The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-01-27
From the y. Y. Sun

BIamCd.
From the \. Y. SUM-
II was the last man to leave Anderson
vile prison. l locked the main gate,
and took the key; this is it," Suiting the
action to the word he unrolled from its
wrappings of tissue paper the rusty key
that might have been doing duty upon
the lock of some freedman's smoke house
instead of lying for ten years as a relic
"You see," said the old man, whom
We Will call Mr.. Cook (holding his true
name at the service of any one who may
desire to learn III, Il Was on duty up
there at the Andersonville for the last
eighteen months of the war, issuing
rations, and having them cooked. Tor
both the prisoners and the guards.
When the Federals began sending out
cavalry raids to cut our railroads and
Iiberate prisoners, it became necessary to
select permanent post in some part
of the south least liable to sudden in
roads. In fact, the Dahlgren raid, that
came near getting into Richmond, :reeing
the Libby and Belle Isle prisoners, and
Burning the town, determined the Con-
federate Government TO move the bulk
of the prisoners 1T once. General Wild
der, being the only officer of his rank al
Richmond at the time who could be
spared from active service, was sent
South with instructions to select suita-
bic place for general depot for prison
ers. He was about the worst man for
the mission, but he close Anderscnville
ana | think his choice was good. 1t Was
the safest place from raids in the South
the enemy never got there until after the
war; it was high, dry, and healthy
neither too cold or too hot, at a distance
from any large town, and in q region
Astounding with
WOOD. WATER, AND YARN PRODUCE.
Which benefited the guards,
but not the prisoners?
"You are mistaken Most of the pris
oners had some money or jewelry which
thew could sell at fabulous prices; and
you know few cents in greenbacks
were worth dollars in Confederate-S2O
for 81. Turnips and sweet potatoes sold
for 81 per bushel in reenbacks, or $50
in our money. Then a good many OF
the farmers of the country used TO send
wagon loads of vegetables, &c, to be
given the prisoners"
Reporter-How about the "PenT
The Pen, was an enclosure of TWEEN
tv-seven acres, surrounded by high
stockade made of pine logs, set in the
ground as closely rs possible, with mar
row walkway on top for the sentineis to
overlook The interior. 1t was oblong in
shape-a psrallelogram-enclosiug Ii
small valley like an amPhitheatre, with
a stream of water running through It.
Reporter-And the prisoners had to
drink this sluggish water?
"No-that is another of the many lies.
There were two springs inside the Pen.
one bold, strong flow of good water,
which emptied from the side of the hill
into long trough-like horse trough
so that fifty men could drink, or fill their
canteens at one time. If you doubt It, &c
and examine the place. The branch that
ran through the Pen instead of beng a
sluggish stream, WAS often so strong that
it washed away the lower end ofthe stock,
ade, and We had to stand guard around
the break for days. The stream was
meant to be used tor washing purposes,
but when the place filed up much faster
than was expected 1t began to be used As
a sewer. and so many men trod 1t into q
muck. Then when man got sick, med
;cines were scarce. The Government
finally offered to receive any medicines
or clothes, and let the Federal surgeons
come with them to attend to their sick
but no notice was taken of the offer I'll
FIVE months after 1t WAS first made.
Repor.er-What kind OF rst'ohS were
issued?
Precisely the same in uantity snc
quality as all the guards and employee:
of the pest received; and that was g""'
deal better than Lees army was geo ng
| remember when the soldiers in Firg."'
ia were getting one-fourth OF pound o.
mea, and pint of meal per day, We Is
sued half pound of meat, apint OF meal
ncss. rice. &c, TO the prisoners. II fact
there was an act of Congress requiring
that all prisoners should receive
THE SANK FARE
IN quantity and quality as our soldiers
But the Yankees, being accustomed t'
s,lendid rstions of meat, bread, vege,
tables, coffee. sugar, &c, couldn't believe
our bows were marching and hghting
on such hard fare, but thought the!
were purposely starved.
RepJrter-Were not part OF their IA
tions stolen.
.How could they be, when all the cook;
were paroled prisoners? l had the lsSuii
OF rstions myself, and l assure you
used TO increase the allowance a.! couN
giving down weight, and that sort O
,hlng-for really pitied the poor fe low
though there Was about NJ much com
plain, among the guards as the prisoners
There were a few OF Gen. Winders Bal
,imore plugs" around the place Tor
while. who NAV have pilfered SINAI
quantities, but not more than they cou!C
eat. The trou Die was, the prisoners, hndin:
themselves carried long distance mt
the heart of the South, soon became deS
pondenl homesick, utterly careless soou
themselves, wouldn't eat, and wouidh
turn out of bed to cleanse themselves. LII
WAS always very noticeable ate
The failure of our dlheren
attempts to get an exchange
and when il became settled that incl
own Government meant to let them d'
in prison for the sake ola Paltry punet'l; !!
or a few darkeys, who had rather Dc Il
prison than at the front, they just ole
like sheep, some cursing their own an
our Cover nment in the same breath.
Reporter-Why were they not housed
"Well, we couldn't get tools and axe
to build houses, All the wagon We'
running night and day hauling rations
and there weren't enough axes 20 Gu
arewood. Besides we were all the tim
expecting removal either By exehangin
the prisoners or by taking them SOM