The National tribune., 1895-07-04
"PROVIDENTIAL SPRING."
Here's q Comrade who Claims to Have
Found 1t.

Found 1t.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: 1 was capt
ured, with 81 others Of my regiment, July
90 1864, at Peach Tree Creek, Ga. we
we're taken to Andersonville. After being
there few days found several of my old
neighbor boys from other regiments. Some
had been there for several months. They
wished me to join them in digging well
about 40 feet from the north dead-l1ne, or
90 feet from the stockade. We got permls-
sion from the Confederate officers and Sc
cured two wooden pals to haul up the dirt
After getting down about 30 feet we ran out
of boot-legs to make straps OF, so we took into
our squad two young cavalry boys recently
captured.
We soon made them slippers ont of their
boots, and then commenced tunnel about
IL feet from The surface, and would dig
tunnel at night and well in the daytime,
perhaps getting out only what dirt we had
filled into the well from the tunnel.
We would carry some of the dirt, or prop
erly sand. as it was all sand, down to the
branch and scatter it around to avoid sus-
picion, as we were getting too much sand
for the depth OF our well, and it was not
the right color.
We were divided into two squads. We
had reached the stockade, and were making
preparations to try our luck the next night;
but that morning, while we were about 10
commence the well-diggng, Lieut. Barrett
came in with dozen negroes 10 dig down
and fill up our tunnel. OF course no one
present knew who dug the we'll or the tun-
mel. AS luck was in our favor no one was
working at that hour.
We found that the two cavalry boys were
missing; they were outside on parole and,
as all informers were paroled outside, we
understood.
The tunnel was filled up, leaving quite
ditch on top of the ground, while several
shantes had TO be moved to fill up the tun-
mel.
The tunnel was found by running long
iron rod down. after pounding on the ground
with maui made out of wood TO find where
ii would sound hollow. After the tunnel
was filled up, Barrett could not find enough
sand to fill the well, he sent for q few
short boards to cover it over. | asked him
to let me finish the well, as the water in the
branch was very filthy. After assuring him
that was not interested in the conspiracy,
and would not attempt to dig tunnel, L
was permitted to finish the well.
At a depth of about GA feet we found
small bed of gravel, and in it small supply
of good, pure water We found ready sale
for all the water we could spare at good
price
/ sold out my interest in the well, and
went down near the branch, got up a squad
of ~ and an iron-clad oath.
We then got PERMISSION from Barrett to
dig the well deeper; also two pals necessary
TO haul up the dirt. After getting down
about "a feet we commenced another tunnel.
We all went by fictitious names. The tun-
mel was started ut depth OF about IA feet,
so we had to slope up considerably, but on
getting near the dead-line we discovered we
were too near the surface as could hear the
tramp of the boys going to the branch after
water. So we commenced a sharp down
ward grade, and had not gone far until We
discovered the sand was very moist.
1t being my turn 10 20 in, found it, as re-
ported, quite wet in the tunnel. / gave
few circles with the case-knife, and was snr-
prised when The water came rushing in upon
me. / could not tell how large the vein
was We filled one of our sacks, laid it in
the mouth of the tunnel and plastered it up,
SO the presence of the tunnel could not be
discovered.