Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-09-11
An AndersonvIIIo etory.

A correspondent of the indianapolis Senti-
mel SAYS that General Howell Cobb visited
Andersonville on the Fourth OF July, 1864,
to look into the alleged desertion of the
guards. II was q critical time, and there
were "a 900 federal prisoners in the stockade.
II any considerable number OF the guAtds
deserted it was feared that the prisoners
would make break and overrun the ooun-
try. The correspondent says that General
Cobb collected the guards near the stockade
and commenced ringing speech In which
he reminded them OF the important trust
confided to them and urged them to do their
duty. Before the speaker had uttered more
than few sentences about fifty prisoners in
the stockade were heard singing the first
verse of the "Star Spangled Banner" When
the chorus was reached, with detonAtions like
an explosion, 5000 voices were heard peal
ing
The star spangled banner, Oh, long may 1t wave
Ger the land Of the free and the home OF the brave
The deafening noise broke into the speech,
but when the roar subsided and only Q few
score voices were heard singing the second
stanza, Writ hsstened to have the singing
stopped The narrator OF the story says;-
1.-The verse was sung and the chorus reach
| ed again. The congregation numbered ten
| thousand more than before. Heavens! what
| a swell of sound The very air seemed to
culver with the concussion, the stookade
wall to tremble. The guards on the mount
were stunned with wonderment. Wirtz, who
had reached the great gate, stood stock still
| as il paralyzed. The soldiers forming the
square were all now facing the prison.
THE storm lulled, the speaker sought to
resume, but his manner was dsooncerted.
| Writ was moving nervously about, but
essaying nothing. They heard the breeze OF
song sweeping the lines Of the third stanEa,
but knew it only forboded the return Of the
tempest. And now it comes: -
'drhere are 10000 throats swelling the call
of the pennant under which they had fought,
and &, 600 more Joined In the invocation -
oh, long may 1t wave
Ger the land of the free and the home OF the brave
THE echo of the last words has but
struck the branches of the pines when they
began to repeat. Higher, wider, deeper,
stronger, louder the swell It peals, It roars,
it booms, it thunders 1t Ia an artillery Of
song The speaker outside stands tranahKed.
He has heard the anthem before, but never
as now. The listeners appear almost pan
licked. guardsman's gun drops from his
hand without his missing It,
again they repeat, and now the scene
grows wild. Thirty thousand voices are
changing the chorus-30, 900 bosoms swelling
with thought of country and flag and home
and loved ones from whom ahey are parted.
Men with but one leg Chamber up and sup
| ported Oy thelr stronger cOmIhueb wave thoH
caps aloft and join the chorus:-
The star spangled banner, Oh, lohg may II vavs
Der the land OF the free and the home OF the brave
"Once more they repeat, and now all the
prison is in the sky -rending peAl-the very
walls-the ground. Poor, fever wasted
frames, within an hour of dissolution from
their spirits half uprise, and propping upon
one hand raise the withered fingers Of the
other aloft while they unite their cracked
voices in the refrain they will hear never
more: -
The star spangled banner, oh, long may Il wave
Der the land OF the free and the home Of the brave.