New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-01-09
LTPR IN REBEL PERSONS.
Usw the Rebels Treat our Prisoncfs-
Interesting Account BY IN Escspea

with Col. Sireght In May last, sncceeueu III muA'ns
his escape from Libby Prison recently and has reachsa
lis home at Kokomo, Ind. He he's written for 1Hs
Tribune Of that place ienghy account OF the treat
mont Of prisoners by the Rebels and OF the tons
himself and companion client. Shelton, Of the ifh
Iowa. In reaching our lines after bis escape. which we
copy below:
was taken prisoner on the Sd day OF last May nesr
Rome. Ca, with Col. Sreights command we were VI
paToed and sent to Richmond. with tho expectation OF
going through to our lines but judge OF our surprise
when we were thrust into Libby Prison and oar paroles
taken from We entered Libby on the 10Th day OF
NAV last and from that day was not on the ground
until made my escape. 1 was iDcarcerated there
ebOut months and half and during tsas time
Witnessed Inany instances Of brutal and iD1uman treA
ment The officials 81 the prison from Baltimore,
Md. and as general thing these Northern traitors
more bitter and more cruel tsan those ron ths eI
trcme Southern States Ny room was IN the west emo
Of the building the third 1oor. This roorr s fur
nished with few board hunks 40 Is about 100 by 40
feet and in II are guartered about 2iO men ana
In this space they are expected to DO ai thel
cooking washing and sleeping. They are provided
with three cooksoyes and tho cook room IL ABOUT Az
by Is foet. Just imagine yourself IN thus room wts
some thirty or forty other cooks, pasling .hoying a1o
the majority of them swearing, and al trying 70 get 70
the stoves ond you form something OF 40 IDEA %
the confusion that exists there daily The wafer tna'
they have 10 use Ii an extract rom inc james hsel
and frequently 80 muddy that the mud and sand would
grind between teeth. Our rstions during the sum
rer consisted OF the following artlces' viz: about =
ounces Of bakers bread, four or hye ounces OF ssn
beef and small quantity OF rice The beef II geneIal
very poor and FREQ acny unit 70 eat and have seen
beef brought there and issued hat satisfied dice OF
disease. II would be sent down stars SOMETIMES my
would send pork In return, and sometimes We wolo
do without. For eight dHys 1T ono time Ihey un NOT
Issue an ounce Of Tie building Is al oid grocery
house and consequently very hhiy Every csos!SS 40
full OF yermin which il - al mpOsslOy 70 get rd OF.
Every prisonhouse III ard around Richmond Is ~ VEG
saue condition, bur Cur on Belle Isle suffer more
than auy other prisoners there. This Island Is very
,.a oh unuf Ia
coo o. 900 upon IL. About LOU OF tnooe ileh
are without shelter 1hey have nothing 10 shled tneu
from the cold wind, and rain. and many ALMOST ehfe
destitute Of clothing They are very inoiherent ied
and suffer veTy much They are not permitted even %
go 10 the banks OF the river TO wash They ere u nsned
no soap and L can truly say that many OF them nave
not had the privilege OF washing or changing iheu
clothing FOR sI mouths The officials OF the prison az
very brutal in their treatment TO ootb ohcefs ana
men. When Milroys officers wcro oreueht IN IRON
Winchester they ordered TO get INTO rehse oi IL
specton by the Prison Inspector man Win Dfutoi!
stamped upon every feature dead to al teehgsPi NJ
man nature, cruel, uDrelentDg, ana vranhIc%' as
Senator Foote VI Tennessee truthfully REMARKED NC
is disgrace even to the southern Coniederacy Ihls
man was searching the officers, and in the poeEets OF
one he found small fragment OF smell when nau
killed Que OF Lis 1lls relic he uesifeO W Keep
very much but the Inspector took Il from him. LIE OF
flee. told him the circumstance, and askeu MN " re
turn it TO him, whereupon tic wretch orutany sIs s
him In the face with ach force that 1t nearly feiieo
hiln 20 the tOOf This Iendish scounurei one Gay ca
tered tue hospital in rage aud ordered Col f9"e VI
the til Tennessee Regiment. TO get up ana ionoS s
him. There alternative but to obey DO hss
conducted down 10 dark and oathsomo cell the VAS
VI which dripping with stagnant water, ana tere
confined Col T. asked why be v as thus punished. Dut
could get no answer he appealed to Capt. Turner
commandant Of the prison, but he gave no
but referred him to Gen. Winder Col. r; to.n sent
q communication 10 the General 10 know why Le was
confined 10 cell Gen Winder did net Know that no
confaed in cell and knew nothing OF MN he,nel
did they ever bring any charges up against n oI' ne
was thus confined Is. 70 satisfy tee cEog ol
for tho tring ofense of accidentally tp4thS on tue
floor for making Little remark contrary 10 Ter
sentiments: and many other instances cOud mehtoa
had time and room Aud often to punish me o'hoeFs
la general they would not give US any Wooe' oI tAes
would close the hydraEt and deprive US oi ShVtl
Their rea'men, IL becoming and more cruel ana
their r.tious beautifully less Instead OF bakers bread
they now Issue cofl-br-ad made OF yellow coEH'i Aeu
lnslftrd and baked without salt But slAeo Os'1-
Der tho officers and men have lived fe'! Wen
Our Cove ument has shipped largo quantities OK pro.
visions there hut the keb authorities have Euseu 20
receive any more provisions FROM tho North conse
Quently men VIII suffer more than ever before cs
.Dou a. tie supplies hand are consumed nose
supplies sent by the Government were general! del'
cred not all think but the iArge.t Pcruoh OF lneh
ILcs would spprvprate portion o. them 70 lnef own
use We, our men got the half of H. II n better
fos them Tho men upon Belle isllnd arc starving by
slow degrees. They become go lsnished ana weak tht
thew slm0s fall upon the sand and die. uncared Tor
aud Are found cold ard rigid tho neii morning. rss.
known m.ny nineteen 70 die In one night. Ihey
are thrown into she hAi Of tho hospital IKE so many
hogs and frequently remain three or four days H'hoat
any attcnflor vhsteyor.
70 make The blood curde In ones veins 10
ace their iul aman ana heahensh treatment toward our
gallant boys. May their punishment be according 70
their deeds. II this war was TO last thousand yea1s
pray God 20 spare me life and limb 20 night Rebels
wish 10 do nothing else until tho last one Is eItermi'
mated Yet trust for the good Of the country thst u
win not be long until We again have peace. lie Con
federacy IL sinking slowly but surely Their currency
IL 80 deprecated that IL is only worth four cents on
the dollar In the city OF Richmond IL was selling OF
the street few days before left a for one that Is
tey were giving "a Confederate dollars for ono green
back The Government authorities are now, and nave
been for months paying seyon and eight The majority
Of the South would gladly return to Ito Union IL was
IN their power TO do 90. $500.
But thnk have ,ad enough about the treatment OF
the prisoners at Richmond. and viii now give you
full and detailed account OF the manner In vince
made my escape and my route 70 the Union nhes.
From tbs day that entered Libby Prison until suc
ceeded 10 getting away did watch my opportunity.
became satisfied that 70 get ont OF any % me upper
rooms was an impossibility and the only room .na'
there was any prospect Of getting out OF was tue nop
pita room In the east end OF the building. which IS
low the street the north side but the second noo
on the south side Well had ~ get iHto ths hospital
before could hope 20 escape consequently was tsten
suddenly very sick. or course was carried 10 tne
hospital where ali sick men are taken Kept my Ood
three or four days; visited by the surgeon "a ml
let headed fellow that didn't know beans) regularly
every day. lie left ne large doses of medicine.
which found did me great deal OF 5000
In my vest pocket After several days OF ielshed
L
20 with mo- and % fortune favored me. found
The MAJ Lieut. SHELTON OF the nth Iowa Regt who had
long had the same opinion that had that no would get
away ffom there II possible We soon conmeucou our
srrangemcnts and woi ked very slowly, and everything
ready on the 18th Of this month. sc resosed 70
make the attempt. During the day we went down INTO
the hosp and cut small door open In the !outh east
coruer OF the room This We opened With Lr 30 ocei
clcsver, by drawing the spikes and mails ana easanS
oil the bars As had TO work very cautiously anu
s,ny IL took us some time ~ do this but was sooon-
rshed ere dark The hour Of 10 O'Clock was the hour We
49, 10 make the break prepared crackers and DRIED
- a. ..rh md