The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-12-02
THE PRISONERS ar RICHMOND.

THE PRISONERS Ar RICHMOND.
Fearful ReUelations Of tie Released Surgeons
Fifty Prisoners D yi1lg daily of Sara
ton and Neglect.
Special dispatch 10 the Cincinnati 6szstte.
WAsHISGToH, Nov. 28-Tbe following
statement by tae surgeons just released
from the Libby prison, Of the treatment
of oUr prisoners 90 Richmond, viii be
presented 10 the War Department. to-
morrow
WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. q, 1863.
ave the undersigned surgeons of the
o. s. Army, and recently prisoners at
Richmond, Va, consider it our duty to
publish few facts that came to our
knowledge while we were inmates of
the hospital attached to the Libby
Prison. We enjoyed for several months
daily access to the hospitals where the
sick and wounded among our Union
soldiers were under treatment. As re-
suit of our observation, we hereby de-
clsrs our belief that, since the battle of
| Ohickamsugs, the number of deaths per
diem has averaged fully fifty. The pre-
vaiIing diseases are diarrhea, dysentery,
or typhoid pneumonia. OF ls.e the per
centage of deaths has greatly increased
from causes that have been long at work,
IS insufficient food, clothing and shelter,
combined with that depression of spirits
brought so often by long confinement
It may seem almost incredible, when " Q
affirm, of our personal knoBledge, that
in the three hospitals for the wounded
soldiers, the average mortality is near
forty per day, and upon the most re-
liable testimony, we are forced to believe
the deaths in the tobacco factO.iee, and
upon the Island, will raise the total
mortality among all the Union prisoners
to fifty per day, or fifteen hundred
monthly.
1.-The extremely reduced condition of
those brought from the Island, argues
that hundreds quite sick are left behind,
who, with us, would be considered fit
subjects FOR b, spital treatment. Such,
too, is the fact, as invariably stated by
scores we have conversed with from that
camp. The same, to a degree, holds
true of the prisoners in the city. 1t
would be reasonable estimate to put
the number who are fit subjects for hos
pitfalls, but who are refused admittance,
at five hundred One thousand are al
ready under treatment in the three hos
| pitsls; and the Confederate surgeons
themselves say The number of patients
! is only limited by the small sccommoda-
tion provided. Thus we have over ten
cent. of the whole number of prisoners
held classed as sick men, who need the
most assiduous and skillful attention /;
yet, in the matter of rations they are
receiving nothing but corn bread aud
sweet potatoes. Meat is no longer fur
nished to any class of our prisoners, ex-
cept to few officers in Libby Hospi al !;
and all the sick and we'll officers ana
privates are now furnished with very
poor article of cora bread, in place of
wheat bread-an unsuitable diet for
hospital patients, Frustrated with diar-
rhea, dysentery, and fever. @
90 say nothing of many startling in
stances of individual suffering, and horI
rid pictures of death from protrscted
sickness and semi starvation, we have
had thrust upon our attention, the first
demand Of the poor creatures from the
Island was always for something to eat.
Self-respect gone, half clad and covered
with vermin and filth, many of them are
often beyond the reach of medical skill.
In one instance the ambulances brought
sixteen to the hospital, and duriog the
night seven of them died. Again, eigh-
teen were brought, and eleven of them
died in tWentyfour hours. At another
time fourteen were admitted in single
day, and ten of them died. Judging
from what We have ourselves seen and do
know, we do not hesitate to say that I'M
der treatment of systematized abuse,
neglect, and semi starvation, the number
who are becoming premsturely broken
down in their constitutions must be reck-
oned by thOus inds. We leave it to others
TO say what is demanded by this state
of things. The Confederate daily papers
in general terms acknowledge the truth
of all we have affirmed, bat actually close
their abusive editorials by declaring that
even such treatment is better than the
invading Yankees deserve.
"The Examiner in q recent article be-
grudged the little food the prisoners did
receive, and the boxes sent to us from
home, and closed by eulogizing the sys-
tenn of semi starvation and exposure as
well calculated TO disTose of us. ALI
this is true, and yet the cold weather Is
hardly commenced. We are Mortified
when we picture the wholesale misery
and death that will come with the biting
frosts of winter. Recently several hun
bred prisoners per day were being re-
moved to Dlnville, aud in two instances
we were standing in view of them as
taeir ranks filed past. 1t was a sad
thing TO see The sttenuated features and
pallid faces Of men, few months since
robust and in vigorous health. Num-
bers were without shoes, nearly all with
out blankets or overcoats, and not
man did we see who was we'll fed and
fully clad, but to the credit of
the prisoners in Richmond of all
ranks, be it recorded, that although they
have shown heroic fOrtitude under suffer
ing, and spurning the idea that their
Government had forgotten them, have held |
fast their confidence in the final and |
speedy success of our cause. In addi- !
ton 10 the above statement, we wish 10 |
be distinctly understood that the Confed- |
crate medical officers connected with the |
hospitals referred to-Surgeons Wilkins, |
Simmons and Sobal-and the hospital |
steward Hollet, are not in any way, so |
far as our observation has extended, re-
sponsible for the state of things existing
there, but on the other hand, we are bound |
in justice to bear testimony TO their kind
ness and the faithful performance of du- |
ties with the limited means at their dis
possl. Signed:
"DAE'L MEEKKE,
"Surg. U. S. N.
&C. T. LINERS,
"Ass't Surg. 9th Regt. Me. Vols.
81. L. BBowS,
"Ass't Surg. 116th o. v. I.
"a. NJ. PARKER,
Asst Surg. LIST Me. Cavalry"
An exhibition of TAbleaux win take
place tonight at the elegant residence