In a message dated 7/2/2000 1:38:20 PM Mountain Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: << I found only one reference to the treatment of prisoners from the > > southern campaigns, in Lynn Montross, "Rag, Tag, and Bobtail". This > > work states that the continental troops from the siege of Charleston > > were held on prison ships. Conditions were poor and about a third of > > the prisoners died. > > > > If one takes the word "torture" to mean pain and suffering, then I > > suppose these men were tortured. To my mind, however, torture implies > > an intentional infliction on pain, usually either to extract information > > or to punish. I have found no evidence of the latter. >> Torture: Dictionary def: 1) to cause intense suffering to: torment; 2) to punish or coerce by inflicting excruciating pain; 3) to twist or wrench out of shape; distort, warp. When conditions are bad enough that one third of the men die because of environment, food or treatment by the guards/system, that's torture by definition. Both writings (original and OHMEIGS response) are largely opinions based on facts. Both are over-simplifying a complex and drawn out period. Like 90% of most history books, the truth lies somewhere in between. Diane