The New York herald., 1863-08-17
INTERESTING From CASTLE THUNDER.

'4N ~ hOo opl l. ., ASo.
INTERESTING FROM CASTLE THUNDER.
some or the "Humami,y" raentioaed in
Jen. Davfs' Letter or Instruction 60
AieA. H. stephens.
10 THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
CAsrix THUNDER. hcHnoSp, August 10, 1s63
gentleman who has been for several mouths under
going torture In this rcoei purgatosy having been pun
sbed not psraed the satisfaction OF demons in
power was notified this afternoon that he would be
med 70 return home, under fag Of truce, to morrow
morning. This affords me an excellent opportunity 70
send you few lnes The interest and inOrnason OF
your readers
Oar prison, Castle Thunder y situated Cary street,
about twenty rods from and in full view Of the Libby In
which 80 many Of our ion 70 Rehnondn soldiers have,
from time 70 time, been furnished with mule meat and
lodgings The appearance Of the edice scarcely entities
Il 70 The grandioquent title Il BEARS was named
because me bombastic commandant Captain Alexander,
boassed the day II was opened the authorities,
bottle Of wni1key, that tho prisoners aid not behave
themselves and endeavored escape they had done
from Castle Booker, hs would "make them smell thun.
der" II b needless 70 say that the gallant Captain has
tried 70 keep his word
In this establishment ase generally 10 bs found from
eight TO nine hundred eserters o General Lees army,
many Of them waiting V be court mart,aled, under
going sentence in the "chan gang and others waiting
the sentence Of death to be executed upon the Here
also kept many Of the dsloya citizens Of the "con
federacy" together with all citizens Of the North cap
tured In rebel raids or arrested within the rebel lines
suspicion Of being spies dangerous characters.
There are now imprisoned hare about hundred and
forty citizens Of the loyal States. majority Of them
have been In this and other prisons for long
periods several Of them Tor upwards Of two years. and
many for more than eighteen months Tho indignises,
outrages and prvations wS have 70 suffer only be
fully understood and appreciated By being witnessed
Basbarans seldom impose On ptsons6s treatment
iphuman than we Saner. Our only fare consists of
seanty ratiom Of bread and meat, ne bread dea1
ous 70 each person tor . day n insufficient
for . hearty man . single meal Tho meat Is
equally stinted; but fs quality more faulty sli
Occasionally, bus ssldom, we- win have for two or
three consecutive days wholesome beef but generally We
get nothing bus horse and mule meat. Always After
cavalry HghA Of any magnitude meat rasons
liberal This ID no exaggerasou We not mistaken.
II requires skilfu anatomist 70 distinguish betYeen
the bones Of beef and those Of horse mule, e Il
requires epicure distinguish between the flesh Of
these animals. We have preserved many specimens OF
these bones intending, the Union army releases
from this Godlorsaken place, TO exhibit them In the
North. II released by the rebels themselves we would
venture TO bring DO bones but own with us, As
gentleman who has suffered protracted confinement
was shout leaving the prison for flag truce, two
months ago. samples Of hese bones detected in his
carpet bag, when Captain Alexander vowed he would
give him another bone pick and sent him back his
room, where he still remains charged with attempting to
carry contraband Information TO the enemy.
Three times the LIST Of January have received,
change, bacon with bread but II In % nauseat
ing and noxous condition that few could eat Il, and
those who did so were almost Immediately thrown into
dts Of retching and vomiting.
The effect Of this diet is very pernicious Fully half
tho prsoners victims Of scurvy, liver and BILIOUS
complaints The only medicines the doctors have 10 ad
minister for these disorders salts and sulphur The
smallpox has also broken oct in the CASTLE especially In
The apartments Of the Union men Little pains
taken BY the officers Of the prison prevent the disease
from spreading Persons upon whom the disorder has bro
ken ous are allowed 70 remain whole day and night
among tho other prisoners before being 70.
moved to tho hospital, and convalescents, or
rather patients quarter cured are returned % their
rooms companions with scabs upon thcir faces and
In the apparel by them during Their sicness
r. sinelepeSson escapes attack f this disease win
be surprising.
We stand in constant dread Of the capces and cruelty
Of the >commandant. Nearly every week some
sriction 10 imposed, some fresh tyranny inflicted. Az
tcctives with such friends they t to Introduce in
the officers dining room, for caSousai Here the whole
night spent in drinking, gambling, &c. In which
msu .aTe allowed TO partte5pate We enabled 10 w.t.
ness fsses deoauheres Through tbs cracks Of bar
tions between the and through sumn laatccwork
near the ceiling After each Of these bacchanaaR reve
II tho captain has been successful, he Ia oil smlesand
liberaliy; Il he has BEEN the other hand unfortu
nate-which is usually his LUCK TO be-he profane
A~rxo oI~oo apA natFo
fogged and twice a. many prisoners tied up by the
thumbs, or bucked and gagged, and manages, in the
course Of few hours 70 outrage every inmate Of the
castle.
Why let here 70 be outraged 70 starve rot
and die none Of understand, Why We ex-
changed the prisoners Of war; Our government,
iss cagerness regain by exchange s. soldiers who
have fallen into rebel hands, hav forgotten il
equally unfortunate and faithful citizens. We have from
time time been eated with prospects Of being released
by the Union army. We have almost hope
anything from that There appears TO be de-
sire on the psr government its generals TO
Richmond. they really desire its capture why have
they not effected when they could have done without
dlcuyf When, in the hitter part OF June and early
part Of july General Dix was reported advancing the
city, thought the day Of deiverance at hand
We knew three thousand could without opposition
march into the city We overheard rebel officers say
among themselves that they could not command thou
sand soldiers for ts defence. The rebel authorities knew
equally we resored 70 every device and ance they
osuld invent 70 make some show Of force In front.
Quaker guns mounie In some Of the battcnes
tents for which there occupants hosted,
to have the appearance Of camps. The citizen militia
we're ordered Soldiers from the armies Of tho Gulf
or Southwest found in the cHy furoush; citizens in
cludng all artisans, mechanics, merchants, lawyers,
doctors and divines. the old and halt not excepted;
foreigners with French and British "proecon papers
in their pockets the convascents Of the various bosp
tails and the vagabonds confined and wearing the bah
and chain for divers Offences Castle Thunder were all
forced into the ranks, 10 meet the approaching foe.
Scores Of cyprians donned male attire and eager the
fray, placed themselves shoulder TO shoulder with the
heroes This heterogeneous host the FORCE about
the only force repel tho Northern army OF General