Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-01-12
. eraowne,wth the nlIlk Of human BLINDNESS, . dc.


MANNED thirty days at this point, during which Tins
was on my parole OF honor, and my wounded re
ceiyed every kindness from Colonel LiebOld and hi
command, 2d Missouri Cavalry, reported myself al
headquarters, aud expressed the desire that should
be at once transferred 10 the Confederate lines
which were az the time but few miles distant but
instead was informed that l would have to eptel
Dixie, ." by the way OF City Point, assuring mt,
however, that, during my transit tgough the North
ern etateS t,y delay, il any, would be but rihing,
as they did not consider surgeons prisoners OF war.
Un reaching Nashville, once my home, | was
forthwith conducted to- aud imprisoned in, the peni-
tentiary where being visited 10y my sister, was
allowed to look at Der through my iron-barred win
dow, but was forbidden the privilege of Speaking
single word with her, even in the presence of
1 Federal officer.
| From thence, with ouly six hours delay in tie
/ Louisville prison, was taken direct to Camp Chase,
and put in the officers pen, where found $50 men,
| about - of whOhrwere political prisoners, the re-
/ mainder Confederate Oihcers. Among the former
class may mention the names flour most venerable
| aud aged gentlemen Judge Nandyke, OF East Tenn;
/ Judge Sharp, OF Va; Judge HuddleStou, OF Ala,
and the Rev. Mr.. DNal, Of NY, Methodist preach-
en- nearly 10 years Of age whose only charge Is that
he refused To take the oath of allegiance IL the L. y
/ government. This last named sentltmaui whose
health is quite feeble has been III Camp Chase pri-
/ son more than l6 months. Among the officers, ali
OF whom are exceedingly anxious that their exchange
i DC effected beg leave 10 mention the name OF
worthy officer and most excellent christian gentle
| maH-thG Rev. Captain Richard Phillips, of Staun-
/ ton.
That one may feel satisfied that there is nothing
very cele stal about Camp Chase he,4 will endne-
1 rate few incidents ttat came under my obseIya-
ton. The reader will please bear m mind that the
| "oficerS' pen' cacloscs an area of less than one
acre and that within this compiss We took our
erCise aud did our washing and cooking, and beside
this what was not only offensive but proved TO be
pcstilential that the entire eXcTeheHt OF the
prison was contained within this space. During the
"A days remained we were not allowed light one
single night, nor had We issued TO us one ounce OF
bacon or lard anu although, general thing the
bread and meat in quality was good enough in guam
rity il was diStrcSSugly small and did not with the
spoonful of rice or EOmiHy In addition, suffice 70 al:
lay the p2Ggs Of hunger, aid when, as oc-
casiOnaly happened the meat rJtOnS con-
, sisted OF rotten pickerel, there was real suffer-
ing aud we reSOrted 10 the rats with which the priS
| on aG0unded and ate them with relish, yet not as
u matter of choice, but from necessity. We were
allowed TO purchase nothing whatever in the eating
line from the suler and | have known 1t. SaGky,
Provost Marshall otthe prison-who, by way ofdigres
sion, pronounce 10 be the very perSCpiicatiOn of
tvrauny and the embodiment 0fmeannesS-onc whose
vindietiye bearing and despotc rule are only equal
| cd b. hrs frauds deception and stupidity repeat
nave known applications to this fnCiOGaTy for tie
privilege OF buying u little pepper or mustard re-
fused and have known as mu.h Us -. 80 IN United
States currency offered from one prisoner TO another
tor single penny LOAF 81 bread. McWcre each iur
ulSued blanket, which served the purpose oFg
both bed aud covering. Although application wdsH
made to the authorities at Washington for the phi
yIege Of purchasing daily, or even occasionally, any
paper they might designate, the request was de-
MED u; and during my sOOurn Of forty -four days we
were kept IN UtICr ignorance OF the current events
the day except % we received light through priS
onCrs VINO were every few days arriving, or heard
announced from the parapet the i3ct that the Con
federaCy ''had gone up
Among tlse prisoners were several cergymen and
number professors Gf Christianity, VINO nightly
engaged il religious exercises. These, wishing to
celebrate the lords Supper made application for
the liberty ofbHyng the elements necessary for the
performance OF this sacred duty, and TO the Chris
tian believer distinguished and highly esteemed pr-
viiCge; vet this simple request addressed to IN Of
fciain the employ Of that boosted Christian people
the 'best GoyeTnGent the world ever saw y was dc
pied.
Colonel Richardson. commanding the post, eXhb-
lied biandnes, . plggncr, -Gud affected kindly feel
ing Tor as tuI at hears ~ had reason to believe felt
no concern tor our welfare, csincsd by his
refusal, when addressed upon the subject, 10 adaFt
immediate hRgcnIc measures, the neglect of which
scye Tise 10 several eases OF smallpox IN the officers
prison, 10 ssy nothing of the many cNrS that occur
Ted aINhg TIE 81 - ShoH>ant five hundred and
tairtyslx sOILerS the Piiv2IeS pen beside TIN,
and whaI y NOT OUiy highly censurablc, but NEST
fdaiinuby OutrdgeutS our soldiers have been re
Ucatedy lTea upon, tLeir limbs broken aud in seve-
raj Instances kilIet Hr violation OF the simplest
Prison gales tue existence OF which, at least ON one
OCCASION had AGA been sgEpppred 60 tue prisoners
'RgOn thls prison, alter spending l-1 nights IN the
CJiuUnbU> 'bhio. aud Philadelphia harfack- Ia CON
pduy Ih hr"e body Of Federal prisoners, COM
posed 90 byUnty Jumpers, muJtto, uegr" and an
IeS te,erttgs, penitcuiary cOVvlCts, inl-brds aud
lUnaticN PAS ;akeg 20 Tort Delaware, where
was confined Tor thIgt. -tsV GT;S Here ! found
eleven hundred and nifty officers Jnd upwards Of SIS
thousand priyatos; aud although the fare was most
luisersby poor and the regulations rigid the grounds
are cgp0ciJUS, aud the prisoner has some adydu.
.tages such reading the daily papers, lights al
night ana the privilege OF writing a. many letters
Gen r. Shoopf commanding at Fort Delaware, is
considered by che prisoners u being huiHSnely dis
posed and inclined O. meliorate their condition 81
tar a. iA his power teS Our OihCeSS anu soldiers
.hAe as az Camp Chase are exceedingly anxious to he
released from pTISoR-lle, Yet are unwilling TO en-
barraSs tis CQn.sdSrl's GovsrHment by their mur-
mur!ngS or Suggestions, duI NOlI uDI h2Yr u
PROMISE angle principle. Yet say, Tor Gods
sake au0 huudhit, SAKE our GOvelniHont should.
il possible. CUect exchange Of tbs thousands OF
hafstayed' hali-naked, brave Confederate soldiers
who are now suffering and diving IN Northern prisons.
PROM Fort Delaware was transferred 10 Fortress
Monroe, where spent thirty days. and here for
ths igsl time during my Imprisonment was treated
- cOidaitant and As the spirit and letter of
the Cartel Directs. w iaN 80 v0Hfteons and gentle
man like, although rigid in exercising constant
Vigilance oyeT that We might not escape, was the
bee sag OF Captain j. A. Blake aud J.icutenant
AarlHtfyGli the 'tESty-hve surgeons, two chap
aihS snd otEer Cincesi o! special exchange who had
c6neftgaGed at this point that ~ hatiy 81! es
Though We were in an 'enemys land. Among other
lHxrres We ate al the table and had chairs 10 SIT
upon aud ailgdRg 20 the table reminds me of
Christmas dinner, eonSlolihg of most bomtiu
supply ofturkeyS, dcks, aud chickens besides many
other delicaeeS fu niShed through the kindness
CT some lady friends. Never more gallant
charge made on 4 table GorwaS ever its good things
despatched with greater alacIiy aud when furCedto
retreat the unanimous exclamation was God biSss.
the Yirginiaadies.
In concluding this truthful, vet incomplete nara
tive OF my Brison experience, l feel that, although
ShH respect aEe Surgeon ordered to remain within
Federal limits and look aiieg tie wounded of his