The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1864-12-06
Our Pr aaer in C orgia.

Tfno lhe Acs &@k I.tfaiaF Siresa
Seteesn, D aieI 6nHbaa,of jhe Oae
IIandfad am Tbiy ysecn4 regiment
New York Siac Volunteers, arrived
~ this city 81 board the steamer Fol.
.ion, 90 FRIDAY lass, from Hilton llea.
having escaped from Chad Sion. Sosyb
Carolina, where d. was Coutirud as
prisoner ot war Il story 81 aiken.
lure aud Imprisonment IS oue of TIE
saddeI tales dafius The prrscai war.
After Sergeant Gr,bbos Nas captured
he Was taken 20 knIon. n e from
here 10 Richmond, and thence 10 Belle
I Isle. AZ The later place he was de-
/ tanned from the 9th u February 30 the
25ih Of March About nine thousand
Union prisoners were confined ai This
locality. \ picture Of ofstarHalion,deAlh
and disease was here Exhibited, such
rs he heart sickrns Is contemplate.
The average deaths were iiHy each
day, and nearly all these were brought
on by actual starvation. The unior-
tauate soldiers booked more like skele~
tons than human bpmgs. Hundreds
we're unable 60 walk, aud those lay
hnddlei togethcria groups .unlil vel
come death came and sna(cled them
from their horrible sutlefings. A case
was known where seven dead men lay
thus openly exposed for eight days
without burial.
Another case was known where n
hungry soldier being provided with
beans, having had no nourishnent for
three days, swallowed the food raven
ously bul his stomach was too weak
10 bold anything, and the beans were
up on the ground Another poor Tel
low, who was also dying from starva-
ton, eat those very same beans and
enjoyed them as delicious morsel.-
A dog came in the lines one day and
was instantly killed and deyoured -
| Shooting at the prisoners by lhe rebel
guard was also frequent occurrence,
| fn one instance two soldiers were in.
stantly killed. On the 25th of March,
our informant was taken from Belle
Island 10 Richmond. and there impris-
oned IN tile Pemberton building. Am
putaion was performed indiscrimi.
nately, whether it became necessary
or not Mon were allowed 10 dle Of
hemmorrhage, when little eXeriion
on the part Of the attending physicians
would save their lives. Several were
known TO bleed to death at night be-
cause DR.. Gibbs did not feel Ike get.
ting out Of bed. This man had a per-
feet mania for ampuiating limbs. lie
would scarcely allow soldier TO 90
from the hospital without he left be-
hind him part Of his body. A num-
ber died under tsese brulual aud nj
all Tunes clumsy operations.
Sergeant Gribbon leii Richmond on
the l4th OF July and was next sent on
the route TO Andersonyille, Georgia.
While on the tratn between these two
poinis he Jumped off and succeeded in
travelling TO within eighteen miles Of
the Union lines, when he was recap
tured. Andersonyile was the next
place reached. Here thirly.fye thous-
and Union soldiers were kept in large
area Of ground, known as the "Stock-
adj" The deaths averaged one han-
dred ard twenty per day, The dis
eases were seurvy, diarrh@a, and, Of
course, actual starvation. Out Of six
ly-seven men captured with Sergeant
Gribbon, only six were living when
he left /; two Of these we're unable 10
walk. Their food was common meal,
with bad water. A line was drawn
around the stockade, denominated the
dead line" Any prisoner crossing
this point in any attempt 10 escape,
was Immediately shot dead. The rob-
I elguard did not observe the rule strict
", rs numbers were know to be shot
dead, although they did not approach
within ten yards Of this line. Two
or three were thus picked of daily,
and their dead bodies allowed TO re-
main for some days without burial
Mems teeth, gums and even Tongues
were known TO have fallen out from
the results of the disease. Their
weakness became 50 excessive that on
STOPPING Tor any purpose they Tell
headl0ng 10 the ground, some Of them
never 10 rise again. Ga the 1t Of
September, Sergeant Gribbon was ta-
ken from Anderson,ille TO Charleston.
Six thousand prisoners were brought
along al The same time. They were
al conducted 10 The Washington race
course, where they remained. four
weeks. 10 the citizens Of Charltsto
these prisoners were much indebted
as they did all in their power 70 allie.
yiatc their salFering-. Tie Sislers d
Mercy were particularly kind, and
brought Numerous articles q BE- dis
tribnied among the prisoners. Irish
ard German ladies'. residents Of Char
iesion, also yi.iied them, bringing
clothing and food.
)
II Is said that the rose II Florida,
tie most beauhfal Of flowers, etniis d