Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-02-07
THE FEDERAL PRISONERS AT
RICHMOND.

Corporal Merrill, of thu New York 9th
regiment, continues his sketches of prison
life in the Rochester Express. We quote
''On the llth of September l was trans
tered from the general hospital to prison No.
Ia tobacco warehouse, situate on the bank
Of the James RIVER. There were some half
a dozen tobacco factories appropriated to
similar purposes, but my observations were
necessarily restricted to the one in which |
enjoyed personal interest" 1t is a lofty
brick building. three stories in height, its
interior dimensions being seventy feet in
length by twenty six in width. The second
and third floors were occupied by private
soldiers, Captured at Bull Rum aud the
lower floor by the commissioned officers.
was placed in the department occupied
by the private soldiers. Ii was in a most
crowded state, as may be inferred from the
fact that at no time were there less than one
hundred and fifty occupants. There were no
artificial cOnvenenees for either eating or
sleeping. At night the prisoners stretched
themselves upon the bare floor, uncovered,
and at meal tlme-if the irregular and mel
ancholy farce OF eating may be thus inter-
preted-they sat upon the floor, ranging
against the walls, and deyoured whatever
they could obtain.
more gloomy and revoltiny spectacle
can hardly present itself to the Imagination
than was afforded by these filthy quarters.
Picture an hundred haggard faces and ena-
ciated fOrms-and with hair and boards of
three months growth-so miserably clothed,
in general, as scarcely to subserve the pur-
poses of decency and many limping about
with pain from unhealed wounds-and then
some faint conception may be obtained of
the wretched condition of these Union prIso-
ners.
Between six and seven o'clock in the morn-
ing we were aroused by roll-call. Between
eight and nine we received our morning ra-
tons, which consisted of bread (half baked)
beef and water. The individual allowance
was in quantity about onehslf what we'll
man would naturally require. Our
second and only other ration was received
between four and five in the afternoon, and
consisted Of bread and soup-(the beef dis
pensed III the morning being taken from the
''slops" OF the day previously This was the
standard bill Of tare. The prisoners, sick
and well, were compelled to accept it or-go
without.
The notorious Lieutenant Todd was sin
gularly vicious and brutal in his treatment
Of the prisoners, and seldom entered the
prison without grossly insulting some Of
the prisoners. He invariably entered with
a drawn sword in his hand, and his voice
and manners, as he addressed the prisoners,
always indicated "a desire to commit some
cruel wrong.
Upon one occasion, with the fat edge Of
his weapon. he severely struck IN the face
an invalid soldier, who had not obsyed the
order to fall in for roll call, with sufficient
alacrity. At another time, one of the
| guard, in the presence and with the sane
tion Of Todd, struck a prisoner upon the
| head with the butt end of q musket. IL is
not to be wondered at that this ierocious
and vindictive monster shoul1 be regarded
with feelings Of the deepest horror and
detsstation, and it was with the highest
satisfaction that we learned he was 70 be
suppressed for his tyrannieal conduct.
Whenever approaching the window, we
were threateningly warned by the guard
below, to stand back, &c.,-bur the curiosi-
tv of some of our poor fellows, hungerIng
and thIrsting for glimpse Of the outer
world, sometimes overcame the apprehension
of danger, and they suffered accordingly.
The first victim OF the SepoY atrocities
was private NJ. Z. Beck, of the 18th regi-
ment. He was instantly killed by musket
ball, fred by one Of the guard, while he
(Beck) was in the act Of hanging up his
blanket, on the inside of the window, to dry
Shortly after ths occurrence private H.
Gleason, of the New York Fire Louaves
was likewise shot while lCoking from the
window. His murderer (the guard) Is SAID
10 have remarked as he leVelled his musket
See me take that id zsuaye in tn,
eve - The ball entered his forehead, aut
he fell instantly dead
Four men OF our number were seriousl.,
wounded in this manner. and one, privat
C. w. Tibbetts. instantly killed, unde
circumstances which were peculiarly fagrsn
and indefensible. The prisoners were &C
casionally permitted to visit, in couples, a.
oushouse in the prison yard, and az fiooe.a .,
and companion were going thi.ne1' wiz .s
the consent of the guard, sennnei on va
opposite side deliberately raised ms plec'
and fred at them. The ball passed through
: T;hhetts' breast, killing him instantly, ant
, uoundius his companion in the arm.