The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1864-05-03
o. sr.s.l.. pnro,In.--

Anskef ioi q ge5 sxeh&nfsd pfison.
srs arrived froza Ksxhnsad yesterday
n1gping ard wtrs DISTRIBUTED among
the vsrsosf bosriisls IL this city
Eighs q ter dsed % The ssy. ard
sevafal nofv arc a. iasg gasp The
ca@dtisn1sf lheax men i si.otking 10
ihe iaa degree. visited Jarvis
Hospital ghis Atisruoaa whrre 800
~ liaern weg~ seni, asd morr heart.
readinx spnetscls il has never been
my misfortune g witaes2 No words
that I can nss can possibly eHsrger-
ate. even Il they csa faithfully depict
the cpndsiion 4 these poor wrecks Of
humaniiy. u company with Surgeon
Peters wens through the wards and
eonversod with many n them. While
IN he hands II gi,e rebels Al Rich
noud Ihsy have been systematically.
premsdilaicdly starved No'hiBg
clse aiia them, and on no o,hcr
grounds whatever can their ahjcci
condition be accounted for. No wounds
IN battle. seary march, hong expos.
ure, sickness by feyers could produce
s0eh frigaiial rasages upon the bod
~ AID minds Of these men and The
most plausible spologis, for southern
honor cannot explain il away as the
result Of either Of these causes. 91er-
CHESS, unreIen.ing, prolonging siarva-
sion has been dealt cot TO them by
the hands u their cAptors. The
limbs Of many Of them are 50 shrnnk-
an that their arms Just below the
shoulder could easily be clasped by
my thumb and finger, and their thighs
are reduced 10 the size u mans
wrist. Their flesh barely hangs upon
their bones, loose and dead, and what
IL more shocking. the minds Of several
seem wandering and all memory is
lost. They cannot tell where they
were taken prisoners, or what regi-
ment they belong to, and they stare
yacantly about wlth the gaze Of hope
less imbecility. Others have lost all
appetite, and tie sigln Of the whole
some food set before them, which
they have been 50 long without, does
not awaken the least desire for it,
In most cases they seize il with avidi-
~. however, and have TO bc restrain
ed from taking too much. One poor
fellow asked u be might hold the piece
Of meat in his hand, only that he might
feast upon the sight Of il, promising
not 10 eal il I'LL he was permitted TO.
Another asked TO see an apple
These men are mostly from Western
Siatcs.solne from Kentucky and Ten.
ncss~e. give the substance Of their
testimony in my conversation with
them: IIow long have you been a
prisoner = Five months We're
you wounded when kiaken : No.
Have you been SICK n No -
Where were you kepii' / was on
Belle Island the last month I've
been in the hospital, being too feeble
10 sleep out. Are you glad TO get
away! Il feel as il ! had got home
now.
Snch Il Tie uniform testimony OF
these poor fellows. Many Of them
arr tail large-tramed men, who weigh
ell leo to $50 pounds when they
were taken prisoners, but are now re-
duced TO mere skeletons. Some were
badly irost.bitlen during the cold
nights Of January, aud have teen
neglected since, and others are 80 stiff
and sore about the hips, from con-
slant exposure. lying IN the sand on
Belle Island, that they can scarcely
walk. A few Of them who have been
prisoners long, and some who have
managed 70 gel more TO eat by steal
ing the raiions Of the helpless ones,
look Ia better condition, but nearly all
show the lack OF sufficient food when
compared with men in this hospital,
who were wounded in battle aud have
undergone every kind Of physical sui-
irring for months past, and yet pre-
serve a sound aud healthy appear
ance.
This. then, Is the evidence Of the
boasted superior civilization Of the
South ! Is il not rather the legili-
mate effect Of their cherished institu.
ton Of slavery, which stiles all sense
Of humanity and educaies them TO ex-
crcise every form Of brutality and tor
turc upca the objects Of their resent.
meni I Nov that these poor men are
in our possession, all that care and
kindness can do will be done TO re.
slore them but il is scarcely probab.
le that they will ever be fit for active
service again. Miss Dix is here do
ing all in her power TO relieve their
wants. These men say that they got
some oflhe food and clothing that
have been aenl to their relief, and 4
few OF them brought some Of the cof
fec back with them, but in many 10
stances II was withheld from them By
their keepers, who would also Offer
them small leaves ofbread in exchange
for the elOihing. which their hunger
made them willingly accept. They
report that shout 500 prisoners ye'
remain IN Richmond, the resi- having
been sent further south. Bali. cor
Springfield Ripped,
A refugee who has just escaped
from Wilmington, n. G., says: II
lived within few doors Of Mr.. Nal
Tory, the Confederate States Sccresa-
~ 20 IA Nnn. III. Ia . Er,nnisL