Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-05-09
GOLD CHEER. :
1 FasIi6gu Reid PrIs1liT Oh
joels Il Iilkss flst-
mi.
% Csnplain ut Camp Iaitaa Lieksd
u UsalL Csniagh Il Honl
III. 4. = wicss1p d the Session xsav
sIsss Furnishes Him win Seine
A6dftioaa, Peiassss-

c4F<fe VII cOaI8A3 N kxksc1e Ifutn hn1 pNt
Of A. z. Wsnship, which viii be read VII
iptsrest BY every old solder in the country
Mr.. Winship viii ssys
/ From luxurious apartments on Madison
avenue . professional gentleman, Cos
sedersse soldier, . prisonef 1t Indianapolis
10 1854. writes work Of fiction fer ihs
April Century, under the tide "Cold Chez
st Camp Norton Both tina adjsctives and
illustrations sfe chosen for --theif sfsc
| ,s.hef rhaa for their relation to fact. II
The article were sure to be carefully read
,ners would be 20 occasion to reply to it
| Tor Il furnishes IL own internal evidence Of
| uareliabilify. For twenty-five yeSYs thu
f! sTiter has undoubtedly been given privass
| reheassa's Of prison experiences, eniargins
upon them - his Imagination bfoadenec
md intensified. until st last he has gons
| into print, more snxious 10 live up to bill
orsl versions than 10 keep within the bouad.
Of reason. Upon this theory only can on
account for such story. When the adjsc
sives and the advertisements are eliminated
this recital of ''Cold Cheer 10 little more
than 9 peialsnt complaint that as prisoners
| Of Eaf they were not Toasted and fesed n
distinguished guests. Ali that we ssk Il
that il be resd with the distinct understand
| ing that its author writes Of war times, thai
be was prisoner Of war, and was fed and
clothed by the government
YaLkss Soldiers Iaaultsd.
He makes four general charges sbusive
treatment, cruelty, starvation, and freezing
to death. He bases the charge Of abusive
treatment upon the fact that prisoners were
sometimes struck because they would MOI
cease talking when an officer was passing
| Il il 3 matter Of official report that il va.
practically impossible for an ofiiesr to ga
| through the camp without being insulted
II WAS infinitely more difficult to discipline
the prison in this regard than 1t was oul
own camp. The prisoners would stroll
near the sentry and mutter epi
thets for which, il spoken under
other circumstances. they would have
been Immediately chsstised. l recall q
Sunday when they were holding open all
services. The preacher in q prolonged
prayer piled anathemss 90 "thick and fast
amid jubilant "Amens," that asked fol
authority to see that he ceased praying &c
be heard Of men. This was not granted
and be contioued to shout his abuse OF tbs
soldiers, officers, Yankee land, and ths
President. never knew case in which &
man was slapped in the face for it, but
knew q thousand men who were ready fol-
| such fray. presume some men yielded
to the provoca.ion when officers or visitor:
were insulted. Suffice it to say that The
abuse was provoked.
The charge Of cruelty 10 broadly made
But the writer admits that the most barbar
Gus act Of cruelty was perpetrated by him
self. According to bis story, there were
some fellows among the prisoners wht
would eat from the hospital swill barrel
Patients were allowed some luxuries denied
the other prisoners. Uneaten portions wen
into the swill. Finding q fellow who hat
yielded to this temptation. Wyeth and Q
few companions ducked him head foremost
in the hospital swill Darrell. This was BY
far the most heartless and indecent thins
ever done in the history Of Camp Morton
and this Century article has revealed FOL
the first time the name Of one Of the per
petrators of this outrage. 1t Was "colt
cheer" indeed. for one prisoner.
Tbs Charges 10 Dstsil.
Here are some of the, gravest charges
OF cruelty:
l. Arrived at Camp Morton at TO- o clocl
p. NJ in early October, where. ''no proris
ion haring been made for US, ne slept, OF
tried TO sleep, through The cold night IL
the open air upon the ground" Well
we'll! What did he expect? Speak out
Grand Army boys, and recite the instance.
in which you arrived at camp where n,
provision had been msde for you. Dix
yen ever sleep, or try to sleep, through a
early October night in the open sir upor
the ground? Why, You could fairly maxi
his blood cufdle by reci.ing your expert
ences.
| 2. He was taken with chill in the morn
| ing, could not be admitted to the hospits
till o'clock in the afternoon, and VS.
given bed upon which man had died
| This may be 8 strange experience for
f! Southern soldier, but il Was common
enough with the "boys in blue" TIL
incoming of large number Of unexpected
guests, who had not sent on notice of thei
ply steal condition, might naturally sur
prise hospital; and few hours Of waitinJ
in the middle Of the day by person no
wounded. who simply complained Of chill
will hardly be accepted 81 cruelty by tn
average Union foldier. Unfortunately,
was rot the custom Of the Union army +
destroy the couches upon which me-
CHANGED to die. II is evident that tn
authorities did not reslize what fastidiou
youth they had on hand.
IS. The camp had been fair ground
the stables of which were used as barracks
These were shingled, he admits, and di
not leak, but there was no floor. Thi
was grave omission. twas simply crue
for the United States government not +
floor the spare chamber in which it wa
entertaining distinguished guests, but il
that day the sthetic nature was not devel
opad in the wild and woolly West" - a
present. The sides Of the building wer
not clapboarded but were battened, and O.
one occasion there was draft. A careful
exsmin alton of the official records show
that no complain. was ever made of thi
draft, so that the government is really nc
responsible for allowing such exposure.
4. THE entrance vas through larg
barn door at each end" As there was
abundance Of room to pass out and in, the,
could be 70 objection to this except fror
the aesthetic standpoint.
5. There were four tiers Of hunks, .h
lowest one foot from the ground, the sec
ond three feet above thst, aud the thir
three feet higher. As this is precisely th
height from the floor and the space sllove
in q Pullman palace car,-for which VI
pay 81 pight,-we incline to think thi
charge should be turned over to some mod
e.n reformatory society.
6 mo straw for bedding" Gene
"boys in blae,' speak up. Aren't 20
Ashamed to think Of ''boy in gray" bsin
forced to spend 8 night in bunk withou
straw? Why didn't you share your iuxr
fious bedding with this terdef youth
Let everyone Who lnxuriated on strav
feathers or hair mattress, at onee send
note Of apology for such lack Of hes pits
ity. know one regiment, at lea,t. whic
would hare been wilIing to give him all tn
straw il ever had.
j Z. Each man was allowed but on
blanket y Cruel boys! why did you nc
give him some Of your spare blankets? Br
possibly. like a regiment knew, you ha
but one blanket each, which had to serve I
bed ard covsrles
i 8 Here 10 the climax: "rhere wer
but four stoves to each barrack I hav
heard Of barracks in which one would hsv
been . luxury. TO think that these guest
had but four stoves is the depth Of humil
alton. Inevsr hesrd anything Ike il.
he will 80 to indianapolis now, he viii stan
3 chance of warmer reception.
| The Price ct Germ.
4 8. He paid Is cents for an ear Of corn
Nov, paid 25 cents for An ear OF corr
and was right glad to get 1t at that; b.
that doesn's count, for l was . Uuio
soldier, and WAS not expected to receiv
the same treatment - our guests. II y
could hnd cut who vas 20 discourseou
- to charge anything. we would punis
him by seme mild process. We coul