[This short document was found in the Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume XI, page 524.]

Fredericksburg, Va., July 31, 1883

Rev. J. William Jones:

Dear Sir,
I was captured near Spotsylvania Courthouse, Va., May 19th, 1864, and carried to Point Lookout, where I remained until July 4, 1864, when I was transferred to Elmira, New York. While there I was employed in the prison hospital. Dr. E. F. Sanger, Surgeon in charge of the hospital, showed me great kindness, for which I have ever been grateful. During a recent visit to Bangor, Maine, I had the pleasure of meeting with the Doctor, and while conversing with him the subject of the mortality among the prisoners, both North and South, came up. I asked Dr. Sanger whether or not he had a record o the percentage of deaths at the hospital in Elmira. He told me that he had, and kindly allowed me to copy from his journal the following figures:

Number of prisoners received at Elmira, from July 1864 to May 1865, 12,121; transferred, 4,273; released, 4,741; died, 2,933; unaccounted for, 174.

Of this number about twenty escaped from the prison by tunneling under the fence -- what became of the others is not known. Thinking that these figures will be of interest to the readers of the Southern Historical Society Papers, I send them to you to use as you may see fit.

Very respectfully yours,

J.S. Hutchinson
Pastor of M.E. Church, South Fredericksburg, Va.
(Formerly private Company F, Tenth Regiment Va. Infantry).