The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1892-06-17
Correspondence.

| POULAN. WORTH Co, GA, June 2, 1892.
Editor of Bradford OptniOn.-A Though
more accustomed to welding the broom
than the pen must tell you of our Decora-
ers observe the oath Of April instead of the
Both of May. We Yankees feel homesck if
we cannot keep the day as at home. A
party of us took the train at one o'clock
Monday morning for the trip. The day
was fine and the country more beautiful as
we got among the older settled places. We
got sight of lovely wild flowers growing in
profusion all along the track, among which
was the petunia, morning glOrieS, passion
| flower and many others. Ii was estimated
| that there were eight or ten thousand people
white and colored ON the grounds, | was
Stockade before the exercises of the day be
gan; it is about mile from the depot in a
most secluded lonely spot, most of the land
is swampy with a sluggish muddy creek
running through it, where our poor men
were obliged to get all their water for. both
same time the rebels had camp only a
quarter of mile above them and threw all
their filth into this stream. There is a
tpring of pure water called Providence
spring, which is said to have been discover
ed and named by the prisoners, but it was
not found until toward the close of the war.
There were no sanitary arrangements for
all these men, that fact together with the
starving process practiced here cause little
wonder that the men were moved down as
before scythe. What suffering these sunny
skies have looked down upon There were
no trees to shelter them, having been felled
to build the Stockade. A man who had
spent some months here prisoner showed
us where some of the men began tunnel
but were betrayed before any could escape.
The cemetery where the dead were carted
and dumped into trenches, is in another
direction and is enclosed by high brick
wall with rare trailing vines growing over
it. It's entered by a beautiful driveway
which winds through an arch to the grounds.
We were requested to register our names
and residences in the visitors book where
may be seen names from every state in the
Union. The cemetery present the appear
ance of beautiful park with the fine old
trees, the magnolia with its superb white
blossoms, the lovely hey tree, choice shrubs
and fine walks. MOcking birds filling the
air with melody. Monuments of cannon
meet the eye here and there also mounted
notices inscribed to the brave dead. Truly
everything has been done to make this
sacred spot lovely. 1t is with deep emotion
We look upon row after row of white stones
no two of which are over i've inches apart,
and above each name the loved banner.
We would have liked time to read the in
ScriptiOns on each stone but thirteen thOus-
and seven hundred were too many. Of
found many among which was the name of
Avery who, we thought, might have come
from Bradford. There must have been
many loyal men in the South for we saw
again and again names from every southern
state excepting South Carolina and Georgia.
The six men who stole ratiOns from their
comrades and were tried and hung by the
same, are buried apart from the others.
Music was furnished by a cOlored band
very good. The Lincoln Guards and Bib
County Blues, both regiments are cOlored |
and made fine appearance. The orator |
spoke particularly of the Captain of the |
Lincoln Guard as being as brave man as
Was ever in the field. The speeches were |
good. Two or three Veterans, who were |
some months in the StOckade told their eX-
periences one of those was there when the |
death rate was highest seven months
made three attempts TO escape the third
time was successful. The heat was intense
and there was hardly standing room about
the depot. When all was over and as
trainful after trainful went out il was sur
prising how orderly the crowd was, There
were almost no native southern people /
here. No wonder they are ashamed to 90
10 see the blot which must remain against
hem for all time. When the sun went
Town like great ball of fire. we took our
rain for home feeling richly repaid having
passed Decoration Day long to be remem-
)ered.
MARTHA l.. STEVENS.