Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1891-06-20
The Rations at Andersonville.

The Rations at Andersonville.
One DR.. r. B. Stevenson, of Little Riv
er, Nova Scotia, whose ill-fame as one Of
the rebel Surgeons at Andersonville was
richly earned by his conduct toward the
prisoners confined in that awful place
has written for the international 5oayna
of Surgery, a reply to Prof. Robert
Bartholow's structures upon the
food in that prison in his "Materia
Medica and Therapeutics. Dr. Steven
son says:
From official documents in the hands Of the Chief
Surgeon of the Confederate States Military Prison
Hospitals at Andersonville find that in the hospi
tai department, which contained, first and last over
one-half of all those confined there, the average
daily ration received by the prisoner was twenty
eight ounces of corn bread, twenty ounces of
either meal, -four, rice, peas, and five ounces
of bacon or twelve ounces of beef with occasional
issues of molasses sweet potatoes. and acid beer
made from corn meal and sirup 1t was evident
that this amount and quality of food quite suf-
fcient to sustain ife especially when take into
consideration that the life of the prisoners is one
of comparative idleness.
The Confederate soldiers daily ration in active
service one and one-third pounds of corn meal
or -four, and six ounces of bacon or twelve ounces
of beef, together with peas rice, molasses, sweet
potatoes, etc.,
Whatever the "oficial documents" may
say, we know from personal experience
and there are thousands of readers of Tile
National Tribune who Will corrobOrate our
statement-that no such ration was ever
issued to the prisoners. All that they
received in the stockade was half-loaf of
exceedingly coarse corn bread, which dur
ing the summer months was contaminat-
ed by great numbers of filthy flies which
swarmed up from the vile swamp. Our
remembrance is that, for months at
time, and during the entire period that
the prison was fullest-say from June to
Sept. z, 1S64-there were no issues what
ever of 'hour, rice, or peas, with bacon or
beef, molasses, sweet potatoes, and acid
beer" Our recollection is that sweet po-
tatoes were issued for few days after
our entrance into Andersonville Feb. "a,
1864, and then stopped altogether On sew
eral occasions they issued quart of peas
to detachment ninety men but this
soon stopped, and also the meat ration. We
have distinct recollection that, during
July and August, thousands of prisoners
received no other rations than mush made
of coarse meal, which was frequently sour
and filled with maggots by tn. time it
was issued. If more rations were issued
by the Confederate Commissary they
must have been stolen by John 81. Wind
er and his gang. They certainly never
reached the prisoners.
Lieut.. Col. d. r. Chandler, of the rebel
Inspector Generals Department, report
ing from Andersonville, Aug. 5, 1864,
said:
The sanitary condition of the prisoners is as
wretched as it be, the principal causes of NOR
tality being scurvy and diarrhea. . Moth |
ing seems to have been done, and little, if any,
effort made to arrest it by procuring proper food
The ration is one-third pound of bacon and one |
and one-fourth pound unbolted cornmeal, with |
fresh beef at intervals and occasionally when
be obtained-very seldom-a small quantity of mo- |
lasses is substituted for the meat ration little |
weak vinegar, unfit for use, has sometimes been
issued. The arrangements for cooking and baking |
have been wholly inadequate, and though additions
are now being completed it will still be impossible
to cook for the whole number of prisoners. Raw
raions have to be issued to very large proportion
who are entirely unprovided with proper utensils,
and being furnished limited supply of fuel they
are compelled to dig with their hands in the filthy
marsh before mentioned, for roots etc. No soap or
clothing has been issued. After inquiring am
confident that by slight exertions, green corn and
other anti-scorbutics could be obtained.
J. Crews Pelot, one of the rebel Sur
geons at Andersonville, made report as
Medical Officer of the Day Sept. 5, 1864,
in which he said:
The corn bread received from the bakery being
made up without sitting, is wholly unfit for the
of the SICK and-often Tin the last twenty hours
upon examination the inner portion is found to be
perfectly raw. The meat (beef) received by the
patients does not amount to two ounces day.
The corn bread cannot be eaten by many, |
for to do would increase the diseases of the bow
els from which large majority are suffering.
DR.. Isaiah II. White, Chief Surgeon of |
tho prison, and DR.. Stevenson's superior
officer, reported Aug. 2, 1864:
The meal is issued unbolted, and when baked is |
coarse and unwholesome.
The margins of the stream passing through the |
stockade are low and Doggy, and = > the surface |
exposed to the sun produces a horrible stencil.
Col A. W. Persons, who was for awhile |
commander of the post at Andersonville.
testified at the Wirz trial:
The camp was nuisance to all intents and pur-
poses. The first reason that the dead were bur-
led near the surface of the ground that it gave
out an intolerable stencil. swarm Of green flies
spread like locuss that section of the country
Then the filth of the camp, arising from various
causes. naturally concentrated there. That, with
divers other causes, made it a terrible nuisance.
DIR. Stevenson goes on to say:
The waters at Andersonville were earthly analyz-
ed by competent chemist He reported them free
from the sulphates and chlorides and equal in puri
ty to the best water in the south.
The prison was situated rolling, sandy land,
and was considered as healthy as any of the pine
regions of the Gulf States.
This is q 1ia IF tho lind fbof lo~va-, |