The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-21

rations ran short. and the stockadc be
came SO crowded that prisoners dug
caves and were compelled to form
severe police regulations among them
selves to preserve any kind OF disci-
plinc or order or even dccency."
The doctor went on 10 describe a
condition perhaps unique in tho gov
crnment OF prisoners sort OF i'm
perium in. imperio. The prisoners with
In the stockade were permitted. even
encouraged. to form a government of
their own. their leaders being selected
by the prison authorities. of course.
These captive authorities were per-
united extraordinary powers 70. pris-
oners. To them was committed the
middle justice. the high and the low !"
and these authorities not tnfrenuently
exercised the high justice" By trying
before military tribunals serious Of.
lenses, sentencing the accused to death
and actually executing him.
The accumulation OF prisoners went
on continued DR. Blackwell. while
there was yet hope of exchange. until
as great in numbers as the Confederate
forces IN the field west OF The Allie
ghanies. To guard so large a force OF
prisoners required very large force
Of Confederate soldiers, under tho
strictest regulations permitted by the
laws and customs of war, the most ex-
treme % which at Andersonville was
the 'detd line which / have since seen
refer TO as 'WirZ's hcliish inven-
Inn n ,.t, a..
vente, fore Wrz was born. and
which WAS certainly customary in most.
II not ALL of the prisons both North
and South Beyond this line no pris-
oncr dared pass, except at the risk OF
being shot down by the sentinels on
duty.
Under the conditions have de-
scribed, the situation finally became
so serious while vainly awaiting CON
sidcration by the Federal authorities
OF our efforts TO effect an exchange
that the officers OF the prison adopted
extraordinary measures TO relieve the
pressure on the atockade and the
scanty resources for the care Of the
prisoners. Large numbers-some,ime
as many as 100-of prisoners were
daily permitted to leave the stockade
and wander where they would-to take
the air. seek recreation and dispose
These men were released on parole.
but it was expected and desired that
they would not return, the prisoners
being aware of that desire But
though every effort was made by our
officers TO ameliorate the pItiable con-
dstion of the prisoners, such were their
sunerinSs that one more humane and
final effort was made To effect an en-
change. President Davis sent dele
.fT.,. - -
Vile to plead their own cause before
the authorities at Washington. But
President Lincoln either refused to
see them or the members OF his Cabi-
net refused TO let them see him In
either event they were made to under
stand that the interests OF the United
State government demanded that they
return TO the Confederate prison
stockade and accept any fate that the
future held for them. The delegation
returned TO Andcrsonville and con-
veyed the sad tidings to their fellow
prisoners that their government had
abandoned them.
MY own explanation OF the atti-
tude OF the Federal authorities to-
ward these suffering and despair!nS
prisoners is that the leaders and the
people of the North did not compre :
bend the extremity of the need OF
these unforturates through the en-
haustion OF the Confederacy and it's
inability TO feed even its own sadly
depleted armies For the ConfedcrateS
TO parole them and turn them loose
to devastate the already stricken coun-
try on their way home was unthink-
able. though. as have said. as many
rs 700 were paroled daily In the hope
that they might not return 10 the
prison. There was but one alternative,
and this was finally adopted The
abandonment of the unfortunates by
their own government was taken ad
vantage of 10 induce them to foreswear
allegiance 10 their flag and enlist in
the armies of The Confederacy, and
this offer was made to them. IT was
accepted by about 1000 of the prison