The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-05-16
Monday Morning. MAJ 10, 1864.


safierings OF Prisoners on Belle Isle.
GRAPHIC STATEMENT BY PRIVATE SOL
DER.
An Ohio private who has just returned TO
his home ia Clyde, Ohio, after long impris-
onment in Richmond, writes to the Cincin-
natl Commercial the following account OF his
prison life:
About two hundred and forty of US, all
belonging TO the One Hundredih Ohio in
fanuy, were captured at Limestone Station
Tennessee, on the Sth Of September, 1863
We surrendered only after lighting thrice our
numbers for four hours, and then completely
surrounded. We were taken on the cars 10
Richmond, arriving there on the Eth. They
stripped us Of our blankets and haversacks,
and took what money they could find. We
were allowed TO keep our private property
We remained in the Libby Prison one day
and night, and then were put on Belle Isle
with the other prisoners whom they had con-
fined at that place. There were nearly four
thousand there then. The camp covered a
space of about three acres, surrounded by a
deep ditch, outside of which the rebel guards
tread their beats.
You have doubtless heard much about the
starvation of Union prisoners there. Well,
when tell you what amount of food we got,
you will be inclined to believe there Is some
truth in it. We were allowed only two meals
day. For breakfast, a quarter Of loaf of
wheat bread, probably four or five ounces
aud small piece OF fresh beef TO the man.
For supper, same amount of bread, and pint
OF bean or rice soup. BY the way, the beans
were not such are raised here, but what is
called the stock pea, and raised in some OF the
southern states. These peas were old and
buggy, and frequently when the soup was
brought TO us the top would be covered with
bugs, and We would have TO skim them off be-
lore eating the soup. At first such soup went
rather against the grain, but our keen appe-
tites soon brought us 10, and we were glad to
get even that In fact, the rations were hard
ly sufficient TO sustain life. la November the
wheat bread played out, and corn bread was
substituted. This was better for us, as it con-
tanned more heat and strength, though we did
not get half enough 10 satisfy our appetites
About this time the meat PLACED out and
from that time on we got bat very little meat.
do not believe we got SO much as a pound
OF meat 10 the man from the FIRST of January
till we reached our liaes. Hundreds OF men
were sent to the hospitals in Richmond, aud
died, their deaths resulting purely from the
effects of starvation.
During the last month of our stay the bread
WAS OF the most miserable quality, being
made from very coarse meal unsiiied, then
not half baked nor salted. This sometimes
had 10 be roasted before it could be eaten;
anu tHlS Uiedu WAS all We got, except Occa-
sionally a few raw beans or a little RICE An
other circumstance will illustrate the cruelty
and inhumanity Of the rebel leaders. About
the first of January the Confederate authori-
ties caused all the conyaescents and other
prisoners who were in the buildings in Rich
Inond, TO be placed on the island, so that at
one time there were nearly ten thousand
there. The camp was enlarged, but then a
great many had no tents and had TO lie on the
ground and in the bitches. In November and
December we were supplied with clothing
and blankets which were sent from our lines.
IL we had not received them, God only knows
what would have become of us.
Again, We had no stoves in our tents, and
got but very little wood; some days we would
be without wood aud have TO lie in bed all
day to keep warm. Some who had to lie out
froze TO death. 1t was quite a common thing
10 find, when the morning light appeared,
several poor wretches stretched in death. 1t
was sad to see the suffering that existed
there. Ghastly faces and walking skeletons
greeted the vision daily. Starvation, ex-
posures and flthiness almost destroyed their
bodies, and their minds, enieebled, and as it
were, Gagged up. Our bodies not only suffer
ed, but onr minds and mental faculties suffer-
ed in view OF our condition"