The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-12-05
Our Richmond dPrisOners-AS State
ment by the Released Federal
EmPpQNnS

WASHINGTON, Nov. q, lsG3.-The follow
ing statement by the surgeons just re-
leased from Libby Prison OF the treatment
of the prisoners at Richmond, will be pre-
sented to the War Department tomorrow:
s..~-r WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. ~, 1868.
We the undersigned, Surgeons OF the
United States army, and'recently prisoners
in Richmond, Va, consider it our duty to
publish few facts that came to our
knowledge while we were inmates OF the
Hospital attached to Dibby Prison.
We enjoyed for several months daily ac-
cess to the hospitals where the sick and
wounded among our Union soldiers re-
ceived treatment. As the result of our OBJ
servation, we hereby declare il. our belief
that since the battle of ChickaInauga the
number of deaths per diem has averaged
fully tiftv., The prevailing diseases are
diarrhea, dysentery, and typhoid pneumo-
MIA. OF late the per centage OF deatns
greatly increased, the result OF causes that
have been long at work, as insufficient
food, clothing and shelter, combined with
that depression of spirits brought On 80
often by long confinement.
| It NAV seem almost incredible when we
affir rm, of our personal knowledge. that in
| the hospitals for Union soldiers, the aver
age mortality is near forty per day, and
upon the most reliable testimony, we are
! forced to believe that the deaths in the to-
| bacco factories and upon the, Island Will
raise the total morality, among all the IN
ion prisoners fifty per day, or hfteen huna-
red monthly.A -
The extremely reduced condition of these
brought from the island argues that hun
/ dreds quite sick are left behind, who with
us would be considered fit subjects for hos
pital treatment. Such, too, is the tact as
| invariably stated by scores we have con-
versed with from that camp. The same,
| to a degree, holds true Of prisoners IN the
city.
It would be q reasonable estimate to put
the number who are tit subjects for hosplt-
ais, but who are refused abundance, AT lxe
! hundred, A thousand are already under
| treatment in the three hospitals, and the
Confederate surgeons themselves say tne
! number of patients is only limited bX the
small ACCOMMODATIONS provided. Ihus,
we have over ten per cent. OF the whole
number of prisoners held classed as sick
men. who need the most assiduous
and skillful attention, yet in the essential
matter of rationss they are receiving noun
inp hut corn bread and sweet potatoes
Meat is no longer furnished to any class OF
prisoners except to the few officers in LioDy
! Hospital. and all sick or well officers OF
priyates are now furnished with very
poor article of corn bread in place OF Wheat
bread. unsuitable diet for hospital patlents
! nrostrated with diarrhea, dysentery and
| fever. to say nothing of the starting IN
stances of individual sufferingand the hor-
rid pictures of death from protracted SICK,
ness and semi-starvation, I'VE nave h;io
Ithrust upon our attention. The hrst de-
! mand of the poordR creatures from the
island. was always for something 10 eat, :,
Self-respect gone, half-ciad ana covered
with yermin and filth, many OF tnem are
too often beyond all reach Of mehsai sAu.
y