Burial of dead prisoners.
Speaking of the number and burial of the dead, the writer of the aforesaid “Jaunt” says: “The authorities at the stockade who had charge of the interment of the
Federal dead did their work rudely, * * * digging pits and burying them in.”
Then he goes on: “It is hard to comprehend the true value of the number, 14,000; its magnitude eludes you. Fourteen thousand men would form a great mob, or a great army, or a great town.
Here you have 14,000 men lying silently in a few acres.
Within these bounds men have suffered as greatly as have any since the world began.”
In reply to this, I would merely say the burial was the work of prisoners paroled especially for the purpose, both the hauling of the bodies to the ground, the digging of the graves, and even the records of the names were all done by paroled prisoners.
Books and a tent were provided solely for the latter purpose.
Owing to the weakness of the guard, paroled prisoners were employed for this duty, as we could spare no men for the purpose; and if the work was rudely or carelessly done, the blame rests with them.
As compensation they were given double rations and almost entire freedom.
As to the number of the dead, we admit that it is great, but statistics show that more Southern soldiers died in Northern prisons than Northern soldiers in Southern prisons.
In vain have Northern writers tried to disprove this fact.
