American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-08-09

Of Connecticut society. / believed had
seen before this what deemed to be hu-
man wretchedness in its worst forms [
thought that / could nerve myself to wit
ness mortal agony and wretchedness, and
destitution, as | heard it described with
out blanching or trembling. But if the
condensed horrors of hundred ''black
holes had been brought before my mind
| to prepare me for the ordeal they would
| have failed the facts as | saw them face
| to face.
l cannot, in daily paper read by in
nocence and virtue, detail what met my
sight on the occasion refer to. will
not pollute any page save the records of
| the court that must try the culprit for
the crime of torture by disease and filth,
with the details of that caravansary OF
horrible, intentional slaughter. For fear
that some may think that have exag-
gerated, an episode here will perhaps dis
pc! such Illusion Convicted by the hor-
rible fact that was disgusting stencil in
his nostrils, General Winder, then Com
missary General of Prisons, but having
his headquarters ata Andersonville, was
forced By decsncg not humanity, for this
he himself asserted, to ask the aid of the
Presiding Elder of the Methodist Church
of that circuit to adopt some means to
alleviate the miseries and soothe the
wretchedness of the poor inmates of that
Andersonville hospital This gentleman
invoked the cooperation of the women of
Sumter county who responded with
clothing and necessaries only, for these
alone were allowed, to the amount of four
wagon loads. Upon the day appointed
four ladies, accompanied by their hus-
bands, went to the prison, ahd sought
from the proyost-marshal pass to take
their benefactions to the sick prisoners
II ,rds refused lcah a curse! The party
proceeded to Winder's headquarters,
where Henry Wirz was in company with
the General. The demand Tor pass
was repeated. Understand, the ladies'
were present, and the reasons given why
the party were there, in accordance with
Winder's special request. To their as
tonishment they were met with this re-
ply: cd d--m you, have you allturn-
ed Yankees here p
ono General, responded the spokes-
man of the party, 81 am not, as you know
nor are any here present we have come
as you requested us. through the Rev.
Mr.. d., to bring the necessary articles
for the Federal hospitals, and ask pass
for the purpose of delivering them"
It's a d.-n lie never gave permis-
sion for anything of the kind Be of
with you, all of you!"
As it this fearless display of martial
valor and gentlemanly bearing was not
sufficient, Henry Wirz essays to and
eclipsed his General in profanity and in
deceucy-and | here assert that if the
lowest sinks of the most abandoned parts
of your city were CLEANED, they could not
surpass the ribald vulgarity and finished
profanity of this jailor, exhibited in the
presence OF refined aud "loyal" ladies'.
Shocked, terrified, beaten to the very
dust with modification, the party retired,
and, foiled in their effort to suceor the
sick, or alleviate the tortures of the dying
Union soldier, they gave their loads OF
clothing and food to a passing column OF
Federal prisoners, on their way to anoth-
er place-Millen. They, at least, had
the satisfaction of knowing that some
were benefited, even if they had failed
in their efforts for those who m,st needed
their assistance.
During the last winter--which was un-
usually cold for Georgia, when the ice
made an inch thick-no shelter, no blank.
| Il, al LII
the wre.ched inmates Of that prison
Squads were permitted to the number Of
thirty, to go out under guard daily, foi
one hour, without axes or any cutting
tool to gather the refuse and rotten WOOD
in the forests and il they outstaid theil
time they were tried by drum head court
martial, charged with violating their pa.
role, and If found guilty, were hungI l.
myself, saw three bodies hanging, who
we're thus executed. Poor fellows, |
thought. God has taken pity upon you
and given you deliverance from your cru.
ell jailor. When you and he meet at an
other judgmentseat, woe to him if his
authority be found in sufficient for this
taking Of your lives, wretched though
they be.
My house was the resort, or should
say, refuge, of most of the prisoners who
made their escape from the stockade, and
the tales of starvation and distress which
they told would have melted an iron heart.
| must close my hurried account of what
have seen. 1t is far from full not one
half has been told by far the most has
been kept back from very shame, and in
respect to your readers. have not en-
bellished. The pictures we're too rough,
the characters too forlorn for the flowers
of rhetoric to bloom in their presence
Broken hearts, crushed spirits and man.
hood trampled on, may answer as fitting
subjects for the romancer's pen, but the
horrible reality, so seldom seen, burns its
images upon the beholders soul, that no
other impressions can efface, and they re-
main life-pictures indeed S.
National Temperance League.
The seventh regular meeting OF the
National Temperance League of Allegh-
eny City was held in the East Common
Methodist Church on Tuesday evening,
Rev. v. Lucas, presiding, and vas open
ed with prayer by Rev. j. Black.