The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1864-12-07
Cor y Y rns
Our Prisoners.


Our PRISONERS.
PoRT RovA- 5. c. Monday NV. =. 1854
The past few days have been fraught
with very painful interest 10 everybody
who has been connected IN any way what
ever VITA The exchange OF our sick ard
Toundrl prisoners now n progress or Tie
: 1vanuah River. Col Milford began 20
"a I'VE oVg poor fellows last Friday. and
- 'el.very IS 70 Continue AZ the rate Of
~, e o 10 1900 per day. until the asgre-
- NM. Ter OF the wretcled suffering crea
-. -. 'ated a. 10. 600. return - our
welcom, kee1 ing.
rFBE.'. vINDIoTIvESEss.
Ofthe vindictiS 'eness Of the rebel author
;.iN. he ;r~afrssrab''e proof i lying before
ne mi alone in the * parte testimony
ann wasted hangry aspect OF the sufferers
whose fifth and sQualor ana sAele'Ol frames
anresl for Justice 70 the God OF justice uul
in The official papers OF the rebel surgeons
az AndersonVille. ana EecoIus % Nic Su"'
~al-bor-as miscalled hospitals, a. that Ter
restrai neil-gecOrds never ne@-' ~ lls9
, re limits OF the COniederacy, but WAlcA i
j rnarcifil Providence has brought 10 AgAt,
thar ON, Of their own mouths these uaroa-
rians with whom we are a. war. sN'DiN re
convicted.
EFFECTS Og REBEL CRUELTY
The task before ME l undertake with
Great reluctance. Aside from the lndisna-
ZION which every man cannot help ieelns
AZ the visible effects OF the crueities that
hove haen practced an indignation almost
forhidlin.ra calm recital OF the ilcis-tne
+osk invests itself with another difficulty,
.. word. are found incapable OF expressing
.ba revolving experiences and incredible
bardships OF the men VINO nave oech 4an-
} pruishing without hope, month after month
. shelterless. naked and hall starved-to the
, number OF from 25 600 10 80. O0O-lAe sheep
in a foul pen, dyiug At an average OF LOU III
every 81 hours. s,.,.,.
4 T. * distressing fact, but one or which
n bsre fonnd abundant proof in many con-
L yersati0ns with the men SO lar OrOuTn1
- hack. that the prisoners very generally be-
lieve that they have been aoanlohed 10y
onr Government. This idea Is sedulously
u inculeated hv the rebel authorities. am
e cnnyincei that many brave heart has sue
~ cumbed under the cruel aspersiOn that TIE
svrnpathies Of the people are dead TO their
> woes. Hunger, sQualOr. nlth, naheuheeS
u and disease may DO borne but hope oeleF-
II ~ea which results in hearl-slckness-ti.t
20 looo,nn for home which superinduces men,
ral depression. cannot long be survived 80
g Tostalgia i the parent Of physical ailments
= and under the terrible mOnotony ana pr
X yations OF the prison pens, It l. more lala
than bullets on the ield OF battle
III now rHR EXCHANGE Is CONDUCTED.
- The rendezvous for the exchange Is al
Venns Point on tho Shenandoah River, q
hend nf the stream whence the spires aug
rs many of the houses OF the city OF Sayann3l
ne are visible. Our boats arc lnFailaply th'
.d first at the rendezvous, anchored III hId
a. river awaiting the rebel vessel "hose TAI
dipes5 proceeds from the laet that IL - Onll
- N the proper tide certain oDsllactlOhs .
a. tho channel above can be crossed. tinalll
IN tho,, o~near over the low marshes, belchlns
:, their tur9jd clouds Of dense black smoke
md in half an hour their uucouth, gro
IT, fesoue towering shapes are pdling an
e ,,,ha.,1;,e, near ~ Col milford lmmcdl
Us otelv GOES in a NaNl boat 10 the Gen. Beau
Ia REGARD. a small steamer USED 10y captain
Hatch the rebel agent, - the hsgshlp q
." his transport squadron, aud AFTER lie" mo
u ,,orf., co,Hnltation' during which the roll
ey If the prisnuers are transferred, The ""
accents 90 together on board one 81 III
floating objects laden with The release
VI men. and Size is at once laid alongside
IT, neat Union vessel aud the poor fellows an
Us trans-shipped
Il. EFFECTS or liberty
1t. Those Of them who are able to move wlll
mr. ont aid pass 10 tie protection OF the oiu Ia
~. first: then come those (alas. there are man
of this class who hobble on crulche7' an
o. last the few whose helplessness require
~ that the, should be carried on slletchet'
e. IL all this operation the greatest lorilan'
no i observed 4 number oil tepel ciNilai
with bands around their hats. labeled ION
Us miffee for the Wounded" whose positi0
!, -
Dm sion. accompanying the boats rom savanna
.ho Ia attend on the sick and assist IN the ttai
-, shin,peut. but seldom OF either side Is
w. word snoken except Oh the SUBJECT oil u
lat matter in hand Il Is 10 uncommon thin
el 10 see a man who has been so cfppleh q
md sclOfulA that crutches were necessary 10 j.
-, loc0mOtion. under theinhuence OF ms ecst
cy nj again being free spurn from nm u
enl ,rtiiciel sunnorts and walk Tor "a time,
5ri- e~e.f and a. instantaneOusly a. he VINO
on the Saviour miraculOusly cured 10y the hea
AZ inc waters OF Bethsalda. When the req
boat moves oil and the men huddledlogeth
A"' on the decks Of our own vessels al ldi
on understand that the last Ink when bOui
Id them 10 rebeldOm has been severed th'
an rises hearty shouting and Cheering "hi'
ONLY can be given under these cicunsla
. ces. There is the music Of intense graf
vas fitness in it. Three cheers and tiger
ant the old rag: three more and tiger !
;rr Col. Milford: then comes burst % son
- most often the words being Rally roul
-! the fac. BOYS. from near and rom Ia
hen down With the traitor and mp Wth q
Nv. star" the rebels still within hearing
MS. APPEARANCE OF THE PRISONERS.
are The verrnin-infested rags till now high
,in prized as the only cover Tor nakednes5, q
rudelv torn of and flung into the water
o97 cast with glee into the flaming furnaces
. o. the steamers. aud new clothes are issue
pom and general cleaning time inauSurtle
, 10 But the bathing las long BEEN neehe
H. scarcely comes soon enOugh. Many Oh I
i''' men. through illness or carlessness, are
NY berrimmed with filth, that. were not IL
vice the dead color Of the backened epldern
we'd they might be taken for the sons Of Hai
oua The steamer Eliza HancOX, one OF The e
-, change fleet, has spacious deck alofdi
'"S room for dancing and IerpsIchofe III
.alu her votaries, even though they are tatt'
i'm demaliOns. who dance not unsraceiull.
ap- their streaming rags.
i.b FOOD FOR FANIsHBD NEN
,re As soon as possible barrels Of hot cot
-. are prepared, and hams are cooked a
Icy boxes OF hard bread are opened, Tor the
for freshment Of these men. 10 whom deCe
the food has been Tor long time unHnoN
1t is 4 touching sight to see them, each vi
.. his quart can, fle by tile steamlng con
90 barrels. and receive the refreshing dfaugi
The whose taste has long been unfamiliar.
le a seems scarcely possible that men Shot
ons feel such childish JOY Is they express
once more receiving this common -tlEuls'
~" And then the eager. hungry glare via
lhe their CLASSY eyes cast upon Tie CHUNKS
xty ham ss they clutch aud dey0ur theit Qiio
ton ance with a woli-like a.idity'
mes HORRIBLE sIFFERINcs.
: OF such Is the condition Of the men whC
we are now receiving out Of caivairo
=, NJ Dixie. These. the sons. brothers, nu-ban
:, and fathers Of the North. Men reduced
'' living skeletons; men almost naked; $40
1oes MON shirrl,4S- men hafls--- men. N