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and brought back。 I also knew John L。 Richards； of Fostoria； Seneca
County； O。 or Eaglesville； Wood County。 Also； a man by the name of
Beverly； who was a partner of Charley Aucklebv； of Tennessee。 I would
like to hear from all of these parties。 They all know me。
Mr。 Editor； I will close by wishing all my comrades who shared in the
sufferings and dangers of Confederate prisons； a long and useful life。
Yours truly；
RANSOM T。 POWELL
CHAPTER XLII
SOME FEATURES OF THE MORTALITYPERCENTAGE OF DEATHS TO THOSE LIVING
AN AVERAGE MEAN ONLY STANDS THE MISERY THREE MONTHSDESCRIPTION OF THE
PRISON AND THE CONDITION OF THE MEN THEREIN； BY A LEADING SCIENTIFIC MAN
OF THE SOUTH。
Speaking of the manner in which the Plymouth Pilgrims were now dying；
I am reminded of my theory that the ordinary man's endurance of this
prison life did not average over three months。 The Plymouth boys arrived
in May； the bulk of those who died passed away in July and August。
The great increase of prisoners from all sources was in May； June and
July。 The greatest mortality among these was in August； September and
October。
Many came in who had been in good health during their service in the
field； but who seemed utterly overwhelmed by the appalling misery they
saw on every hand； and giving way to despondency； died in a few days or
weeks。 I do not mean to include them in the above class； as their
sickness was more mental than physical。 my idea is that； taking one
hundred ordinarily healthful young soldiers from a regiment in active
service； and putting them into Andersonville； by the end of the third
month at least thirty…three of those weakest and most vulnerable to
disease would have succumbed to the exposure； the pollution of ground and
air； and the insufficiency of the ration of coarse corn meal。 After this
the mortality would be somewhat less； say at the end of six months fifty
of them would be dead。 The remainder would hang on still more
tenaciously； and at the end of a year there would be fifteen or twenty
still alive。 There were sixty…three of my company taken； thirteen lived
through。 I believe this was about the usual proportion for those who
were in as long as we。 In all there were forty…five thousand six hundred
and thirteen prisoners brought into Andersonville。 Of these twelve
thousand nine hundred and twelve died there； to say nothing of thousands
that died in other prisons in Georgia and the Carolinas； immediately
after their removal from Andersonville。 One of every three and a…half
men upon whom the gates of the Stockade closed never repassed them alive。
Twenty…nine per cent。 of the boys who so much as set foot in
Andersonville died there。 Let it be kept in mind all the time； that the
average stay of a prisoner there was not four months。 The great majority
came in after the 1st of May； and left before the middle of September。
May 1； 1864； there were ten thousand four hundred and twenty…seven in the
Stockade。 August 8 there were thirty…three thousand one hundred and
fourteen； September 30 all these were dead or gone； except eight thousand
two hundred and eighteen； of whom four thousand five hundred and ninety
died inside of the next thirty days。 The records of the world can shove
no parallel to this astounding mortality。
Since the above matter was first published in the BLADE； a friend has
sent me a transcript of the evidence at the Wirz trial； of Professor
Joseph Jones； a Surgeon of high rank in the Rebel Army； and who stood at
the head of the medical profession in Georgia。 He visited Andersonville
at the instance of the Surgeon…General of the Confederate States' Army；
to make a study； for the benefit of science； of the phenomena of disease
occurring there。 His capacity and opportunities for observation； and for
clearly estimating the value of the facts coming under his notice were；
of course； vastly superior to mine； and as he states the case stronger
than I dare to； for fear of being accused of exaggeration and downright
untruth； I reproduce the major part of his testimonyembodying also his
official report to medical headquarters at Richmondthat my readers may
know how the prison appeared to the eyes of one who； though a bitter
Rebel； was still a humane man and a conscientious observer； striving to
learn the truth：
MEDICAL TESTIMONY。
＇Transcript from the printed testimony at the Wirz Trial； pages 618 to
639； inclusive。＇
OCTOBER 7； 1885。
Dr。 Joseph Jones； for the prosecution：
By the Judge Advocate：
Question。 Where do you reside
Answer。 In Augusta； Georgia。
Q。 Are you a graduate of any medical college？
A。 Of the University of Pennsylvania。
Q。 How long have you been engaged in the practice of medicine？
A。 Eight years。
Q。 Has your experience been as a practitioner； or rather as an
investigator of medicine as a science？
A。 Both。
Q。 What position do you hold now？
A。 That of Medical Chemist in the Medical College of Georgia； at
Augusta。
Q。 How long have you held your position in that college？
A。 Since 1858。
Q。 How were you employed during the Rebellion？
A。 I served six months in the early part of it as a private in the
ranks； and the rest of the time in the medical department。
Q。 Under the direction of whom？
A。 Under the direction of Dr。 Moore； Surgeon General。
Q。 Did you； while acting under his direction； visit Andersonville；
professionally？
A。 Yes； Sir。
Q。 For the purpose of making investigations there？
A。 For the purpose of prosecuting investigations ordered by the Surgeon
General。
Q。 You went there in obedience to a letter of instructions？
A。 In obedience to orders which I received。
Q。 Did you reduce the results of your investigations to the shape of a
report？
A。 I was engaged at that work when General Johnston surrendered his
army。
（A document being handed to witness。）
Q。 Have you examined this extract from your report and compared it with
the original？
A。 Yes； Sir； I have。
Q。 Is it accurate？
A。 So far as my examination extended； it is accurate。'
The document just examined by witness was offered in evidence； and is as
follows：
Observations upon the diseases of the Federal prisoners； confined to Camp
Sumter； Andersonville； in Sumter County； Georgia； instituted with a view
to illustrate chiefly the origin and causes of hospital gangrene； the
relations of continued and malarial fevers； and the pathology of camp
diarrhea and dysentery； by Joseph Jones； Surgeon P。 A。 C。 S。； Professor
of Medical Chemistry in the Medical College of Georgia； at Augusta；
Georgia。
Hearing of the unusual mortality among the Federal prisoners confined at
Andersonville； Georgia； in the month of August； 1864； during a visit to
Richmond； Va。； I expressed to the Surgeon General； S。 P。 Moore；
Confederate States of America； a desire to visit Camp Sumter； with the
design of instituting a series of inquiries upon the nature and causes of
the prevailing diseases。 Smallpox had appe