andersonville-第15章

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estimating　their　character；　and　considering　that　it　was　best　to　trade
them　off　for　a　genuine　Rebel　soldier；　sent　them　in　among　us；　to　be
exchanged　regularly　with　us。　　There　was　not　so　much　good　faith　as　good
policy　shown　by　this。　　It　was　a　matter　of　indifference　to　the　Rebels　how
soon　our　Government　shot　these　deserters　after　getting　them　in　its　hands
again。　　They　were　only　anxious　to　use　them　to　get　their　own　men　back。

The　moment　they　came　into　contact　with　us　our　troubles　began。　　They　stole
whenever　opportunities　offered；　and　they　were　indefatigable　in　making
these　offer；　they　robbed　by　actual　force；　whenever　force　would　avail；
and　more　obsequious　lick…spittles　to　power　never　existedthey　were
perpetually　on　the　look…out　for　a　chance　to　curry　favor　by　betraying
some　plan　or　scheme　to　those　who　guarded　us。

I　saw　one　day　a　queer　illustration　of　the　audacious　side　of　these
fellows'　characters；　and　it　shows　at　the　same　time　how　brazen　effrontery
will　sometimes　get　the　better　of　courage。　　In　a　room　in　an　adjacent
building　were　a　number　of　these　fellows；　and　a　still　greater　number　of
East　Tennesseeans。　　These　latter　were　simple；　ignorant　folks；　but
reasonably　courageous。　　About　fifty　of　them　were　sitting　in　a　group　in
one　corner　of　the　room；　and　near　them　a　couple　or　three　〃N'Yaarkers。〃
Suddenly　one　of　the　latter　said　with　an　oath：

〃I　was　robbed　last　night；　I　lost　two　silver　watches；　a　couple　of　rings；
and　about　fifty　dollars　in　greenbacks。　　I　believe　some　of　you　fellers
went　through　me。〃

This　was　all　pure　invention；　he　no　more　had　the　things　mentioned　than。
he　had　purity　of　heart　and　a　Christian　spirit；　but　the　unsophisticated
Tennesseeans　did　not　dream　of　disputing　his　statement；　and　answered　in
chorus：

〃Oh；　no；　mister；　we　didn't　take　your　things；　we　ain't　that　kind。〃

This　was　like　the　reply　of　the　lamb　to　the　wolf；　in　the　fable；　and　the
N'Yaarker　retorted　with　a　simulated　storm　of　passion；　and　a　torrent　of
oaths：

〃　　I　know　ye　did；　I　know　some　uv　yez　has　got　them；　stand　up　agin
the　wall　there　till　I　search　yez！〃

And　that　whole　fifty　men；　any　one　of　whom　was　physically　equal　to　the
N'Yaarker；　and　his　superior　in　point　of　real　courage；　actually　stood
against　the　wall；　and　submitted　to　being　searched　and　having　taken　from
them　the　few　Confederate　bills　they　had；　and　such　trinkets　as　the
searcher　took　a　fancy　to。

I　was　thoroughly　disgusted。




CHAPTER　XIII。

BELLE　ISLETERRIBLE　SUFFERING　FROM　COLD　AND　HUNGERFATE　OF　LIEUTENANT
BOISSEUX'S　DOGOUR　COMPANY　MYSTERYTERMINATION　OF　ALL　HOPES　OF　ITS
SOLUTION。

In　February　my　chumB。　B。　Andrews；　now　a　physician　in　Astoria；　Illinois
was　brought　into　our　building；　greatly　to　my　delight　and　astonishment；
and　from　him　I　obtained　the　much　desired　news　as　to　the　fate　of　my
comrades。　　He　told　me　they　had　been　sent　to　Belle　Isle；　whither　he　had
gone；　but　succumbing　to　the　rigors　of　that　dreadful　place；　he　had　been
taken　to　the　hospital；　and；　upon　his　convalesence；　placed　in　our　prison。

Our　men　were　suffering　terribly　on　the　island。　　It　was　low；　damp；　and
swept　by　the　bleak；　piercing　winds　that　howled　up　and　down　the　surface　of
the　James。　　The　first　prisoners　placed　on　the　island　had　been　given　tents
that　afforded　them　some　shelter；　but　these　were　all　occupied　when　our
battalion　came　in；　so　that　they　were　compelled　to　lie　on　the　snow　and
frozen　ground；　without　shelter；　covering　of　any　kind；　or　fire。　　During
this　time　the　cold　had　been　so　intense　that　the　James　had　frozen　over
three　times。

The　rations　had　been　much　worse　than　ours。　　The　so…called　soup　had　been
diluted　to　a　ridiculous　thinness；　and　meat　had　wholly　disappeared。
So　intense　became　the　craving　for　animal　food；　that　one　day　when
Lieutenant　Boisseuxthe　Commandantstrolled　into　the　camp　with　his
beloved　white　bull…terrier；　which　was　as　fat　as　a　Cheshire　pig；　the
latter　was　decoyed　into　a　tent；　a　blanket　thrown　over　him；　his　throat　cut
within　a　rod　of　where　his　master　was　standing；　and　he　was　then　skinned；
cut　up；　cooked；　and　furnished　a　savory　meal　to　many　hungry　men。

When　Boisseux　learned　of　the　fate　of　his　four…footed　friend　he　was；
of　course；　intensely　enraged；　but　that　was　all　the　good　it　did　him。
The　only　revenge　possible　was　to　sentence　more　prisoners　to　ride　the
cruel　wooden　horse　which　he　used　as　a　means　of　punishment。

Four　of　our　company　were　already　dead。　　Jacob　Lowry　and　John　Beach　were
standing　near　the　gate　one　day　when　some　one　snatched　the　guard's　blanket
from　the　post　where　he　had　hung　it；　and　ran。　　The　enraged　sentry　leveled
his　gun　and　fired　into　the　crowd。　　The　balls　passed　through　Lowry's　and
Beach's　breasts。　　Then　Charley　Osgood；　son　of　our　Lieutenant；　a　quiet；
fair…haired；　pleasant…spoken　boy；　but　as　brave　and　earnest　as　his　gallant
father；　sank　under　the　combination　of　hunger　and　cold。　　One　stinging
morning　he　was　found　stiff　and　stark；　on　the　hard　ground；　his　bright；
frank　blue　eyes　glazed　over　in　death。

One　of　the　mysteries　of　our　company　was　a　tall；　slender；　elderly
Scotchman；　who　appeared　on　the　rolls　as　William　Bradford。　　What　his　past
life　had　been；　where　he　had　lived；　what　his　profession；　whether　married
or　single；　no　one　ever　knew。　　He　came　to　us　while　in　Camp　of　Instruction
near　Springfield；　Illinois；　and　seemed　to　have　left　all　his　past　behind
him　as　he　crossed　the　line　of　sentries　around　the　camp。　　He　never
received　any　letters；　and　never　wrote　any；　never　asked　for　a　furlough　or
pass；　and　never　expressed　a　wish　to　be　elsewhere　than　in　camp。　　He　was
courteous　and　pleasant；　but　very　reserved。　　He　interfered　with　no　one；
obeyed　orders　promptly　and　without　remark；　and　was　always　present　for
duty。　　Scrupulously　neat　in　dress；　always　as　clean…shaved　as　an　old…
fashioned　gentleman　of　the　world；　with　manners　and　conversation　that
showed　him　to　have　belonged　to　a　refined　and　polished　circle；　he　was
evidently　out　of　place　as　a　private　soldier　in　a　company　of　reckless　and
none…too…refined　young　Illinois　troopers；　but　he　never　availed　himself　of
any　of　the　numerous　opportunities　offered　to　change　his　associations。
His　elegant　penmanship　would　have　secured　him　an　easy　berth　and　better
society　at　headquarters；　but　he　declined　to　accept　a　detail。　　He　became
an　exciting　mystery　to　a　knot　of　us　imaginative　young　cubs；　who　sorted　up
out　of　the　reminiscential　rag…bag　of　high　colors　and　strong　contrasts
with　which　the　sensational　literature　that　we　most　affected　had
plentifully　stored　our　minds；　a　half…dozen　intensely　emotional　careers
for　him。　　We　spent　much　time　in　mentally　trying　these　on；　and　discussing
which　fitted　him　best。　　We　were　always　expecting　a　denouement　that　would
come　like　a　lightning　flash　and　reveal　his　whole　mysterious　past；　showing
him　to　have　been　the　disinherited　scion　of　some　noble　house；　a　man　of
high　station；　who　was　expiating　some　fearful　crime；　an　accomplished
villain　eluding　his　pursuersin　short；　a　Somebody　who　would　be　a　fitting
hero　for　Miss　Braddon's　or　Wilkie　Collins's　literary　purposes。　　We　never
got　but　two　clues　of　his　past；　and　they　were　faint　ones。　　One　day；　he
left　lying　near　me　a　small　copy　of　〃Paradise　Lost；〃　that　he　always
carried　with　him。　　Turning　over　its　leaves　I　found　all　of　Milton's　bitter
invectives　against　women　heavily　underscored。　　Another　time；　while　on
guard　with　him；　he　spent　much　of　his　time　in　writing　some　Latin　verses　in
very　elegant　chirography　upon　the　white　painted　boards　of　a　fence　along
which　his　beat　ran。　　We　pressed　in　all　the　available　knowledge　of　Latin
about　camp；　and　found　that　the　tenor　of　the　verses　was　very
uncomplimentary　to　that　charming　sex　which　does　us　the　honor　of　being　our
mothers　and　sweethearts。　　These　evidences　we　accepted　as　sufficient
demonstration　that　there　was　a　woman　at　the　bottom　of　the　mystery；　and
made　us　more　impatient　for　further　developments。　　These　were　never　to
come。　　Bradford　pined　away　an　Belle　Isle；　and　grew　weaker；　but　no　less
reserved；　each　day。　　At　length；　one　bitter　cold　night　ended　it　all。
He　was　found　in　the　morning　stone　dead；　with　his　iron…gray　hair　frozen
fast　to　the　ground；　upon　which　he　lay。　　Our　mystery　had　to　remain
unsolved。　　There　was　nothing　about　his　person　to　give　any　hint　as　to　his
past。




CHAPTER　XIV。

HOPING　FOR　EXCHANGEAN　EXPOSITION　OF　THE　DOCTRINE　OF　CHANCES
OFF　FOR　ANDERSONVILLEUNCERTAINTY　AS　TO　OUR　DESTINATIONARRIVAL　AT
ANDERSONVILLE。

As　each　lagging　day　closed；　we　confidently　expected　that　the　next　would
bring　some　news　of　the　eagerly…desired　exchange。　　We　hopefully　assured
each　other　that　the　thing　could　not　be　delayed　much　longer；　that　the
Spring　was　near；　the　campaign　would　soon　open；　and　each　government　would
make　an　effort　to　get　all　its　men　into　the　field；　and　this　would　bring
about　a　transfer　of　prisoners。　　A　Sergeant　of　the　Seventh　Indiana
Infantry　stated　his　theory　to　me　this　way：

〃You　know　I'm　just　old　lightnin'　on　chuck…a…luck。　　Now　the　way　I　bet　is
this：　I　lay　down；　say　on　the　ace；　an'　it　don't　come　up；　I　just　double　my
bet　on　the　ace；　an'　keep　on　doublin'　every　time　it　loses；　until　at　last
it　comes　up　an'　then　I　win　a　bushel　o'　money；　and　mebbe　bust　the　bank。
You　see　the　thing's　got　to　come　up　some　time；　an'　every　time　it　don't
come　up　makes　it　more　likely　to　come　up　the　next　time。　　It's　just　the
same　way　with　this　'ere　exchange。　　The　thing's　got　to　happen　some　day；
an'　every　day　that　it　don't　happen　increases　the　chances　that　it　will
happen　the　next　day。〃

Some　months　later　I　folded　the　sanguine　Sergeant's　stiffening　hands
together　across　his　fleshless　ribs；　and　helped　carry　his　body　out　to　the
dead…house　at　Andersonville；　in　order　to　get　a　piece　of　wood　to　cook　my
ration　of　meal　with。

On　the　evening　of　the　17th　of　February；　1864；　we　were　ordered　to　get
ready　to　move　at　daybreak　the　next　morning。　　We　were　certain　this　could
mean　nothing　else　than　exchange；　and　our　exaltation　was　such　that　we　did
little　sleeping　that　night。　　The　morning　was　very　cold；　but　we　sang　and
joked　as　we　marched　over　the　creaking　bridge；　on　our　way　to　the　cars。
We　were　packed　so　tightly　in　these　that　it　was　impossible　to　even　sit
down；　and　we　rolled　slow　ly　away　after　a　wheezing　engine　to　Petersburg；
whence　we　expected　to　march　to　the　exchange　post。　　We　reached　Petersburg
before　noon；　and　the　cars　halted　there　along　time；　we　momentarily
expecting　an　order　to　get　out。　　Then　the　train　started　up　and　moved　out
of　the　City　toward　the　southeast。　　This　was　inexplicable；　but　after　we
had　proceeded　this　way　for　several　hours　some　one　conceived　the　idea　that
the　Rebels；　to　avoid　treating　with　Butler；　were　taking　us　into　the
Department　of　some　other　commander　to　exchange　us。　　This　explanation
satisfied　us；　and　our　spirits　rose　again。

Night　found　us　at　Gaston；　N。　C。；　where　we　received　a　few　crackers　for
rations；　and　changed　cars。　　It　was　dark；　and　we　resorted　to　a　little
strategy　to　secure　more　room。　　About　thirty　of　us　got　into　a　tight　box
car；　and　immediately　announced　that　it　was　too　full　to　admit　any　more。
When　an　officer　came　along　with　another　squad　to　stow　away；　we　would　yell
out　to　him　to　take　some　of　the　men　out；　as　we　were　crowded　unbearably。
In　the　mean　time　everybody　in　the　car　would　pack　closely　around　the　door；
so　as　to　give