New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-11-04
PIundering, Starving, Freezing end
Shooting.
Testimony Of Privates. Officers and
Surgeons.
Report Of the Sanitary Commission

SaNlttIV
Narrative Of Privations and Sufermgs OF United
States Officers and Soldiers While Prisoners oil war IN
The lands of the Rebel AutAsrties being the Report Of
Commission Of Inquiry appointed o. the Umted STATES
SANITARY Commission; with Appendix containing the
Testimony" The Commissioners who took this evidence
were VALENTINE MORT MD, LID; EDWARD DELA'
FIELD. MD President Of the College of Physicians and
Surgeons of New. York; GoUyERyEUB NORRIS WILKINS
asa FI4vRsIIE WALLACE Md. Professor in the
Jefferson Medical College Philadelphia Hon. j. !.
CLARK HARE Judge OF the District Court OF the Cl'y
and County of Philadelphia; and the Rev. IRbADwELL
WALDEN Rector of ST. Clements Church, Philadelphia
The report Of this Commission with the testimony
make an svo. volume OF 2s2 pages The evidence was
taken under oath We make such selections from II as
we have space for, and we take first the following
statement IS 10 the Audersonvlc prison in Georgia
The ACCOMPANYING diagram copied from the report
gives q faithful and terrible picture Of prison
The following is the deposition OF Private Tracy Co.
G. sd New.York Volunteers:
lam private in the SD New-York Regiment o.
Volunteers, Company G. Was captured with about
eight hundred Federal troops in front OF Petersbnrs
on the 22d Of June lsGi We were kept az Petersburg
two DAYS, at Richmond Belle Isle, three days then
conveyed by rail to Lynchbug Marched seventy five
miles TO Danvle thence by rail TO Andersonvlle
Georgia At Petersburg we treated fairly, being
under the guard of old soldiers Of an Alabama regi'
ment; at Richmond we came under the authority Of the
notorious and inhuman Major TURNES and the equally
notorious Home Guard. cur ration pint Of beans
four ounces of bread and three ounces Of meat day
Another batch Of prisoners joining welctt Richmond
sixteen hundred strong.
Al Blankets Aagsrsaeks, eaHteens money ralg05ls Of
srey Kind clothing, and il same cases he last SHIRT
and drdrers, had been previously taken from Us.
At Lynchburg we were placed under the Home
Guard Offered by Major and Captain Mofiett The
march to Danyile wasa weary aud painful one Of five
days under torrid SUM- many of us falling helpless by
the way and soon filing the empty wagons Of our train
On the fret day we received little meat Bat The sun Of
ratoas for tie fire. days thirteen crackers. During
the elk days by rail 20 AndcIsonvlo meat was given
us twice, and the daily ration was four crackers.
On entering the StOokade Prison found il crowded
with twe1ty-eght5 thousand of felow-soldcrs By
CROWDED ImeaH that it difficult 10 IN any drec
fioH Ti.AOA, oslHg and 5eH1 jod. This prison is
open space slopng on both sides originally seventeen
acres, twenty-five acres in the shape Of paraoo-
gram, without trees shelter Of any kind The soil
Is sand a bottom of clay. Tire fence is made OF
upright trunks of trees about twenty feet high,
the top of which small platforms where the guards
stationed Twenty feet inside and parallel TO tho
fence is light ranng forming the dead line" beyond
which the projection Of foot or rger is sure to bring
the deadly bullet of the sentinel
Through the grounds at nearly rightanges with the
longer sides rather crceps stream through
artificial channel varying from five TO xix feet in width
the water about ankle deep and tse middle Of in
closure sprcsaiHs ont into sloamP Cf about sir filed
rih refuse oo0d stvrgps end debrs OF the camp Before
entering this ncosure The stream more property seo
passes through > camp Of e uar9s rcceriaq or, his
material the contents Of The sink The water is of
dark color and ordinary glass would collect thick
sediment. This emily drinking ard COOKING paer
Itvas custom filter il as best we could through
our remnants Of hayersaeks shirts and bOuses Wells
had been dug but the water either proved productive
Of diarrbea limited in quantity that they were Of
10 general use. The cook hcuse was situated Oh the
stream just outside the sockaGe and its refuse Of de-
caying ofa was thrown into the water greasy coat.
ing covering much Of the surface To these added
the daily large amount Of base matter from the camp
Itself There was system Of policing but the means
limited, and large a number Of the men we're
rendered ;rresoute and depressed By imprisonment,
that the work was very imPereety done. One side OF
the swamp naturally used sink, the men usually
going out distance into the water Inter the sum.
rsey sa his Gos early teoame corruption zoo re for DE-.
sep,ion the breeding disgusiiag Ne 50 gt tie sur
The Eew corners. reaching this would exolam:
rs this ksHi yet dry o0uld becOme oGlloas end
annorsd the horrible ro'eaHess The rebel author.
tiles nsrr reaorea any filth. There was seldom any
visitation by the officers in charge Two surgeons were
ct tine sent by President DAVIS to inspect the
camp but walk through a small section gave them all
the information they desired. and we never saw them
again.
The guards usually numbered about sixty four-eght
at each end, and twenty four on a side On the outside
within three hundred yards were Notifications on high
ground overlooking and perfectly commanding us. |
mounting twentyiour twelve pound Napoleon Parrots
We were never permitted TO go outside, except at
times, in small squads 70 gather ire-wood. During
fhe building Of the cook house few who were carpen
tiers. were ordered out to assist
our only shelter from he and rain opd nigh ae,,s
rha; could make by stretching orer rs our coats or
scrdps Of 6loske,s rlio1 o had but yeueralv rle,e
s'as no attempt By day or night prot,e, ourse'res
The ratons consisted of eeLt ounces Of corn Br,a1
(tte cob bang ground vid he kerne and eneray sour
Of condemned pork ogeHscs IN appearance and
sneA Occasionally. about twice a week. two table.
spOonfns Of lice and in place Of the pork the same
amount (two tabespoonfuls Of molasses was given us
about twice month This ration was brought into
camp about four o'clock, p. m and hroun from the
Wagons 10 the ground the being arranged in dvi.
sions Of two hundred and seventy. subdiyided into
squads Of nneties and hires. the 10 con.
The utoIs ration at once rather than any for mo
doy. Tie distribution being often unequal some
would lose the rations altogether. We were allowed
dish or cooking utens Of any kind On opening the
camp in Winter, the first two thousand prisoners
allowed sklets, 10 fifty men. but these were soon
taken away To the best Of my knowledge information