What a night! In
addition to scent from the fearful swamp, we had that of dead men in our rear.
At our feet lay one begging for water groaning with pain. It was conjectured,
because of his hoarse cough, that he had mumps, or measles or small pox, by
some persons. Some dare venture but little here to aid suffering strangers when
it is all one can do to keep alive. All the assistance we could offer was to
give a cup of water. This I gave at arms length. He lay close at our feet but
when we woke in the morning he was gone.
Prisoners from
Butler report having helped tear up the Petersburg railroad. The stockade is to
be enlarged. There has been a call for men to go outside to work on the timber.
The old pen is so densely crowded that we are willing to help enlarge the
prison. The Rebels are much hurried, being fearful of the reported raid from
Kilpatrick. It is said some who went out in the squad to work are put on
fortifications, refuse and are sent in. Some may be willing to do this for more
grub, but we understand they were parolled on honor and then ordered to work by
the commandant as he pleased. It is shameful if men assent to work on Rebel
works, that they should be ordered to do so, is more shameful, and outside the
laws of war.
Rations are cut down
one-half; barely enough for two meals a day. We could eat all at one. Steward
Brown has been out to the hospital a day or two. He tells me that 31 died
yesterday, 39 today in the so-called hospital, saying nothing of the prison. He
says they are miserable mockeries of hospitals, a discredit to the medical
profession; but that the doctors are seemingly power-less in the matter, being
under orders and practically destitute of medicines. All medical supplies, he
says, furnished by the Rebel commissaries at Richmond, are sent to the military
posts and are very scant and held by the physicians having charge of that
department for use among their own soldiers. Brown is lately from England,
pretty well versed in medicine, having had 30 years' study and practice in
British hospitals and in military service. He professes neutrality, but was
taken while helping care for our wounded in the Battle of the Wilderness, May
5th.
He is allowed more
liberty than a Yankee. He says a bunch, that is still quite sore on my
forehead, was caused by a spent bullet.
Hiram Morse of Co.
F, 76th regiment, admitted to the hospital today. He sickened on corn bread,
lost appetite, became helpless from diarrhoea and attendant fever; has wasted
rapidly to a skeleton, helpless in body, crazed in mind. He has been kept alive
by crust coffee and a little black tea we happened to have, since he got here.
Many are becoming so homesick and downhearted, that they believe any report,
good or bad. It is no place to get sick; courage must be kept up though rations
go down.
SOURCE: John Worrell
Northrop, Chronicles from the Diary of a War Prisoner in Andersonville
and Other Military Prisons of the South in 1864, p. 68-9
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