The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-09-25
Treatment Of PrisOners-eenerai is"t-
Ier's Method and Experiences In
Virginia.

Treatment OF RrISOnerS-esefleFai INI-
ler's Method and Experiences in
Virginia.
General Butler has written letter in
reply TO one from Rev. DR.. Wines, of Hart
ford, Ct, asking for information concerning
the method by which he conducted the mill
tary prisons and governed the prisoners du-
ring his command OF the Department OF Fir-
ginia and North Carolina III 1861. General
Butler says:
"When took command in November,
1868, ut Fortress Monroe, found large
number of descrters, thieves, and bad crimi-
mails Of the army, sentenced by court-nlar-
tia to hard labor for longer or shorter pc
RODS. They were confined in an old naval
dep0t known rs Fort Norfolk, and their hard
labor seemed to be, substantially, sleeping all
day and playing cards all night; so that the
sentence TO hard labor at Fort Norfolk was
rather a favorite method of passing their
term of enlistment by the wicked and
perycrSc of the army. Both may
be comprehended under the name OF
.shirkS.' ] looked around for some
suitable place for confinement at bard
labor, but found none. ! have Yankee
horror of what is known as the 'chain-
gang and therefore did not like to work
these men chained together. was told that
it was impossible TO make them work with
out having them wages. Upon that |
doubled. | agreed that it was impossible to
make men work to any effect without fear
of the lash, or other punishment, or the hope
of some reward. l therefore sent to Ma>>:s-
chusrtts and obtained some OF our MaS>achu.
sets corrcction-uni.orm>, which consist of Il
yray.and-back suit, half-and-half, cut down
the centre. and Il scarlet cap. | clothed my
prisoners in this uniform, which, rs you see,
was very distinctive. put them under the
charge of the proper officer and su-
perintendent. who had ut first some men
to guard them, and put them to work
in the spring in cleaning up the streets
and alleys and lanes Of the city OF Norfolk,
much of it very offensive and troublesome
work. | gave those who worked in the
midst of nallSeous etlluria and in unhealthy
situations ration of WhiSkcy; l gave all
that used it Il ration of tobacco. | saw that
they were well fed with wholesome and
nourishing provisions. They We're taken to
1heir cell, at night to sleep, and after days
work of ten hours they were quite ready TO
do so. then directed the superintendent
10 keep roll of merit of the men, OF which
they were informed, and empowered him to
recommend me to have stricken oil from the
sentence not exceeding ten days in each
month, according to the diligence and steadi-
ness with which the men performed their
duty; and in cases of great merit larger
portion of the specified time of punishment
might be RENTED. In cases OF reiluctori-
ness. solitary confinement, loss Of the ration
of tobacco, bread and water were the pun
islment. The equence-and perhaps may
say the conSequence--ofth this was that bet
ter gang ofilaborcrs, more orderly and more
quiet. | have never known. | never lost
one by running away: / never had but
one attempt to get away, and he failed; and
after being shut up 4 week he begged so abb
jectly and persi>tently to be allowed TO take
his place in the wOrking.gang again that It
was permitted, and he finally got thirty
three and Onc-third per cent. OF his time OF
punishment RENTED for good conduct.
even took the gang out into the swamp on
the Chesapeake and Albemarle canal 10 re-
pair a break, and although the country was
overlooked, | only lost one there, ana am
uncertain to this day whether he deserted or
was drowned. The prisoners under thiS
system did work which at any reasonao'e
price-and an account was kept with the city
of Norfolk of what they did do at price
would have several times compensated
for the cost of their keep. insisted upon
three things: Perfect cleanliness and purity
in their cells and places of sleep during the
night nutritiousand wholesome food three
times day-yiz. before they went out, at
noon, and after they came back, and dill
gent, industrious, hard labor OF ten hours
each day, with reward for labor that was
meritorious by RENTING portion Of the
punishment. have long thought that the
system OF labor in cur prisons, where the
1aborer had no hope and nothing to labor
for, was upon a wrong principle. My ac.
quaintance with prisoners as a criminal
lawyer taught ME SO much. l had an OPP
portunity TO try different theory, and
awaited myself of it, and that is ALL"