Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-11-12
9ailg guteIIigrl1tet.
Thursday Morning NOV l2. 1868:

Thursday Mornlng NOV Z, 4eesl
rS-A soIDIER's ExPERIENCE IN DIXIE.
We have been permitted TO examine the
diary of John S. ArbuthnO::, resident OF
this ci,v and member OF, Carli1' 3 batGEyi
wbo was captured Mt Winchester, after
Ni,rov's retreat from that place, and taken
N Richmond. From the account given oy
.rbn,bnot the road from Winchester to
Ricbmond was indeed hard one to travel,
I, raiued all the time during the passage
and he suffered terribly from exposure and
hunger. Sometimes he would have moth
inc 10 eat for whole day and then only
The meanest aud most unpNlatable of food.
Arriving at Richmond he was FIRST taken TO
Libby Prison, and then to the old tobacco
bouse which he describes as horrible
rloce. Seven hundred men were crowded
an tbickly into one room that there was
not sufficient space to lie down. While
here prisoner vas shot for looking out
of the window. After remaining in the
tobacco house short time, Arbuthnot and
others were removed to Belle Isle, and on
the way thither man dropped dead from
exhaustion. They remained at Belle isle
two days without morsel TO eat. To
give an idea of the condition of the place
we copy from the diary:
August 3.-Expect to get away Ia few
DAYS. Hope we may. This is horrible
Mace to live in. We just get enough to
live upon and are covered with lice aud
dirt, and cannot get to the river to wash |
ourselves. The water is not st for dog
TO drink. We suffer greatly from heat aud
close confinement. There is great deal
of trading between the guard and prisoners
at night-bread and tobacco for our green
backs. Some of our men are doing mental
work for the enemy to get enough to eat.
Large achievements for Lees army pass
ed through Richmond to-day.
4 X
August ll.-There is a great deal of
sickness in the prison. The men are Civ
leg out very fast. Unless we are exchang-
cd soon there will not be many of us left.
An iron man could not stand this starya-
ton and bad treatment. The doctor has
no medicine, and when man gets sick his
chance of recovery is slim. Two men tried
to escape last night. One of them was shot
and killed.
August l4.-Several hundred prisoners
arrived to-day. One man was shot dead
Just now by the guard and another badly
wounded. There is great excitement in
camp. The rebels brought a gun 10 bear
on the prison. We begin to despair of
getting away, and the sickness is increas-
ing.
August ia large lot of prisoners
came 10 from Charleston, South Carolina,
to-day; and among them some sailors aud
mariners from the frigate Wabash. There
are now five thousand prisoners here con-
fined 10 a space of an acre. Two men went
crazy to-day. Rations are being reduced.
August 2T-Atl the flags in the city are
at half-mast to-day for General John B.
Floyd, and all the bells are being tolled |
tonight. have now been here six weeks. |
They cannot reduce our rations much
more if they give US anything at all to
eat.
Aud SO on the soldier proceeds to give
an account of each days doings during bis
confinement. Hardly day passes that
prisoners are not shot dOwu by the guard.
One or two attacks were made upon the |
spectators by the prisoners, and the guard
rushed in to quell the disturbance.
September 1s-There. was a great Gre |
in the city last night. Six men were bu-
ried to- day, Death is becoming as well
come visitor as he is frequent visitor.
One hundred and forty-one prisoners from
the LIST Virginia Infantry have arrived
They brought news from home.
The balance of the little diary is devo-
ted to the particulars of the soldiers ex-
change, and the details of his Journey
North, which comparatively happy land
he reacheda week or SO ago.