Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-12-06
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The first thing that strikes the traveller
as he approaches this memorable place, is
the old flag suspended lsO feet in the air.
waving gracefully to the breeze, and stand
ing sentinel over what remains of 1916
departed faithful soldiers of the Union.
/ have made it my business to make ex-
tensive inquiries before reaching this place,
and have heard condemned, in unmeasur-
ed terms, the course pursued by wlrtz and
his small ring, who, they say, were not
actuated by any love for the lost cause, but
by desire TO profit from the misery of
those under their authority. Every soldier
that came into prison had money, and ma
NY watches and rings, all of which found
its way into the hands of few outside the
stockade. Principle never governed Wirtz.
There was total want Of moral sense. He
heartless, he thought only of gain and sell
| fish qualification. But he is dead peace
| TO his ashes. The cemetery is under the
| immediate charge of John Maloney, an
Irishman, who in one year will have serv-
ed in the army under the stars ard stripes
a quarter of a century. He was among the
| faithful betrayed by Twiggs in Texas. He
loves the old flag as he loves his life. 1t
does one good TO see this old veteran sufluse
with tears, as he recounted his hopes and
| fears during the severe struggle through
which we have just passed.
The cemetery is beautifully situated just
north from the stockade, on gently rolling
land, embracing in the inclosure thirty
seven acres of ground; a neat, substantial
| rnpnn snrrpnp1e IL and xyiihip fbie q N Oaaua
| hedge is being cultivated, and will ultimate
| ly serve as fence and also add much to
the beauty of the place. Fine carriage ave-
nues are being constructed, many of which
are completed trees are planted and grow
| ing finely on the sides Of them, and in a
few years the tops will meet, creating a
dense and cool shade, making a delightful
drive. Five thousand five hundred feet Of
| surface drain have been laid along the
avenues. The soil washes easily here
that brick drains are necessary. There are
employed here, besides the superinten-
| dent, four colored laborers and two mules,
all of whom are constantly busy. \ COM
Portable house is erected at the entcrance
gate for the superintendent, where he al
ways keeps spare room for any chance
visitor who may happen to pass this way,
which is not very often, as the place is too
secluded and remote from the great lines
OF travel and then Southern Georgia, with
its chills and fever, has no attraction for a
visitor, or even the native citizen. The
dead are laid in trenches side by side, and
if they had any articles of clothing worth
wearing, our men would take it to cover
their nakedness, or keep out the chilling
blasts of winter-no coffin no clothing,
nothing often (and nearly always) but their
, | max ed frames. \ neat head board made of
wood now marks their resting-place, with
name, age, regiment, and company. And
= yet there are many marked unknown"
and will always remain so until the great
muster day in that eternal world above.
The first man buried here was j. Swarm
er, a German, Company II, Second New
York Cavalry; died February p, 1864.
The last man that died was X. Hanson,
Company +. First Wisconsin Infantry,
died April 2s, ls6j-a period of fourteen
months. During this time 1916 brave
soldiers passed away, nearly 1000 month.
The largest number dying on any one day
was on the 10Th day of August, 1864, when
l6G were buried. The most painful spot 10
visit was the graves of those executed in the
s,o,l.olo l,, o,.,, MOI, ,,. ,,o ,,,,,r,o.
'
ana violence they hau committed. Inc gal
lows is slill partially standing, an addition
A. monument of tI,c occu,nrIated n,isor;os
60 - Wv "N
our men suffered Inc superintendent IS
making good use Of Wirtz's bath-tub; fill
inc II will, aowers to ornamant tho
grounds.
, After visiting the cemetery, we went TO
l the stockade. II il fast falling into de-
. - '.,..,.' 80, - Ill,
y cay III year OF t"o VIII All DC uoWi' ana
everything that marked the suferings Of
o our soldiers will have passed away. The
/ ,,rorrd With, tho stocl,odo ,tat ,,'as o,,oo
= '''' ""' ~
bare OF every shrub, ana even root-ior
u was Informed that the soldiers would dig
n for tbe FINEST root TO secure ruol to warm
- Ii, at, -. -. - -,
- tneii ac"i"s H'llos-is ho" slo"H up Win
scru b oak and bushes, until you can hard
!. ly get through them. The dead line, just
G seventeen feet from the stockade, is so far
. decayed that but traces of 1t are left. Here
many poor victim has bitten the dust, it
J. may be from chance misstep or a deter
: mination to end his misery. There are a.
l. bout thirty-tve wells still remaining that
were dug with spoons and cups, while ropes
made with blankets were used to draw up
the dirt and aftorward the water. They
| are nom Sixty to eighty ieet deep, ana