Belding banner., 1914-06-10

for Andersonvilie, Ga. Reached An
dersonville Wednesday morning. One
old veteran exclaimed, when / came
here in GA they didn't meet me with
/ a band" The entire company march
TO the speakers stand, erected before
! the New York State monument that
was to be unveiled and dedicated.
! Camp chairs to accommodate all had
been provided. A cloudless sky, the
| odor of catalpa blossoms, and the
changeful notes of mocking birds
made a fitting environment for the
services of the day The first number
on the program was Hail Columbia"
! by the band. Prayer was offered by
Rev. j. IL. Robinson, once a prisoner
here. The first speaker was Senator
Palmer. He described the prison and
gave its history Then followed "a
beautiful poem, "A Tribute of Honor"
by Mrs. Martha Irish Burdick of Port
vile, \. Y. Mrs. Burdick being physi-
cally unable 10 be present, the poem
was admirably read by her husband.
Mr.. Burdick's predatory remark was,
Fifty years ago come tomorrow eve
ming, l entered this stockade a pris-
oner." At the close of the reading
vigorous vote of thanks was rendered
Mrs. Burdick for her contribution to
the exercises Of dedication. Miss Mac
kenzie then sang "Tentins N the old
Camp Ground" the audience Joining
with much feeling in the chorus. The
remaining numbers We're by the vet
Grams who were members of the An
dersonville Monument Dedication
Commission. The speakers in order
were j. l.. Killgore. G.. r. Brown, John
Mackenzie, r. b. McCully, l. NJ. Foster
and A. w Farnham. Mr.. Killgore's
theme was: THE Magnanimity of the
State Of New York" Mr.. Brown said
he was one Of the first to enter Ander-
sonville Prison. He was then fifteen
years old. Mr. Mckenzie dwelt on,
Comrades and Friends Referring
TO his capture he said, I'VE met the
rebel cavalry and they were not ours"
Mr. MeCully rehearsed an incident
that occurred in the temporary prison
in Charlestown, 5. c. The Sisters Of
cy came TO see what the prisoners
most needed. They found II was
bread. The next morning the sisters
returned with a wagon load of bread
They were met by the guard, who in
formed them that +" we uns have had
orders not to let youuns in here
one sister answered, "Well, sir, do your
duty, and, thrust me through, if you
will, and l will do my duty by giving
bread to these starving men" And
she did. But the guard closed in and
prevented any more sisters from en-
tering the enclosure.
The closing number was by the band
which played the Doxology and
America"
The members of the expedition
then went to the prison grounds,
which are located about one-third of
mile south of the cemetery, where
about one hundred forty Anderson
Vile Prison survivors received appro-
pirate bronze badges.
The prison grounds are owned by
the Federal government 1t consists
of eighty-one and two tenths acres.
II is entirely surrounded by sub
stantial fence. The soockade has
been sodded and and a driveway
laid out around the entire purchase,
passing by all the forts, which are in
a good state of preservation. A beau
tiful pavilion, donated by the Nation
al Woman's Relief Corps, has been
placed over Providence Spring
and a number of the States have err
ected monuments within the old
stockade to the memory of their
sons who suffered Imprisonment
within the Andersonville stockade.
on Ohio's monument is inscribed:
Death before Dishonor. Ohio-to
her 1,055 loyal sons" The Massa-
chusetts monument bears a similar
inscription. Here on the prison
grounds is the monument erected TO
the memory Of Elizabeth Turner
Past National President, Woman's