Year: 1864

Hoping that you will be kind enough
to give few plain facts = place in ) ear
columns, and believing that something
should be said by which the public, and
those high in authority, may know how
men are treated who ere arrested in this
city and confined in the Military Prison
for the most trihing offences; and often
/ for no offence at all, take this opportu-
nifty of making known little experience
that had in that line. On Saturday even
| ing last, I was met by party of the City
Guards near the Market, Square aad al
though I had pass signed by. tie proper
officers, as l supposed, I was in
formed that my pass was worthless
after 8 o'clock in the evening, and that
l would have TO accompany them to ibe
offics of the Provost Msrshal (although
L was perfectly sober and orderly, snd
told them that l was on my way to
camp at the timei and | will say here, al
though dislike the practice Of ones
boasting Of bis own virtues, that I never
was drunk in my life, snd have been >
soldier for the last eighteen months, but
was never under arrest until that even
ing. Accordingly I was marched to the
above mentioned office, and from there to
the Prison in company with several 9TH
ers that were brought ia about the same
time. When we arrived at prison the o.
Derby there took our names, the Regiment
and CO. TO which we belonged, and order
ed TO march inside; SO 1 have the pleasure
for the first time Of beholding the interi-
or of prison; there was some 25 or 80 Of
us that could not be Accommodated with
cells, and had to spend the night in the
hall, If may so term the space, between
the outer wall and the cells; the night was
cold and chilly, and we had no blankets
and but few any oVereoats. the floor,
which you ara aware is Of stone, was not
cnly damp, but was both wet and muddy
There was one stove in the whole apart
ment, but we could get but wood enough
to keep fire about half of The night by
burning only one stick at time. Sleep
was out Of the question, and as we could
not ell get near the stove even while the
weed lasted, some'Of as were obliged 10
walk the floor most Of the night in order
to keep from freezing; and 20 render our
situation still worse, the stencil from the
sink, which is in the same apartment,
was..aImost unbearabIe 70 new comerF,
though those that had been there for >
long time did not seem to nind il. When
tbe long wished for morning came, we
were in hopes that We should have the
privilege Of going out into the yard
but in this we were disappointedj
for although the Rebel prsenOrs
were let out into the yard as
soon as it was light we were kept 10
until about 8 o'clock, and then marched
out in two ranks to breakfast, which con-
sisted Of a piece Of dry bread and cup
of something called coffee; but as none
could have coffee who did not happen to
have cup Of their own, there were lots
that brsakfasted on dry bread, as there
was nota morsel of neat or any other
article Of food TO be had. I did not zee
a single man who had been there for any
considerable length Of time that hsd
healthy appearances. They al Looked
pale, and many Of them had coughs, and
I honestly believe rhat any honest, intel
lisent physician who viii visit the place
will sgree with me, that hundreds Of
cases Of consumption will date back to
tho time Of the PAtieafs cOnfnsmeRt 10
this miserable pIacs. IhaEe aot written
tsis merely because think I have had
injustice done ms, or because I EIsh 70
have my scribbling appear in your paper,
bat because think that justice aud hu-
manity alike demand that something
should be said on the subject. heard
more than q score Of the men declare that
the Government might 90 TO he'll before
they would re-enlist since thsy had re-
eeiyed such treatment. That there are
some rogass confined there who deserve
such treatment, an free 10 admis, though
I cannot but think that even these shOuld
receive punishment Of sach Kind as not
70 destroy their health for life,


With much respect,


e-.Is E-lr soLDTEH.


Hotel thieves are trOablssOms at Wash
ington-