Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-12-04
A Fearful Picture.

{ Md, where the famished prisoners who
arrived from Richmond on the 29th ult.
were brought, most of them, to die, are
furnished to the New York Times by a
party who has witnessed the most intense
suffering among our sick and wounded
soldiers, enabling him to estimate the
, amount of both mental and physical pain
which men are capable of enduring.
The writer's description is terrible:
The men landed Cat Annapois) at 5
A. NJ. in the chilly dawn, and it seemed
a fitting time for SO mournful process
ion. They numbered 1870, brought from
Belle Island, near Richmond. Many
were unable to walk, and were carried
to the hospital. Those that could walk
must have presented sight never to be
forgotten; for before leaving, the rebels
not only stripped them of socks, shoes
and blankets, but took from them their
shirts and pantaloons, except where the
rags could scarce hold together. Men
came without hats or caps, with thin cot
ton drawers, and bodies bared 10 The aoaiH
their nakedness and bleeding feet cov-
cred only by what tatters their cruel cap
tors had left them, not from mercy, but
because they were too filthy to keep.
These men had been on Belle Island
(Which seems TO be barren waste) with
out any protection against the weather,
except what they hal themselves con-
structed. They had lain on the sand,
which was to them both bed and cover-
ing, exposed, both sick and well, TO all
extremes of heat and cold, without
clothes, winout food, Except small por-
tions of the most repulsive kinds,) for
weeks and months, many having been ta-
ken prisoners at or before the battle of
Gettysburg. Many were suffering from
what are called sand sores, and the sur
geons in vain attempted to produce gen.
eral circulation Of blood, the cuticle in
oe@'es. 5ns'eRPesuses'a s'afr,' airy due cutdr
and consistency of parchment. If food
was denied them, it would seem as il the
veriest barbarian would have given them
shelter to die beneath.
On entering the first room, some sick
men, sitting in silence near the fire, lifted
their hands to show us that with US was
entering the unseen visitor-death. Be-
fore US lay a young man just breathing
his last, mere skeleton, whose dying
throes seemed to place in stronger relief
a frame which must once have belonged
to a strong and vigorous life. We turn
ed away in horror, only to look upon an
other who would soon follow bis martyr
ed comrade. Near them stood two male
nurses, who, after witnessing horrors Of
all kinds, both on the battlefield and in
he hospitals, stood perfectly subdued
md heart wrung in Witnessing that most
'earful Of all deaths-deaM from Stdrpa-
ION.
In another room was a poor young
boy, equally squallid in appearance, a
network of bones, perfectly crazed, and
ossing about aud talking wildly and in
be, too, could live but few
lours, and most probably never be sane
again. The next patient was respect
.ble looking, middle-aged German, with
he bed>clothes drawn tightly over
lis head, moaning and writhing in his
lgony. My friend begged me to listen.
could only distinguish these words II
I'm so tired, something TO eat, such tor
nent,' and then the ejaculation, oh, Ho-
y Christi Then we saw others ema-
.ated to the last degree, several of whom
we're trying to eat-their kind nurses
empling them with delicacies and such
ood as they could bear. Some, after
aking the longed.lor article and putting
to their lips, would turn away with an
gonized loaihing expression, as if eager
0 swallow, but incapable of the effort.
others, after eating with famished haste,
would, after few moments, eject il all,
heir stomachs being too much weakened
o bear nourishment, either solid or liquid.
Gould anything be more fearful than this
wing death; this famishing with food
'efore your eyes and within your reach.
There were other patients who were bet
er, they could digest light food and had
ONE hope for life. 1t was then the
ixth day since they came, and out Of 80
nen SO had died of i'll treatment and ac,
ual starvation. The surgeons said at
east two,thirds of the $50 would die,
nd II any recovered il would be with
roken constitutions, utterly incapable OF
themselves. Many had died
N first arriving, unconscious from their
uffering that they were among friends
md in TIE land they had died for. OH
,rs were too far gone to say much, but
thankful to feel that they might die under
he old flag and be taken home to be ou-
led with their kindred.