The National tribune., 1891-05-21
TnE RArIoNs Ar ANnERsoNvIrLE.

One DIR. R. II, Stevenson, of Little River,
Nova Scotia, whose ill-fame as one Of the
rebel Surgeons at Audersonville was richly
earned by his conduct toward the prisoners
confined in that awful place, has written for
the International Journal Of Surgery reply
to Prof Roberts BarthoIow's structures upon
the food in that prison in his Materia
Medica and Therapeutics Dr. Stevenson
says
Prom official documents IN The hanasof the Chief
Surgeon Of the Confederate States Military Prison
Hospitals at Andersouvilc find that la the hos
pital department, which contained, FIRST and last
over one-hRlf Of all those confined there the aver
age daily ration received 10y tlte prisoner was =
ounces Of corn bread, or 20 ounces Of either corn
meal -four rice, or peas and five ounces Of bacon
or IL ounces Of beef, with occasional issues Of mo-
llsses, sweet potatoes and an acid beer made rom
Germ meal and strip ID Is evident That tins
amount and quality Of food were quite sufficient to
sustain life especially when VIC take into consider
ntion that the life Of the prisoners was one OF COM
paralive idlencss
The Confederate soldiers daily ration in active
service one and one third pounds 81 corn meal
or -four and six ounces Of bacon or II ounces OF
beef together with peas, rice, molasses' sweet
potatoes, etc.
Whatever the "oificial documents may
say, we know from personal experience
and there are thousands Of readers Of THE
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 a half-loat Of
exceedingly coarse corn bread, which during
/ the summer months was contaminated by
great numbers Of the filthy flies which
swamed mp from the vile swamp. Our
remembrance is that, for months AT time,
and during the entire period that the prison
was fallest-say from June l TO Sept Z,
/ lSG4-ihere were no issues whatever OF
-four, rice, or peas, with bacon or beet,
molasses, sweet potatoes, aud acid beer
Our recollection is that sweet potatoes were
issued for few days after our entrance
into Andersonyille Feb. "a, ca, and then
st0pt altogether On several occasions they
issued quart Of peas 10 detachment -
80 men--but this soon stopt, aud also the
meat ration. We have a distinct recollec-
tion that during July and August, thou
sands Of prisoners received no other rations
than mush made Of coarse meal, which was
frequently sour and filed with maggots by
the time it was issued. If more rations
were issued by the Confederate Commissary
they must have been stolen by John il.
Winder and his gang They certainly never
reached the prisoners.
Lieut-Col ID. T. Chandler, OF the rebel
Inspector eneral's Department, reporting
from Andersonyille, Aug. ), 1864, said:
The sanitary condition Of the prisoners is as
wrctched il can be, the principal causes Of NOR
tRlity being scurvy aud darrhea. Moth
ing seems 10 have been done and little, fany, effort
made 90 arrest II by procuring proper food. The
ration j. one-third poaud Of bucou and and one
fourth pound unbolied cornmua, with fresh beef ~
1 rare intervals, and occasionally when 10 be OBJ
tsined-very seldom small quantity 81 molasses
j. substituted Tor the meat ration. A little weak
vinegar uuii, FOR use, has sometimes been issued.
The arrangements for cooking and baking have
4 been wholly inadequate. aud though additions are
now being completed, Il will still he impossible 10
cook for tie whole number Of prisoners. Raw
raions have to be issued 10 avery large proportion,
who are entirely uuproyided with proper utensils,
and being furnished limited a supply Of fuel,
they are compelled 20 dix with their hands in ihe
filthy marsh before mentioned, Tor roots, etc. No
soap or clothing has ever been issued. AJter i'm
curing an confident that b slsh ,rcItioHs green
corn and othey anti -ssorJlies could be oLtoinod
J. Crews pelot, one Of the rebel Surgeons
at Andersonyille, made a report as Medical
Olicer OF the Day Sept 8, 1864, in which he
said
The corn bread received from the bakery being
made up without Sitting. ID wholly unit for The use
~ the sick and often tn the lust2I hours upon eK-
animation te inner portion il found 10 b. perfectly
raw The meat tbeeil received by the patients does
not amount Go over two ounces day. 3
The corn bread cannot be eaten By many, Tor 10 do
40 would increase tho disease Of the bowels from
which large majority are suffering.
Dr. Isaiah H. White Chief Surgeon Of the
prison, and DIR. stevenson's superior officer,
reported Aug. 2, 1854:
The meal r. issued uubolted, and when baked is
coarar aud uuwholcs0me.
The margins Of the stream passing through Tie
atockadc arc low and hogRy, aud the
surface exposed 40 Toe produces horrible
stencil.
Col. A. w. Persons, who was FOR awhile
commander Of the post al Audersonyille
testified at the Mirz trial:
Tie camp q nuisance 20 all iutents and pur.
I 4 poses The FIRST reason vas tEat the dead were
buried so near The surface ~ the ground that i
gave Out Iutuleruble stencil. A swarm 81 greer
lcs spread like .0cuas over tbai section Of Ga,
country Thee lhc flth 81 tie cafnp arising from
various causes naturally concentrated there. That
with divers other oluses, made IL Terrible nuisance
r DR. Stevenson goes on to say:
2 The winters Ht Audersunyile were carefully
2 nnaly zrd by competent chemist. lie rcporte,
q them free from the sulphHies aud chi0Iides. ans
) equal ia purity To ghe best water IN the South.
I Tire prison was situated rolling sandy land
y aud was considered healthy Hs any Of The PIN
I regions Of the Gulf States.
: This II a lie Of the kind the lawyers cal
4 sHppressi0 Ucri-a suppression Of the truth
Il ii was not what was naturally in the waite
al Andegsonyille but what was put int
n IT, Al the water provided was from Sweet
v water Creek, which, before It's entrance int