The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1863-12-03


containing nothing but memorandum o.
the names of dead and wounded, with
addresses of their families, and the last
messages of the diving to their surviving
friends for this made special appeal,
butsit was all vain! would just as
soon expect favor from a wild savage as
from such a man as Inspector Turner.
Irthis prison remained from July lst
to October 7th. A portion of that 6ime,
like many others, had to be spent in the
hospital, sick. OF the manner of our
fare, rations, &c, enough may have been
said by others, yet even then the half has
not been told [ would advise all our
officers to run a most fearful ris1; rather
than to throw themselves upon the hos
pitalities of heartless rebels, and expert
ence the realities of this vile and loath-
some prison.
Whist in the hospital, and able TO go
about, [ was permitted as a favor from
a lower room of the same building, where
our citizens and private soldiers were
brought. Here [ conversed freely and
received the testimony of many poor
fellow, whose vital energies had almost
eked out at the cruel treatment received.
[ have seen as high as twenty brought in
at time from Belle Isle, and seated on
benches whilst they would take their
names, but before they were half through
with this ceremony, one third or more Of
the number would be fallen to the floor,
and many of them inscnsible, and some
only to wake up in eternity My heart
has sickened at the sight, and now make
these statements, not with a revengful
soldiers from falling into such hands. If
when closely pressed and a thought of
surrendering crosses your mind, pass in
review before you the gaunt, half famished
forms of those unfortunates, and it will
stimulate you to desperate effort to
escape, or even to die on the field of
battle rather than to fall into such hands
Our citizen prisoners seem even to fare
worse, if possible, than any others. Some
were taken forcibly from their peaceful
homes in Pennsylvania and Maryland, and
without a moments warning, or an oppor-
tunity of changing their working apparel,
or supplying themselves with little need
full change, or giving word Of comfort or
advice to their weeping families, were
hurried off on foot, in front of the bayonet,
and travelled thus for FIVE days. The only
rations issued to them during the time
was pint o. flour per day and not until
the evening of the third day were they
allowed to make anything like dough and
bake it in the ashes-thus being compelled
to eat raw flour like beasts, and this by
the boasted chivalry of the South I have
seen these same men begging like children,
even for crust of bread to satisfy their
appetites- who had, perhaps, never
known what it was to want for anything
For some six weeks several. hundred
occupied lower room in Libby, AID in
the night the officers would pass down
through the cracks in the floor all the
surplus bread that could be procured
through the savings of the officers, and [
was told by one Of our doctors, that he
had actually seen them fish bread out of
the sinks, where all the filth from the
rooms above passed through, and wash it
off and eat it; so near were they to star
vation | have seen citizen prisoners in
Castle Thunder, over seventy-two years of
age, simply for clinging in their old age
to the time honored flag of their country.
Friends at home, if you can do anything
for our poor prisoners at Richmond, either
through your personal effort or through
the agency of our noble Cirisfion Com
mission, rest not until you have done your
uty in mitigating their suferiigs and
heering their sinking spirits, and kind
\fovidence and many grateful hearts will
\tess you. D. c. EBERHART,
\chaplain s7th Regt. Pa. Vol Infantry.
Y Army of the Potomac.
or - Telegraphing facilities are rapidly