The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1865-01-20
The Horrors of Andersonville.

A correspondent of the Philad'a Press,
writing from Annapolis, under the date OF
December 8tb, furnished q hong and pain
fully interesting account of the condition
and treatment of the Union soldiers thas
have just boeD released from the South
elm belis. 1t is enough to chill the blood
to read Of these atrocities. After descrik-
ing Annapolis. and referring to tbe commits
sion appointed to release the prisoners, tho
writer Gays tnat .be condition of the prison
ers had been moderated IN any descriptions
yet published. They all testified to having
been used like dogs at ADdersonville. At
Florence they received better treatment st
the hands OF Colonel Iverson, son of Ssna-
tor Iverson8pf Ga The following 10 tho
description of the men as they we're -.
ceived:
All the men were filthy. ragged or naked,
and swarming with vermin. They came to
Gods country with scarce enough strength
to articulate their Joy. Their limbs were
pslsied and stiffeDed with q scUrvy which
marked them every where; their bodies we're
smeared all over with the eycrement of their
diar, Gee, in which they we're compelled to
lie from sheer weak ness; their hair was mat.
ted wit b filth Of the same character; some
with their limbs and bodies, filthy as they
! we're, swollen 10 pucb an enormous tension
/ as 10 buggebL Tue tued VI UuEbttuR W tho Pis-
ying eyes that were bont searchiDely upon
Them Lice of great size swarmed all over
them-ravcnous, torturiDg--liviDg in bur-
rows in the flesh, honey combipg all oves
with their dwelling places. They were 81
. most tho bulk and shape of grains OF whent
Their bites keeB--,beir combined attack
excrutiating. Others were, in addition q
these ills, afflicted with ground sores.' Tbei
bones piei ceG their tightly. drawn t1esh. re
duced by starvation; and at the hips, shoul
. der blades and other projecting psrts o
the body, these sores we're formed and pee
pied With bideous. slimy maegots, whose ev
: cry motion was untold sgony to the uDbop
py sufferer. Who had neither the means, no
the strength. nor perhaps. ~ tho etupor o
suffering, the will TO remove them. Thes>
we're but few of ihese, however; though, ei
the soldiers said on their ostbs. socb sighti
we're quite common at Anderson. But the
poor victims died off too last for any large
number TO accumulate at one time. They
might be seen at all points, gssping uDdeI
their horrible pains. the maggots disporiiBg,
eating. piercing, Dearer, nearer every day,
to the vitals. In some ipsta nces. they made
lines Of communication between one sore
and another. by eating little copdh,ts under
The skin! Through these ways they trav-
eled in lines, the living arcade over them
heaving up and down as they moved. No
care was taken of these martyrs; no medi-
cine given; no facilities for even very linn.
tied attempt at cleanliness; and they died
by scores, to be buried like brutes, in great
heaps in unmarked graves. But We ~ll not
continue this reference TO life a. Anderson
vile. Our friends OF the commission will
soon present these facts and Others far more
horrible in o detailed way, and we will con.
fine ourselves simply to what might be seen
at The Naval Hospital sbsrf, ION the Severn
river. The terrible cdses of sufferipe-tbose
at which humanity would sbudder to its IN
most soh!-had been hidden BY the sod =
Only those were seen that bad not reached
the point where death benevolently took
| the sufferer home. What the character of
those cases vas We have just shown Con-
! ceruing those who died like dogs, and found
graves in Georgia. the reader may indulge
in the widest conjecture. We assure him
that be will find that he has scarcely imag-
ined the truth.