The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-05-23
Sndessp4 gHtslligeHttr.
An Old Story.

Andersonville, during the war, is re-
called.
Mr.. Clark is the man who is said to
have discovered the spring, at time Of
drought, in the Andersonville prison
yard, and which is still pointed out in
that locality.
On account Of the scarcity Of water
at that time, the discovery was re-
garded as providential and the name
Of "Providential spring. was impart-
ed to the new fountain which it still
retains.
The following telegram announces
the death of Mr.. Clark:
"Amsterdam, N. Y.-Horatio n.
Clark, Of Akin, vas killed yesterday
on the West Shore Crossing at Auries-
vile. Mr.. Clark was sixty-fve years
Of age. During the war, while pris.
oner at Andersonville, one morn
ing he took q walk about the prison
pen, while lis comrades were asleep,
and, to his great surprise and delight,
discovered stream of water, clear
and cold, gushing from the ground
where there had never been water be-
fore. The spring was named Providence
spring. y
Prior to his death Mr.. Clark m ade
number of trips to Georgia and visi-
ted the scene of his incarceration.
For number Of years the at
titude of the Confederate Govern
ment with reference to the prison
at Andersonville was grossly misunder-
stood.
It was charged by the northern
press that cruel disregard for the
lives and well-being Of the prisoners
characterized the conduct Of the Off
GERS in charge Of that prison. Facts
were distorted and the sufferings
of the prisoners magnifed in such a
way as to belle the truth of history and
bring unmerited reproach upon this
section.
This cruel Misrepresentation did
more to widen the breach between the
two sections after the war than any
other argument employed.
As a matter fact the treatment Of
the prisoners at Andersonville was
characterized by the most humane
consideration. The location, in the
first place, was the best in the Con-
federacy. It was in the midst Of a
grain producing area, and the climate
was pure and healthy. The sanitary
regulations were prescribed in due
.forl, but these were disregarded by
the prisoners Of war, and the subse-
quent charges which were made against
the prison were due to the conduct of
those incarcerated. The prevalence Of
disease, therefore, vas due, not to the
lack Of sanitary regulations, but to the
.wanton disregard Of rules blythe in
mates of the prison.
In regard to the apportionment Of
food among the prisoners they were
given just as much and fed as well as
the confederate soldiers. The South
was impoverished /; she had nc provis-
ions for her own men; but such as she
had she divided with the prisoners.
The prisoners, howyer, would frequent
". trade their provisions for whiskey
and tobacco, and some would evengo SO
far as to. sell the very clothes on their
back.
1t may be shown that the govern
ment of the United States, was in a
large measure responsible for the sit
.uation at Andersonville.
According to the rules adopted for
the exchange of prisoners it was the
duty Of the federal government to
reclaim Its prisoners at the South
by restoring an equal or correspond
ing number of southern prisoners at the
north.
q Instead of this, however, and in
spite Of the sufferings of their men,
due to the impoverished condition of
the South, they yrefused to reclaim their
prisoners, and thus allowed them to en-
.dure the hardships of prolonged incar-
.ceration.
Acting under the direction Of the
secretary Of war, and seeing plainly
that there was no hope for any gene
raj system of exchange, the commits
sioner in charge of the prison offered
to deliver to the federal agent all'the
sick and wounded federal prisoners on
hand, without insisting upon the de-
livery of. an equivalent number of
southern prisoners in return. No ad-
vantage, however, was taken Of this
humane, proposition, and. the feder-
al government, with every means of
providing for them athand, is chargea !:
Bile with having Ignored in this par
ticular, the common dictates Of human
ity.
The. speech of Mr.. Hill, delivered
in the national House of Repre-
sentatiyes in 1876, effectually put a
stop to all of the ISLANDERS then cir
culated against the South, growing out
of the treatment of prisoners at Ander-
sonville.
He had just entered Congress and
the speech was really his maiden eff
fort.
Mr.. Blaine had delivered his great
speech the day before and he had
used some of the severest language at
his command in speaking of the prison.
Said he:
"I now assert deliberately before
God as my Judge, knowing the full
measure and d>import of my words that
the cruelties of the Duke of Alva, in
the low countries, the massacre of St.
Bartholomew and the screws and tor
lures Of Spanish inquisition did notap-
proach in cruelty the atrocity of An
dersonYille.
This was severe language, as bitter
as it was undeserved.
Mr.. Hill, who had been amember of
the Confederate Congress and who was
familiar with the situation, was Sc
lected by his colleagues to make the
reply.
There was considerable uneasiness
on the part Of the friends Of Mr.. Hill,
for they recognized in Mr.. Blaine a
man of singular power and ability. He
had been the speaker Of the House in
the preceding Congress and was the ac
knowledged leader of the Republican
party.
When Mr.. Hill arose, however, and
began his speech all of this uneasiness
was dispelled. He was cool and self