The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-04-04
THE TREATMENT Of OUR PRISON
ERS AT THE NORTH

treatment OF their prisoners at the South. A
congressional committee was appointed to investi
gate the fact; and in order to arouse the Northern
people, this committee had several of their sick
and emaciated returned prisoners stripped naked
and photographs taken of them. These pictures
were circulated as specimens of the appearance of
all the prisoners held in the South. The Confed-
crate Congress appointed committee lately to re-
port upon the condition and treatment of prisoners
of war held by both Governments, and also upon
the violations, by the enemy of the rules of civil
lied warfare. The report of our committee has
been printed, and We copy from it some extracts
'In exchange, number of Confederate sick and
wounded prisoners have been, at various times, de-
| llvered at Richmond and at Savannah. The NOR
tallty among these on the passage, and their con-
dition when delivered, were so deplorabe as to
justify the charge that they had been treated with
lnhuman neglect by the Northern authorities
Assistant Surgeon Tinsley testi6es 81 have
seen many of our prisoners returned from the
North who were nothing but skin and bones.
They were as emaclated as a man could be to re-
tain life, and the photographs (appended to Gre
port No. 67, } would not be exaggerated represen-
tations OF our returned prisoners, to whom [ thus
allude. [ saw two hundred and fifty of our sick
brought in on ltters from the steamer al Rock
etts. Thirteen dead bodies were brought off the
steamer the same night. At least thirty died in
one night after they were received.1
Surgeon Spence testifes: Il was at Savannah,
and saw rather three thousand prisoners re-
ceived. The list showed that large number bad
died on the passage from Baltimore to Savannah.
The number sent from the Federal pri sons was
three thousand and five hundred, and out of that
number they delivered only three thousand and
twenty-eight, to the best of my recollection
Captain Hatch can give you the exact number
Thus, about four hundred and seventytwo died
on the passage. was told that sixty dead
bodies had been taken from one train of cars be-
tween Elmira anG Baltimore. After being receiv-
ed at Savannah, they had the best attention posi-
BILE, yet many died in few days "-"In carrying
out the exchange of disabled, sick and wounded
men, We delivered at Savannah and Charleston
about eleven thousand Federal prisoners; and their
physical condition compared most favorabiy with
those we received in exchange, although, of
course, the worst among the Confederates
had been removed by death during the passage"
Richard Ii. Dibrell, merchant of Richmond
and member of the ambulance committee, whose
abors in mitigating the sufferings of the wounded
have been acknowledged both by Confederate and
Northern men, thus testifes, concerning sick
and wounded soldiers at Savannah, returned from
Northern prisons and hospitals: Il have never
seen set Of men in worse condition. They were
so enfeebled and emaciated that we lifted them
like little children. Many of them were like liv-
ing skeletons Indeed, there was one poor boy,
about seventeen years old, who presented the most
distressing and deplorable appearance l ever saw.
He was nothing but skin and bones, and, besides
this, he was literally eaten up with vermin. He
died in the hospital in few days after being re-
moved thither, Notwithstanding the kindest treat
ment and the use of the most judicious nourish-
ment. Our men were in reduced condition
that on more than one trip up the short passage
of ten miles from the transports to the city many
as five died The clothing of the privates in
wretched state of tattcrs and filth "-"The NOR
tality on the passage from Maryland was very
great, we'll that on the passage from the pri-
sons to the port from which they started can
rot state the exact number, but think | heard
that three Thousand FIVE hundred were started and
we only received about three thousand and twen-
ty.seyen."
The Rations giren to Federal Prisoners-The
evidence proves that the rations furnished to prs
oners of war in Richmond and on Belle Isle have
been nerer less than those furnished to the Con-
federate soldiers who guarded them, and have, at
some seasons, been larger in quantity and better
in quality than those furnished to Confederate
troops in the field. This has been because, until
February, 1864, the Quarteramser's Department
furnished the prisoners, and often had provisions
or funds, when the Commissary Department was
not so we'll provided Once, and only once, for
few weeks, the prisoners were without meat; but
larger quantity of bread and vegetable food was,
in consequence, supplied to them. How often the
gallant men composing the Confederate army have
been without meat, for even longer intervals, your
committee do not deem it necessary to say. Not
less than sixteen ounces of bread and four ounces
of bacon, or six ounces of beef together with
beans and soup, have been furnished per day TO
the prisoners During most of the time, the guam
tity of meat furnished to them has been greater
than these amounts and, even in the times of the
greatest scarcity they have received as much
the Southern soldiers who guarded them. The
scarcity of meat and of breadstuffs in the South,
in certain places, has been the result of the savage
policy of our enemies in burning barns filled with
wheat or corn, destroying agricultural Implements
and driving OF wontonly butehering hogs and
cattle. Yet, amiG all these privations, we have
given to their prisoners the rations above mention
ed 1t is we'll known that this quantity of food is
sufficient to keep in health mau who does not la
Dor hard.
Falsehoods Published as to Prisoners Freezing
on Belle Isle.-The statements Of the "santary
commission" as to prisoners freezing to death on
Belle Isle are absurdly false. According to that
statement, it was common, during cold spell In
winter, to see several prisoners frozen to death
every morning in the places in which they bad
slept This picture, if correct, might well excite
our horror; but unhapply for its sensational power,
it is bat clumsy daub, founded on the fancy OF
the painter. The facts are, that tents were fur
nished sufficient to shelter all the prisoners; that
the Confederate commandant and soldiers on tho