The National tribune., 1906-09-27
ANDERsoNvIIh.E MEMORIES.
Hanging the Rhiders-The Bursting Out
of Proxidcrce Spring.


Editor National Tribune: I was very
much interested in the article written
by Comrade John S. Howard, Co. X,
11th VT, in your issue of Aug. 23, in
regard to Andersonville Prison. l wish
to corroborate some of the things he
says, but, like him, 1 am somewhat in
the dark concerning some things that
have been written in reference to that
notable place. 1 was one of the Ply
mouth Pilgrims who registered at Ho-
tel Andersonville on the 1st day of May,
1864, after weeks sojourn on the way
from Tarboro, N. c., packed in box cars
like sardines in box. In regard TO
the hanging of the six raiders, Comrade
Howard is right as regards the man
who broke away and ran down the hill
and across the swamp in his endeavor
to escape. l was standing near the edge
of the swamp on the north side watch
ing the hanging, and just after the six
prisoners were brought in at the south
gate and marched up to the gallows,
which was erected on the brink of the
hill about 20 yards from the entrance,
one of the prisoners a big. stout-look-
ing fellow after looking at the gallows.
and doubtless for the first time being
convinced that those in authority meant
business, broke away and ran down the
hill and across through the swamp. 1t
was with difficulty that he got through
the swamp, the filth being almost knee
deep. / remember clearly seeing him
pull off his coat as he was blowing his
way across the swamp, and when he
reached the south side he found n gang
of men ready to arrest his further prog
ress who marched him back to the gall
lows, in spite of his entreaties to be
let go. In the meantime the other five
men had been prepared for the galloWs
by being bound, and sacks put over
their heads. AS he approached the gal
lows he evidently became convinced
that the trial had not been a farce, and
that they must all pay the penalty for
the awful crimes they had committed.
When all was completed the six men
were marched up an incline plank on
to the platform, the moose adjusted to
each: at given signal the plank on
which they stood was knocked from un
der them, and five of the six were
launched into eternity. The sixth man.
whose position was on the east end of
the gallows, was Mosby, the leader of
the gang. and he being large. heavy
man, when the drop came his rope
broke and he fell to the ground. He
was picked up, the rope again adjusted
about his neck and he was again pushed
off into space. Thus ended the fearful
tragedy which brought peace and safety
to the balance of the inmates of the
Regarding the washing out of the
stockade, I find. upon reference to my
diary, that on Tuesday afternoon. Aug.
g. we had a fearful rain storm. which
washed down portions of the stockade
in several places on the west side in the
vicinity of where the small stream (now
augmented to a rag ing torrenD came
through. I remember well seeing some
of the boys wading out into this raging
stream to grapp1e some of the stockade
timbers as they were floating down the
stream, for the purpose of converting
them into firewhodii but, much to their
disappointment tIfa rebel authorities
came in and deprived them of their
booty by taking the timber from them
and placing it backainto its original po-
sition in the stodkafie.
/ have read much, and heard it pro-
claimed many times from the platform.
that the so-calledYyProvidence spring
burst forth intes existence at this time,
but Icneyer could credit the assertion,
for I went down past the spot where
they say the spring was. almost every
day, and some days several times day,
and I never heard of the Providence
spring until long after the war was over
remember the stump that stood be-
tween the deadlne and stockade about
two or three rods up the hill from the
creek; also, the swampy nature of the
ground about the stump; but no flowing
spring existed there that I ever saw or
heard of prior to Sept. IL when my de-
,achment was taken out. and we started
on our way to the new bull pen Gas we
called it, at Florence, S. c., stopping on
our way for a couple of weeks sojourn
at Charleston. S. c.. being confined
there within the limits of the old race
course. until the stockade at Florence
was completed and ready for occupancy.
We rather enjoyed this change. because