New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-03-05
YlB H0RRORS OF SALISBURY.
Continuation Of the Gee Trial
Examination of One of the Officers OF
the Garrison.
Testimony Of the Prison clerh
rr.n Oar SPECIAL Correspondent

uother plca in bar was offered by the counsel for the
defense alleging that the prisoner is and has been par
doptd by the proclamation Of the President Oh inc
United States and thai having said pafoon ne Is NOT
liable 10 srraignment and trial before this Court
The Judge Advocate answered that the freseehts
pro,lss,ion OF the 29th Nav 1865 contains various
executions the sixth Of which Is as ioiows; All WHO
Aave engaged in any way the treating otherwise n
lawfully prisoners Of war persons found IN tDe Oh.eu
States service, as officers soldiers sesnen or IN o.
snscities clearly showing that the president dd not
intend TO pardon any man who was charged win inc
oFenses for which the prisoner is arragned
After DEBATE the points raised IN the pea anu
answer the Cont was cleared and when the doors
were again opened. the decision OF the Court was an
souneed SIS adverse 10 the plea.
The prisoner was then arragDed on the charges anu
specifications, and pleaded mot guilty" 10 each sep
JOHN NJ. BRAwLEY's TESTIMONY.
The examination of witnesses FOR the deiense was
then begun, and the first called was
John Milton Brawley. sworn: Lives IN hOWai Couh
fy; was IN Confederate service IN 1904 was mustered
the month of June went 10 Salisbury about 'ne pm
October; remained there and at other places IN tne
county till April 1865; was captain in Hokes kegiment;
there was prison at Salisbury for confinement OF req
cra prisoners thinks 5000 or 9O0V; doht know puei
.sely; Mai Gee as in command understood; Aacted
~ ocer OF the day several times received oruers from
the officer OF the daY before II iurther lusrgouons
were needed went 10 Mai Gee for them; when acted
40 officer Of the day the Instructions were 10 keep the
prisoners inside TO keep them from collecting ID large
sSusds and II they attempted 10 oreaA 70 ma. .non,
and if they did not halt TO shoot tbem IN relation 70
provisions nv understanding was to let none go IN;
met Mai Gee at the gate one day, when prisoner was
going in with something tied up IN blanket; leu II
and seemed be leaves understood the MeJor TO say
be wanted il examined closely II might be liquor OF
something of the kind in the blanket don Know Ibat
can tell what ratsons were issued We drew Nv hrs
what was called full ratioDs about pound or the rise
OF -four and about the same OF meat; drew rice occa
sionsy don't Teeollect anything else except we drew
nOlasses when we had no meat; don't know Wnai "a "a
tko Uar we'd.
the amount of men, and after the weather SET IN Dad
waB very muddy; can't tell as 10 eothlnG; they biid
some tents: dug holes IN the grounds mere were
acme hsnsee in the grounds; about is 10 10 died daily
nearer the smaller number; they were taken 10 we
dead house when they died; sometimes visited Ihe
dead house; don't know what amount OF railohs or
wood was allowed the prisoners; the wood was brougnt
the railroad IL was cut by the guard most OF INC
time; can't say that wood scarce IN toat country II
10 generally well wooded the wood was taken IN part
in wagons and part by the prisoners II was generaY
split some large and some small; man might carry tDe
largest sticks can't say that knew lne eohui.oh
the wells ia the prison ! there at the TIME OF
the outbreak was out getting timber for our shanties
drst heard the firing: | was mile % mile ana
half from the camp; came as last as i could N!
company was ordered to the lower canon; when got
where the company the firing had ceased; saw
guards the platform the prisoners mostly were
lying down. some in the holes; thsfe was niue or no
firing after got there; they were done firing think;
1 heard three artillery shots, did not go INTO the
prison that evenings saw some OF the prisoners ron
the parapet supposed 20 be dead don't know how many
were to tell them to dsperse and If they did not to e
among them; don. know how many prisoners were
there when first went there; suppose 200 OF l,IOi
they were prisoners of war and some Rebel prisoners
Ajterward there were. think, some 6OC0 or 1000
brought there most n these remained MI February
fhipf and were then taken 10 Greensboro don't know
how many were taken there; suppose there were some
5000; don't know that any were sent Troy Salisbury to
any other place; the 6sth Regiment Of NORTH Carolina
were there and Hokes regiment OF Reserves, and
Moss also CopeDy's troops and freemans battalion;
when these troops left Salisbury they were guarded by
portion Of all the commands there as guards.
CrOssexemined The regiment belonged 10 was
composed OF eonscipts between - and JO the officers
generally If not all of them old men As 10
not know certainly that Col. Hoke was ranking officer
ri Salisbury in October November and December 1861
think Col Hinton was. from the fact that furOugbs
had TO be approved by him; think Col. Hinton wa,
senior officer first and then Col Hoke. during that
lime; Col Hinton and Col. hoKe rrns-u moi. 80. Or
commanded all the forces during that time they were
MAJ. Gees superior officers L thought 60 far as com
nandt1g the troops were conceIDed II MAYOR Gee had
S.sen me an order and Col. Hoke or Col. Hinton lad
souutermanded it, suppose should have ooeyed them
as commanders OF the troops; don't know II Maj Gee
could give any orders contrary 70 those oil Co or
Col Hinton or Gen. Bradley L. johnston; superior
~ ssIs6Ury Of course tiey dd was never engaged
IN active military service in the field; the Confederate
soldiers al Salisbury during the time spoken or suffered
for want of shelter food and wood; my regiment had
seuethine 10 oat every day sometimes very little
we drew sometimes for three days and sometimes Tor
Eve and il frequently ran short; we sometimes went
without meat Tor three OF DAYS Out
the case We drew moasses insead; canttel how much
molssses 10 each man per day perhaps ppt or may
be less; this sorghum molasses we got We usually
got -four or meal with this molasses from por.u 10
-nsH tornd day thess rcIs tls ysions istued when
ne had no meat; pound or half pound Of -four or
meal and pint less molasses; don't know whether
VIC were on this allowance half the month or not but IL
was the ratons which tho troops got frequently, can't
tell whether they got oftsner than they did meat or
whether they got as often don't reeolect about 1t Ell
actly; think II was as common to draw these rations
l.o xhau "a 1npa Inn
how much, per month; we did not draw for month;
there was not less than third OF pound Of bacon per
day issued that know of l not right certain OF
this but nv impression Is IL low as that don't
thjnt the quantity sufficient TO make full meal for
hungry man; when this small quantity 81 meat was
issued the rest Of the ratons was sometimes half
pint OF meal flour; think there were many times
when the rstons Scped there for sn for tey would
not make one meal for hungry man.
j. L. LYERLY's TESTIMONY.
- To-day new witness was called.
j. l.. Iyery sworn Reside in Catawba County. y.
c. have been 10 the Confederate army was sent from
Army OF Northern Virginia in 1868 TO Salisbury. and
became clerk of prison there remained there until
February 1865 recognize prisoner at the bar az Anof
John H. Gee who commanded ct Salisbury from Sop.
TENDER 1864 until left there; understood Gee ives
assigned to Salisbury By the Secretary Of War; and
that he reported to Gen Gardiner; the greatest nun
her Of prisoners at Salisbury in October 1854 when
there were 90sl including eonvicts and political prs
oners some 200 tents were furnished them ~ soon
they could be pyocdrsd from Petersbng,. which
was about two weeks after the arrival Of
the Union soldiers; cannot state the amount
Of rstions furRished-the kind was flour.
rice beef sorghum srup and think some bscon the
beef very inferior generally eornstimes tho heads
the tripes and ive and ghts were given to the Pm.
eners, they did not get these articles daily; don't
know how long the prisoners went without meat;
sometimes. think. they had rice soup without any
thing else made only Of noe and water; no clothing
IVES furnished them, ANY other shelter than the
tente the Quertermaser estimated that the tents sup
pied would hold 5000 the prisoners slept or the
blankets they brought with them not ODehsl OF them
had blankets tie soil was very muddy after Q rain
over shoe-top; don't know bow much wood was given
them they had nothing to cut IT, the hospital for the