Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-04-07

! quantity OF blankets was sent by the Seni-
tary Commission, which made US compars-
lively comfortable, but we we're treated in
no other respect than as so many negroes
sent to Richmond to barraeoon for sale. -
An officer who had very extensive acquain.
tance at the South, said we were not nearly
so we'll treated as that, for blacks sent for
bring q better price. The Union officers
were treated as so many cattle turned into
slaughter-pen or barn to sleep. Confeder-
ate officers in the hands Of Union authorities
were treated courteously and kindly; that is
right.
A little incident occurred to myself which
will illustrate the point of the difference Of
treatment between their prisoners and ours.
was exchanged for Gen. Lee. As was
called down to pass off, had two large
trunks to take away. could obtain no as
sistance 10 transporting them, no dray or
other mode OF conveyance. Some of my
fellow Officers kindly rendered their assis-
tance, and we carried them between us
through the streets of Richmond to the
steamer, on which we were ordered upon
the forward deck and forbidden to come
abaft about the wheels. We were situated
on the steamer like so many cattle, slaves or
swine on the way to market. At City Point
we met Gen. Lee in the magnificent saloon
Of the Federal steamer, New York, we our
selves emerging from the forward deck of
the dirty Rebel steamer When Gen. Lee
and his felow-officers were ready to change
steamers. the General stopped to take his
small valisc, when the Union officer in com.
mand said to soldier near, Sergeant,
take the Generals valise on board for him.
mention this to show the sort Of treatment
we received down South, and that which
the Rebels meet with when they fall into
our hands; they are treated kindly. cour
teously; we rudely, barbarously~ Wedoa't
complain, because we will strike balance
with them one of these days. Cries. Of
good" and cheers. .
There are u great many Union people
down South, even in Virginia; Union men
and Union women. shall not give, any
names. We had communication with Union
people by writing and by signals, and the
Rebels could not prevent it. They threat
ened to shoot US if we looked out of the
windows One of their own men looked out
and they shot him. They were resolved to
shoot a Yankee as an offset for this, and
Rebel sentinel fired several times at us with
out success. They were exceedingly morti-
fed at shooting their own man, the ball en-
teriDg the right eye and stopping at the back
of the head These Rebel sentinels watch
ed our men at the windows very much, as
boys hunting squirrels and looking into the
trees for their game. But many of the
guards gave us all the information which
catne to their knowledge, of what was going
on around Richmond, as to the pressure for
food, and in all other matters.
They told us Of Kilpatrick's raid. On
the lst Of March arrangements had been
made to receive him. And what do you
suppose the arrangements were? To defend
Richmond? Was that it? No. They mined
Libby Prison, with the intention of blowing
up it and us; to use their own phrase, TO
blo,o as to helL'' Voice-''Is there proof
not tell you how the fact was intimated to us
the next day without betraying those from
whom the intimation came. On the morn
ing of Wednesday, March 2, after we had
been informed Of the gunpowder plot, Dick
Turner. the Inspector of Military Prisons,
was asked by many officers, at different
times, if we were correctly informed, and he
assured us it was true; that large quantity
of powder had been placed under the prison
to blow us up if Fitzpatrick had come in,
and that it would be done yet if attempts
were made to rescue US.
The Rev. Dr. Smith, President of Ran
doph Macon College, w0ll known down
South, and known in the North too, as an
able and influential man, came into the pris-
on to visit Lieut. Col. Nichols, of the 18th
Connecticut Regiment, with whom he was
acquainted. He said that powder had been
placed in the basement for the purpose of
blowing us into atoms" Col. Nichols did
not believe it. DR.. Smith assured him it
was SO. He had then come from the Office
of Judge Ould, Commissioner Of Exchanges,
who told him it was So The Rev. DIR. Nc
Cabe said the same thing to Col. Cesnola,
of the 4th New York Cavalry, and others.
Some officers were in the kitchen at the
back window directly over the door leading
into the cellar: Major Turner, the COM
commanding Of the prison-Dick Turner
and four or five Rebel officers went into the
cellar, and on coming out they remained a
ficers said, by Cd, if you touch that of
it will blow them to hell, sure enough"
On the morning We came sSay, Major
Turner assured Capt. Sawyer and Capt.
Flynn, who we're exchangee in connection
with myself, that powder was there, and he
said, Rather than have you rescued.
would have blown you to h, even if We
had gone there ourselves. At first we
them capable Of it. We did not suppose
them to be fools enough to be guilty of an
act like that. The destruction of nine hun
dred Union efieers in that way would not
have been fatal blow to Che Union cause,
butt would have drawn down upon them
the execrations Of mankind; it would have
united the Northern people as one man,
and would have fired the Northern heart
with an intense indignation, and when Rich
mond should be captured, it would have
been utterly destroyed, and blotted out for
ever from the earth. At first we could not
believe that such an act could have been
ccntem plated, but we now regard it as es
tsbished by satisfactory proof. Such is
the temper OF the leaders of the Rebellion!
Such their character! o! '' anu
The negroes! 1t seems to strike them
with horror that we should enlist in the
public service the negro. A great many
conversations have had with civilians as
we'll as officers upon the subject, They say
il is barbatons, unknown in the history o.
= mankind. They say the negroes are theil
property. Our answer is, we take away
, you horses and your mules. We use then
4 l.. 1900 ,.oir nd ~ fhn arx