The National tribune., 1888-09-06
THE DEAD-HoUsF.

N.
Installed in our old quarters more comfortable,
il possible. than ever.
THE DEAD-HoUsE.
Now that I have mentioned the dead house
and its occupants, let Us see the part in this
great tragedy that If played. The poor prison
ers were being picked up in all parts Of the
prison, some dying and Others dead, on whose
couutenances could be read the loss of hope,
while their starved condition gave them the
most h.deous and repulsiyc appearance. All
DAY long could be seen their wasted and half
naked forms carried by the dead-guard, or per-
haps hy some Of their surviving comrades, to
the dead-E0nse. where they were piled upon
each other ike c0rd-wood, from whence they
were hauled in the dead-wagon 10 the outside
ditch that was to be the grave of the Union 5
nCblcst aud bravest defenders. At first the
manner iu which the dead were handled by
the dead guard, and the rebel who drove the
mules that hauled them, caused considerable
Indignation aad talk amongst the prisoners but
tie continual and constant going cut with the
bodies soon became an object of no concern to
anyone. and finally 10 attention was given the
matter az ali.
It is beyond my comprehension how it is
that human beings taught and raised rs Chris
tians can so easily ignore the feelings and re-
spect that Christ taught his children WAS due
10 one another; bat in all that wicked rebellion
was there any feelings Of Christianity shown 2
Let those who conceived itausweT the question
to their own souls. The FIRST few dead that
were found were considered terrible. They
were tcnderly laid out, and the rebel authori-
ties sent in on the dead wagon for the first
two wooden collins, in which the bodies were
placed with some show Of respect. But the
dead became SO numerous that the prisoner:
began TO suspect there was something wrong
To satisfy themselves some of the boys put
marks on these collins.
Ii soon became apparent to everybody in the
prison that these same collins were used every
day. The rebels tried to make it appear tina
they were furnishing collins for all the dead
but the marks soon showed that the collins did
duty for all the Salisbury dead. The boys Be
the authorities know that the subterfuge wa
known, and as the wagon passed through tht
prison, II was greeted with There goes the SANE
two old collins" II wonder how many NOR,
they are going 10 bury in those boXes2" Thes
and other like remarks Soon caused them T.
throw of their mask, aud the collins we're dis
pensed with entirely.
ENORMOUS CASUALTIES.
The prisoners, on account Of exposure ant
4 starvation began to drop of very rapidly
F how many day do not know, but suffice !
/ 10 say that it required two twO-mue teams t
haul them out. These were composed of tvs
& ,
i would haul IN load of wood and haul out
I load Of dead men; and so small and weak wer
they that they could only take out five bodie
4 at 2 time, aud often they would get stuck i
the soft aud waZy clay and require assstauc
from tic prisoners 70 help pull them out.
MANS INHUMANTTY.
I have read many accounts Of prison If
but ] have failed to sec n description such
/ would IN any way describe the manner {
handling and the appearance Of the Unto
dead i'll Salisbury Prison. more heartles
inhuman and unfeeling mode could not
dreamed Of by man or thought of by de-
lis. The dead-wagon would back up TO ii
door 81 the dead-hOuse, and the dead hou
guards would lift the body between them al
carry il feet foremost to the tail end Of Il
wagon, and with two swings and q heave tire
the aiuost-naked corps into the bed Of q
wagon and return for another, and repeat unl
five miserable. emaciated and starved bodi