The National tribune., 1904-09-22

oanh ao9ot ple mics 10 biue spring. mere
they cafhpedihntil April IL, when they re-
turned TO the stockade again.
One evening shortly after their return
there was algood deal of cheering in the
Confederate camp. One of the boys asked
guard ats meaning, who said: Peace IS
declared.ii When asked on what terms he
said: IL believe theY recognize our indie
pendencesc And for an instant he felt he
would rathert stay there until he starved
than have that prove true. At venture
the prisoner said: That can not be: you
know Lee has surrendered The guard
acknowledged, the fact. but said they had
been ordereds on pain of death, not to tell
the prisoners
April .ilI.nnt evening. the Confederate
Sergeant hogan calling out men. When
asked hOW many would be taken. he re-
piled that every man would be out of there
before morning. Before midnight the last
of the prisoners left the stockade never
to return, and as they went they burned
everything they could not carry along.
While marching toward the station, as they
looked back and saw the thick, black smoke
roll up from within the stockade, lit up
by the red flames of the burning pitch
pine beneath it was frequently said it was
perfect picture of hell.
They went on board the cars and moved
nOrthward. reaching Macon. Ga. shortly
after daylight where they remained only
about one hour. While there Capt. Wirz,
in classic language, told them they had
to go back. but not TO prison they might
kill him if he took them back to the pen.
In few moments they started. When
they passed Fort Valley everybody was
moving. taking what valuabes and neces-
sites they could with them. Wilson's Cav
airy were coming. 1t was later reported
that Wilson reached Fort Valley from the
west only half an hour after the last of
the prisoners passed going south. They
stopped at Andersonville Station long
enough to draw rations of hard bread, and
passed on to Albany, then made a three
days march to Thomasville, thence by rail
to Lake City. Fla, where new paroles were
made and signed: thence eastward by rail
to Baldwin. station 20 miles west from
Jacksonville. and at that time the end of
the railroad track: the territory between
Baldwin and Jacksonville being neutral
ground.
Here, on the Doth day of April, two
mortal Lincoln. $500 men were literally
turned loose. Capt. Wirz standing on the
rifle pits, beside the track. pointing to the
railroad embankment. said "Boys. there's
your road-march =" an order they were
not slow to obey. That was the last they
saw of Wirz. who, alone, of all the guilty,
was so soon to pay the penalty of his mis-
uttt>. "A Hidu HOTe cOTuldlly OF more JUST
ly hated by every one whom misfortune
CHANGED to place in his power probably
never lived.
Some reached Jacksonville that day: 9TH
ers. not so strong. camped out where night
overlook them. Among these were Cotes
and Koehler: the later. on account of his
broken leg. becoming SO lame he could
scarcely walk, when they had Travelled
about half the distance, was compelled TO
camp for the night.
While moving from one prison to an
other in the South prisoners were always
told they were going to be exchanged, as
they were then much less trouble to the
guard SO these two men, fearing they
yet might be deceived. went so far away
from thes railroad embankment to make
their camp that they could scarcely be
found in the event anything should happen
TO interrupt their passage through the
lines. Here, entirely alone, on the borders
of swamp of unknown extent, separated
from any other human beings by vast
thicket Of scrub pines. they built fire.
baked their last corn bread, and went to
bed. that is. lay down on the ground
Hardly had they fallen asleep when they
were awakened by the most unearthly
noise. like the groaning Of some huge beast
in pain. Frightened, they asked one an
other what it could be, and finally con-
cluded it must be alligators. Then the
question arose if they had not better go
back to the old embankment: il was set
tied by their remaining where they were
as between these saurians and their late
guards they preferred the alligators.
In the morning they crept cautiously
forth. peering through the stunted pines
to discover which way the prisoners were
going. before they exposed themselves to
discovery. Finding them going toward
Jacksonville they Joined the crowd. AZ
ter going two or three miles. they had
passed the end of the track from Jack
sonville, Koehler became so lame they be-
gan to fear he would be unable to get
through, and, finally he was compelled to
stop.
Soon the whistle of a locomotive was
heard; thinking the cars were coming to
their relief, the crowd seated themselves
and awaited their arrival as patiently as
men could under the circumstances.
They had not long to wait when they
became fully satisfied by the sound of the
whistle, which was sounded at brief inter
walls, that the train was certainly approach
ing them. About half mile from them
was curve in the road, which was border
ed with tall timber that cut off all view
beyond.
AS far as could be seen nearly every rail-
road tie had a man sitting on either end
of it, each one trying his utmost to pre-
serve self-control, yet not one able to re-
frain from craning his neck to it's fullest
extent, and in so doing slowly rising to
his feet, suddenly to make the discovery
that he was standing on tip-toes, looking
down the track in the direction of the ap-
preaching train. Upon making this dis
covery he would sit down as quietly and
as quickly, as if in obedience to a military
command. only to repeat the maneuver in
few moments. But when the train came
nearer, and the music of a band was hea rd
playing "The Star-Spangled Banner"
"The Red. White and Blue" and other pa
triotic airs, all restraint was thrown aside
The cars appeared in sight, backing
around the curve: on the first, a box car.
stood man with the old Flag! That Flag
they had so longed to see for so many ter
rible months! The Flag for which thew
had endured so much! Yes; there could
be no mistake! 1t was there, the same
old Flag, Old Glory. and, gathered around
it was full band playing as if their lives
depended on it.
The men did not cheer: they scarcely
knew what they did; their joy was be-
yond expression; for certainly they never
before saw, and probably will never again
see more welcome sight. And vet there
was deep sorrow in their hearts for the
thousands of their fellow prisoners who
slept, and still sleep, at Andersonville.
AS the train came nearer thav dicoovar