The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-08
CONFEDERATE GRAVES
in ELMIRA, NEW YORK
High Death Rate of Prisoners Caused by Improper Food
How the Dead May Be Identified Interest
ing "reminiscences of Prison Life.

when you wished to locate a grave, 20
to the register, find the number and
each marble head has the number
chiseled in raised letters. and under
meath the number iB tho name, com
pany, regiment and State chisel cd like
wise In raised letters.
Noticed In the picture are vacant
spaces. These represent men who died
Of smallpox, and II was difficult to get
their names. 1 was in the smallpox
hospital in a tent four days and
nights. touching. elbows with patients
suffering from continent smallpox,
with the therm ometer below zero, and
tlent was put I'm his place. but the
blankets were never changed had
nothing but the variIoid but before
was sent TO the hospital had all the
preliminary sufferings of the disease.
The prison camp at Elmra WAS not
opened until July, 1884. and 1900 pris-
oners were transported to It from
into transports at Point Lookout Some
500 at time were loaded on boiler
deck and hull, but were not allowed
on the cabin deck. We were disem-
barked at Jersey City and thence went
by train to Elmira.
Tho last prisoners arrived in De-
cember. 1854. The war ended the fol-
prison averaged about seven months.
Yet OF the $4,000 prisoners. we have
2.oi7 graves. and when General u. S.
Grant modified his order allowing
the exchange OF sick prisoners, over
1000 were exchanged. many OF whom
died before they reached the South.
The trouble was caused by the army
contractors. who fed the prisoners on
salt pork, which caused scurvy to at
tack the system In some three or four
weeks diet. The death rate at Elmira
or South, and ran the death rate
North TO ~ per cent, while 1t was only
9 per cent in the South.
The Confcderates captured 100000
prisoners and the Federals 1000
There died in Northern prisons a.
$50; in Southern prisons 22.25S; hence
we get the death rate as above /,
is wonder the people Of Elmira
sympnthize with us. The seed OF the
trouble sown at Port Lookout was cul-
tivated at Elinira, and the Gem etery
reaped the harvest; hence when / was
with them juno IA. Is, 1873, they gave
mo a most hospitable reception, and
weighed $50 pounds when ! left there
June IL, 1885. Nashville was opened
up 10 two mails day, but the boys
south OF Nashville could not get any
money. When you received n letter II
had been opened and read. and when
you wrote one you had TO leave II I'M
sealed, so 1t could be read by the prison
officials If you wrote anything In re-
gard TO your treatment. IT was contra
band, and would not be mailed; hence
you would lose a 3-cent postage stamp
! cent for an envelope and l cent for
small piece of letter paper. ] had q
regular account with the sutler, and
could purchase what | wished as long
as the money lasted, but when that
was gone I had no credit. kept three
men near me, Stokely Jacobs, OF Muir
freesboro; Sam p. White and Rober'
Taggart, OF Virginia. We did not hav,
10 eat salt pork. but lived well, ant
these three comrades are yet alive. ant
! believe If we had subsisted on tn.
| prison diet our dust would now be Ii
Elmira Cemtetry-Nashville Banner.