The National tribune., 1878-03-01

in hole which his hands have scooped out in the sand
The attered rags that partially him cannot conceal
the bones that geam through the skin his eyes move
earfuly in his head, his hands cench tightly together
hs limbs are drawn up in horrible contortions by the
cranlp The only motion of which is body is capable is
slow rolling from side side upon his back as pivot and
the vernn crawl in vast armies his wretched person.
lie taxes no notice of passing objects unless particularly
addressed, for the world is rapidly going out to him
Placing our ear to his lips gather from his faint whs
prs that but short time before he had left some New
England college flushed with hope and courage to battle
Tor liberty and right fond mother pressed her lips to
ms ms orow as with fearful eyes she bade him farewell
KIND sister in cheering words urged him on to duty
protners hand wrapped the garb of his counry defend
ers about his form and in the field he had performed
DEEDS OF vaor lie was captured, and-even while we
nger beside him faint shuder passes through his frame
ana all is over He too, will soon be borne away to
side y
Just in front of us we see thronp gathered about an
object which in other places than this would draw tears of
sympathy from the hardest heart but scenes of horror are
frequent here that this excites but nassin nteest
1t IS young soldier born and raised in fertile township
IN ONO his early life has been passed among the pleasant
aes OF that noble State every kindness which parental
ove could bestow had been lavished upon him. and he
had ranked high among the promising and intelligent
youth OF country man of talent Of literary attain
menS, o noble instincts. But is now dehroned
ana ne tears ms tatered rags from his emacated form
ms frenzy, gnashng his teeth and foamng with rage but
the paroXysm Is momentary his strength is exhausted
he las 20 the ground helpless infancy and borne
away by his comrades.
There is form of disease which is almost too hor-
ube to be Witnessed yet understand the wretch
edness OF the prison without looking upon This not
solitary case but shall find numerous similar ones
before leave this living charne holse We pstinciva
ly pause reach the awful sight before us holding
our breath lest nfae the terrible stencil that arises
from it. Here is living being who has become SO az
hausted from exposure that he unable to rise from the
gronnd suffering with diarrhea in its and worst form
lie IS covered with his own faces the vermn crawl and
no upon ms feSh tumbng undsurbed into his eyes and
ears ana open mouth the feeding beneath his
skin buying themselves where his limbs swollen with
scNy have burst open in running sores they even
found their way into his ntestines and form living
writing mass within him. His been represented
~ e surgeons D9t they nave pronounced him ncurabe
anu ne Is iet mere IN ms misery IN which he will lnger
three or four days more Proper aud treatment
would have saved him long ago but not now-and his
comrades abandon him to death
he we axe gazing upon this sickening spectacle the
um peais at te south gate and the prisoners dropping
their hacooked food hasten themselves in ranks
preparatory to being counted Being arranged in irreg
uiar nes the strong standing for the most part with
uncovered headshayng no hatsthe weak sitting or v
ing upon the ground the sergeant passes carefully around
to see if all the ranks full and searches among the
nuts Tor those that unable to crawl the line Rails
ing our eyes we observe that each sentry box contains two
additional men, and that they grasp their muskets with
hrm hand The prisoners observe il also and they know
well that some OF their comrades missed at the last
roca and that the sentnels are there to fire upon any
division that breaks ranks before the camp been thor
ougy searched The officer forward hastily passes
ro tue mead 70 the rear of the column, counting the
standing meni the sergeant leads him the sick that still
lS III thelr novels unable TO creep out, and to the
Gehd ana the complement is filled; he division
down as full and passes the still remaining in line
Let us also pass on with the officer till he comes to the d
vision TO which the missing belonged Ii is drawn
up in line like the others; the reports his number
present. the officer examines his book and finds that one
gone. The sergeant shakes his head when asked what
has become OF him. the in rank are aterrogaed but
no reply is obtained sick lying upon the ground
points TO hole by; the officer goes in that direction
stoops down and looks beneath the thin she'll Of earth
and there IN the bosom of his mothehe mother of us
althe missed one hes dead; dead unknown to his com
adesto all but God who his dying struggle and who
will bring hm IN the last day living witness against the
iends that doomed him to such fate
Ihelo man found the extra Sennes are relieved the
men break ranks and their occupations but the
sergeant has work yet to do for sick of his division
are to be gathered up the helpless upon blankets those
able to walk in Squads and all report at the south
gate to receive their medicines We pass over to this
gate and cast casual glance upon the mass of wretched
ness gathered there Nay shrink not there are worse
spectaees than this in this horrible pit there sights
mere TO eeze the blood, scenes OF suffering with which
the ghtfu pictures of the horrors of he'll bear mo-
parallel. .
Gathered here from all parts of the stockade and
crowded in the small space half an acre of human be-
ings suffering in every form Of disease Some are lying