West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1903-12-17
FIRST ARTICLE.
N writing the following facts 1 have
no intention OF stirring up strife.

! no intention OF stirring up strife.
| but the opposite. Tho north and
| tho south did not understand each
other. Neither do they fully under.
stand each other now. invite you,
my reader, to tako a trip with mo 10
Andcrsonville. The morning is de-
lightful, and as we pull out OF Allan.
Ia the streets are filed with the busy
throng. The tall stacks at tho numer-
ons factories are throwing out great
volumes OF black smoke. II Is i0f
miles to Macon-not n stream bridgcd
In ull that distance. IL Is upon the
highest ground all the way. This
gives MS delightful view OF the coun.
try right and left Apple and pear
trees are we'll loaded. but few peaches
on the trees. Macon is beautiful and
thriving city. Here we change cars for
Andersonvillc, sixty miles away. We
pass Fort Valley. fruit conter--peach-
es galore. ! bought a basket, the finest
ever saw. Reader, there are more
than we can both eat, 30 help yourself
Andcrsonviile reached. II IN flag
station-no platform. The village OF
2b0 is over tho hill TO tho west, out OF
sight II In 2 o'clock p. m. We will cat
dinner at a plain hotel, but good Ia
BILE. I leave my cuffs and coat at the
hotel. With umbrella I'm one hand and
a kodak In the other. we start. At the
depot we meet tho superintendent OF
tho National cemetery. He very cheer
fully consents TO be our guide. We
walk down the track little way. 1
snid Where arc you fromT "Minne-
sota.' That's my old home. We shook
hands on the trick IIo knew OF me.
l knew or him. We walked some dis
tnnce up the track. then took a we'll
graded road to the east A few hun.
dred yards and we are at the cemetery.
The government has bought 110 acres.
twenty-five acres are fenced I'm with
substantial brick wall. We enter
through nice iron gate. Before us is
the beautifully kept National ceme-
terry. To our left Is n good house for
the superintendent TO live In. We arc
In his Office. He said. "Give mo the
nnmes OF the men whose graves you
want to visit" / said, Sharp" He
opened large book and said, 'Ts IL
q. Il. SharpT l said, "Yes." Here is
the record: &c. Il. Sharp; number Of
grave 1000; Company III, Sixty-third
Ohio infantry; died OF dysentcry, Sept.
II, 1864" Now another name. l said,
"Latta." He looked I'm the book ana
said, 'Is IL w. N. LattaY" / said,
"Yes." Here IL the record: "W. N.
Lntta; number OF grave 524G; Company
III. Ohio; died Aug. 10. 1864, with
chronic diarrhea." His regiment num-
Der did not get down. Another rec
ord: George Atkinson; number OF
grave 1904; Ninth Minnesota; died of
scuryy, Aug. IL, 1864"
We now start TO visit the graves. /
inquired why they were placed so close
together. He answered that they had
TO be buried I'm trenches. A long trench
was dug each day, running north and
south md over six feet wide. Then the
bodies were placed close together, with
their feet TO the east It was the In
tention after the war was over TO take
them all up and rearrange the graves,
but most people Interested prefer to
have them remain as they are. There
was stake placed at the head OF each
grave containing tho name, number,
regiment and company OF ench one.
This was burned into the stake. All
this wns done by our own men. These
stakes were replaced by bourds. then
by tombstcnes. There was space OF
some feet left between the trenches, 80
that you can walk past the foot OF the
graves without stepping on them.
Here we are at Latta's grave. My
feelings are beyond my control. look
ed through falling tears and could sec
the name very plainly. / could see him
as he looked when boy. How his
face did shine when conYertedi His
earnest prayers and clear Christian
testimony are yet fresh TO me. re-
member how he looked when he mar
ried my cousin, and Julia and / stood
by their sides. I used my kodak and
started on.
Many points OF interest were pointed
out One ! will mention. Here are
six graves or by themselves They
were our soldiers, convicted OF theft
and murder 10y our own men. They
were hung inside the stockadc. We
have come northeast and now are not
very far from the north wall. ! am
Handing at the foot OF sharp's grave.
Again feel overcome. ] could see him
as young man when he went TO see
HIS best girl and took care OF HIS
horse; also how he looked the night
he was married and when ne united
with the church. X remember well his
conducting family worship at his own
family altar. He read from tho Forty.
second Psalm, "As the hart pnnteth
after the water brooks 50 panteth my
soul after thee, q God" / uacd my
kodak, and we came back 70 the
house. On the way we passed about
500 graves. soldiers killed in Sher-
mans march; also by themselves were
lot OF colored troops buried. There
are buried here in all over I3,7O0 Union
soldiers.
The name OF tho superintendent Is
Edward s. Post. His address Is An.
dersonvillc, Ga. II any wish to In
quire about friends who died at Ander-
sonyiile. send your names to him, with
. postal addressed back 20 yourself