A Richmond paper reported that sanitary conditions were better at Fort Delaware and the daily death rate was lower. Overall conditions were still not very good and winter would be tough with only one blanket per prisoner. Tobacco would be the best present to send a loved one confined on Pea Patch Island – it functioned like money.
From the Richmond Daily Dispatch September 24, 1864:
Fort Delaware.
Prisoners who returned by the last flag-of-truce boat give the usual account of the sufferings of the Confederate soldiers confined at Fort Delaware, and of their intense anxiety for an immediate exchange. They have experienced enough of prison life at the North to make them regard another capture by the enemy as one of the greatest calamities of war. The whole number of prisoners there at present is seven thousand seven hundred and twenty-two, including about two thousand Virginians. These are assigned to divisions of several hundred each, in which there is not sufficient space for necessary exercise; and their sufferings, it may be well imagined, are intolerable. Their breakfast is one-fifth of a loaf of bread to each man; their dinner, the same amount of bread, with a small piece of meat and a plate of poor soup, with one potato once a week. They have no supper. They are allowed to write only to father, mother, brother, sister, wife or child, and then only ten lines. A married sister cannot be written to if she happens to bear a different name. They are not allowed to receive any packages except by flag trace, and even that method has been recently discontinued, packages sent from here on the 22d of August not having yet been received. Formerly they were allowed to receive presents from friends outside of the prison, but that has been stopped.–The discipline of the prison is very strict. The guard is composed of Ohio militia — the regulars, before performing that duty, having been sent to the field. The winter will bring a great addition to the sufferings of the prisoners, as only one blanket is allowed to a man, and some have not even that.–The houses are temporary board structures, neither lathed nor plastered, and a division has but one fire:
We are gratified to learn that the sanitary condition of Fort Delaware has much improved since last year, and the daily average of deaths considerably diminished.
Tobacco is much more desired by the prisoners than money, as it is a common article of traffic, and will purchase anything they need. We mention this as a hint to those persons who desire to send any gift to their friends there.
Captain Richard E. Frayser, of the Signa[l] Corps, and Captain Jones R. Christian, of company F, Third Virginia cavalry, are among the officers sent from Fort Delaware to Morris island to be placed under fire.
Among the prisoners returned by this flag of truce are Captain B. F. Smith, William F. White, Anron Burton, William C. Tempkins, and — Allen, of Richmond, and Dr. Howlett, of Chesterfield.
The members of the Third Richmond Howitzer company at present in Fort Delaware are well and provided for.
The clipping from The New-York Times of September 25, 1864 is the lead paragraph of a long report detailing the horrible conditions suffered by Union prisoners in the South.
Union prisoners were martyrs (NY Times 9-25-1864)
