The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-10-02
AnDEssosWLLE PRISON
Some Memories Of This Horrible
Slaughter Pen

0fGSHNhN'
It is difficult in writing Of Ander.
sonville to avoid animosities and
Misunderstanding to say nothing Of
vicious denunciation from Southern
sympathizers, but there are people
whose mental stigmatism never per
mits them to see anything straight
unless the subject under discussion
IL entirely In their own favor.
Realizing this "stigmatic partisan
ship" have not quoted remark or
report Of a Onion soldier confined at
|Andersonville 1t has seemed wisest,
because Of this rancor OF the South,
to let the story be told of the horri-
BILE conditions IN Andersonyille by
those who were there to assauge IL;
in other words, the surgeons of the
c. s. A who were sent by their gov
eminent to administer to inmates OF
tn stockade. Probably as strong tes-
timony as can be presented Is that OF
one of the priests. Father Chavereul
who was sent to Andersonville by his
bishop, and was In the stockade from
July 10 to August 20, 1854. when his
health broke down and he had to
leave. He kept diary of the SO days
that he stayed In Andersonville. He
also testified before the committee in
the Wirz trial, and the word OF this
holy man went far toward condemn
Ing both Winder and Wirz About a
year ago Father Chavereuls story OF
Andersonvllle (for he yet lives) was
published by the Connecticut associa-
ton OF Ex-Prisoners of War, and in
connection with this narrative he
said:
mot long ago a friend wrote me
from Savannah that Wirzs admirers
In Georgia intended to erect a monu.
|ment to his honor" And he added:
Now, / think that the poor man is
not worthy Of a monument. His name
should be forgotten He was boorish,
profane."
Father Chavereul's story is as fol.
lows, told In his own words:
Father Chavereul's Diary
1T was July. 1864, that | left Saw
annah for Andersonville, being sent
there to help the venerable Father
Whelan. who had been ministering to
the prisoners since March. Their
number kept increasing owing to the
advance of the Federals towards
Georgia, being estimated at the time
at 10000. Father Whelan was already
an old man. over 60 years of age. He
assisted the prisoners not only by his
ministration as priest. but also by
material help. through his influence
among the Catholics OF Georgia. AS
for me, unknown and without infu-
ence. could only weep over the mis-
cries | hourly witnessed
THE comforts brought them were
the consultations of religion, and these
| may truly say. gave with all the
zeal and energy Gods grace enabled
me to impart. The following | took
from my diary, written at the stock
ade prison July 10 to Aug. 20, 1864
The diary opens with the names
of $50 prisoners to within | admins
tered the sacraments OF penance and
extreme JUNCTION.
The sick were for a time lying
within the Enclosure OF the stockade
In the open air. 1t was only later on
that the worst cases were taken TO
a hospital, where they had tents. All
those whom | administered / found
in dying condition, and have little
doubt that they died on the very spot
where | found them.
THE stockade covered some 20 ac-
ores. II stood away from all habita-
tons, in the midst OF piny woods. All
the trees had been cut down, so there
was no protection left against the
sun or rain"
Father Chavereul then describes
the stockade and the sentry's beat,
and OF their shots at prisoners who
overstepped the dead line, and adds.
THE injunction. however, was not
always needed, and not infrequently
some unfortunate prisoner. while at
tempting to cross over, either through
recklessness, or whilst demented
through sickness and suffering. was
found lying dead within the fatal line
shall not attempt description of
the sufferings which we witnessed;
whatever may be said or written
about II will remain always below the
stern reality. spite of the awful NOR.
tally which for some weeks reached
the appalling figure OF 100 and up
wards a day. the number Of prisoners
kept Increasing, as most OF the sold
iers captured in the battles fought
in Tennessee or northern Georgia at
the time were sent to Andersonville,
numbers Of them having been wound
ed on the battlefield
THE food consisted OF unbolted
cornmeal and cowpeas, with now and
then vegetables sent by the country
people Of the neighborhood. AS
most Of the prisoners suffered from
the scurvy. sore gums and loose teeth
they could not eat the coarse food,
and thus numbers of them died, with
their allowance OF cornbread nearby.
Starvation, however, was not the
only cause Of the terrible mortality
which in these eight weeks must have
carried off some 5000 victims. Expo
sure to the inclemency of the weather
was another, the stockade being en-.
tirely bare, and, besides with not a
tent under which to find shelter. The
clothes the prisoners had on when
thav. arrival soon hooama mara raue