, 1864-12-16

Their Arrival Mt Annapolis and Con-
dttfon-Scenes Among the Dying and
"a


Their Arrival Mt Annapolis and Con-
dttion-Scenes Among the Dying and
Famihhcd.
Correspondence os the Philadelphia Pzess.1
AsSAroL1s, Dec. J..
The steamer Constitution arrived this
morning with seven hundred and SIX men,
cnc hundred nnd twenty-five Of whom were
lent Immediately to hospital, being TOO jill to
enjoy rnotc than the sight of theiE '..ptouisea
land.' Some, indeed, were in dying condi.
ton. Some had died short time before the
arrieal Of the boat. Those who were able
were mars1la1ed into batialfpns on the high
ground above the landing, and each conducted
In turn TO the Government storchousc, under
charge Of Capt. Davis.
WHITING LETTERS.
Then they returned to the open space in
front of the building, to look around and en-
were furnished with paper, envelopes, nnd
well sharpened pencils from the Sanitary COM
mission, and Eat down to communicate the
glad news Of their freedom to friends ut home
In about two hours most Of the men who
were able had sealed their letters and dcpos-
tied them In large mail bag which Was fur
nished, and soon they were on their wny to
hundreds Of anxious Kindred and friends.
DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD TO TIE PRISONERS.
NapLIlu O1f16 tEli hllul4 IuflLCu lut u IT.
company him TO the interior Of the building.
to witness the administration Of the food.
Several cauldrons containing nice coffee, piles
Of new white bread, and stands with meat
met the eye. Three dealers we're In attend
ancc also. The first gave to each soldier
lcat Of bread, the second n slice Of boiled
no5 ths hra aPpng s The ns coa tnsaR sdron from
dealt out hot coffee; and how 1t was all re-
cciyed I nm unable to describe. The feeble
ones reached out their emaciated hands to re-
ceiye II, and took It g}sdiy, though scarcely
able to carry 1t all, and with Frightening faces
and grateful expressions went on their way.
hare their jokes, and such expressions rs tho
following passed among them freely: No
stockedt nbout This brcad.'' "This is no
Confederate dodge" &c.
One fellow, whose skin was nearly black
from exposure, sa!d: "That's more bread
''that settles mnn's plate" 4 brisht-eyed
boy Of eighteen. whose young spirit had not
been completely crushed out in reheldou1,
could not refrain from hurrah, md cried
out, ''Hur1ah for Uncle Sam, huTrah! No
Confcdcracy about this bread" One poor
feeble fellow, almost two faint to hold his
loaded plate, mu,tered ont: why, thls
there's no grains Of corn for man to swal-
low whole in this loaf" And thus the words
Of cheer und hope came from almost every
tongue, as they received their ration and
went away from the window, each with his
thank you, thank you; and as they received
it all, each his share, they sat down on the
ground to enjoy it.
I must mention one Poor man, Of about
fifty years Of age, should think, who was
mixing his way behind all the rest to reach
The ambulance. He thought 1t would leave
him, aud, painting, cried out, with most
anxtous ana p'tal e1p'e5s.SnSf # fonRntenance ~
70: get l.is look Of distress. When he reached
the ambulance he was too feeble to step in,
but Captain Davis and Rev. ]. 4. Whitaker
Sanitnfy Commission agent here, assisted him
till hc wa I,:uctd By the side Of his compan-
!ons, who were not in much better condition
than himself. Whrn he WIS seated he WAS 50
thankful thai hc wep: like child, and those
WHO stood ty to aid him could do no less.
Soldiers, brave soldiers, officers and all, were
1nuycd to tears. That must be sad disci-
rliue which nut only wastes the manly form
It'll the sign Of humanity is nearly obliterateI,
but breaks the manly spirit .1u makes it rs
tender as t child's.
sAD FcEscs.
The dead and diving art carried off the
steamer first, and tlt. battalions arranged as
before. could narrate many tales Of sadness
and woe, for know that under the emaciatcd
forms. that are borne on strctchers to the
hospitals, and those with little more life,
who are slowly, foot BY foot, making their
way to the space near the barracks, there arc
crushed spirits and bruised hearts that only
ut length than they already have poured out
to ME; but, for the slightest attentions they
receive, tLey pass on with s'God blcss you;''
"Ch, thank you = How kind" &c.
AssAro11s, Dec. /.
OUR PRIsoSERs FROM sAyANSAu.
No human tongue Or pen can ever describe
tho horrible su1crings the friends Of our poor
soldiers have witnessed this day.
TWO HUNDRED BAD CASES.
Twas carly at the landing, 81 o'clock in
the morning, before the boat threw out her
hundred bad cases, which the naval surgeon
told me should properly 60 to the hospital
near by, were itnot that others were coming,
every one Of whom were in the most wretchcd
condition imaginable. They were, therefore,
sent IN ambulances to Camp Parole, m hospl-
tai distant two miles, after being washed and
fed at the barTnekB.
DEcK LOAD OF TIE DYING.
In Ehori lime another boat-load drew near,
and oh such scene Of suffering humanity
my eyes never desire to behold again. The
whole deck YVES q bed Of straw for our ex-
Iausted, starved, emnciated, dying fellow
creatures, Of the dve hundred and fifty that
not over two hundred would survive; fifty
had died on the passage; three died while tue
boat was coming to the land Of liberty. Isaw
five men dying as they were carried on stretch
els from the boat to the Naval Hospital. The
st1etcher bearers we're ordered by Surgeon D.
Tnnderkief to pauee amoment that the names
Of tho dying men might be obtained.
To the credit Of the officers and their assist
tants 1t should be known that everything was
done In the most systematic and careful man.
ner. Each etretcher had four attendants, who
stood in line and came up promptly, ones after
the other, to receive the sufferer as he WAS
caIried by two men off the boat There was
no confusion, no noise all acted With per
feet military order. All! It was solemn
funeral service to many brave soldier that
was being performed BY kind hearts and
hands.
TIE INSANE.
Some had become insane; their wild gaze
that reason had fed others were idiotic;
few lying In spasns perhaps the realization
of the hope long cherished, ret oft deferred.
or the welcome sound Of the music sent forth
by the military band was more than their cx-
lanstcd nature could bear. When blankets
supposed that human form lay beneath, save
for the small prominence which the bony head
and feet indebted. o God of Justice what
rctribution awaits the perpetrators Of such
SLOW and awful murder! :
yERslN Anu p1sRAsE.
The hair Of some wns matted together, and
yermin running over them In abundance.
Nearly every man WAS darkencd BY scuryy, CT
black with patches OF scales, and with scor-
butte sores.--One in particular was reduced
to the merest skeleton; his face,- neck and
feet covered with thick green mould. a num-
Der who had Government clothes given them
on the boa: were too feeble to put them on,
and were carried ashore partially dressed.