225 Series II Volume VII- Serial 120 - Prisoners of War
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have the best of ventilation; the policing is good, and every attention and care is shown here that I see in our best hospital. The guards, now furnished form the Tenth Kansas Infantry, are efficient, faithful, and orderly. Most of the prisoners here are rebel soldiers, but a few are citizens. Some two or three attempts have been made in various ways of late to escape, but owing to the vigilance of the keepers and the guards they have each time proved unsuccessful and have tended to increase the discipline and watchfulness. In brief, the Gratiot Street Prison is kept, in every way, outside as well as in, clean and wholesome, and the prisoners are as comfortable as their condition as prisoners admits.
Myrtle Prison, in all its details, is but the rival of the Gratiot. The yard is kept clean and is washed thoroughly at least once a day. The mess-room and kitchen are well kept and show no evidence of neglect. The sinks are kept perfectly clean, being so arranged that no fifth accumulates, but passes at once into the sewer. The prison rooms or quarters are cleaner and better ventilated than are usually found in such places. The bedding is no less clean than the quarters. It is aired from day to day and occasionally washed. The prisoners, in their persons and clothing, I find are very much as we find same class of persons outside prison walls, but all the required to maintain a good degree of cleanliness. The food here is of the same quality and otherwise the same as at the Gratiot Prison. The guard duty is performed in a soldierly manner. Occasionally slight indirections are observed, but are promptly corrected and, if demanding it, the offender is punished. These two prisons, for their accommodation as such, are kept in every way as perfect as could be expected. They present more the appearance of public charitable institutions where the needy are cared for and no labor asked in return than they do of prisons. I can see nothing materially which can add to the safety or comfort of the prisoners. They are well taken care of and, to use their own language (having conversed with many), are better of than they could expect.
I am, colonel, respectfully, yours,
ISAAC GANNETT,
First Lieutenant, Seventh Kansas Cavalry, Inspector of Military Prisons.
[Indorsement.]
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI, OFFICE OF PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL, Saint Louis, Mo., June 13, 1864.Respectfully forwarded to the Commissary-General of Prisoners without comment, the statements therein in accordance with my own observation and judgement.
J. P. SANDERSON,
Provost-Marshal-General.OFFICE SPECIAL COMMISSIONER, Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio, June 11, 1864.
Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:
DEAR SIR: When I was last in Washington I stated to you that there were at Camp Chase a great number of prisoners who claimed to be deserters from the rebel army who ought to be examined, so that the honesty of their intentions and application might be tested. You asked
15 R R-SERIES II, VOL VII
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