Weekly Trinity journal., 1867-02-09
NUMBER 5.
The Horrors of Andersonvi,le.

Horrors AnderSOnV1lIes
We make the following additional extracts
from DR.. Hamlin's book entitled " Martyria, or
Andersonville Prison :"
TREATMENT OF THE DEAD.
The dead bodies of the thousands who perished
within the stockade, without medical assistance,
were dragged forth, without care, and thrown
promiscuously into the field carts, which, with
their carelessly heaped up burdens, proceeded to
the trenches, where the dead heroes were laid in
long lines, side by side, two or three hundred in
O trench, and then o stick was thrust into the
ground, at the head of each man, to indicate the
place of burial. For the care observed in the
burial of the dead, after the carts arrived at the
cemetery, and the preservation of the records OF
the Victims we are indebted to our own men,
who were paroled especially for the purpose.
The only solicitude observed by the rebels
during after interment of their victims was
shown bv the civil engineer or surveyor of the
town. He thought that so much animal matter
should not go entirely to waste, and so COM
menced to plant grape vines over the mounds Of
the decomposing dead.
To show the utter want of decency which rul-
ed all things connected with the PRISON, 1t Is
stated by positive eye witnesses that the same
carts that transported the dead went forth with
out being cleansed of their reeking and disgust
ing filth to the shambles and the depots for the
meat and corn for the living prisoners.
STRUCTURE AND GUARDS.
The timbers composing the stockade were OF
entire trunks of pines, massive and SOHO, ana
measuring from one to three feet in diameter
They were sunk into the earth for about i've
or six feet, held in position at the top by long,
slender pines, nailed on the outer side by large
iron spikes There were but two gates for this
vast prison, and but two corresponding apera-
lures in the outer palisade. These gates were
constructed of massive timbers, and protected by
a strong porch, occupying a base of about thirty
feet square. These were always strongly guard
cd to prevent the sudden rush of masses Of men.
At intervals of about one hundred feet, were
erected detached and covered platforms, upon
the outer side of the palisades, which, overlook
ed the summit of the wall, and the enclosure be-
yond, served as sentry boxes. The sentries,
perched buzzard-like on the WALL could observe,
from their high positions, at all times, the mo-
tions of the uncovered prisoners, and with their
rifles shot down the unofendng prisoner,
whether he stood talking with his comrades, in
the center of the space, whether he approached
the sacred precincts of the dead line.
Sometimes they threw down their unconsumed
fragments of bread to the hungry men. Some
times they were hurled with curses rarely were
they thrown from feelings of compassion. Yet
there were some kind-hearted men here, in the
degrading position Of the sentry box, who view
ed the scene with alright, and who wept bitterly
over the awful torture and sacrifice of life.
The author, travelling on foot among the
mountains and forests of Northern Georgia, after
peace was declared, found these evidences of
humane feeling among the letters preserved in
the humble cabins of the poor whites. That un-
offending men were shot down without warning,
there is no doubt whatever that, men weary of
torture staggered to the dead line, and calmly,
joyfully received the fatal shot, there is positive
evidence.
CONSTRUCTION AND SIZE OF THE PRISON.
dred and ten feet in length, and seven hundred
and eighty-three feet in width and within this
space were jammed together for several months
from twenty-five thousand to thirty-fve thousand
men, thus giving a superficial area to each man,
when the prison contained thirty thousand pris-
oners, of but seventeen square feet, after deduct
ing the nineteen feet average for the dead line,
and the quaghire, three hundred feet in width.
This measurement would allow for thirty
thousand men but fifteen feet of area, or less than
two square yards for each person, more than
twenty times the density of Liverpool. This
all the space that afforded before the enlarge
ment, and this reckoning does not include roads
or by-paths for communication among prisoners.
Seventeen and half square feet are allowed
for the cofin's length in the field Of sepulchres.
There we're here to be seen twelre acres Of Iring
men, packed together like the immense shoals Of fish
tn the ocean, but like nothing that has life the
earth, not even the ant fields. The ratio of den
sity equivalent to more than sixteen hund-
red thousand people to the square mile. The
densest portion Of East London has the great
number of one hundred and sixty thousand to
the square mile"
SYSTEMATIC EXPOSURE AND ROBBERY.
/ The trees were all removed from the enclosure,
and with the specific intent of cruelty, as was
openly stated by the brutal builders. They
should have no shade, it was said and no shade
had the wretched men but what was cast by the
few ragged and rotten blankets and shelter teuts
that the prison examiners passed by as utterly
worthless in their examination and search for
articles of value, whether watches, bank notes,
hats, shirts, and even Shoes There were men
who robbed at the outer gates, entered the prison
| almost naked. This system of robbery was open
| and audacious, and it is ssid that the only
prisoners who escaped spoliatiOn were those who
were taken from Sherman when Atlanta fell,
and when CONSERVATION prevailed at the prison in
consequence. 1t is positively stated that it was
sanctioned by Wirz and Windcr. At all events,
two men, by the names of Hume and Duncan,
robbed the prisoners systematically, and apPro-
priated the packages sent to the prisoners, from
| the Northern States, to such an extent tnat lew
| if any articles ever reached the poor men 70
whom the boxes of food and clothing were sent.
| These blankets and rags were vainily stretch
| ed over sticks to form the semblance OF naoita-
| ton. wherever the earth gave hrm iootnoid even
along the borders of the pestilentiai marsh
Thoso Who were destitute o. even these shreds Of
cloth dug with their hands holes in the earth,
sfter the example of wild beasts, or with the
sI;mv water from the brook they built up with
bandfuis of mud, little cabins over hollows
ecoeped out from below the surface of the ground,
and as rude as the ciumps of earth which that
lowest type of the human form-the Digger In
dian-inhabts
SKIRTS TO BE SHoRTESED.--Ladies dresses
hereafter are to be unusually short, according
to some authorities who have looked into the
fashionable future of 1867. The dresses are to
be sans crinoline, and n leave off" sensationally
just below the knees, figured stockings and high
boots to do the rest. Well, we guess the men
can stand it il the women can. But clerks
hereafter will have to sweep the sidewalks.
The Marysville Appeal suggests that Field and
McRuer, the recreant Califoruians, ought to en-