Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-11-13
Savage treatment OF Union prisoners.

Savage treatment OF Union prisoners-
The following narrative by Rev. George
Il. Hammer, chaplain Of the 18th Pernsyi-
vanis cavalry, Of his late captivity at Rich-
mond, reminds one Of the horrors Of the old .
Jersey prison Ship and Liberty street Sugar
house, in the war Of the revolution. Inc |
barhzrizing influence of Slavery on conmu-
nifty is painfully illustrated by it, he says
l Was captured Al Winchester, Va, June 10, 4
1868, with siI other chsplains ana quite nun ]
Der Of surgeons. sharing II the cOntumely ana I
prIyations heaped upon the officers and men oil
Miiruy's command. ! have seen men angry
with passions. but never have I beheld such
madiened fendishness Of feeling as that poured
out upon uE.
Under the sanctity Of flag Of truce, two Of
our chaplains mot then captured visited the
field of slaughter to gather up the wounded, al
minister to their wants, hear their last whisper,
and bury the dead They had hardly entered
the field before they were insulted, and from one
Of them a valuable watch was taken by force,
and himself threatened with violence
under q June sun, and over q road every contact
with which seemed 10 burn the foot 10 ohster.
Half clad, many shoeless and hatless and uniea'
the csvalcade was sorroWful one Inc su1eT-
Ings Of the TIP I cannot express Nothing 10
eat but what We begged or bought o. eluiens
who hated Us intensely, shut their doors II our
faces, and from RDpeRrances, would have oeen
far better pleased with Visit rom even ms Do
tGnic majesty himself
After arriving at the Libby Prison every thing
Of value taken from us-cAnteens' navel
sacks. gum blankets, IN some cases our wooden
blankets our money and vsluaoles, private pa
perz ana pocket diaries, lists Of dead ana Wound-
e.. aud even last messages from some brave mar
rvrs 10 their friends, nothing beng retained oo'
the few things that seemed 10 be part o. our
selves and necessary 10 conceal our nakeaness-
I The surgeons whose private property IS always
respected II war. were likewise stripped o. men
effects Their green sashes as badges Of Their
profession were taken from then, their pocket
case Of instruments AbstrGcted, Their pocket
medicines confscsted, 50 that upon our intro
ducuon into the mysteries Of Libby we had lev
I things 10 care for. and fewer still 70 lose
OF the food and It's effect upon the health
Of the prisoners, he says
Manv sunk under j; and falling away into
living skeletons were passed over 70 the hospital
IN the other END Of the building, where they Nv
/ ei or died IS circumstances might declare hoH
often have ! seen this, 50 often that i na1 long
since ceassi TO call forth special attention. DID
B men tall d0Eu exhausted upon the nOo-, those
3 stronger uicked them Up and strove 70 have
/ tnerp removed 10 the hospital Did they die
their bodies were thrown 10 one slde uuul coli
1 veuience suited them 10 bury them under grouna-
during TINS time the heat wss intense, and the
suffering from tins cause alone was very great
Often nave I felt though ny very blood was
OF IRE and nv brain cGuldrou Of Kissing meta
Add 10 tins the fact that from diet anu other
} causes, the prisoners suffered greatly ron dys-
enterv. aggravated by the disagreeabie water
We were obliged 70 drink and ! know moi. IL
deed now We passed the summer. or bore up IN
/ der the accumulated woes OF our situation Nlth
DO change. nothing but the everlasting hash,
SCUM and bread NJ wonder disease made such
ravGges among Us. and sc0r0unc affections De
came quite prominent
I nave seen = captain Of cavalry. for the simple
offence Of missing the spIttoon AMI spiiuns upon
the hoor. thrown into 8 DARK damp dungeon ioT
/ Two DAYS and nights on bresd ana water, caus-
ing a serious Inflammation Of the lungs. At TINS
rine II WAS REQUIRED that the officers should per
I orn the most menlal services connecte- with
/ cooking. washing. scrubbIng, ami the cleanliness
Z Of the room Lieut. WEIGH, Of the olth Penn
sylyaniA Infantry, lay Tor 81 week ID dun
geon under the building, because, as N oraerly
sergeant acting under appointment as a !leuieIi-
ant. he had rightly clAssed himself WIKI Inc Ell
LISTED men. v hen brought up among the other
officers. ms clothes, SHOES 6c-, were covered with
a rreeu mould Lieut.. Durton Of the 61th Penn
. =. nae unrrrpl a LuureurI
I until the close Of the war, Gnd Is nov su1erIng
therein for q similar offence, with the additional
Z fact that ne assumed the name Of another Capt
/ Litcb6eld Of the 9th Pennsylvania Was confined
1 IN & dungeon for I'VE or eight days Oh bread And
wate-. for forming 8 plsn Of escape which was
1 frustrated.
] Colonei Powell. q the I'm Virginia Union
I csv.l-v wounded IN the back from window II
I Wvtbeviue. and left behind, was CARTEL 10
1 Richmond and placed II the Hospital 4 lev
davs after one Of the Richmond papers rAlled
/ out against him II s most oruts manner, am
I suggested that ne De execute1- Inc PRISON H.
! spect9r entered the hospital, ana without the
\ knowledge Of the rebel surgeons, ordered hin
/ u from his bed ana, follow hin. lie was piaeed
B IL one Of the dungeons spoken Of, and upon asa
lnr what were the charges against nm WAS an
svered Cd YOU, you vii sool IND
out
Here with a bsll II his BACK. ne remained Eve
weeks and four days, pArt Of the time without
{ blanket, rarely receiving any medical care, and
I sometimes MS rztions withheld. 4 guard was
D stationed constantly 81 the door Of hls
/ eel. TO prevent either escape or communication
I with others While confined there the entry
I wav Was frequently blocked Up with dead bodies,
: anu TINS during the neat OF sumner. ms Cd
I nv performed another important part, beng the
: place where men and women were daily brought
10 receive their lawful allowance Of lsshes II the
Z hands Of the prison inspector.
A letter was sent 10 Gen. WInder BY the colo
/ ne, asking the charges against hin, ana pro
testing against his treatment he denied any
knowledge Of the matter, and suggested that
perhaps Gen Jones was acquainted with the
facts He also denied any knowledge Of the
matter, and coolly asked 10 know the charge
he WAS released 7 know not how, or Won :
szy, and placed among Us TINS o1ncer was the
victim OF irresponsible authority ana nendlsh
cruelty as welded ny this prison inspected
While confined II the cell. the colonel asked IL
writing twice for Bible, but no notice was
taken Of the request One ofheer taken n Get
tysourg was slapped il the face BY this Inspeci-
or, for saying that ne thought he mad no right
10 take from MIN = small fragment Of shell
which ne had IN his pocket as a relic.
There are also about 100 free negroes Of the
North, ofncers' servants from the army and navy.
One Of the many nights spent IN Libby is deeply
engraven spon NY mind free negro Of Phiia-
deiphia, captured in the navy, nearly white, re-
ceived 325 lasnes in a room Immediately beneath
Us, his loud cries and pleadings penetrating eve
y part Of the building. Is blow followed blow. !
he was theu wrapped IN blanket saturated /
with salt water, AMI cast into ons Of the dun 1
geons for s month or more such scenes and 4
cries were frequent Those Of our number VINO 1
entered there as advocates Of slavery, II least
sympaihlzers, are such no more.
CAPTURED. L L. Stone.
formerly Of Waterbury and Stowe, was taken
urisoner by Nosbv m the 26tb nj. rs,-