Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-02-12
terity they go through" prisoner; and then
~ way Of adding insult to injury, oauest him

! ~ wey Of adding insult to injury, quest him
I 90 N! lis signature on the envelope in which
they hare sealed h:s funds, private papers, 80.
.or lie purpose If identifying tlo same. which
a:c H. re rcurned when &c is released. The
! cavity wi. which tkey go through with this
picr5 cf huIahugsery is refreshing, save to the
ya,im wilo eses bis last cent stolen beflre hi.
: r:.,. - lc Finaecrcd ly tho sollicr who
! 'aa pc! ably risk'd lis life in your capture,
i, ,.i >':au5h: hGt TO SEQ theto sccn,;d,c!s
/ .e.i12ra.c.y steal tie last dollar ,hc last love
litter, little tress with lie bi. Of blue lib,
! boz, .ad cee:y cent and souvcnr their VIC
! lin may posseas, under .pretence Of restoring
; it ''Shen he is released those jackalls who
keep far in the rear and out Of danger-;s cal.
e1!ated, il emo caanot express himself, to
Iaake him think :emphsticaily at least. Ali
are fish thateo,na The nets Of these provost
! niarShaTs. = y.
Tney readily aEorl the prisoner ivory
i.c;lity for w:i:ing to his friends, if he
ha4 any within their lincs. How.kind! The
rE"ycss is rot so tad a fni,ow after al; he can
aymfG,rhiza with q prisoner IN his misfortune:
lsarc q scmo pbilanttrcpic lsct.si extant,
cvcn among the Yankees az
But Wig 10 not these littIe necesseries
wh;r!: kind friends, in response to his wants,
have ha.tcncd to lorwaSl come TO hand; tho
srit ii clothes to tako tie place of his filthy
rags; the hocks 70 while awsy the tedious
hours: thc little delieecies to cool his feyerish
| biaud the inementos Of affection WHICH he
longs to behold, and eo aaIiously awaits day
af.or day?
Af;e. a while ne understands why the pro-
v,st macslial was 30 ready to afford him every
fidelity !tr whiting to his friends; and accepts
.yain bis fcst impressions Of the Jackals
Ii is n"s aNerrcd that prisoners are never
allowed so receive anything from their friends.
This wauld DO bad policy on tho part of the
Jackals who take care, by the occasional ad-
mission of some triilips article, that their vic.
! tim md his Friendz shall not become entirely
discouraged, and the supply, consequently cut
~, we'll knowing. as they DO, that tue friends
! ard relatives Of the prisoner will submit - be
piundernd in order to get even the smallest
! c'-ni"rt or necessary 70 the sufferer Thus
the kind hearted ladies If Baltimore tGod
! BLESS era ri;her than our prisOBcrs in Fort
|! McIien V should 90 without Christmas din
ner submitted 10 The Wholesale plunlcriDg,
~ ;hs uiicers of tho Fort, nf the fruite OF their
notlc generosity to tho extent Of some thou
sands Of dollars They, knew about how
? nush the officers would steal. and made duo
allowance accurdingly.*
SoIre people who see the immense supply
! .; comforts aud ieicscies which cur govern
.acnt permits the iankco prisoners in ou-
linda 10 receive from their friends in the
%3-ta, and tTon the United States Govern
:':nt nnder th, guise Of priTato donation,
! sorpnsc similar privilege is accorded Con-
lrdcratc prisoners i'll the hands Of the enemy.
| Whi!tt in prison, iow weeks since, the
! I"5;'cr eaT Il letter from one Of the frst n,er-
chants a Iaitialere, "a Union man)--in an
-:;er to request from gentleman With rhHm
be Lad opcu very intimate and long e-tah-
iishe, +suaincsass1ationB, for a few articles to
supply immediate and pressing necessitins-
i which The merchant stated he had applied
- the Govcrnr:ent st Washington for per-
c!;ssiou tH send the arsicles, and was informed
i,2- nn order was in force allowing not even
rairnt5 20 supply their children in prison
wi,h auv ccrll'rts OF neceGsarics. This ls only
o-n OF nu>rorou= evidences which hsz come IN
der the writer's not;e ,prori z that the L. = G
rernment does not rermi. Confederate pr SON
rs 10 receiyc anything from their friends and
relations, aud the Provost Marshars act in the
Ty-:Iscs, on thsir owJ authority. f5r tn, nrr-
PIE, III :!b1se a'atal, Of p'underias the pcis
ua"-S in their hands.
LouNsroN's ISLAND.
Converting the other day with chaplain
md :. Surgeon just released frnm Johnstor's
!.!sna, so learned aome facts which have not
heretofore reachefthc Southern public. Our
iuFrsmanfs are gnntlcmen whose veracity can
1ct tc questioned. They speak from personal
aznc:ienco and observation.
There are 2,6l7 prisoners confined on this
i-tand They sre all Conftd-rate officers. with
thr exception Of l50 political prisoners, and
t2w privltes. Their rations C .nss. of one
lalI ration Of meat, and one small loaf Of
| aeead dag to five r!cn.
puc hs!f Of tbs tlna they are without fuel,
an,: -piicr Intensely from the piercing blasts
mai sweep through tic woodea sheds where
'.ey lie huidcd together to keen from perish
ing outright.
They ara dying of hunger and cold. The
conviction thaasit is the design IF the enemy
To kill them 10 this manner cannot be res sted
and they long io- immediate liberty or speedy
death.
it may he asked why are not their necessi-
ties supplied by relatives and friends, as are
the Yankees in the Confederate rrisors? For
the simple renaon that they are not allowed t.
7cccac them. If supplies ore cent, they ere
not delivered tnless the prisoner pays rhe
transportation from ssndusky City, or any
!it:ia charge wh:ch the provost marshal may
sec lit 70 make This ho cannot do, and his
property is "eonfi seated" before his eyes
l!owevir much money he may have in the
hands OF the comnandant of the post, be can
not draw one cont of it 20 purchase q single
ar;i:ic of nec9ssity or comfort.
Small pnx has recently prevailed on the
Island. Among the many victims taken from
5ha pri-on to the "hospitaW bu. ono las re-
tu,nel, and through him the mystery ol' The
dreadful fatality came to light. The ''hos-
p;..," ia TO less t;iap pest. house. whera the
: pr;snuer il left 10 die OF disease, thirst .and
, starvation.
: Within two hlndrtd yards Of the prison on
, Johnson's Island, the Jake spreads out in
.frystnl purity, broad e1panse Of clear, cold
fresh water, and JET tho prisoners often 50 all
i.y a,ld night without drop Of water tn
oacnch their thiisf. In the desperation Of
li;eir gress necessity they dig shallow wells
i, he only r"rt CT the enclosure allowed then,
for this purpose-within o foot or two Of the
G .iaks- and obtain soanty supply of un-
r wholesome fluid. Our informasts tell us the
, s::acrinss Of the prisoners on this account. j.
irt.scfihabls. Their condition is worse tha,
that Of the mariner long becalmed in the
0 trop:cs.. fer ttey are tantalized by the pre-
6 s.nee ri the puEest waters, land not d.op u
drink" Tho Yankee prisoners who protest
. 50 loudly on being forced to drink no better
" wRatcr than that with which tho citizens C
Richmond areashpplied, might take time i,
the midst Of their cor,p'ainings TO bless ti'ei
a!ars that in all inventions and GontriTencr
ii. lie nersecuton CT helElosa prisoners, thei