The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-12-03
e r e II M S:
r INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE
starvation Of Union PrisOners
In Richmond

There has been a doubt among some of
the Southern-loving, and Southern sympa.
thizing beings here that our soldiers, he:d as
prisoners by the rebels in Richmond, were
really being starved to death, as has been
reported within the last few weeks. We
have now the truth in this matter, as will
be found in on extract from the statement
made by four of the Surgeons lately releas.
ed by the rebels. We publish but a small
portion of their statement, but enough to
see how our brave soldiers are treated by
those, we may say, barbarians OF the South.
IT seems almost incredulous that peop,e
who claims to be civilized, and have always
boasted of their humane and liberal feelings
should become like savages, destitute of all
christian and civilized self-respect, and
adopt q system of semi starvation on their
fellow beings who have been so unfortunate
as to fall into their hands We cannot
doubt the statement of these men, they wit
messed the misery and suffering of our poor
starved soldiers for months; they saw heal
thy and robust men, when brought there,
put into dirty, filthy tobacco warehouse
and there fed on scanty 'ortion of corn
bread until reduced to disease and death =
not only that bnt their clot hing taken from
them, leaving them suffering without even
acovering for their body. We must be
Mortified when we think of the wholesale
misery and death that will come with the
bitter frosts Of winter.
Our government some time ago took the
matter into consideration, and forwarded
provisions, clothing and medical aid to them,
and was assured BY the rebel agent that
they would be delivered to those they were
intended, but their word were like their
cause, it lasted but moment. and they
applied the articles sent to our soldiers to
their own. Such is the fact, rs invariably
stated by scores who have escaped from
their hands.
But read the statement of these surgeons,
and then draw your own conclusions of the
Confederate hospitality towards your brave
soldiers who have gone forth to fight the
battles of your country. Read them and
think of the lIardships and privatons these
poor men are enduring, while at the same
time they are thinking of the semi-traitors
at the North giving encouragement to their
prosecutors. But let US hope that their
suffering will BE- short-let Us hope that be-
fore many days or weeks, they will be re-
leased by glorious victory accomplished
by their brother soldiers of the north. God
grant it may be soon.
"Meat is no longer furnished to any class
Of cur prisoners except to the few officers in
Lib5ey Hospital, and all such or well off
GERS or privates are nov furnished with a
vefy poor article OF corn bread in place of
wheat bread, unsuitable diet for hospital
patients Frustrated with diarrh:a, dysen.
terry and fever, to say nothing of the start
ling instances of individual suffering and
the horrid pictures of death from protracted
sickness and emi-starvation, we have had
thrust upon our attention. The first de-
mand of the poor creatures from the island,
was always for something to eat. Self-res-
pect gone, half clad and covered with ver-
min and filth, many Of them are too often
beyond all reach of med cal skill. In one
instance the ambulances brought sixteen to
the hospital and during the nlrht seven of