The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-09-22


IN the Weekly, 81 u square.
RGSpeclal notices Is cents a line
CENTRAL KENTUCKY, Sept 3, 1865.
To tie Editor Of the New Yorh; Neus:
Several of your late issues contain
detailed and horrible accounts of the
way Federal prisoners suffered at
Andersonville and other places of in
generation down South I have read
these details with much interest, but
no pleasure, for that mind must be
indeed depraved which delights in the
recital of cruel deeds and s'mans in
humanity to man
was myself prisoner once for
the long period of eighteen months
at Camp Douglas, Chicago, Illinois,
and my experience there very often
made me believe that both of the con-
tending parties, or those, at least,
entrusted with the care of the many
unfortunate in captivity, had lost all
their religion, and the greater part of
their humanity. It is useless to in-
dulge in recrimination: The commits
sion OF one wrong ought not to Justify
another; and no circumstances, how
ever anomalous in character. should
pallia,A ihe. actions OF cruel, tre..cner-
Gus and cowardly natures.
propose to give you few painful
"reminiscences of ''Camp Douglas by
the Lake. and the facts are stated
Just as they are; nothing being cxte-
nuated OF aught set down in malice.
do lot make the narration for the
purpose Of reviving vindictive feet
ings. God forbid! Having passed
through the perils and hardships of
three consecutive campaigns-having
spent one long Arctic night of q year
and a half in duration, within the
narrow limits Of prison wall-and,
most of all, having passed sub
juGum, and come home & disfran-
chised and suspected man, 1 do not
feel bellicose in the least. I only
want to show you that a great many
people assume q refined humanity
entirely foreign to their natures, and
that immaculate characters rarely ever
stand the test Of experience.
Some time during the sultry month
of August, 1868, several thousand
prisoners were transferred from diff
ferent localities to Chicago, and
among the number your correspon-
dent. Col. Charles V. De Land was
then the commandant of the post,
his regiment, the 1st Michigan Sharp
shooters, and a detachment of the
65th Illinois, composed the garrison.
do solemnly affirm that from the
very beginning, the officers and men
of the 1st Michigan adopted and
practiced measures sunwarrantably
harsh. This regiment had from time
to time been recruited to the number
of $500, but the material was so bad,
and desertion so frequent, it then
numbered only 600 It had never
been to the front, nor seen the smoke
of single battle; the members of it.
consequently, knew nothing of the
courtesies of civilized warfare: thew
were equally ignorant of the ameni-
ties.of social life.
Prisoners, says Vattel, ''are not
to be treated harshly, unless person
ally guilty of some crime against him
who has them in power. In this case.
he is at liberty topunish them; other
wise, he should remember that they
are men and unfortunate A man of
exalted soul no longer feels any emo
tions but those of compassion toward
conquered enemy, who has submit
=, ted to his arms. /" Whether Col. De
Land had ever read the Claws of
Nations" 7 have no knowledge; if he
had, and all epauletted gentlemen GER
tainly should, his regime ignored the
existence Of all principles relative to
prisoners Of war.