The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-09-29

viii be found to be mere talk.
Intelligence has been received ct l1oyds Lon
don, that TWO more lehel cruisers Mad efaded the
Union war steamers and successfully Tan out Of the
harbor OF Wilmington, aud since then had destroyed
no less than thirty three Union merchantnen.
Yankee Hastiles
Major +. +. waaiey, who 1ae kapse> Nd = dAhs
evacuation Of Fort Wagner, in the boat which was
conveying him, wounded, to the city, and has beens
held prisoner since until the late exchange
at Charleston, furnishes the Darlington Soafhesnu
with the following interesting account of Yankee
prisons and the treatment our prisoners receive in
them:
Fort McHenry, near Baltimore, is not now a de-
pot for prisoners Of war; but is Of the most noted
Yankee bastiles at which citizens expiate Offences
real or imaginary, committed against the best gov
ernInent the world has ever seen" Prisoners Of
are collected there and to regular depot as
soon as load is obtained. shall endeavor to give
you description Of this place, which was vis-
tied with pride by our people and afiectonatey
membered the place where, during a certain
pefilous night, our flag foated defiantly and was
found proudly waving at returning dawn. That
nag, then reyerenced as the banner OF liberty, has
now become badge OF despotism; aud the fort
then SO calamity defended by freemen, is now Q
prison-house for their children.
Within the enclosure which surrounds the fort,
just upon the waters edge is the provost
yard. Within this are two long brick houses which
were once used as government horse stables These
upper rooms are reached by long flights OF steps,
In the upper story" OF Of these stables is the
apartment known as the officers roVmn in which
was confined from the l4th OF February until the 10th
OF June. My fellow prisoners Were mostly officers
wounded and captured at Gettysburg, a majority
of these poor fellows had given limb to their coun-
try, and all had been severely wounded. In this
apartment there were hunks without any bedding
and during part Of the winter the wounded were
unable to procure straw to lie upon. The rations
here consisted OF meat day, and s hard tack
nfe
| also given to US. Compared with Fort Delaware,
the only regular depot foF prisoners at which was
confined, We Jared finely.
The two most interesting points at Fort McHen-
ry were The interior" and the s. Middle Rooms"
| The former were rooms within the fort, to which
Confederates We're assigned when under charges
| sentence, for special punishment. When one is
consigned to the Interior" he dies to his compa-
l MONS, who are not allowed to communicate with
| him. have seen officers who have been confined
there and all agree that it is far from being plea
SAINT place Frequently our men are confined in dark
damp cells for months ut time 1t is to these In
| teriors' that the Confederate Government should
direct attention, and by timely and severe retalia-
| ton, rob them of their victims.
The Middle koom,' otherwise known as s. He'll .
Is thus graphically and truthfuy described by an
other. Imagine all the dead rabbits, plug uglies,
| blood tubs, market thieves, pickpockets, wharf
rats and murderers of the great cities Of the North
gotten together and the most choice selections of
| this conglomeration of human iniquty selected and
placed III four brick walls with windows, and their
native qualities stimulated into full and free activity
/ by eopious supplies Of mean whiskey the subjects
upon which to exercise their varied talents utterly
hopeless Tor defence, with all restraints removed and
the approving smile Of the authorities ready to
ward their worst achievements, and You have pic
| ture OF the Middle Room,' known among the un-
/ fortunate COiiederates WHO have experienced its
/ horrors as Hell.''
There is still another permanent institution /"
at Fort McHenry deserving Of notice-a gallows
which stands in the middle OF the parade ground
Occupying very prominent position, it is among
the first things which attracts the attention Of the
stranger. Ny thoughts often ngcr about this glib
bet, for saw one Of freedoms offered there
| a sacrifice to Yankee ripdictiveness. 1t here
| that young Leopold, Of Maryland, died. He was
member OF cavalry company commanded by Cap
| tain Burke, of Virginia. The home Of the Captain
was within the eneiny's lines, and he yentured on
one occasion to visit his family neighbor Union
lst discovering that he was there gave notice to
Che enemy, who surrounded the house and mur-
dered Captain Burke III the presence Of his family.
| 4 short time afterwards the Union citizen met
similar fate. At Gettysburg young Leopold cap
tured soon it was discovered that he was from
Maryland and member OF Burke's company, charges
were preferred against him for the murder Of
the Uniohast referred to and for being a spy
He was convicted and sentenced to be hung -
| lie was ineafeerated ID q dark, damp cell in the
l " Interior" for than SIX months. Early in
May, he was one night notified that he was to die
the next morning at five O'Clock His brother sol
ders saw him ascend the scaffola and bearing him
self as one who not afraid to die, gave his life
with apparent cheerfulness to his adopted country
His enemies and ours reported what hs said. "He
thanked those who had been kind to him. and for
gave all who had treated him with unkindness He
was sentenced to suffer an ignomnous death as a
telon-but he would soon be III this presence OF One
who knew his innocence. He was surrounded by his
enemies, and yet he would venture to make a last
requesbear witness that die true to my country"
lie adjusted the cap the drop fell and the patriot
| Leopold was with his God. Fellow-soidiers to
whom this account may come, avenge his death, and
label the victims whom you offer up, that your enc
mics may know the avengers work
Fort Delaware Is regular depot for prisoners
Here was confined with six hundred brother off,
GERS; were not allowed to communicate with the
enlisted men OF armies. We were told that be-
tween eight and ten thousand Confederate soldiers
were confined there The enclosure in which the
officers were kept contained about three acres Of
| land; three sides Of the square were made by the
buildings We occupied, and the fourth by a. high
board fence Here We received two meals day at
nine O'clock, about two ounces Of meat and piece
OF bread, and at five O'Clock the same. Our soldiers
receive but one piece Of meat. They volunteer to
do police duty for an extra ration Of bread and
have the poor fellows pick pieces VI bread from
the refuse and cat them with greediness. do not
anee; IL they have money OF. friends they get
whatever they want but such is the diet Of those
| who are obliged to live on prison fare.
In the prison At Delaware there were several po-
htiea prisoners confined with as; among these was
the Rev DR.. Handy, Of Portsmouth, Virginia,
distinguished Presbyterian divine lie had been
prisoner for twelve months; bis discharge was
offered whenever he took the oath, bat be persisted
In refusing 10 purchase his liberty at such price
This old, white headed man, shut up IN prison for
opinion sake, was one Of the thousand living monu-
ments which witnessed attesting the perfect fiee-
| ever saw DR. Handy labored assiduoasly among
the officers, and was doing much good. Hers wc
had preaching, bible class, debating societies,
sonic lodge for instruction, &c. Of course, where
~ many were confined, We could md ways for
amusement and instruction.
/
The BuRsrSo or Goyxnsox LarSmrs.s Horsx.-