andersonville-第25章

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feet；　and　his　sinking　nearly　to　his　waist　in　a　hole。　　It　was　very
singular；　but　after　wondering　over　the　matter　for　some　hours；　there　came
a　glimmer　of　suspicion　that　it　might　be；　in　some　way；　connected　with　the
missing　end　of　our　tunnel。　　One　of　us　started　through　on　an　exploring
expedition；　and　confirmed　the　suspicions　by　coming　out　where　the　man　had
broken　through。　　Our　tunnel　was　shaped　like　a　horse　shoe；　and　the
beginning　and　end　were　not　fifteen　feet　apart。　　After　that　we　practised
digging　with　our　left　hand；　and　made　certain　compensations　for　the
tendency　to　the　sinister　side。

Another　trouble　connected　with　tunneling　was　the　number　of　traitors　and
spies　among　us。　　There　were　manyprincipally　among　the　N'Yaarker　crowd
who　were　always　zealous　to　betray　a　tunnel；　in　order　to　curry　favor　with
the　Rebel　officers。　　Then；　again；　the　Rebels　had　numbers　of　their　own　men
in　the　pen　at　night；　as　spies。　　It　was　hardly　even　necessary　to　dress
these　in　our　uniform；　because　a　great　many　of　our　own　men　came　into　the
prison　in　Rebel　clothes；　having　been　compelled　to　trade　garments　with
their　captors。

One　day　in　May；　quite　an　excitement　was　raised　by　the　detection　of　one　of
these　〃tunnel　traitors〃　in　such　a　way　as　left　no　doubt　of　his　guilt。
At　first　everybody　vas　in　favor　of　killing　him；　and　they　actually　started
to　beat　him　to　death。　　This　was　arrested　by　a　proposition　to　〃have
Captain　Jack　tattoo　him；〃　and　the　suggestion　was　immediately　acted　upon。

〃Captain　Jack〃　was　a　sailor　who　had　been　with　us　in　the　Pemberton
building　at　Richmond。　　He　was　a　very　skilful　tattoo　artist；　but；　I　am
sure；　could　make　the　process　nastier　than　any　other　that　I　ever　saw
attempt　it。　　He　chewed　tobacco　enormously。　　After　pricking　away　for　a　few
minutes　at　the　design　on　the　arm　or　some　portion　of　the　body；　he　would
deluge　it　with　a　flood　of　tobacco　spit；　which；　he　claimed；　acted　as　a
kind　of　mordant。　　Piping　this　off　with　a　filthy　rag；　he　would　study　the
effect　for　an　instant；　and　then　go　ahead　with　another　series　of　prickings
and　tobacco　juice　drenchings。

The　tunnel…traitor　was　taken　to　Captain　Jack。　　That　worthy　decided　to
brand　him　with　a　great　〃T；〃　the　top　part　to　extend　across　his　forehead
and　the　stem　to　run　down　his　nose。　　Captain　Jack　got　his　tattooing　kit
ready；　and　the　fellow　was　thrown　upon　the　ground　and　held　there。　　The
Captain　took　his　head　between　his　legs；　and　began　operations。　　After　an
instant's　work　with　the　needles；　he　opened　his　mouth；　and　filled　the
wretch's　face　and　eyes　full　of　the　disgusting　saliva。　　The　crowd　round
about　yelled　with　delight　at　this　new　process。　　For　an　hour；　that　was
doubtless　an　eternity　to　the　rascal　undergoing　branding；　Captain　Jack
continued　his　alternate　pickings　and　drenchings。　　At　the　end　of　that　time
the　traitor's　face　was　disfigured　with　a　hideous　mark　that　he　would　bear
to　his　grave。　　We　learned　afterwards　that　he　was　not　one　of　our　men；　but
a　Rebel　spy。　　This　added　much　to　our　satisfaction　with　the　manner　of　his
treatment。　　He　disappeared　shortly　after　the　operation　was　finished；
being；　I　suppose；　taken　outside。　　I　hardly　think　Captain　Jack　would　be
pleased　to　meet　him　again。




CHAPTER　XXVII。

THE　HOUNDS；　AND　THE　DIFFICULTIES　THEY　PUT　IN　THE　WAY　OF　ESCAPE
THE　WHOLE　SOUTH　PATROLLED　BY　THEM。

Those　who　succeeded；　one　way　or　another；　in　passing　the　Stockade　limits；
found　still　more　difficulties　lying　between　them　and　freedom　than　would
discourage　ordinarily　resolute　men。　　The　first　was　to　get　away　from　the
immediate　vicinity　of　the　prison。　　All　around　were　Rebel　patrols；　pickets
and　guards；　watching　every　avenue　of　egress。　　Several　packs　of　hounds
formed　efficient　coadjutors　of　these；　and　were　more　dreaded　by　possible
〃escapes；〃　than　any　other　means　at　the　command　of　our　jailors。　　Guards
and　patrols　could　be　evaded；　or　circumvented；　but　the　hounds　could　not。
Nearly　every　man　brought　back　from　a　futile　attempt　at　escape　told　the
same　story：　he　had　been　able　to　escape　the　human　Rebels；　but　not　their
canine　colleagues。　　Three　of　our　detachmentmembers　of　the　Twentieth
Indianahad　an　experience　of　this　kind　that　will　serve　to　illustrate
hundreds　of　others。　　They　had　been　taken　outside　to　do　some　work　upon　the
cook…house　that　was　being　built。　　A　guard　was　sent　with　the　three　a
little　distance　into　the　woods　to　get　a　piece　of　timber。　　The　boys
sauntered；　along　carelessly　with　the　guard；　and　managed　to　get　pretty
near　him。　　As　soon　as　they　were　fairly　out　of　sight　of　the　rest；　the
strongest　of　themTom　Williamssnatched　the　Rebel's　gun　away　from　him；
and　the　other　two　springing　upon　him　as　swift　as　wild　cats；　throttled
him；　so　that　he　could　not　give　the　alarm。　　Still　keeping　a　hand　on　his
throat；　they　led　him　off　some　distance；　and　tied　him　to　a　sapling　with
strings　made　by　tearing　up　one　of　their　blouses。　　He　was　also　securely
gagged；　and　the　boys；　bidding　him　a　hasty；　but　not　specially　tender；
farewell；　struck　out；　as　they　fondly　hoped；　for　freedom。　　It　was　not　long
until　they　were　missed；　and　the　parties　sent　in　search　found　and　released
the　guard；　who　gave　all　the　information　he　possessed　as　to　what　had
become　of　his　charges。　　All　the　packs　of　hounds；　the　squads　of　cavalry；
and　the　foot　patrols　were　sent　out　to　scour　the　adjacent　country。
The　Yankees　kept　in　the　swamps　and　creeks；　and　no　trace　of　them　was　found
that　afternoon　or　evening。　　By　this　time　they　were　ten　or　fifteen　miles
away；　and　thought　that　they　could　safely　leave　the　creeks　for　better
walking　on　the　solid　ground。　　They　had　gone　but　a　few　miles；　when　the
pack　of　hounds　Captain　Wirz　was　with　took　their　trail；　and　came　after
them　in　full　cry。　　The　boys　tried　to　ran；　but；　exhausted　as　they　were；
they　could　make　no　headway。　　Two　of　them　were　soon　caught；　but　Tom
Williams；　who　was　so　desperate　that　he　preferred　death　to　recapture；
jumped　into　a　mill…pond　near　by。　　When　he　came　up；　it　was　in　a　lot　of
saw　logs　and　drift　wood　that　hid　him　from　being　seen　from　the　shore。
The　dogs　stopped　at　the　shore；　and　bayed　after　the　disappearing　prey。
The　Rebels　with　them；　who　had　seen　Tom　spring　in；　came　up　and　made　a
pretty　thorough　search　for　him。　　As　they　did　not　think　to　probe　around
the　drift　wood　this　was　unsuccessful；　and　they　came　to　the　conclusion
that　Tom　had　been　drowned。　　Wirz　marched　the　other　two　back　and；　for　a
wonder；　did　not　punish　them；　probably　because　he　was　so　rejoiced　at　his
success　in　capturing　them。　　He　was　beaming　with　delight　when　he　returned
them　to　our　squad；　and　said；　with　a　chuckle：

〃Brisoners；　I　pring　you　pack　two　of　dem　tam　Yankees　wat　got　away
yesterday；　unt　I　run　de　oder　raskal　into　a　mill…pont　and　trowntet　him。〃

What　was　our　astonishment；　about　three　weeks　later；　to　see　Tom；　fat　and
healthy；　and　dressed　in　a　full　suit　of　butternut；　come　stalking　into　the
pen。　　He　had　nearly　reached　the　mountains；　when　a　pack　of　hounds；
patrolling　for　deserters　or　negros；　took　his　trail；　where　he　had　crossed
the　road　from　one　field　to　another；　and　speedily　ran　him　down。　　He　had
been　put　in　a　little　country　jail；　and　well　fed　till　an　opportunity
occurred　to　send　him　back。　　This　patrolling　for　negros　and　deserters　was
another　of　the　great　obstacles　to　a　successful　passage　through　the
country。　　The　rebels　had　put；　every　able…bodied　white　man　in　the　ranks；
and　were　bending　every　energy　to　keep　him　there。　　The　whole　country　was
carefully　policed　by　Provost　Marshals　to　bring　out　those　who　were
shirking　military　duty；　or　had　deserted　their　colors；　and　to　check　any
movement　by　the　negros。　　One　could　not　go　anywhere　without　a　pass；　as
every　road　was　continually　watched　by　men　and　hounds。　　It　was　the　policy
of　our　men；　when　escaping；　to　avoid　roads　as　much　as　possible　by
traveling　through　the　woods　and　fields。

From　what　I　saw　of　the　hounds；　and　what　I　could　learn　from　others；
I　believe　that　each　pack　was　made　up　of　two　bloodhounds　and　from　twenty…
five　to　fifty　other　dogs；　The　bloodhounds　were　debased　descendants　of　the
strong　and　fierce　hounds　imported　from　Cubamany　of　them　by　the　United
States　Governmentfor　hunting　Indians；　during　the　Seminole　war。　　The
other　dogs　were　the　mongrels　that　are　found　in　such　plentifulness　about
every　Southern　houseincreasing；　as　a　rule；　in　numbers　as　the　inhabitant
of　the　house　is　lower　down　and　poorer。　　They　are　like　wolves；　sneaking
and　cowardly　when　alone；　fierce　and　bold　when　in　packs。　　Each　pack　was
managed　by　a　well…armed　man；　who　rode　a　mule；　and　carried；　slung　over　his
shoulders　by　a　cord；　a　cow　horn；　scraped　very　thin；　with　which　he
controlled　the　band　by　signals。

What　always　puzzled　me　much　was　why　the　hounds　took　only　Yankee　trails；
in　the　vicinity　of　the　prison。　　There　was　about　the　Stockade　from　six
thousand　to　ten　thousand　Rebels　and　negros；　including　guards；　officers；
servants；　workmen；　etc。　　These　were；　of　course；　continually　in　motion　and
must　have　daily　made　trails　leading　in　every　direction。　　It　was　the
custom　of　the　Rebels　to　send　a　pack　of　hounds　around　the　prison　every
morning；　to　examine　if　any　Yankees　had　escaped　during　the　night。　　It　was
believed　that　they　rarely　failed　to　find　a　prisoner's　tracks；　and　still
more　rarely　ran　off　upon　a　Rebel's。　　If　those　outside　the　Stockade　had
been　confined　to　certain　path　and　roads　we　could　have　understood　this；
but；　as　I　understand；　they　were　not。　　It　was　part　of　the　interest　of　the
day；　for　us；　to　watch　the　packs　go　yelping　around　the　pen　searching　for
tracks。　　We　got　information　in　this　way　whether　any　tunnel　had　been
successfully　opened　during　the　night。

The　use　of　hounds　furnished　us　a　crushing　reply　to　the　ever　recurring
Rebel　question：

〃Why　are　you…uns　puttin'　niggers　in　the　field　to　fight　we…uns　for？〃

The　questioner　was　always　silenced　by　the　return　interrogatory：

〃Is　that　as　bad　as　running　white　men　down　with　blood　hounds？〃




CHAPTER　XXVIII

MAYINFLUX　OF　NEW　PRISONERSDISPARITY　IN　NUMBERS　BETWEEN　THE　EASTERN
AND　WESTERN　ARMIESTERRIBLE　CROWDINGSLAUGHTER　OF　MEN　AT　THE　CREEK。

In　May　the　long　gathering　storm　of　war　burst　with　angry　violence　all
along　the　line　held　by　the　contending　armies。　　The　campaign　began　which
was　to　terminate　eleven　months　later　in　the　obliteration　of　the　Southern
Confederacy。　　May　1；　Sigel　moved　up　the　Shenandoah　Valley　with　thirty
thousand　men；　May　3；　Butler　began　his　blundering　movement　against
Petersburg；　May　3；　the　Army　of　the　Potomac　left　Culpeper；　and　on　the　5th
began　its　deadly　grapple　with　Lee；　in　the　Wilderness；　May　6；　Sherman
moved　from　Chattanooga；　and　engaged　Joe　Johnston　at　Rocky　Face　Ridge　and
Tunnel　Hill。

Each　of　these　columns　lost　heavily　in　prisoners。　　It　could　not　be
otherwise；　it　was　a　consequence　of　the　aggressive　movements。　　An　army
acting　offensively　usually　suffers　more　from　capture　than　one　on　the
defensive。　　Our　armies　were　penetrating　the　enemy's　country　in　close
proximity　to　a　determined　and　vigilant　foe。　　Every　scout；　every　skirmish
line；　every　picket；　every　foraging　party　ran　the　risk　of　falling　into　a
Rebel　trap。　　This　was　in　addition　to　the　risk　of　capture　in　action。

The　bulk　of　the　prisoners　were　taken　from　the　Army　of　the　Potomac。　　For
this　there　were　two　reasons：　First；　that　there　were　many　more　men　in　that
Army　than　in　any　ot