andersonville-第21章

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we　might　have　in　our　pockets；　and；　more　especially；　the　brass　buttons　on
our　uniforms。　　Rebel　soldiers；　like　Indians；　negros　and　other　imperfectly
civilized　people；　were　passionately　fond　of　bright　and　gaudy　things。
A　handful　of　brass　buttons　would　catch　every　one　of　them　as　swiftly　and
as　surely　as　a　piece　of　red　flannel　will　a　gudgeon。　　Our　regular　fee　for
an　escort　for　three　of　us　to　the　woods　was　six　over…coat　or　dress…coat
buttons；　or　ten　or　twelve　jacket　buttons。　　All　in　the　mess　contributed　to
this　fund；　and　the　fuel　obtained　was　carefully　guarded　and　husbanded。

This　manner　of　conducting　the　wood　business　is　a　fair　sample　of　the
management；　or　rather　the　lack　of　it；　of　every　other　detail　of　prison
administration。　　All　the　hardships　we　suffered　from　lack　of　fuel　and
shelter　could　have　been　prevented　without　the　slightest　expense　or
trouble　to　the　Confederacy。　　Two　hundred　men　allowed　to　go　out　on　parole；
and　supplied　with　ages；　would　have　brought　in　from　the　adjacent　woods；
in　a　week's　time；　enough　material　to　make　everybody　comfortable　tents；
and　to　supply　all　the　fuel　needed。

The　mortality　caused　by　the　storm　was；　of　course；　very　great。　　The
official　report　says　the　total　number　in　the　prison　in　March　was　four
thousand　six　hundred　and　three；　of　whom　two　hundred　and　eighty…three
died。

Among　the　first　to　die　was　the　one　whom　we　expected　to　live　longest。
He　was　by　much　the　largest　man　in　prison；　and　was　called；　because　of
this；　〃BIG　JOE。〃　　He　was　a　Sergeant　in　the　Fifth　Pennsylvania　Cavalry；
and　seemed　the　picture　of　health。　　One　morning　the　news　ran　through　the
prison　that　〃Big　Joe　is　dead；〃　and　a　visit　to　his　squad　showed　his　stiff；
lifeless　form；　occupying　as　much　ground　as　Goliath's；　after　his　encounter
with　David。

His　early　demise　was　an　example　of　a　general　law；　the　workings　of　which
few　in　the　army　failed　to　notice。　　It　was　always　the　large　and　strong　who
first　succumbed　to　hardship。　　The　stalwart；　huge…limbed；　toil…inured　men
sank　down　earliest　on　the　march；　yielded　soonest　to　malarial　influences；
and　fell　first　under　the　combined　effects　of　home…sickness；　exposure　and
the　privations　of　army　life。　　The　slender；　withy　boys；　as　supple　and　weak
as　cats；　had　apparently　the　nine　lives　of　those　animals。　　There　were　few
exceptions　to　this　rule　in　the　armythere　were　none　in　Andersonville。
I　can　recall　few　or　no　instances　where　a　large；　strong；　〃hearty〃　man
lived　through　a　few　months　of　imprisonment。　　The　survivors　were
invariably　youths；　at　the　verge　of　manhood；slender；　quick；　active；
medium…statured　fellows；　of　a　cheerful　temperament；　in　whom　one　would
have　expected　comparatively　little　powers　of　endurance。

The　theory　which　I　constructed　for　my　own　private　use　in　accounting　for
this　phenomenon　I　offer　with　proper　diffidence　to　others　who　may　be　in
search　of　a　hypothesis　to　explain　facts　that　they　have　observed。　　It　is
this：

a。　　The　circulation　of　the　blood　maintains　health；　and　consequently　life
by　carrying　away　from　the　various　parts　of　the　body　the　particles　of
worn…out　and　poisonous　tissue；　and　replacing　them　with　fresh；　structure…
building　material。

b。　　The　man　is　healthiest　in　whom　this　process　goes　on　most　freely　and
continuously。

c。　　Men　of　considerable　muscular　power　are　disposed　to　be　sluggish；　the
exertion　of　great　strength　does　not　favor　circulation。　　It　rather　retards
it；　and　disturbs　its　equilibrium　by　congesting　the　blood　in　quantities　in
the　sets　of　muscles　called　into　action。

d。　　In　light；　active　men；　on　the　other　hand；　the　circulation　goes　on
perfectly　and　evenly；　because　all　the　parts　are　put　in　motion；　and　kept
so　in　such　a　manner　as　to　promote　the　movement　of　the　blood　to　every
extremity。　　They　do　not　strain　one　set　of　muscles　by　long　continued
effort；　as　a　strong　man　does；　but　call　one　into　play　after　another。

There　is　no　compulsion　on　the　reader　to　accept　this　speculation　at　any
valuation　whatever。　　There　is　not　even　any　charge　for　it。　　I　will　lay
down　this　simple　axiom：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　No　strong　man；　is　a　healthy　man

from　the　athlete　in　the　circus　who　lifts　pieces　of　artillery　and　catches
cannon　balls；　to　the　exhibition　swell　in　a　country　gymnasium。　　If　my
theory　is　not　a　sufficient　explanation　of　this；　there　is　nothing　to
prevent　the　reader　from　building　up　one　to　suit　him　better。




CHAPTER　XXII。

DIFFERENCE　BETWEEN　ALABAMIANS　AND　GEORGIANSDEATH　OF　〃POLL　PARROTT〃
A　GOOD　JOKE　UPON　THE　GUARDA　BRUTAL　RASCAL。

There　were　two　regiments　guarding　usthe　Twenty…Sixth　Alabama　and　the
Fifty…Fifth　Georgia。　　Never　were　two　regiments　of　the　same　army　more
different。　　The　Alabamians　were　the　superiors　of　the　Georgians　in　every
way　that　one　set　of　men　could　be　superior　to　another。　　They　were　manly；
soldierly；　and　honorable；　where　the　Georgians　were　treacherous　and
brutal。　　We　had　nothing　to　complain　of　at　the　hands　of　the　Alabamians；
we　suffered　from　the　Georgians　everything　that　mean…spirited　cruelty
could　devise。　　The　Georgians　were　always　on　the　look…out　for　something
that　they　could　torture　into　such　apparent　violation　of　orders；　as　would
justify　them　in　shooting　men　down；　the　Alabamians　never　fired　until　they
were　satisfied　that　a　deliberate　offense　was　intended。　　I　can　recall　of
my　own　seeing　at　least　a　dozen　instances　where　men　of　the　Fifty…Fifth
Georgia　Killed　prisoners　under　the　pretense　that　they　were　across　the
Dead　Line；　when　the　victims　were　a　yard　or　more　from　the　Dead　Line；　and
had　not　the　remotest　idea　of　going　any　nearer。

The　only　man　I　ever　knew　to　be　killed　by　one　of　the　Twenty…Sixth　Alabama
was　named　Hubbard；　from　Chicago；　Ills。；　and　a　member　of　the　Thirty…Eighth
Illinois。　　He　had　lost　one　leg；　and　went　hobbling　about　the　camp　on
crutches；　chattering　continually　in　a　loud；　discordant　voice；　saying　all
manner　of　hateful　and　annoying　things；　wherever　he　saw　an　opportunity。
This　and　his　beak…like　nose　gained　for　him　the　name　of　〃Poll　Parrot。〃
His　misfortune　caused　him　to　be　tolerated　where　another　man　would　have
been　suppressed。　　By…and…by　he　gave　still　greater　cause　for　offense　by
his　obsequious　attempts　to　curry　favor　with　Captain　Wirz；　who　took　him
outside　several　times　for　purposes　that　were　not　well　explained。
Finally；　some　hours　after　one　of　Poll　Parrot's　visits　outside；　a　Rebel
officer　came　in　with　a　guard；　and；　proceeding　with　suspicious　directness
to　a　tent　which　was　the　mouth　of　a　large　tunnel　that　a　hundred　men　or
more　had　been　quietly　pushing　forward；　broke　the　tunnel　in；　and　took　the
occupants　of　the　tent　outside　for　punishment。　　The　question　that　demanded
immediate　solution　then　was：

〃Who　is　the　traitor　who　has　informed　the　Rebels？〃

Suspicion　pointed　very　strongly　to　〃Poll　Parrot。〃　　By　the　next　morning
the　evidence　collected　seemed　to　amount　to　a　certainty；　and　a　crowd
caught　the　Parrot　with　the　intention　of　lynching　him。　　He　succeeded　in
breaking　away　from　them　and　ran　under　the　Dead　Line；　near　where　I　was
sitting　in；　my　tent。　　At　first　it　looked　as　if　he　had　done　this　to　secure
the　protection　of　the　guard。　　The　lattera　Twenty…Sixth　Alabamian
ordered　him　out。　　Poll　Parrot　rose　up　on　his　one　leg；　put　his　back
against　the　Dead　Line；　faced　the　guard；　and　said　in　his　harsh；　cackling
voice：

〃No；　I　won't　go　out。　　If　I've　lost　the　confidence　of　my　comrades　I　want
to　die。〃

Part　of　the　crowd　were　taken　back　by　this　move；　and　felt　disposed　to
accept　it　as　a　demonstration　of　the　Parrot's　innocence。　　The　rest　thought
it　was　a　piece　of　bravado；　because　of　his　belief　that　the　Rebels　would
not　injure；　him　after　he　had　served　them。　　They　renewed　their　yells；　the
guard　again　ordered　the　Parrot　out；　but　the　latter；　tearing　open　his
blouse；　cackled　out：

〃No；　I　won't　go；　fire　at　me；　guard。　　There's　my　heart　shoot　me　right
there。〃

There　was　no　help　for　it。　　The　Rebel　leveled　his　gun　and　fired。　　The
charge　struck　the　Parrot's　lower　jaw；　and　carried　it　completely　away；
leaving　his　tongue　and　the　roof　of　his　mouth　exposed。　　As　he　was　carried
back　to　die；　he　wagged　his　tongue　rigorously；　in　attempting　to　speak；　but
it　was　of　no　use。

The　guard　set　his　gun　down　and　buried　his　face　in　his　hands。　　It　was　the
only　time　that　I　saw　a　sentinel　show　anything　but　exultation　at　killing　a
Yankee。

A　ludicrous　contrast　to　this　took　place　a　few　nights　later。　　The　rains
had　ceased；　the　weather　had　become　warmer；　and　our　spirits　rising　with
this　increase　in　the　comfort　of　our　surroundings；　a　number　of　us　were
sitting　around　〃Nosey〃a　boy　with　a　superb　tenor　voicewho　was　singing
patriotic　songs。　　We　were　coming　in　strong　on　the　chorus；　in　a　way　that
spoke　vastly　more　for　our　enthusiasm　for　the　Union　than　our　musical
knowledge。　　〃Nosey〃　sang　the　〃Star　Spangled　Banner；〃　〃The　Battle　Cry　of
Freedom；〃　〃Brave　Boys　are　They；〃　etc。；　capitally；　and　we　threw　our　whole
lungs　into　the　chorus。　　It　was　quite　dark；　and　while　our　noise　was　going
on　the　guards　changed；　new　men　coming　on　duty。　　Suddenly；　bang！　went　the
gun　of　the　guard　in　the　box　about　fifty　feet　away　from　us。　　We　knew　it
was　a　Fifty…Fifth　Georgian；　and　supposed　that；　irritated　at　our　singing；
he　was　trying　to　kill　some　of　us　for　spite。　　At　the　sound　of　the　gun　we
jumped　up　and　scattered。　　As　no　one　gave　the　usual　agonized　yell　of　a
prisoner　when　shot；　we　supposed　the　ball　had　not　taken　effect。　　We　could
hear　the　sentinel　ramming　down　another　cartridge；　hear　him　〃return
rammer；〃　and　cock　his　rifle。　　Again　the　gun　cracked；　and　again　there　was
no　sound　of　anybody　being　hit。　　Again　we　could　hear　the　sentry　churning
down　another　cartridge。　　The　drums　began　beating　the　long　roll　in　the
camps；　and　officers　could　be　heard　turning　the　men　out。　　The　thing　was
becoming　exciting；　and　one　of　us　sang　out　to　the　guard：

〃S…a…y！　　What　the　are　you　shooting　at；　any　how？〃

〃I'm　a　shootin'　at　that　　　Yank　thar　by　the　Dead　Line；　and　by　…
if　you'uns　don't　take　him　in　I'll　blow　the　whole　head　offn　him。〃

〃What　Yank？　　Where's　any　Yank？〃

〃Why；　tharright　thara…standin'　agin　the　Ded　Line。〃

〃Why；　you　Rebel　fool；　that's　a　chunk　of　wood。　　You　can't　get　any　furlough
for　shooting　that！〃

At　this　there　was　a　general　roar　from　the　rest　of　the　camp；　which　the
other　guards　took　up；　and　as　the　Reserves　came　double…quicking　up；　and
learned　the　occasion　of　the　alarm；　they　gave　the　rascal　who　had　been　so
anxious　to　kill　somebody　a　torrent　of　abuse　for　having　disturbed　them。

A　part　of　our　crowd　had　been　out　after　wood　during　the　day；　and　secured　a
piece　of　a　log　as　large　as　two　of　them　could　carry；　and　bringing　it　in；
stood　it　up　near　the　Dead　Line。　　When　the　guard　mounted　to　his　post　he
was　sure　he　saw　a　temerarious　Yankee　in　front　of　him；　and　hastened　to
slay　him。

It　was　an　unusual　good　fortune　that　nobody　was　struck。　　It　was　very　rare
that　the　guards　fired　into　the　prison　without　hitting　at　least　one
person。　　The　Georgia　Reserves；　who　formed　our　guards　later　in　the　season；
were　armed　with　an　old　gun　called　a　Queen　Anne　musket；　altered　to
percussion。　　It　carried　a　bullet　as　big　as　a　large　marble；　and　three　or
four　buckshot。　　When　fired　into　a　group　of　men　it　was　sure　to　bring
several　down。

I　was　standing　one　day　in　the　line　at　the　gate；　waiting　for　a　chance　to
go　out　after　wood。　　A　Fifty…Fifth　Georgia