The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-12-04

Rco -
surreons..Fifsy Prisoners Dylng
nn,iv Of Starvation Ana NegDecs...
the Rebel Papers AHHlauAlDg tne
Brutality.
Washington. Nov. 20.
The following statement by the Sur
peons lust released from the Libby Pris.
on. of the treatment of our prisoners at
Richmond, will be presented to the War
Department tomorrow
washington, Nov. 81.
1--WE, the undersigned. surgeons Of the
United States Army, and recently pris-
oners at Richmond, Virginia. consider il
our duty to publish few facts that came
to our knowledge while we were inmates
of the hospital attached to the Libby
Prison. We enjoyed for several months
daily access to the hospitals where the
sick and wounded among our Union sol
diers were under treatment. AS = result
of our observations, we hereby declare
cur belief that, since the battle Of Ohiea-
manga the number of deaths per diem has
averaged fully fifty. The prevailing dis
eases are diarrhea. disentery, or typhoid
pneumonia. OF late the per centags Of
deaths has greatly increased from causes
that have been long al work. as insufficient
food, clothing and shelter combined with
that depression Of spirits brought so Of
ten BY long confinement. 1t may seem
almost incredible when we affirm, of our
personal knowledge, that in the three
hospitals for wounded soldiers. the aver
age mortality is forty per day, and. upon
the most reliable testimony, We are forced
to believe the deaths in the tobacco fnc.o
ries and upon the island, will raise the
total mortality among all the Union pris-
oners to fifty per day, or fifteen hundred
monthly.
THE extremity reduced condition of
those brought from tie Island, argues
that hundreds quite sick are left behind,
who, with us, would be considered fit
subjects for hospital treatment. Such,
too, is the fact, as invariably stated BY
scores we have conversed with from that
camp. The same, to a degree. holds true
of the prisoners in the city. 1t would be
reasonable estimate 10 put the number
who are fit subjects for the hospitals, but
who are refused admittance, at FIVE hum
dred. One thousand are already under
treatment in the three hospitals and the
Confederate surgeons themselves say the
number OF patients is only limited By The
small accommodations provided. Thus
We have over ten per cent. of the whole
number of the prisoners held as sick men,
who need the most assiduous and skillful
attention; yet, in the matter of rations,
they are receiving nothing but corn bread
and sweet potatoes. Meat is no longer
furnished to any class of our prisoners,
except to the few officers in Libby Hos
ptal and all the sick and well officers
and prvates are now furnished with a
poor article Of corn-bread, in place OF
wheat bread-an unsuitable diet for hos
pital patients, Frustrated with diarrhea,
dysentery aud fever.
To say nothing of many startling in
stances of individual suffering. and hor-
rid pictures of death from Frustrated sick
ness and semi-starvation, we have had
thrust upon our attention, the first de-
mand of the poor creatures from the Is
land Was always for something to eat.-
Seli-respeet gone, half clad aud covered
with ve.nin and 6lih, many of them are
often beyond all reach OF medical skill
In one instance the ambulances brought
sixteen 10 the hospital, aud during the
night seven of them died. Again. eigh-
teen were brought. and eleven of them
died In twenty four hours. At another
time fourteen were admitted in a single
day, and ten of them died. Judging
IRON what we have ourse.v,s seen and
do know, we do not hesitate to say that
under treatment of systematzed abuse,
neglect, and semi. starvation, the number
who are becoming prematurely broken
down in their constitutions must be yeck
oned BY thousands. We leave il to 9TH
ers TO ssy what is demanded By this state
OF things The Confederate daily papers
IN general terms acknowledge the truth
OF all We have affirmed, but usually close
their abusive editorials by declaring that
even such treatment is better than the
invading Yankees deserve.
"The Examiner in recent article be.
grudged the little food the prisoners did
receive, and the boxes sent to us from
home. and closed by eulcgizing the sys-
tenn OF semi-starvation aud exposure as |
well calculated 10 dispose of us. All this
Is true, and yet the cold weather is hard
ly commenced. We are Mortified when |
we picture the Wholesale misery and death |
that will come with the biting froets of
winter. Recently several hundred pris.
oners per day wero being reno sed to
Danrilie, and in two instances We were
standing in view Of them as their ranks
fled past. 1t was sad sight to see the
attenuated features and paid faces of
men, few months since robust and in
vigorous health. Numbers we're without
shoes, nearly all without blankets or over
coats, and not man did We see who was
well fed and fully clad, but to the credit
OF the prisoners in Richmond, of all |
ranks, be 1t recorded, that, although thew
have shown heroic forti,ude under suffer.
ing, and spurning the idea that the Gov.
ernment had forgotten them, have held
fast their confidence in the final and /
speedy success of our cause In addition
L.