Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-11-12
The Rich mond Prisons.

Several narratives from late Federal captives
IN the Richmond prisons have been published
which agree in representing the treatment re-
cei,ed there as very harsh. Rev G. II HAMMER.
of a Pennsylvania regiment, says:
Oh the first night in Lbb,, Who can tell the
thoughts that crowd thick and fast upon the mind
of the poor unfur unateg l. he hungry? Tn
less he meets an acquaintance he will learn that
food will be obtaneu aud dra sn Tor him the next
morning + he dr,f He is pointed a very
nasty corner of the room. and tola 90 help him
self to the yellow, thick. warm and nauseitc
extract of james river. which awaits turn of
the spigot at the hydrant. Does lie look around
aud ask timldly where he J. TO >leepI tie j.
pointed to the dirty foor aud told help himself
To any uuOccupiei spnt and be -ure not 20 stir ND
the bags too much. Did men fill down exhaust
ed upon the floor, those srronger picked them up
and suove To have them removed t. the hospital
Did they die, their bodies were ctree-siv thrown
To side until convenience suited them TO
hurry them underground During thi, time the
heat was intense, and the suffering from this
cause alone very great.
Do you ask me as to the amount of food re-
ceved each iay by elch fl :erg The question
il easily answered for a short horse i 80 cur
red One fourth pound Of very tough, rough
raw heel and bones, very little over ten ounces of
bread. very heavy aud sour, a little rice. AMI ia
hnIte>m i quantities of salt aud vinegar This
was the amount of rations receiv ed. though will
do the authorities the justice 10 say that it was
hardly the amount allowed the remaining por
ton be appropriated 10y officials. HoweV er small
the appetite OF the prisoner, ID we'll he could eat
the whole OF bis days ration at meal. and look
around for more AT the time OF which | speak,
the officers we're not allowed to purchase, or re
ceve any food but that fnrnishe. by the author-
ties me daily Patton. The bre ri very
pilatable and unwholesome. the beef oitentmes
tainted and sometimes evidently diseased. as v q
could see where tumors had been extracted If
in lieu oil rice we obtained beans or peas. we re
ceiveI with them small on nifty OF animated
lite IN the furm Vf worms lat AMI plump. With
10 change, Nothing tut the everlasting hash.
SOUP AMI esd. no wonder 'ii>el IN de such
rae res among u. and scorbutc AFFECTIONS te
came quite prominent
Another letter thus describes the prison:
Close on to the canal. and al the corner OF
Cary and twenty first streets. and within mile
of ..kocketts, stands the herrld Libby PRISON.
The eutire length of the building on Cary street
Is l35 feet, with a depth OF about 80 feet on
Tweuty-fFst street IL l. di-ided into three
tons b, -toa brick walls, and l.. the SIDE next
to the canal, four stories, while on Cary street IL
Is but three stories 10 higH-elch ol the stores
being divided INTO three Oboag rooms OF 45 by
Twenty first street il appropriate To The rebel
guam. the next TO the Union Officers. aud the
third " the hospital ThiS is an the Cuy street
side, or front OF the building o. the canal side,
the lower story. or grouni hoor. Is the cook
house and receptacle tor the de 3D. until suti-
cient number have accumulated % make IL worth
while To remove them, until the stencil be
comes too for the rebels them elves % bear.
On the second floor, in the two rooms next 10
TWENTY first street are over four hundred Uuion
soldiers, and in The third room on this floor
may be found the remnant of some one hundred
Union citizens. who have been nearer ttei since
the commencement OF the var. Some few OF
} these pri-OEers were gtkeTs. AMI were released
the paw of $50 each The three rnoms
OF the upper floor contain at least 300 Union
soldiers each Four small sized windows ench
end OF these rooms admit limited amount Of
light for about % feet, leaving about Az feet in
the centre of each. where print cannot be read in
the day time. Prisoners once admitted into the
Libby, never leave il for an instant or for any
purpose. day or night, except To be exchanged or
TO be carted TO an unknown grave. There are Ill
constructed water closets IN the rooms. which.
owing 70 the continual breaking OF the waste
pipes. emit almost Noticeable efiavia Ina add
tion to this, the whole place j. one nest OF the
most abominaoe yernlin About halt ration OF
fair bread and a plate OF small dark coloTei beans
Tor "eow peas'') twice d'y. in the usual tare
meet beng issued only twice week, and then in
verv small quantities
SO much tor the Libby Prison itself. but all this
ia c pDed by the treatment received BY the uufor-
tGnate inmates.