West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1904-01-07

get was ncniSsst 60 the dead line. Many
soldier in reaching for water reached
an inch or two too far aud was shot
dead on the spot. Tho water question
was the vital point and has been IN
dispute, tho pnsohers affirming mud
the soldiers denying. Lee us be fair.
Here Is a small stream, 10 It's source
IN about six miles. There was well
In Star fort for tho headquarters. but
all others must get water from this lit
tie stream before II e,torod the stock.
adc. There wew near 1000 OF the boy
guards. Then, as this was n place
whero there was much ammunition
stored, Il was necessary TO keep n force
TO defend II from cavalry The swamp
was n stencil, ana tho waters below
the stockadc could not be used for nny-
thing.
AZ one time there were over $4,000
prisoners crowded inside the atockadc
Tho death roll was alarming. For
moro than month beginning Aug. 10
there were over 100 buried cnch day.
But the heaviest death rate was from
the LIST TO tho 18th OF August. In two
days there were over 700 buried. The
great cry was for water water, water.
They were holding prayer meetings
for water. They were praying 10 ELI
jah's God who answered by nre. There
We're a lot in this hole Il have described
II above) praying on the 18th day OF
August 1894, when a dark cloud camo
up from the southwest. Tho lightning
struck IN other places but God concen
tratcd a terrific bolt that rent the heav.
ems aud the earth. About Fcventy-flyo
yards below whore this prayer meet
Ing was being held this terrible bolt
struck nm old dry stump and ahiycred
~ 20 pieces. How far this bolt en-.
tered the earth God only knows, but
out gnshed n strong stream or pure wa.
ter. Great excitement prevailed among
tho prisoners. They crowded about the
place. Ono man with cup roachcn
beyond the dend llne-and got cupful
OF the wafer and pronounced Il very
good. This stream was spouting about
three feet beyond tho dead line and 80
WIS out Of reach OF the soldiers. but
the Confedorates furnished two boards
about sixteen feet long. They wcro
naiicd together, and the water was CON
Quoted TO the prisoners. They also fur.
nlshed two barrels. These barrels were
cut IN two, making four tubs, and 80
connected that all four soon ran full
OF pure. clean watcr. Tho Confedor.
atcs could have run tho water through
the stockade and used II themselves,
but they did not.
The w X. 9. hnye built a beautiful
house just below tho spot, aud now
tho water Is spoutlng IA a crystal
stream about the size OF a mans wrist
IN this fountain drank OF IL repeat
edly, aud Il IL nrst class. We cross
the little bridge. The ascent IL not
very steep. Just outside the stocknde
is a depression where tunnel caycd
In. These depressions may be seen IN
various places outside In travelling
around tic stocknde. There is consid.
cradle space on thc south side, but as
it is quite sandy the ground has caycd
In, 50 but little remains Of the work
done by the prisoners. Going ND tho
hill we soon como to the other gate.
There were but the two, and both were
double and very strong when the out
side gate was opened the inside ono
was closed, and when the inside gate
was opened tho outside ono was closed.
Here were the posts set recently and
far enough apart 90 make quite q court
between the gates. From this cato 10
the southwest corner OF the stockade
looks 20 bo abOnt eighty yards. This
70 nae was solemn spot Here IS the
spot where the dead we're all gathered
each morning FOR burial, the dcadbouso
.-no house hero, but plenty OF dead
prisoners stepping outside Of where
the sloekadc wis sifunted. we could see
very plainly IN the woods The old roads.
Tho dead bodies on the wagons i have
before described were taken out through
tho woods, across the little creol. woat
of tho stocisadc and up through what
- now n cotton Gcld 10 the graveyard
more than halr n mile distant.
Another road leads up into Star fort.
over which nii prisoners bad to march
on coming iu. on tho fielit OK tbss
road q q stump about n foot high. the
remainder of the Cid nagsian. Star
fort % g wonder. As 40 much ammuni.
iiou was stored here. it was important
20 make Il strong Tho brcasfwOrks
grc iH good state of preservation. My
guide ofain stopped snd said. "Ifere is
Ni"NNNtN NNWNHNs ItHIN fNnfN IflHuurI
was searched. osteHmhly 10 scc II be
nad aI'y coneesisi afsallas. but every
thing ~ Vaiuc was taken from him.
Here is n brfastwork siili about tween.
~ feet hiFh and running perhaps sixty
yards it 81 above tho other works
Nliii0rg mon have wondered what Il
was for. The suppos.iion ~ that it was
built % protect General wilder and
Major Wirz. ns tHcir tents were on
ono side of 30 and the ammunition on
The other. There is holo in The
ground where toms of powder were
concealed and covered with n dirt roof
20 make 70 bomb proof Hero IS a well.
ii was sixty fect deep and used Tor
ihc headquarters
When ihe end came ih6 Confedarafes
were unable 10 ga the ammunition oil
aray - it vas thrown into this well
and dlri thrown en TOP 0f IL. ne 81 Ike.
~ fte 81 u g VIII have It cleaned out
so1a sbd feii ihe cnfios
VERY fiaaf can.