The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-10

THE first authentic Investigations
into the prisons or the American
civil War have just been COM
pletcd by board of eminent authori-
ties This has becn a point of conten-
ton which has not boen fully clarified
until this scml- centennial. when both
Northern and Southern researchers
have Joined hands in an endeavor to
discover the actual truth.
TIL. records IN tho War Department
at Washington show tnat nearly Il
tenth OF the entire Federal army was
captured and held as prisoners Of
war. The Confederate researchers
state that as nearly az they can COM
pute from their existing records about
to experience the hardship OF prison
lie.
Tho actual figures from .ail SQUIRE s
show IN average estimate of 2To.ooo
Iederals held In Southern prisons and
10000 Confcdcratcs held in Northern
prisons Gathered into one community
they would make city larger than
the great Industrial centre of Buffalo
or nearly two cities The size OF Kan
s3a city, moro than three the size OF
Atlanta, or four the size of Richmond
There arc but six great American
cities to-day that exceed in popula-
ton the citizenship OF tho prisons"
OF tho Civil War.
Fifty Thousand Men Die In Captivity.
Their, has been controversy for
many years regarding the number or
deaths In prisons during the war a
conscientious effort has been made In
The last fow weeks 10 make an e3ti-
mate that could b agreed upon By
both claimants. Evidence has been
collected from every known source
- .,I. ,tsy h
1876 Confcdcrates and 22.jJ0 Federal
soldiers lost their lives in captivity.
These figures, appalling as they may
seem, arc quite the contrary when com-
pared with the other great wars OF the
world The very nature Of war is such
that II always impose6 much suf .rinS
and hardship War is in Itself sys-
tom OF bloodshcd and horror. When
{. Is considered that the greatest vol
untcer armies in the worlds history
were gathered in tho American Civil
this; II was moro humane. az whole,
then any other war in the annals OF
mankind.
Most Humane wRr In All History.
It IL significant that neither the
British nor the American governments
llavo dclved into the prison records
ut the Rcvolutlon--thcy are too hor-
ribic The evidence that exists. how
ever. in relation to british prison ships
is n revelation OF torture that would
make the stories OF tho prisons OF the
Civil! Wnr pale in comparison
The prisons of tho War OF 1879 were
fails OF brutality. The stories OF tho
prison nt Dartmoor arc utmost unbc-
lisvablc In both the British wars tho
governments frowncd upon discloS-
urc Of the suncrinss. 1t made war
TOO barbaric; {, took the chivelry out
OF sold.cry. In partial reparaticn last
year an American patriotic society IN
conjunction with one in England. erect
"a n monument at Dartmoor In m am
orr OF the American and French pris-
oners who died there.
This Is simply an insight into TIE
bloody history Of all wars IL the
oarlics; combat, all captivcs were eN-
ccuted OF sold into slavery. In later
cpochs they were held for cXorhitant
ransom When II became necessary 10
hold them for exchange they were
starved OF treated like beasts This Is
the record OF all wars before the
American Rcvnlition-und II still ~
Inc record OF some wars to-day. such
rs the recent Turkish Italian atroci-
tics.
100 Military Prisons Crowded with
Wen.
Tho recent Investigations sho" that
Whatever unfortunate conditions may
have arisen during tho American Civ''
War there was at least more general