The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-12-08
REBEL cRUELTIES to PRISONERS.
HORRORS OF ANDERSONVILLE.
Pundering, Starring, Freezing and
Shooting.
Report Of Sanitary Commission.

The Sanitary Commission has pub
lished a Narrative of Privations and
Sufferings of United States Officers and
Soldiers while Prisoners of War in the
Hands Of the Rebel Authorities; being
the report of a Commission of Inquiry
appointed by the United States Sani-
tary Commission; with an Appendix
containing the Testimony" The
Commissioners who took this evidence
were Valentine Mott, M. D., L. L. D.;
Edward Delafeld, NJ. D., President of
the College of the Physicians and Sur
geons of New York; Gouverneur Nor
ris wilkins, Esq, Ellerslie Wallace,
NJ. D., Professor in the Jefferson Med
ical College, Philadelphia; Hon. J. T.
Clark Hare, Judge of the District
Court OF the City and County Of Phil
adelphia; and the Rev. Treadwell
Walden, Rector of st. Clements
Church, of Philadelphia.
The report Of the Commission with
the testimony mako an Svo. volume of
2s2 pages Tho evidence was taken
under oath. We make such selections
from it as we have space for.
ANDERsoNvILLE GEORGIA.
The following is the deposition of
Private Tracy, Company G, S2d New
York Volunteers:
/ am private in the SD New York
Regiment of Volunteers, Company G.
Was captured with about eight hun
dred Federal troops in front of Peters
burg, on the 22d of June, 1864. We
were kept at Petersburg two days, at
Richmond, Belle Isle, three days, then
conveyed by rail to Lynchburg-
Marched seventy-fve miles to Dan
vile, thence by rail to Andersonvillc,
Georgia. At. Petersburg we were
treated fairly, being under the guard
of old soldiers of an Alabama regi-
meht; at Richmond we came under the
authority of the notorious Captain
Turner, and the equally notorious
Home Guard. Our ration was a pint
of beans, four ounces of bread, and
three ounces of meat day. Another
batch of prisoners joining us, we left
Richmond sixteen hundred strong.
All Blankets, haversacks, canteehs,
money, valuables of every kind, extra
clothing, and in some cases the last
shirt and drawers had been taken
from us.
At Lynchburg we wero placed TN
der the Home Guard, offeered by
Major and Captain Moffett. Tho
march to Danville was q weary and
painful one of FIVE days, Under a tor
rid sun, many of US falling helpless by
the way, and soon filing the empty
wagons of our'train. On the first day
wo received little meat, but the sum
Of our rations for the five days
was thirteen crackers. During the
six days by rail to Andersonville, meat
was given us twice, and the daily ra-
tion was four crackers.
On enteringths Stockade Prison, we
found it crowded with twenty eight
thourand Of our fellow-soidiers. By
crowded, l mean that ii was difficult
10 move in any direction without jost-
ling and being jostled. This prison is
an open space, sloping on both sides,
originally seventeen acres, now twen-
ty.five acres, in the shape of "a paral-
telegram, without trees or shelter of
any kind. The soil is sand over a
bottom Of clay. The fence is made Of
upright trunks of trees, about twenty
feet high, near the top of which are
small platforms, where the guards are
stationed. Twenty feet inside and
parallel 10 the fence is . light railing,
forming the "dead line" beyond which