The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-12-30
From q Southern Prison.
Letter from Lit. Richards.


received from 1t. Richards by his wife.
1t will be read with interest ::
MILITARY Prison, Columbia, S. c.,
December 3, 1864. J
l have long been waiting for chance
to forward you letter by some other way
than by rebel mail, and this is the first
chance, so l will improve it and write
some things that would be considered con-
traband. We have been and are still
treated worse than any man North would
treat dumb beast l have not time nor
space to tell you all l would like to, but
| will give you faint idea of our present
circumstances. 1t is now about two
months since we were brought to this
place. 1t was on the 9Th of Oct. that
we left Charleston. We were slowed in
to freight cars without any seats about 40
to a car, and remained in that situation
one day and night. The next morning
we were turned into small field like cat
tie At about shutdown there came a
heavy shower which completely drenched
us, and we had to remain in this condition
all night. did not lie down this or the
previous night, but sat in my chair which
| made while at Savannah. On the 9TH
we were marched about two miles from
the city to our present camp ground, which
is an old field with young growth of
pines which made good shade for us; and
not far away is a small brook where we
can get plenty of water We were turned
in here without any shelter except the
trees, Or axes or cooking utensils of any
kind. But fortunately some of the Off
GERS had articles which they had purchas-
ed and brought along. They have now
issued us II axes and 30 sheet iron pals,
holding about II quarts each, for 1900
officers. Most of us have built little
shanties of poles, brush and mud, so We
are to some extent protected from the
storms and cold weather Our rations
are of the very poorest quality and en-
tirely inadequate to our wants. We have
had no meat or grease of any kind issued
to us for the last two months. | would
be glad to get a piece of mule or horse
meat, Our rations are composed of corn
meal mot siftcd and usually musty), rice
and sorghum, with very little salt,-we
have three or four times had little wheat
flour, say Il pint cup full to each man fol
five days. But We fix it up in various
ways. so with good appetite anything
will relish. We have the privilege Of
purchasing articles of food at rebel prices
Poor beef So per h.; pork s. per h..
little small loaves of bread Sl.50, pota
toes from $40 to $40 per bushel, and ev
erything else in proportion.
1t is not 4 rare thing for an officer t,
be shot down by the guard. One ha'
been shot dead while | am writing this
the guard claiming the officer WAS outsld
the limits, but such was not the case.
Officers have been escaping from her
at great rate More than 200 have eS
capped and most of them made their wa
for East Tennessee. Some of them hav
ceen recapturcd and brought back, | thin
not more than 100, but how many vii
reach our lines it Is impossible to tell. |
is reported that many are murdered Will
crossing the mountains 10y the bushwhack
crS, and they are often liable TO be hunte
and run down by bloodhound>, beside
they suffer from fatigue and exposure c
every kind, and the distance is 2lO mile
to our lines, think it Il very hazardor
undertaking. We have big rumors abor
l Sherman raiding through this section {
+ the Contederacy, and We think ii pos>lb
that he may relieve us Furthermore W
are in full faith that that rotten institutio
: is on its last legs. We know that tt
n rebels here are trembling in their shoe
l. and many of them Ghe SoldierS) are II,
backward i'll expressing these ideas. W
all re oice over the reelection of Abraham
Lincoln. for it shows that the North
9 heart and hand i'll putting down rcbellio
s and sustaining our Government. His r
e election is better than great victory
y the field. We get no Northern paper
, and but few rebel ones, as they are afra
- to let them them come in, fearing that "
l. shall learn the location of our army al
lie make break for it We have to pay
10 cts for little half sheet filled with Ii
,f and auction sales Of negroes. 1t seen
:, they are very anxious to dispose of TIN
u kind Of stock even at reduced prices.
+ We drew rations last night for five da
rr and | will tell you just what the amour
e. is for each man: pint wheat -four.
,a quarts corn meal, ! pint rice, tabl
= spoonfuls salt, and pint sorghum, {;
/ told. You see to divide these into
:. meals Gas we do Mt eat but twice day
u and the quantity is very small But the
will be an end to this, and the wrath
God will rain down on these miserab
r rotten-hearted -- that are now in OPP
rebellion to our Government.
re Maj. Fleming is here, also 1t. Amber
Morse and It. Hartwell of the 18th
They are we'll. Lr. L. S. RICHARDS,
u, Bat. a, 11th Vt. Artiller
r. WOOI GrOVers' Contention.