The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-09-16

ell of the soldiers just from an active cam.
paign, can be easily imagined. Thousands
are without pants or coats, and hundreds
without even little pair of drawers to cover
their max edness.
10 these men, as indeed to all prisoners,
there is issued three quarters of a pound of
bread or meal, and one-eighth of pound of
meat per day. This is the entire ration, and
upon it the prisoner must live or die. The
meal is often unsifted and sour, and the meat
such as in the North is consigned to the
soap-maker. Such are the rations upon
which Union soldiers are fed by the rebel
authorities. and by which they are barely
holding on to life. But to starvation and
exposure, to sun and storm, add the sickness
which prevails to most alarming and terri
BILE extent. On an average, one hundred
die daily. 1t is impossible that any Union
soldier should know all the facts pertaining
to this terrible mortality, as they are not
paraded by the rebel authorities. Such
statement as the following, made by -
-, speaks eloquent testimony. Said he:
8 Ot twelve of us who were captured, six
died; four are in the hospital, and | never
expect to see them again. There are but
two of US left In 1862, at Montgomery,
Alabama, under far more favorable circum-
stances, the prisoners being protected by
sheds, from one hundred and fifty to two
hundred grew sick from diarrhea and chills,
out Of seven hundred The same per cen
tage would give seven thousand sick at An
dereonvile II needs no comment, no efforts
at word-painting, to make such picture
stand out boldly in most horrible colors.
Nor is this all. Among the ill-fated OF
the many who have suffered amput alton in
consequence of injuries received before cap
ture, sent from rebel hospitals before their
wounds were healed, there are eloquent wit
neS.es Of the barbarities of which they are
victims. If to these facts is added this, that
nothing more demolalizes soldiers and de-
velops the evil passions OF man than starva-
ton. the terrible condition of the Union
prisoners at Andersonville can be readily i'm
agned. They are fast losing hope, and be-
coming utterly reckless of life. Numbers.
crazed by their suferings, wander about in a
state of diocy others deliberately cross the
: dead line and are remorselessly shot down.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
A statement by Prescott Tracy Of the 81
New York regiment, which is corroborated
by the sworn testimony of H. c. Higginson
of the 18th Illinois and Sylvester Noirot OF
the 9TH New Jersey regiment, recently ex-
changed prisoners, appears in late number
of the Sanitary Commission bulletin, de-
scribing the condition of our soldiers WHO
are confined at Andersonville, Ga. 1t gives
a beart-rending picture of the outrageous
treatment inflicted on our brave soldiers by the
rebels These men were taken prisoners
with about 800 others. in front of Peters
burg on the 23d of June. and soon after cap
ture were deprived of all blankets, haver
sacks, canteens, money, vatuabtes of every
kind, extra clothing, and, in some cases, the
last shirt and drawers. They were sent down
to Andersonville, in Georgia, suffering much
on the way for want of food and hard march
ing for part of the distance. On reaching
Andersonville they were consigned to th'
stockade prison, " hich was already crowded
with 2S,OOO Federal soldiers-so crowded
that it was diff :ut to move in any direction
without jostling and being jos,led. Ih
prison is an open space of twenty-five acres
without trees or shelter of any kind. Twen
tv feet inside and parallel to the fence Is
/ light railing, forming the dead line, be
yond which the projection Of foot or flnse
is sure to bring the deadly bullet Of the sen
tinel. OF the water for the use of the camp
the following sickening account is gwen
"rhrough the grounds, at nearly right al
sles with the longer sides, runs or raths
creeps stream through an artificial chan
mel, VARYING from five to six feet in wldt
the water about ankle deep, and near tt
middle of the inclosure, spreading out int
swamp of about six acres, filled with retu
wood, stumps, and debris OF the camp. b
fore entering this incosurc the stream,
more properly sewer, passes through II
camp of the guards, receiving from tn
5 source, and others farther up, a large amou
of the vilest material, even the contents
t the sink. The water is of dark color, an
an ordinary glass would collect thick SCI
E ment. This was our only drinking ar
: cooking water. 1t was our custom TO nit
: it as best we could, through our remnants
haversacks, shirts and blouses. Wells
= been dug, but the water either proved
0 productive of diarrhea, or so llmlted
: quantity that they were of 10 general
:. The cook house was situated on the sire
S lust outside the stockade, and its refuse
e decaying ofal was thrown into the water
. greasy coating covering much OF the surfa
If To these was added the daily large amo'
e, of sink matter from the camp itself. Ih
a. was system of policing, but the roeans W
Is so limited, and 50 large number of
J. men wa, rendered irresolute and depres
X by Imprisonment that the work was very
of perfectly done. One side of the swamp
ht naturally used as "a sink, the men usu
l. ;nn out some dista nee into the water