Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-04-20
FROM TRE sTATE-
1IEoTs 0F A RETURNED PRKs-

The prisoners cap3urod On the re
treat Of Pemberton from the Tallahatchie river
were subjected to all the horrors of petty bar
barism. They were eODgTegated together il
small rooms (seizsd aud appropriated for the
IpuTpose) confined to their narrow limits closely
without sufficient room even to lie down, com
PEELED to drag out the weary days monOtonOusly
and stsrYingly-refused permission to speak
even with their own officers captured with them
urged upon and Influenced by every available
agency to take the cath of allegiance to the
United States Of America; beseaehed by Abo-
lition preachers With filthy hsnangues on the
evils Of slavery and the wrongs done the poor
man by The rich attempting thus to extinguish
the fires Of patriotism. Hunger, cruelty and
fanatieism were concentrated together to secure
cOwardiy advantage. They were allowed
nothing to eat, except such as was demanded
for thom by their esptors from the citizens Of
Oxford, to whom it was tsuntingIy said (afier
r5bbing their premises Of all that could be found
beforehsud), that they ought to feed their
brethren.
The citizens Of Oxford (where the
prisoners were broughE experienced sll the hor-
ror Of savage warfare Old citizens and women
were fred at il their own doors By the vandal
soldie.y. Children were shot st in crossing the
yard. Houses were searched and desolated--
relics Of the past and absent were utterly shat
tered, and the sanctity of the family altar and
freside were invaded without the wsrnisg Of .
mement Enclosures were torn down and
barne5, snd for forty miles arouud houses stood
naked to the view, and cattle trsmped where
the rose bloorne5
The prisoners were at last forwarded
northwsrd. They were marched on foot thirty
miles, to Holly Springs, without food Of any
sort till the next day The treatment there was
similar to that at OxfoFd-prObably worse. And
50 through all the changes.
After being kept on the Mississippi
river twenty-five days, crowded to suffocation,
half fed, and extorted upon even to tho article
Of medicine, with disease and death around and
among them, they were at last landed at the
old State penitentiary at Alton, Illinois. So
gloomily did the prospect affect them that more
than hundred plunged from the boat into the
Mississippi in the dead of winter, and amid vol
leys of musket balls sent after them, and the
c1ntending elements around thom, made their
desperate way to shore. prefcrring to risk death
to the prospect of the life before them.
Their treatment at Alton was inhu-
man and barbarous. Hundreds were confined
in the main building, which was open, bleak,
aud desolste, aud SO comfoTtless and dresry
were the quarters that the open doors of tho con-
victs' cells were taken advantage of as st least
sfording some protection from the winter winds.
Men were compelled to remain in bed through
the day because of no possible hope Of warmth
otherwise. They perished from neglect and
cold. The small pox, which was prevalent
when they were brought there and thrown
among it, swept them off by twenties Sew
eraI dsys-from lie 2O,h of January to the 1Osh
of February--the deaths averaged fifteen every
twenty four hours. Accumulated disease of
every shape fastened itself upon the exhausted
system, and desth was a matter Of course. And
even then the wooden coffin was but a mock
cry, for one served for eleven bodies, as seen
end marked by dozen witnesses. Earth Yves
their only wrapping.
The YER too, were terrible. |
The hospitals were with the creeping mass,
adding new horrors o the tormonted sufferers,
from which there was no relief
Men were dragged out on sny pre- |
text and confined for days in q dungeon, with
out food and, with arms msnacled and limbs
shackled, could only wait in suffering the whiIn-
steal release Of the prisoner. Il nesded not the /
sviden.g Of guilt to convict, nor evan the
charge Of cooperative cCmplicity. The mere
fact Of aborlivs measures Of escape by sorne
5ufieed to sentence all others that could be
connected with them The con
iitioh of release was disclosure Of plots to
escape, which had never been made. The fact
1f prisoners being held BY bsyonets and stone-
walls was ignored, and the prisoner was asked to
lold himself and others. He was asked TO be-
ray friends to enemies, CT suffer with them
The dGmpness Of the dungeon was preferable to
his, and the penalty paid without murmur
an articles Of clothing not actually
N the person were seized and held as contre-
,sud. This term was Of extraordinary exten
iveness, which varied with the whims of the
.earcher. 1t was assumed to decide on the neces-
iaTy amount Of clothing requisite. The claimed
IurpIus was retained Men were even left
of decent apparel Pocket knives,
If the pen.blade order, were considered danger
,as and held-snd 50 were bibles. Both were
Money was seized and held, and
,nly part returned If ii was attempted to be
lid and was aftsrwsrd discovered BY search, It
vas declared forfeited. The pretext was that it
night be used to bribe sentinels.
PrsoHers were told threateningiy
If tie iEProba5ility of exchange-the likelihood
IF exreme punishmeut-urged 70 take the cath
md prejudiced by interest-and hundreds were
hus iuhuenced to do as was suggested. In
hort, al that inhumanity, barbarity, cruelty,
.owaTdiee and treschery could devise, were
,rought to bear 70 accomplish base purposes
The compromise Of principle and dignity was
Isgraiing even to infamy. -
FyCgDENTs AT CA1EF CE5asR.