Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-23
HORRORS OF SALISBURY PRISON.
Trial Of Major Gsee-He Orders "a
Union Sldfe to be Carried TO tAe
Grave while Alive.

Grave while Alive.
In the trial Of Major Gee, at Raleigh,
n. c., on Tuesday last, Charles g. Ash
lev, a soldier Of the Eighth New York
Heavy Artillery in 1854, was put upon
the stand and sworn. He was captured
at Ream's Station, Virginia, in August,
and taken 10 Salisbury about the 8th OF
October. After testifying to the scanty
rations &c, he said / saw Major Gee
once at the d~ead-bouse, as l passed heard
some one say, THAT man breathes, and
SAW the surgeon feel his pulse; Major Gee
said, Take him along or Garry him
out, 1 don't remember which, "he will
be dead BY the time he gets tothe trench"
the dying man was in the cart, but was
taken out by some of the prisoners and
carried back to the hospital saw him
open his mouth after he was taken out
this happened in january, 1861 Mr..
Babbitt, Mr.. Harris, and others l cannot
name, were present at the time; fifteen
of my company were at Salisbury, and
seven of them died there.
Cross examihed-I swear positively it
was Major Gee 1 heard say either, Take
him out, or carry him along, he will be
dead before he gets to the trench; saw
the prisoner taken out of the cart and ear
ried back to the hospital; [ was standing
at the time in front of the dead house,
about ten or fifteen feet from Major Gee.
The witness then described the Majors
dress, particularly Gee himself made
the offer of $50 andtwo loaves of bread to
prisoners who would join the rebel army.
about four or five hundred prisoners, l
think, joined the rebels.
II. Il. 0rsland, of the I5lst New York
volunteers, captured in the Shenandoah
Valley, and imprisoned in Salisbury in
October, 1864, was sworn. After testify
ING in regard to slender rations, &c, he
said:
Heard Major Gee say to the guard,
when you are gathering of the prisoners
fire in among them, and make them scat
ter About a dozen men were shot back
Of the main building; never heard any
warning given before the firing; prisoners
were enlisted for the rebel army and no
-ticesastuck upon the trees " Wanted, 400
foreigners TO enlist in the Confederate SER
vice. They shall receive $50 and double
ratiOns as soon as they enlist " signed,
"by order of Major Gee commanding
post"
During the discrimination the wit
ness described Gees dress on the occasion
mentioned particularly, and said he wit
ness) swore positively to the words of the
notice, by order Of Major Gee, command
ing post
Henry ]. Babbitt sworn-Was a7mem-
Der of the I5lst New York Regiment re-
side in Albion, n. Y; was taken prisoner
at Fishers Hill, Va, and sent to Sails
bury in October, 1861; on the 10th Janu-
AIRY, 1865, saw Gee with two officers pass
my tent: at that time the dead cart came
up; the grand guard ordered some of the
prisoners to load the cart with corpses ;
they put in three bodies, when some said
the third man was breathing the Surgeon
said there was life in the man, and then
spoke to Gee; Gee said, Never mind, he
will be dead blythe time he gets there; the
rebel officers then went away the man on
the cart was taken back 20 the Hospital
and did not die for an hour and q half.
When cross-examined the witness said
he had kept a diary in the prison, and had
made note of the facts at the time of their
occurrence. Messrs. Broad, Bassford and
Clark witnessed the scene at the dead
house, and others were present that the
witness did not remember.
NJ. NJ. Shaffner, sworn-Live in Ala,
bama was in Lees army; was in Sails
bury in 1865 and had a conversation with
Major Gee; went to see Daniel Keech, &
Southern deserter confined in that prison
and to take to him a box of provisions
Gee refused to let me enter the prison hC
said 1 would mot go in to see any d
Yankee, or take anything to any -
Yankee"
Cross-eXamined, the witness specified
the time, place and circumstances of hi
interview with Msjor Gee, and was Ger
tain about the language used on the occa
sion the witness recognized the prisoner
as Major Gee.