The National tribune., 1904-09-01
FORTY YEARS AFTER.
Revisit to Andersonvills Prison Site in ls

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: June 10
was able to satisfy my long g-cherished de-
grounds. Captured in the Wilderness.
May Z, I reached the Andersonville Prison
via Orange Court House. Gordonsville.
Lynchburg. Danville, and the South gate
on May "A. to the cry of fresh fish," and
was transferred to the Florence tS. c.
prison in early September-all in the year
1864. | have thought that those ex-pris-
oners who have never revisited the scene
of the tragedy of the Summer of 1864
might be interested in reading an account
Of the place as il appears at the present
time.
Boarding an early morning train on the
Central Georgia Railroad, at Macon, Ga,
after a two hours ride arrived at An
Jacksonville Station. GO miles south. about
6 o'clock. The town of AnderSonville is
just west of the railroad tracks or on the
right hand. travelling southwark. as is the
present station. which is short distance
north of the old station. The latter is con-
nected by n road with the south gate of
the Stockade, quarter mile to the east
from the railroad. and the present station
connects in a similar manner at or near
where the north gate was located. known
as the north and south roads.
The AnderSonyile town of 1904 is not
large affair. l am unable to compare
it at that time
| followed the north road to the grounds,
mentally contrasting the difference in the
conditions of my two visits, separated by
40 years. The birds were singing merrily
while the flowers bloomed fragrantly, in
the beautiful morning, and | could discern
in the near distance. waving welcomingly
from the peak of its staff. that modern
Rock Of Ages" the Flag. Passing under
Ia q laf
the Prison Park all that remained to re-
mind me of my previous experience upon
the same grounds lay before me. ma
jority of the principals in this tragedy of
the Summer of 1864 lie moldering in the
National Cemetery a half mile north of
the Prison grounds. beneath the many
rows of numbered headstones Further
than this | found but little. comparatively.
to remind me OF the place as | had pre-
viOusly seen it.
The contour of the grounds remains
practically unchanged. Simply the two
slopes or hills draining into the same old
swampy stream flowing through the place
from west to east-which furnished bath
ing and drinking water until the prisoners
had dug wells, or until the spring burst
out within the dead-line.
The stockade has entirely disappear red
but some traces of the decayed timbers
may be discovered after careful search
Traces of the trenches which held the
StOckade timberS are still visible includ-
ing the original north line. which was re-
moved after the addition was completed
and the location of the dead-line can be
determined only by the Il or Is feet meas
urement from the trench line.
The ''providence Spring" pcturesquely
housed by a marble-and-stone pavilion.
bearing appropriate inscriptions. flows as
abundantly as of yore: and | again drank
of its waters-with indascribabIe emotions
One-haIf of the north slope is clear. ex-
cept that the States of Ohio, Rhode ISL
and. Massachusetts and Michigan have
erected monuments: and there are some
half dozen conspicuous grOwths of vines
and trees. indicating the spots where as
many wells had been dug by the prisoners
The flagstaff also stands on the highest
part of the north slope. The rema inder
say, two-thirds of the Park, is covered by
heavy growth of vines. bushes and trees
especially the site of the sinks-that
most horrible Of all the places there's OBJ
scured by an impenetrable mass of trees
and bushes, and is the present abode.
was informed, of a variety of poisonous
reptiles. The boundary lines are preserved
by poSts-twO, at least, at the north end
are visible.
Of the eight rebel earthworks. construct
ed of the bright-red soil common to Geor-
gia, and planned to command the prison.
or to repel an outside attack, all are there.
several Of them remaining practically un-
impaired.
Immediately outside of the stockade
lines the soil is under cultivation. with
cotton and corn growing bountifuly. |
was Hospitality received and entertained by
Mr.. and Mrs. Turner who have charge of
the house erected by the w. r. G.. just
beyond the north line of the stockade
| occupied for the night a dormitory
overlooking that portion of the ground
where the western sun casts the shadows
from the monuments previously mentioned.
which is not far from the spot where. four
decades ago, surrounded by thousands of
other equally miserable prisoners, | grow
elled in filth and rags.
In fancy | conjured up that seething
mass of suffering and dying humanity. /
could see the rows of dead as. each morn
ing. they were laid in line at the south
gate. / could see men with their putrid
and rotting limbs: and there came before
me the wasting forms of starving men.
and the forms of those who were wasting
and totterng from depicting malady, and
could see the eager guard watching, with
rifle at ready" from his elevation. for
any who might accidentally trespass the
dead-ine. All of this. and more, came
back to me. until 1 would have shut out
lHt IlutouS
Draw. dotard around thy wavering sight
This mantle to cover thy visions of
fright"
Beneath a monument in the Arlington
Cemetery, Unknown. but not Forgotten"
repose the bones of more than 1000 pa
triots assembled from the various battle
fields i'm the vicinity of Washington
was informed that when eycayating for
the State of Michigan monument ded-
Gated May 80, 1904. at Andersonville. a
number of human bones were uncovered,
and that the earth there is rarely disturbed
without revealing similar relics.
Denied a merciful death in battle, I'M
known and uncared-for, apparently forgot
ten by the Government they died for. the
bones of how many men lie there. no hu-
man being may tell.
Those angels of kindness and patriotism.
the w. X. C., are watching over the An
dersonville Prison grounds, and have cared
for the place as far as they have been
financially able-H. B. VAN VELsoR Co.
H. I'd n j.