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is to furnish liberal supplies of well…cured meat； together with fresh
beef and vegetables； and to enforce a rigid system of hygiene。
10th。 Finally； this gigantic mass of human misery calls loudly for
relief； not only for the sake of suffering humanity； but also on account
of our own brave soldiers now captives in the hands of the Federal
Government。 Strict justice to the gallant men of the Confederate Armies；
who have been or who may be； so unfortunate as to be compelled to
surrender in battle； demands that the Confederate Government should adopt
that course which will best secure their health and comfort in captivity；
or at least leave their enemies without a shadow of an excuse for any
violation of the rules of civilized warfare in the treatment of
prisoners。
＇End of the Witness's Testimony。＇
The variationfrom month to monthof the proportion of deaths to the
whole number living is singular and interesting。 It supports the theory
I have advanced above； as the following facts； taken from the official
report； will show：
In April one in every sixteen died。
In May one in every twenty…six died。
In June one in every twenty…two died。
In July one in every eighteen died。
In August one in every eleven died。
In September one in every three died。
In October one in every two died。
In November one in every three died。
Does the reader fully understand that in September one…third of those in
the pen died； that in October one…half of the remainder perished； and in
November one…third of those who still survived； died？ Let him pause for
a moment and read this over carefully again； because its startling
magnitude will hardly dawn upon him at first reading。 It is true that
the fearfully disproportionate mortality of those months was largely due
to the fact that it was mostly the sick that remained behind； but even
this diminishes but little the frightfulness of the showing。 Did any one
ever hear of an epidemic so fatal that one…third of those attacked by it
in one month died； one…half of the remnant the next month； and one…third
of the feeble remainder the next month？ If he did； his reading has been
much more extensive than mine。
The greatest number of deaths in one day is reported to have occurred on
the 23d of August； when one hundred and twenty…seven died； or one man
every eleven minutes。
The greatest number of prisoners in the Stockade is stated to have been
August 8； when there were thirty…three thousand one hundred and fourteen。
I have always imagined both these statements to be short of the truth；
because my remembrance is that one day in August I counted over two
hundred dead lying in a row。 As for the greatest number of prisoners；
I remember quite distinctly standing by the ration wagon during the whole
time of the delivery of rations； to see how many prisoners there really
were inside。 That day the One Hundred and Thirty…Third Detachment was
called； and its Sergeant came up and drew rations for a full detachment。
All the other detachments were habitually kept full by replacing those
who died with new comers。 As each detachment consisted of two hundred
and seventy men； one hundred and thirty…three detachments would make
thirty…five thousand nine hundred and ten； exclusive of those in the
hospital； and those detailed outside as cooks； clerks； hospital
attendants and various other employmentssay from one to two thousand
more。
CHAPTER XLIII。
DIFFICULTY OF EXERCISINGEMBARRASSMENTS OF A MORNING WALKTHE RIALTO
OF THE PRISONCURSING THE SOUTHERN CONFEDERACYTHE STORY OF THE BATTLE
OF SPOTTSYLVANIA COURTHOUSE。
Certainly； in no other great community； that ever existed upon the face
of the globe was there so little daily ebb and flow as in this。 Dull as
an ordinary Town or City may be； however monotonous； eventless； even
stupid the lives of its citizens； there is yet； nevertheless； a flow
every day of its life…bloodits population towards its heart； and an ebb
of the same； every evening towards its extremities。 These recurring
tides mingle all classes together and promote the general healthfulness；
as the constant motion hither and yon of the ocean's waters purify and
sweeten them。
The lack of these helped vastly to make the living mass inside the
Stockade a human Dead Seaor rather a Dying Seaa putrefying； stinking
lake； resolving itself into phosphorescent corruption； like those rotting
southern seas； whose seething filth burns in hideous reds； and ghastly
greens and yellows。
Being little call for motion of any kind； and no room to exercise
whatever wish there might be in that direction； very many succumbed
unresistingly to the apathy which was so strongly favored by despondency
and the weakness induced by continual hunger； and lying supinely on the
hot sand； day in and day out； speedily brought themselves into such a
condition as invited the attacks of disease。
It required both determination and effort to take a little walking
exercise。 The ground was so densely crowded with holes and other devices
for shelter that it took one at least ten minutes to pick his way through
the narrow and tortuous labyrinth which served as paths for communication
between different parts of the Camp。 Still further； there was nothing to
see anywhere or to form sufficient inducement for any one to make so
laborious a journey。 One simply encountered at every new step the same
unwelcome sights that he had just left； there was a monotony in the
misery as in everything else； and consequently the temptation to sit or
lie still in one's own quarters became very great。
I used to make it a point to go to some of the remoter parts of the
Stockade once every day； simply for exercise。 One can gain some idea of
the crowd； and the difficulty of making one's way through it； when I say
that no point in the prison could be more than fifteen hundred feet from
where I staid； and； had the way been clear； I could have walked thither
and back in at most a half an hour； yet it usually took me from two to
three hours to make one of these journeys。
This daily trip； a few visits to the Creek to wash all over； a few games
of chess； attendance upon roll call； drawing rations； cooking and eating
the same； 〃lousing〃 my fragments of clothes； and doing some little duties
for my sick and helpless comrades； constituted the daily routine for
myself； as for most of the active youths in the prison。
The Creek was the great meeting point for all inside the Stockade。
All able to walk were certain to be there at least once during the day；
and we made it a rendezvous； a place to exchange gossip； discuss the
latest news； canvass the prospects of exchange； and； most of all；
to curse the Rebels。 Indeed no conversation ever progressed very far
without both speaker and listener taking frequent rests to say bitter
things as to the Rebels generally； and Wirz； Winder and Davis in
particular。
A conversation between two boysstrangers to each other who came to the
Creek to wash themselves or their clothes； or for some other purpose；
would progress thus：
First Boy〃I belong to the Second Corps；Hancock's； ＇the Army of the
Potomac boys always mentioned what Corps they belonged to； where the
Western boys stated their Regiment。＇ They got me at Spottsylvania； when
they were butting their heads against our breast…works； trying to get
even with us for gobbling up Johnson in the morning；〃He stops suddenly
and changes tone to say： 〃I hope to God； that when our folks get
Richmond； they will put old Ben Butler in command of it； with orders to
limb； skin and jayhawk it worse than he did New Orleans。〃
Second Boy； （fervently ：） 〃I wish to God he would； and that he'd catch
old Jeff。； and that grayheaded devil； Winder； and the old Dutch Captain；
strip 'em just as we were； put 'em in this pen； with just the rations
they are givin' us； and set a guard of plantation niggers over 'em； with
orders to blow their whole infernal heads off； if they dared so much as
to look at the dead line。〃
First Boy（returning to the story of his capture。） 〃Old Hancock caught
the Johnnies that morning the neatest you ever saw anything in your life。
After the two armies had murdered each other for four or five days in the
Wilderness； by fighting so close together that much of the time you could
almost shake hands with the Graybacks； both hauled off a little； and lay
and glowered at each other。 Each side had lost about twenty thousand men
in learning that if it attacked the other it would get mashed fine。
So each built a line of works and lay behind them； and tried to nag the
other into coming out and attacking。 At Spottsylvania our lines and
those of the Johnnies weren't twelve hundred yards apart。 The ground was
clear and clean between them； and any force that attempted to cross it to
attack would be cut to pieces； as sure as anything。 We laid there three
or four days watching each otherjust like boys at school； who shake
fists and dare each other。 At one place the Rebel line ran out towards
us like the top of a great letter 'A。' The night of the 11th of May it
rained very hard； and then came a fog so thick