New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-01-20
nFnEL rnIaONEn..

TIE Daily Neus, day or two since, returned
to the charge of cruelty to Rebel prisoners IN
our hands, and challenges M 10 tho proof that
its statement is not true. For is original ale
cation it relied OF tie evidence Of al anony-
nous correspondent; 70 sustain It's rciteration
il brings forward a letter from Rebel ofIccI in
Canada, and another from lady in Cincinnati
who does not sec tit to attest to tie truth of her
statement by writing under her own name. So
far as tho Rebel officer is concerned It is simply
a question whether he lies or not; "a 20 tue
others, until they let the public know who they
arc and how far they are entitled 10 crcdence,
their evidence is 70 evidence at oil. The Rebel
officer, who says be was confined at Johnsons
Island, asserts that the prisoners, not being per-
mittod to purchase food, We're compelled to live
upon such ratons rs tie authorities allowed
them, aud Of these he says:
"Tlcse rptlous consisted 81 a small slce Of bal eis
loaf II bread twice day. uniformly short IN weight
u tie appointed allowance; small piece 81 very poor
beef about three inches square day; BIZ ~ silt
fsh ebOut One-sisth Of lake white hai onc pint oi
rice hofniny 20 every Fix mon once week and 10
veget4b ies whatever. nor any beverage bot water
Such, according 10 his statement, was tho fare
at Johnson's Island, as be knows from his own
experience; and, as lie knows from the testimony
Of Others. n similar state of things exists at the
Rock Island Barracks. Is this t;uel Here is {
copy Of the official Circular sent out from the
Office Of the Commissary- General Of Prisoners
at Washington, in June last, prcscibng the
rations to be issued TO Rebel prisoners:
CmcULAR--I. by auilorit. Of no secretary Of War
the 70 b. issued 10 psonersc wag announce "a
in the circular hon ils 6ilee, dated pail ~, lsci IS
ie e'y modified rs follows. 10 30 ht1 Immediate effect
ga,jgr az pork or BACON Gin lien Of fresh teoO II
o. fresh beef - on -four lT snh bread, u On bard
broad in lieu Of oar or soft bread 10 o. corn meal On
lieu Of -four or soft breads ~ lbs beans or peaa. or
lbs rice or homny lbs. soap, qls vinegar. q lbs
salt 90 100 TGtiOns.
Sngur ard coffee sill DO issued only TO the sick or
wounded, on the recommendation u the surgeon IN
charge al tic ratio Of twelve (2 pounds OF sugar Eve
% pounds of ground a. pounds Of green Coffee
% pound Of tea to to 100 fations tbs part 81
lie ration will be allowed only iOgevcry other day.
IL Tie difference between tho ration rs above esnb-
shed and tho ration allowed BY law 10 soldiers OF the
United States army constitutes tho savings ron
Which is formed the prison fund.
W. HOFFMAN, Col. Third U. s Inf,
Com. Cen o. Prisoners.
W.T. HARIIS0, Asst ADJ Gen.
Il This order obeyedl In the absence Of evil
deneec, We should rather assume that 10 officer
in charge Of yi-oners would venture to disre-
gard it than that anonymous statements
or the statement Of one or ,wo Rebels, whose
interest it is to falsify, are true. But We are
not without evidence. We are assured by nm
officer in the Rock Island Barracks that tlo "a
ton list il followed thore "to tho letter." that
tho quality of the food is the same as that
given to the troops of the garrison; that The
bread and meat issued is Only two ounces less
than that given to those troops who. being on
active duty, require more. while most OF the
prisoners do nothing: that the few who perform
any labor have an extra ration and ten cents a
day; and that the bread used is beked at the
garrison, and Is the same supplied to The tables
Of The officers. DR.. Coolidge, tho Medical In
spcotor. United States Army. has recently VS.