The National tribune., 1902-10-23

traps for Union prisoners, Oh WHICH lhe
South developed several, l will endeavor
to give fair idea of how it appeared to
US that July day in 1863.
BELLE ISLE.
The island seemed we'll shaded with
trees and fair to look upon, but the soil
was a bed of sand and the island was low
and level. The prison pen was adjacent
to the river, and comprised three or Tour
acres of ground surrounded by wide,
deep ditch and an embankment, within
which enclosure there was neither tree'
nor shrub, nor plant, nor fower'
nor blade of grass; nothing but a
bed of sand. In or near one cor
ner, where the water came close to the
surface, were three OF fouf eAca'a.ions
about six feet deep, with sloping sides:
These were our wells of living water, ana
the green scum that covered the water
made them very inviting. There were
also number of old tents, all Dadiy
dilapidated pitched in promlscuouS cias,
ter in the center of the inclosure, occupied
by several hundred Union prisoners OF
war captured in part from Milroy's COM
mand at Winchester in June, and others
at some earlier date. No extra tents were
furnished for the additional prisoners, and
we found shelter as best we could or went
without. During our whole imprisonment
/ never once enjoyed the luxury OF a
change of clothing or the opportunity u
wash a garment.
For sporting men our island had one
attraction that must not be overlooked;
Belle Isle abounded in small game. There
was more hunting to be enjoyed to the
square inch on that island than anywhere
else in the wide world, and the beauty OF
1t was that the hunter could always find
hn rnfn n
game would soon find him. The little ami
NAL was too small to be of any use in the
economy of nature in supporting life, but
1t was a great life destroyer, and would
boldly invade our camp in broad day.
Very few of us were lovers of the chase,
and we did not hunt them in wanton
cruelty, but for the same reason that Brit
ish soldiers hunt tigers III 1ndia-to free
the land from blood-th!rsty enemy of
mankind. These animals would never
hesitate for a moment to attack man,
and frequently l have known comrades to
be badly bitten by them. In short, they
were deaths myrmidons, the tigers of
Belle Isle, and although these Southern
'grabax" were not as powerful, singly and
alone, as an Asiatic tiger, they We're just
as blood-thirsty, and through their COM
bined efforts would kill a man just as
surely, if not driven off or destroyed.
Need say this continual round of pleas
uTe Decdme lThSOHe anu IuOuolouous!
That we were not content with our de-
lghtful sand-lots? That the days dragged
wearily by? Talk not to me of your long
June days in the North-they are as but
moments. The longest days ever expe-
rienced by man were those prison days of
July and August in the sunny Southland,
within a stones throw of the court of
Jefferson Davis.
will not attempt to depict the scenes
] witnessed there; could not if I would;
/ would not if could; but death was
among us, gathering in his victims from
day to day. There was not the semblance
of hospital in connection with the prison,
and everything was arranged to invite
disease and increase the death-rate Yet
we saw only a fraction Of the horrors of
prison life-or prison death, as it after
ward became, when all exchange of pris-
oners had ceased, and the doors Of hope
were closed. At that time the oldest
prisoner on Belle Isle had not been there
to exceed 60 days, for exchanges were
being made at irregular intervals. We all
expected to be exchanged, and hope is
wonderful invigorator.
THE FARE OF SOUTHERN PRISONERS.
The statement has oft been made and
published that the clergy, especially the
Catholic clergy and Sisters Of Charity,
visitors Of Southern prisons, doing
all in their power for the temporal
as well as the spiritual welfare of the
prisoners, but during my Imprisonment
neither Catholic nor Protestant clergy
man, or Sister of Charity ever darkened
the gate. The hearts of the clergymen of
the South in those days were too full of
treason to leave any room for the Gospel
of Christ.
The cooking establishment for the prison
was situated just outside Of the pen, on
the bank of the James River, and 20 or
25 rods above it, at the other corner of
were situated the prison sinks. The water
supply for cooking purposes was drawn
from the river, and of the relative situa-
ton of our kitchen and the sinks l have
no further statement to make, except that
the statement of their relative positions
is true.
The quality of our food was not first
rate, but fair-at least it was our fare.
On this question of the fare Of prisoners
generally in the South, the effort has been
made of late years, both in the South and
In the North, to show that prisoners were
treated as we'll as it was possible to treat
them, and that any starvation Of pris-
0ners that may have occurred was unin-
territorial and all owing to the fact that a
state of destitution, akin to famine, ex-
listed all over the Southern country. Not
long since an article headed Libby
Prison" went the rounds of the Northern
papers, being first published in the Gin
cinnai Enquirer. I give the article here
IN full as published:
"LIBBY PRISON.
'"Talk with Capt. Jack Warner, Commits
sary Of That Notorious Place.
Captain Jackson Warner, Quarter
master and Commissary Of Libby Prison
during the war, was in the city during the
past week and left for his home in Illi-
nois last night. Capt. Warner is now
enfeebled by age. He has nearly reached
the I'D mile-post, but his mind is as clear
and as bright as ever. The old gentleman
was conspicuous figure in Richmond
during the most exciting period of the
rebellion. 1t is difficult to engage him
in conversation about the prison, but when
once started he talks freely and relates
many interesting incidents which hundreds
of Union prisoners will remember. From
letters in his possession it is evident that
Capt Warner was as humane and consid-
crate to unfortunate prisoners as circum-
stances would permit. He made scores
Of friends by his kindness, and is in regu-
lar correspondence with several army Off.
GERS who boarded with him during the
late unpleasantness. I was Commissary
1861 to 1884 he said, when requested to
give some of his "reminiscences to the En-.
Quirer. 1T was not a pleasant duty, but
have the consciousness Of feeling that ]
never treated any man harshly or cruelty
When we had good provisions the prison
ers got them. Sometimes they Jared bet
L. Al -, h. " l..