The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-29
(Copgright)

Surrender.
(copgfght)
NEW YORK, Dec. 2,-An early number
of the New York Ledger will contain G
new poem by John G. Whittier, the manu-
script of which 1 have been permitted to
see. Its title is ''Tbe Captains Well" and
| it tells the story of an old Massachusetts sea
captain who was cast away, many years
ago, on the coast of Africa. The following
lines give the keynote Of the poem.
Pity me, Godl forI die Of thirst:
| Take m out Of this land accurst:
And if ever reach my home again,
Where earth has springs and the sky has rain.
1 will dig well for the passers-by,
And none shall suffer with thirst as |.
On reaching home be remembers his vow,
and says: .5~
Now the Lord be thanled ! am back again,
Where earth has springs, and the skies have
rain.
And the well promised, by Osman's Sea,
am digging for Hin in Amesbury."
The January number of Belforo's Mag
dzine will contain the autobiography of the
late Jefferson Davis and an article by him
on Andersonville prison, to which his recent
death lends extraordinary interest.
Perhaps one of the most striking passages
in his autobiography is that which relates
his own capture after the surrender of Lee.
Late In the night" says he. my colored
coachman aroused me with the intelligence
that the camp was attacked. and I stepped
out or the tent where my wife and children
were sleeping, and saw at once that the as
sailauts were troops deploYing around
the encampment. | SO informed my
wife, who urged me to escape. After
some hesitation consented, and a servant
woman started with me carrying a bucket
as If going to the spring for water. One of
the surrounding troops ordered me to halt
and demanded my surrender. / advanced
toward the troops, throwing off the shawl
which my wife had put over my shoulders.
The trooper aimed mis- carbine, when my
wife, who witnessed the act, rushed for
ward and threw her arms about me, thus
defeating my intention, which was. if the
trooper missed his aim, to try to. uuhorse
him and escape with his horse. Then, with
every species of petty pillage and offensive
exhibition, | was taken from point to point,
until incarcerated in Fortress Monroe"
No one question connected with the civil
war has occasioned such bitter debate, or
so widespread feeling, in the north as the
alleged inhuman treatment of federal
prisoners of war in the south. Discussing
the subject with justice and candor, Mr..
Davis shows how much of this ill-feeling
rests upon misrepresentation and falsehood,
and, what will be a sharp revelation TO
very many persons, that the sufferings and
hardships of confederate prisoners in
northern prisons not only equaled, but even
exceeded, those of union prisoners at Ander-
sonville and elsewhere The writer supports
his statements with mass of proof which
no upright mind eau refuse to credit, and
which puts new face upon the ancient
feud.
"Andersonville, he says, twas selected
after careful Investigation for the follow
ing reasons: 1t was in a high, pine wood
region, in a productive farming country.
had never been devastated by the enemy.
was well watered and near to Amer1cus, a
central depot for collecting the tax in kind
and purchasing provisions. The climate was
mild and there were no recognizable sources
or disease. Persistence on the part of the
United States to exchange prisoners caused
so large an increase in the num-
Der of the captured sent to Anoer-
sonville as to exceed the accommo-
dstion provided and thus augment
the discomfort and disease of confinement.
= 1t was not starvation, as has
been alleged, but acclimation, unsuitable
diet and dependency which were the potent
agents of disease and death. Statements
from gentlemen of high standing who spea
disintereStedlY are submitted as conclusive
on the question of quantity of food at An
dersonville prison." Quoting from a letter
Mr.. Davis says: ~ can with perfect trath
declare as my conviction that Gen. Winder
who had control of the prisoners, was an
honest, upright, and humane gentleman. He
had the reputation Of treating the prison
ers contided to his general supervision
with great kindness and consideration
X = x = Both the President and Secre-
tary of War always manifested great anx-
iety that the prisoners should be kindly
treated and amply provided with food to
the extent of our MEANS" Again Mr..
Davis quotes: 1.-the federal prisoners were
removed TO Southwestern Georgia in the
eatly part of 1854, to secure a more album
dant supply of food" Quoting from Aus
tin Flint, IRIS. physiology of Man." Mr..
Davis says: "'The effects of salt meats
and farinaceous food lat AndersonvilIe)
without vegetables were manifest in the
great prevalence of scurvy. The
scorbutic condition, thus induced, modified
the course of every disease, poisoned every
wound, and lay at the foundation of those
obstinate and exhaustive diarrheas and
dySenteries which swept off thousands OF
these unfortunate men, W e., the federal
prisoners at Andersonville. President
Davis had permitted three of the Anderson
vile prisoners to go to Washington to try
and change the determination of their gov
eminent and procure a resumption of
| exchanges. The prisoners knew of the fail
ure Of their mission when l was at Ander-
sonville, and the effect was to plunge
the great majority of them into
| the deepest melancholy, home-sick
ness. and despondedcy = = =
The same Capt. Wirz, who was tried and
hanged as murderer, warmly urged i'm
provements for the benefit of the unhappy
prisoners under his charge. |
mention these facts to show that he Capt
Wirz) was not the monster he was after
ward represented to be when his blood was
| called fog by infuriate fanaticism. =
The facts alluded to satisfied me that he
was a humane man. The
real cause of all the protracted sufferings
of prisoners, north and south, is
directly due to the inhuman refusal
of the federal government to exchange
prisoners of war. y The greatest
difficulty was experienced in procuring
medicines and antiscorbutics. These were
made contraband by ofdeFoof the federal
government = Fora period of some
three months Capt. Wirz (who had himself
suffered from gangrene in an old wound)
and few faithful officers were engaged
night and day in ministering to the sick and
dying. In his trial certain federal
witnesses swore to his Capt. Wirz) killing
certain prisoners in August, 1864, when he
was actually absent on sick leave in
Augusta, Ca, at the time. Quoting from