Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-01-26
EL.NIRA AND ANDERS0NTILLE

The letter of DR.. Eugene F. Sanger, of Bangor,
published in the Portland Press of Monday, de-
tends the Elmra prison from the accusations made
against it in Ben Hills speech and pictures some
of the honors Of the Andersonvle prison pen.
He organized the hospital department in 1864
at Elmira, and was thoroughly acquainted with
all the management of the prison. He says
There was at Elmira ne lack of food or care,
very many of the federal officers had quarters in
side Of the palisades, and the medical staff took as
much interest in the treatment OF their patients as
at home. Humanity knew no difference between
federal and rebel. My own children often dstrib
uted grapes and fruit to the sick in the hospital,
and with tears in their eyes the sick would draw
these little ones to them in sad remembrance OF
the loved ones at home.
Contrast such efforts with the sickening record
and portrayal of Andersonville prison. My kind
friend and fellow citizen, DIR. ii. L. Jewell, served
a six months apprenticeship in Southei n prisons
and was hurried from Andersonve to Florence
on the approach Of Shcridan's army, at the time
that Gen. Winder promulgated his infamous order
to open upon the prisoners with cannon. The re-
ctal of crueties and neglect depicted in Robert
Kellogg's book of Life and Death in Rebel Pris-
on" which DR.. Jewell, his associate, says is the
most accurate book ever written on Andersonville,
is heart rending.
Every prisoner, before he had passed through
the hands of capturers escorts and prison guards,
was plucked of every valuable article of clothing
or shelter, his person and pockets were gone
through for money as searchingly as prairie fire,
and thus stripped was turned in like an old horse
to browse or starve. An occasional blanket, de-
fectve canteen, or pail was smuggled in to set up
housekeeping with, and in rare instances little
money was adroitly concealed with which to spice
the varied diet of about four ounces Of dry corn
meal and two ounces OF ham per day. Fresh beef
was sometimes issued which was eaten raw, baked
tr.t hrya lnnE -Ad md nynf
some old pail.
Without covering or shelter they wandered
round during the day and lay down IN the mala
rial damp of the night, upon the bare ground, in
tested with maggots from the putrefactlve otfal
surrounding them. No rebel officers or soldiers
were stationed inside of the enclosure, to look
after the comfort of the prisoners. Long and
weary hours Of gnawing hunger were passed in
lingering expectation of the daily returning ration
cart supplemented by the dead cart which took
out its daily hecatomb of bodies DR.. Jewell tells
me that the surgeon never visited the sick or ad-
ministered medicine inside Of the palsade. The
prisoners sickened and died without care atten-
ton, unless the sick were occasionally carried to
the dc ad line, like the poor Hindoo to the bank
Of the Ganges, waiting for the water to rise, in
hopeful expectation of being taken to the hospital
outside by some tender sentinel, unless sooner re-
leved by the bullet of the guard if in the delir-
UNI of fever they should happen to crawl over the
dead line.
A parade is made OF Stanton's figures relative to
comparative mortality. 1t is said that figures
won't lie, but when based upon the inaccuracies
of Southern prison statistics, compared nth the
rigid accuracies of Northern records, we should
hesitate to compare. AT Elmira head board
marked the grave of every inmate, and the official
records history of every individual AT
Andersonville the dead were picked up, and
dumped in trenches like rotten sheep, without
enumeration. BY the prisoners calculations, there
was daily average of 100 deaths inside of the en-
closure, reaching as high as $780, in mean strength
of 80 900. What the hospital rate outside was |
don't know The death Of prisoners who received
no care exceeded our ratio of the entire mortality
by TO |. Our death rate was constantly decreas-
ing, theirs constantly increasing. Our soldiers
entered rebel prisons hale and stalwart and could
resist disease for a while, but Southern crueltes
were dragging them down in increasing ratio.
During the war occupied responsible positions
and had profess ional and sanitary charge of large
hospitals and large bodies Of troops, saw service
in nearly every department of the South, and
never witnessed harder working or more kindly
disposed officers to their charge than at Emra. |
have certainly seen great suffering and mortal
ity among our own troops. If the rebel authori-
ties had given of their mites in substance and
kindness, they would feel less sensitive on the
floor Of Congress 1t is well 10 remind them of
such things and to teach them that 1.-THE way Of
the transgressor IS hard" both as lesson to the
present and a warning TO the future generations