andersonville-第17章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


while　it　enforced　our　ready　submission；　did　not　overawe　us　depressingly；
We　knew　that　though　the　Rebels　were　all　about　us　in　great　force；　our　own
men　were　also　near；　and　in　still　greater　forcethat　while　they　were　very
strong　our　army　was　still　stronger；　and　there　was　no　telling　what　day
this　superiority　of　strength；　might　be　demonstrated　in　such　a　way　as　to
decisively　benefit　us。

But　here　we　felt　as　did　the　Ancient　Mariner：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Alone　on　a　wide；　wide　sea；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　So　lonely　'twas　that　God　himself
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Scarce　seemed　there　to　be。




CHAPTER　XVL

WAKING　UP　IN　ANDERSONVILLESOME　DESCRIPTION　OF　THE　PLACEOUR　FIRST
MAILBUILDING　SHELTERGEN。　WINDERHIMSELF　AND　LINEAGE。

We　roused　up　promptly　with　the　dawn　to　take　a　survey　of　our　new　abiding
place。　　We　found　ourselves　in　an　immense　pen；　about　one　thousand　feet
long　by　eight　hundred　wide；　as　a　young　surveyora　member　of　the　Thirty…
fourth　Ohioinformed　us　after　he　had　paced　it　off。　　He　estimated　that　it
contained　about　sixteen　acres。　　The　walls　were　formed　by　pine　logs
twenty…five　feet　long；　from　two　to　three　feet　in　diameter；　hewn　square；
set　into　the　ground　to　a　depth　of　five　feet；　and　placed　so　close　together
as　to　leave　no　crack　through　which　the　country　outside　could　be　seen。
There　being　five　feet　of　the　logs　in　the　ground；　the　wall　was；　of　course；
twenty　feet　high。　　This　manner　of　enclosure　was　in　some　respects　superior
to　a　wall　of　masonry。　　It　was　equally　unscalable；　and　much　more　difficult
to　undermine　or　batter　down。

The　pen　was　Longest　due　north　and　south。　　It　was！　　divided　in　the　center
by　a　creek　about　a　yard　wide　and　ten　inches　deep；　running　from　west　to
east。　　On　each　side　of　this　was　a　quaking　bog　of　slimy　ooze　one　hundred
and　fifty　feet　wide；　and　so　yielding　that　one　attempting　to　walk　upon　it
would　sink　to　the　waist。　　From　this　swamp　the　sand…hills　sloped　north　and
south　to　the　stockade。　　All　the　trees　inside　the　stockade；　save　two；　had
been　cut　down　and　used　in　its　construction。　　All　the　rank　vegetation　of
the　swamp　had　also　been　cut　off。

There　were　two　entrances　to　the　stockade；　one　on　each　side　of　the　creek；
midway　between　it　and　the　ends；　and　called　respectively　the　〃North　Gate〃
and　the　〃　South　Gate。〃　　These　were　constructed　double；　by　building
smaller　stockades　around　them　on　the　outside；　with　another　set　of　gates。
When　prisoners　or　wagons　with　rations　were　brought　in；　they　were　first
brought　inside　the　outer　gates；　which　were　carefully　secured；　before　the
inner　gates　were　opened。　　This　was　done　to　prevent　the　gates　being
carried　by　a　rush　by　those　confined　inside。

At　regular　intervals　along　the　palisades　were　little　perches；　upon　which
stood　guards；　who　overlooked　the　whole　inside　of　the　prison。

The　only　view　we　had　of　the　outside　was　that　obtained　by　looking　from　the
highest　points　of　the　North　or　South　Sides　across　the　depression　where
the　stockade　crossed　the　swamp。　　In　this　way　we　could　see　about　forty
acres　at　a　time　of　the　adjoining　woodland；　or　say　one　hundred　and　sixty
acres　altogether；　and　this　meager　landscape　had　to　content　us　for　the
next　half　year。

Before　our　inspection　was　finished；　a　wagon　drove　in　with　rations；　and　a
quart　of　meal；　a　sweet　potato　and　a　few　ounces　of　salt　beef　were　issued
to　each　one　of　us。

In　a　few　minutes　we　were　all　hard　at　work　preparing　our　first　meal　in
Andersonville。　　The　debris　of　the　forest　left　a　temporary　abundance　of
fuel；　and　we　had　already　a　cheerful　fire　blazing　for　every　little　squad。
There　were　a　number　of　tobacco　presses　in　the　rooms　we　occupied　in
Richmond；　and　to　each　of　these　was　a　quantity　of　sheets　of　tin；　evidently
used　to　put　between　the　layers　of　tobacco。　　The　deft　hands　of　the
mechanics　among　us　bent　these　up　into　square　pans；　which　were　real　handy
cooking　utensils；　holding　abouta　quart。　　Water　was　carried　in　them　from
the　creek；　the　meal　mixed　in　them　to　a　dough；　or　else　boiled　as　mush　in
the　same　vessels；　the　potatoes　were　boiled；　and　their　final　service　was
to　hold　a　little　meal　to　be　carefully　browned；　and　then　water　boiled　upon
it；　so　as　to　form　a　feeble　imitation　of　coffee。　　I　found　my　education　at
Jonesville　in　the　art　of　baking　a　hoe…cake　now　came　in　good　play；　both
for　myself　and　companions。　　Taking　one　of　the　pieces　of　tin　which　had　not
yet　been　made　into　a　pan；　we　spread　upon　it　a　layer　of　dough　about　a
half…inch　thick。　　Propping　this　up　nearly　upright　before　the　fire；　it　was
soon　nicely　browned　over。　　This　process　made　it　sweat　itself　loose　from
the　tin；　when　it　was　turned　over　and　the　bottom　browned　also。　　Save　that
it　was　destitute　of　salt；　it　was　quite　a　toothsome　bit　of　nutriment　for　a
hungry　man；　and　I　recommend　my　readers　to　try　making　a　〃pone〃　of　this
kind　once；　just　to　see　what　it　was　like。

The　supreme　indifference　with　which　the　Rebels　always　treated　the　matter
of　cooking　utensils　for　us；　excited　my　wonder。　　It　never　seemed　to　occur
to　them　that　we　could　have　any　more　need　of　vessels　for　our　food　than
cattle　or　swine。　　Never；　during　my　whole　prison　life；　did　I　see　so　much
as　a　tin　cup　or　a　bucket　issued　to　a　prisoner。　　Starving　men　were　driven
to　all　sorts　of　shifts　for　want　of　these。　　Pantaloons　or　coats　were
pulled　off　and　their　sleeves　or　legs　used　to　draw　a　mess's　meal　in。
Boots　were　common　vessels　for　carrying　water；　and　when　the　feet　of　these
gave　way　the　legs　were　ingeniously　closed　up　with　pine　pegs；　so　as　to
form　rude　leathern　buckets。　　Men　whose　pocket　knives　had　escaped　the
search　at　the　gates　made　very　ingenious　little　tubs　and　buckets；　and
these　devices　enabled　us　to　get　along　after　a　fashion。

After　our　meal　was　disposed　of；　we　held　a　council　on　the　situation。
Though　we　had　been　sadly　disappointed　in　not　being　exchanged；　it　seemed
that　on　the　whole　our　condition　had　been　bettered。　　This　first　ration　was
a　decided　improvement　on　those　of　the　Pemberton　building；　we　had　left　the
snow　and　ice　behind　at　Richmondor　rather　at　some　place　between　Raleigh；
N。　C。；　and　Columbia；　S。　C。and　the　air　here；　though　chill；　was　not
nipping；　but　bracing。　　It　looked　as　if　we　would　have　a　plenty　of　wood　for
shelter　and　fuel；　it　was　certainly　better　to　have　sixteen　acres　to　roam
over　than　the　stiffing　confines　of　a　building；　and；　still　better；　it
seemed　as　if　there　would　be　plenty　of　opportunities　to　get　beyond　the
stockade；　and　attempt　a　journey　through　the　woods　to　that　blissful　land
〃Our　lines。〃

We　settled　down　to　make　the　best　of　things。　　A　Rebel　Sergeant　came　in
presently　and　arranged　us　in　hundreds。　　We　subdivided　these　into　messes
of　twenty…five；　and　began　devising　means　for　shelter。　　Nothing　showed　the
inborn　capacity　of　the　Northern　soldier　to　take　care　of　himself　better
than　the　way　in　which　we　accomplished　this　with　the　rude　materials　at　our
command。　　No　ax；　spade　nor　mattock　was　allowed　us　by　the　Rebels；　who
treated　us　in　regard　to　these　the　same　as　in　respect　to　culinary　vessels。
The　only　tools　were　a　few　pocket…knives；　and　perhaps　half…a…dozen
hatchets　which　some　infantrymen…principally　members　of　the　Third
Michiganwere　allowed　to　retain。　　Yet；　despite　all　these　drawbacks；　we
had　quite　a　village　of　huts　erected　in　a　few　days；nearly　enough；　in
fact；　to　afford　tolerable　shelter　for　the　whole　five　hundred　of　us　first…
comers。

The　wither　and　poles　that　grew　in　the　swamp　were　bent　into　the　shape　of
the　semi…circular　bows　that　support　the　canvas　covers　of　army　wagons；　and
both　ends　thrust　in　the　ground。　　These　formed　the　timbers　of　our
dwellings。　　They　were　held　in　place　by　weaving　in；　basket…wise；　a　network
of　briers　and　vines。　　Tufts　of　the　long　leaves　which　are　the
distinguishing　characteristic　of　the　Georgia　pine　（popularly　known　as　the
〃long…leaved　pine〃）　were　wrought　into　this　network　until　a　thatch　was
formed；　that　was　a　fair　protection　against　the　rainit　was　like　the
Irishman's　unglazed　window…sash；　which　〃kep'　out　the　coarsest　uv　the
cold。〃

The　results　accomplished　were　as　astonishing　to　us　as　to　the　Rebels；
who　would　have　lain　unsheltered　upon　the　sand　until　bleached　out　like
field…rotted　flax；　before　thinking　to　protect　themselves　in　this　way。
As　our　village　was　approaching　completion；　the　Rebel　Sergeant　who　called
the　roll　entered。　　He　was　very　odd…looking。　　The　cervical　muscles　were
distorted　in　such　a　way　as　to　suggest　to　us　the　name　of　〃Wry…necked
Smith；〃　by　which　we　always　designated　him。　　Pete　Bates；　of　the　Third
Michigan；　who　was　the　wag　of　our　squad；　accounted　for　Smith's　condition
by　saying　that　while　on　dress　parade　once　the　Colonel　of　Smith's　regiment
had　commanded　〃eyes　right；〃　and　then　forgot　to　give　the　order　〃front。〃
Smith；　being　a　good　soldier；　had　kept　his　eyes　in　the　position　of　gazing
at　the　buttons　of　the　third　man　to　the　right；　waiting　for　the　order　to
restore　them　to　their　natural　direction；　until　they　had　become
permanently　fixed　in　their　obliquity　and　he　was　compelled　to　go　through
life　taking　a　biased　view　of　all　things。

Smith　walked　in；　made　a　diagonal　survey　of　the　encampment；　which；　if　he
had　ever　seen　〃Mitchell's　Geography；〃　probably　reminded　him　of　the
picture　of　a　Kaffir　village；　in　that　instructive　but　awfully　dull　book；
and　then　expressed　the　opinion　that　usually　welled　up　to　every　Rebel's
lips：

〃Well；　I'll　be　durned；　if　you　Yanks　don't　just　beat　the　devil。〃

Of　course；　we　replied　with　the　well…worn　prison　joke；　that　we　supposed　we
did；　as　we　beat　the　Rebels；　who　were　worse　than　the　devil。

There　rode　in　among　us；　a　few　days　after　our　arrival；　an　old　man　whose
collar　bore　the　wreathed　stars　of　a　Major　General。　　Heavy　white　locks
fell　from　beneath　his　slouched　hat；　nearly　to　his　shoulders。　　Sunken　gray
eyes；　too　dull　and　cold　to　light　up；　marked　a　hard；　stony　face；　the
salient　feature　of　which　was　a　thin…upped；　compressed　mouth；　with　corners
drawn　down　deeplythe　mouth　which　seems　the　world　over　to　be　the　index
of　selfish；　cruel；　sulky　malignance。　　It　is　such　a　mouth　as　has　the
school…boythe　coward　of　the　play　ground；　who　delights　in　pulling　off
the　wings　of　flies。　　It　is　such　a　mouth　as　we　can　imagine　some
remorseless　inquisitor　to　have　hadthat　is；　not　an　inquisitor　filled
with　holy　zeal　for　what　he　mistakenly　thought　the　cause　of　Christ
demanded；　but　a　spleeny；　envious；　rancorous　shaveling；　who　tortured　men
from　hatred　of　their　superiority　to　him；　and　sheer　love　of　inflicting
pain。

The　rider　was　John　H。　Winder；　Commissary　General　of　Prisoners；
Baltimorean　renegade　and　the　malign　genius　to　whose　account　should　be
charged　the　deaths　of　more　gallant　men　than　all　the　inquisitors　of　the
world　ever　slew　by　the　less　dreadful　rack　and　wheel。　　It　was　he　who　in
August　could　point　to　the　three　thousand　and　eighty…one　new　made　graves
for　that　month；　and　exultingly　tell　his　hearer　that　he　was　〃doing　more
for　the　Confederacy　than　twenty　regiments。〃

His　lineage　was　in　accordance　with　his　character。　　His　father　was　that
General　William　H。　Winder；　whose　poltroonery　at　Bladensburg；　in　1814；
nullified　the　resistance　of　the　gallant　Commodore　Barney；　and　gave
Washington　to　the　British。

The　father　was　a　coward　and　an　incompetent；　the　son；　always　cautiously
distant　from　the　scene　of　hostilities；　was　the　tormentor　of　those　whom
the　fortunes　of　war；　and　the