The National tribune., 1878-02-01

to conceal their vauabes before or after capture The
detection in these attempts was constantly followed by
punishment of cruel and sometimes of revolving char
Some of the most aggravated of beating and
other personal violence inflicted solely account of
this detection The officers at Richmond, shown by
the testimony, became, by practice specially expert in
searching and robbng prisoners and detecting conceal
ment During the year 1864 system OF esearchmg was
in vogue IN all the prisons so that our oicels ana men
compelled to the gauntlet aud submit to the in
dignity of search at each transfer from prison to
prison These outrages clearly in direct violation OF
the laws of war; and in turpitude and crime nearly
akin TO the robbery OF the dead necessarily increased the
helpless condition of soldiers deprving them of the
of procuring the necessares and comforts which
might otherwise have been atainabe and rendering them
easy and tace prey TO the disease ana death winch
spread their sable pail the prison houses of the South
Nor was the immediate cruelty inflicted thus early upon
the Union soldier confined to robbery and personal vo-
lence Instant and long marches short raons scarcity
of water and transportation fit only for beasts destined
for the shambes were the common incidents his early
captivity The facts disclose cool and malicious disre-
gard of the condition and comfort of the prisoners taken
in battle and evident intention the part of the con-
fedete authorities to lose no time in the attempt to break
them down in body and in spirit and render them unit
for future service to their country Men wounded in the
arm or body forced make long marches guarded
by cavalry and when unable longer to keep pace with the
column beaten and with the sabreS of their guard
in order force them forward until they fell by the road
side dead, where they were left mbuIled. Fnsohels
transported railroads through the South were almost
invariably packed into close box cars the sick and Well
the wounded and unwounded from sixty to eighty huo
died together in each These often used for
this purpose without cleansing, Immediately after cattle
had been taken of them and the eXcrement of the
beast was the bed of the insufficient guards
provided such occasions and the consequently
kent closely shut sometimes several days in
sion the being allowed to leave them for any pur
pose Such the bitter and terrible preparation OF the
devoted soldier of the Union for his into the char
mel houses of Richmond and AndersonyiIe.
The testimony shows the mode of search adopted and
the ingenuity with which concealments were made The
prisoners stripped entirely naked and their clothes
examined sometimes by cutting and ripping such portions
supposed to contain ecreted money and other val
uabes This followed by exploration OF the per
son. every part of which closely examined for articles
of value These sometimes found secreted in the
hair whskers mouth other part OF the prs
oner person detection was usually followed py severe
punishment. Sometimes at the time OF exchange de
mand made by the prisoners for the return OF their
money but this generally met with denunchtlon ana
oentmes with violence This deliberate and systematic
robbery of defenseess pursued at Richmond,
within sight and hearing of the higher rebel ofclas anu
not far from residence of jeff Davis Sounds OF rev
ey carousa that of treason could be heard by
these ronged robbed and outraged prisoners they
Law on the bare the buildings where they
fined deprived by their nhuman captors OF the bares ne
ceSsaries of life.
The transportation of prisoners the crowded and suf
focated condition which have described not the re
of any necessity 1t caused by no forced retreat
from batte-e any emergency OF similar character
the usual mode of transit OF prisoners to ana from
stocades heart of the confedeacy So horrible was
the sutengs endured in these journeys that every poss
be effort made by the prisoners to escape rom the
cars while motion and many noticed where,
in the night they succeeded in forcing open the door
in cutting holes through the side OF the car and o that
attempting to escape preferng to risk their hves
in this ororn hope rather than endure the tortures OF
y travel many interesting recitas of these attempts
their failure success the reader is referred TO the tes
tmony of the witnesses. An instance OF wanton cruelty
~ occurred the occasion or squad OF prisoners leVlg
J. Richmond early winters morning, who after night
rs of snow and rain compelled to march through the
Il middle Of the streets many of them bareooed their feet
bleeding wounds occasioned by the roughness of the
~ road
TU; on honorable foe the es of civilized warfare OBJ
IN 4 aJ whom an enemy falls into his poger bv capture
or surrender seeks to alleviate his suerngs to the eX
m tent of his ability He becomes for the time his friend an'
os VOL his cantor
usual practice Of the officers and soldiers composing TIM
rebel army and here have in this particular as in man
ny Others striking contrast between the conduct OF the op
or posing forces late AS writer has said: Ih
dts treatment of prisoners of war significant test OF CIVIL
4i in neone or nation It is the one amenity tina
redresses thousand voences engendeTed by beigeren
Gu relations is the cruelty that casts all others mt
m the back ground In proportion we nd trlDe Oh con
ng unity advanced in human progress we are prepared
expect sympathy for the weak defenceess, and It
re- only in babarous savage life that look for the to
ar, % of ,narmed men or the abuse of non-combatant
mo- Hence dicut realize that distinct and large po