The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1864-03-30
CONDITION OF OUR PRISONERS AT
RICHMOND.
Return Of Major McMaban, Of the
2lSt 0, v. l.

imprisonment of six months lacking six
days-and arrived at Perrysburg, on Tues
day, 22d inst, and We are indebted to him
for numerous interesting facts concerning
the condition Of affairs at Libby Prison.
On the Aag-of-truce boat, which conveyed
Major MoMahon to Fortress Monroe, were
Philip Wallace and ---- Brownsberger'
from Perrysburg township, of Company
A, Tooth Regiment; and ----- North, (frcm
Tcntogany) Of the eth Regiment. These
were all tie men on tho boat, from this
county, with whom he was acquainted; al
though, he says, there might have been
others. These men stopped at Annapolis,
Maryland, where they will probably soon
be furloughed. Concerning the condition
of the enlisted men from this county, now
held as prisoners he can give no informa-
ton. Many privates have been removed
from Richmond, to North Carolina, Georgia,
and other places, and he had not been per-
mitted to hold any communication with
those who remained at Richmond.
lie left the following officers at the Lib
by in good health; Lieutenant Colonel
Hayes and Captain L. B. Blinn, of the Tooth;
Captains Garfield, Cation, Wicker, and Lieu
tenants Patterson, Spafford, Mahony and
Mason, from Wood County, of the 2lst Reg
inent; also, Captains Cusac and Alban,
from Hancock county, and Lieutenant Clog
horn, from 0ttowa county.-all of the 2lsS,
The standard of health at Libby Prison,
is not the same as in the North-the officers
there arc all well, but the great majority
of them are very weak; and the Major
states, that any person entering the prison
would be struck with the hallow cheeks
sunken eyes, and almost crazy look of many
inmates--the results of hunger, mcntatanx,
iety, and the crowded, filthy and lousy
condition in which they arc compelled to
live. When walking about, during the
day, il requires considerable care to avoid
collisions and when they lie down at night
the floor is completely covered !; so that
any ono who attempts to travel around
after" bed time, meets with much difficulty
and many execrations. From all these
causes combined, he pronounces life in
Libby Prison, as simply horrible!
But he says, the officers are not the ones
who need our sympathy they have roof
above them, a floor TO sleep upon; and
although they have suffered much from
hunger, none of them have actually starred
while the enlisted men lave been exposed
to the weather during the entire winter,
and are daily dying for want of food
Major McMahon informs us that he has seen
Union enlisted men marched past Libby
Prison, on their way to other points, some
of whom were utterly unable to walk alone
those who were strong, holding up and
helping along the weak-many of whom
with sunken eyes, hollow checks, ghastly
countenances, attenuated limbs, and fingers
like claws, looked more like walking corp
ses than living men! And ON the boat
which brought linn from Richmond, were
some men so utterly Frustrated by hunger,
that when food was given to them and they
had eaten, they died. But the rebel pris-
oners for whom these neil were exchanged
were hale and hearty and as they were ex-
changing boats, tue rebels jocosely called
our men half-starved Yankees, and laughed
at what they termed the misfortune of their
being caught in the "Confoderacy."
Concerning the provisions sent from the
North to our prisoners at Richmond, he
says but small portion has ever been re-
ceived by those to whom sent. At tho
time Major McMahan left the prison, he
says there were at least twenty-five bnn-
dred boxes of provisions, which had been
sent to officers there, lying within few
yards of the prison, yet nothing had been
distributed for several days; and he says
that officers who were suffering from hun
ger could read their own names OH boxes
of provisions sent to and belonging to them,
yet could obtain nothing.
As illustrating the disposition and mean
ness of the inspecting officers, he gives
the following as the method of inspecting
officers boxes, which has been generally
practiced for several months past: The
officer to whom the box is directed is called
out upon the pavement, when--if not al
ready opened and its contents partly gone
it is opened; the officer is then required
to spread his blanket upon the ground, and
the contents of the box is poured upon it.
The inspecting officer then commences op-
crations. Papers of tobacco, tea, coffee,
sugar, are torn open and permitted to get
mixed up if the box contains small jar
of butter, the jar is unceremoniously broken
and the butter picked open-and SO on un-
til everything has been examined, when
the officer finds his articles in an,almost in
extricable heap, and is permitted to separ-
ate them as besth he can. In many instances
the inspecting officer would divide the ar
ticles into two parts, retaining one for him
self and giving our men the other-and,
under various pretexts, they have deprived
our officers and men of large portions Of
the supplies which belonged TO them.
The exchange which released Major Nc
Mahan and those who came with him, was
sort OF informal one--the men on both
sides being released ON parole. He is anx-
ious, however, to be exchanged, that he
may again join the gallant 2lst Ohio, and
aid in crushing what remains of the Con-
federacy. Until this is done, he believer
that the great majority of the men now in
the hands of the enemy will Ianpu;sb l.,