The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1865-01-19

rus Barrett, of Co. 1, S9th Q. V. L.
We promised last week to give our
readers some account Of the experience
Of Sergeant Barrett, Of the 89th Ohio,
during his IA months imprisonment in
the horrible ptisou-p pens Of the South
Sergeant B. is young man OF more
than ordinary intelligence, and of the
most respectable character, who is wei
known TO many Of our readers, and his
statement may he relied upon as per-
fcctly truthful and accurate, as far az
the facts related came under his own
observation.
Sergeant Barrett was first taken to
Richmond, but soon after transferred to
Danville, Va, from thence to Ander-
sonville, Geo, and finally to Florence,
s. c., where he was when paroled for
exchange. lie spent nearly FIVE months
at Andersonvilc, from April to Sep
tember, during which time the mortality
among our prisoners reached its greatest
height, the deaths for more than six
weeks, in July and August, averaging
over 100 day. During that time there
we're about 10000 prisoners confined
there, and on one day he counted 126
dead bodies in the dead house.
Out of 18 men of Co. I, captured at
the same time as himself, he knows OF
but 3 others who were alive when he
was released. Their names are Stephen
w. Kelly, Jacob Lucas and Amos T..
Rees. The two first named we're ex-
changed recently and are now at home,
and the last was left at Florence, S. c.
prisoner. When Sergeant Barrett
left Andersonvile for Florence, about
the 1st of September last, there were
three others of Co. left at Anderson
ville-Ssmuel Nolder, John Carter and
Henry H. Redkey, They were then
ick, and have since been reported dead
but he is unable to say whether the re-
port is true or not.
Sergeant B is now in excellent health
and weighs more than he ever did be
fore, but at one time during his i'm
prison nment, Just before leaving Ander'
sonville, he was reduced almost to {
skeleton, and weighed but 90 lbs. AT
ter reaching Florence, where our mer
we're much better treated, he was 81
fortunate as to be detailed to assist il
cooking for the hospital for which h
was allowed extra rati)ns, besides NOR,
freedom, and he soon began to improve
rapidly, gaining Os much as pound il
q single day. The commanding Office
Mt Florence, Col. Harrison, Of the Il
Georgia infantry, and his Lieut. Col
lverson, were m en- of some feeling, an
allowed our prisoners to build sheds 70
their shelter, ovens for baking bread
and some other privileges which adde
, greatly to their comfort; but when Co
Winder, the Superintendent Of all tn
rebel prisons east Of the Mississippi
visited Florence to inspect tho prison
, he was 90 cnragod at the lenity wit
which Col. Harrison had treated ou
men, that he had him removed at once
This Winder is q cruel and brutal ty
rant, who is known to all our prisoner
by the name Of "D0g Winder." II
allows no officers to be in charge of ou
prisoners who show them the least mere,
f or refuse to obey his instructions to ii
letter.
f Sergeant Barrett says, oil the al
counts published Of the sufferings an
Y inhuman treatment of our brave me
a who were confined in Andersonvil
3 utterly fail to equal the reality. n
@ description, he thinks, can give an ad
n quate idea Of their terrible condition
v lie has frequently seen our men sh'
n and killed by the guards for crossin
}. the dead line as it is called az
s knows of many being killed who h'
not reached the line, but we're on
near it. They received no warnin
II but were she down instantly like dog
He also saw numerous instances whe
our men, giving up to despair on q
~ count of their intolerable misery, rushC
- madly upon the line, conrting insta
! death by the muskots of the guards
- preference to the lingering torture
dying by starvation and disease.
g. confirms the statement that the guar
10 we're stimulated to greater vigilance
'. shooting those who passed the line,
,r rewards Of fnrlOughs ard extra ration
II The commander of the prison at A
a dersonvile was Capt. Wortz, a wret
who deserted from our army at the B;
\ tie Of Bull Run, and was recognized
some of our prisoners who belonged
the same regiment. He was a Gt tc
- of his master the ferocious Winder. a.
> if possible surpassed even him in cruel
to his unfortunate victims. Sergea
ID m L