The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-03-24

worthy of encouragement"
TIE TREA TINENT OF OUR PRL
SONERS At TIE NORTH.
During last summer, crusade was
commenced by the Northern press
against the barbarous treatment" of
their prisoners at the South. A con-
grcssional committee was appointed to
investigate the fact; and, in order to
arouse the Northern people, this COM
mittee had several Of their sick and
emaciated returned prisoners stripped
naked, and photographs taken of them.
These pictures were circulated as speci~
mems Of the appearance Of all the pri-
soners held in the South. The Confede-
rate Congress appointed committee
lately to report 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
civilized warfare. The report of our
committee has been printed, and we copy
from it some extracts:
In exchange, a number of Confede-
rate sick and wounded prisoners have
been, at various times delivered at Rich
mond and at Savannah. The mortality
among these on the passage, and their
condition when delivered, were so deplo-
rable as to justify the charge that they
had been treated with inhuman neglect
by the Northern authorities.
Assistant Surgeon Tinsley testiies:
81 have seen many of our prisoners re,
turned from the North who were nothing
but skin and bones. They were as ema.
ciatcd as a man could be to retain life,
and the photographs depended to Re
port No. ST. would not be exaggerated
representations of our returned prisoners,
to whom thus allude. saw two hundred
and fifty of our sick brought in on lit
tiers from the steamer at Rockets
Thirteen dead bodies were brought off
the steamer the same night. At least
thirty died in enc night after they were
received"
Surgeon Spence testi6es: II was at
Savannah, and saw rather over three
thousand prisoners received. The list
showed that large D,mbcr had died on
the passage from Baltimore to Savannah.
The number sent from the Federal pri~
sons was three thousand and five hun.
dred, and out of that number they
delivered only three thousand and TWEEN
ty. eight, to the best of my recollection.
Captain Hatch can give you the exac.
number. Thus, about four hundred aud
seventy two died on the passage. Twas
told that sixty seven dead bodies had
been taken from one train of cars be-
tween Elmira and Baltimore. After
being received at Savannah, they had the
best attention possible, 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 Fede-
raj prisoners; and their physical condi-
ton compared most favorably with those
we received in exchange, although, of
course, the worst cases among the Con-
federates had been removed by death
during the passage"
Richard H. Dibrell, q merchant of
Richmond, and member of the ambu>
lance committee, whose labors in miti~
eating the snfferings of the wounded
have been acknowledged both by Con.
federate and Northern men, thus tcstilies
concerning our sick and wounded soldiers
1t Savannah, returned from Northern
prisons and hospitals ~ 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 living skeletons. |
Indeed, there was ono poor boy. about |
seventeen years old, who presented the |
most distressing and deplorable appear.
lnce | ever saw. He Was nothing but |
skin and bones, and, besides this. he was
iterally eaton up with vermin. lie died
n the hospital in few days after being
removed thither, notwithstanding tho
kindsst treatment and the use Of tho
most judicious neurishment. OR menf