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the misery of Andersonville。 There was never the least military or other
reason for inflicting all that wretchedness upon men； and； as far as
mortal eye can discern； no earthly good resulted from the martyrdom of
those tens of thousands。 I wish I could see some hope that their
wantonly shed blood has sown seeds that will one day blossom； and bear a
rich fruitage of benefit to mankind； but it saddens me beyond expression
that I can not。
The years 1864…5 were a season of desperate battles； but in that time
many more Union soldiers were slain behind the Rebel armies； by
starvation and exposure； than were killed in front of them by cannon and
rifle。 The country has heard much of the heroism and sacrifices of those
loyal youths who fell on the field of battle； but it has heard little of
the still greater number who died in prison pen。 It knows full well how
grandly her sons met death in front of the serried ranks of treason； and
but little of the sublime firmness with which they endured unto the
death； all that the ingenious cruelty of their foes could inflict upon
them while in captivity。
It is to help supply this deficiency that this book is written。 It is a
mite contributed to the better remembrance by their countrymen of those
who in this way endured and died that the Nation might live。 It is an
offering of testimony to future generations of the measureless cost of
the expiation of a national sin； and of the preservation of our national
unity。
This is a11。 I know I speak for all those still living comrades who went
with me through the scenes that I have attempted to describe； when I say
that we have no revenges to satisfy； no hatreds to appease。 We do not
ask that anyone shall be punished。 We only desire that the Nation shall
recognize and remember the grand fidelity of our dead comrades； and take
abundant care that they shall not have died in vain。
For the great mass of Southern people we have only the kindliest feeling。
We but hate a vicious social system； the lingering shadow of a darker
age； to which they yield； and which； by elevating bad men to power； has
proved their own and their country's bane。
The following story does not claim to be in any sense a history of
Southern prisons。 It is simply a record of the experience of one
individualone boywho staid all the time with his comrades inside the
prison； and had no better opportunities for gaining information than any
other of his 60；000 companions。
The majority of the illustrations in this work are from the skilled
pencil of Captain O。 J。 Hopkins； of Toledo； who served through the war in
the ranks of the Forty…second Ohio。 His army experience has been of
peculiar value to the work； as it has enabled him to furnish a series of
illustrations whose life…like fidelity of action； pose and detail are
admirable。
Some thirty of the pictures； including the frontispiece； and the
allegorical illustrations of War and Peace； are from the atelier of Mr。
O。 Reich； Cincinnati； O。
A word as to the spelling： Having always been an ardent believer in the
reformation of our present preposterous systemor rather； no systemof
orthography； I am anxious to do whatever lies in my power to promote it。
In the following pages the spelling is simplified to the last degree
allowed by Webster。 I hope that the time is near when even that advanced
spelling reformer will be left far in the rear by the progress of a
people thoroughly weary of longer slavery to the orthographical
absurdities handed down to us from a remote and grossly unlearned
ancestry。
Toledo； O。； Dec。 10； 1879。
JOHN McELROY。
We wait beneath the furnace blast
The pangs of transformation；
Not painlessly doth God recast
And mold anew the nation。
Hot burns the fire
Where wrongs expire；
Nor spares the hand
That from the land
Uproots the ancient evil。
The hand…breadth cloud the sages feared
Its bloody rain is dropping；
The poison plant the fathers spared
All else is overtopping。
East； West； South； North；
It curses the earth；
All justice dies；
And fraud and lies
Live only in its shadow。
Then let the selfish lip be dumb
And hushed the breath of sighing；
Before the joy of peace must come
The pains of purifying。
God give us grace
Each in his place
To bear his lot；
And； murmuring not；
Endure and wait and labor！
WHITTIER
ANDERSONVILLE
A STORY OF REBEL MILITARY PRISONS
CHAPTER I。
A STRANGE LANDTHE HEART OF THE APPALACHIANSTHE GATEWAY OF AN EMPIRE
A SEQUESTERED VALE； AND A PRIMITIVE； ARCADIAN； NON…PROGRESSIVE PEOPLE。
A low； square； plainly…hewn stone； set near the summit of the eastern
approach to the formidable natural fortress of Cumberland Gap； indicates
the boundaries ofthe three great States of Virginia； Kentucky and
Tennessee。 It is such a place as； remembering the old Greek and Roman
myths and superstitions； one would recognize as fitting to mark the
confines of the territories of great masses of strong； aggressive； and
frequently conflicting peoples。 There the god Terminus should have had
one of his chief temples； where his shrine would be shadowed by barriers
rising above the clouds； and his sacred solitude guarded from the rude
invasion of armed hosts by range on range of battlemented rocks； crowning
almost inaccessible mountains； interposed across every approach from the
usual haunts of men。
Roundabout the land is full of strangeness and mystery。 The throes of
some great convulsion of Nature are written on the face of the four
thousand square miles of territory； of which Cumberland Gap is the
central point。 Miles of granite mountains are thrust up like giant
walls； hundreds of feet high； and as smooth and regular as the side
of a monument。
Huge； fantastically…shaped rocks abound everywheresometimes rising into
pinnacles on lofty summitssometimes hanging over the verge of beetling
cliffs； as if placed there in waiting for a time when they could be
hurled down upon the path of an advancing army； and sweep it away。
Large streams of water burst out in the most unexpected planes；
frequently far up mountain sides； and fall in silver veils upon stones
beaten round by the ceaseless dash for ages。 Caves； rich in quaintly
formed stalactites and stalagmites； and their recesses filled with
metallic salts of the most powerful and diverse natures； break the
mountain sides at frequent intervals。 Everywhere one is met by surprises
and anomalies。 Even the rank vegetation is eccentric； and as prone to
develop into bizarre forms as are the rocks and mountains。
The dreaded panther ranges through the primeval； rarely trodden forests；
every crevice in the rocks has for tenants rattlesnakes or stealthy
copperheads； while long； wonderfully swift 〃blue racers〃 haunt the edges
of the woods； and linger around the fields to chill his blood who catches
a glimpse of their upreared heads； with their great； balefully bright
eyes； and 〃white…collar〃 encircled throats。
The human events happening here have been in harmony with the natural
ones。 It has always been a land of conflict。 In 1540339 years ago
De Soto； in that energetic but fruitless search for gold