Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1864-09-30
Over IS 900 Prisoners al
AntcrSOnvjile, Ga.
Further Testimony as to the
Awful Wretcl1edness Of
their Condition.

Again We refer to this painful subject =
this subject of 81 900 m.n--nor;hern men
our brothers, ia hers, husbands and sons
men who are entitled to all our richest sym
pathlcs-who are appealing 20 the Presid,nr
of the United States, in the name Of all the,
hold dear and sacred, not to stand longei
b tween them and their freedom NOT 1,
s,criicc their lives and forever cut them of
from their loved ones at home all on az
count OF the negro, who is thousand times
better off than they.
A'other deputation appointed to go t,
Washington and plead with Lincoln FOR tn
liberty of their brothers in arms, arrived .
few days ago. The chairman of the depu-
tation, Edward w. Boatc, of the 42d New
York, was unable to proceed to Washing
ton, a: d re.igning his pla to comradc,
publishes the following letter, which
commend to the pcrusal OF the papers an4
men supporting this administration and who
are opposed to letting a single white mai
~ ~ SSas iio Hidtltl u 1t TDlS Ill un-
heard of misery, until the South will agree
to exchange negroes on equal terms with
white men. Read the letter:
THE Union PRISONERS IN GEoRGIA-DaPAR-
TrRE OF THE COMMISSIONERS TO WASHING
TON.
Last evening two of the Commissioners.
Messrs. Tracy and Noirot, a pointed BY the
$4,000 Union prisoners in Camp Sumter.
And rsonvile, GA, to represent their cas-,
to the President, lett this city for Washing
ton to fulfil cir mission; f. W. i}oatc.
the Chairman OF the delegation, in obedicnc,
to the directions Of his medical adviser. Dr.
John Lynch. of st. Vincen,'s Hospital. in
consequence Of his continued illness. bcine
unable to accompany the other members o,
the Commission. resigned the Chairmanshir
90 Mr. Tracy, in the following letter, which
VIII be read with painful interest by NJ
who sympathiAe with he susfelinrs Of In,
unhappy prisoners whose case the writer 60
vividy depicts:
Prescott Tracy, Esq, SD Nesc York Tolun.
NJ DEAR Tracy: 1t is with the decres,
revrc', tind thu illness under which l.ho,
p'ea>uie, ~ " Il a. singular honor. of ac
companyng ms brother Comm ss;oners I'm
on our sacred mission to Washington
ii'd cherished the hope Of being able ..
Thurman vi our delegation. 10 cnmnunica,e
se' n'h' me ia't> =, ativc 10 the st te o. ii
sun ring sold er> at Camp Sumter. TO Il,
t\e'"tise, and aclp You 20 describe tie
'inos' incredible wretchedncss of thcs,.
brave men, in:
Their ana.eonntablv prn,ractcd imp. ii
oh,acnt IN the S"anps of Georgia.
Their teI'ibl' piivations
Their food unfi for hum n BEINGS.
Their drink fth.ir " drink swami
water filled with uatold impurities:
without shelter of any kind {, ON the
neree tropical sunand the heavy rains which
Alternately prevail in that region:
Their Die clothes, ins.,ffic ont ev,,n
LOT tue purposes OF common d.cnncy
ne 'onfinemen, Of b 900 human ho;,
WITHIN an area OF some seventeen acres III.
apestlential swamp running throueh H.
camp; Z" Tue
without any facilities for keeninr Tho
prison clean: eP"s 'he
me TACT that our sick when removed -
hospital being utterly devoid of any COW. =,
accommodation, and often three wal. =.
ome with u particle Of mc,li inc
me fearful amount Of dis ase and H.
Ir,gntlnl 'r,ality consequent upon such
unprecedented sulfrrings: '"
Inc despair, the mental ;m5ec;,itv ,be
madness which have been the res,,Is my
many Of those unhappy prisoners thons'
snds OF whom are confined for per;oi,s .,c
from ~ to II months, and thousands &c
whose terms OF service have long since ev
p,red-facss Which add to tie horror. Of tie
These things, with others equally excru.
ciating, had hoped TO be sble TO assist 80,
IN impressing rpon the mind of our ch;oc
Aagntsats, conscious that he could not liz.