The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-01-10

THE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS BY THE YAM
KEEs-The following is extract from letter
from Confederate prisoner at Elmra, New York:
The writer is an intelligent young man of this coun-
ty. and the letter received by his sister living
in this place. to whom it was brought by returned
prisoner. 1t is dated Sept. 1864:
Il would like to give you full description of the
way the prisoners live and whatthey have to suffer-
but it would take much more capable than me
to do so in fact there is no one able TO describe
the pangs of hunger from which suffer mostly at
present. We get for rations slice of bakers bread
and small piece of meat (somotimes scarcely 81
good bite) for breakfast at about o'clock and an
other slice of bread and plate of bean soup for
dinner at or O'Clock in the evening. 1t is barely
sufficient to sustain life for the time. L think 1t
safe assertion that two thirds onehaf at least of
deceased prisoners die from gradual starvation, anG
many from want Of medicine and proper medical at
tenton. / attended the funeral service few
ngs ago when there 81 corpses within the
previous "a hours. One of the number of whom
speak, almost with his last breath told the yankee
Surgeon that he had been starved to death. | think
the general average number OF deaths Is Is or 20
per day, mostly of old prisoners-I mean in proper
ton, for there only about thousand of old pris-
oners here, who look much emaciated and cannot
stand much cold weather, which we all dread and
shudder at with the prospect of coming winter.
Most of the men very thinly clad without sutfi
cient blankets, and many without shoes The yam
the appearance of humanity, but it is generally
worn out or refused clothing that will scarcely bear
months Many poor fellows saw last win
ter at Point Lookout frost bitten that they
not able to walk, and no better prospect here.
Last winter were kept in tents OH ground where
it was frequently overfown by the tde-"ater from
the Bay, and preparations made for our comfort,
not little straw to protect US from the damp
ground; and until after Christmas allowed
only one blanket to two then one apiece. Wood
was Issued sometimes every day. and again proba-
baby not more than once u week, always in such
small quantities as to be of very little use Chin
neys had to be built of such brick made and
dried by the sun. During this time, when the
Their most and rations scant, the L. 5.
government had recruiting officers lurking around
the camp deceiving the and holding out all
kinds of inducements for recruits for their army.
Such are and have been the suferngs of the vast
majority of our prisoners. Some, but comparative
ly a small number. have had their suhferings. much
mtigated by the noble ladies of Alexandria. Bati
more and other places in Mary land.
All boxes &c, subject to inspection, and fire.
quently articles of inferior quality substituted
instead of better. which they might choose to take
out. Sometimes orders issued merely for the
purpose of deceiving our Government, pretending
to allow things sent here to be received when in
reality they not-the officers in charge having
private orders to the contrary.
have frequently seen, especially since / came
here, men eating rats and using every other con-
ceivable mems to make their rations hold out.
The sentinels. though there some clever men
among them, and many who truly tired of the
war aad are only in because they couldn't keep out
are very barbarous and shoot the men just for the
name of killing ''reb." | have the time more
than once when it almost like skirmish line
around camp. 1t has not been week since
arose in the morning and found my tent pierced
on each side with bullet just in line above where
I was lying. Such things winked at and en-
couraged by the officers
make these statements because it is right for
our friends to know how are treated"