New-York daily tribune., 1865-09-25
order of the Government in respect to food and
clothing for prisoners:

OTuer Ol tnc uoFcIuHlcHt III IcHpcCt W ioou ohu
clothing for prisoners:
1.-The ration was to be generous and abundant its
elements of the fullest variety. The amount issued
being greater than man could consume, the excess
that which was given was to to the formation
of prison fund.- which was to DO applied in various
ways (nOt expressly provided for in the army Iegula
tons) that would promote the health and comfort OF
the prisoners.
Army clothing was to be furnished by requsition.
whenever needed the only difference being that the
buttons and trimmings to be taken from the coats
and the skirts cut short that the captves should not
be mistaken for United States soldiers"
The care of the sick in hospital was scrupu-
lously provided for:
"The hospital had its separate provisions. The
keepers In charge to be responsible to the CON-
manding officer for its good order and the proper treat
msH Of the SICK" fund for each hospital was to oe
created in other United States Hospitals and to DO
expended for the comfort OF the SICK and objects indls
penseby necessary to promote the sanitary condition OF
the hospital"
Minute pains were taken to secure the private
property of prisoners, and to allow them inter-
course with their friends:
"Cnrefn accounts were to be kept Of the money and
valuabes taken from each prisoner which accounts
were accompany him il transferred rom one post 10
another and when parpled. the articles were 10 oe
returned They were to DO permitted to correspond
with their friends All articles that were sent to them
were to be DO delivered, II not contraband."
Such were the directions of the Government
as set forth in the circular orders OF Col. Hoh'
man, Commssary- General Of prisoners. Were
they obeyedl The Commissioners declare they
"are able to testify that the orderis fully earr'ed
out. They took pains not only to procure evi-
dence as to the fact, but to see for themselves.
They visited Unexpectedly, the Lincoln hospltai
lar hundred
Rebels, wounded in recent battles, and this Is
the picture that presented itself to them:
"The wards were airy and neat free from offensive
odo the beds clean that the visitors sat upon the
willie taking the testimony. The men themselves were
cheerful and good natured. the more slightly wouhdeu
crowding up curously to know what was gong on
until requested TO retire Some we're sitting by the
beds reading novels odd numbers OF periodicals. no"
and then bible. They were always ready to converse
and answered the questions that were put 10 them
without hesitation. , 49,.
wards from the twenty or more others III the same
hospital that were appropriated to the ontea olte
soldiers The patients were mostly N cicaa. -;
buiteInut colored Uniform here and there. nothing
would have suggested the presence Of an enemy.
1.-The wounds were being tenderly unbandaged ana
dressed by the surgeons and their assistants Kindness
and attention were visible everywhere Female nurses
and white hooded Sister Of Charity were constantly
moving from bed to bed One OF them was seen carry
the glass TO the lips Of the more helpless"
Two members of the Commission afteward
visited Fort Delaware. That prison contained
between eight and nine thousand Rebels, who
were lodged in well-built and well-ventlated
barracks. with free access to the yards for air
and exercise. The facilities for cleanliness
were so great that each man might wash all
over every day and swim in tho Delaware River
twice week. Each man had separate bunk
with comfortable and clean bedding. The men
were mostly out Of doors, bathing, playing
cards, washing, &C., &C., and appeared, IN gem
eral, contented and cheerful. Thirty thousand
gallons Of drinking water were brought every
day from the Brandywine for the prisoners.
The bread was made Of four parts flour, one OF
Indian meal "sweet and palatable, better in
deed than is met with at hotels-qute as
good as may be found i'll any well-or-
dered family. The meat was sweet and
of good quality. The diet is judciously
varied, potatoes and other vegetables being
furnished in large quantities. The rations
actually received by the prisoners until the Ist
Of June, 1884, were nearly three pounds of solid
food for each man per day, beside coffee sugar
molasses, &c" After that date the ration was
reduced to about 3i1 ounces, "ior the purpose, y
as Gen. Meigs says, "of bringing it nearer to
what the Rebel authorities propose to allow
their soldiers, and no complaint has boen heard
of its insuficiency." Blankets, coats, &C.,
were issued in great numbers to all prisoners who
required them. The deaths, it is stated, were
at first numerous, but steadily decreased under
the influence Of good food and kind treatment
until i'll May, 1864, but sixty-two died out Of
{. .I26 confined at the island.
We need not suggest the contrast between
this and the testimony we have been printing for
weeks in the Wirz case. Readers will make
their own contrasts. The evidence, however
is not exhausted with Fort Delaware. Some
other iay, we will tell the story of Johnson's
Island, and how the Rebel prisoners Jared in
that prison.
THE NR(.ROES IN NORTH CARO-.