The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-09-10
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NEWS Of The Nas.
4 DISMAL ACCOUNT or rrr i.,sgy.

DISMAL ACCOUNT or TEE L;SgY.
Two sutlers-McCarty and .Tes..inys-
who were captured by Mosby near Alex
andria few weeks since, were recently
exchanged as soldiers through mistake,
and have arrived in New York with the
usual cheerful batch Of lies about the
Libby prison. The accoul,l. il paraded
under four line heading, and ws extract
the following precious morsels finn it:
From Staunton We we're taken 20 Rich.
mond, arriving about sundown, and were
marched past JEFF. Dayis's lna,ision 10 the
Proves; Marshal's, who copmi-trd Us at once
10 the Libby prison, and placed lis on. the
second hoor, aInongupwards of aEdred
Union prisoners, comprising al. 81 des and
ciasses-lawyers, Quakers. suffer-, farmers
and deserters from our ranks, many OF them
as naked as wheu they came into tiiis world.
The sight we beheid here was shocking. The
dimensions of the room in which they were
coniined was forty feet by seventy, with an
eight foot ceiling. II fronted on Cary stceat,
with Tire rear on Canal. in sight oi James
river. AS soon as We were nsiiereJ into this
room We were besieged By these poor fel-
lows with inquiries for the news FROM the
Norm, and the particulars of The fights al
sleksburg, Port Hudson, anst Charleston
.aifer looking around oil The 5noor for some
lime We found spot, aud laid down to pet
DC rest we SO much needed. 1t was in,pos-
sibic to keep at ease or catch Il nap while the
yermin We're literally deeouring Us. The
Older prisoners seemed To take it rs a mat
ter OF course, and laid until morning in
sound sleep, When our aStohiahiEont ana
DISCUS! was intensified 10 SEE every man sit
ting upin bed hunting for the yerlnu in What
little Clothing he Possessed. 1t was the re
gular order of the morning. Uur breikiaS,
IN The morning, between . and ~ O'clock,
consisted OF four ounces of bread and Que OF
Deei, including bone-,Which stunk so badly,
and was so full of Inaggots, that we, rs new
beginners On such f.rre, turned from it in
utter disgust, and threw il away. We after
wards learned better manners and dcvoured
1t with as much relish as those who had been
III the prison longer. What We abandoned
Was gieedily deyoured by others. At sun
down We were called 10 dinner, which we ate
standing. II consisted of four ounces OF
brad aud pint OF swill, composed of fish
on, black beans, nageots, and dirt. We
abandoned our soup on the first taste OF it.
Immediately the men rushed from the table
Ike q pack of hungry wolves, .crowIiEg
around lis, and begging lis for what our sto
machs, as yet unaccustomcd to such carrion
food, utterly refused. Men Of age, wealth,
education and refinement, reared i'll the lap
OF luxury, crayed and scrambled for the
crumbs that fell from our table, and offered
So do us the most menial service for tliem.
The horrors ofthis prison cannotLc deSoib-
cd, and could l,ut il faint glimnlcr OF the
truth flash upon the people oil the North,
and especially the War Department, it would
not bt long ere such retaliatpry measures
were adopted towards rebel prisoners in our
hands rs would bring the rebels 10 some
sense OF mercy and common humanity iufhe
treatment of Union prisoners in their pri-
aons. Many Oi the dcserters from Uur side
now take the oath of allegiance to jcil. Da-
Eis's Government, merely for the sake OF be
ing sent TO the fortiticaluus of Richmond,
where their Condition is immeasur,biy in,
proved.
Mr.. Bulkley, Herm1 correspondent, was
transferred to Belle Island about two weeks
ago.
On one occasion our boys hid away their
greenbacks The fact was discovered by the
officers of the prison, and they adopted q.
subterihge to get them, alter vainly cndeav-
oring to discover then. by search. They
sent some "sIarhles" 10 the.boys with silver,
o:iering sixteen dollars in silver fer twenty
in greenbaoks. The -oiier Yas accepted by
which seized all the silver. This was the
only way they could have secured the green
backs.
Ninety-fve per cent. Of Union prisoners
go to Richmond well, except from exhaus-
tiou, caused by long marches. After a few
days confinement they become inTa!ids. lii
the intervals between the flag -ot-truco boats,
which are only few days, from two to three
hundred sick accumulate at Aiken's Landing
from the Richmond prisons. Not one-third
Of our prisoners at Belle Island have tents or
shelter of any kind, though The nights are
very cold, aud heavy fog settles on the
river, continuing until ten O'Clock in the
moaning.
Our prisoners suffer more than they would
otherwise Oh account oiTthe tyranny of Z;
iiian named Boss Burnhatn, formerly OF New
Y iork, brI i Southerner by BIRTH lie was
formerly doing business for firm in Warren
street. Que prisoner was put in close con
iinement on bread and water for four days
because he looked down from the window
Of his prison and asked who was under
peculiarly shaped hat just passing beneath.
1t is hot true that the rebels are Obliged from
necessity 10 feed our prisoners rs they do.
Corn and rice are abundant They do not
refund dollar of the money they take from
our men.
GEN. DIX AcD GOV. sEYMoUR-mPoRTfNT
CORRESPONDENCE A LARGE Mill
TARY FORCE WAS SENT TO NEW YORK.
The draft III New York is very nearly
over, and the conscriptcd supporters Of
the cold flag" have paid their $500, and
are Testing in peace until the next draft
The New York Post publishes q CORES
pondence between Gen. Dix and Gov.
Seymour, which has just come out, rcla-
tive to the occupation Of New York city
by the military. The following Is tbs
J,0st's version of it:
The first letter was written by General Dix
on the 30:h OF July. He apPrisc5 the Gov
ernor that the draft in this city will probably
he resumed ut al early day, aud desires To
know whether the military power oi the
State may be depended on 10 enforce the e3-
ecution Of the law In case OF ioreibic resist
ance TO it, He says he is very anxious that
there should he perfect harmony OF action
between the Federal Government and the
State, and adds that if be can feel assured
that under the Governors authority the laws
will be faithfully executed, be tLe Generai}
need not ask the War Department IL pm. al.
his disposal, for that purpose, troops IN he
service OF the United States.
On the Sd of August Gov. Seymour replied,
informin" General Dix that he was III com
munication with the President in relation 10
the draft in this State, aud that he hoped the
Presidents a,,swer would relieve both him
self and Gen Dix from the ''painlul gaes-
tious growing out of ali armed enforcement
Of the conscription." Upon receiving the
Presidents reply he wouli again c&mmani-
cate with Gen. Dix.
FIN, @I.n nf "