The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-07-09
.PR|50NERSOF WAR;
THEIR TREATMENT
Report Of Chaplain ]. William
Jones to the Grand Camp
Of Veterans.
HISTORY IS SET RIGHT

s avs aiiN i IS No !'AcuS III +oul
That Speak for Themselves
and Can't Be Denied.
At meeting Of the United Confederate
Veteran Association at Nashville in June
i91 committee was appointed to pre-.
pare paper on ."the treatment of Prison.
Frs During the War Between the States"
Or. S. z. LOWS, Judge George L. Chris
tian and Chaplain ]. William Jones wcro
named as that committee, and the follow-
ing paper prepared by Chaplain Jones' and
approved by the other members Of the
committee, is tho result of their labors.
The question is one that so deeply con-
Germs the pride of character of our people
and, on the other hand has been so dis
tortcd and misreprcsentcd by inconsidcr-
ate publications.. that this careful paper
from such capable author and worthy
sponsors deserves to be given full publicity
and circulation. Mr.. Jones has sifted this
subject With great patience and diligence,
and his statements approved by his asso-
ciates, who arc likewise gentlemen of
y
and views which force conviction.
JOHN w. DANIEL.
By Chaplain j. VIM. Jones)
There IS no occasion, and no space in
this report to discuss in full the qucs-
ton of the treatment of prisoners in
the great WAR between the States" since
the official records on both sides are now
accessible in The War Records of the
.t,A1l. Il A.
books. pamphlets, etc, which abund,ntly
set forth the facts.
But we will give only brief summary
and refer readers interested to such books
as DR.. f. r. Stevenson'S Southern Side,,,
DIN. !. w. *. Handy's United States
Bonds, Hon. a. Nj. keeys IN Vinculls. =
Henry Clay Deans (of Iowa. Grimes OF
the Civil War" the compilation of a,l-
thorities on the treatment of prisoners in
Southern Historical Society Papers Vol.
opp 1880 by ]. William Jones the
report of the History Committee of the
Grand Camp of Virginia, United Con-
1ederate Veterans. presented October 23d
lSG, BY Judge George l.. Christian on
the treatment and Exchange OF Prison
ers," Hon. b. II. Hills reply TO Hon
James G. Blaine in the United States
House of Representatives and the four
large volumes in the "Rcbellion Records =,
which give the official reports and the
correspondence on both sides IN reference
TO this question.
We may be pardoned for quoting several
passages from our own discussion OF the
question IN the Southern Historical So
o!ety Papefs for March and April 1915
After citing various authorities to. prove
me utterly untrue ISLANDERS against the
Confederate authorities IN reference to
che treatment Of prisoners We say:
IT appears, then, from the foregoing
statements that the prison at Anderson
vile was established with /, view "a
healthfulness Of location, and that tho
great mortality which cnsued resulted
chiefly from the crowded condition OF
the stockadS. the use of corn bread. Ia
which the prisoners had not been ac-
custCncd, the want OF variety in tho m
uohs furnished, and the want of medicine.
and hospital stores to enable our sur
Eeons propeLly TO treat tho sick. AS 10
the fist roint, the reply Is at hand. The
stockade at Andersonvlle was originally
deslghed for much smaller number of
prisoners than were afterwards crowded
into it, But prisoners accurula tcd-a fte;
she storpase Of. exchange in Richmond
and at other points; the Dahlgren raid
which had for It's avowed object the libcr
Of President Davis and his Cabinet, ana
the sacking OF Richmond our al
thorlues against allowing larfss number.
OF prisoners TO remain In Richmond, ever
II the difficulty of feeding them there
vas removed; and the only alternative
was 10 rush them down to AnderSonville
as enough men TO guard them elsewhere
could not be spared from, the ranks of
our armies. which We're now everywhere
Ashling overwhelming odds. We have q
statement from an cntirely trustworthy
source nat the reason prisoners were
not detailed TO cut timber with which tc
snlafge The stockade and build shelters
IS, that this privilege was granted TO a
large number OF them when the prison
Was first established, they giving thel
parole OF honor not TO attempt 10 escapc
md that they violated their paroles
threW away their axes and spread dis
may throughout the whole region 'hs
creating the impression that all OF th,
prisoners had broken loose.
This experiment could not. OF course
n repeated and the rst had to SUMO
for the bad faith Of these, who not onl,
prevented the detail OF any number 8
other prisoners for this work, but mad
way with axes which could not be replace,
In reference 10 feeding the prisoners d
corn bread, there has been the lpudes
complaint and the blttcYestl dcuncIatlon
They had not been accustomed 10 sucl
hard fare as hog aud honiny," AN,
tic poor fellows did suffer fearfuily trcr
II. But III. Confederate soldiers had lii
came rh'loas. Our soldiers HAD the ad
vantage Of huying supplies and OF r,
eslving hceasional boxes from hons
WINCH the prisoners at Anders1nylli
cnud Save enjoyed 10 An even create
extent had the United States authorize