The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1862-08-12
PRISON LIFE AT FORT DELAWARE.

Can't. Beckwith West, of the 48th Virginia
regiment, was captured by the enemy at Front
ROYAL, on the 30th of May and taken to Fort
Delaware, where he was held as prisoner until ex-
changed few days ago. In q narration of his
prison experience he says that the Confederate
commissioned officers, forty -seven in number,
were confined in room forty feet long by fifteen
in width. the ascent to which was made by lad
der twenty feet long, which was taken away every
night. On some days, as the caprice of the COM
manding officer happened to be, the officers were
permitted to walk for half an hour on the parapet
Of the fort. Officers and privates were subjected
to the same fare, which consisted OF small allow
ance of sour bread and salt meat twice day, with
an occasional introduction of very weak soup.
The Government allowance for rations purports to
be sixteen cents day fer each prisoner; but it
was stated in a Philadelphia newspaper that Capt
Gibson, by his excellent management" saved
about two-thirds of this sum, and expended it in
clothing, which the prisoners never received tie
benefit of Letters were occasionally sent them,
by stealth, from sympathizing friends in Philadel-
phia and New York, conveying the intelligence
that presents had been forwarded to them, but
they never reached their destination, being inter
cepted on the route Until the exchange of priso
neIs was agreed upon, they were not allowed to
receive newspapers; but whenever the command
ant of the fort found anything specially adverse TO
send it to the Confederate officers for the purpose
Of irritating them. In consequence Of the i'm
preston that the prisoners were forming plan to
take possession Of the fort, attempt was made
to concate them with information that they were
about to be paroled.
Of the 1000 prisoners there, some 5000 were
kept in little pens which our informant describes
"sheep pens," and subjected to much suffering.
Major Segebarth the officer in command, treated
them with great brutality. No communication
was allowed between the officers and privates, ex-
cept By special permission Every lnduccment
was offered privates to take the oath of allegiance
and enlist in the Federal army; and it was not
common for the officers to propose bride of from
5000 to $500 in gold to effect this purpose. Thus
27l were induced to take the oath, but of this
number not one was native OF the Southern
States These men were afterwards placed in
tents outside of the wallis and as they returned
for their blankets and clothing, some of the Con-
federate soldiers cursed them for their treason,
whereupon the Sergeant of the guard fired
pistol at them. Bricks and other missiles were
then thrown Unfortunately, and the whole gar
rison was in an uproar. Cannon were placed in
position to bear upon the prisoners quarters, and
various measures resorted to for the purpose Of
intimidation, but the worst frightened man in the
fort was the valorous Dutch Major, Segebarth.
The privateersmen were kept in camp in
low, marshy place, and one night some of the
\ ankee- soldiers, to increase their suferngs,
turned the water in upon them and completely
overfowed their quarters. They were compelled
to sleep in mud and water considerable portion
of the time, and the consequence was that sew
era died
Mr. Hail. of the Sd Florida regiment, who was
arrested on St Johns river on the 9th of April,
arrived in Richmond from Fort Delaware
Though private soldier, he charged with
being the captain of guerrilla company, and
treated worse than if he had been pirate. For
two months he was kept board gunboat in
irons, while stood over him with sabre
bayonet and pistol, with orders to kill him if he
attempted to move from his place. He was sub
sequenty sent to Philadelphia, and marched in
irons through the streets of that city and New
York then sent to Fort Lafayette, but trans
ferred to Fort Delaware, where his irons re-
moved. He treated with some kindness by
the Provost Marshal, who was formerly employed
by him in the coasting trade. His general ex-
perence of prison life is similar to that of Others
On reaching Aiken's Landing, on his return, Mr.
Hall was designated a captain by the Federals
who insisted that he should be exchanged as such.
This he would not consent to, and so firm was he
in his determination to be exchanged as a private
that the Yankees, in their wrath, endeavored to
detain him, but were finally compelled to yield.
All the prisoners from Fort Delaware are indig-
nant at the treatment they received and their pur
pose is to "square accounts" with the Yankees if
the opportunity is ever afforded them The officers
and soldiers in Immediate contact with the prise
ners were Dutch, and their brutality to our men
was without mitigation. In return, our men say
that there won't be any more Pennsylvania Dutch
men taken prisoners by them during this war
Striking prisoner over the head or running
bayonet at him common occurrence.
Dutch Provost Marshal, named Segebarth, ex-
ceIled his brother brutes in maltreating the priso
ners. y dungeon, made to accommodate three men,
often contained fourteen, and their suferings were
very great. The fare was bread and very small
piece Of salt pork twice day, and bean soup of
about the consistency of water. Nearly two
thirds of the men had scurvy. The general
determination of the exchanged prisoners is to be
shot before they will again be taken and undergo
the mssrics of Northern prison.-Richn,ond
Dispatch.
THE OUTRAGEs IN ARKANsAS.-We have
received confirmation of the report that one of the
overseers on Gen. Pillows plantation, near Helena
Ark, was hung one day last week. His offence
was furnishing negro who had given the Federals
information as to where some of his masters stock
could be found. On being informed that he had
done So squad of Dutch made their appearance
ri hmm nj.