Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-08-30

to their destination at Andersonville
by all railroads on their route, the site
of the deadhouse, Stockade creek,
branch of Sweetwater, the flag staff
and the wells and tunnels dug by the
prisoners, and the famous Providence
spring.
short distance to the west of "Star
Fort still stands a large hickory tree
which was used us post Of observa-
ton to watch the prisoners within the
stocliade. Nothing has been destroyed.
AS those enfeebled soldiers left it so it
stands to-day. OF the stockade itself
nothing now remains. but the stumps
underground from which the lines may
be easily traced. They are mostly
pitch-plne which will last for many,
years. The entire property is now en-
closed with wire fence with conven.
lent gates.
The dark and murky creek bed of
the COS, whose shallow waters in those
days were contaminated with the re-
fuse of. the two camps of soldiers and
the stables, has been cleared Of under
brush and now sparkles and dances in
the sunlight, clear, pure and unaefiled,
On Memorial day, 1898, beautiful
flag staff 115 feet high was erected
within the stockade in front of the
caretakers house. The staff came
from the Old Soldiers colony Mt Fitz-
gerald, Ga, and is the gift of w. r. c.
No. 2, and members of the G. A. r. of
that city. From its peak floats flag,
the gift of the Prisoners of War Asso-
citation Of Connecticut.
The w. II. c. No. 8 of Kansas, and
No. 1T2 of Massachusetts, donated the
graceful arch at the main entrance on
the west boundary of the grounds and
at the beginning of the 100 feet right
of-way leading to the railway station,
which bears the inscription Anderson
vile Prison Park-in memory of the
unknown dead at Andersonville."
One hundred feet north of the north
line of the old stockade. the w. r. G..
has built substantial nine-room house
which is occupied by the caretaker
and his family and is commodious
enough for the entertainment of such
guests as may require accommodations.
Grand Army comrades and such old
Federal soldiers who are unable to
pay, are furnished comfortable lodg-
ings by the caretaker, temporarily and
| without charge. Illinois furnished the
reception room and Massachusetts,
Ohio and Michigan each furnished u
sleeping room.
Ohio. Massachusetts, Rhode Island
and Michigan have already placed
beautiful monuments Each monu-
ment has Il block of ground set apart
to its State, pretty stones marking the
corners. A $4,000 monument will soon
be erected by the Wisconsin Monu-
ment Commission. The site selected is
north of the Rhode Island monument
and taking in the northwest corner,
also inclosing the wells In rnnt corner
which Mr.. Williams of the commission
helped to dig while prisoner. The
members Of this commission We're pris-
oners at Andersonville. The wells will
posts, each draped with heavy chains
Iowa will erect monument during
the summer.
The wells or deep holes dug by the
prisoners in their effort to find shelter
from the scorching sun and in hopes
of finding pure water, still remain. Ii
the erection of the tlagstaffs the blue
outlines of the Union uniform, II row
of brass buttons and some bones were
found 20 feet underground. These
holes are now surrounded by tree.
that have sprung up since the war ant
whose friendly limbs reach out lik'
sheltering arms, the thick foliage hid
ing the sad remainders as though ma
; ture would heal over all wounds.
The most interesting feature of THU
stockade Is Providence spring, so ap
propriately named by the heroes O
Andersonville. When the furnishing
soldiers had reached critical momen
when they could no longer endure
} with nothing but the contaminated
water of the creek to sustain them
during n severe electric storm this liv
ing stream burst fs.th. bright, pur'
and sparkling, bringing renewed lif,
] and hope-and 1t came within til,
dead-l,ne, where by prison laws it wal
protected from being trampled and de
filed.