Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-05-03
Andersonville Prison.
By REV. ]. @. cRAIGHEAD.
M.ooS Ga March 80.

In fufillment of my promise to seno
YOU some notes from the South, will
tell you something of my recent visit to
Andersonville. This historic place, sug-
gestive of painful memories to thousand
of families throughout the North, is sit
uated upon the Southwestern Railway
sixty-fve miles from the city of Macon
and fifty from the Alabama line. Prop
erly speaking, there is neither town or
village, but only few scattered build
ings, nearly all of which were erected
by the Confederate Government at the
time the place was used as a general
prison for Union soldiers. Unlike most
of the wooded coantry through which
the road passes, the site of the cemetery,
the stockade and the hospitals is almost
destitute of timber, and what is now
there has grown up since the war closed.
Within the prison not tree or shrub
then existed, even the roots having been
dug up and employed by the poor pris-
oners in cooking their miserable. scanty
food. The face of the ground is broken,
and quite abrupt declevities exist at
some places, with small stream of wa
ter running through one corner of the
stockade. The land bordering on the
brook is low and swampy, while the soil
on the hills is red. sticky clay, that,
after rain, adheres to ones boots and
clothes almost as tenaciously as paint.
A satisfactory view can be had from
the railroad, and those who would see
the many sad features of the place, must
step over, as | did, and spend a day in
looking round. A letter to the excellent
Superintendent, Mr.. Malone, loyal
Irishman, who for many years served his
adopted country as sergeant in the reg
ular army, made me comfortable during
my stay, and secured me an intelligent
guide over the grounds.
/ The National cemetrey, north of the
railroad, contains fifty acres and is sur
rounded by white board fence, with an
Usage orange hedge inside. Here are
the graves of 1915 Union soldiers,
nearly $4,000 of whom died either with
in the stockade or the hospitals of An
dersonville during the short period of
| fourteen months. The first burial was on
February 81, 1864, and the last, April
%, 1865. During the summer of 1864
the deaths averaged over 100 day
Placed side by side in trenches, and as
closely as possible, in rows of $50 each
the dead were buried by their comrades
The graves occupy nine acres of the
grounds, and are all marked by head.
board, containing the name, rank, army
of the service, regiment, company, State
and date of death of each soldier The
necessary information was derived from
record preserved by a paroled Union
soldier Care has been taken to SOW
and cultivate grass, and the cemetery
presents pleasing contrast to the barren
lands surrounding it. The graves are
thus protected from washing by the
heavy rains, and they are kept in other
respects in creditable manner. Here
and there we saw one with a handsome
marble slab, erected by the hand of an
affectionate father, or mother, or other
dear friend.
In the northwest corner of the GENE.
terry more than 100 soldiers are buried
who died in the service of the Confeder
ates. Apparently, their graves have re
ceived the same care as our own patriot.
ic dead, thus showing that the Govern
ment has no wish to perpetuate the
memory of the terrible conflict which
caused so much misery.
Four handsome avenues, with walks
on either side, bordered by two rows Of
trees lead to the circle where stands o
tall flagstaff, from whose top floats the
star-spangled banner, During the past
two years many young trees have beer
planted, that will soon greatly increase
the beauty of the enclosure. At the
intersection of the paths, and usually il
close proximity to the graves, posts have
been put up bearing tables with appro
pirate inscriptions, two of which read as
follows:
On Fame's eternal camping ground.
! Their silent tents spread,
And glory guards, with solemn round
The bivorae of the dead"
| "The hopes the fears the blood, the tears.
That marked the bitter strife,
Are now crowned by victory
| That saved the Nations life."
As was fitting and convenient, the
stockade was only three hundred yards
from the cemetery, and the roads so ar
ranged that the wagons could return
from it by way of the bakery and re
ceive the bread to be distributed among
the surviving soldiers. The stockade
was constructed of large pine logs, %
feet high. set five feet in the ground, and
as closely as possible together. Within
the interior space, IL feet from The
logs, was the famous dead line marked
by small posts driven into the clay and