The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-08-05
a Card from the Columbus Prisoners.

James Grant, Union. sI.
a Card from the Columbus Prisoners.
july 25, 1868. Upon resuming our
personal liberty, we, the undersign-
ed, known as the Columbus prison
ers, deem it proper to publish tie
following brief account of our arrest
and confinement by the military
authorities:
During the night of the Both of
March, George W. .Ashburn was as
sassinated in low negro brothel in
Columbus, Georgia. On the 9th day
of April, thirteen citizens were ar
rested by Capt. Mills, of tho United
States army. On the 10th they were
released under bond. Four of this
number have never been re-arrested.
The man Mills stated that he did not
know the charge against the party
arrested, but no one believed him,
and the fact is only mentioned to
show the character of the proceed
ings. On the 14th day of May, four
arrests were made; on the oath four,
on the I'd of June four more, on the
10th seven, followed the next day by
two others. On the Oath another
and the last arrest occurred. These
arrests were made by the order of
Gen. Meade. Several of the under
signed have in their possession writ
ten ORDERS, which show this fact.
The arrests were made without war
rant, affidavit or charge. No pre-
limary examination was held. We
were kept in total ignorance of the
ec 7'd'fe evidence against us, and the
names OF our accusers were concealed
from us. No one who has followed
the trial will be surprised ut this ap-
parent neglect.
While we were clamoring for the
charges against us, Joe Brown, Whit
ley, Major Smythe and others were
suborning Betz, Marshall, Bennett
and Amanda Patterson. The evil
dence for the prosecution acknow-
Lodges that disclosures were made
under threats of imprisonment. This
is bad enough, but worse feature is,
that the date of these disclosures is
placed by the witnesses themselves
subsequent to the arrest of majority
of the prisoners. The question ma
turally arises, upon what foundation
were the arrests based? Of the twen-
ty-two persons arrested on and since
the 14th OF May, four were suborned
by bribery, torture and threats.
Nine, otter confinement in felon's
cells and much suffering, were re-
leased without any explanation what
ever. The remaining nine are signers
of this card. The prisoners arrested
N ~ D,1o - l.
their removal to Atlanta. Their cells
were as dark as dungeons, without
ventilation. and but four by seven
feet. No bed or blanket was fur
nished. The rations consisted Of
slice Of fat fork three times each
week, and beef too unsound to eat
Ashe remaining days. A piece of
bread for each meal, soup for dinner,
and coffee for breakfast, finished the
bill OF fare. An old oyster can was
given each prisoner, and in this
vessel both coffee and soup were
served.
1t may be said that the soldiers
received nothing better; but these
citizens were not soldiers, and their
friends were able, willing and anxious
w give tueIn every comfort. Why
were they denied the privilege? Re-
fused all communication with their
friends, relatives or counsel, they
were forced to live in these horrid
cells night and day, prostrated by
heat and maddened by myriads Of
mosquitoes. The calls of nature
were attended to in bucket which
was remov but once in twenty-four
hours. t7
At Mcpherson barracks we were
placed in cells five feet eleven inches
wide, by ten feet long. These cells
were afterwards divided, reducing
their width to two feet ten inches.
This is terrible, but true. Upon the
arrival of the officer sent from Wash
ington to investigate the arrests, the
partitions were removed Naitba,.