The National tribune., 1883-05-10
ANDERSONVILLE AS IT IS.
An Ex-Prisoner's First Square Meal There-Tht
Spring and the Wells.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
On the morning of April 2itl 1888 there aighted
from the train at Andersonville Georgia. a party
consisting OF Mr. Isaiah Rudy, of Philadelphia, Mr..
and Mrs. b. f. Hartman. OF Chester county, Pa,
Mrs q. II. Warren and Master Frank Warren of
Minneapolis, Mimi, and inquired OF the writer
whether he was acquainted with the place. In
ply, modestly stated that L had boarded there
some some years previously. when Captain Wirz ran a
hotel on "a large scale They concluded that was
the man that they had been looking for, and to-
getier we went over to the place where the stock
ade used to be- We found that on the east side
but very little is now standing. l cut out of
the north gate post piece OF wood containing
mimic ball, and prize 1t very highly L also
cured three canes that grew up my old house
there. Both the slough and the island are grown
up with willows, sweet gum, blackjack oak
perslnlnon, and other kinds of timber. L found
the ProV1dental spring just where it broke out
so unexpectedly shortly after the rain which
washed away the stoclade the upper and
lower sides 1t is about twenty feet from the stock
ade, on the north side of the branch and side
of the prison. 1t is about three hundred feet up
the hill from the branch, and flows down the hill
against the stumps OF the stockade. But Tor the
latter 1t would cross over and emerge the west
side The people of the neighborhood told us that
the water was the incest, purest, and coolest in all
that section OF the countryfars superior both to the
well water in the village and that at the cemetery.
1t bolis up with white sand. and has washed Il
gully about SIX feet deep. ran cane down at the
and 1T failed to touch bottom Should no mar
bic shaft ever be erected at AndersonvilIe to the
memory OF dead comrades, this spring will
still be an everlasting reminder of what they stf-
fered. We found that the greater portion of the
south side of the stockade had been planted a.. corn
now from four to six inches in height and that four
or FIVE acres on the north side was in corn also
We examined quite number of the wells on the
north side, and they looked as solid as they did
nineteen years ago. threw stone down
OF them and 1T seemed to be from thirty to forty feet
deep. But to return to what / started to describe
In the first place-my first square meal at Ander-
sonylile. The party to which [ have alluded
brought a lunch with them consisting of spring
chicken, boiled ham, boiled eggs white bread and
butter, pickles. pie and cakes. just think of sitting
down to such feast this inside of the old stock
ade Mt Andersonyille Fellow survivors of South
ern prison-pens could not keep back the tears as
ate that meal under the shade of persmmon and
blackjack oaks about one hundred feet east of the
spring, and remembered how many, many thou
sands of brave men had starved to death ON that
very spoti found the swamp itself worse than it
was during the war. Even where the cook-house
stood 1t Is swampy now, and the place is grown
over with nderbrush Indeed, L unable to
make my way to it. However, made the circuit
OF the Whole Stockade and some ofthe eartiworlSs,
where the batteries stood, seemed as fresh as if
they had been built but short time ago. The
cemetery IS IN fine condition. 1t is inclosed by
Drlck wall some four five feet high and lust in
side OF this wall there is Usage orange hedge
There are many nice drives through the grounds
which are nicely shaded with native timber among
the trees being many magnoas just about to bios
son. and the grass is kept nicely trimmed with lawn
mowers AT the time of our visit they were mount
ing two siege guns, pointing towards Heaven. You
will appreciate the pleasure which this visit afforded
me when tell you that was taken prisoner on the
10Th of September, 1863 at the battle of Ciiicka-
manga, and confined at Belle Isle; Smiths
Prison, Richmond; Prison No 5, Danville; Ander-
sonvllle, Charleston, Florence, and Savannah at
which latter place was released November 30th
1864, after continuous confinement of fourteen
Carroll county Indiana. a s McCoRMIcK
ANDERsoNyILLE, Ga April a 1888.