andersonville-第19章

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then　an　order　was　issued　that　if　this　was　crossed；　or　even　touched；　the
guards　would　fire　upon　the　offender　without　warning。

Our　surveyor　figured　up　this　new　contraction　of　our　space；　and　came　to
the　conclusion　that　the　Dead　Line　and　the　Swamp　took　up　about　three
acres；　and　we　were　left　now　only　thirteen　acres。　　This　was　not　of　much
consequence　then；　however；　as　we　still　had　plenty　of　room。

The　first　man　was　killed　the　morning　after　the　Dead…Line　was　put　up。
The　victim　vas　a　German；　wearing　the　white　crescent　of　the　Second
Division　of　the　Eleventh　Corps；　whom　we　had　nicknamed　〃Sigel。〃　　Hardship
and　exposure　had　crazed　him；　and　brought　on　a　severe　attack　of　St。
Vitus's　dance。　　As　he　went　hobbling　around　with　a　vacuous　grin　upon　his
face；　he　spied　an　old　piece　of　cloth　lying　on　the　ground　inside　the　Dead
Line。　　He　stooped　down　and　reached　under　for　it。　　At　that　instant　the
guard　fired。　　The　charge　of　ball…and…buck　entered　the　poor　old　fellow's
shoulder　and　tore　through　his　body。　　He　fell　dead；　still　clutching　the
dirty　rag　that　had　cost　him　his　Life。




CHAPTER　XIX。

CAPT。　HENRI　WIRZSOME　DESCRIPTION　OF　A　SMALL…MINDED　PERSONAGE；　WHO
GAINED　GREAT　NOTORIETYFIRST　EXPERIENCE　WITH　HIS　DISCIPLINARY　METHOD。

The　emptying　of　the　prisons　at　Danville　and　Richmond　into　Andersonville
went　on　slowly　during　the　month　of　March。　　They　came　in　by　train　loads　of
from　five　hundred　to　eight　hundred；　at　intervals　of　two　or　three　days。
By　the　end　of　the　month　there　were　about　five　thousand　in　the　stockade。
There　was　a　fair　amount　of　space　for　this　number；　and　as　yet　we　suffered
no　inconvenience　from　our　crowding；　though　most　persons　would　fancy　that
thirteen　acres　of　ground　was　a　rather　limited　area　for　five　thousand　men
to　live；　move　and　have　their　being　a　upon。　　Yet　a　few　weeks　later　we　were
to　see　seven　times　that　many　packed　into　that　space。

One　morning　a　new　Rebel　officer　came　in　to　superintend　calling　the　roll。
He　was　an　undersized；　fidgety　man；　with　an　insignificant　face；　and　a
mouth　that　protruded　like　a　rabbit's。　　His　bright　little　eyes；　like　those
of　a　squirrel　or　a　rat；　assisted　in　giving　his　countenance　a　look　of
kinship　to　the　family　of　rodent　animalsa　genus　which　lives　by　stealth
and　cunning；　subsisting　on　that　which　it　can　steal　away　from　stronger　and
braver　creatures。　　He　was　dressed　in　a　pair　of　gray　trousers；　with　the
other　part　of　his　body　covered　with　a　calico　garment；　like　that　which
small　boys　used　to　wear；　called　〃waists。〃　　This　was　fastened　to　the
pantaloons　by　buttons；　precisely　as　was　the　custom　with　the　garments　of
boys　struggling　with　the　orthography　of　words　in　two　syllables。　　Upon　his
head　was　perched　a　little　gray　cap。　　Sticking　in　his　belt；　and　fastened
to　his　wrist　by　a　strap　two　or　three　feet　long；　was　one　of　those
formidable　looking；　but　harmless　English　revolvers；　that　have　ten　barrels
around　the　edge　of　the　cylinder；　and　fire　a　musket…bullet　from　the
center。　　The　wearer　of　this　composite　costume；　and　bearer　of　this　amateur
arsenal；　stepped　nervously　about　and　sputtered　volubly　in　very　broken
English。　　He　said　to　Wry…Necked　Smith：

〃Py　Gott；　you　don't　vatch　dem　dam　Yankees　glose　enough！　　Dey　are
schlippin'　rount；　and　peatin'　you　efery　dimes。〃

This　was　Captain　Henri　Wirz；　the　new　commandant　of　the　interior　of　the
prison。　　There　has　been　a　great　deal　of　misapprehension　of　the　character
of　Wirz。　　He　is　usually　regarded　as　a　villain　of　large　mental　caliber；
and　with　a　genius　for　cruelty。　　He　was　nothing　of　the　kind。　　He　was
simply　contemptible；　from　whatever　point　of　view　he　was　studied。　　Gnat…
brained；　cowardly；　and　feeble　natured；　he　had　not　a　quality　that
commanded　respect　from　any　one　who　knew　him。　　His　cruelty　did　not　seem
designed　so　much　as　the　ebullitions　of　a　peevish；　snarling　little　temper；
united　to　a　mind　incapable　of　conceiving　the　results　of　his　acts；　or
understanding　the　pain　he　was　Inflicting。

I　never　heard　anything　of　his　profession　or　vocation　before　entering　the
army。　　I　always　believed；　however；　that　he　had　been　a　cheap　clerk　in　a
small　dry…goods　store；　a　third　or　fourth　rate　book…keeper；　or　something
similar。　　Imagine；　if　you　please；　one　such；　who　never　had　brains　or　self…
command　sufficient　to　control　himself；　placed　in　command　of　thirty…five
thousand　men。　　Being　a　fool　he　could　not　help　being　an　infliction　to
them；　even　with　the　best　of　intentions；　and　Wirz　was　not　troubled　with
good　intentions。

I　mention　the　probability　of　his　having　been　a　dry…goods　clerk　or　book…
keeper；　not　with　any　disrespect　to　two　honorable　vocations；　but　because
Wirz　had　had　some　training　as　an　accountant；　and　this　was　what　gave　him
the　place　over　us。　　Rebels；　as　a　rule；　are　astonishingly　ignorant　of
arithmetic　and　accounting；　generally。　　They　are　good　shots；　fine
horsemen；　ready　speakers　and　ardent　politicians；　but；　like　all
noncommercial　people；　they　flounder　hopelessly　in　what　people　of　this
section　would　consider　simple　mathematical　processes。　　One　of　our
constant　amusements　was　in　befogging　and　〃beating〃　those　charged　with
calling　rolls　and　issuing　rations。　　It　was　not　at　all　difficult　at　times
to　make　a　hundred　men　count　as　a　hundred　and　ten；　and　so　on。

Wirz　could　count　beyond　one　hundred；　and　this　determined　his　selection
for　the　place。　　His　first　move　was　a　stupid　change。　　We　had　been　grouped
in　the　natural　way　into　hundreds　and　thousands。　　He　re…arranged　the　men
in　〃squads〃　of　ninety；　and　three　of　thesetwo　hundred　and　seventy　men
into　a　〃detachment。〃　　The　detachments　were　numbered　in　order　from　the
North　Gate；　and　the　squads　were　numbered　〃one；　two；　three。〃　　On　the　rolls
this　was　stated　after　the　man's　name。　　For　instance；　a　chum　of　mine；　and
in　the　same　squad　with　me；　was　Charles　L。　Soule；　of　the　Third　Michigan
Infantry。　　His　name　appeared　on　the　rolls：

〃Chas。　L。　Soule；　priv。　　Co。　E；　8d　Mich。　　Inf。；　1…2。〃

That　is；　he　belonged　to　the　Second　Squad　of　the　First　Detachment。

Where　Wirz　got　his；　preposterous　idea　of　organization　from　has　always
been　a　mystery　to　me。　　It　was　awkward　in　every　wayin　drawing　rations；
counting；　dividing　into　messes；　etc。

Wirz　was　not　long　in　giving　us　a　taste　of　his　quality。　　The　next　morning
after　his　first　appearance　he　came　in　when　roll…call　was　sounded；　and
ordered　all　the　squads　and　detachments　to　form；　and　remain　standing　in
ranks　until　all　were　counted。　　Any　soldier　will　say　that　there　is　no　duty
more　annoying　and　difficult　than　standing　still　in　ranks　for　any
considerable　length　of　time；　especially　when　there　is　nothing　to　do　or　to
engage　the　attention。　　It　took　Wirz　between　two　and　three　hours　to　count
the　whole　camp；　and　by　that　time　we　of　the　first　detachments　were　almost
all　out　of　ranks。　　Thereupon　Wirz　announced　that　no　rations　would　be
issued　to　the　camp　that　day。〃　　The　orders　to　stand　in　ranks　were　repeated
the　next　morning；　with　a　warning　that　a　failure　to　obey　would　be　punished
as　that　of　the　previous　day　had　been。　　Though　we　were　so　hungry；　that；
to　use　the　words　of　a　Thirty…Fifth　Pennsylvanian　standing　next　to　mehis
〃big　intestines　were　eating　his　little　ones　up；〃　it　was　impossible　to
keep　the　rank　formation　during　the　long　hours。　　One　man　after　another
straggled　away；　and　again　we　lost　our　rations。　　That　afternoon　we　became
desperate。　　Plots　were　considered　for　a　daring　assault　to　force　the　gates
or　scale　the　stockade。　　The　men　were　crazy　enough　to　attempt　anything
rather　than　sit　down　and　patiently　starve。　　Many　offered　themselves　as
leaders　in　any　attempt　that　it　might　be　thought　best　to　make。　　The
hopelessness　of　any　such　venture　was　apparent；　even　to　famished　men；
and　the　propositions　went　no　farther　than　inflammatory　talk。

The　third　morning　the　orders　were　again　repeated。　　This　time　we　succeeded
in　remaining　in　ranks　in　such　a　manner　as　to　satisfy　Wirz；　and　we　were
given　our　rations　for　that　day；　but　those　of　the　other　days　were
permanently　withheld。

That　afternoon　Wirz　ventured　into　camp　alone。　　He　vas　assailed　with　a
storm　of　curses　and　execrations；　and　a　shower　of　clubs。　　He　pulled　out
his　revolver；　as　if　to　fire　upon　his　assailants。　　A　yell　was　raised　to
take　his　pistol　away　from　him　and　a　crowd　rushed　forward　to　do　this。
Without　waiting　to　fire　a　shot；　he　turned　and　ran　to　the　gate　for　dear
life。　　He　did　not　come　in　again　for　a　long　while；　and　never　afterward
without　a　retinue　of　guards。




CHAPTER　XX。

PRIZE…FIGHT　AMONG　THE　N'YAARKERSA　GREAT　MANY　FORMALITIES；　AND　LITTLE
BLOOD　SPILTA　FUTILE　ATTEMPT　TO　RECOVER　A　WATCHDEFEAT　OF　THE　LAW　AND
ORDER　PARTY。

One　of　the　train…loads　from　Richmond　was　almost　wholly　made　up　of　our　old
acquaintancesthe　N'Yaarkers。　　The　number　of　these　had　swelled　to　four
hundred　or　five　hundredall　leagued　together　in　the　fellowship　of　crime。

We　did　not　manifest　any　keen　desire　for　intimate　social　relations　with
them；　and　they　did　not　seem　to　hunger　for　our　society；　so　they　moved
across　the　creek　to　the　unoccupied　South　Side；　and　established　their　camp
there；　at　a　considerable　distance　from　us。

One　afternoon　a　number　of　us　went　across　to　their　camp；　to　witness　a
fight　according　to　the　rules　of　the　Prize　Ring；　which　was　to　come　off
between　two　professional　pugilists。　　These　were　a　couple　of　bounty…
jumpers　who　had　some　little　reputation　in　New　York　sporting　circles；
under　the　names　of　the　〃Staleybridge　Chicken〃　and　the　〃Haarlem　Infant。〃

On　the　way　from　Richmond　a　cast…iron　skillet；　or　spider；　had　been　stolen
by　the　crowd　from　the　Rebels。　　It　was　a　small　affair；　holding　a　half
gallon；　and　worth　to…day　about　fifty　cents。　　In　Andersonville　its　worth
was　literally　above　rubies。　　Two　men　belonging　to　different　messes　each
claimed　the　ownership　of　the　utensil；　on　the　ground　of　being　most　active
in　securing　it。　　Their　claims　were　strenuously　supported　by　their
respective　messes；　at　the　heads　of　which　were　the　aforesaid　Infant　and
Chicken。　　A　great　deal　of　strong　talk；　and　several　indecisive　knock…downs
resulted　in　an　agreement　to　settle　the　matter　by　wager　of　battle　between
the　Infant　and　Chicken。

When　we　arrived　a　twenty…four　foot　ring　had　been　prepared　by　drawing　a
deep　mark　in　the　sand。　　In　diagonally　opposite　corners　of　these　the
seconds　were　kneeling　on　one　knee　and　supporting　their　principals　on　the
other　by　their　sides　they　had　little　vessels　of　water；　and　bundles　of
rags　to　answer　for　sponges。　　Another　corner　was　occupied　by　the　umpire；
a　foul…mouthed；　loud…tongued　Tombs　shyster；　named　Pete　Bradley。　　A　long…
bodied；　short…legged　hoodlum；　nick…named　〃Heenan；〃　armed　with　a　club；
acted　as　ring　keeper；　and　〃belted〃　back；　remorselessly；　any　of　the
spectators　who　crowded　over　the　line。　　Did　he　see　a　foot　obtruding　itself
so　much　as　an　inch　over　the　mark　in　the　sandand　the　pressure　from　the
crowd　behind　was　so　great　that　it　was　difficult　for　the　front　fellows　to
keep　off　the　linehis　heavy　club　and　a　blasting　curse　would　fall　upon
the　offender　simultaneously。

Every　effort　was　made　to　have　all　things　conform　as　nearly　as　possible　to
the　recognized　practices　of　the　〃London　Prize　Ring。〃

At　Bradley's　call　of　〃Time！〃　the　principals　would　rise　from　their
seconds'　knees；　advance　briskly　to　the　scratch　across　the　center　of　the
ring；　and　spar　away　sharply　for