Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1864-08-18


THE Register had also, very sparingly, how |
ever referred to the condition of the troops
upon their return, and to the undoubted fact
that many of the Union soldiers fell by the !
wayside during the retreat and died from
sheer starvation These comments and the |
arrest and the suppression Of The Gazette, !
were the circumstances which indicated that
the arrest was caused by the twenty lines
of comment upon Hunter. 1t was matter
perSoaalto him alone, and not involving any
disloyalty to the Government or the fur
nishing of any contraband information to
the enemy.
For this offense, which is neither an Of
fensc against civil or military law or com
mon decency, these two men are confined
in the same room with the confederate prs-
oners of war, and during most of the time
they have been there, tWo hundred men
have crowded the small room which is lily
ventilated, and produced imminent danger
of pestilence and suflocation. They are de-
MED all access to friends and all communi-
cation by writing to relatives, business agents
or attorneys, except what may be written
on single page of letter paper, subject to
the inspection of an officer and its stoppagc
by him if it in any respect fails to comply
with the rules of the dungeon or his politi-
cal preiudces The same censorship is cx
ercised over all communications addressed
to them, and the reception of an empty en-
vclope, add cssed perhaps in a familiar
handwriting, is the only intimation that a
friend has written or the contents OF his
letter. The prison fare is what is known as
a quarter ration, consisting, OF about two
ounces of sour bread and half an ounce of
salt pork per day, with an occasional varia-
ton in the shape of something miscalled
bean soup. The prison officers act upon
the nhuman idea ofkceping prisoners upon
low diet to promote their docility, and for
! the further purpose of making money for
themselves Whatever supplies of coffee,
tea, sugar, or other eatables the prisoners
desire, must be purchased at cxorbitant
rates from the sutlcr of the prison, who
shares the profits of his trade with Captain
Ewald Over, the commandant Of the post,
and one of the mcanest and most infamous
pimps on Gods tootstool. All knives and
forks, penknives and razors are prohibited.
The prisoners are denied the privilege Of
taking nccdful exercise in the open air in
the yard even though surrounded by high
picket fence and armed guards. The pris-
on is infested with billions of vermin Of cv-
cry kind, and it was only after repeated So
licitations that permission to scrub the floor
was granted. The treatment ofthc inmates
is characterized by greater h;trshness and
cruelty than is manifested to any convicted
felon in Il penitentiary, and they are denied
privileges which are freely accorded men
under sentence of death for the commission
of the highest crime known to the laws. -
And all this for what? Simply for con
demning in mild terms an act of atrocious
vandalism on the part Of Gen. Hunter, or
for speaking of the suffcrings his troops
were compelled by his imbccility to under
CO. In addition to the penalties and out
RACES inflicted upon their persons, their
business is completely ruined, and financial
, disaster follows their personal suffcrings. =
+ guard, and it's condition may be imagined
G by those familiar with the printing business
) and who know what incalculable injury al
ignorant man may inflict, even unconscious
t ly, upon presses and material the Regis
| ter subscription books, with Il large number
, of unsettled accounts, were in the office,
+ and the business agent OF the establishment
is denied access to them, Notwithstanding
, application has been made to Headquarters
for that purpose.
This statement is simple detail Of facts
pertaining to the case of Messrs. Baker and
, Long, to the truth of which twenty men in
Wheeling are prepared to testify under
oath. 1T presents an instance OF tyranny
: and outrage hitherto unknown in this coun-
try and rare in any other. A petty militia,
ry officer, assigned by the insane Federal
+ Administration to the rank Of Il Major
, General on account of his ncgro-loving pro-
clivites, distinguished only by his blunders
in the field and his cruelty to his own troops
has assumed prerogative which no King
. dare exercise. To crafty his own persona
and pitiful spite, he has outraged every
right that is dear to the citizen, and every
: honorable sentiment of the soldier. In Cap
i tain Ewad Over, Hessian, as base anc
: cowardly as any that ever lived off Of the
gains of prostitutes, Hunter has found ;
C fitting tool, and the execution Of the infa
y nous behests of the one gives pleasure t.
n the brutal instincts of the other He, too
d pimp and paltroon as he is, affects to pla.
: the tyrant, and few days subsequent t.
g the arrest Of Messrs Baker and Long, up
9 on his own order, and to crafty his owl
+ personal revenge, arrested Mr. VIM IA
e Oxtoby the Local Editor of. the Reggiste'
r and committed him also to prison. With ;
G Hunter, he placed him in a different dun
: geon from that in which his employers were
confinement, and forbade all intercourse be
tween them. He admits that he has ne
t charge against Oxtoby, but avows his de
e termination to keep him in solitary conine
ment as long as Hunter secs fit to imprisor
!. Baker and Long. In short, the prison IL
t this city seems to belong to Hunter ano
c Over, and is used by them almost solely fol
: the punishment of the victims of their per
C sonal displeasure An old man, COL Nc
. Donald, regular prisoner of war, entitleC
c equally with others to the privilege OF eX
change, is detained in the Atheneum, il
irons, to crafty the demoniac revenge o
Gen. Hunter or Col. Strother, Hunter
e aide and relative, one or the other Of whom
d fancied himself insulted by the old man.
Is There are fifty cases equally aggravated am
n outrageous that might be mentioned, wher
! persons has been held for months withou
d trial and without knowing why they wer
RS arrested or held All these unhappy pee
e pie are subjected to the brutality and ra
% pacity of Over. If this scoundrel was no
O as contemplate and disgusting as the vel
j. min of his prison, | would record some in
e. stances that know of in his infamous ca
t. reer, which would be sufficient to damn hin
a. forever, and make his own mother disow
ID him. but in view of the greater, becaus
es more responsible infamy and wickedness o
10 Hunter, the crimes Of Over may be left un
ne noticed.
i, have already made this communicate
m too long probably for your columns, but,
m cannot dismiss the subject without beseecE
,e ing you to use your influence to rid this OF
he pressed community of the tyrant Hunter