Year: 1864




eight ounces Of corn bread (the cob being
ground with the kerneD, and generally sour,
two ounces of condemned pork, offensive in
appearance and smell. Occasionally, about
twice week, two table spoonfuls of rice,
and in place Of the pork the same amount
two table spoonfulls) Of molasses wa. given,
about twice month. No dish or cooking
utensil OF any kind was furnished. There is
a conk-house, but it is not at all able to sup
ply the wants of 10000 men, and a large
proportion are obliged to prepare their own
food. In addition to the utter inability of
many TO do this, through debility and sick
ness, they never had a supply Of wood. Men
were often seen with little bag of meal in
hand. gathered from several rations, starving
to death for the want of wood, and in des.
peration would mix the raw material with
water and try to eat it. The clothing of the
men was miserable in the extreme Very
few had hoes of any kind, not 1000 had
coats and pants, and those were late comers
More than one-half were indecently exposed
and many were naked. Any one vino got
outside the dead line, above referred to, Ell
ther by accident or design, was instantly
shot. About two day were thus shot, some
being cases of suicide, brought on by men
tai depression or physical misery, the poor
fellows throwing themselves, or madly rush
ing, outside the line The mental condi-
tion of the men is thus described


"The mental condition of large portion
of the men was melancholy, beginning in
dependency and tending to kind of stolid
and idiotic indifference. Many spent mucn
time in arouslng and encouraging their fel-
lows, but hundred. were lying about motion
less, or stalking vacantly to and fro, quite
beyond any help which could b. given them
within their prison. These cases were fre
quent among those who had been imprison-
ed but short time. There were those who
were captured at the first Bull Run, July
1861, and had known Belle Isle from the
first, yet had preserved their physical and
mental health to a wonderful degree. Many
were wise and resolnte enough to keep them
selves occupied-some in cutting bone ant
wood ornaments, making their knives out o.
iron hoops-others in manufacturing iEk
from the rust from those same hoops, and
with rude pens sketchihg or initiating baah
notes, or any sample that would involve L na
and patient execution"


Letters from home were raeiy received
About 5000 that had accumulated were
brought in at one time, bur as the rebels de
manded ten cents postage on each, although
the postage ms, have been prepaid, most o
them were taken away again because tn,
men had no money. All the surgeon haC
to give his patients was pOrridge, arrowroot
whisky, wild tomatoes, canphor, and decoc
ton OF oak bark At the time these mel
left tie average Of deaths was l30 day. |
was common occurrence for a man TO wax,
up and find his comrade dead Scores dlet
Of starvation. Our nlen, especially the me
charles, were tempted with the offer of lib
erty and large wages to take the oath of a.
lesiance 10 the Confederacy, bet it was yer
rare that their patriotism, even under such


fiery trial, ever gave way. One of ther
sent this message to his mother: My trea
ment here is killing me, mother, but | d
cheerfully tor my country"


Bat enough of this "oyer-true tale"
| there are those who would grant an amnest
to the fends incarnate at Richmond who al
responsible tor these atrocities-who woul
, embrace them again as brothers-vho woul
: welcome them back to the Union with a
the affection which was shown to the return
ell prodigal-they deserve to taste the hol
rors Of this rebel pen for human beings.