The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1884-06-21
INCIDENT OF THE LATE WAR.
A Song That Disheartened the Rebels.

one OF the most interesting events that
occurred during the late civil war was
that at Andersonvlle, on the Sd of july.
1864. 1t appears that Wirz, in command
of the post, saw indications of general
stampede and became alarmed. He knew
that he and his bloodhounds were oh.
jects of detestation by the guard. He
was never seen out at night, and never
slept without seminal at his door.
such was the lack of zeal of those out.
side the stockade, when the 4th day of
July, 1864, dawned upon Andersonville.
But it was noticeable at an early hour
that there was more moving to and fro,
and more talking among the prisoners.
a break by them was apprehended, and
measures were taken to check it. Still
Wirz was distrusful of his own men.
The suspicious stiffness of the hour. at
IL A. NJ, was broken by the putting of a
locomotive engine scudding through the
pines in hot haste from the direction of
Macon. Though drawing no train, that
engine was laden with authority, which
authority soon made itself heard, to the
dismay of many who had mapped out
routes over land for an early return to
their homes in North Georgia. Major
General Howell Cobb, commander of the
Sth military district of the Southern
Confederacy, alighted from the engine
and was welcomed by General Winder
and Captain Wirz, who with an escort
had been for an hour awaiting the die
tinguished arrival. General Cobb was
escorted TO within one hundred yards of
the stockade, where all the troops not Oh
guard mount had been ordered into line.
The three chiefs marched half way down
the line and halted. General Winder as.
sumed command and ordered a hollow
square to be formed. In a voice lust
husky enough to convey intensity of
earnestness, General Cobb spoke as fol-
lows:
'Officers and Soldiers of the Southern
Confederacy: If you are surprised to see
me here to day. it is mine to confess a
greater surprise that there should be
deemed such a necessity for my presence.
Can it be true that Georgians are desert
ing their posts in the face of disarmed
enemy? Can it be true that Georgians
are refusing, in safety, to guard the
vandal horde within that den, whom
your more valorous brothers have CAP
tured on a hundred bloody fields? Can
it be true that there are Georgians here
to day who are ready to turn loose upon
their mothers, sisters, daughters and
wives, that multitude of robbers who are
painting for opportunities to burn and
ravage our land as they wander back to
rejoin their comrades who are pressing
us at every point?"
Just at that point in his speech from
the prison enclosures there foated sounds
of voices singing. Perhaps the speaker
had only paused to render more impress
sive, by intervening moment of silence,
his next following utterance. Perhaps
it was the remembrance of the glorious
and tranquil days when he was high in
the councils of the nation, whose sweet
national ode was now being sung, that
made him pause when, for the first time
in years, he heard that chorus:
The star-spangled banner, oh, long may it
wave
Ger the land of the free and the home of
the brave.
AS the chorus was ended the speaker
resumed: SIS there man here who
would SO fail of his duty? Hear me; l
announce in your hearing-and let no
one be deceived by the hope of escape
the next and every other deserter from
this post, who is captured, will be i'm
mediately tried by drum-head court
martial and executed on the spot, and l
announce further, that the commander
of this post is fully invested with au-
thorty to carry this order into execu.
tion."
The last of these words were almost
drowned by the sounds from the stock
AIDE, and turning to the post commander,
General Cobb exclaimed: Captain Wirz,
have the prisoners stop that noise"' AS
Wirz was moving off: in one brief in
slant that sound grew tenfold louder
than before, as from more than 10000
voices yelling up from more than 10000
hearts ready to burst with recollections
of home and liberty and loved ones,
swelled the chorus:
The star-spansled banner, oh, long may it
wave
Der the land of the free and the home Of
the brave.
lnvoluntari.y every head turned, facing
the direction whence came that musical
roar. 1t was the sublimest, the most
wildly thrilling outburst of song that
every fell on mortal ears. Even Wirz,
as if overwhelmed by the grand refrain,
stood stock still until the end of the
chorus, when General Cobb shouted
sternly "a repetition of his command to
him, 'have the prisoners stop that
noise"
For minute then he essayed to con-
time his speech, until the chorus was
third time reacted, when again his voice
was drowned, and this time by an artil.
lery of song swelling, pealing and BOOM
ing-a ueafening tornado of sound, me.
lodiously attuned. The Confederates in
line stood still from establishment; a
guard upon the stockade wall, as if
stunned, let fall his gun upon the inside.
Yet, ere the echo had caught up the
closing word, the thunderous voice he.
gan to repeat the lines, when a scene
ensued which battles pen portrayal. Poor
cripples, with only one foot left on which
to stand, caught at their neighbors and
drew themselves upright; and lean,
wasted frames, within an hour of dis
solution, sprang like school boys from
the burning sands erect, and waving
their bony hands aloft, united their
hollow voices with enthusiasm in the
glorious invocation.-Albany Press.
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