Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1876-02-11


JKTF DAVIS LETTER. We publish in
another column q letter from JEFF Davis,
10 reply 10 Mr.. Blaine, 50 that our readers
NAV see both sides. Al the letters that
Jeil Davis eau write will uot change, how
ever, the truth of history. which has been
written upon the hearts of hundreds of
brave men who experienced the tortures OF
Andersonyille Prison Pen. We have some
ia this vicinity, as well as in other Localities
with whom opr readers have personal &C
quaintance, survivors of that torture place.
We agree with our contemporary OF The
Philadelphia Inquirer, that they will tell
him that they bear not only the scars OF
brutality, but, after ten years of careful
nursing and skillfnl treatment, direful dis
eases that, in shor. period, must lay them
in untimely graves after decade or more
of torment. Why pirate about the alleged
violation of military cartel for the ex-
change of prisoners by President Lincoln
and General Grant, when the laws Of war
and the dictates of humanity were ruth
lessly and shamefully violated by Mr. Da-
Wis and the men he ruled There is some
thing more in this than factious desire
60 augmen: partisan strife; more than
an effort to advance the interests of Pre-
sjdential candidate. Nor will il be taken
a. a valid defense for Mr.. Davis TO say
that he congratulated bis troops tor their
kindness and knightly temper toward IA
lot Of prisoners taken in 1864, when in the
rear, at Andersonville, the peers Of these
men and the "chivalr!c" captors were be-
ing causelessly and inhumsnly tortured TO
10 the very death, or worse-tO madness.
Unfortunately for Mr.. Davis and his
friends, the facts cannot be explained away
by surgical reports, or the plea that ''we
could do no better" The diabol:sm re-
mains on the record, and il is natural for
mankind to demand that he who allowed,
ordered or connived at il shall be forever
held M 90 the scorn Of al civilized peo-
pic.
WI W latN 't1es d va AANS ~"
;ional Union of Andersonville survivors Of
Norwich, Connecticut, has written letter
ia reply to Mr Davis and quotes Federal
War Department figures, showing the to-
tai captures ofsoldiers and citizens by Con-
icderate forces 20 have been lSS, l45. 1t is
estimated that OF these half were actually
confined in prisons. The number of deaths
il Confederate prisons was 36,40l. Con
scquently, the per cent. OF mortality in
prisons was over 3S3. and the per cent. OF
the entire captures about 10 3-Sths. The
number of captures by Union forces was
476, 1863, and the number actually confined
lthe rest being paroled OR exchangedl was
327, $40; the mortality Of prisoners was
80, l52 the per cent OF mortality in prison
was l38 the per cent. of mortality OF the
whole number of captures was l-32.-
Thus the mortality in rebel prisons was
about three times as great as that in Union
prisons. Mr.. Goss also quotes the official
repor: Of the Confederate inspector OF
prisons, Lieutenant Colonel ID. l.. Chan
der, iavoraby endorsed by the Confeder-
ate Assistant Secretary Of War, to show
that recommendation were actually made
to the Davis Cabinet to replace General
Winder as commandsnt, at Andersonyille
with some one more humane, and the only
notice taken thereof by Davis was to pro-
mote Winder 10 the position of ofCommissary
General of the Confederate prisons.