The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1865-08-16

.n lis worst forms I thought that I could
nerve myself 10 witness mortal agony and
nretchelncss and testuuti0n. as / had
heard it described. without b,auchng or
trembling. But II the condensed horrors
iahundrel "uiack holes had been brought
before my mind 10 prepare ME Tor the or
el- iheg would have failed d realise the
facts as 4 saw them face % face
cannot. % daily paper read hy inno-
cence AMI virtue. detail what met my sight
on the occasion referred o.. Iwlilult poliute
ANY page. save tAe records oi The courts
hat mus. ,r, The cu.pr.t for The crime Of
torture oy disease ADd ilth. with the details
~ thar carayan-ary OF horrible. intentional
Slaughter. For fear that some NAV think
have exaggerated. AN episode here will. per
haps, dlspe. such an Illusion. Convicted hy
tie horrible fact that was q stencil in his no,-
,rlls. Gen. Nlnder. the Commis ssarv-Cener-
d. Of Prisons bnt having his headquarters
At AndcrsouyiIe. was forced hy decencv
not humanity. for this he himself asserted.
L ask the aii OF the Presiding Elder OF .he
Methodist Church OF that circuit 10 adont
SOME means 10 alleviate the miseries and
-ooth Tue wrctcheIues- Of the poor inmates
OF that Anlers0nFlllc hospital This gen
lym1l invoked me cooperation OF Ile wo-
men of sumter county. who responded with
clothing aul neccssar.cs OulN. for these
alone are allowed 20 the amount Of four
wagon loads pom the day appointed.
iolg ladies. accompanied hy their husbands
went 90 The prison and sought from the
frovost-Marshal a pass. 10 take their ben
cLiclons 10 The sick prisoners. Ii Was re-
fused With a curse The party proceeded
10 Nndcr headquarters. where uenr,
Vert Was 10 company with the General -
The demand for pass was repeated. In
lersiand. The ladies' were present. and the
reasons given why the party were there. M
accordance With Nnders special request
To their a>tonlshment, they We're met with
ms reply. Cd d-n you, have you all
-.li turned Yankees here 30
" No, General, responded the spokesman
0i The party. " am not. As You know. nor
are any here present; SIC have come. As
you requested us through Rev. Mr.. u to
bring necessary articles to The Federal hos
pital, and ask pass for the purtOse of de-
lyeriug them.
" Is in Ae. never gave permiss-
ion for anything OF the kind Be od with
yOu all oi You ,'
And rs 1t this fearless display ofmartial val
or aud -cntlcmauiy bearing, vys.s not .ain-
cient, Henry NertZ essayed 10 and did
eclipse his General in profanity and indie
cency-ani here assert that II the lowest
sinks OF the most abandoned parts Of your
cl-y were CLEANED, they could not surpass
The r.oald yulgarity aud finished profanity
oi this Jailor. exhibited in the presence OF
refined and "loyal" ladies'
Shocked, terrified beaten 10 the very
dust with modification, the party retired
and i0ued ~ Their effort 10 succOr the sick
or alleviate the tortures OF the dying Union
soldier they gave their loads OF clothing 10
"a passing column OF Federal prisoners on
their way TO another place Mlllen. They had
al Least Tie satisfaction OF knowing that
some were benefited, even II they had failed
IN their efforts for those who most needed
their assistance.
During the last winter which was unu-
sually cold Tor Georgia. when the ice made
AN inch thlck-nO shelter, no blankets OF
cloths. no wood was provided for the
wretched inmates OF that PRISON. Sqnads
were permitted, 10 the number Of thirty, 10
20 out under guard daily, for one hour.
without axes or any cutting tool. 70 gather
I the roiusc und rottOn wood I'M th., forests
and II they Outstlid their time. they were
tried by the drum-bead cOurt-martial. char
gel with violating their paroi, and If found
guilty. were hung ! myself saw three
bodies hanging who were thus executed
/ Poor fellows | thought. God has taken pits
upon You aud given You deliverance from
your cruel jaiior. When YOU ami he meet
40 another Judgement-seat. woe 10 TO him j
his authority be found insufficient for thi
taking OF Your lives. wretcheI though they
be.
Ny house was the resort, or should say
refuge, for most OF the prisoners who mad,
their escape from the stOckade aud III,
tales Oi starvation ami distress which the'
told would have melted an iron heart.
must close ny hurried account OF what
had seen. Il is far from fall: not one ha.
las been told, by far the most has bee,
kept back from very shame, and in resnec
90 your readers. j have not embeilishe
The pictures were too rough. the charac
ters too i0rlOrn Tor the flowers II rhetoric q
bloom ID their presence. Broken hearts
crushed spirits ana manhood trampled on
may answer a. lifting subjects for the 70
mlncer's pen. but the horrible reality 2
seldom seen. burns us images upon the bo
holders soul, that no other impression ca
eIace, and G c remain life pictures indeed
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