A Yankee account of the treatment of Confederate prisoners.
--The Chicago
Times, gives the account which follows of the treatment of our soldiers at
Camp Douglas.
We give the paragraph in full:
‘
Reports have been circulated round the city during the past few days to the effect that the prisoners in
Camp Douglas were being shot down promiscuously and remorselessly by the soldiers of the guard, without real cause.
It was not for some time possible to trace these rumors to any reliable source or to ascertain the exact extent to which these abuses have been carried. --A little inquiry has, however, developed the fact that, whether the reports be true or not, there is at least very strong reason to believe them so.
’
It is said that
Col. De Land has issued orders that if any prisoners shall fall to comply instantly with any requirement of a soldier belonging to the guard he shall be shot down.
This regulation may be necessary enough in its strict acceptation as requiring obedience to orders of a disciplinary character, but is exceedingly liable to abuse when the guarding soldier is made the judge of what constitutes an act of insubordination, and is permitted to revenge non- compliance with commands emanating from himself and not from the officer in command.
It is charged that the abuse of this power has not been unfrequent.
It is said, for instance, that about four weeks ago one of the prisoners was kindling his fire, which act he had a right to perform, when one of the guard accosted him with, "Here, what are you doing there? " The prisoner replied, "That is not your business," when the guard instantly drew his musket and shot the fellow dead.
It is said also, that a mulatto boy, a servant of one of the
Confederate captains, and, of course, a prisoner of war, who was well known to have a pass to go anywhere within the lines, was walking inside the guard limits about a day after the above occurrence, when the guard commanded him to halt.
He did not stop, and was instantly killed by a bullet.
It is also charged that, at the time the discovery was made of an attempt on the part of some of the prisoners to escape, a party of three or four hundred was huddled together and surrounded by a guard; that one of them was pushed by a comrade and fell to the ground, and that instantly the unfortunate man was shot, and that three or four others were wounded.
It is further stated that it is no uncommon things for a soldier to fire on the barracks without any provocation whatever, and that two men were thus shot while sleeping in their bunks a week or two ago, no inquiry being made into the matter.
No court-martial has been held, no arrest has been made though within the past month ten or twelve of the prisoners have been thus put out of the way. Another instance need only be given: One of the prisoners asked the guard for a chew of tobacco, and he received the bayonet in his breast without a word.
If the above reports are true, a reform might be instantly instituted.
And if they are untrue, then the public will be pleased to be informed of that fact.
It is difficult to believe them otherwise than untrue; yet, if the charges shall be substantiated, the very occurrences specified above, shocking and shameful as they may be, will nevertheless be not a whit more disgraceful to the
American people than many other cruel and atrocious deeds enacted during this unhappy war by the armies of both sections.
