The National tribune., 1907-05-16
AndersOnyiIle,

ago comrade in The National Tribun,
claimed that there was but one stockad,
around Camp Sumter, and I think hi
must have gone out with the crowd tha
left the pen in August or September
The second and third stockades were
built later, and were about $50 fee
from the main stockade. They were
not made of hewn logs, like the mair
stockade, but were rough, with the bari,
still on. When 1 visited the pen In 1885
and again in 1892 1 found pine trees
one foot or more in diameter and 80
feet high growing where I thoug hi
nothing would ever grow again. AS to
Providence Spring, the title, l think. is
a misnomer, as 1t did not appear when
we most needed 1T. but when the greater
part of the prisoners had left or were
about to leave. and do not think Prov
idence did anything for our relief at
that time, neither do like TO think that
He was Indifferent to our sufferings
when we most needed His help. When
the crowd left the pen there was water
enough without the spring. 1t was SIM
ply freak of nature. About the stock
ade falling down, that is another mis-
take. 1t did not fall down. but the logs
wabbled little, and when the rain
came In at the west side and flowed out
at the east side the stockade was out of
line enough for me to be able to see the
guards thru the opening, drawn up in
the rain all ready for business. Most of
them were covered with some sort of a
blanket which they had taken from the
prisoners. Even had there been no
guard to stop us we could not have got
ten away, for anyone who had tried the
west would have been wasn't back, and
on the east. why. an elephant would
have been swept to death in that tor
rent. On one Of my visits to the ceme-
terry in after years I accidentally found
the graves Of the six raiders. The Su-
perintendent, Capt. Bryant, was sur
prised when I told him about it, and
wanted to know how l found them. If
anyone hunts for them, the chances are
SO to 100 that he does not find the last
resting places Of those six raiders with
out guide. I would like to hear thru
The National Tribune or otherwise from
any of the comrades who made the
complete trip from Andersonville to
Lawton, and voted at Camp Lawton for
President in November. Do you remem-
Der the shouters, boys? On one hand,
friendi" and on the other, "Vote for
Geo. B. Mcclellan, Little Mack, the soul
of honor!" What a cold, dismal day 1t
was. Well, we elected "Old Abe" but
got no grub the next day; at least 1 did
not. Then we went to Blackshire in the
swamp. DO you remember the after
noon we left there and the setting afire
Of the shacks? Thence to Townsville.
What night that was! How did we
live thru it, with so miles thru the
swamps of Georgia to Albany? Do you
remember the buzzards that followed
Us and roasted in the pines around us
each night? When we came to the Blue
Spring. near Albany, / thought of the
of Ponce de Leon and his |
band of followers in their search for the |
of eternal youth. When he |
came to the Blue Spring he must have |
thought his quest was ended, for it GER |
afnly is wonder. When some miles |
past Blue Springs I was near the head |
'f the column, and as we marched we
Jaw rider coming towards us. Some
low. felt he was a Jonah, and when
lie got to the head of the column we
we're halted, and after a parley with the
ebel officer In command of us we were
aced about and marched back to the
tockade. Back in Sumter again. Christ
mas Eve, 1864. What night oe misery
was! After a week we took the same
quite again, and this time went thru to
rhomasville. thence by rail to Baldwin
Junction, 20 miles from Jacksonville,
fla. Some Of us hoofed It in that even
ng, April %, 1865. Can we ever forget
and the first glimpse we had of our
flag! Alas, many who started from the
tockade with us never got a sight of
hat. but were left behind all the way
rom Albany to Jacksonville-P.
;raham, Co. D, 22d n. Y. Cav, Oil City,