American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-08-16
DEATH COURTED TO END MISERY.
How the Dead were Buried.


Mr.. Ambrose Spencer, whose first let
ter we published few days ago, has con-
tributed another painfully interesting mar
ratiye in relation to the inhuman monsters
who tortured our soldiers in the prison.
pen at Audersonville. We reproduce
the material portion of his statement:
have referred to the quantity and quail
ity of the food given to the prisoners, and
have since been asked if the country was
really so destitute Of provisions as TO re-
ouire it. At the os;-quartermasters at
| bmericus. nine miles from Andersonville,
there was turned over to the United
States Government. nearly two hundred
thousand pounds of bacon and an i'm
mense amount of corn and other produce;
larger quantity was stored at Albany,
forty miles lower down, and very consid-
cradle stores at Oglethorpe, eighteen miles
above Andersonville. These amounts
were continually increasing from tithes
and purchases, so that it will be seen that
there was no lack of provisions in the
country wherewith to furnish the prisoa-
ers food.
1 | have heard much Of what is termed
the &" dead line;" few, however, know
what is meant by it. After the compile
ton of the prison and its use, those con.
fined there we're accustomed to approach
the stockade and look through the open
ings between the posts, or talk to outsi-
ders. After the assumption of command
by Major Wirz, he caused the prisoners
/ to be notified that if they approached
within thirty feet of the stockade, they
would be shot by the guards upon the out
side. This limit Of thirty feet was IN
marked by ang line l0haieyer; it was ideal,
and left to the arbitrary determination Of
men on guard a majority of whom were
as incapable of Judging OF distances Of 80
/ feet, as were the poor prisoners who were
doomedif if they transgressed it, The con-
sequence was that weekly, yea daily, the
prisoners we're shot down by the guards,
when these thought they had transcribed
the imaginary line which separated thirty
seven thousand human beings from eter-
nifty.
Upon one occasion, prisoner who had
been confined there for more than year,
rendered desperate by hunger, want and
filth, preferring death to life so unutter-
ably miserable, after writing a last fond
letter to his wife in Indiana and bidding
his friends around him farewell, deliber-
ately advanced towards the side of the
stockade and calmly received the well di-
81 al hnt
his soul from the tortures which he could
not endure, and which his manhood sunk
under.
The southeast corner of the interior of
the stockade was the tayorite spot for this
kind of practice by the executors Of Ma
ior Wertzs will; for at this point the
brook or stream to which have already
referred entered the limits Of the prison.
Here the water was less tainted and be-
fouled by the drainage OF the hill, and
afforded a SOMEWHAT more palatable drink ;
of course this point was sought In prefer
ence to any other. But woe to the unlor-
tunate wretch who ever reached with his
arm beyond the prescribed bounds, to dip
up cup of better water than the reek
ing current below him offered A senti-
nel's bullet sent one more spirit trembling
to its God, while the wretch's body lay
prone and washed in the very water that
his less unfortunate comrades must drink,
until necessity forced its removal. How
many were slain in this manner will never
be known until the records Of book un-
scanned by mortal eyes be made up in fg-
ures of living light.
At short distance from the stockade
was the field where the remains of the
dead prisoners were supposed to be bur.
led. As if the tortures and degradatlopS
of their wretched life were insufficient
the eliminating stroke was given by theil
mode of iutermeut. In long bitches
scarcely too feet in depth, without coffin
or cover, without even the ordinary de
cent composing of their limbs, but care
lessly hustled into the bed which was tt
be their last, thirteen thousand eight hun
dred shrunken, ghastly bodies have beer
tossed and there they lie an army O
, martyrs" whose cry will 60 up to heav
ems gates in unceasing peals, asking ven
geanco for the deep damnation of theil
taking of"
| know not what the benevolent miss
sion of Captain Moore may have aecom
plished in this dreary cemetry, but | Dc
know that three months ago at least one
tenth of the whole number there lyine
were exposed; the dirt which had beer
care elessly thrown upon them having set
fled ar washed AWAY while leps and arm,
: protruded here and there, sad signal post
, of down trampled humanity, natural mon
! uments Of fendish cruelty. And owe
, this Aceldama of the Ncrth's best anC
!; bravest could be seen the shadows of tn,
! thousand buzzards' wings as they slowl,
sailed above the fostering heaps, or, gloat
ed with their horrid feast, gloomily sa
and gazed upon others who followed t
fhis disgusting banquet of death.