175. BELLE ISLE P.O.W. LETTER A rare, fine content war-date Union prisoner's letter, 8pp. legal folio, in ink by Sergeant William S. Tippett, Co. I, 1st West Virginia, Camp Parole, Annapolis, Md., Mar. 17, 1864, detailing his harrowing (and hungry) stay while a POW on Belle Isle, Richmond after being captured by Confederate Partisan Ranger John "Hanse" McNeil near Moorefield, WV in early September, 1863. In part: "...It caused me a great many sleepless nights while I was on Belle Island...unless the Colonel...can do something for me, I will have to stay here...after we got tents on the island, we were a little better off, for the frost and rain did not fall on us. In September, it was very cold...When we first came to this place, they were giving six ounces of bread and 1 1/2 ounces 'meat' beef in the morning...for supper we got four ounces bread and a pint of bean or rice soup...soon the bread got to be less, then the meat would not come in time...after we were there...the river got so high that the ferry (which brought us rations) could not run. So we had to go hungry for about 36 hours...there was some good prayers said for the Confederacy by the hungry prisoners...our blankets and extra clothing was taken from us at Staunton. We had...only what we had on...at night we would lay down...on the sandy ground about twenty in a tent just like a lot of hogs...in this way we would try and sleep, but our dreams would be disturbed by dreams of something to eat...when we would waken up and find we were nearly starved. Some nights...I would think of home and...imagine that you were about eating supper and wish I could just drop in...then we would get to talking about what good things we would have when we got inside our lines...this way we would talk until we would fall asleep. Some nights we would be so hungry...we could not get to sleep until long after midnight...for three months...the least little crumb would be picked up...and eaten. In November, wheat bread played out...and they gave us cornbread...I wish you could see a piece of the Confederate cornbread issued at Belle Isle...it is made of white cornmeal, water and a very little salt. Made in 2-pound loaves and about half baked...when meat got scarce...they gave us raw sweet potatoes and no wood to make a fire with...in December, the U. S. Government sent us some rations and clothing. The rations were nearly all gave to the guards, but the clothing was given to us...except a great deal was stolen...at night by the Rebs...boxes of food...come through the lines...some came, but more never came farther than the city and would be plundered by the Rebs...the clothing...the Government sent us saved a many a hundred lives for we were freezing to death at the rate of ten and fifteen a day, but when we got blankets and overcoats, we stood it well enough. But the Rebels soon put a stop to grub and clothing coming through the lines. On my birthday...I got nothing to eat. Christmas we got no dinner...I had a friend who was working in the new bakery...on the Island, and he brought me something...to eat. It cost him $10 'Confederate' money...Alfred Baltzell of my company...used to give me bread whenever I wanted it...but he had to steal it...in February, they quit making soup for us and gave us dry beans...we saved the wood and beans...to cook them every second day...[on] 6th of March...we were taken off the Island and put in the Pemberton Prison in Richmond. We were kept here until...paroled and put on the boat and taken to City Point, where we got aboard...our flag of truce boat 'New York'...as soon as we got on our boat, supper was ready...Mr. Perkins in Richmond...preached to us once on Belle Island and he came down on the Rebel boat to City Point. He...gave [me] several messages for his Butternut friends in Wheeling...Perkins is a chaplain in the Rebel army...I am Sergeant of a barracks. Have full charge of it and have a room entirely to myself...yesterday, 400 more prisoners arrived from Richmond and...nearly all our regiment who was on Belle Island...one or two of company I died in Richmond and about fifteen of the regiment died that we know of...tell me where Sam Tippett is...did he...enlist again...I would like to see it [the war] through, but the Government won't let us enlist until we are exchanged, and I don't think I will be exchanged while Butler holds the office he now holds as Commissioner of Exchange...". A rare look at the atrocious conditions at Belle Island prisoner of war camp and perhaps one of the best we have encountered. Minor toning and soiling, else very good. $800 - 1,000