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Elmira Prison Camp OnLine Library - |
HEADQUARTERS DEPOT PRISONERS OF WAR, Brigadier General H. W. WESSELLS,
Commissary-General of Prisoner, Washington, D. C.:
GENERAL: I have the honor to state that I forwarded from these headquarters December 1, 1864, a requisition for clothing for issue to prisoners of war. About December 7 we received a quantity of clothing, partly filling the requisition,which was issued to prisoners. December 12 we received a communication from Brigadier-General Beall,agent for rebel authorities,addressed to prisoners of war at this depot,notifying them of an arrangement between the United States Government and rebel authorities, by which each was to supply its own prisoners with necessary supplies, by which each was to supply its own prisoners with necessary supplies on their arrival. This request was complied with and report forwarded through General Paine December 17. December 14 we received a communication from your office advising us of the fact that, by a mutual agreement between the United States Government and rebel authorities,a large amount of cotton had been shipped for New York to be sold, the proceeds to be applied to the purchase of clothing for prisoners of war, and that in view of this fact it was not deemed advisable to provide any more clothing for prisoners than was absolutely demanded by the ordinary dictates of humanity. December 18 we received a communication from your office directing that, in pursuance of the arrangement between the United States and rebel authorities, commanding officers of military prisons will afford every necessary and proper facility for the purpose upon the request of Brigadier-General Paine. We have heard nothing further in relation to the subject since. A number of prisoners will soon be destitute of trousers and other articles of clothing. There are still due upon requisition of December 1 1,000 jackets, 2,500 shirts, 3,000 pair trousers, 8,000 drawers, 4,000 boots, 7,000 socks, 1,500 caps,and I would respectfully request that these amounts of jackets,trousers, shirts, bootees, socks, caps,and 4,000 pair of drawers be furnished immediately for issue to prisoners, unless the Department is advised that supplies will be speedily forwarded by the rebel authorities.
I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
B. F. TRACY, OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, I respectfully referred to the Quartermaster-General and attention invited to the statement of commanding officer of the prison camp at Elmira, N. Y. The delay in the arrival of rebel cotton renders it necessary to issue clothing to prisoners of war in our hands during the inclemency of winter.
H. W. WESSELLS, QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE, January 14, 1865.
Respectfully returned to Brigadier-General Wessells with information that the requisition referred to within was not received at this office, office for such articles as in his opinion should be sent to the prisoners of war at Elmira.
By order of Quartermaster-General:
ALEX. J. PERRY, OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Colonel B. F. TRACY,
Commanding Depot Prisoners of War, Elmira, N. Y.:
COLONEL: I am directed by the Commissary-General of Prisoners to acknowledge the receipt of your inspection report for the week ending December 25,1 864, and to inform you that if cases of smallpox continue to multiply you are authorized, after consultation with the proper medical authorities, to put up temporary buildings for the isolation of that class of patients. Place it within the inclosure, if practicable, but if circumstances require it to be established outside it should be suitably guarded.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. T. HARTZ, -------------------- HEADQUARTERS MILITARY PRISON, Colonel B. F. TRACY, Commanding Post:
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following inspection report of the condition of the prisoners of war at this station for the week ending January 8, 1865:
Conduct-very good. Cleanliness-fair. Clothing-good, some few exceptions; need pants and underclothing for those discharged from the smallpox hospital. Bedding-plenty and good. State of quarters-very clean. State of mess-houses-good. State of kitchen-good. Food, quality of-has been very good this week. Food, quantity of-abundant. Water-good. Sinks-need changing. Police of grounds-extra. Drainage-good. Police of hospital-better than last week. Attendance of sick-very good. Hospital diet-good. General health of prisoners-not such change since last report. Vigilance of guard-good.
Remarks and suggestions.-The convalescent wards should be repaired immediately, as they are not safe for men to work in. The last storm affected them very much. Ward 6 came near blowing down. Small-pox not on the increase so much as last week-126 cases,10 deaths.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WM. P. JORDAN, I should have reported last week that all the prisoners are in barracks. Owing to the efficient means adopted by Doctor Stocker, surgeon in charge,to vaccinate the camp, we hope we have got control of this disease (the smallpox) and will be able to keep it within bounds. It is not on the increase.
Respectfully referred to the Commissary-General of Prisoners.
B. F. TRACY, -------------------- HDQRS. TENTH REGIMENT VETERAN RESERVE CORPS, Major BLAGDEN,
Assistant to Commissary-General of Prisoners, Washington, D. C.:
MAJOR: I have the honor to inclose herewith an extract from a letter written by John Brusnan, a rebel prisoner at Elmira, N. Y., to a sister of his residing near Baltimore, Md. Some time ago his friends represented to me that he (Brusnan) was loyal to the Union; that it was want of forethought placed him in the rebel ranks, and after being some time in the rebel service he repented his rashness, and on two occasions attempted to desert to the Union side. On this representation (which I have no doubt his friends believed to be true), and he being also a relative of mine, I wrote twice to the Commissary-General of Prisoners to effect his release, if possible, by the first of the new year, providing he would take the oath of allegiance. At present I am glad that he is not released; and further, I most respectfully request that no action will be taken on the letters which I have written in his behalf. Whether he has or has not taken the oath of allegiance it does not make much difference, as it is evident from the inclosed extract he is an incorrigible and an ungrateful rebel. In my humble opinion he deserves (instead of the rations he now complains of) to be kept on bread and water during his remaining term of confinement.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
P. E. O'CONNOR,
P. S.--I call your attention to the fact that letters pass from the prison to outsiders without going through the proper channel.
P. E. O'C.
OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Washington, D. C., January 11, 1865.
Respectfully referred to Colonel B. F. Tracy, commanding Depot Prisoners of War, Elmira, N. Y., for his information. These papers to be returned.
By order of Brigadier General H. W. Wessells, Inspector and Commissary-General of Prisoners:
W. T. HARTZ, PRISONERS' CAMP, Elmira, N. Y., December 30, 1864.
MY DEAR SISTER: I take this opportunity of writing you a letter (which the Yankees will not see). I wrote you a few days ago acknowledging the receipt of the money. I will give you some idea of my situation. I would never have written to you for money, but I am almost starved to death. I only get two meals a day, breakfast and supper. For breakfast I get one-third of a pound of bread and a small piece of meat; for supper the same quantity of bread and not any meat, but a small plate of warm water called soup. I would never take that oath if I was not starved to do it. You know that without my telling you. When I came here this prison contained 10,000 prisoners, and they have all died except about 5,000. They are now dying at the rate of twenty-five a day. You know this is no place for me.
Your affectionate brother,
JOHN BRUSNAN.
-------------------- HEADQUARTERS PRISON CAMP, Lieutenant R. J. McKEE, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General:
LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report that prisoners of war in this camp receive rations each man daily as follows: For breakfast, eight ounces of bread, eight ounces of meat; for dinner, eight ounces of bread, one pint and a half soup of excellent quality, made from meat, potatoes, onions, and beans. The great majority get a piece of meat in the soup. Extra-duty men receive per day twenty-four ounces of bread, sixteen ounces of meat, and two pints of soup, and coffee with each meal (three meals per day).
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
STEPHEN MOORE, -------------------- HEADQUARTERS DEPOT PRISONERS OF WAR, Brigadier General H. W. WESSELLS,
Commissary-General of Prisoners:
GENERAL: I have the honor to return herewith communication from P. E. O'Connor, Tenth Veteran Reserve Corps, inclosing extract from letter of John Brusnan, prisoner of war, forwarded from your office for our information January 11. It is almost unnecessary for me to say that the statements made by the prisoner Brusnan are outrageously false. The daily ration for each prisoner is uniformly as follows: For breakfast, eight ounces bread, eight ounces meat; for dinner, eight ounces bread, one pint and a half soup of excellent quality, made from the meat, potatoes, onions, and beans. Extra-duty men receive per day eighteen ounces bread, sixteen ounces meat, and two pints soup. Three meals, and coffee with each. The total number of deaths among prisoners of war at this station to December 31, 1864, was 1,264. The average number of deaths daily for the sixteen days ending December 31 was seven. As regards letters from prisoners of war being secreted out of camp, I have the honor to state that about January 1 we discovered that letters were mailed which did not not pass through the hands of the examiner. We have intercepted some hundred of such letters and discovered the parties engaged in the business. One commissioned officer, one acting assistant surgeon, and two enlisted men have been arrested and charges preferred against them. We have adopted such measures for the future for the detection of parties attempting to secrete letters out of camp that it will be very difficult, if not impossible, for them to escape discovery. I would respectfully request that the application of the prisoner John Brusnan to take the oath of allegiance to the United States be recalled and he be held for exchange in case of opportunity.
I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
B. F. TRACY, -------------------- OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Colonel B. F. TRACY,
Commanding Depot Prisoners of War, Elmira, N. Y.:
COLONEL: Your letter of the 5th instant, requesting that the balance of the requisition for clothing made by you on the 1st ultimo may be forwarded to Elmira, has been received. The requisitions were held awaiting your reply to letter of the 12th ultimo from this office, which explained the necessity of strict economy in the issue of clothing to rebel prisoners at the present time, and requested that you would report your views on the necessity of such issue at Elmira, N. Y. No reply to this letter has been received, and the requisitions are still in this office. The clothing received by you was sent to Elmira by mistake, and was no part of that required for by you. It was reported as issued before the error was discovered. As the cotton from the South referred to in my letter of the 12th ultimo is daily expected, you will please make immediately requisition for such clothing as may be absolutely necessary within the next three or four weeks, after which time it is hoped clothing from the rebel authorities may be ready for issue.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
H. W. WESSELLS, -------------------- HEADQUARTERS DEPOT PRISONERS OF WAR, Brigadier General H. W. WESSELLS,
Commissary - General of Prisoners:
GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 19th instant, calling attention to the fact that I have not reported my views (as requested in communication from your office dated December 12, 1864) as to the necessity of issuing clothing to prisoners of war at the present time. I would offer in explanation that about the same date (December 12) we received instructions from Brigadier - General Paine, U. S. Volunteers, to forward immediately through him, to the agent of the rebel authorities, a report from the prisoners of war at this depot of the supplies necessary to render them comfortable. This report was forwarded at once, and inasmuch as we had just received a partial supply of clothing (sent by mistake to this depot), I did not deem it necessary to make any further report before the arrival of the supplies from the rebel authorities. in obedience to your instructions of the 19th instant I have forwarded this day requisition in duplicate for such clothing as will be absolutely necessary within the next four weeks.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
B. F. TRACY, -------------------- OFFICE COMMISSARY - GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Colonel B. T. TRACY,
Commanding Depot Prisoners of War, Elmira, N. Y.:
COLONEL: I have the honor, by direction of the Commissary - General of Prisoners, to acknowledge receipt of requisitions for clothing forwarded by your for approval on the 21st instant. As the cotton for the purchase of supplies for rebel prisoners has arrived at new York, it is supposed that clothing will be forwarded by General Beall nearly or quite as soon as it could be furnished by the Quartermaster's Department. The requisitions will be held for the present.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
G. BLAGDEN -------------------- SURGEON- GENERAL'S OFFICE, [COMMISSARY- GENERAL OF PRISONERS:]
SIR: The following extracts are from reports of inspection at Elmira, N. Y., by Medical Inspector G. H. Lyman, U. S . Army:
PRISON CAMP, Elmira, January 24, 1865.
The hospital accommodation is still insufficient. Some 200 are still kept in quarters who should be in hospital. To diminish the sickness and mortality I would recommend; First. That additional wards be constructed and that provision be made for hot water bathing of the sick. It is impracticable to give this thoroughly in the wards, and it is very much needed. Second. That hospital clothing be allowed, which would afford an opportunity for cleansing the woolen and underclothing of the patients. Third. That all the old barracks be provided with additional windows. In the winter season the men confine themselves to the wards as much as possible for warmth, and the closing of the doors and windows renders these barracks too dark. Fourth. That more cubic and superficial space be afforded by the erection of additional barracks. The type of the disease is that which would result from overcrowding. There is no acute disease, everything assumes a typhoid type.
A steam washing machine is needed for the hospital and can well be afforded from the prison fund if authorized.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
MADISON MILLS, -------------------- HEADQUARTERS DEPOT PRISONERS OF WAR, Brigadier General WILLIAM HOFFMAN,
Commissary- General of Prisoners, Washington, D. C.:
GENERAL: Your telegram of the 4th instant, directing the preparation of rolls of 3,000 prisoners of war, was duly received and preparations commenced at once. Permit me to call your attention thus early to the route by which these men are to be forwarded. The northern Central Railroad to Baltimore is,a s I am informed, so pressed with the transportation of recruits and substitutes between Harrisburg and Baltimore that it is with great difficulty that we can get transportation for the few recruits we are now forwarding by this line. The detachment of prisoners that was sent from here last fall were forty hours in reaching Baltimore, a run which should have been made in fifteen hours. To keep sick men upon the road at this season of the year in cars without seats and without water- closets or any of the conveniences usually provided fort he transportation of passengers will result in much suffering. It will cost no more to transport these men to new York than to Baltimore, while the Erie Railroad has a large number of second- class passenger cars and can move a detachment of 500 men on a few hours' notice and land them in New york within twelve to fifteen hours from starting. Besides, much weaker men can be transported via New York than by the Northern Central Railroad. Unless facilities for water transportation from Baltimore are greatly superior to those from New York it is very desirable that they be forwarded via New York City.
I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
B. F. TRACY, -------------------- HEADQUARTERS DEPOT PRISONERS OF WAR, Colonel B. F. TRACY, Commanding Post:
COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following inspection report of the condition of the prisoners of war at this station for the week ending February 11, 1865:
Conduct-good. Discipline-excellent. Cleanliness-remarkably clean as regards quarters, considering the low temperature of the past week; as regards the men they look very neat and clean, each man being punished who presents himself at inspection with untidy face or hair. Clothing-decidedly deficient, but is now being corrected by the distribution of clothing from the Confederate authorities. Bedding-prisoners have no bedding except the boards and their blankets. State of quarters-in good condition, tight and warm. State of mess-houses-clean and warned comfortably. State of kitchen-clean, and every-thing systematized. Food, quality of-good. Food, quantity of-prisoner's ration. Water-plenty and good. Police of grounds-moderately good, but not enough carts furnished. Drainage-good. Police of hospital-excellent. Attendance of sick-all that can be desired up to date, but the exchange of the prisoners interferes with the arrangements of the surgeon in charge, as some had been physicians in civil life, and we used as much to attend the prisoners. Hospital-the quarters devoted to hospital purposes are decidedly insufficient; from twelve to twenty sick men are compelled to remain in their usual quarters for want of accommodation in the hospital. Hospital diet-all that is required, as far as I can judge. General health of prisoners-very bad; increase of sickness principally caused by the arrival of the Fort Fisher prisoners, of whom more than half are sick. Vigilance of guard-the guard are very vigilant indeed.
Remarks and suggestions.-I would respectfully recommend that a greater number of police carts be supplied and that more room for hospital purposes be furnished.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JAMES R. REID,
Elmira, N. Y., January 5, 1865.
Colonel 127th U. S. Colored Troops, Commanding Depot.
Washington, D. C., January 7, 1865.
Brigadier General, U. S. Vols., Inspector and Com. General of Prisoners.
Colonel, Quartermaster's Department.
Washington, D. C., January 5, 1865.
Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.
Elmira, N. Y., January 8, 1865.
Captain, Twenty-ninth Maine Veteran Vols., Inspecting Officer.
Colonel 127th U. S. Colored Troops, Commanding Depot.
Camp Fry, Washington, D. C., January 10, 1865.
Lieutenant and Adjutant Tenth Veteran Reserve Corps.
Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.
Elmira, N. Y., January 13, 1865.
Lieutenant Colonel Sixteenth Regiment Vet. Reserve Corps, Commanding Camp.
Elmira, N. Y., January 15, 1865.
Colonel 127th U. S. Colored Troops, Commanding Depot Prisoners of War.
Washington, D. C., January 19, 1865.
Brigadier General, U. S. Vols., Inspector and Com. General of Prisoners.
Elmira, N. Y., January 21, 1865.
Colonel 127th U. S. Colored Troops, Commanding Depot.
Washington, D. C., January 27, 1865.
Major, Second Mass. Cav., Asst. to Com. General of Prisoners.
Washington City, D. C., February 4, 1865.
Medical Inspector- General, U. S . Army.
Elmira, N. Y., February 5, 1865.
Colonel 127th U. S. Colored Troops, Commanding Depot.
Elmira, N. Y., February 12, 1865.
Lieutenant, Tenth U. S. Infantry, Inspecting Officer.
