Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-08-12
SOUTHERN PRISON HORRORS.
Experiences Of q Vermont Volunteer
at Andersonville and Elsewhere

ing, privation and horrors OF Anderson
willie and other prisons during the Civil
war was written by r. Q. Sleeper OF 1un-
bridge, VT, late of Co. II, Second regi- 4
ment, Vermont volunteers and is reprint
ed after AZ years, by request.
al was captured near WRrrenton, Va,
on the 26th Of October, 1858, by Mosby.
was taken in company with seven 9TH
ers, one g commissioned officer. Directly
after / was captured, q rebel lieutenant
ordered me to lead a mule, which re-
fused to do, when he struck me on the
head severe blow with the butt Of his
revolver. On the route to Richmond,
W hich occupied two days, we were
marched sixty miles at first without sleep
or rations, with the exception of one cake
OF about one-fourth pound weight.
"The first stopping place after we
started was at Culpepper court house,
where we were put in prison, with the
exception of the officer, who was quar-
tered nearby. The place was extremely
I filthy. One days ration was one hard
biscuit and a slice OF bacon that was liter
ally alive with maggots.
ssFrom there we went to Libby prison,
Richmond. We we're confined there
about ten days, received for 9 days ra-
tion one half pound wheat bread and one
half pound boiled beef. We were
searched there for money. From one Of
our members they took IS in greenbscks.
[ had $40 and was fortunate enough to Sc
crete il so they did not find il.
"From there were removed to Belle
Island. The prison there consisted of an
enclosure OF an acre, surrounded by
ditch, the earth thrown up on the out
side. We were turned into this prison
and remained fifteen days without blank
cts or shelter, the weather being extreme
~ cold. After that time we drew an A
tent. The rations here consisted Of one
pound of corn bread and one-fourth
pound of meat per day, or, as a substitute
for meat, bean soup, not fit for human
stomach. We were in this enclosure
from six la the evening till eight in the
morning. Then we we're allowed 20 90
to the river. One day a sergeant by the
name OF Hite was engaged in counting
the prisoners. One man was crowded
against the guard by men In the rear-no
fault OF HE. Sergeant Hite raised a club
which be carried and struck the man
upon the back, causing his death in few
hours. At one time, there were three
dead bodies lying under a shelter tent,
visiting for interment. During the night
they were shockingly mRngled by hogs.
= The number OF men confined in this one
, acre was about 5000. Out of this num-
Der, fifty froze to death during the time
remained. One time the guard shot at a
man for stealing his blanket, killing one
and wounding two severely, the guilty
: one escaping in he crowd OF men.
e son the goth of February, 1864, we
! were started for Andersonvilie. arriving
q there the 2sth- On going from Rich.
X mond TO Charlotte, 5. C., each man drew
one pound Of bread at starting and did
!. not receive anything more until we ar
! rived at Charlotte hours without ra
= lions. We were densely packed in bon
y cars, $50 in each. Andersonville prison
was an enclosure Of IL acres, surrounded
p with a stockade is feet high. Tn,
8 officers in command were Gen. Winder
u commander of the post. Capt, Henry
u Wirz .of the interior of the prison. Ser
3 geant Duncan had charge OF the rationl
= after they were issued BY the post com
% missary at the time OF our arrival.
u was comfortably clean and plenty o
c room, as there were but g few there. Ra
3 tious were about the same as ct Belle Isle
~ Prisoners were constantly arriving ant
:, things grew worse rapidly. Plenty o
Af wood until May /. After that time
wood grew scarce until there was none
m The ratiUns became of more inferio
8. quality; everything was scarce excep
q hlth, lice and maggots. On the first o
ne May, there we're about Is, 900 prisoners.
ne "Inside the stockade, IS feet from it
20 was a dead line, stakes being places
% twelve feet apart, three feet high. o.
ne the top OF these stakes, strips of board
NJ were nailed, sometimes missing for fiv
De or six rods. Prisoners arrived every day
o making it so thickly settled that the.
were Obliged to lodge near the dead line
- There were never any blankets or ten
ne coverings or clothes issued to the prison
no ers in Andersonville. One man havin
40 his shelter near the line was engaged il
er drying his shirt upon it. The wind cal
as ried it across the dead line. He reaches
n over to recover il, when the guard put
Ut bullet through his head, killing him in
ne stantly. saw the prisoners take hold G
q his feet and remove him.
rs aIn consequence of not having tent
~ or scarce any shelter Of any kind, heav
ne dews and the dampness OF the swan
would bring on au kinds of diseases, an
40 the corn meal we we're obliged to eat wa
no 90 coarse and mixed with filth that
~ caused diarrhoea, scurvy and other di:
~ eases. The swamp lying in the middle c
~ the enclosure was perfectly alive wit
rae maggots. In fact, there was no part Q
DIV the camp but that they were crawling
Men dying in camp would not renal
there fifteen minutes without being Coz
,ol cred with them. / saw one man di
I1 where they had crawled into his mout
ny before he died. Prisoners dying in cam
ek were allowed to remain until there WEI
ne as many as $50 before they were remove
90 to the dead house, which was no prote'
60 tion except to keep on the sun and in 2
mt T,bev we're tsken IN onau vragors 10 IN
pm ,Iacs rhsrs thew we're buried he,
Rb sssT, t,or, fen 10 trsntv-,ve ,atsn AZ ~
he tir,a throvvr IN like 40 rn.nv Io,u tn
are were buried in trenches five feet Wild
ior four feet deep. from 80 to so yards Ions
in which the bodies were placed side b
Iai side. At drst they were covered wit
pine slabs, but as the number of death
ler increased, they covered them with pir
an boughs. then with sand