Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-05-05
a Patriotic Undertaking..

O. D. Pease Relief corps, No. 100, is
in receipt of circular letter signed by
the board of managers chosen by the
Woman's Relief corps to take charge of
the historic Jacksonville prison
property recently offered to the organ
ization upon certain conditions being
fulfilled. The following explanatory
extracts are taken from the circular:
To the Womans Relief Corps, Greeting.
At the fourteenth national convention of
the Womans Relief corps held at ST. Paul,
Mimi, eighty acres of land known as the An
Jacksonville prison property, including the
twenty-five acres used as a prison pen for
Union soldiers during the of the rebellion,
was offered by the Department of Georgia.
Grand Army of the Republic, as gift, free of
debt, to the Woman's Relief corps, on condition
that they would improve the property and
keep the grounds ia order, and forever hold it
as sacred trust in memory of the heroic loyal
men who suffered Imprisonment there. By
almost unanimous vote, the national conven-
ton accepted the gift and assumed the obliga-
tions required.
1t is necessary that we begin the work OF i'm
provement the property as soon as we can
raise fund for this purpose. With this end
in view the national convention voted to ask
each corps to contribute money to be raised by
personal contributions, entertainments or in
any manner that the corps may vote. These
funds will enable your board of trustees to
begin the necessary work, and we ask each
Ioyal-hearted member of our order to help us
10
place made sacred by the suffering and agony
of starvation and thirst of our Union soldiers
confined there.
We intend to mark its boundaries with a
substantial fence, and let the wells they tried
to dig with their naked hands remain as
testimonial of the thirst they suffered. We
Will protect the spring the Lord opened with
thunderbolt in answer to their dying prayers,
that they might have one drink of pure sweet
water. We must build culverts and small
bridges over the creek that runs through the
grounds to prevent further washouts.
By helping US, you help build a monument to
over thirteen thousand of the grandest heroes
that the world has ever known, that only sleep
a few rods away from this sacred spot. And
while we do this we are building monument
for the Womans Relief corps that shall last
while love of country and its loyal defenders
remain history. Interest all loyal citizens IN
your midst; many would gladly contribute to
this fund if they were invited to do So Sever
al members at the national convention volun-
teered to raise certain amounts, and ii is hoped
that all contributions TO this fund will be for
warded at an early date, that may begin
improvements very soon.
TIE undertaking is approved by the
Grand Army of the Republic, and it
should have the cordial endorsement
and support OF every friend of the old
soldiers and of every heart sympathct-
ic with the great sufferings OF those
confined at Andersonville. The local
Relief corps will meet its share of the
pledge and the officers are think
ing OF arranging an entertainment
whereby all so disposed will have
chance to contribute their mite towards
this laudable purpose.