The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1862-10-31
Letter from Michigan.
DETROIT. Mich. Oct. %. IS,

bEih'Ii, NllCl, oct. - lNbe.
To tie Editor of The Caiedonion:
The friends of the Vermont 9th ar no
doubt panied by reports Of lis insubordira-
ton at Camp Douglas, in Chicago. Friends
of New York and Ohio regiments of paroled
prisoners a, Camp Douglas are no doubt also
panied by similar charges agains, their resi-
ments. And see, Mr. Editor, that YOU in
Gignantly repel the charges in your paper of
the 18th. Were you aware of all the facts,
your grief would be changed to indignation
at the wrongs thrust upon these loval resi-
ments.
That INSTRUMENTATION exists among the pa
rolled prisoners at Camp Douglas. it is use
less to deny. and ,tat the Vermont 9th a,
times gives away TO an outraged sense of
justice. it is a so useless to deny. But. as
soldier, and knowing few of the outrages.
cannot blame them. do not seek to Justify,
but to pa!iate.
The story of one regiment is the story Of
the whole.
Surrendered to the enemy. as they believe,
by pure treachery on the part of superior Of
Ulcers, they were hastily paroled. supplied with
shcrt rations and marched off to the cars to
90 where? to Chicago. And why there ?
10 go from there 10 fight Indians in the
Northwest, they were given to understand.
They were put aboard the cars with their
scanty ralions from the rebels now used uo.
and nobody supplied them with more Three
long. weary days were they on their way TO
Chicago, most of them without money! and
with nothing to eat except what was charita-
bly, given them at places through which they
passed. Thee long, weary days were they
humping along from one station to another,
to keep clear OF regular trains-three long.
weary days on hard seats in box cars guilt
less of springs.
At Chicago, did the hungry, weary fellows
find any preparation for them-any hot cof-
fee. soft tack and boiled beef? Not at all.
Any comfortable dry quarters where they
might rest Their weary limbs? None There
they were,-twas in the highland where
should they go? Down to camp. Where's
thai? \ mile or SO away. \ mile or so as
though that was nothing TO weary, hungry
men. Away they trudsed in the darkness.
AT the camp, what did they find? Nothing
for them. Where shall they sleep? On the
ground. though it rain-and it did rain, as
though God as well as man was against
them.
Do you wonder that at such a reception
they lay down in the rain with bitter curse
in their hearts
For the first week, lack of food fit to eat.
lack OF cooking utensils, a lack ofclothing.
They were put into quarters which had been
occupied for months by rebel prisoners
These quarters swarmed with bugs, lice and
other rebel vermin. To be sure, the author
tiles had gore through the farce of cleaning
and whitewashing the barracks, but ravenous
bedbugs are not to be shut up in cracks BY
coats of unslached lime, and things were as
bad as before. The grounds were sloshy,
muddy. Muddy. don't half express it,
This was not mud composed of harmless
earth and water, but viilainous compound
of rotten garbage, purifying meat, excre-
ments-everything filthy, and with horrible
secesh odor about it.
Into this horrible place, called Camp Doug
las, were put these men from Vermont, New