Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1864-09-07
The Federal Prisoners at Macon.

The Buffalo IN. ~ Express says: ut has Just
been our pleasure to give the hand OF welcome and
congratuaton to one whose advent among rejoicing
friends is like "A resurrection from the dead On the
3lst of October last, Capt. r. &. Hubbard, of the
Eightich United States colorcd troops Col. Weber
former rcgment,) II. resident of Water Valley in
this county, caught by prowling band of bush
whackcrs near Baton Rouge, in Louisiana. Nothing
was ever learned of his fate, and he had been
mourned as dead until Tuesday evening last when
he presented himself to his asOnished acquaintance
here, having Just accomplished his escape from a
niae months terrible captivity.
"IIc was first conveyed to Cahawba, Ala, where
he remained in prison five months. Two escapes
which he made during the time were lucklcss. In
the first instance, he was quickly recaught; in the
second, making his way toward Pensacola, one hun
dred and fifty miles distant, he actually reached
within thirty miles of that place when again re-
taken-pursucd by blood-hounds, which are kept
buster nowadays in hunting Union men, deserters
and prisoners, than they used 10 be in the good old
times at 'nigger catching
He was now, in the beginning of May, transfer
red TO Macon, Ga, where all the Union officers in
rebel hands have lately been imprisoned. The
company was large, numbering fourteen hundred
and ffty-iivc when he finally left the place. Some
of them had been sixteen and seventeen months in
confinement, and have lost all hope of again breath
ing free air. Escapes are frequcnt-and often
through the connivance of friendly guards-but
rarely successful; the difficulty of travelling undcec-
ted through the country, and of passing the lines,
being almost insuperablc..
"Thcrlcstituton of clothing among these officers,
Capt Hubbard describes as very sad. The quarters
are as comforlcss as can be- and the food wretchcd
but sufficient for life and they thank God for that
The invarablc daily ration, from end to end of the
year, consists of pint of meal, third Of pound
Of bacon, tablespoonful of rice, and three of
beans
"Far worse is the condition Of the enlisted men
imprisoned at Anderson, near Anericus-infnitcly
worse-terriblc, indeed almost beyond Imagination.
Penncd like CATTLE twcnty-eight thousand together,
within an enclosure partly swamp, in the scklicst
region of the Gulf without the shelter Of even a
tree-nor tent nor shed to screen them from sun or
rain-thc horrors Of their situation might compare
with even those Of the Middle Passage
"During the wet season, an average Of seventy
dead bodies per day were dragged from this human
non hy brutal hands, and carted to the burial of
beasts in one great pit. SO crazcd, and desperate,
and reckless Of life have these poor martyrs of the
Union been made by their intolcrablc suilcrings,
that they kill one another upon the slightest provo
cation and humiciIcs have become 50 frequent that
the ancr class among them have been forced to in
.,ituie regular code Of law within the prison. with
courts for is administration, which try, condemn
and hang.