The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-02-09
SOUTHERN PRISONS.
Letter from a Union SOldter-A De
NAL Of Biaine's Statements.


Letter from a Union soldfer-A Ne
NAL of Biaine's Statements.
WHEELING, w. VA, Feb. g. '76.
Editors of The Register.
Much has been said lately about the
"horrors of Southern prisons" and sell
dom, if ever, soldier has spoken in sup
port of the fearful assertions made 10y
MIR. Blaine and his colleagues in the Re-
publican party--at least none who were
victims of the supposed tortures, set
forth by those politiea! demagogues.
To the honor Of the soldiers, who com
posed the armies OF the opposing forces,
in the late war, they cherish no malice
or hatred engendered in contest OF arms,
where both came out with equal credit
for valor and devotion to the cause each
considered right.
1t is strange at this late day, when the
blue and the gray have blended in one
halo of glory-the deed OF each contribut-
ing to the renown OF the American
name-that few demagogues should APP
peal to the worst passions of people,
whom they never did aught to defend,
but on the contrary were instrumental
in keeping in tact u party whose work
is marked by the most stupendous frauds,
corruption and robbery, OF ancient or
modern times; party whose figure head
is ~ subject of criminal prosecution. and
whose man Friday is now in st. Louis
undergoing trial, which, if impartially
determined, will consign him to a
felou's doom.
WHY should these political hacks essay
to use the soldier for scape goat! why
should the American people allow
themselves to be misled by exagger-
ated tales about the suffering OF our
soldiers in the prisons of the South?
These tales would do when the war was
in progress and the passions OF the sec
tions were at the highest tension; but the
years that have elapsed since that dread
| ful period have tended to make us con-
template the events of that time with
reason and calm deliberation.
1t is now bordering upon twelve years
since / was Il captive IN the hands OF
the Rebel authorities IN Richmond. l
was an involuntary guest for the period
/ of eleven months, being captured IN the
"Valley" in June 1868, and exchanged
the same month in 1864. | was confined
in Libby Prison" during the whole
| time. and failed to discover the barbarity,
cruelty and fearful suffering associated
with that military prison during my
stay. l was there perhaps IN the worst
time, as the winter OF 90 and ,64 was the
severest ever experienced 10 Richmond.
As for Andersonville and other prisons
of tie south, can not offer an opnloni
but | am often amused at the periodical
accounts which appear from time to time
in the papers; and uttered from the lips
of the radical politicians IN regard to the
horrors of Libby prison &c" They are
gross exaggerations, and makes one feel
rather delicate to be thus eXtoled for suf-
fering so much for our country.
! The prison keepers of course, like our
own, were gentlemen who fostercd pecu-
liar distaste for gunpowder and were not
distinguished for that generous, spirit
that prevailed their comrades under zen
eral Lee on the Rapidan. However, we
suffered no extraordinary Inconvenience
from those officials.
There was no case of starvation ever
came under my notice. The health OF
the prisoners was comparatively good,
and Notwithstanding the "yarns' to the
contrary. there were but three or four
deaths in the prison during my captivity,
Mt least so far as can recolleet; the sour
vev was bad at one time, and L was adj
united to the hospital with that disease
myself, and during three weeks l was
under medical treatment can testify to
the most humane and gentleman at
tentions of the physicians of the PRISON:
We suffered considerably from cold
and scarcity of raiment, but to solder
who was Injured to the hardships incident
to campaigning and ordinary life in the
army. there was nothing extraordinary
in this nor was it unlocked tor.
When | was psroled there was then
in Libby" about eleven hundred and nifty
officers May, 1864, and their condition
at that time was good as could reasonably
be expected, their confinement and seper-
alton from their commands being the one
great cause of complaint. During my
confinement | was compelled to subsist
upon the prison rations exclusively ana
never entertained the notion OF starving
upon IL. ,.n
Nv recollection in regard to the dlti-
culties in the way of an exchange OF
nrisoners leads me far from the cause as
signed by Messrs. Garfield, Blaine ana
others. Any officer who was prisoner
mt the time speak ot-and there are
many in our State, Gen. K. :. Noreott
for instance-knows the sentiments OF
tho prisorars themselves. We read the
rrocrrdings of the exchange ofncers
-, the arrival of every boat
from CITY Point. We could never
discover in the dispatches, that were ex-
changed between Judge Ould and MAJ
milford and published in all the Ken
mond papers, where the Rebel PROPOSE
tjcrs were unfair; but on the contrary
the prevailing opinion among us was
that the authorities at Washington were
uncquivocally and determinedly adverse
to exchange under any and every cir
cumstance.
; What could be more fair than an ex.
change man for man, while there were
captives to liberate and the balance &c
remain until an equivalent could be fur.
risbed? We had the balance of the
prisoners ut the time and feel now, a;
I fol, then. that the War Department
in rejecting that proposition, assumed
the responsibility of all the hPFFo r.
and sufferlngs now Haunted II
the face of the South by Suci
demsgorues MS Blaine and MS fellow
leaders of the Radical party.
1t is time now that the officers WI,
were Immediately concerned in the muci
talked of suffering in the South. shoute
-, I, i time now to stop the mouths