andersonville-第20章

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seconds'　knees；　advance　briskly　to　the　scratch　across　the　center　of　the
ring；　and　spar　away　sharply　for　a　little　time；　until　one　got　in　a　blow
that　sent　the　other　to　the　ground；　where　he　would　lie　until　his　second
picked　him　up；　carried　him　back；　washed　his　face　off；　and　gave　him　a
drink。　　He　then　rested　until　the　next　call　of　time。

This　sort　of　performance　went　on　for　an　hour　or　more；　with　the　knockdowns
and　other　casualities　pretty　evenly　divided　between　the　two。　　Then　it
became　apparent　that　the　Infant　was　getting　more　than　he　had　storage　room
for。　　His　interest　in　the　skillet　was　evidently　abating；　the　leering　grin
he　wore　upon　his　face　during　the　early　part　of　the　engagement　had
disappeared　long　ago；　as　the　successive　〃hot　ones〃　which　the　Chicken　had
succeeded　in　planting　upon　his　mouth；　put　it　out　of　his　power　to　〃smile
and　smile；〃　〃e'en　though　he　might　still　be　a　villain。〃　　He　began　coming
up　to　the　scratch　as　sluggishly　as　a　hired　man　starting　out　for　his　day's
work；　and　finally　he　did　not　come　up　at　all。　　A　bunch　of　blood　soaked
rags　was　tossed　into　the　air　from　his　corner；　and　Bradley　declared　the
Chicken　to　be　the　victor；　amid　enthusiastic　cheers　from　the　crowd。

We　voted　the　thing　rather　tame。　　In　the　whole　hour　and　a…half　there　was
not　so　much　savage　fighting；　not　so　much　damage　done；　as　a　couple　of
earnest；　but　unscientific　men；　who　have　no　time　to　waste；　will　frequently
crowd　into　an　impromptu　affair　not　exceeding　five　minutes　in　duration。

Our　next　visit　to　the　N'Yaarkers　was　on　a　different　errand。　　The　moment
they　arrived　in　camp　we　began　to　be　annoyed　by　their　depredations。
Blanketsthe　sole　protection　of　menwould　be　snatched　off　as　they　slept
at　night。　　Articles　of　clothing　and　cooking　utensils　would　go　the　same
way；　and　occasionally　a　man　would　be　robbed　in　open　daylight。　　All　these；
it　was　believed；　with　good　reason；　were　the　work　of　the　N'Yaarkers；　and
the　stolen　things　were　conveyed　to　their　camp。　　Occasionally　depredators
would　be　caught　and　beaten；　but　they　would　give　a　signal　which　would
bring　to　their　assistance　the　whole　body　of　N'Yaarkers；　and　turn　the
tables　on　their　assailants。

We　had　in　our　squad　a　little　watchmaker　named　Dan　Martin；　of　the　Eighth
New　York　Infantry。　　Other　boys　let　him　take　their　watches　to　tinker　up；
so　as　to　make　a　show　of　running；　and　be　available　for　trading　to　the
guards。

One　day　Martin　was　at　the　creek；　when　a　N'Yaarker　asked　him　to　let　him
look　at　a　watch。　　Martin　incautiously　did　so；　when　the　N'Yaarker　snatched
it　and　sped　away　to　the　camp　of　his　crowd。　　Martin　ran　back　to　us　and
told　his　story。　　This　was　the　last　feather　which　was　to　break　the　camel's
back　of　our　patience。　　Peter　Bates；　of　the　Third　Michigan；　the　Sergeant
of　our　squad；　had　considerable　confidence　in　his　muscular　ability。
He　flamed　up　into　mighty　wrath；　and　swore　a　sulphurous　oath　that　we　would
get　that　watch　back；　whereupon　about　two　hundred　of　us　avowed　our
willingness　to　help　reclaim　it。

Each　of　us　providing　ourselves　with　a　club；　we　started　on　our　errand。
The　rest　of　the　campabout　four　thousandgathered　on　the　hillside　to
watch　us。　　We　thought　they　might　have　sent　us　some　assistance；　as　it　was
about　as　much　their　fight　as　ours；　but　they　did　not；　and　we　were　too
proud　to　ask　it。　　The　crossing　of　the　swamp　was　quite　difficult。　　Only
one　could　go　over　at　a　time；　and　he　very　slowly。　　The　N'Yaarkers
understood　that　trouble　was　pending；　and　they　began　mustering　to　receive
us。　　From　the　way　they　turned　out　it　was　evident　that　we　should　have　come
over　with　three　hundred　instead　of　two　hundred；　but　it　was　too　late　then
to　alter　the　program。　　As　we　came　up　a　stalwart　Irishman　stepped　out　and
asked　us　what　we　wanted。

Bates　replied：　〃We　have　come　over　to　get　a　watch　that　one　of　your　fellows
took　from　one　of　ours；　and　by　…　we're　going　to　have　it。〃

The　Irishman's　reply　was　equally　explicit　though　not　strictly　logical　in
construction。　　Said　he：　〃We　havn't　got　your　watch；　and　be　ye　can't　have
it。〃

This　joined　the　issue　just　as　fairly　as　if　it　had　been　done　by　all　the
documentary　formula　that　passed　between　Turkey　and　Russia　prior　to　the
late　war。　　Bates　and　the　Irishman　then　exchanged　very　derogatory　opinions
of　each　other；　and　began　striking　with　their　clubs。　　The　rest　of　us　took
this　as　our　cue；　and　each；　selecting　as　small　a　N'Yaarker　as　we　could
readily　find；　sailed　in。

There　is　a　very　expressive　bit　of　slang　coming　into　general　use　in　the
West；　which　speaks　of　a　man　〃biting　off　more　than　he　can　chew。〃

That　is　what　we　had　done。　　We　had　taken　a　contract　that　we　should　have
divided；　and　sub…let　the　bigger　half。　　Two　minutes　after　the　engagement
became　general　there　was　no　doubt　that　we　would　have　been　much　better　off
if　we　had　staid　on　our　own　side　of　the　creek。　　The　watch　was　a　very　poor
one；　anyhow。　　We　thought　we　would　just　say　good　day　to　our　N'Yaark
friends；　and　return　home　hastily。　　But　they　declined　to　be　left　so
precipitately。　　They　wanted　to　stay　with　us　awhile。　　It　was　lots　of　fun
for　them；　and　for　the；　four　thousand　yelling　spectators　on　the　opposite
hill；　who　were　greatly　enjoying　our　discomfiture。　　There　was　hardly
enough　of　the　amusement　to　go　clear　around；　however；　and　it　all　fell
short　just　before　it　reached　us。　　We　earnestly　wished　that　some　of　the
boys　would　come　over　and　help　us　let　go　of　the　N'Yaarkers；　but　they　were
enjoying　the　thing　too　much　to　interfere。

We　were　driven　down　the　hill；　pell…mell；　with　the　N'Yaarkers　pursuing
hotly　with　yell　and　blow。　　At　the　swamp　we　tried　to　make　a　stand　to
secure　our　passage　across；　but　it　was　only　partially　successful。　　Very
few　got　back　without　some　severe　hurts；　and　many　received　blows　that
greatly　hastened　their　deaths。

After　this　the　N'Yaarkers　became　bolder　in　their　robberies；　and　more
arrogant　in　their　demeanor　than　ever；　and　we　had　the　poor　revenge　upon
those　who　would　not　assist　us；　of　seeing　a　reign　of　terror　inaugurated
over　the　whole　camp。




CHAPTER　XXI

DIMINISHING　RATIONSA　DEADLY　COLD　RAINHOVERING　OVER　PITCH　PINE　FIRES
INCREASE　ON　MORTALITYA　THEORY　OF　HEALTH。

The　rations　diminished　perceptibly　day　by　day。　　When　we　first　entered　we
each　received　something　over　a　quart　of　tolerably　good　meal；　a　sweet
potato；　a　piece　of　meat　about　the　size　of　one's　two　fingers；　and
occasionally　a　spoonful　of　salt。　　First　the　salt　disappeared。　　Then　the
sweet　potato　took　unto　itself　wings　and　flew　away；　never　to　return。
An　attempt　was　ostensibly　made　to　issue　us　cow…peas　instead；　and　the
first　issue　was　only　a　quart　to　a　detachment　of　two　hundred　and　seventy
men。　　This　has　two…thirds　of　a　pint　to　each　squad　of　ninety；　and　made　but
a　few　spoonfuls　for　each　of　the　four　messes　in　the　squad。　　When　it　came
to　dividing　among　the　men；　the　beans　had　to　be　counted。　　Nobody　received
enough　to　pay　for　cooking；　and　we　were　at　a　loss　what　to　do　until
somebody　suggested　that　we　play　poker　for　them。　　This　met　general
acceptance；　and　after　that；　as　long　as　beans　were　drawn；　a　large　portion
of　the　day　was　spent　in　absorbing　games　of　〃bluff　〃　and　〃draw；〃　at　a　bean
〃ante；〃　and　no　〃limit。〃

After　a　number　of　hours'　diligent　playing；　some　lucky　or　skillful　player
would　be　in　possession　of　all　the　beans　in　a　mess；　a　squad；　and　sometimes
a　detachment；　and　have　enough　for　a　good　meal。

Next　the　meal　began　to　diminish　in　quantity　and　deteriorate　in　quality。
It　became　so　exceedingly　coarse　that　the　common　remark　was　that　the　next
step　would　be　to　bring　us　the　corn　in　the　shock；　and　feed　it　to　us　like
stock。　　Then　meat　followed　suit　with　the　rest。　　The　rations　decreased　in
size；　and　the　number　of　days　that　we　did　not　get　any；　kept　constantly
increasing　in　proportion　to　the　days　that　we　did；　until　eventually　the
meat　bade　us　a　final　adieu；　and　joined　the　sweet　potato　in　that
undiscovered　country　from　whose　bourne　no　ration　ever　returned。

The　fuel　and　building　material　in　the　stockade　were　speedily　exhausted。
The　later　comers　had　nothing　whatever　to　build　shelter　with。

But；　after　the　Spring　rains　had　fairly　set　in；　it　seemed　that　we　had　not
tasted　misery　until　then。　　About　the　middle　of　March　the　windows　of
heaven　opened；　and　it　began　a　rain　like　that　of　the　time　of　Noah。　　It　was
tropical　in　quantity　and　persistency；　and　arctic　in　temperature。　　For
dreary　hours　that　lengthened　into　weary　days　and　nights；　and　these　again
into　never…ending　weeks；　the　driving；　drenching　flood　poured　down　upon
the　sodden　earth；　searching　the　very　marrow　of　the　five　thousand　hapless
men　against　whose　chilled　frames　it　beat　with　pitiless　monotony；　and
soaked　the　sand　bank　upon　which　we　lay　until　it　was　like　a　sponge　filled
with　ice…water。　　It　seems　to　me　now　that　it　must　have　been　two　or　three
weeks　that　the　sun　was　wholly　hidden　behind　the　dripping　clouds；　not
shining　out　once　in　all　that　time。　　The　intervals　when　it　did　not　rain
were　rare　and　short。　　An　hour's　respite　would　be　followed　by　a　day　of
steady；　regular　pelting　of　the　great　rain　drops。

I　find　that　the　report　of　the　Smithsonian　Institute　gives　the　average
annual　rainfall　in　the　section　around　Andersonville；　at　fifty…six　inches…
nearly　five　feetwhile　that　of　foggy　England　is　only　thirty…two。　　Our
experience　would　lead　me　to　think　that　we　got　the　five　feet　all　at　once。

We　first　comers；　who　had　huts；　were　measurably　better　off　than　the　later
arrivals。　　It　was　much　drier　in　our　leaf…thatched　tents；　and　we　were
spared　much　of　the　annoyance　that　comes　from　the　steady　dash　of　rain
against　the　body　for　hours。

The　condition　of　those　who　had　no　tents　was　truly　pitiable。

They　sat　or　lay　on　the　hill…side　the　live…long　day　and　night；　and　took
the　washing　flow　with　such　gloomy　composure　as　they　could　muster。

All　soldiers　will　agree　with　me　that　there　is　no　campaigning　hardship
comparable　to　a　cold　rain。　　One　can　brace　up　against　the　extremes　of　heat
and　cold；　and　mitigate　their　inclemency　in　various　ways。　　But　there　is　no
escaping　a　long…continued；　chilling　rain。　　It　seems　to　penetrate　to　the
heart；　and　leach　away　the　very　vital　force。

The　only　relief　attainable　was　found　in　huddling　over　little　fires　kept
alive　by　small　groups　with　their　slender　stocks　of　wood。　　As　this　wood
was　all　pitch…pine；　that　burned　with　a　very　sooty　flame；　the　effect　upon
the　appearance　of　the　hoverers　was；　startling。　　Face；　neck　and　hands
became　covered　with　mixture　of　lampblack　and　turpentine；　forming　a
coating　as　thick　as　heavy　brown　paper；　and　absolutely　irremovable　by
water　alone。　　The　hair　also　became　of　midnight　blackness；　and　gummed　up
into　elflocks　of　fantastic　shape　and　effect。　　Any　one　of　us　could　have
gone　on　the　negro　minstrel　stage；　without　changing　a　hair；　and　put　to
blush　the　most　elaborate　make…up　of　the　grotesque　burnt…cork　artists。

No　wood　was　issued　to　us。　　The　only　way　of　getting　it　was　to　stand　around
the　gate　for　hours　until　a　guard　off　duty　could　be　coaxed　or　hired　to
accompany　a　small　party　to　the　woods；　to　bring　back　a　load　of　such　knots
and　limbs　as　could　be　picked　up。　　Our　chief　persuaders　to　the　guards　to
do　us　this　favor　were　rings；　pencils；　knives；　combs；　and　such　trifles　as
we　might　have　in　our　pockets；　and；　more　especially；　the　brass　buttons　on
our　uniforms。　　Rebel