The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1864-04-02
Some of the Horrors Of III edmond

Lieutenant w. G.. Purnell, of the 9th Nd.
Reg, arrived in this town on Saturday even
ing last, just released from the horrors of
nine months captivity in Libby Prison. He
was captured in Milroy's laundering at Win
chester last Summer.
The Rebel Capital, he reports, is much
more squaliid now than when he first entered
it. Then, they received rations of fresh
beef and wheat bread. These rations in
time gave way to corn bread and salt mule
meat, which were further reduced to corn
bread and beans. For two or three weeks
before he was released, (which event occur
red at the sailing from Richmond Of the flag
of truce boat which reached Annapolis On
Thursday week. the officers rs;ions were a
piece of corn bread about five inches square
and one and half inches thick, and as
many wormy beans as they choose to sepa-
rate from the dirt and worms. The bread
was made of corn ground down and unsifted,
and in addition to the husk and bran, it con-
tanned large per cent Of grit and ';rt.-
This, mixed with water and salt, composed
The prisoners are not allowed even to
look out of the prison windows. The mo-
ment one is seen looking through window,
or trying to get breath of fresh air, sem
tinel's gun is brought to bear on him. A
few days before Lieut. Purnell was released,
. Lieutenant of one Of the Pennsylvania
Regiments was standing by stove, which
was near window, looking out. A sentinel
happening to espy him, fred his musket,
which was charged with ball and buck
shot. The ball entered the side of the
Lieut.. face and came out near the top of his
head. A buckshot wounded him in the
neck, and one striking the iron bars flew in
to pieces, cutting him several places in the
face. He was not killed, but dangerously
wounded.
The boxes Of provisions that are sent to
the prisoners by their friends, are now ap.
propriated by the rebels. When flag of
truce boat arrives, show of distributing the
boxes is made. A few are delivered and
receipts for them demanded before the con-
tents is seen by the prisoners, which, when
examined, prove to be rifed of one halt
they contained.
Notwithstanding every truce boat carries
up to Richmond for the prisoners, 20 or 80
tons Of freight, they receive but the merest
moiety, the balance, of. course, is appropri.
ated by the officials. This is solution Of
the enigma whys the rebel authorities refuse
to exchange. The tables of the Govern
ment officials are supplied with the dainties
from boxes intended by solicitous friends
for our starving prisoners. Lieut.. Purnell
assures US that two thousand boxes are now
lying out side of Libby Prison, sent there
for the prisoners, but which have never been
delivered to them. Of course the boxes
are minus their contents.
The restitution and starvation that come
under, even the limited notice of the prison
ers, are ptiable. The poor, furnishing wo.
men and children Of the city come about the
prison and look up with longing eyes to the
windows for anything that may be thrown
to them by the prisoners to appease the
cravings of hunger. Inccndiaryism marks
the city with its blackening trace almost
nightly. The ruins Of burned houses dot it
over, and none are reconstructed, but the
charred and blackened walls stand as the
devouring element left them.
The prisoners received many manifesto
tons of Union sentiment. They dare not
speak, but many were the unmistakable signs
of friendship they received. The Germans
are universally Unionists.
The stories of the mining of Libby Prison
at the time Fitzpatrick threatened the city of
iniquty, were all too true Libby Prison is
divided into three apartments by walls run
ming the whole length of the building. Be
meath the middle apartment negroes were
employed, the night Fitzpatrick threatened
the capture Of the place, in digging a hole.
In this whole powder was brought from the
arsenal and stored ready to he fired in case
our troops penetrated the city. This fact
was first revealed to the prisoners by col
ored boy, and atterward confirmed by the
prison guards. The Lieut.. says when he
heard kilpatrick's guns and the ammunition
wagons running between the arsenal and
the prison, he got into corner the most re-
mote from the subterranean mine, expecting
to rise into the air before morning.
The Rebe! Government employees form
battalion for the defense of Ricomond.-
They came unexpectedly upon detachment
of Union Cavalry, who charged, and cut
them up fearfully. Every clerk belonging
to the second auditors Office was either cut
down or captured in this charge. These
Home Guards were rather favorites with the
prisoners. In the early part of their cap,
,ivity the prisoners were guarded by this
Richmond Battalion. They were then al
lowed to go to the windows, and enjoy
breath Of fresh air. Thi. indulgence was
contrary to the orders Of jeff Davis & Co.,
and their places were supplied BY detach-
rnent of Sand Killers, who watched every
opportunity to shoot the prisoners if they
were seen approaching the windows. Such
is slight sketch Of the rebel Capital. Civ
ilization IS at lower ebb there than in my
Capital Of the Barbary States, but such is
the civilization and Christianity born of