Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-12-07
THE PRISONERS IN GEORGIA.


Venus Point, on the Savannah river, and
near the city Of that name. Correspon-
dents who relate the childish and devouriI &
joy of the returned captives, declare that
no words can be found TO describe their re-
voting and incredible experiences and help
less condition. The rebel authorities have
induced many Of them to believe that they
have been abandoned by this Government,
aud that the Northern people are dead to
woes Such a thought is only natural to
suffering 50 forlorn as that endured at An
dersonyllle, and measures the misery to
which rebel treatment has reduced our sol
diers, We transcribe painful picture
At the prison-p pen near Milan Georgia,
Tor some weeks there has been no meal or
-four given to the prisoners, and the sweet
potatoes issued IN lieu thereof have been
eaten raw because there was no opportuni-
ty OF getting fuel for cooking purposes.
Such Is the condition of the men whom we
are now receiving out Of chivalrous Dixie.
These are sons. brothers, husbands, and
fathers OF the North. Men reduced 70 liv-
ng skeletons men almost naked shoeless
men, shirtless men, hatle,s men men with
whose skins are biackened by dirt. and hangon
their protruding bones loosely, like bark on
a tree; men whose very presence is simply
disgusting, eXhailng an od0r so tetId that 1t
Il. most stops the breath of those Unaccus
toned TO 1t, aud causes an involuntary brush
ing Of the ru!ents if with them there Is
accidental con act. Imagine %, ZOO Of
such wretched creatures penned together in
a space scarcely large enough TO hold them,
and compare their condition with the most
miserable condition that can be imagined.
The suffering OF the Revolutionary captives
OH the prison-ships at Wallabout Bay will
not stand the comparison, and the horrible
night in the Black Hole of Calcutta scarcely
exceeds it In atrocity. Remember, too,
that the men thus returned are the best
specimens Of the suffering. Only those are
forwarded to us whom the rebel midical au-
thorities decide to be strong enough TO bear
the fatigue OF transportation. 1t those
whose wretchedness | have vainly endeavor-
ed to portray are the best specimens of our
sick and wounded, is it not awful TO contem-
plate what must be the woe OF the remain
der?"
H0N arc the remaining prisoners to en-
dure the winter. under the AnlersooFille
regimen, the prime conditions of which are
an absence OF food and fuel douby needed in
the winter? The regular treatment in the
Georgia prison-pen may be briefly describ-
ed as the worst that can be imagined posi-
bic. Clear and authentic proof sweeps a
way every vestige of doubt as TO the delib-
crate criminality OF the rebel Government
The f rmal complaints of the rebel surgeons
themselves, the diaries, aud other testimo-
ny OF the prisoners, are a mass Of terrible
evidence Surgeon MUDD writes:
'ANDERsONvn.LE Aug 10, lS64.-Sir
As Officer OF the Day, | regret TO report
this division in bad condition The patients
are suffering very much for want Of beds
and bedding Some of the wards have no
hunks, and thereby suffer much from be
ing on the damp ground, which is not sufii
cientiy protected by bitches around the tents.
The food is badly prepared The bread is
baked f'meal, without being sitted, and the
meat is not cooked properly.
Assistant Surgeon PATTERSON reports
for another division as follows:
''On visiting the dead house, find great
negligence in lnterring the dead, some OF the
bodies having lain as many as four days.
Such continued negligence must certainly
create an epidemic. and measures should be
taken for an Immediate remedy -
Q. W. HOWELL, surgeon of another di-
vision, recommends
As there are many inmates of the pris-
on too sick and feeble to get through the
crowd and report at sic cali, and as many
die from--when jammed In such crowd, |
recommend that it be made the duty OF each
medical officer on duty at the stockade to
visit such cases IN his quarters, and make
necessary prescriptions for such members Of
his detachment.
There is tiresome repetition in these of
fetal documents of all shapes of prison-house
suffering. Surgeon THoRNBURG gives a
larger view of destitution:
I'm the first. second, and third wards we
have no hunks, the patients being compel
led to lie. on the ground, many OF them with
out blankets, and some of them without
clothes If there are any bedsacks in Dix
lie it is to be hoped that they viii be pro
cured also We need straw very badly. es
pecially for the fifth ward. We have men
In this ward who are living, moving mass
of putritication, and cannot possibly be cured
of their wounds unless we can make them
more comfortable | believe that the med
ical officers are doing their daty faithfully;
also the nurses and attendants. But we ex-
perience great difficulty in procuring the
medicines prescribed, and as we have to use
mostly Indigenous remedies, We cannot use
them properly, not having vessels to pre-
pare them in. Could you not procure a
camp kettle for each ward, TO be used for
that purpose only? | would also respect
fully ask for a half dozen washbasins for the
fifth ward, for washing purposes; the ones
we have been using for dressing wounds and
uloers ars not fit for other USES We siso