The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1873-01-25
25.,. .ls73.s

ed, Just north OF the StOckade, on
gently rolling land, embracing in
the enclosure thirty seven acres OF
ground; q neat substantial fence
surrounds it, and within this an
Usage hedge is being cultivated,
that will ultimately 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 are growing finely on
the sides of them, and in o few
years the tops will meet, creating a
dense and cool shade, making a de
lightful drive. Five thousand five
hundred feet of surface drains have
been laid along the avenues. The
soil washes so easily here that brick
drains are necessary. There are
employed here, besides the super
intendent, four colored laborers
and two mules, all of whom are
kept constantly busy. A comforta-
BILE house is erected at the entrance
gate for the superintendent where
he always keeps spare room for
any chance visitor who may hap
pen to pass this way, which is not
very often, rs the place is too Sc
cluded and remote from the great
line of travel, and then Southern
Georgia with it's chills and fever,
has no attraction for a visitor, or
even the native citizen The dead
were laid in trenches side by side,
and if they had any article of cloath-
ing worth wearing our men would
take it to cover their nakedness,
or keep out the chilling blast of win
ter-no coffin, no clothing, nothing
often land nearly always) but their
naked frames. A neat headboard
made of wood now marks the place
with name, age, regiment, and com
pany. And yet there are many
marked unknown and will re
main so until the great muster day
| in that eternal world above.
The first man buried here was
J. Swarner, a German, Company H
Second New York Cavalry; died
February 27, 1863, The last man
that died was r. Ransom, Company
F. First Wisconsin Infantry, died
| April %, 1864 period Of four
teen months. During this time 49,
716 brave soldiers passed away
yearly 1000 month. The larg-
est number dying any one day was
on the 36th day of August 1864
when 100 were buried. The mos,
painful spot to visit was the graves
| of those executed in the stockade
by our own men, for the murders
and violence they had committed
The gallows is still partially stand
ing, an additional monument of the
accumulated miseries our men suf
fered The superintendent is max
/ ing good use OF Wirzs S bath tub; I'LL
ing It with dirt he is propagatine
it with flowers to ornament thu
grounds.
| After visiting the cemetery w.
went to the stockade. It is, fas
falling into decay, and a year o.
two will all be down, and every
thing that marked the sufferings o
our soldiers will have passed away
The grounds within the stockade
that was once 50 bare of ever,
shrub and even root, (for / was in
formed that the soldiers would dig
| for the tiniest root to secure fuel t.
warm their aching limbs), is nov
grown up with shrub oak and bush
es ntil you can ha rdly get through
them. The dead line, just seven
| teen feet from the stockade, is s,
far deoayed that but few traces of i
are left. Here many a poor victim
has bitten the dust, it may be from
| a chance misstep or determine
ton to end his misery. There ar,
about thirty five wells still remain
ing that were dug with spoons ant
cups, while Aope made of blanket
was used to draw up the dirt ant
afterward the water They wer,
from sixty to eighty feet deep, ant
while peering into them, side en-
frances may be discovered tina
led some to light, outside and free
dom. Every prisoner here doubt
less remembers the providentia
spring that opened near the dead
line on the hillside, during a violen
thunder storm one autumn night
rnd continued t, flow so freely a
to supply the whole camp with de
icious water. Well this spring i
running as freely still and at it
quenched my thirst, and also il
the stream, where so many hav
washed their aching bodies, I, too
stripped off my cloathing and tool
8 q generous bath, thankful that
was under so different auspices
The forts of which there are sew
eral, still preserve their original ap
pearance, and show less of deca.
than. anything about here. Ye
trees are growing in them, and 500
these, as well as the space within
the stockade. will be 50 densel,
covered with thicket as to be rem
dered impossible, and thus hidin,
everything that makes it an obiec
for q stranger to visit here. Al
the money and labor are spent o.
the cemeetry.and no pains are take1
to preserve the stockade ground
in their original condition. Th
cemetery excited but little emotion
IN me, for there [ felt the soldie
| recured relief. There they wer
beyond the reach of mans inhu
i manity.- But this stockade shoul,