The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1865-10-25
TIC Aaaaersan1slle pead.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19.-The following
report of Caps. S. w. Moore, agent, who
was sent to fAndersonyille, Georgia, to
mark the graves of Union prisoners for
future Identification. contains valuable !
information, in which the people are IN
terested, and will be appreciated by the
relatives and friends of those who have
given their lives to their country.
ASST @. MS, OFFIcE, DEPT. WASH, I |
| WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. 20, 1861 ! |
10 Brevet Maj Gen. Meigs, Quarteratas-
ier Gen. U. 8. a., Washington, d. G.
General--Tn accordance with special
order No 10, Quartermaster Generals
Office, dated june Goth, 1865, directing
me to proceed to Andersonville; Georgia;
for the purpose of marking the graves OF
Union soldiers for future Identification
and enclosing the cemetry. have the
honor to report as follows: I left Wash
ington on the 9th of July last, with me-
chanics and material for the purpose
above mentioned. On my arrival at Sa-
vannah [ ascertained that there was no
railroad communication, whatever, to An
| dersonville, the direct road to Macon be-
ing broken, and that from Augusta via
Atlanta is also in the same condition.
I tried to procure wagon transportation,
but was informed by the General COM
manding the department of Georgia that
a sufficient number Of teams could not be
had in the State to haul one-half the
stores, and as the roads were bad and the
distance more than 400 miles, [ abandon
dened all idea of attempting road
through a country difficult and tedious
under more propitious circumstances
The prospect of reaching Andersonville
at this time was by no means favorable,
and nearly one week elapsed since my ar
rival at Savannah. I had telegraphed to
Augusta, Atlanta and Macon, and receiv-
ed replies that the railroads were not COM
pleted At length on the morning of the
10Th Of July gratifying telegram from
Augusta was received announcing the
completion of the road to Atlanta. | at
once determinedto procure transportation
by the Savannah River. The desired boat
was secured, and in "a hours afterthe re-
teipt of the telegram alluded to, was on
my way with men and material for Au-
/, gnsta. On my arrival there found the
railroad completed to Macon, and that
from Macon to Andersonville having
never been broken, 1 experienced but
little difficulty in reaching my destina-
ton, where 1 arrived July 25th, after a
tiresome trip occupying six days and
) nights.
. At Macon Major General Wilson de-
tailed one company Of the 4th U. S. Cav
!, airy and one of the 18th Regiment U.
S. colored troops, to assist me. A mem
Der of the former company was killed on
; the 9Th of August at a station named
Montezuma; on the Southwestern railroad
The rolling stock of all the roads over
J. which travelled is in terrible condition
, and very seldom greater rate of speed
was obtained than twelve miles an hour.
: At the different stations along the route
the object of the expedition was well
known, and not unfrequently those wear
ing the garb of rebel soldiers came into
the cars and discussed the treatment OF
our prisoners at Andersonville, all OF
I whom candidly admitted it was shameful
and blot on the escutcheon of the South
4uiiUf years would nut effdUo. While
) encamped at Andersonyille I was daily
visited by men from the surrounding
country, and had an opportunity of CLEAN
ing their feelings toward the Government
and with hardly an exception from those
who had been ia the rebel army, penitent
and more kindly disposed than those who
had never taken part, and anxious to
again become citizens of the government,
they had fought SO hard to destroy.
On the morning of the goth of July the
work of identifying graves, painting and
lettering headboares, laying out walks
and enclosing the cemetery commended,
and on the evening Of the 10Th of Au-
!, gust was completed, with the exceptions
hereafter mentioned The dead were
found buried in trenches on sites selected
a by the rebels, about three hundred yards
from the stockadc The trenches were
from two to three feet. below the surface,
|, and, in many instances, where the rain had
washed away the earth, but few inches
!. of earth were found on the graves. So
!, close were they buried, without collins or
/ ordinary clothing to cover their naked
ness, that not more than II inches were
] allowed to each man. Indeed, the little
tablets marking their resting places,
i measuring hardly 10 inches in width, are
almost touching each other.
+ United States soldiers, while prisoners
at AndeIsonville, had been detailed to in
) ter their companions, and by single
stake at the head of each grave, which
bore number corresponding with a sim
ilar,number and name upon the Ander-
senville hospital record, I was enabled to
identify and mark with neat tablets, sim
liar to those in the cemetery at Washing
ton, the number, name, rank, age, &C.,
and date of death, of II, 466 graves, there
! being but 467 which bore the inscription.
s'unknown u. S. soldiers. 100000 feet
+ of pine lumber was used in these tablets
alone.
The cemetery contains 80 acres and has
been directed by one man, avenues rum
ming through the center and sub-oividcd
into blocks and sections in such manner
that with the aid of the report which I
am now having copied for the superinten ;
dent, the visitors viii experience no diff
Guilty in finding any grave. A force Of
men are now engaged in laying out walks
and cleaning the cemetery of stumps pre-
paratory to placting trees and flowers. I