Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-12-03
Ora pRIsoNEns LF RICAMoND.

Eorth Is superior 70 INC AlcHlouo
Prisons.
The following official statement of the
ninety-fve Surgeons, recently released
from Libby Prison, was presented to Pres
ident Lincoln, November 2stb, DR.. Ash
nun, of Hudson, Ohio, was President Of
the meeting at which the statement was
adopted. The document, which calmly and
dispassionately recites the facts on the
faith and honor Of ninety-fve released Of
fcers, none below the rank Of Captain or
Major, is valuable not only for the new
light it casts on the dismal sufferings Of
our prisoners, but mainly because it gives
to the recital Of the barbarous treatment
the atiestation Of an official sanction that
no man in his senses will question;
STEAMER ADELAIDE, !
CHESAPEAKE BAY,
Nov. 26, 1868.
At q meeting of the Surgeons Of the
United States Army aud Navy, lately con-
fined in prison in Richmond, Virginia. OF
which G. P. Ashmun, Surgeon of the 93i
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, was chosen
Chairman, and A. ]. McCnrdy, Surgeon Of
the IIth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Secre-
tary. It was resolved that Committee Of
seven be appointed TO prepare q report on
the condition and treatment OF National
prisoners in Richmond also, the quality
and quantity Of the rations, and treatment
Of our sick and wounded. The following
Committee wss appointed
Daniel Meekin, Surgeon United States
Volunteers; VIM. Houston, Surgeon 1921
/ Ohio Volunteer Infantry; H. J. Herrick
| Surgeon 18th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
Marcus Rice, Surgeon 24th Massachusetts
| Volunteers; John 7. Luck, Assistant Sur
geon United States Navy; and Augustine
/ A. Mann, Assistant Surgeon 1st Rhode Is
land Cavalry.
The following report was presented by
| the Chairman Of the Committee which was
read, received, and adopted unanimously,
after which the Committee received the
thanks of the meeting and were dis
charged:
The Committee appointed by United
States Army and Navy Surgeons, recently
imprisoned in Richmond, Virgins, to re-
port past and present condition and treat
ulbub VI INC uoW ACAu at
that place, submit the following facts, de-
rived from personal observation and the
statements Of fellow prisoners, in whose
verscity they have implicit confidence
The ofioers, about 200 in all, and repre-
senting nearly all grades Of both branches
Of the serFiae, are confined in seven rooms
Of Libby Prison, building formerly occu-
pied as q warehouse. Each room is 43 feet
wide and l02 long, affording to each pris-
oner but about 275 cubic feet of air. The
rooms have upholstered walls, partitions
and ceilings. But few windows are glazed,
being either open to the full sweep Of the
cold winds, or closed with boards or can
Vsss, thus rendering the rooms dark and
cheerless. One Of the rooms is used ex-
clusiVely as kitchen and dining room,
while portions Of others sre necessarily
devoted to the same purposes, and but
nine scsntily furnished and medium sized
cook stoves are supplied. The prison Off
GERS have to do their own cooking, and the
supply Of wood for this purpose is often
insufficient, and occasionally for half g
day none at sllis sent
A priVy and sink rendered foul and dis
gusting one end Of eseh room, pollutiDg, at
times the sir Of the entire apartments.
None are permitted to leave this building
of accumulated and accumulating horrors,
till sent TO the hospital or happily ex-
changed. Enlisted men were confined in
various places at the time the surgeons left
Richmond. There were about six thousand
three hundred soldiers held on Belle Is
land, in James River, near the city, and
about four Thousand soldiers and one hun
dred sailors and marines in building
similar to, and in the immediate vicinity
Of, the Libby buildings. The condition of
the men is about the same as that of the
officers in Libby, only they are in a much
worse croRded condition. OF these the
Island Is much the worse. Insufficient
numbers Of tents are furnished TO protect
them from cold and rain, and no blankets,
nor any other bedding, have been given
them by the rebels. Only one surgeon is
assigned to Belle Island, and he makes but
one visit day, during which be does not
enter the enclosure where the men are kept
TO see those too sick to walk, but attends
to fhOse only who are able to come to him.
When the neglected are sent to the hospi-
tails, tits often too late. None Of the pri-
Yates in prison or about the Libby are fur
nished with bedding of any kind. Amem-
Der Of the Committee received letter from
man belonging to the same command,
and confined in the building opposite the
Libby, Worded thus:
ada. WEBB: Will you try to get us
something, either clothes or blankets, to
keep US warm? We have no fires in the
building to warm US, have nothing either
to lie on or cover US, and suffer greatly
from cold"
In the Libby, stoves for heating purposes
have recently been put up in some Of the
rooms, but no fuel Of any description has
yet been given to render them useful. At
one time the rstions Issued consisted Of
about three-foUrths Of pound Of wheat
bread, a-fourth Of a pound OF fresh beef,
two ounces Of beans, and small quantity
Of vinegar and salt for each prisoner per
day. Subsequently the same quantity Of
corn bread made Of meal and rice instead
Of beans, was issued in the same quantity;
or, in lieu Of beef and rice, two or three
small sweet potatoes and quite often,
more particularly within the past two
weeks, absolutely nothing except the three
fourths Of q pound of corn bread has been
issued to each prisoner to satisfy the gnsw-
ings Of hunger for tWenty-four hours. On
the tenth the Northern men on Belle Is
land did not get morsel Of anything 10
eat till four o'clock P. n.
The committee unanimously agree that
the rstions furnished our prisoners by the
rebel authorities at Richmond are not suf-
fcient to prevent prisoners from suffering
from hunger, and thus becoming debilitsted
snd very susceptible to disease. Some Of
the committee have seen men brought from
Belle Island to the prison hospital, literal
ly starving to death. A United States Ar
my officer of high rank, Of undoubted We
rscity, then and now prisoner in the
Libby, told g member Of the company that