Surgeon CHAS. P. WILSON, examined: —
I was Acting Assistant Surgeon, United States Army. I was stationed at Johnson’s Island, three miles from Sandusky, from the last week of October, 1863, to the last week of January, 1864. My duty was to attend to our men guarding the rebel prisoners, and also to attend at the Small-pox Hospital for rebel prisoners, and at the Post Hospital for our garrison; my position enabled me to see the general condition and the general treatment of the prisoners.
There could not be a more healthy or pleasant place than this island. Kelly’s island, a popular place of resort for pleasure and health, is about six miles from this island, and no better for these objects.
The buildings were good; in good order; they were new; say two years old; convenient and comfortable; they might have been better ventilated; the buildings were frame, and lined inside; they had rows of bunks, as in barracks, in three tiers—just the same as our men have in most of our barracks.
The rebel prisoners all had blankets, either their own or furnished by the United States Government, and were generally furnished with clothing by the United States Government—pants, shoes, hats, blouses, and underclothing and stockings,—until a short time before I left, then these were furnished to those only who actually needed them.
I have several times seen of an afternoon boxes carted in, and these articles distributed from the boxes among the prisoners, according to their wants.
I was there in extremely cold weather, when the supplies were teamed on the ice from the main land to Johnson’s Island, a distance of three miles; the prisoners were provided against this severe weather by wood hauled every day for their use in stoves.
I consider that the wood was sufficient for comfortable supply, except for, say two or possibly three days, when the teams were engaged in bringing r lumber and provisions for additional troops; during these two or three days the supply of wood was scant, and was the subject of complaint.
No prisoners were frostbitten or came under medical treatment from cold and exposure, except some who attempted to escape. They all fared as well in this respect as our men do in barracks generally. The sick men all had ticks filled with straw as beds; the hospital building for the rebels was lined and plastered.
There was abundant supply of good water from the lake by pipes and pumps; when the pipes froze they could go to the lake, under guard, and supply themselves, bringing it up in suitable vessels; they always had plenty of water to wash themselves and their clothes.
The rations of the prisoners were the same as those furnished to our own soldiers according to regulations. The prisoners did not consume all their rations, for I know that there was a large prison fund formed from the savings.
During the hours of the day the prisoners were allowed to be in the open air as much as they pleased; there was abundant room for them all to take as much exercise as they required for health; they played games in the open air.
The surgeon in charge treated the sick rebels as he treated our sick; there was no difference at all, except when special articles of diet were sent to our men by their friends.
Some four hundred and sixty rebel privates were sent to some other prison in November; most of them had been on Johnson’s Island for some months; when they left, taking them as a whole, their physical condition was excellent.
You could not have found the same number of prisoners anywhere in better condition.
C. P. WILSON,
Surgeon l3Sth Regiment O. N. G.
Sworn and subscribed before me, at Washington, D. C., this 3d day of June, 1864.
M. H. N. KENDIG,
Notary Public.