The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-11-05
TREATMENT OF PRISONERS.
A PennryIranIa Onecr Gives some More Pnct.

PennFylTania Ofnoer Gives Some More Fncts
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: This eternal
qnibble In regard TO the treatment Of the
prisoners Of both sides makes me so tired
can't rest. Why is ID that in the face Of the
evidence produced at the Wirz trial ia the face
Of the fact that Gen. Grant had the exchange Of
prisoners stopped for the reason that the rebel
prisoners were IA 10 put Immediately into I.ee's
ranks. and that none OF our men could bt SO
u5edY Why 10 il, in the face also Of the fact
and 10 Is fact coming under my own obser-
vaton-that parents and wives failed 10 recog-
nike their own children and husbands AZ An
napulis, In March, 1865 by reason Of their
wEetched condition. Why 10 face Of all this,
aud much more, will this useless, foolish argu-
ment be kept up, as TO what the relative treat
moHt was al Camp Morton and AndersonVille:
AZ Elmira aud Camp Sorghum etc2 This
matter is again opened up in The NATIONAL
IRIBUHE Of Aug. by COmrade CASTOR No
doubt this cOmrade has been exaggerated by
some assertion on the other side. Now, without
any desire at all TO engage ia newspaper con-
troyersy, but simply to state a fact as called
out by ComrGde CASTOR, / will say that was
commissioned officer, and a prisoner Of war
from April 20 1864, until March /, 1865 and
mention this only because Mai. Griswold,
commandant OF our prison At Columbia, told
me that lyon are used great deal better than
your mon are; not that we wish to treat your
men cruelty, but We cannot use them any
better, and II there is any difference, officers
should have IT,"
Now Jet US imagine how tho "men were
used. At Camp Sorghum, which was located a
mile or two from Columbia, there were about
100 commissioned officers confined. ranging
from Lieutenant 10 Colonel in rank The
sinks for our Use were located Immediately
north Of the camp, just outside the guard-line.
Bear in mind, there was no fence Of any kind
10 Obstruct the view Of the camp guards, aud
in addition 10 this there was a guard around
tho sinks. Yet in broad daylight only six
prisoners were allowed at the sinks at a time.
Look at your map, dear reader, aud you will
sec what chance we had 20 escape. East Ten
nes5ec or Port Royal was our nearest chance to
get 10 our lines. Six men in 700 allowed 10
20 outside Of one guard, or rather through the
camp guard inside OF another guard; and this
while c0rnmeal and sorghum were our main
! might almost say our only-foOd. saw one
morning Que prisoner pay $50 in Confederate
money 10 another man for his turn 10 20 10 the
sinks. The same morning thought for Curl
ositys sake j would count the line. did so,
aud when took my place / was the Saith man
in line.
AT Charleston, s. C.. was confined in the
jail yard from Sept. IL 10 Oct. 4, 1864 While
there part Of the time we had no wood; our
! ratlOns I'd were furnished uncOOked and we
were compelled 10 tear the door frames, floor
and seats out Of the brick water-eioset In the
/ yard, 10 serve Us as fuel.
We put our water aud cornmeal In whatever
we could get 10 cook IL In, lii the Gre, but the
stencil from the burning wood was uncomfortable.
aud we had 10 retire while IL cooked. DO YOU
fellows want my affidavit 20 this2 You can
/ have it in holy minute
Rise Up. old sorghum suckers" and tell me
| IL ! am lying; aud. Tecollcct, both of these
were the officers prisons Get right up. boys,
and speak out in meetin'; settle this thing up,
and then drop it.-J. H. kirk, Co. II, l0lst Pa,
4 731 w. Wayne ST., Lima o.