Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-10-03

the cavalry guard (whO nad their SabreS
drawn ready to strike) and gave the prison
ers bread. There was man enough left
in the ragamuffins not to strike a woman.
ARRIVE AT sTAUNToN.
From the time we crossed the river it
was three days before they gave us anything
to cat again. The second day after we left
Martinsburg we arrived at Winchester, thir-
ty-four miles from the Potomac, where we
halted for one day. Here they gave us one
quart of flour and half pound of fresh beef
for two days. The next day we started
! for Staunton, ninety-two miles distant, which
we reached in five days, arriving there on
the 18th of July.
THEIR TREATMENT AND sUFFERINGs.
1--WE were then taken two miles south of
the town, where we were marched in single
file up to a pair of bars here we found two
! officers, surrounded by guards, to search us !;
! they took all arms, la"gc knives, tents, rub
Der blankets and cantccns, then turned us
into the field like a lot of cattle Here we
were exposed to a Virginia sun, tor there
was but one small tree in the field of about
two acres For five successive days we had
a heavy shower in the afternoon each time
was wet to the skin, and had to remain so
until the sun rose the next morning and
dried my wet clothes. The nights were so
cold that we could not sleep on the wet
ground without blankets, so we were oblig-
ed to walk all night to keep warm. They
gave us one pint of flour and piece of ba-
con about one and u half inches square. all
covered with vcrmin. which, with a little
salt, constituted our daily rations. We suf:
fered in this manner till the fourth of Au-
gust, when they searched us for "green-
backs, and took all the money they could
find about us. Then we were shipped for
Richmond on some dirt cars, with an old
cattlc-box OF an engine to haul us.
IN PRISON AT RICHMOND.
1--WE arrived at Richmond on the morn
ing of August 5th we were marched through
the city to tie tobacco warehouses, where
we were slowed away, about three hundred
men on floor, with four small win ows at
each end to let in the light and air, and
were kindly told by the guard that the first
man who put his head out of the window
would be shot. We were kept here two
days and night, when we were taken to
Belle Isle, about half mile from the city
Here they had an earthwork thrown up,
about as large as that formed by rifle pit :;
this enclosed about an acre and half, and
IN this small place they had over four thou
sand prisoners. They had tents for about
three thousand; the remainder had to lie
on the ground between the tents. Here at
10 o'clock \. NJ, they gave us quarter of
loaf of bread the loaves weighing twenty
ounces. This gave each man five ounces of
bread. Then they gave fifteen pounds of
meat, bones and all, for one hundred men
this, when divided, gave each man about
two ounces of meat, making in all seven
ounces. This was our breakfast and dinner
together. At four O'clock, p NJ, we receiv-
ed five ounces more of bread, and one pint
OF soup, beans and rice alternately. The
best that lever had of either did not have in
1t three spoonfuS of rice or beans, and the
soup WAS So thin, that if you blew the scum
from the top you could sec the beans or rice
at the bottom.
THE PRISONERS STARVED.
1t was no uncommon sight to see two
men holding up n comrade, he being too
weak to walk alone. A number died while
| was there. Some of the men would pick
up the bones that lay in the streets, pound
them up with a stone, and then suck the
pieces to get what little nouriShment there
was left III them.
THE DELIvERASCE.
We remained here till the 2Sth of August
when we were taken on to Richmond and
placed in the tobacco houses again, where
we remained till morning, when we were put
in the cars for City Point, which we reach
ed at twelve O'Clock. Here we saw the
transport New York lying at the dock, with
the Stars and Stripes floating from her mast
head, causing the boys to shout with joy
AS soon as we were taken on board we all
received half loaf of bread and piece of
boiled pork the most of them ate this at
once, being too hungry to wait and eat a
little at a time.
PRICES N RICHMOND.
"'rhc rebel soldiers have TO faith what
ever in their government they told us that
their pay was not worth the snap of their
finger, and they would give eight dollars of
their mony for one of ours. A pair of boots
in Richmond are worth from forty i've to
a all IL