THE IMMORTAL SIX HUNDRED
be divided and part sent to him at Hilton Head. I have always, and do now, believe that General Foster ordered part of our men sent to him at Hilton Head, his headquarters, that, like Nero, he could look on and enjoy the sufferings of his helpless victims starving to death. About December 10th scurvy made its appearance in our prison amongst the weakest of the prisoners. Most every man in the prison was suffering more or less with dysentery, and a large majority were, from the starvation diet, unable to leave their bunks. It was a pitiable sight to see human beings being starved to death by a government claiming to be civilized, humane, and religious.
Each man was his own cook. In the casemate of each division of prisoners there was a very large cook stove; each twenty-four hours twelve cord sticks of wood—pine—was issued to each twenty-eight men or division, as they were designated. Every morning the corn meal was issued. The fires were started in the
134
