The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1864-03-17

"e the stipuiatlons signed by Gen. For
rest, which he still retains, and refuse
to be governed by its provisions. NJ,
officers, together with something nea
one thousand other United States officers
are confined in large warehouse build
ing, with an average space of abou,
twenty five square feet to each man. Thi.
includes all room for washing, cooking
eating, sleeping and exercising. They
have no bunks, chairs, or seats of an,
KIND furnished them, consequently they
both sit and sleep on the floor The win.
dows OF tho building were entirely open
until about the middle of Dece-~.s- las.
when pieces of canvass were furnished
for the purpose of closing them to keep
the cold out, but as this would leave US
in the dark, We were compelled to leave
a portion of them open and endure the
Many of the officers were entirely des.
titute of blankets until our Government
sent quantity to US in the forepart of
winter. The supply of blankets is now
exhausted, and officers who have been
captured during the last six weeks have
none furnished them.
The rations furnished both officers and
men by the rebels consist of about ole
pound of corn bread, made from unbolted
meal, and one-fourth of pound of poor
fresh meat per day. The meat has been
issued to the prisoners but about half the
time since the first of December last. In
addition to the rations of bread and meat,
as above stated, the prisoners draw about
two quarts of rice to one hundred men.
There is sufficient quantity of salt furn-
ished, and very small quantity of vine
gar l will here remark that, in few
instances, say six or eight times at most,
a small quantity Of sweet potatoes has
been issued instead of the rations of meat.
The aJovc is the sum total ofMc rc.
tions issued to our officers and men nor
prisoners Of acar
The condition of our unfortunate en-
listed men, now in the hands of the enc.
my, is much worse than that of the off .
GERS. From early in May last, when
arrived in Richmond, to about the 1st Of
December, all the enlisted men were ia.
ken to Belle Island, and turned into an
enclosure, like so many cattle in sIaugh
Sf s6 HsFy IS tsT p6Sr ST then aSa had tents
render them but little better than none.
All the prisoners are taken to Libby
when they arrive in Richmond, for the
purpose Of counting them and enrolling
their names; consequently, l had fair
chance to see their condition when they
arrived Fully one-half Of the prisoners
taken since May last were robbed by their
captors of their shoes, and msarly all
were robbed of their overcoats, blankets
and haversacks. At least oue-half had
been compelled to trade their pants and
blouses for mere rags that would scarcely
hide their nakedness. Very many Of
them were entirely bareheaded, and not a
few, as late as the middle of December.
were brought in who had nothing on but
pair Of old ragged pants and a shirt,
being barcheaded, barefooted, and with
out blouse, overcoat or blanket
l have seen hundreds of our men taken
to the hospital thus clad, and in dying
condition. l have frequently visited the
hospital and have conversed with large
numbers of dying men, brought there
from the Island, who assured me that
they had been compelled to lie out in
the open air, without any medical attend.
ance, though for several days they had
been unable to walk. Though destitute
of anything like quarters, and nearly ma.
ked during the cold, stormy and chilly
fall season, the first and chief complaint
Of all those | saw and talked with was on
account. of an insufficient quantity of
food. l will here remark that in no in.
stance have the rebel authorities furnish
ed clothing or blankets to our men,
During the winter large numbers of our
men were frozen. l heard one of the
rebel surgeons in charge say there were
96S 96Sfsh suffiWyfe ffiWyfen.y sy9 Of our men who would have
frost. This was before The ii sleeis eeIGe.. Q.
weather had commenced.
Sometime in the forepart of Decem.
Der portion of our men were removed
from the Island to some large bulldogs
where they were more comfortably quar-
tered, but there has been no time since
May last but what more or less men have !
been kept on the Island, in the open air.
and without blankets or overcoats. It is
common thing for the rebels to keen our
men for several days without food. This
vas particularly the case with a portion
IT the Gettysburg prisoners. Some went
IS long as six days without food, and were
compelled to march during the time =
The officers captured at Chickamauga as.
ure me that they and their men were
obbed OF everything. Many of them
ost their coats, hats and boots as soon as
apturcd, and then were nearly starved
nd frozen.
trust you will pardon ne for the to.
Ious length of this communication. If
ou Will bear with me l will only call ,
our attention to few of the outrages
ract'sed on our officers and men in the !
rl6On 0lScynlina. TIrln. ,