The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-09-08
BY DUvNL PORTER,
CO. a, Twentieth virginia nnttnlior

ttHllF cdilcr TO an article winch APP
peared In the New York icvcnins rost.
.1cviewing The contents Of recent pub
l.eauon enuued "Confedeiate Prison
.rs. Tho editor Of the Post gives his
unqualified Endorsement ~ ,nis book.
,ayins among other things that the
testimony OF man WHO endured the
horrors ne So yividly described nity
gears afterwards wheu tine sulmosi-
ties q war nave IONS since closed
Inusi be accepted as nnpl Had the
autho. Ia As book or the editor IN ms
review. stated that while this is true.
the blame for all tnia slucr.ug lies at
the door OF the Lincoln governments
lShlch perslstently refused to grant an
exchange 81 prisoners no one would
take an exception. But when the au-
,nor and his rev!ewef both ,ry TO throw
nae blame on the Confederate govern
lnen, the time mas come to vindicate
The truth by recital OF tho facts OF
Inc case. which we now produce.
Dncumcntary evidence mas proven
finat ITO less person than General
Gran, is on ie-o.a as saying Tha,
,ney cine Nor,nl could muoh setter az
iord 20 let their prisoners perish than
,xcn4nge them. Tor TO d. so woll4
simply tulninsh rein.oroements 20 the
.reoel army. In aaditlon TO this every
one al al amA.4. with the history
of mo war knows tnat 20, on.s Al-
manlts uut motives " INTEREST mafe
The Confederate soyeruuent p1t ipftn
every erurt 30 effect An e~cnauge.
Sor is ,nis sil for documentary esl-
Aente iuAy establishes tn.4 fact Also.
III appraised the Fedora! government
of ine surerinss OF It's prisoners. whlca
II colla not proven, and urged an eN-
tcuauge Nay more a deQutaton from
.tne prison .tseli was SENT 10 ~ ssnins
ION TO plead ior an exchange All 'n
vain
The editor % the Pos, and the
author OF the book are generous
enough 10 admit that tae PRISON
received the game ratlons as ouF SOLE
alers ln the neld In way VI reply We
j! grant tie lot az q Ecdera- pf.s-
pne. was hard. hut wo VIII Stow tnat
,ne l0t y a Confederate prisoner ~as
harder. ana that the conduct ot ine
@ortn towards Our prisoners was
fIN4 TO Il+l- l4t" A.t-N.t F- --''''f-
10 the count=nance OF savage and
,ow tor the proof Of THIS. This writer.
1Iour with several Thousand OTHERS OF
l,Icketts Division, was captured ~
SAILORS creek AptA o. 1858 All me
good that had been issued 20 h-m io.
four days prior 20 this was one-inira
~ 4 pound az corn meal ana quar-
,er 81 pound ~ -four p.d our cap
rors issue A ration 10 Us ,nat evening
Next morning No WHAT incn
why they marched Us 10 within
snort distance OF Black ana Wnlies
1now Blackstone). where they issued
mint o.. dried coynneld peas without
.venin- they gave us e@eh "a suip "i
rrc.r beef ahou, the Size % two hne-
.rs without grain % salt or crust
Of bread They furnished neither
ikillets nor frying pans and me oh's
way we had 10 cook IL was to shatpeN
stick and thrust II IN not emnets'
wh!cA we did
MAN. m our men wero wounded In
1heir arms. and they were compelleu
e. dress their hurts themselves or get
fnelr comrades to DO IL Tor them AS
the,. gave rr no surgeons Owing 1"
the eNlgencics OF the situation inc pu'-
suit OF Lee etc. etc we We're dispos'1
80 oyerlo X this. bat when We iou"H
vast ban.s OF contrAband negroes anr
black soldiers placed aions the roaH
sid. CAS- II bv design 10 leer at anu
l,usi.lt us wc began TO open cur yes.
Pm, more remains 20 be tcld. Upon
orr arrival al Petersburg the sweet
'svmpathctlc ladies of That hcroie eng
came forth with provisions. wHlcn t"'F
mad cooked with their own fair hands
for as And will the Post ana MS
author. whom he commends so hisHiy'
ielieve IT, they actually refused 20 iei
them give us mouthfui Starving US
under the plea Of necessity they ac-
tually refused to let us have FOOD When
81 was offered and cost them no'hinf.
But the browning infamy rs ytt 20
rome when We arrived at City Point
,he brave and chivalrous Federal vet
erans who had been wounded around
petershurg came forth IN hodv and
offered us bread md yet the guards
who had us in charge refused 70 let
them do so, and the result came neal
heinc riot between Shcridan's barn
burners" and thieves as they were call
ed by our generous foes. AMI them
eelves. But We have Just said the
browning infamv was yet to come.
Here IL IS 1000 Confederate soldiers
were thrust into the Neptune, a cattle
shin which had Just landed cargo
Of boeves for Grants army. and which
was reekins with Nth There vas
hardly room to turn around. no water
except IN the naF1elS IN me Hplh OF the
vessel that gave IT such a flavor as
wellnigh heaved us to drink IT, and the
struggle around those barrels in pitch
darkness by hundreds of famiEhci men.
WHO can describe IT. And the night
that followed. % | nave read Dante $
Inferno" and Millions paradise Lost
but both In comparison to that night
Of horrors are absolutely tame Two
thousand half starved and hence des
Mt nf A..
chip atop OF each other Ghe only part
of my body that touched the floor was
my right hlp),and continuous search
Ing for water by those who could not
or would not lie down. stepping on
the bodies of their comrades as they
moved from placetto place.
We can say no more. Just picture