The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-07-16
CrueIties to Prisoners.

from the Tribune.
Mr. Fernando Wood is reported by tele-
graph as having stated in the House, on Satur-
day, that
"The New York Tribune had distinctly
charged that cruelties had been perpetrated on
Rebel prisoners"
MIR. Wood can find no warrant in our
columns for this assertion, which he has
caused to be flashed all over the country, so
that it will be read and believed by thousands
who will never see this contradiction. We have
so often requested that those who see fit to
cite the Tribune as their authority for any
statement should quote our precise words, in
stead of putting forth as ours what they may
find it convenient to attribute to us, that it
seems useless to renew the demand. Fair
minds do not need it; the other sort wilfully
refuse to heed it.
We do not know that Rebel soldiers were
ever starved or otherwise maltreated while
prisoners of war AS however, the number
of such prisoners from first to last, probably
exceeded two hundred thousand, and they
were from time to time under the complete
control of many hundreds of our officers re-
spectively, it would be all but miracle if
none Of them were ever misused. Still we
do not knooc that they were, and have not
asserted it.
What we do know in the premises is, that
the Rebel authorities long since charqed our
Government or its agents with uniustifable
lnhumanity to their soldiers whom we held as
prisoners, and that this charge was put forth
SO clrcumstantially and respOnsibly that it is
Hkely to glide into history if not met and re,
futed.
In the winter of 1864-5, a Joint Committee
OF the two Houses was raised by the Confede-
rate Congress sitting at Richmond and
charged with the duty of investigating the
alleged cruelties in the treatment of prisoners
by either party to the war. That COMMITTEES
proceeded to take testimony (Which we have
not seen in detaiD and to make report
thereon, from which (Omittihg the defensive
portons) we quote as follows:-
"In exchange, number of Confederate siol,
and wounded prisoners have been at various
times delivered at Richmond and at Savannah
Inc mortality among these on the passage,
and their condition when delivered were 40
deploraole rs TO Justify the charge that they
had been treated with inhuman neglect by the
Assistant Surgeon Tinsley testihes-'I have
seen many or our prisoners returned from the
North, who were nothing but skin and bones.
Iney were as emaclated as a man could be to
retain llte and the photographs (appended TO
Report No. 90 would not be exaggerated repre-
sentat1ons Of our returned prisoners TO whom
/ thus allude. / saw $50 Of our slck brought in
on litlers from the steamer at Rockett's. Thlr-
tSSh uOdu DOulSS were Drought on the steamer
the same night At least thirty died in one
night after they were received
surgeon spence testihes:-I was at Savan-
nan, and saw rather over 5000 prisoners received
The list showed that a large number had died
ON the passage from Baltimore to Savannah
ddhe number sent from the Federal prisons was
ooVV, ana out OF that number they delivered
only y,2S TO the best of my recollection. Cap
| HHnHln Hatch can give you the exact number
linus, about 472 died on the passage was told
| ttnHs ttsol ol 9ead bodies had been taken from one
| IISin IS OF cars between Elmira and Baltimore
| Ai.eL Delng received at Savannah they had the
| SeS 49, SIIenCon possible, yet many died IN a few
| abSS IN carrying out the exchange or dis
$500, Soto siSk, and wounded men, we delivered at
| nrisonsTs. anu anu Vharleston about ii 900 Federal
pared most iavorabiy with those we received in
Vn nansS, SItnough, OF course the worst cases
death during the PASSAGE J-N "00N Ae"A"'eo Ny
Richard II, Dibrell a merchant . "a T3Johv voo,,d
and member OF the AInbuIance rc,,o Itta tvltu
whose lapoIs IA mitigating the su ufferinos Of tha
Wounu.ou nad ad psen T acknowledged both by Com
IeoeIate anu anu NSvrIhern men, thus testifies oon.
Savannah, returned from Norib o' soiuleIs az
! and hospitals-I have never sean y 81 PtiSons ~ @
in worse condition. They were 60 oS o. ~ ~ hie1 i
and emaciated that we lifted thsn 1hie9UiSo 1 5I.t1
| children. Many or them were Iflra 1i,zgnS y,o
skeletons. Indeed there was one NO hnts
about IL years OLD, who presented the most
distressing and deploIable anpearance inoss '9ss
| saw He was nothing but akin ana hondt ! ever ever
| besides this, he was literally eaten ny Ith @u
| vermin He died In the hospital ~ nA'n "a
| 6aU dava after being removed thitha. ~ q
| xStthsfandipR the kindest treatment aSd pIk ny
use OF the most judicious nourls hment. Our