andersonville-第13章

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5。　　The　paroling　now　stopped　abruptly；　leaving　in　the　hands　of　both　sides
the　prisoners　captured　at　Gettysburg；　except　the　militia　above　mentioned。
The　Rebels　added　considerably　to　those　in　their　hands　by　their　captures
at　Chickamauga；　while　we　gained　a　great　many　at　Mission　Ridge；　Cumberland
Gap　and　elsewhere；　so　that　at　the　time　we　arrived　in　Richmond　the　Rebels
had　about　fifteen　thousand　prisoners　in　their　hands　and　our　Government
had　about　twenty…five　thousand。

6。　　The　rebels　now　began　demanding　that　the　prisoners　on　both　sides　be
exchangedman　for　manas　far　as　they　went；　and　the　remainder　paroled。
Our　Government　offered　to　exchange　man　for　man；　but　declinedon　account
of　the　previous　bad　faith　of　the　Rebelsto　release　the　balance　on
parole。　　The　Rebels　also　refused　to　make　any　concessions　in　regard　to　the
treatment　of　officers　and　men　of　colored　regiments。

7。　　At　this　juncture　General　B。　F。　Butler　was　appointed　to　the　command　of
the　Department　of　the　Blackwater；　which　made　him　an　ex…officio
Commissioner　of　Exchange。　　The　Rebels　instantly　refused　to　treat　with
him；　on　the　ground　that　he　was　outlawed　by　the　proclamation　of　Jefferson
Davis。　　General　Butler　very　pertinently　replied　that　this　only　placed　him
nearer　their　level；　as　Jefferson　Davis　and　all　associated　with　him　in　the
Rebel　Government　had　been　outlawed　by　the　proclamation　of　President
Lincoln。　　The　Rebels　scorned　to　notice　this　home　thrust　by　the　Union
General。

8。　　On　February　12；　1864；　General　Butler　addressed　a　letter　to　the　Rebel
Commissioner　Ould；　in　which　be　asked；　for　the　sake　of　humanity；　that　the
questions　interrupting　the　exchange　be　left　temporarily　in　abeyance　while
an　informal　exchange　was　put　in　operation。　　He　would　send　five　hundred
prisoners　to　City　Point；　let　them　be　met　by　a　similar　number　of　Union
prisoners。　　This　could　go　on　from　day　to　day　until　all　in　each　other's
hands　should　be　transferred　to　their　respective　flags。

The　five　hundred　sent　with　the　General's　letter　were　received；　and　five
hundred　Union　prisoners　returned　for　them。　　Another　five　hundred；　sent
the　next　day；　were　refused；　and　so　this　reasonable　and　humane　proposition
ended　in　nothing。

This　was　the　condition　of　affairs　in　February；　1864；　when　the　Rebel
authorities　concluded　to　send　us　to　Andersonville。　　If　the　reader　will
fix　these　facts　in　his　minds　I　will　explain　other　phases　as　they　develop。




CHAPTER　XL

PUTTING　IN　THE　TIMERATIONSCOOKING　UTENSILS〃FIAT　SOUP〃SPOONING〃
AFRICAN　NEWSPAPER　VENDERSTRADING　GREENBACKS　FOR　CONFEDERATE　MONEY
VISIT　FROM　JOHN　MORGAN。

The　Winter　days　passed　on；　one　by　one；　after　the　manner　described　in　a
former　chapter；the　mornings　in　ill…nature　hunger；　the　afternoons　and
evenings　in　tolerable　comfort。　　The　rations　kept　growing　lighter　and
lighter；　the　quantity　of　bread　remained　the　same；　but　the　meat
diminished；　and　occasional　days　would　pass　without　any　being　issued。
Then　we　receive　a　pint　or　less　of　soup　made　from　the　beans　or　peas　before
mentioned；　but　this；　too；　suffered　continued　change；　in　the　gradually
increasing　proportion　of　James　River　water；　and　decreasing　of　that　of　the
beans。

The　water　of　the　James　River　is　doubtless　excellent：　it　looks　wellat　a
distanceand　is　said　to　serve　the　purposes　of　ablution　and　navigation
admirably。　　There　seems　to　be　a　limit　however；　to　the　extent　of　its
advantageous　combination　with　the　bean　（or　pea）　for　nutritive　purposes。
This；　though；　was　or　view　of　the　case；　merely；　and　not　shared　in　to　any
appreciably　extent　by　the　gentlemen　who　were　managing　our　boarding　house。
We　seemed　to　view　the　matter　through　allopathic　spectacles；　they　through
homoeopathic　lenses。　　We　thought　that　the　atomic　weight　of　peas　（or
beans）　and　the　James　River　fluid　were　about　equal；　which　would　indicate
that　the　proper　combining　proportions　would　be；　say　a　bucket　of　beans　（or
peas）　to　a　bucket　of　water。　　They　held　that　the　nutritive　potency　was
increased　by　the　dilution；　and　the　best　results　were　obtainable　when　the
symptoms　of　hunger　were　combated　by　the　trituration　of　a　bucketful　of　the
peas…beans　with　a　barrel　of　'aqua　jamesiana。'

My　first　experience　with　this　〃flat〃　soup　was　very　instructive；　if　not
agreeable。　　I　had　come　into　prison；　as　did　most　other　prisoners；
absolutely　destitute　of　dishes；　or　cooking　utensils。　　The　well…used；
half…canteen　frying…pan；　the　blackened　quart　cup；　and　the　spoon；　which
formed　the　usual　kitchen　outfit　of　the　cavalryman　in　the　field；　were　in
the　haversack　on　my　saddle；　and　were　lost　to　me　when　I　separated　from　my
horse。　　Now；　when　we　were　told　that　we　were　to　draw　soup；　I　was　in　great
danger　of　losing　my　ration　from　having　no　vessel　in　which　to　receive　it。
There　were　but　few　tin　cups　in　the　prison；　and　these　were；　of　course；
wanted　by　their　owners。　By　great　good　fortune　I　found　an　empty　fruit　can；
holding　about　a　quart。　　I　was　also　lucky　enough　to　find　a　piece　　from
which　to　make　a　bail。　　I　next　manufactured　a　spoon　and　knife　combined
from　a　bit　of　hoop…iron。

These　two　humble　utensils　at　once　placed　myself　and　my　immediate　chums　on
another　plane；　as　far　as　worldly　goods　were　concerned。　　We　were　better
off　than　the　mass；　and　as　well　off　as　the　most　fortunate。　　It　was　a
curious　illustration　of　that　law　of　political　economy　which　teaches　that
so…called　intrinsic　value　is　largely　adventitious。　　Their　possession　gave
us　infinitely　more　consideration　among　our　fellows　than　would　the
possession　of　a　brown…stone　front　in　an　eligible　location；　furnished　with
hot　and　cold　water　throughout；　and　all　the　modern　improvements。　　It　was　a
place　where　cooking　utensils　were　in　demand；　and　title…deeds　to　brown…
stone　fronts　were　not。　　We　were　in　possession　of　something　which　every
one　needed　every　day；　and；　therefore；　were　persons　of　consequence　and
consideration　to　those　around　us　who　were　present　or　prospective
borrowers。

On　our　side　we　obeyed　another　law　of　political　economy：　We　clung　to　our
property　with　unrelaxing　tenacity；　made　the　best　use　of　it　in　our
intercourse　with　our　fellows；　and　only　gave　it　up　after　our　release　and
entry　into　a　land　where　the　plenitude　of　cooking　utensils　of　superior
construction　made　ours　valueless。　　Then　we　flung　them　into　the　sea；　with
little　gratitude　for　the　great　benefit　they　had　been　to　us。　　We　were　more
anxious　to　get　rid　of　the　many　hateful　recollections　clustering　around
them。

But；　to　return　to　the　alleged　soup：　As　I　started　to　drink　my　first　ration
it　seemed　to　me　that　there　was　a　superfluity　of　bugs　upon　its　surface。
Much　as　I　wanted　animal　food；　I　did　not　care　for　fresh　meat　in　that　form。
I　skimmed　them　off　carefully；　so　as　to　lose　as　little　soup　as　possible。
But　the　top　layer　seemed　to　be　underlaid　with　another　equally　dense。
This　was　also　skimmed　off　as　deftly　as　possible。　　But　beneath　this
appeared　another　layer；　which；　when　removed；　showed　still　another；　and　so
on；　until　I　had　scraped　to　the　bottom　of　the　can；　and　the　last　of　the
bugs　went　with　the　last　of　my　soup。　　I　have　before　spoken　of　the
remarkable　bug　fecundity　of　the　beans　（or　peas）。　　This　was　a
demonstration　of　it。　　Every　scouped　out　pea　（or　bean）　which　found　its　way
into　the　soup　bore　inside　of　its　shell　from　ten　to　twenty　of　these　hard…
crusted　little　weevil。　　Afterward　I　drank　my　soup　without　skimming。
It　was　not　that　I　hated　the　weevil　less；　but　that　I　loved　the　soup　more。
It　was　only　another　step　toward　a　closer　conformity　to　that　grand　rule
which　I　have　made　the　guiding　maxim　of　my　life：

'When　I　must；　I　had　better。'

I　recommend　this　to　other　young　men　starting　on　their　career。

The　room　in　which　we　were　was　barely　large　enough　for　all　of　us　to　lie
down　at　once。　　Even　then　it　required　pretty　close　〃spooning〃　together
so　close　in　fact　that　all　sleeping　along　one　side　would　have　to　turn　at
once。　　It　was　funny　to　watch　this　operation。　　All；　for　instance；　would　be
lying　on　their　right　sides。　　They　would　begin　to　get　tired；　and　one　of
the　wearied　ones　would　sing　out　to　the　Sergeant　who　was　in　command　of　the
row

〃Sergeant：　let's　spoon　the　other　way。〃

That　individual　would　reply：

〃All　right。　　Attention　！　　LEFT　SPOON！！　　and　the　whole　line　would　at　once
flop　over　on　their　left　sides。

The　feet　of　the　row　that　slept　along　the　east　wall　on　the　floor　below　us
were　in　a　line　with　the　edge　of　the　outer　door；　and　a　chalk　line　drawn
from　the　crack　between　the　door　and　the　frame　to　the　opposite　wall　would
touch；　say　150　pairs　of　feet。　　They　were　a　noisy　crowd　down　there；　and
one　night　their　noise　so　provoked　the　guard　in　front　of　the　door　that　he
called　out　to　them　to　keep　quiet　or　he　would　fire　in　upon　them。　　They
greeted　this　threat　with　a　chorus　profanely　uncomplimentary　to　the　purity
of　the　guard's　ancestry；　they　did　not　imply　his　descent　a　la　Darwin；　from
the　remote　monkey；　but　more　immediate　generation　by　a　common　domestic
animal。　　The　incensed　Rebel　opened　the　door　wide　enough　to　thrust　his　gun
in；　and　he　fired　directly　down　the　line　of　toes。　　His　piece　was
apparently　loaded　with　buckshot；　and　the　little　balls　must　have　struck
the　legs；　nipped　off　the　toes；　pierced　the　feet；　and　otherwise　slightly
wounded　the　lower　extremities　of　fifty　men。　　The　simultaneous　shriek　that
went　up　was　deafening。　　It　was　soon　found　out　that　nobody　had　been　hurt
seriously；　and　there　was　not　a　little　fun　over　the　occurrence。

One　of　the　prisoners　in　Libby　was　Brigadier　General　Neal　Dow；　of　Maine；
who　had　then　a　National　reputation　as　a　Temperance　advocate；　and　the
author　of　the　famous　Maine　Liquor　Law。　　We；　whose　places　were　near　the
front　window；　used　to　see　him　frequently　on　the　street；　accompanied　by　a
guard。　　He　was　allowed；　we　understood；　to　visit　our　sick　in　the　hospital。
His　long；　snowy　beard　and　hair　gave　him　a　venerable　and　commanding
appearance。

Newsboys　seemed　to　be　a　thing　unknown　in　Richmond。　　The　papers　were　sold
on　the　streets　by　negro　men。　　The　one　who　frequented　our　section　with　the
morning　journals　had　a　mellow；　rich　baritone　for　which　we　would　be　glad
to　exchange　the　shrill　cries　of　our　street　Arabs。　　We　long　remembered　him
as　one　of　the　peculiar　features　of　Richmond。　　He　had　one　unvarying
formula　for　proclaiming　his　wares。　　It　ran　in　this　wise：

〃Great　Nooze　in　de　papahs！

〃Great　Nooze　from　Orange　Coaht　House；　Virginny！

〃Great　Nooze　from　Alexandry；　Virginny！

〃Great　Nooze　from　Washington　City！

〃Great　Nooze　from　Chattanoogy；　Tennessee！

〃Great　Nooze　from　Chahlston；　Sou'　Cahlina！

〃Great　Nooze　in　depapahs！〃

It　did　not　matter　to　him　that　the　Rebels　had　not　been　at　some　of　these
places　for　months。　　He　would　not　change　for　such　mere　trifles　as　the
entire　evaporation　of　all　possible　interest　connected　with　Chattanooga
and　Alexandria。　　He　was　a　true　Bourbon　Southernerhe　learned　nothing　and
forgot　nothing。

There　was　a　considerable　trade　driven　between　the　prisoners　and　the　guard
at　the　door。　　This　was　a　very　lucrative　position　for　the　latter；　and　men
of　a　commercial　turn　of　mind　generally　managed　to　get　stationed　there。
The　blockade　had　cut　off　the　Confederacy's　supplies　from　the　outer　world；
and　the　many　trinkets　about　a　man's　person　were　in　good　demand　at　high
prices。　　The　men　of　the　Army　of　the　Potomac；　who　were　paid　regularly；
and