed to be the object Of
the rebels to treat the prisoners with great
cruelty, so as TO induce them TO be relcas.
ed on parole. They prefer to send our
men home, after plcdging themselves not
To fight tho South; TO Keeping them in
heir jails. The treatment now metcd out
in Richmond TO the Federal prisoners, is
much more humane than formerly, the
bitterness Of feeling have somewhat sub
sided. But n Charleston the usap was
intolerablc. Captain Spraguc and six
other officers wns confined in stone cell
in the City Jail ten feet square Nurwus
this all. The filth was uncomfortable, and
the stencil sickcning. The place fairly
swarmcd with vcrmins Of every dcscrip.
ton. The rebels made no effort to bet
ter the condition, and denied them every
comfort. The food furnished them was
Ircvolting. Meat such us no man would
cat here IN the North, was all they could
obtain. End not only this, but all the
food was filed with kindred individuals
to those which eometimcs make old cheese
their habitat.
So far us loyalty TO the U. s. Govern
mcnt is concerned. Capt. Sprnque thinks
that the public mind there is thoroughly
saturated with the poison that ] H. Davis
g. Co. have scattered broadcast oyer the
South. They coniide in and believe
these demagogues. Occasionally Union
man may be iouAd, but he is only an cx.
ccptional cuse. The Irish and Germans
are generally Unlonists. Could Colonel
Corcorun have his liberty, in twelve hours
he could raise IN Irish regiment in the
streets Of Charleston, IS. C.. But the ma
tive born Southefncfs are mostly seces.
sionists OF the worst stamp. They regard
us as vanduls, thieves, and Fascals. They
also regard us as towards, and think we
rely upou our numbers, and not our yalur,
and seem TO be confident of whipping us
eventually, The Captain thinks they
must be thoroughly thrashed before we
can do anything with them, That we
must teach them by force Of arms to re-
spect Us; and that g accomplish this will
be no boys play. While in Jail, Captain
Sprague received but two letters from
home, although his friends wrote oltcner
than once week. This is the case with
all the prisoners. They are not permit.
ted to see any newspapers, or 70 gather
any news from outsiders. The gloomy
accounts ofihe treatment Of our prisoners
by tne rebels, Capt. Sprague thinks have
not been oYerdrawn, although there has
lately been a change for the better. At
Columbia s, c., he experienced the great
est kindness, but was there only four
days.
We could obtain no information about
Ohio men from Capt. Sprague, inasmnclI
as most of them are confined in New Or
leans, Twenty Of his own company are
az this latter place. There are none at
Charleston and bat few at Richmond,
After remaining at home short time,
Capt, Spr0guc willreioin bis Regiment.
THERE'S rejoicing in lInr to-day.
-Gleue. Herald