The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-10-25
GREAT EXCITEMENT IL RIGHxOnB.
Bread Riots In the City-Great Fears Of
the Advent OF the Yankees.
The Philadelnhia Inanirer savs:

the ADVENT OF the 1ankeeS.
The Philadelphia Inquirer says:
We have before us letter dated Dc
tober 9TH, 1864, written by Union pri-
soner of war now undergoing coniine-
ment at Belle Island, near Richmond,
Va. The letter was struggled through
the rebel lines by federal officer who
was exchanged, and consequently con-
tains much interesting matter concern
ing affairs about Richmond that could
not reach the North in the usual way
that prisoners send communications TO
their relatives and friends. We give
liberal extracts from the letter, con-
eealing such portions as would have q
tendency 10 compromise the writer with
the rebel authorities
Il was captured at the battle Of
Winchester while making a charge
with my regiment on oneof the enemy
works Just as we came within fifty
yards Of their battery shey opened on
us; piece of shell struck my horse
full in the breast, and he fell heavily
on me. tried hard to get him on his
feet again, and was Just about disea-
tangling myself when rebel sergeant
seized his head and pinioned me TO the
ground. / escaped unhurt, save a stiff
leg and bruised arm. They then
took me to the rear, and were not long
in sppropTiating whatever portion of
clothing that struck their fancy Boots,
jacket, gloves, &c. found needy clai-
mants. BY cap and blouse ] lost when
fell, and after my rebel customers had
satisfied their wants, | found myself
possessed Of shirt aud pants, the only
remaining garments of my once com
plete outfit
Son the night Of the 18th we COM
menced our march southwark. / can
hardly describe to you the sufferings of
our party during this Journey. Weak,
hungry, cold, and footsore, we were
hurried along for two days.
'On arriving at Staun-
ton we made short halt, and received
for the first time some food, which
though poor was acceptable indeed. We
were then sent to Lynchburg, and from
there forwarded by cars to Richmond.
where we were accommodated with
apartments in "Old Libby All the
horrors of this vile prison.house have
not been half told Misery, want,
pestilence, starvation and death stalk
boldly through its grim halls. The hos
pitfalls are crowded and but poorly at
tended Many a poor fellow is now on
the verge of the grave simply from the
want OF sufficient nourishment, and
numbers they tell me have died, clearly
from starvation.
1.-TWO meals day is all we are al
lowed Of these you can be your own
Judge At ga. NJ a quarter of loaf of
bread and an inch and half OF bacon;
this they called breakfast, and At 4 p NJ
the same amount of bread with pint
of bean soap, which our hosts are pleased
TO style supper.
For few days after our arrival
here everything ran smoothly, but on
the fourth day serious outbreak was
threatened Old men, women and
children turned out, armed with clubs,
axes, brooms, &c, rushing frantieally
up and down the streets, crying for
bread. Houses were broken open and
shops pillaged of their contents. A
party made an attack on the prison
provisions, and swore they would burn
the city unless the authorities removed
the prisoners. The militia or home
guard soon put a quietus on the poor
wretches and everything was again APP
parently quiet jeff, however, was
more frightened than he would have
liked known, for on that night we were
all ordered to prepare TO leave for this
place, and transported here as secretly
as possible.
There are now on the Island about
six thousand five hundred men, Ii
was a cold rainy night that we got here
and we had not even blanket to pro-
tect us from the weather. [ soon learn
ed the method OF living here, which is
q kind OF subterranean life. A large
hole or cave Is dug in a bank, and in
these we live The holes are generally
large enough ia hold SIX men, and are
tolerab!y comfortable on g cold night
The fare here IS the same as that at
Libby
During the last two weeks the most
intense excitement prevailed in town
W Z CbulN pihlEiS near tie llElng On al
sides Of the city, and the people general
ly are pretty severely frightened. Our
guards have been doubled within the
last week, and some days ago six heavy
guns were mounted in different parts
of the island and trained on us. The
other day heard one of the guards say
to another that If the Yankees come
we will blow them (us) all to -
Night before last there was another
disturbance in the city, and the govern
ment stores again suffered severely.
understand that we are all to be remov-
ed further south; in fact, some have al
ready been sent TO North CarolA1a and
Georgia. Whatever may turn up am
determined 10 meet it bravely. The
rebels are getting short Of men, and are
anxious for an exchange. Besides, they
evidently think that keeping prisoners
Is rstber dear business with their limit
ell funds; so that ] hope that [ shall
soon be paroled. and be able to see YOU