Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1865-10-26

| eAc cACcpttOuS -ueTeaIIff mentlOne0-
The dead were found buried in
trenches on the site selected by the
rebels, about thirty yards fro the
stockade. The trenches were from
two to three feet below the surface,
and in several instances where the
rains had washed away the earth.
but few incl es of additional earth
was thrown on the grsves, making
them of still greater depth So close
were they buried. without coffins or
ordinary clothing to cover their
nakedness, that Lot more than l2
inches were allowed ID each. man
Indeed the little tablets marking
their resting place, measaring hardly
10 inches in width, ALMOST touched
each other. The United States sol
diers, while prisoners st Anderson
vile, had been detailedto inter their
companions, and by simple stake
at the head of each grave which bore
the number corresponding with 8
similar numbered name upon the
Andersonville Hospital record, was
enabled to identify and mark with a
tablet, similar to those in the GENE
teries at Washington, the number,
name, mark, regiment, DC, and date
of death, of lZ.466 grates, there be-
ing hut 467 which bore the inscrip
ton Unknown U. S soldiers"
10000 feet of pine ,lumber were
used in these tablets alone The
cemetery contains 80 acres, and has
been divided by one main avenue
running through the center, and sub
divided into blocks and sections in
such manner that with the aid of
the record which | am now having
copied for the Superintendent, the
visitors will experience no difficulty
in finding any grave. A force of
men is now engaged in laying out
walks. and cleaning the cemetery of
stumps, preparatory to planting trees
and flowers. l have already com
menced the manufacture of brick,
and will have 4 sufficient number by
the first of October to pave the nu
merous cutters throughout the ceme-
terry. The clay in the vicinity of
the stockade is well adapted for the
purpose of brick making. Appro-
pirate inscriptions are placed through
the grounds, and l have arranged, so
far as my facilities wound permit, to
transfer this wild and unhonored
graveyard into fit place of interment
for the nations gallant dead. AT
the entrance the words "a National
Cemetery, Andersonville, Ca" des-
ignates the city of the-tfead. On the
morning of the 18th of Aug, at sun
rise, the stars and stripes were
hoisted in the centre of the Cemetery,
when a national salute was fired and
several national songs sung by those
present
The men who accompanied me,
and TO whom | am INDEBTED for the
early completion of my mission,
worked zealously and faithfully from
early in the morning until late at
night, although suffering intensely
from the effect of the heat, unaccus-
toned to it as they were One after
another was taken sick with the
fever incident to the country. and in
a brief period my force of mechanics
was considerably lessened, obliging
me to obtain others from the resi-
dents in different parts Of the State
Al my men, however, recovered
with the exception of Mr.. Eddy
Watts, who died on the 10th of July,
of typhoid fever, after a sickness of
three weeks. l brought his body
back with me, and delivered it to his
family in this city.
Several of the United States cav
airy detailed Ly Gen. Wilson, died of
the same fever shortly after joining
their commands at Macon. Ander
sonville is situated on the South
western Railroad, sixty miles from
Macon There is but one house in
the place, except those erected by
the SO called Confederate Govern
ment as hospitals, officers quarters
and Commissary and Quartormasters'
buildings. 1t was formerly known
as Anderson, but since the war the |
vile has been added. The country
is covered mostly with pines and |
hemloeks, and the soil is sandy, |
soerile and unfit Tor cultivation, and |
unlike the section of the country but
a few miles north and south, of the
place, where the soil is well adapted |
for agricultural purposes, and cot
ton as well rs corn is extensively |
raised. 1t Is said to be the most un-
healthy part of Georgia, and was
probably selected as a depot for
prisoners on account of this fact.
At midday the thermometer i'll the
shade reached frequently Ito degrees,
and in the sun the heat is almost un-
bearable, The inhabitants of this
sparsely settled locality are with few
exceptions, of the most ignorant
class, and from their haggard and
salloY faces, the effects of chills and
fever are distinctly visible. The
noted prison pen is 1,54O feet long
and $50 wide, and contains p acres.
The dead line is IL feet from the
stockade, and the sentry boxes are
80 yards apart. The inside stockade
is Is feet high, the outer one IL feet
high, and the distance between the
two is 12Q feet Nothing has been
destroyed. As our exhausted, ENACT
ated and enfeebled soldiers left it,
so it stands to-day, as a monument