The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1864-06-02

friends in the ar ay. will be thankfully
received, Through the Agency Of Chap.
lains, or tho Christian Commission, you
can send them the word Of Life, But,
above all, you can bear them on your
hear, before God in prayer In the
praying circle, at the family altar, let
our earnest cry be for the noble, brave,
selfsacifcing men, who peril every
thing for the salvation Of our country.
s-
Miss Dix Describes tho Returned Pris.
oners.
Imot Miss Doro;ha Dix this morning
sister of Major.GonerSl Dix-thO
guardian angel Of one hundred hospitals
"a glorious woman in sublime cause,
She was in ilutter Of patriotic excite
mcnt over the barbarous treatment Of
our heroes who fall into rebel hands,
She had just returned from Bal
timore, she said, where she had been
at the request of tho Secretary of War
to see our returning prisoners, and she
wanted to tell all about it. She stood
over the table where we were gathered,
and her tongue run on as an indignant
woman's will. the sad rehearsal inlorla.
ded with fierce gestures in the right
place. l will tell you the story aP she
told US:
Il had just got to the wharf she said,
when our flag g'of.trucc boat, the city OF
New York, came in, and soon the poor
fellows began to land--four hundred
and fifty of them from Belle Isle. Such
sight II was regimen, Of skeletons!
Most ofthem had TO be carried off on
stretcbcrs. Several OF them died on
the boat as they were lifted up. Nine
died on Che wharf, lisping their gratitude
to God, that efter all their privations,
they were permitted to die under the
old aag. A mSjority were 60 weak that
they could scarcely speak, and in hun.
dred the brain seemed to be implicated.
First, as near as we could learn from
the few who could tell the story, they
had been tsryed-systcmalically they
thought-only meagrs scrap Of musty
bacon being brought TO them, With va
ter so that they gradually lost their
strength and became mere skin and bone.
Then they were left exposed in cold
weather to freeze. They were in such
condition of hunger at any time a man
would give his blanket or his shoes for
a bi, Of food, SO that they became almost
deprived of clothing. A majority oil
them had their feet frozen more or less.
Many Of them had lost their feet, and
several had TO have their legs ampulated
after their arrival at Baltimore.
Besides they were absolutely covered
with vermin, and in a most distressing
state. l never saw any Of our boys so
6l,hy-nevsr, They had been huddled
together like sheep, and as their minds
failed them and they became delirous,
they gave less and less attention 10
themselves.
Immediately on their arrival they
were ordered 10 have thorough bath. -
IT, was pitioble TO refuse their feeble cries
for food food!-'for Gods sake give
me something to east--snd our great
strong Surgeons, whom never cav shed
tear in my life, cried like children
when they were obliged to deny the aP'
peals, and confne their patients 10 Q
simple diet and bath.
Most Of them had to be carried tc
the bathroom, saw ono apparently
sturdier than the rest, standing alone IL
his blanket, and l ordered him to g
alone to the bath. Without word he
went. In hall an hour he was fOuat
thore unconscious and helpless. his minc
and strength having failed him alIOge'h
or. An attendant lifted him up and sup
ported him as he got out, and accident
ly trod on oil his feet, when il came of
having been frozen to that degree, du
ring the dreadful exposure Of the win
Ter.
"a majority Of the poor follows wert
manned or invalidod for life; many o
than ara hopelessly insane, also.