The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1876-08-10
[For the News.
SOUTHERN PRISON-PENS.
Experience Of an Anderson
Vile Prisoner in Dixie.
NO. XIX.

! W. a L a.
About the last of July we experienced one of the
heaviest rains that is eyer seen to fall 1t didn't
last long, but while 1t did rain it poured, and COM
pletely flooded our prison. The water ran through
the prison 6 inches deep. 1t washed the ground
clean, and purified the swamp, which had become
very impure.
The branch that passed through our prison was
about $50 feet wide, and the stocxade washed out
above and below The logs came floating down
through the prison, and some of our more courage
ous boys jumped into the surging waters to cap
ture the logs for wood. ] think there were prob
ably so who plunged into the stream and got hold
of logs, but the current was SO swift they were
carried on below and outside the prison. Capt.
wurz doubled-quicS . . regiment of guards to
zach side Of skS gssslsS keep the prisoners from
escaping. h'-Sf -
During the food about 100 feet of the stoekade
fell down. It proved to be the part that under
mined for the purpose of making the outbreak
spoken of in former chapter.
Immediately after the food most remarkable
freak of nature was noticed. A spring of pure
water, clear and cold sprang out of the ground as
if by magic, just outside of the "dead line'' and
inside the stocllade. 1t ran directly under the
| NN''-- -
the branch It furnished water for several thou
sand men. The place where the spring bubbled
out of the ground was as dry looking place as
4 could be found any where, and was about Is feet
above the bed of the branch; and what makes the
circumstance look more remarkable is an occur
renee which took place just before the food and
the appearance of the spring.
A few of our boys had made their escape from
the prison and were pursued by the hounds. The
boys discovered that the hounds were on their
trail, and prepared themselves for defense, and
when the hounds came up with them they closed
in on them and killed or of them. This so en-
ragged their keepers that when they captured the
boys they made them carry the dead hounds back
to prison with them. Then they took the dead
dogs and threw them in the branch above the pris-
on and there they lay and purified, and impregna-
ted the water and it was said that the parties who
put the hounds into the branch declared they
would make the Yankees drink the water that
soaked through the dogs.
| Thanks to Divine Ruler, who watches over all
thing and permits not a sparrow to fall to the
ground unnoticed, He was able and willing to send
to 10000 poor thirsty creatures His blessing
in the shape of pure water.
If any body doubts the truth of the above state
ment, let him find any one who was prisoner In
| Andersonville from June list, 1864, until october
following, and he will conoborate every word 1
have written.
All through the fall, as long as Iremsined in that
foul pen, that miraculous spring furnished plenty
of good WATER and have heard it stated that after
Andersonville ceased to be prison the spring
ceased to flow. This don't give as q fact, but as
rumor.
have told my readers about some of our worst
men, the raiders, and think it but justice to men
tiop some of our best men. We had true and tri-
ed men in our prison. They were situated where
they were tried as by fire. and where the good quail
ties and the bad qualities alike to the surface
You might live for years next-door neighbOr to
man, and then not know him as well as you would
know him In one week in Andersonville.
| win commence by giving sketch of man by
by the name of VIM. B. Slusser. If mistake not
he lived somewhere in Ohio, was a man of family,
with nothing remarkable about his appearance,
but his actions-were truly eommendable He was
sick himself, and needed attention, but he seemed
to forget his own wants in ministering to others.
| He had blanket which he stretched over some
loles and then took in three other men with MIN
TO shelter them from the rain. He took one OF the
outside portions, and as there was only room for
three he got but very little OF the shelter from the
sun and rain, but heard him say that it was his
duty to assist his fellow-man in need.
saw still another instance of bis pure and gen
erous nature. One day there came up sharp little
shower of rain. Slusser and his three comrades
were in under their blankets, that is, the three
men were under, and s of Slusser but one should
er He happened to look around and see apoor
sick fellow that had shelter. He jumped out,
took hold of the sick man ard showed him into
his place, and stayed out in the rain himself.
Neither of Slusser's three companions tried to
make room for him, and after the shower was over
they abused him for giving up his place to another
man! His reply was, that the man needed
shelter worse than do, for he is the sickest man."
Mr.. Slusser generally carried small Testament
with him, and he would go around and read chap
ters and verses to the sick and encourage them;
also carry them WATER and do all the little turns
he could think of to alleviate their suffering That
is what would call true Christian. How many
of our profssed Christians, under similar circum-
stances, would do likewise? don't know whether
he lived to see home or not. He was very sick and
weak the last time 1 saw him. The part OF Ohio
that can claim him as one of its citizens, should be
proud to own him.
Isaiah Oiafk uooA INC seui''' aHu ~ n
was SO poor InA' NC 0oui.H Coz a'
wanted meto carry ninn ou' a. '"T ga
take his chances at the hospital. took him on my
back ana carrieu nini ou1Siuo .,I-u a,d
ground in the shade When they examined anu
selected men for the hospital, the number was
made up ions oeho.e NJ - -, ord
think there were 'VO AP - .he e-s+
only ABOUT % "eie ,,a,os and
time nsd Oeen ou'siu0 VI 'ns 80 - =
ABOUT tnree nion'ii' n'1 f"''o-
tnroUgh tn0ui' ,., ,,;-, t..,,
L tooA OAAn % ny -. 80 ,ho sar,,
70 oui ''H' - - IL. -. ,,aood hin,
'nins 80 So o,,,,,,,o o,,oa 20 oo-,
close to where the surgeons 0oNiinenoeu - e1A-t
him, and that provided me with shelter. Poor
fellow! He only lived about week. but trust