The Placer herald., 1864-05-07
Horrible Treatment of Soldiers.

III consequence oI tue complains as L(
the outrageous treatment of the soldiers a
Camp Yates, near Springfield, Illinois, Gov
Yates, short time since appointed Com
mttee Of three citizens to investigate the
matter. The Committee have just submitted
their report, in which they detail facts o
the most horrifying character They found
the hospital full, with an almost entire absence
OF care for the patients. During the cold
weather of January there was but one
stove in large building occupied by over
100 patients, and no distinction was made
in the ratons used by the sick For every
delicacy they were left to the charity of the
citizens. The Committee SAYS:
Your Committee examined the guard
house, which is divided into two rooms, the
inner room used for confinement Of the
prisoners, being fourteen or fifteen feet square,
without benches or chairs without any
window for the admission Of light or circua
tion Of air, and very dirty aud filthy. The
prisoners sleep on the floor, without any
straw, wrapped only in their clothes aud
blankets. During the cold weather in Jan
uary they suffered extremely, as there was 70
stove in this room.
confined in this narraw space at one time;
aud your Committee, on their first visit, found
sixteen or seventeen persons there. The
night before our second visit nineteen prison
ers had been confined there. They ask the
attention of your Exceency to the testimony
Of James Cox and others, from which it
appears that Cox was tied up by the thumbs,
his arms being drawn up at full length over
his head, while he was an invalid, receiving
medicine regularly from the Hospital Sur
geon, and that he was kept in this condition
for six days out OF eighteen from or 6
O'Clock, A. NJ, until or o'clock P. M, with
an intermission Of only one hour at noon,
and the other twelve days was tied up by
the wrists in the same manner and for the
same length of time. 1t was an inhuman
and barbarous punishment, and should not
be tolerated. 1t was a slow and terrible
torture, worthy only Of the days Of the
lnqnisition. Better hang or cruelty the
victim at once than subject him TO such
horrible ordeal day after day.
The men complain Of the extreme severity
Of their punishment for slight offences. The
evidence shows that another invalid, while
under the care of the Hospital Surgeon, was
punished six days by being bucked for being
absent at roll call while asleep in bis tent.
Your Committee also request the attention
Of your Excelency to the testimony of
Housen Clifton and James NJ. Chenwith, who
state that petition was presented to Lieut..
Baker, by forty soldiers, for the removal Of
a cook, because their food was not properly
prepared; and that, in response thereto. he
drew them up in line and called them thieves,
pickpockets, and liars, language which your
Committee understand to be contrary to
army regulations, unworthy of an officer,
unbecomng a gentleman, and a sufficient
recommendation for dismissal.
Your Committee are salified, from the
testimony that was taken, as we'll as from
conversation with the men, that they had
not received full rations. The complaint on
the subject is very general. Considering
the generous supply allowed by the Govern
ment, there is no good reason why the men
should SO generally have received such short
allowance.