The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-02-25
THE 7HEAYDERs0NVILLEREcORD.

The following was received few days
ago by Senator of the United States
who knows the writer personally and
vouches for his character and credibilli-
ty. 1t is sad record:
In the discussion by Messrs. Blaine
and Hill on the amnesty" bill, Mr.. Hill
states that On the 2Stb of September,
1854, the Andersonville prisoners passed
resolutions that they were as well treat
ed as were the Confederate troops On
that day resolutions of that kind were
passed by the prisoners who were In the
employ of the rebels, and ty none other.
Out of the eighty-one men of the 111th
Illinois, who were there at that time, /
know of no one who voted for the res
olutions. If the matter was looked up,
it would be found that a goodly NUM-
Der Of the parties who favored the res
olutions were6 dntshed to the Dry Tor
tugds, after trial by court-martial, for
murder and maltreatment of their fel-
lows. L have in my mind now one of
our men who favored the resolution,
who killed one of his comrades for try
ing to climb into the bread wagon to get
a piece of bread.
Sometime in September the rebel ad
iutant applied to the sergeant OF the
thousand of which / belonged for Yam
kee headquarters clerk, and the sergeant
recommended me. The adjutant came
in company with the sergeant with the
compliments of the commander of the
post, and with orders to report at once
to headquarters, where / would he fur
nished with new suit of gray, plenty
to eat and drink-in short, to be treated
in all respects as one of their officers
Now, / must confess that this was a
great temptation to Inc, being as l was
almost naked and hungry, and with
prospects of spending long winter in
this wretched condition, but trusting in
a merciful Providence, stout heart, ,and
an unflinchipg faith in just cause, l told
the adiutant that | had left my home
and friends, and embarked in a cause
which L knew was right and 1 1Gas not
cLerhing on that side 'Well," he says,
''you will die here" l theE told him |
would go from them a free man or be ia.
ken out dead. They then looked for some
other party, and whoever he was, he
doubtless voted for the resolutions, and
did all required by them. l give this
circumstance to show how some things
could be done. On the 10th day of
August it looked like the whole thirty
three thousand men there at that time
would die of thirst the rebels had camp
ed above the stream that ran through
the prison, instead Of 6elosC, and the
water ran through to us hot, filthy.
muddy, and impure. We had dug
for water for forty feet and upwards, and
could not get drop, and were discour-
aged and had abandoned digging. At
this time each man no doust felt that
he would give all he possessed for one
drink of clear, cold water, when on the
10th of August, very Unexpectedly, a
large spring of clear, cold aodter came
spontaneously out IF the bank close to
the dead line. Another case: In the
latter part of August the heat was in
tense, and the stencil that came from
the mortified limbs and bodies of the
dead and dying was so great that the air
was poisoned, and death was breathed
in every breath of air, when suddenly a
dark cloud arose and seemed to just set
tie over us, while the horizon was clear
in the distance all around us. The
cloud above us seemed blacker than l
had ever seen before, and the rain pour
ed in torrents, such as | had never seen
before. As / stood in the rain and
watched the lightning gleam, and heard
the awful thunders roar, it seemed to me
like the Outpouring Of q deluge sent to
put out the internal fires Of hell.
No language or pen can describe the
difference in Andersonville before and
after the storm; it seemed like a para
disc compared to what it was before.
In conclusion, / am impressed with the
idea that had it not been for the inter
position of Providence that few, if any,
of those who were confined at Anderson
vile would have left 3bere alive. have
the honor to be,
Yours, respectfully,
HUGH MOORE