The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-03-17
ARLINGTON, HANCOCK Co.. o. !
March 10 1874

ED. JEFF. In reply to letter writ
ten by jeff. Davis to James Lyons, of
Petersburg, and dated at New Orleans,
Jan. 29th, 1876, concerning his personal
responsibility for the cruel treatment
of Union soldiers who were prisoners of
war to the Confederacy of which JEFF.
Davis was President; being a soldier
in Company B. of the 21st o. V. l., and
a prisoner of war from September 10th,
1868, until the close of the war, feel it
my duty to speak through the columns
of your paper TO the multitude of read
ers as regards the treatment of prisoners
in the hands of JEFF. Davis and Others.
was captured at the battle of Chiea-
mauga on Sunday, the goth of Septem
Der, 1868, and was taken to Richmond,
with many Of my c.-'tradr>, whose bones
are left iu Southern prison burying
grounds When got to Richmond my
clothing was all taken from me, and l
way left with a few old rags that picked
up by the way. After we left the cars
we were marched to large tobacco
house and lodged in it over night. Next
morning, Provost Marshal Dick Turner
came in with posse of men and
searched every man for money, jewelry,
watches, Sc, saying that if we would give
up our money, without being searched, it
would be returned to us when when We
were exchanged, producing paper in
the shape of a general order, signed by
President Davis, Secretary Stevens and
General Lee. Supposing it all right, the
prisoners, with few exceptions, handed
over the money in their possession and
got credit for it. do not remember the
exact amount that was handed over,
something over 81 900, all of which
Davis was conscious OF. The men who
would not give up their money were
stripped before the whole company of
prisoners and searched and made to go
through all kinds of manGuvers.
was in all the mean places they were
in possession of in the city of Richmond.
The floors were covered with verIuin of
every grade. One place was just as bad
as another-Libby, PendlAcn, Smiths,
Castle Thunder, and all the rest Just the
same. Our rations consisted of one half
pound of bread per day, with an ounce
of meal that was nearly eaten up by
maggots. 1t was boiled Just enough to
kill the worms. The boys were so
hungry that not a maggot was left to be
wasted. OF salt, we got a teaspoonful
per week. OF soap, we got none. As
for the sick, they were left to pine away
and die. Medicine was was out of date,
and care was not known by the rebel
government. have heard the sick ask
for medicine, and ask to be taken to
better quarters until they would get bet
ter. The answer they received was that
the place they occupied was a id sight
too good for a id Yankee s-b. The
ladies of Richmond were no better than
the men. They would unfurl the stars
and bars and ask us all kinds of con-
temptible questions about the army,
and say that we were getting our just
dues for interfering with Christian
people and their rights.
FROM RICHMOND TO DANvILLE.
On the 18th of November, 1868, we
were taken to the cars and run to Dan
vile, where we were placed in the same
kind of buildings as at the former place.
Our rations were not enlarged, but of
an inferior quality. 1t was nothing
strange to see prisoner shot for looking
out of second or third-story window.
After we had been there some time, we
drew rice soup. After boiling meat for
the guards in large kettles, the cooks
would put about two gallons of rice in
in the water that the meat was boiled
in, and boiled until it was done; the
kettles would then be filled with water,
when it was ready fer issuing. The
man that had charge of the building
would come in the house and cry draw
rations" He would then take fifteen or
twenty men, each man having a bucket,
anJ march them to the river, and with |
each bucket filled with water march to |
the cook house, empty the first bucket
of water into kettle of rice, and then
fill the bucket with rice and soup.
Then the meat mans bucket would be |
emptied and filed i'm the same manner,
until the rice was all gone. After the
buckets were all filed, the men were
marched to the buildings and ths. soup
issued to the prisoners, one pint for
days rations. The last bucket of soup
had no more virtue In it than cold water
would have if it was poured on cold rice.
About this time the small pox began
to spread among Us. | never want to /
witness such a scene again. There were
about three hundred cases at one time.
When 1 think of standing by the side of
John Travis, John TreInain, and many
of the 21st boys, and hear them cry for
help, and no help near them
No mothers hand to give ;hom 5=aler,
Or say a word of comfort in dying hour;
No wife to wipe The ieaih-damp from the
brow.
On New Years day, OF 1864. one half Of
the men were almost destitute of cloth
ing. All the clothing | had was a pair