West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1903-12-31

Then II you want n picture OF any
grave his daughter will take Il. She IL
good photographers. Largo pictures
mailed, 20 cents each. Tho old stock.
nde is not far or. but tho superintend-
ent. Mr.. Wilson. left town ON tho samo
train that brought mo in- could do
but little then without guide. so rc-
questcd my Minpesota friend, Mr.. Post,
to show me through tho old stockndc.
These grounds aud forts nre now owned
by the w. II. c.
MIR. Post asked his wife TO excuse
him. and after taking a good drink of
water out OF United States cIstern
we so out past Atkinson's grave and
over stile that takes us over tho
brick wall. We stop on the wall To
look. Standing ON tho wall, we can
look across a cotton leld In bloom and
see plainly whore the old stoclkadc was
located There arc many monuments.
but the Ohio monuments are far above
them all. We spent hours inside tho
stockade and the great forts, my guido
showing me where tho great events oc-
Cured
Take the last look at the long row OF
graves. Those trenches werc dug with
shoulder on the east and west sides.
Then punchcons made from Gcorgia
pine were fitted over tho bodies TO keep
tho dirt from thcm. This was tho best
that could bo done and far better than
thousands had that fell IN battle. When
these graves were made this was an
old Held. Now we cannot take kodak
without fine trees. We leave the wall,
go about a hundred yards through the
pines. and here my guide stops. Point
Ing, he said, "Do you see this old
roadr l said, Yes" "WoII, this Is
tho road made by n span OF mules
driven by negro. Tho wagon had
fixture like a hayrack, and on that
wagon werc placed tho bodies OF over
1900 men. Look and you can see the
old road very plainly as Il winds
through the cotton fields" wo start
on. The cotton is fine and In bloom.
Again we stop. do you see those
small vlnes beyond the old road we
were looking att" eyes" "wcil, Just
there the cabin stood in which the
man spent his nights with his blood
hounds. Each morning he rode out on
mule with his dogs. They made
circuit OF the stockades and would gen
orally strike the trail Of some prisoner
who was striving for liberty. Con.
federatcs claim that no prisoner ever
escaped" We start on, but again stop.
do you see the top of big dead hick-
ory TO the right and far beyond the
stockadcT yes" "Well, that was
used as q lookout. A man was CON
stantly kept there with glass to watch
for tho approach OF the Yankee cav
airy"
we now come 70 the northwest cor
ner or the property owned by the w.
X. @. Here is a substantial gate, as
well as q fence about eight feet high
made OF woven wire. This Is some dis
tance from the stockade and incloses
the old forts and stockade. This fort
was well arranged, commanding the
stockade, and also fixed to repel cav
airy A little farther and we stop
again. Now, do you see those posts
ahead Of usf" "Yes." 'They have not
been here long. They are hewn from
oak and stand about ten or twelve feet
high. They stand at oil the corners OF |
the stockade and at all the gates going
In, so that with a glance you can take
Ia the entire scope OF the stoclrade."
We are on the northwest corner OF
the stockade, and near by stands the
house for the superintendent. kept
hero by the w. r. G. This stockade
was made by cutting logs twenty-five
feet long and then digging ditch sew
en- feet deep. thus making tight fence
nineteen feet high. On top were places
for the guards. In some places there
were ono and two other fences built
TO keep OF the cavalry. Some years
after the war closed this property was
bought by colored man He cut
down the big fence OF tho stockado
and made II Into rails and buildings.
Those who want pieces of the old
stockade can get them and be sure they
arc genuine. by the stumps here and
there you can srace the entire distance
of the siocksde. The w. Il. G. have
planted pecan trees that nre now grow
IDg nicely and VIII I'm future mark the |
lines OF tho old stockadcg. My atten. /
ton was called TO cIumps OF trees all /
over the north part of tho siockade.
These nre 70 protect the wells dug by /
the prisoners.
When the W. II. 9. cnmc into posses
sion Of this property these were dan.
gcrous. They planted a hedge OF osage
orange around each well There are
twenty,seYcn wells, all on the north 1
side OF the creek. ft is 20 sandy on the |
south side that they have all fallen In.
We approach one Of the wells. They |
were about seventy feet deep. and /
should guess that that brought them to /
g level with the water in the creek
The only implement the prisoners had /
70 dig With was an old knifo OF n spoon /
They cut notches in the sides Of the
well, which answered for ladder to 1
go up and down. They lied something |
about the waist, then descended, filled /
what dirt they could inside their shirts j
and would then climb 70 the top. The |
notcbcs IN some Of these wells are seen
yet. Some OF these wells were dug to |
furnish an entrance 20 tunnels that
thoy dug, hoping 90 tunnel out to lib