Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-18
AN OLD WAR STORY.
Recalled by the Death Of Horauo \,
Clark In New York.
At Andersonvilie, Where He IL Alleged to
Have Discovered Providential Spring
A Chapter Recalled.
ATLANTA constitutional

the ttOIy Oh pfiSoH lic ~
during the war. is recalled.
Sir. Clark is the man who Is SAID 10
have discovered the spring. at ufhe o'
drought. In the Andersonviiie pr'so"-
yard. and which is still pointed out IN
that locality.
ON account OF the scarcity OF water AT
that time. the discovery was resafded as
lirovidential and the name OF ffoN'-
dental Spring" was impaired TO 'he hc"
fountain which IL still retains
The following telegram announces inc
death Of Mr. Clark;
Amsterdam, y. H.-Horato ~ 'i"i" ~
OF Akin. was killed yesterday on the west
Shore crossing at Aurlesville. Mr.. CLARK
WAS - wears Of age. During the war
while q prisoner AT AndersonViHe' ohe
morning he took a walk about the prison.
pcn while his comrades were aSitep,
and n HIS surprise and delight dlscoNeIeu
a stream Of water, clear and cold, gush-
ing from the ground where there hau
never been water before. The spring was
named Providential Sprng."
prior TO his death MIR. Clark MADE Il
number Of trips TO Georgia ana Nlsl'eu
The scene of his Incarceration.
HOW THE PRISON WAS SLANDERLD.
For number Of years the attitude vi
tbe Confederate Government WIN r'lo'
ence 10 the prison at AndersOhNiHe ""'
grossly misunderstood. ,.,
II was charged IN the northern Pi'S1
mat a cruel disregard of the hNes an,
vnll-heing Of the prisoners chafdc'e''~
the conduct OF the officers IN '"d' -
that prison. Facts were distof''u an
the sufferines OF the prisoners mas
IN such way as 10 belle the uu'' ~
history and bring unmeritcd teP'
upon this section a., ,,,ora
This cruel Misrepresentation u'u 'o
,o widen the breach between the t"o
sections after the war ina" any
argument employed ~
"A a matter of fact. the trea'fneh, W
tho prisoners at Andersonvillc was char-
actcrized by the most humane CONSUME"
zion The location. In the first place Wa
no host I'm the Confedcracy. 1t was III
,he midst of a grain-producing area, ana
the clirnat" was pure ana heaithH. NV
sanitary regulations were pfescIlp'u ."
'r,,o form lut these were disrcgardci by
the prisoners of war. ana the SUBSEQUENT
charges which were made against the
rrieon were due TO the conduct OF those
incarccrateI The prevalence OF disease
thcr.f.r,. was due not to the lack OF
sonii1rv regulations. but TO the wanton
disregard Of rules by the inmates OF the
prison.
In regard to the apportionment OF fooh
among the prisoncis they were give"
lust as much and fed as well as thc
Confederate soldiers. The south was I'M
diversified: she had no provisions Tor hcr
alH. ~
vidoi with the prisoners The prisoner
however. would frequently trade theiT
PROVISIONS for whiskey and tobacco. ana
some would even 20 50 far as TO sell
the very clothes on their back.
AN EXCHANGE or PRISONERS RE
Fl SEQ.
II may be- shown that the Government
e the United States was. in large mea-
sure. responsible for the situation at M
der.onvillc.
According 10 the rules adopted for the
exchange Of prisoners II was tn" duty oil
the Federal Government - reclaim lis
prisoners at the South by restoring an
equal or corresponding number OF south
crn prisoners ~ the North.
Instead Of this. however. and in spite
az The eun.rirgs Of their mon, dur to the
IMPOVERISHED condition 81 the South. they
refused TO reclaim their prisoners. and
thus allowed them 10 endure the hardships
of prolonged incarc ration.
. Acting under the direction Of the Sc
-.tary of War. and seeing plainly That
re was no hope for any general sTs-
Of exchange, the commissioner in
.rg, If the prison offered 20 deliver TO
Federal agent an the sick and wound
Federal prisoners on hand, without in
ling uuon the delivery Of an equivalent
.uml Of southern prisoners In return
-, advantage. however, was taken Of
tits humane proportion. and the Federal
Government. with every means Of pro-
viding for them AT hand. is chargeable
with having ignored in Is particular
tho common dictates OF humanity.
GENERAL HILLS GREAT SPEECH.
Tha speech of Mr.. Hin. delivered in the
national House of Representatives in 1876,
,fectually put stop to all Of the ISLANDERS
circulated against the South growing out
Of the treatment of prisoners at Andcr-
sonville.
lie had Just entered Congress. and the
speech was really his maiden effort.
Mr.. Blaine had delivered his great
speech the day before and had used the
everest language at his command in
speaking of the prison. He said
Il now assert deliberately before God
az my judge, knowing the full measure
and import Of my words. that the cruel
ties of the Duke of Alva, in the Low Coun-
tries, the massacre of St. Bartholomew
and the screws and tortures of the Span
ish Inquisition did not approach In cruel
" the atrOcity of Andersonville.'
This was severe language. as bitter a!
IL was undeserved.
Mr. Ilill, who had been a member o.
the Confederate Congress, and who wa
familiar with the situation, was selected
by his colleagues 20 make the reply.
There was considerable uneasiness OF
the part of the friends of Mr.. Hill. fo
they recognized in Mr.. Blaine man O
singular power and ability. He had beer
the Speaker Of the House in the pre-
ceding Congress, and was the acknow
lodged leader OF the Republican party.
When Mr.. Hill arose. however. and be
gan his speech all of this uneasiness wa
dspelled. lie was cool and lf-possessed
and seemed TO grow in stature as h.
warmed IN speech and the fervOr of hi
oratory. He vindicated the southern peo
pie. and charged The Federal Government
with the burden of the responsibility
Medicine had been made contraband o
war by the action of the government
and this was directly the cause of man,
deaths throughout the prisons OF tn,
South. lie charged the government will
failure TO redeem the prisoners of war
and. taking up the figure of Mr. Blaine
declared that such atrocity was un
known even to the Duke of Alva. n,
closed in an eloquent appeal for broade
and higher patriotism. and the speech wa
pronounced the greatest delivered in tn
House of Representatives since the war
ON the strength of this speech Mr.. Hi
was sent TO the Senate OF the Unite
States. and there he died.
Mr.. Blaine since that time has ais
passed away. and now the death of Mr.
Clark adds new interest to the tragi
story. The attitude of the South witt
reference TO the prison at Andersonvill
Is now universally recognized