The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1864-06-08

correspondent ol tue fhlldeiphia Inquirer
recently visited the l. 5 Hospital ID Baltimore,
where tae prisoners iately released from Rich
mond were taken. tie says:
Enough, lar more than enough came sithin
aciual range OF observation 10 force me TO the
Hrrsi-tsbie Conclusion. alter looking upon aud
cOnverslng with nearly or quie three hundred
Of these suferers. taking also their individual
combined aud concurrent testimony to clIuch the
conviction, that these poor creatures have been
neglected, siarvcI, and il! treated on purpose
and with del befate intention.
Out OF the entire number of them there > as
not single man or boy whose woe begon connte
Isrce, ,maclated frame. depleted inlos, sunken
eyes, "a caed lips, shattered III, mOirv, hsggard
contour and nth, condition, did not show, plain
no the light IL heaven, WantOn, Intentional neg-
lyct ana starvation.
Bu. few OF them have been really sick, except
where that sickness bas been supeiiuduced by
absolure exposure. Great stal aarI mel, of mas
i've flames, Who, previous TO capture, were full VI
vigor and Tree from every kind OF disease, Who
realI had been sffi cIrd With no disease
~ere reduced 70 mere skeletons, e1ibitiug nOIh-
ing but skin and bone. Ia some INSTANCES, from
be gnasiug of vermin, fostering SORES had super
Vened and their bOurs were actually pTOirudlng
through the skin. Young bows. too. once poss-
essed Of ruddy cheeks and tul OF lie, we're vast
ed 70 nothing
Wnen asked these patients If they we're sick
nr WOu:O Ocj, No, was the reply, "but W. have
been starved, exposed and reelected until nature
gave way" Thus response, too, came from fee
bic, almost inarticulate voices through feVered
hps, void Of blood aud estranged TO moisture
There was a languor, pallor AID deadness,
or want OF expression, save that OF woe in their
slarinS eyes. The very life-spiing of lite itself
seemed to be dried up Tor want OF nOurishmeut
Even memory. in nearly every instance, had
either fOisakeu its throne ceased OF or perform The
,..tnfai fss..a..~-- IA 1:----- ~r
"llecuon and a vacancy Of thought which verged
upon fermentation.
IL was no uncommon thing 20 see men OF pow
iul athletic iran es. Who when taken prisoners
weighed one hundred aud eighty to two hundred
pounds. reduced 70 hundred pounds. nor bad
ihey ever been sex One tall corporal, about
TX leet Eve inches Ia height, 10, ked like a ak
~ skeleton, or ghost on stills / thH,k il
A0uld be sale 10 say, admItiu. not OF an Isolated
exception. that out If three hundred recently IL
iurned Union prisoners now IN this hospital they
ave lost each third OF their former physical
and mental status.
Looking upon them forces the idea that the,
~ere purpos,ly brought 10 the very verge of star
sation sud misery, that they might Lsent home
O die, or 10 be useless forever sfterwasds Hsd
they thus been reduced by wounds, eicsuess or dis
-ase incident to the course OF nature, or acts oi
Providence, the behOlder would uOt lee surprised
But such as bOt the case nor did t appear 50
0n loosing upon them. Three fonIths OF more
of the ~hOle rumbcr complain, of nothing but
cIuel treatment, neglect and starvation.
ln Belle Island the suffering was unparalel.
ed. saw many "a dozen or more-WhO had
their feet, fingers, hshds aud toes hozen "a,
whilst * oseG TO the severe weather ia this des 10
olate abode. To keep from freezing entire, they
acre often compelled 10 bundle, dozens togetn=I.
AID change PORTIONS those under got warm
AID those out side began TO freeze.
Death, the dead ana dying, grew familiar to all
and any prayed for a hssteuing OF the hour VI
dissolution. It was no uncommon thing to see
t~ehty, thirty, forty and ffy dead bodies carried
ont ~ day. or TO behold them streWn around
like carcas>es Of dumb animals.
Dogs and rats we're caught when opportunity
1ifO' ded and eaten oy pr>o on this island a.
choice morsels, aud an old bone discovered here
Sas gnawed as decacy What came of the
many gifts of provisions seut from home, prison
srs with extreme exceptions, co fued here could
not tell, save where they saw them at times ca
gsrly deVOured by the rebels themselves
heard many, very many, tales OF horror, il
which there q universal concurrence of sen
q ment from prisoners all Of which, together
s,h their forlOrn cor dtion and haggard looks
oud lot fail in bringing conviction that they
rad been inhumsnly treated. | SPEAK from see
ing, and know what / assert.