The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1863-11-14

again attempts to make meal but with
the same result. Hungry still. Sup
per arrives, and as the meat boiled at
noon must go for the mornings hash, he
must fast, having doubtless consum ed
his last morsel of bread for dinner. -
Thus on, day after day, no relief, no
change, except the ephemeral excite
ment caused by the thousand and one
idle rumors that float around without
parentage or history Do you think
that | am giving fancy sketch, and
drawing upon my imagination for the
facts l can assure you it Is all too
true, sadly real.
UNION PRISONERS STARVED TO DEATH.
Many sank under it and falling away
into living skeletons, were passed over
to the hospital, in the other end of the
building, where they lived or died as
circumstances might declare. How often
have | seen this so often that it had
long ceased to call forth special atten-
ton Did men fall down exhausted
upon the floor, those stronger picked
them up and strove to have them re-
moved to the hospital. Did they die,
their bodies are carlessly thrown to one
side until convenience suited them TO
bury them underground. During this
time the heat was ln,e nse, and the suf-
fering from this cause alone very great.
Often have felt as though my very
blood was on fire, and my brain cauld-
ron of heated, Kissing metal. Aud to
this the fact that from diet and other
causes, the prisoners suffered greatly
from dysentarys aggravated by the disa,
greeable water we were obliged to drink,
and | know not, indeed, how we passed
the Summer, or bore up under the &C
cumulated woes of our situation. One
alienation of our torment, perhaps, was
the glimmerings of hope which ever and
anon penetrated our prison. " "A flag
of truce boat expected at City Point"
arrangements making for exchange !;
all disputes between the Commissioners
settled" &c, or, perhaps, our forces
are coming up the peninsula, or our cav
airy are mrking a raid upon Richmond
and will certainly penetrate the city and
|
THE AMOUNT OF FOOD ALLOWED TO pRIs-
oNERs.
Do you ask me as to the amount of
food received per day by each officer I!
The question is easily answered, for a
short horse is soon curried. One-fourth
pound of very tough raw beef and bones,
very little over ten ounces of bread, We
ry heavy and sour, a little rice, and in
finitesmal quantities of salt and vinegar.
This was the amount of rations received,
though ! will do the authorities the JUS
tice to say that it was hardly the amount
allowed, the remaining portion being APP
propriated by officials. However small
the appetite of the prisoner, if well he
could eat the whole of his days ration
at one meal, and look around for more.
At the time of which speak the officers
were not allowed to purchase or receive
any food but that furnished by the au-
thorities as the daily ration. The bread
very unpalatabIe and unwhoesome the
beef oftentimes tainted and sometimes
evidently diseased, as we could see where
| u. L
of rice we obtained beans or peas, we re-
ceived with them no small quantity of
ANNA ed life, in the form of worms, fat
and plump. With no change, nothing
but he everlasting hash, soup and bread,
no wonder disease made such ravagcs
among US, and scorbutic affections be
came quite prominent.
THE INTERIOR OF THE LIBBY PRISON.
Fancy room 1902 feet long and 40
feet wide, occupied by 100 officers as sit
ting-room, dining-room, bedroom, &c
all in one and then this room. in addi-
ton, contained two tables, rcaching across
the room ; and in one corner of this
again boarded off, and containing the
| hydran:, wash troughs, sinks, &c.-
With insufficient drainage, and limited
means of cleansing the impurities which
must of necessity accumulate, the floor
quie nasty, much of the time subject to
the leakage of the floor above al! this,
TOO, but a step from the cook stores, and
all in he same room, can 1t be wonde red
that we suffered from uoxious vapors, or
| WcIc ulHSuSlcp WIFI nauseatlS sights
and smells This cook-room contained
three old stoves, with furniture enough
to moderately supply one, and yet de-
signed 10 supply the wants of about 400
officers, namely the room just described
containing Milroy's command, and the
one Immediately above US holding Colo
mel Straigh's command and others.
| The kettles were in constant employ,
day and night if not employed in cook
ing our food, they were used for washing
dirty clothes or boiling to death the YER
min that invested them, and, indeed,
come ines for washing feet. The eating
of these four hundred officers was done
upon the two tables in the room, which
necessarily required their presence a
good deal of the time in this prolific room.
The supply of tin cups, plates, knives
and forks were about sufficient for one
hundred men, and many were the scenes
of wrangling and disorder caused by the
struggle to be lucky possessor of these
useful articles. Woe to the man who
was last in the race, fingers must then do
their work. The condi ion of the rool1s
after this reei.a can well be Imagined
fiji by in the extreme. The floor, the
cracks in the nosts and doors and window