Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-10-13
JEFF DAVIS AND ANDERsoNvrLLE.

| JEFF DAVIS AND AN ANDERSONVILLE.
A number of Southern gentlemen.
including General Chiffon, formerly
Lees Adjutant General, and Robert
Ould, Rebel Commissioner for the
Exchange of Prisoners, are defend
ing JEFF Davis from the charge of
completely in the Andcrsonyille bar
barities. They say they are pretty
sure that Davis knew nothing about
the horrors of that prison-pen. For
the sake of Southern decency and
honor, we hope that this is true, but
we must say the evidence points very
strong the other way. A writer in
the St. Louis Globe Democrat has fast
ened the charge pretty directly, and
has given proof that it will be hard
to overcome. On the 18th of July,
1864, Colonel Chandler. of the Rebel
War Department, made an inspection
of Andcrsonville. He submitted a
report. i'm which he stated that the
only water which the prisoners could
procure for drinking purposes was
that which ran through the sinks of
a number of regiments Just outside
the enclosure. They had no shelter
whatever, the stockade being even
devoid of trees, and then. exposed to
the scorching heat and the pelting
storms, the sick and healthy alike
were left to starve and die. even med
ical attendance being withheld. Col.
Chandler continues.
The dead are hauled out daily bv
wagon loads and buried without cof-
fins, their hands. in many instances.
being first mntilated with an AK, in
removal OF any finger-ring they may
have. My duty requires me respect
t,{f,ttr An cn,t ~ 4, rccn,sncnd cs,aM@n. III thn'
adler General John III. Winder aud
the substitution in his place of some
some one who unites both energy
and good judgment, with some
feelings of humanity and considera-
ton for the welfare and comfort of
the vast number of unf'ortnnates
placed under his control--some one.
at least, who does not advocate. delib-
erately and in cold blood. the propri-
ETY. of leaving them in their present
condition until their number has been
sufficiently reduced by death To make
the present arrangements suffice for
their accommodation, and who viii
not consider ii a matter of self lauda-
tion and boasting that he has never
been inside the stockade--a place the
horrors of which il is difficult TO de-
scribe. and which are a disgrace to
civilization"
These are not the words of a yam
kee," let ii be understood. but those
of q prominent officer in the rebel
service. General Chiffon. in a letter
to the Columbus Ga.) Daily Times
says: s'The contents of the report
pained my national pride, and all the
instincts of my old army life,, and he
endorsed ii "cery strange" in orderto
induce prompt action at the War De-
partment. He thinks, however that
the paper never came to the eyes of Mr..
Davis. As we said, the writer in the
st. Louis Globe Democrat makes il ap-
pear very probable that Mr.. Davis
did see il, and was in great measure
responsible for the cruelty. General
Winder, commanding at Anderson
vile, was an old and intimate friend
of Davis. lie had the ear of the Ex-
ecntive, and an effort once before
made to remove him from command
| proved failure through the interpo-
| sition of Davis.--Iater-O Ocean.