Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1864-11-16

captives were taken to prison.
In the libby, twelve hundred officers
were confined in space which averaged
for each man ten feet by two. At one
time they were not allowed the use of
benches, chairs or stools nor even to fold
their blankets and sit upon them, but
those who would rest We, obliged to hud-
die on their launches as one of them ex-
press it. like so many slaves in the mid
die passage After while this severe
restriction was removed, and they were
allowed to make chairs and stools for
| themselves, out of the barrels and boxes
which they had received from the North.
They were ovelrun with vermin. in spite
of every precaution and constant ablu-
tons Their blankets, which averaged
one to man, and sometimes less, had
not been issued by the rebels, but had
been procured in different ways; some
times by purchase. sometimes through
the sanitary commission. The prisoners
had to help themselves from the refuse
accumulation of these. articles, which,
having seen similar service before, were
often ragged and full of vermin In these
they wrapped themselves at night, and
lay down on the hard plank floor in close
and sitting contact, wormed and dove
tailed together" as one Of them testi6es,
I" like fish in basket The floors were
recklessly washed late in the afternoon,
and were therefore damp and dangerous
to sleep upon. Almost every one had a
cough in consequence.
1t was among the rules that no one
should DO within three feet of the win
dows, a rule which seems to be general in
all southern prisons of this character and
which their frequently crowded state rem,
dered peculiarly severe and difficult to
observe. The manner in which the reg
uation was enforced was unjusti6ably
and wantonly cruel Often by accident,
or unconsciously, an officer would 60 near
a vii dow, and be instantly shot at with
out warning. The report of the sentry's
muskct were heard almost every day, and
frequently prisoner fell either killed or
wounded. So careles as this we're the an-
thorities as to the effect of placing their
prisoners in the power of the rude and
brutal scdiery Oh guard. 1t became a
matter of sport among the latter " to shoot
Yankee" They we're seen in attitudes
of expectation, with guns cooked, watch.
ing the windows for q shot But some.
times they did not even wait for an in.
fraction of the rule Lieutenant Ham.
mond was shot at while in small board
=. cd enclosure, where there was no window
only an aperture between the boards The
guard caugh sight of his hat through
this opening and aiming lower, so as tc
reach his heart fired. A nail turned the
), bulett upward, and it passed through his
ear and hat brim. The officers reported
; the outrage to Major Turner, who merely
replied, The boys are in want of prac
tice." The sentry said, He had made
!. bet that he would kill damned Yam
kee before he came off guard" No notice
G was taken of the occurrence by tho au
: thorities.
g The daily ration in the officers quar-
It ters of Libby prison, was small loaf o
n bread about the size of mans fist, mad,
a of Indian meal. Sometimes it was mad
=. from wheat -four, but of variable quality
J. 1t weighed little over half pound
&c With it was given piece of beef weigh
r ing two ounces But it is not easy to de
y scribe this ration, it was so irregular il
:. kind, quality, and amount. Its genera
D. character is wildly indicated by remarl
c. made in conversation by one of the off
G. GERS: IL would gladly" said he, witt
ts emphatic ciucerity. gladly have pre-
ferred the horse-feed in my father, sta
0. ble."
is Those who were entirely dependent o
" the prison fare, and who had no friend
ir at the North to send them boxes of foot
ne began to suffer the horrible agony {
s. craving food, aud feeling themselves da
;" by day loosing strength. Dreams an
o. delusions began to distract their mind