The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1906-11-24
NO ILL TREATMENT
AT ANDERSONVlLLE
Management of Capt. Werz indicated
Complied by w. ]. Smith, c. S. A.

that the lives of ten or twelve thous-
delegates. but | cannot help stating
and men would have been saved had
the exchange been justly and gener-
ous1y made. From February until
August there were some o,ooo deaths
ment would consent to 2SHRDLN
at Andersonville and before our Gov
eminent would consent to an ex-
change it reached 10000. Generai
Winder told me before we left An
Jacksonville on our mission that the
object of the United States Govern
ment in refusing to exchange was
that they felt it hard to give soldiers
for civilians The times of thous-
ands in the stockade had been out
many monts. When l got North | |
found Wnder's words were con- |
irmed for it was semi-ofhcialy stated |
TO me that it looked mighty hard we
refused to exchange. But to get a
number of men broken down from |
campaigning and diseases and out of
service, and give able bodied men
This policy was the juintecsence of
inhumanity, disgrace to the admin
| istratiOn, and blot on the country.
You rulers who make the charge that
| the Rebels Intentionally killed our
men I can. in answer, honestly swear
| that they did everything in their pow
er to care for us Do not lay the
! flattering JUNCTION to your souls. You
| abandoned your brave men in the
| hour OF their greatest need They
| fought for the Union and you reached
no hand to save them. You may try
to shift the blame from your should
ers but posterity will justly saddle
the responsibility where it belongs
I will now give a poem by Rev.
4. Joshua Peterkins, d. D., which came
out in the Hartford Courier, a paper
of wide circulation in the State OF
| Connecticut, published in 1865. 1t is
rather long but covers all the ground
Full fifteen thousand men,
The brave, the good, the true,
As captain died in prison pen
They died for me and you,
And shall not truths indignant
Declare who did this grievous
wrong
On many a boldly field
They stood against loaded hail,
And though at last compelled to
yield,
Their spirits did not juai1
And yet they died for me and you.
They pinned for Home, Sweet Home.
And for their daily bread
Alas. assistance did not come,
And now they are with the dead
Even hardened Rebels felt their grief
And yet could furnish no relief
The Rebel leaders burst
Na+ do what NO have
Though many hearts with anguish
break
At tales from Andersonvil1e,
For still they let Our brave men share
Their own coarse food and scanty
fare.
The sad tale must be told
The brave, the true, the good,
While we were busy coming gold,
They died for want OF food
Those fifteen thousand boys in blue,
As victims died, for ME and you.
The Rebels. in their need,
Once, twice, and yet again,
Did all they could to plead
For justice to these men
But deaf alas the nations ear,
| The peoples servants would not hear
Even Davis felt their grief.
! And sent his messake forth.
! By prompt exchange to grant relief
| 20 prisoners South and North
! And why, alas, was it not done
| There were no hearts in Washington
The Rebels gave us leave
! To send down loyal men,
/ Men good and true, who might re-
/ ceive
1