Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1865-08-16
THE REBEL GOLG0THA.

Torture cf Our .Soldiers--7erribte
Facts Brought to Light. q
The New York Post of Thdfsday pub
!ishes letter upon the manner in which
our soldiers, prisoners at Andersonville
we're tortured. We presume its author
is Ambrose Spencer, formerly Of Nee
York, but for many years resident 0.
Andersonville, who has voluntarily come
North to testify in the case OF Captain
Henry Wirz, who is soon to be tried cor
his iuhuman treatment of our soldiers
while keeper Of the prison az The latter
place. ~ atl ige
The ptiaon is stocksde Of about eigh.
teen feet high. the posts being sunk five
feet; j. originally contained eighteen,
but was afterwards enlarged to twenty.
ssvsn acres, situated on hill side at the
foot Of which flows brook Eve feet vide
and as many inches deep. The position
was selected by Capt. Wiuder, son Of Gen.
John II. Winder, in the latter part Of
1858. When it was suggested to him to
leave the trees standing as = shade for the
prisoItts, he replied: "Tha. vas just
what he vas not guing to do; he wac
going to make pen for the d---d Van.
KEGS, where they could rot faster thaa
they could be sent here" cr.as
Col. Parsous was first commaudant cf
the post, but was soon succeeded by Gen.
Windsr, with his son as Adjutant, his
rephev as Conmis,ary and Sutler, and
Henry Wir. in Immediate command Of
the prisoners. .. .
When prisoners we're first received it
was usual to subject them to search for
money, valuables, etc, which ostonsibly
we're to be restored when they we're re-
leased froia captivity, bu. which IN reality
vent into the pockets Of those who con.
trolled the prison. Notwithstanding q
law Of the Confederacy expressly prohib-
ted tine dealing in "greenbacks,' yet the
initiated, few whose "loyalty" Was en-.
questioned, could always obtsit for a cot.
.iderativn tie gre6Hbaeks rhich they re-
quired .....
The writer Of this was the foreniau Of
the las. grand jury which was empaneled
for Sumter county, Ga, and in the per.
formance Of his duty he had to investi-
gate large number Of prescntments for
dealing in the forbidden currency. which
we're brought against poor union men in
every instance. Struck by this fact, he
resolved TO examine, as his position gave
HIN a righ. to do, into all the circum.
stances; where the money originally came
from, who did the selling Of it-indeed,
the whole hoaus operandi-and he elicit.
ed The fact above stated, how the money
was obtained that Winders and yTir.
we're TIE principals, acting through sub
ordiuates, in gathering bushels of plunls,
in the way of premiums, &c Meanwhile,
the poor prisoners we're left to the tender
mercies of their jailor and com:aissary
for their food, which might have been
improved in quantity at least, if their mon
ey had been left in their own possession.
At first it was customary 20 seno a wag-
on into tie stockada every morning at ten
o CLOCK, loaded with the ra:ions Tor the
day-bacon and corn bread, nothing else
but as the number Of prisoners increased
and the greed of gain grew upon the tito
above mentioned, the corn Gread was re.
duced in its quality, Being then utannfac-
tured of equal proportion of ground field
peas and corn, unbolted, unsitted, un-
clcaused indeed, from the dirt and trash
which peas naturally accumulate: and at
last, when the number Of prisoners in.
creased to over thirty-sereu Thousand, the
meat rstiors FER week were reduced to a
piece of bacon for each man about three
inches lors and two wide, With one booze
Of the b.ead above described per day
Then, also, the custom Of carrying the
prisoners food into the stockade in wag-
ong was abolished. They drove up to the
gates, which we're slightly opened, and
lie scarty food, fcul and unhealthy as it
was, was thrown inside by the guard to
be scrambled for by the wretched ptis-
or.rs, the strongest and those nearest the
gate getting the largest share, the weak
and sickly getting tone.
I have mentioned the shall brook
which runs through the lower part Of tho
,tockade, and which supplied the water
Scr drinking and washing. This brook
has iss riss IN q swamp not far from the
prison, aud at no timo, cor tsintly not for
4 lenofhened period. WAS the water g,lita