The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-11-23

cruelty, aS was openly stated by the bruta
builders They should have no shade. i
was said: and no shade had the wretcheC
men but what was cast by the few ragged
and rotten blankets and shelter tents thai
the prison examiners passed by a. utterly
worthless in their examination and search
for articles of value. whether watches, bank
notes, hats. shirts, and even shoes There
were men who robbed at the outer gates.
entered the prison almost naked Thi,
system of robbery was open and audaciouS.
and it is said that the only prisoners who
escaped spoliation were those who were
taken from Sherman when Atlanta fell.
and when CONSERVATION prevailed at the
prison in consequence 1t is positively
stated that it was sanctioned by Wirz and
Winder At all events, two men. bv the
names of Hume and Duncan. robbed the
prisoners Systematically. and appropriated
the packages sent TO the prisoners, from
the tnited States. TO such an extent that
few if any articles ever reached the poor
men TO whom the boxes of food and cloth
ing were sent,
These blankets and rags were vainlv
stretched over sticks to form the semblaEce
OF hahitation, wherever the earth gave
firm footholl. even along the borders of
the peStilcntial marsh. Those who were
destitute of even these shretlS of cloth dug
with their hands holes in the earth, after
the example OF wild beasts, or with the
shiny water from the brook they built up
with handlulS of mud. little cabins over
hollows Scooped out from below the surface
of the ground. and as rude as the clumps
of earth, which that lowest degree of the
human form - the Digger Indian - in
habits
These may be seen at the present dav,
looking like the lodges of the beaver. or
the mounds OF the marmotS of the pr;liries.
and half concealed hy those wild. useless.
and noNious weeds which linger in, and
cll@ 10 the footsteps of man. aS he wanders
i'll his migrationS over the uncutivated
lands of the globe.
Sometimes the heavy rains washed away
the roofs of mud. inundating the occupants
beneath. Some ct the wrctcheS had not
the strength 10 lift up the incumbent mass
Of earth and persisted miSerably in their
pens. There are now i'll these demolished
excavations the bones of some of our iel-
low-citlzcnS, unknown aui unhonorcd.
The CRY OF distress was 80 constant that
few needed the >mothcred moan. The
~tump> of the fallen trees were @rubbed
up by the knives and fingers oil the prison.
erS for iircword tv warm themselves with.
or to cook their scantv food even the
roots were followed down deep into the
earth, Tor the purpose OF obtaining the
means of warmth which were almost
entirely denlcd them hy the prison keep
crS.
NJ ENCU>E FOR TiIIS EXPOSURE
There i no excuse for this wanton cx-
po>urc To the Nici->itudc> ot the climate ::
for the forests adjoining were immense in
their extent ami thousand of the suffcrin"
men offered, by.gcd 10 90 and obtain
material 10 build sheds or hutS TO project
them from the inclcmcncv Of the weather.
Neither parole WIS allowed for this pur-
pose. hor real attempts made TO obtain the
building tools. To show the force of the
fIat FL, r,I,.1- l.,.l
aid. and that it would have been danger
ou> 10 have parolci any of these prisoners.
there Is the fact that there were several
largc steam S;iw-millS III the vicinity. and
they could easily have afforded, III few
weeks. all the lumber required for the pur-
pos, Of shelter.
Was ii reckle>sncS. was itpcrvcr>itv. OF
WAS il malice atorethought, that withheld
rom the prisoners the means OF shelter
| Ihc lew sheds that Were erected were moi
commenced until late i'll the term of it,
/ occupation. too late 10 render much ser
vice. They were merely roofs of board.
placed upon posts, at the distance of sever
feet from the ground. There were mel
thcr sides nor partitions TO these sheds
and they were not required during the ho
months.
Pity was not 4 virtue that was recog
nlzed here: the noble impulses of tn,
heart were reversed, and the natural in
stlcts perverted.
| TREATMENT OF THE DEAD.
The dead bodies of the thousands whC
persisted within the stockade, withou
medical assistance, were dragged forth
without care, and thrown promiscuou>l,
into the common field carts, which. will
their careles>ly hcapcd up burdens, pro
ceeded to the trenches. where the dead he
roc> were laid in long lines, side by side