The National tribune., 1878-02-01

In this respect history will be found more extended
and elaborate than that of other prisons but your
mittee have been drawn TO this latitude Of investigation
and remark by irresistible what was due to
the Importance of the subject But it must be confessed
that before this appalling monument of the cruelty of man.
and in contemplation of the surrounding horrors which
the victims of rebel barbary have spread before us
the solemn utteances of their statements all power
OF description stands abashed or rees from the hopeless
task of painting the unutteabe suferngs and atrocities
of Andersonville. 1t was here, in what the
Empire State of the South, that the victims who fell
by starvation and murder at the hands of the confederate
authorities approximated closely numbers the victims
who sacrificed by the Spanish Inquistion through
long centuries OF persecution and Strange and ap
palling it may SEEM such the result well auhent-
Gated and rrefutabe of the twelve months' confinement
which soldiers endured in this model prison house
of the confedeacy. This mortality the result of
sudden and fearful accident startling casualty
sued through long, lingering, cruel sickness punishment
madness and suffering, almost too terrible for relation
The proracted horrors of Andersonve are the nsion
cant features which arrest the mind at every step Of this
investigation NO cessation OF suffering, episode of
relief furnishes it's chapter in this terrible history To
the barbaous treatment of the warriors of Algeria by
government of France there was at times q pause to
the cruees of British India there was cessation to the
tragic night of the Black Hole of Calcutta succeeded
morning of relief but from the cruees and horrors of
Andersonvle, there to the suffering heroes the
Union relief but death death by neglect death by
starvation death in the land of the stranger the hand
of elon rebels lingering and horrible DEATH terrible to
contemplate, and which came at last sole reward of
bravery, patriotism, and Christian fortitude.
The general descriptions of the Andersonvle prison
have been frequent, and familiar many readers
while the vivid relations of personal suerings endured
within its walls have been spread broadcast throughout
the land The description which this repot seeks to r
nsh be largely dvested of the interests with which
the relations of personal experience cothe the
narrative of their suerngs, but following closely the
statements of the witnesses who have examined
must necessarily in other respects, bear marked resem
bance to those which have preceded it. And your com
mee beg leave to say that they have not hesitated
make free and ample of all the well authenticated and
truthful sources of information furnished by the
rent history Of the time well the special evidence
which 1t has been their duty to collect
The Andersonvlle prison was situated about half a
mile distant from the station which furnishes its name
the Southwestern railroad leading from Macon to
Amercus about sxtyve miles southery of the former
city. 1t originally consisted of few buildings used for
storing comssary and quarermasters' supplies in the
possession OF the rebel authorities Its location was Sc
lected in the latter part of 1868 by Captain W. s. Win
der, of the rebel General j. H. Wiuder after the
rejection of several places suitable the health and
comfort OF the prisoner and with the intention is
serted of building pen for the damned Yankees where
they would rot faster than they could be sent In Janu
ary, 1864 stocSade here erected of pine logs about
twenty feet in height ncoSing of some seven
teen To this given the of Camp sum
ter In the following July this ncosuTe enlarged
TO afford for the confinement of increased num-
Der of prisoners which accomplished by extending
the old sockade some forty rods to the north the work
being performed by the inmates of the prison With this
addition the stockade ncosed twenty-three and half
acres lying in the form of paraelogram with the sur
face somewhat depressed in the CENTER the elevation be-
ing at the norhey and southery ends Across this par
alleogram, from aud about third of the
distance from the souherly end of the stockade ran
sluggish stream of water six feet in width bordered
each side by low swamp embracing an area of six
acres This swamp which was uninhabtabe except for
the fostering vermn and maggos that afterwards
suffered to swarm in its stagnant and oathesome filth
became in time the receptacle of the oa which natural
H drained into from the surface the camp as we'll rs
the wash and waste of the and camps outside
Outside of the sockade where the stream entered
it. the coohouse was located and further up the rebel
guards accustomed TO wash and bathe while closer
to the stockade animals permitted die and rot in
its waters This stream the only place with the ex
oepton of few shallow wells and springs from which
the prisoners could water for general use and
from this oathesome constantly the pestent
vapors fatal to human life Where the water entered
the stockade it covered with mantle of filth grease
and drppngs that constantly oaed upon it when the
creek was at It's ordinary stage Inside of this stockade
the approach the creek through the swamp alone
while this in turn filled with the offal of the camp
which removed except partially carried
out by flooding rains.
Outside of the main sockade other lines built
for defense and protection in of attempts 20 escape on
the part c the prisoners the outer being twelve and
the second sixteen feet height The hospital was situa
ed outside of the lines distance from the southeast
corner OF the camp having been erected in June 1864
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