Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-11-28
THE UNION PRISONERS AT
RICHMOND.
a Narrative Of their Privntions
and Suftcrings--Statcm Of
Rev. John Hlusscy, LII. D., n re
leased Prfsoucr


Rev. John Hussey, pastor of the Presby-
terian Church at Lockland, Howell county,
Ohio, and member of the Christian Com
mission, was captured by the rebels on the
field of Chickamauga, on the day succeed
ing the battle, and conveyed through q
tedious route to Richmond, where he
remained in durance until the 9th Of the
present month, less than fortnight since,
when he was fortunate enough to be rcleas-
ed. The reverend gentleman has very kind
ly furnished us with statement of what he
was compelled to witness, and to endure,
while in captivity, and although it does not
materially differ from the experience of
Others, who were equally unfortunate, it yet
embraces many particulars of interest. At
the present time, indeed, when the whole
North is raised to sympathy and indigna-
ton, at the recital of the sufferings of the
Union prisoners in the Richmond jails, any
intelligence throwing light upon their ac-
tual condition must awaken a feeling of
painful interest i'll the community. The fol-
lowing is Rev. DR.. Hussey's story as furnish
ed to one OF our reporters:
Accompanied by detail of abouta dozen
men, proceeded to the field of Chickamau-
ga, on the 21st of September last, for the
purpose of assisting the wounded, interring
the dead, and discharging such other duties
as the occasion might suggest. | had pre-
pared u number of head for the graves
and was marking Others, when found my
| self accosted by u rebel officer, who / subse
| quently learned was medical director on
General Wheeler's staff. His name | have
forgotten. l said to him doctor, am
minister of the Gospel and delegate of the
! Christian Commission, and have remained
here to do what can for the wounded :"
adding that l would care for the rebel
wounded us well rs our own. He immedi-
diately responded
"You arc ID Abolitionist Come,
sir, will ask Judge Terry what shall do
with YOU"
We entered the hospital together where
Judge Terry was discovered suffering from
| II wound in the left arm which he wore in a
sling.
Judge Terry, here is id Abooli.
zionist preacher ~ That was Ull the ccre-
mony of introduction considered necessary
Judge, or rather General Terry--tor he was
both, and expects soon to be made a major
general-asked me whether was chaplain,
to which negative response was of course
given. The General walked up and down
the room for many minutes in perfect fury
of passion, which found but partial vent in
the most fearful oaths and most terrible in
NeCtlNc alIleN III llilScll
"If you were chaplain" he said, 81
should know what to do with you, and if
could have my own way, / know exactly
t what should do with you'll would hang
{ ecery d-n one Of you! Look at the condi-
tion of the country! Look at our widows
and our orphans and our desolated homes
Just think of the blood we have shed, and
the treasure we have spent, and the bitter
sorrows we have been compelled to suffer
y and all for such Infamous scOundrels rs you
, 1t is such men as you who are waging this
war upon our liberties. 1t is you who have
done all this, and are responsible for it,
Now, what ought to be done with you p
What ought to do with such o villain as
you2"
From his pointed manner, he seemed tc
$ be of opinion that, having put an unanswcr
able question to me, would not, as rea
. soning creature, endcavor to evadc it but
villain as l was, would frankly admit that
had brought on the war, and was willing tc
= suffer martyrdom for such an indiscretion.-
a But, as l was contemplating with surprise
: and bcwilderment an exhibition of rage tha
seemed so totally uncalled-for, did not re
ply Immediately to his question and whcl
II l would have spoken, he gave way to sucl
l. another outburst of noisy vindictivencs
@ that my words would have passed unhcedeC
-. and, therefore, l was silent When the
- storm of his fury had exhausted itself il
3 denunciation and profanity, not often hcarC
e from the lips of judge or general he calmeC
n to more rational frame of mind. At length
- in the tone of one who is willing to sacrifc
the opportunity of avenging private wrong
u for the nobler opportunity of treating hi
l. enemy with magnanimity, he remarked
Al lofty with wave of his right arm:
e Il am military man, and have nuthin
: to do with you. | will hand you over I
20 the civil authorities for endeavoring to in
n cite negro instructions, contrary to til
Il laws of the State !"
sc l remarked in u tone Of sclf.deprecatio
II that had not done any such thing, nc
thought of it.
a. WELL" said General Terry, "You wer
p caught in our lines that is enough" an
left the room.
A gaunt and filthy Texan ranger the
u. seized me insolently by the shoulders, an
Is pulled me out of the hospital building.
horse without saddle or bride, and wit
IL only halter, was furnished Inc with til
l. information that | must mount and follo'
closely in the path of the general, who wa
d already in the saddle. In compliance wit
id the injunction, rode that day sixteen mile
N
:, this way we proceeded to Tunnel Hill, an
~ thence TO Atlanta, where, along with SON
!" other prisoners ! was thrown into the ba
al racks and kept two nights and two days.
ne Here We were officially, Systematically, an
- completely robbed of everything of valu
81 we possessed only two OF US being passe
OF out through the door ut time 50 tn;
al those within, ignorant of what was goin
in on, could not conceal or destroy any vall
:, ables upon their persons, Thence we wei
~ removed TO Augusta, Georgia, and Ralcigl
Is North Carolina. In the barracks at Il
k, former place we saw Judge Cant, of IL
or most prominent and widely esteemed cit
:; zens Of East Tennessee, a prisoner han'
y cuffed, in tattered garments, and in the mo
rs abject and miserable condition. One of Ii
is- fellow-prisoners, major an East Tenness'
N. regiment, with whom | stole an opportunit
to converse, informed me that the rebels i
variably hanged every Kansas soldier wi
OF fell into their hands and that he himse
re- had seen sirteeH Kansas soldiers hung up Ii
dogs before his O'oa qaarters.
At the village of Thompson, Georgia, v
- met General Duff Green, who had been d
m tanned in consequence of the train runniI
of the track. Carpet-bag in hand and a
81 companied by two young ladies, his niecC
is perhaps, no mingled freely among our me
al IN agaart ain our yia,sG unnn th.. MAR an.