Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-03-13
OUeRAGRa aE GewRHn-
E&AEE PHEsONERs.
On STEAaER NEBRASKA, MISSISSIPPI RIVER,
January 1~f3

Jspusrv IS63
EDITORS APPEAL: In justice to the brave men com.
posios the Texas brigade undor my command, which
vas comprised in General Churohfrs division, cspiud
at the Post Of Arkansas, on the 18th inst. by Gsusrai
NeClernand's grand Mississippi srmy ans Aoiaa /
deem it my duty to ~makepqPlic The following facts re-
lstge 80 their treatment since the surrender.
According to the cartel Of exchange agresd upon last
July, by the Unite States and Confederate States gov.
ernmeats, through their eomniss oaers, Generals Dir
and Hill, We should have been exchanged or parolsd
within ten days. This carte, however, wasutiery dia-
regarded, and we're placed up n steamboats, and sent up
The Mississippi river. Ny brigade was crowded upon
the steamer Nebraska, in a manner entirely incon 8s!=nt
with tie health Of the men, 10 say nothing Of comfort
or deesncy. It consists Of the 10Th Texas infantry, and
the I5lh, I7th, and 18Th Texas dismounted cayary. IN
addition. Captain All Johnsoas spy company and a
few sailors and marines belonging to the Confederate
glnboat Poneheiran, were also placed on this boat.
making between eigleen hundred ana two thousand
prisoners in addition, six companies Of the 34th Iowa,
Colonel Clarke were p.aced on beard as g gard.
making altogether P obably nVt less than from twenty
three TO twenty-6gs hundred persons On this boat. =
Many Of the prisoners were sick. and so much We're
they crowded that many could not get a place to spread
their blankets without being exposed to rain ana
snow, or else laying them in fifth too disgusting 70 men.
ton, consequently they had to stand or sit, night md
day. Under these circumstances, Of course sickness in.
creased rapidly. We were kept in this state from the
night Of January 18th until the 23d, when the boat get
tiag aground, a good many Of the zen were removed
ia order to nghtenher.
Al the shove, however, sinks into absolute insight.
acance, when compared with the inhuman and malig-
nsnt set Of selecting for our guard, a regiment infected
with the smallpox, and known to be 50 infected by the
officer who ordered i OF the companies Of the 54h
Iowa OF ths Nebrask1 one has aoso six cases of small.
pox How many cases there may be in the other com
Psnies lido not know, but 1 presume that altogether
there are notices. than twenty cases among the eompa-
Hiss now composing cur guard These sick have been
ksptin the same cabin with many Of the sick prisoners.
From the very nature Of things, crowded as we have
been, ithas been utterly impossible 10 preserve the men
from exposure to tie eontagion.
For the conception and execution Of this fendish act
Mai Ger. Sherman, Unified States army, commanding
a corpsof McClernand's grand Y OK sburg army, is re-
s~ponsible. lam informed on credita4le authority that
before leaving the Post of Arkansas it was represented
80 General Sherman, through the proper channel. that
the 34th Iowa had smallpox. and it was represented BY
General Steele, and perhaps other officers, 20 place it in
quarters where the disease might be properly treated.
Thls he not only refused to do, but ordered it to be sent
as guard to The Confederate prisoners.
lnnnma1 a. such conductil still it is nothing more
than might be expected from a black hearted wretch IKE
General Sherman, who told Colonel r. Garland, also
commanding : Texas brgade, ard q prisoner Of war.
hat be (shermaa> would, If he had the power. eztermi
nate every man, woman and child. along the Mississippi
river in ease another boat was Grsa into by the oonfed.
crate troops.
Such acts aud sentiments as the above ought to hand
down to fafare iBfsmy the rame Of General Sherman,
oOspled with that Of his brother brute, Butler. Tire beast.
JAMES DESHLEIa,
CnlnnaI o s AriIerr comm.ndine TIE. Rrleaa.