Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-04-14
libby PrInon.

The herrors of the Libby are not yet
wholly past. 1t is q horrible place even
now; not few of our officers and men,
confined there at different periods during
the war, have visited 1t since, to recall a
series OF shudderiDg experiences in the
presence of kindred facts; one has in the
company of u former occupant but little
difficulty in appreciRtiug the recent situa.
tiou. IIs arrangements are all simple. A
child could dud its way through the build
ing without losing itself. A square three
Bloried brick warehouse, with low, conf.
cal roof, the interior divided iuto very
large, barn.like apartments for the accom-
modation of large companies. That is not
quite all, for these apartments are 30 pc.
Guitar in some respects that the word barn
is not quite significant. A barn, if it is q
respectable barn, lie usually clean; air il
generally let into it, it's ceilings &re high
it is pleasant to stroll into it to
watch the cattle at their feed, "a
throw ones self upon the fragrant hay, tc
sink into 8 reVerie with Wisp of grass
between ones lips, to sleep, "perchanoe tc
dream"-in ell these regards barn has Ar
advantage over the Libby, for the Libby /.
neither clean nor well ventilated, nor are
its ceilings high, nor is Il pleasant 10 any
degree whatever. Its exterior alone is &c
Btolid and cherries as to cause an iuvot.
uptsry sinking OF the heart. Il looks like
great cruel cage, as it is. The windows
arc small, narrow, aud closely barred
The walls are battered, and foul ruins and
broken down shanties surround it. At q
distance the canal runs behind IL. The
guards there-delightfully sportsmaulikt
creatures, who kept watch for "pop" al
the miserable wreIohes who we're 30 infer.
tuuaIe as to appear at the WindowR-had a
gOodly space to patrol about all the four
sides-a dull walk, certainly. They need
ed poor devils, the stimulus of an occa-
siOnai shot to keep up spirits which other.
wise would certainly have tagged.
The interior of the Libby noW-accord.
ing to chaFmiDg political justice, we'll
stocked with rebel prisontrs-is, while not
hslfas bad as it Waa, stilliTery bad! The
sernbbiug brush, which has been diligent-
ly used by the pleased "Johuuies since
their confinement, has not yet suficed to
remove all the 9Th from the floors and
walls; and eair, although plenufully ad .
mitted through all the windows, has not
yet gotten the upper hand OF certain Il.
1aar house odor which must be smelt to
be appreciated, but never to be described,
The offices and cells, dsinnable places All.
NO VI She AASb LASuEI TUG uEANl0RsEQOmS or
large apartments, before alluded to, are
above. Let ne ascend. The stairs are not
OF the most complete description, aud are
thiekly caked over With dirt---a benifcont
coniriVAnce OF the humsne warden to pre-.
vent the prisoners feet from slipping, The
laEsar. house stencil, as your head emerees
above the level of the next floor, strikes a
papg through the nasal membrane, and
produces a revolutionary action,at the Dit
OF the stomach, which you will recall at
dinner, coiucident with q diStaste for
stewed mutton aud mackerel, aud deci~
ded disgust for pudding. tits htdeOus-
tits Awinl. r.4r,rr. 81
The sink, open and reekipg, stands at
one eud of this, as ID the room above
The floor around is puddle of urine; the
rebel prisoSers, who are streWn along the
of the door, across the entire
breadth of the ware house, asleep, sitting
md standing, will tell you that, notwiIh
,Iand The frequent sWeepings, &c., which