The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-11-03
HORRORS OF MILITARY
PRISONS OF THE NORTH

O.. Blaine. the former cOntended that
the south. considering her resources,
accorded better treatment TO prisoners
of war than the north. and quoted
from the records to sustain the posi-
ton and show that the mortality was
greater among c~onfcIcrdtes in north
ern prisons than it was in Anderson
vile with all of its horrors. 1t Is a
subject that has beer too little touch
ed upon by southern writers, and We
therefore think the following nara
tive will be found Of more than usual
historic interest.
The article was read before Camp
Wheeler several months ago, and by
resolution request made Of The jour
nal to publish. It's earlier appearance
has been prevented by the manuscript
having been accidentally mls!aiI.
EDITOR JOURNAL.
Camp A. Wheeler'S Confederate Cav
airy, Commander and Comrades: The
recOrd of the sufferings Of prisoners
forms the darkest chapter of our civil
war, and is a reflection upon the hui
mainly of both sides; but if a true and
impartial history of the great conflict
is ever written. 1t will show that the
NdN ""' 4l4' III L7"A44SN N+AN->
SHINING.
I have long since Outlived any feel
ings of animOsity towards our late
enemies. and have learned to respect
the brave men who from conviction
fought on the other side. But it IS
hard to recall my sufferings and that
of thousands Of others. remembering
that they were largely the result OF
wantOn cruelty. and for life
sufferings of federal prisoners, for
which we were in no way responsible,
and which the confederate authorities
were pOwerless to relieve. without
awakening feelings Of resentment that
I ave for many years tried to allay.
In going over the record of this pc
Rod it seems SO malevolently incCn-
sistent for the federal authorities to
have demanded hat the confederate
should ameliOrate the condition of
northern prisoners in their hands and
to have inaugurated systematic pun
ishment of southern prisoners as a
penalty for falling to do so, When they
Knew that they themselves had made
medicines a c~ontraband of war, that
the south was bankrupt in food, and
every material resource. and this lat
ter was admittedly the basis for their
hope of putting down the so-callad
rebellion" This inconsistency is all
the more fragrant in view Of the fact
that il was in their power to nave
released their men from the horrors
about which SO much has been said
and written. by simply agreeing to the
exchange OF prisoners. But it was a
part OF their policy to hold all men
captured. This policy was inaugurated
by no less person than General Grant,
commander in chief Of their armies.
who said:
1T is hard on our men held in south
ern prisons not to exchange them, but
1T is humanity to those left in the
ranks to fight u battles. Every
man we hold. when released on parole
or otherwise, becomes an active soldier
against US at home. either directly
Or indirectly. If We a Sys-
tenn of exchange which liberates all
prisoners taken We will have to fight
on until the whole south is exterm1-
mated. If we hold those caught they
amount to no more than dead men. At
this particular time august, 1861 to
release all prisoners north would in
sure SheTman's defeat. and would
compromise our safety here" lin front
of R~ichmOnd.D
But little has ever been said or writ
ten about the horrors of federal pris-
ons. The reasons for his are obvious:
The southern soldiers who survived
the northern inquisitiOns were glad
to have escaped with their lives. ana
have since for the most part kapt
silent. knowing that for them there
was no compensation for injuries and
no redress for wrongs.
With the soldiers of the north the
conditions were reversed. for TIE
prospect of pensions and certainty of
public sympathy made the northern
ex~-DrisOners eager to testify to the
bad treatment he had received at the
hands of the cOnfederates.
The horrors of AndersOnyille have
been recOunted over and over again
in northern publications., auI many
pages Of official records are devoted
to the hardShIps of union soldiers il
carcerated in :his and other Confed-
crate prisons. 1t is a historical fact.
though, that We gave them the same
ration that MAS iSSue1 10 u army
in the field: and even General p. Z.
Butler is on record as saving tina the
south was. according to her resources.
kinder to prisoners han was the
north. mentioning that he frequently
examined the h~aversacks of our men
captured by his command. and found
that their three days ratiOns were
scarcely sufficient for n day. So. IL
the federal soldier was starving I'm q
southern prison. he had at least the
poor consolation of knowing that The
men who guarded him were hungry.
confederate in a northern prison
had no such sOlace. for he was starry
ing in Il land of plenty.
Now. lest we forget. and lest our
children should in time come to think
their fathers were guilty of wanIon
cruelty to defenseless c~aptives. l think
1t time that hose who are qualified
10 speak should put on record the
other side Of the story. 1t is only
with this view that I can get my con-
sent to relate my experience Of nearly
eighteen months in federal prisons.
The story is a sad one. and l tell i
here in detail for the first time.
While my imprisonment constituted
the saddeSt part Of my war career.
the events Immediately preceding ny
capture We're the happleSt and most
thrilling. l therefore rus that I may
be pardOned for giving a brief account
OF the latter. do 50 without any af-
fectatiOn Of mOdesty. and not without
some feeling Of pride: but diSClaIn.
any desire to pose as 4 hero. for 7
wasn't l Vas only a Wild eighteen
year-old boy. with a boys fondn,Ss
for adventure n Indifference TO dan