The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-10-26
LETTER r ROM
Andersonville.
Correspondence Cincinnati commcrcial.l

AEDERsoNVILLE, Oct. IL, 1860.
l did not visit this place on the
mission of hyena but simply to see
for myself and describe it, as it now is
There needs not any howlings of an
ogre, gloating rhetoric, to exhume
the loathsome memories of Anderson
vile, or Iacerate afresh the scarce
cicatrized wounds that have bled in
many households. Surely, the chief
est need of the country now is, not to
multiply mutual reproaches, but to for
give and forget.
LOCATION AND GROUNDS.
AndersonvlIe is sixty miles below
Macon, on the South western Railroad.
Here the road runs nearly due South,
the cemetery and stockade being on
the east side, and about u third of u
mile from it. The cemetery is about
half mile north of the stockade, on
considerably higher ground, in an old
cleared field When the cars are op-
posite it, they are in q deep cut, so
that nothing can be seen except tho
great bright flag which floats in the
center Of the cemetery. Approaching
nearer the station, the white fence and
the thousands Of white head boards
are seen little in the rear, while,
somewhat In advance of the train,
through the pine trees, the grim walls
of the stockade make their appearance.
Every eye is strained, and every voice
is hushed, while the train slowly rolls
forward to the station.
The ground on which tho stockadc
stands was formerly covered with pines
(there is no other tree here) of consid-
cradle size, the most of which were
cut to make the walls, The soil about
here is peculiarly barren, 1t consists
Of a coarse sand, of hinty appear
ance, mixed, near the surface, with
red sand and small stones, and some.
times to the depth Of II foot or more
with q poor quality Of red clay: II
lies so dense and firm that, in digging
wells in the stoclade, no walls or cur
bing was used. When wet, it is read
lily washed away by the creeks, anC
accumnates along their beds, as quick
sand, or in higher beds whore, wheI
dry, it presents a very white, cleaI
appearance. r.
The stocliadc lies on two sides of ;
small creek, fully two-thirds of it be
ing on tho north side. This creel
takes its rise in large spring, few
rods west Of the railroad, and, unitet
with another, runs under a culvert
and is increased by several others, be
fore it reaches the stockade, in whicl
it receives three more. About half
mile beyond the stoclade, this crccl
falls into a larger called the White
water. Of course the average level Q
the stocliade is considerably lowe
than that of the railroad, since it is
half mile further down the creek. Th
swampy borders Of the creek are abou
eight rods wide, (including both sides
and consist partly Of soft, black mu
and partly Of quicksand. They ar
covered with growth ofsmall willow
swamp grasses of various sorts, an
cat o -nine-tails; and can only b
crossed on boards or logs, This mu
gives forth an offensive odor of decay
cd vegetables, but when continual
troddon down and exposed to the ray
OF the sun, this was, perhaps dissipatet
The northern bank was quite steel
originally, though it has been cave
and worn away by rains, and covere
with small, sharp stones, very sever
70 shoeless feet,
The ground rises after the first o.
cent, by a slow grade, to the end
the stockade, where it is, perhaps, sii
ty feet above the level of the creek.
The south bank is more gentle, and u
ground in rear of it, much lower tina
Che other. The road from tho static
winds along the edge Of the cree
crossing o bridge or two over /