The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1906-04-26
A SONG FROM PRISON.
Story Of the Rousing Fourth OF July
Demonstration az Ander-
sonville.


1900 union prisoners. He appealed
for reinforcement 10 Gen Cobb. COM
mander Of the district. but nom were
90 be had. On the Fourth Of July Cen
Cobb with several stan officers visited
A~ndersonyille. and the general made
an address to the troops OF the post,
who had been formed into a hollow
square facing the center. The follow
ing. taken from the Grand Army SEN
tinei. is a graphic description Of what
followed:
Soldiers Of the confederate states,
began Gen. Cobb. what news is this
that has been borne 10 your district
commander from the o-ommandsnt OF
this post7 Can it be possible that sol"
diers Of the south-Ge0rgians-have
been guilty OF desertion-of abandon
ing the duty assigned them Of guard
ing yonder horde Of vandals, wnOm
your more ~valorous brothers In arms
have captured upon many q we'll
fought held?'
"At this instant, ~ O'Clock. from the
center Of the prison pen was heard the
sound of song Turning my eyes In
that direction ! saw that several thou
sand men had congreEated. while 9TH
ers were fastening toward the assem-
blage. Perhaps not nor than 50 voices
were wording the first verse Of the ia
miliar anthem. The speaker outside
was continuing expressions Of aston
ishment AZ what he had heard. when
the chorus was reached. and with de-
donations Ike an explosion 5000 voices
pealed.
The Star ~spaneiei Banuer o long may 10
wave.
DER the land Of the free and the home Of
the brave.
The song-burst had startled the
speaker or drowned hts utterance. for
he had suddenly stopped and turned
his face toward a. When Il had
ceased. and only a few score voices
we're singing the second stanza, he
commanded Writ. Go stop that
noisel Writ FASTENED away, and
Howell Cobb resumed:
Would you see that horde turned
loose within your state, TO pillage and
burn your homes. with your wives,
{ sisters and daughters az their mercy
The verse was sur aud the chorus
reached AGAIN The congregation num-
bered 10000 more than before. Heaven!
What a swell OF sound, The very air
seemed 20 CULVER with the concussion
the stoekade wan 10 trembie The
guards on mount stumbled with Won
derment Writ. who had reached the
great gate, stood stock stli, as IL para
lived. The soldiers forming the square
were all now facing the prison.
THE storm lulled. the speaker
sought 10 resume. bat his manner was
/ disconnected. Wirtz was moving ner-
vously about but essayiug nothing.
They heard the breeze OF song sweep
ing the lines Of the third stsnsa. but
knew 81, only foreboded the return Of
the tempest And now 81 ONES,
There are 10000 throats swelling
the call OF the pennant under which
they had fought and 5000 more Joined
iu the invocation
% long may Sc wave
Der The land % the free ard thc home oi
the brave
THE echo OF The last word has bu,
struck the branches 81 the pines,
when they begin 20 repeat Higher.
wider. deeper. stronger, louder. the
swell, tt peals-it roas-it booms-
@ ]thunders, Il IT. an artillery of song'
The speaker outside stands %transaNed
BE has heard che anthem before. bat
never as now Perhaps u ia remind.
ing him OF the high position he has
but lately held under the flag &c de-
ancs. The listeners appears almos,
p%anickcd A ruardsmau's gun drops
from his hands without his missing
g.
Again they repeat. and now the
scene growo wild Thirty Thousand
voices are changing the chorus-30.o 0l
b1soms swelling with thought Of ooun.
try and nag aud loved oues from whom
they are parted Men with but one les
Chamber MP and supported by theiI
stronger comrades. wave their caps
alo1 and Join la the chorus.
The s~tar-spauglri banner o Ions may ID
wave
o'er tbe land or the free and the bome OF
thc brave
"Once more they repeat, "a now AN
the prison IS In the sky-rendlng peal
the very walls. che ground. Poor.
feyer-wastcd frames. within an hour
Of dissolution from their spirits. halt
uprise AMI %proppiug upon one hand
raise tho withered fingers 90 the other
alon while they unite their cracked
voices Ia the refrain they VIII hear
never more;
rhe star-spangiod banner. o long may %
wave
O'or the Ana 90 the rree n me home oi
tbe brave"
Sells Secret Of Armor Plate.
r. r. Williamson, a resident Of
Pottsvilie. Pa, has sold TO the Ger