The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-07-29
TIE TRUTH OF HISTORY.
EXPERIENCE OF A CAROLINA SOL
DER IN A. YANKEE PRISON.

RACES on Union Prisoners by Conieder-
ates Remember this.
The Rev. J. b. Traywick, q member
of the South Carolina Conference OF
the Southern Methodist Church writes
as follows to the Prosperity Press and
Reporter:
AS the question as TO the comparative
treatment of prisoners in Northern and
Southern prisons is up, and rs you
have requested me. l will give below
some incidents Of my experience at
Point Lookout, Md. 1t will certainly
show that all the sinners were not in
charge of Southern prisons. There is
one fact | wish to note, and that IS the
men at the front. rs rule, were KIND
and thoughtful of our comfort. anu. on
the other hand, men who had stayed
all the while away from the front were,
as a rule, without much sympathy.
CAPTURED.
l was captured at Fishers Gap, near
Strasburg. on September %, 1864. Al
ter some delay at Winchester, Harper'S
Ferry and Baltimore, was carried by
steamer to Point Lookout. Md, arriving
there on October 3, 1864.
N PRISON.
On entering the prison we were d.
vested OF everything except personal
wear and blankets. Not long after our
arrival an inspection was held, and IN
every case where prisoners had more
than one blanket, unless concealed,
they were all taken exce:.t one to each
man, and then those who did not have
any were supplied with Blankets that
had been taken from their fellow prlS.
oners. Barefooted prisoners were sup
piled with shoes, and scant quantity
of clothing was given 10 the most des-
tituJe
LEAKING TENTS AND MULE BEEF.
The tents were mostly bell or round
shaped. They had been refused Tor
use in the Federal army and generally
leaked. The rations IS to quality were,
as a rule, good. Pork two out OF three
days, the third day beef. but occasion
allv the ribs of beef We're round, which
showed that it was mule leef. Hun
grv prisoners ate it all the same. The
bread was served in pound loayeS daily,
one loaf to be divided between two
prisoners-it was short weight. Y pint
cup OF soup went with each Loaf or
bread. Two days ratlons were issued
on Saturday, ami so small was the
quantity that men frequently a;e all
given at one time. >.
The ration for day was about sutll
cient for well man one meal. 1t was
said by the prison authorities to be one
half ration, allowing three meals per
day. l would consider it one third
ration day. The pork was very tat
and always boiled. The prisoners never
got the lard that came out of the pork
and it was commonly reported that the
provost marshal and other officers there
realized vast amount from the sale 0!
this grease to soap makers and lard re-
finers. The water used by the prison
ers was mineral, giving the sharpest OF
appetiteS with so little to eat. Ou1
suffering from hunger was lndescrloa'
BILE.
HUNGRY PRISONERS PRAY FOR SICK
NESS.
I have heard men pray to be MADE
sick that the appetite might be taker
away. The prisoners being so poorly
clad and the Point so much exposed tc
cold 1t caused them great suffering
Every intensely cod night from four tc
seven prisoners would freeze TO dea1n
Almost no wood was furnished. About
cord OF green pine to one thousanc
men for five days-it was mockery.
A CRUEL AND HAIRLESS OFFICER.
The post was commanded by Genera
Barnes. His nephew, Capt. Barnes
was assistant provost marshal. These
were kind and considerate officers, bu1
The former never was brought IN con
lact with the prisoners. They were
under the Immediate charge OF the pro
yost marshal. Major Brady, OF Ne"
York State. lie was sherWd man o1
powerful administrative abilities, on
witbal cruel, heartlesS man. Ills
whole conduct toward the prisoner:
impressed me that he enjoyed two
things immensely. First. the suffering
and humiliation OF the prisoners
secondly, the fact that he was their des
pot.
The prison was enclosed by a strong
stockade of heavy plank fourteen fee'
high. Four feet from the top on the
outside was a parapet extending. al
around. On this the guards walked DJ
day and night. They were all negroes
commanded by white officers. Inc
nisht police inside the prison were ne
groes, but their barbarity was so grea1
that through the eaTnesJ entreatles OF
the prisoners they were removed some
time IN January, 1865. l recollect one
sick man who had not been carried tt
the hospital. His complaint caused hin
to leave his tent about 3 o'clock a. m
While out he was set on by large ne
gro guard who double-quicked him, II
his night clothes and weak condition
up and down the street between the
tents for an hour. When the brute or
dered the sick man back to his tent ne
made fifteen other prisoners come ou1
in their night clothes and run up ah'
down like herd OF cattle.
BARBAROUS TREATMENT OF PRISON
ERS.
The greatest cruelty perpe'rdt
while | was in prison was on thirty IN
mates of one Of the cook houses. A
the side OF the prison, next to the gate
was located number Of long cook ant
eating houses where all the cooking eX
cept baking was done. There was only
a street or roadway between thes'
houses and the stockade where tn
guards walked continually. Betwee1
two of those house, little nearer on'
than the other, one of the negro guard:
fell from the parapet and was toun(
dead. A confusion was on his heat
and a piece Of brick near him. I'M!
discovery took place about sunset. NJ
one saw him when he fell. No one saw
who hit him. The following night ate
taps, when every prisoner was IN bee,
file of soldiers rushed into the neares
cook house to the scene and hurried TN
thirty-two inmates out in the night
The weather was intensely cold-ther
mometer below zero. They had OF
nothing but shirt and drawers-tWo O
them had on socks. They were placet
in a block bOuSe which had a door an(