The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-07


Too much credit cannot be given
General Passenger Agent j. G. Halle
and the Central of Georgia Railway for
the great work done in behalf of An
Jacksonville, Ga, and its national GEM
etery and Prison Stockade." Only a
few years ago the very name of An
Jacksonville created the most bitter feel
ings, and Memorial Day" services
were disturbed by negro rowdyism. To-
day, thanks to railway officials, the
w. r. G. and G.. A. r., all this is a
thing of the past. Andersonville has
become a lovely spot, a smiling oasis
in a once dreaded desert. The Blue
and the Gray alike find pleasure in
visiting the place and Memorial Day"
is observed with quiet and orderly
services. The opening of the Atlantic
and Birmingham Railroad from Way
cross to Montezuma gives three rail-
roads by which to reach the place on
special occasions via the Central of
Georgia from Montezuna or Americas.
This year Fitzgerald sent up its fine
military company and large delegations
from the G. A. r. and W. r. c. And
from the far-off state of Maine came
Hon. L. c. Morse, chairman of the An
Jacksonville Monument Commissioners
with S. ]. Walton and Levi Poor. the
latter a former prisoner in the old
stockade. Maine has $50 soldiers buried
in the National Cemetery there, and
Chairman Morse is to locate a site for
the Maine monument. Rhode Island
has only IA soldiers buried there, but
Gov. Garvin and a delegation have
recently unveiled a monument to their
memory. The great state of Penn
sylvania has IS49 soldiers buried in
the cemetery, and this year the Gov
ernor and a large delegation win come
to unreasonable on special train to
unveil monument. New Jersey al
ready has erected a monument to her
207 dead soldiers, and Massachusetts,
one to her 767, and Ohio to her 1,056
heroic dead. 1t is quite probable that
over twenty more beautiful monuments
will be erected at Andersonville, and
in a few years it will become famous
as a most attractive resting place Of
the dead And person interested in
this subject can procure an elegant
booklet, "AndersonVille; How to Reach
It." by postal card request to Cen
eral Passenger Agent Halle at Savan-
nah. The booklet was written by Gen.
James P. Averill G. A. r., and con-
tains not line that is calculated to
give offense to any reasonable person.
In my letter of May IL / spoke of
Lieut.. John ID. Wilson of Maryland, as
an example of how a private soldier
won a commission in the regular army,
and then fell back into the ranks. A
case similar, but very remarkable, was
that of Capt. William E. Aisquith of
Maryland, in the First United States
Artillery, who served with Gen. A. r.
Lawton and Gen. w. W. Mackall on
the Maine frontier in 1870 He grad
uated No. IL in the class at West Point
OF 1927, into the Second Artillery. but
was dismissed in 1882 for absence
without leave, disobedience of orders
and neglect of duty" Yet he was re-
appointed in 1887. second lieutenant
In the First Artillery, served CALAMITY
In the Seminole War in Florida, and
the Cherokee troubles in Georgia, and
later on the Canadian frontier and In
Maine. Unfortunately his old weak
ness again conquered him and he was
In fsfb-cashiered for drunkenness
on duty and unonlcer-like conduct"
Then he went into the ranks Of the
Maryland volunteers In the Mexican
War. became a first sergeant and then
q lieutenant. But alas he fell again
ana even went back into the First
Dnltsa States Artillery a. a private