andersonville-第29章

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Stiggall　died　in　June。　　He　was　one　of　the　first　victims　of　scurvy；　which；
in　the　succeeding　few　weeks；　carried　off　so　many。　　All　of　us　who　had　read
sea…stories　had　read　much　of　this　disease　and　its　horrors；　but　we　had
little　conception　of　the　dreadful　reality。　　It　usually　manifested　itself
first　in　the　mouth。　The　breath　became　unbearably　fetid；　the　gums　swelled
until　they　protruded；　livid　and　disgusting；　beyond　the　lips。　　The　teeth
became　so　loose　that　they　frequently　fell　out；　and　the　sufferer　would
pick　them　up　and　set　them　back　in　their　sockets。　　In　attempting　to　bite
the　hard　corn　bread　furnished　by　the　bakery　the　teeth　often　stuck　fast
and　were　pulled　out。　　The　gums　had　a　fashion　of　breaking　away；　in　large
chunks；　which　would　be　swallowed　or　spit　out。　　All　the　time　one　was
eating　his　mouth　would　be　filled　with　blood；　fragments　of　gums　and
loosened　teeth。

Frightful；　malignant　ulcers　appeared　in　other　parts　of　the　body；　the
ever…present　maggot　flies　laid　eggs　in　these；　and　soon　worms　swarmed
therein。　　The　sufferer　looked　and　felt　as　if；　though　he　yet　lived　and
moved；　his　body　was　anticipating　the　rotting　it　would　undergo　a　little
later　in　the　grave。

The　last　change　was　ushered　in　by　the　lower　parts　of　the　legs　swelling。
When　this　appeared；　we　considered　the　man　doomed。　　We　all　had　scurvy；
more　or　less；　but　as　long　as　it　kept　out　of　our　legs　we　were　hopeful。
First；　the　ankle　joints　swelled；　then　the　foot　became　useless。　　The
swelling　increased　until　the　knees　became　stiff；　and　the　skin　from　these
down　was　distended　until　it　looked　pale；　colorless　and　transparent　as　a
tightly　blown　bladder。　　The　leg　was　so　much　larger　at　the　bottom　than　at
the　thigh；　that　the　sufferers　used　to　make　grim　jokes　about　being　modeled
like　a　churn；　〃with　the　biggest　end　down。〃　　The　man　then　became　utterly
helpless　and　usually　died　in　a　short　time。

The　official　report　puts　down　the　number　of　deaths　from　scurvy　at　three
thousand　five　hundred　and　seventy…four；　but　Dr。　Jones；　the　Rebel　surgeon；
reported　to　the　Rebel　Government　his　belief　that　nine…tenths　of　the　great
mortality　of　the　prison　was　due；　either　directly　or　indirectly；　to　this
cause。

The　only　effort　made　by　the　Rebel　doctors　to　check　its　ravages　was
occasionally　to　give　a　handful　of　sumach　berries　to　some　particularly　bad
case。

When　Stiggall　died　we　thought　Emerson　would　certainly　follow　him　in　a　day
or　two；　but；　to　our　surprise；　he　lingered　along　until　August　before
dying。




CHAPTER　XXXII

〃OLE　BOO；〃　AND　〃OLE　SOL；　THE　HAYMAKER〃A　FETID；　BURNING　DESERTNOISOME
WATER；　AND　THE　EFFECTS　OF　DRINKING　ITSTEALING　SOFT　SOAP。

The　gradually　lengthening　Summer　days　were　insufferably　long　and
wearisome。　　Each　was　hotter；　longer　and　more　tedious　than　its
predecessors。　　In　my　company　was　a　none…too…bright　fellow；　named　Dawson。
During　the　chilly　rains　or　the　nipping；　winds　of　our　first　days　in
prison；　Dawson　would；　as　he　rose　in；　the　morning；　survey　the　forbidding
skies　with　lack…luster　eyes　and　remark；　oracularly：

〃Well；　Ole　Boo　gits　us　agin；　to…day。〃

He　was　so　unvarying　in　this　salutation　to　the　morn　that　his　designation
of　disagreeable　weather　as　〃Ole　Boo〃　became　generally　adopted　by　us。
When　the　hot　weather　came　on；　Dawson's　remark；　upon　rising　and　seeing
excellent　prospects　for　a　scorcher；　changed　to：　〃Well；　Ole　Sol；　the
Haymaker；　is　going　to　git　in　his　work　on　us　agin　to…day。〃

As　long　as　he　lived　and　was　able　to　talk；　this　was　Dawson's　invariable
observation　at　the　break　of　day。

He　was　quite　right。　　The　Ole　Haymaker　would　do　some　famous　work　before　he
descended　in　the　West；　sending　his　level　rays　through　the　wide
interstices　between　the　somber　pines。

By　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning　his　beams　would　begin　to　fairly　singe
everything　in　the　crowded　pen。　　The　hot　sand　would　glow　as　one　sees　it　in
the　center　of　the　unshaded　highway　some　scorching　noon　in　August。　　The
high　walls　of　the　prison　prevented　the　circulation　inside　of　any　breeze
that　might　be　in　motion；　while　the　foul　stench　rising　from　the　putrid
Swamp　and　the　rotting　ground　seemed　to　reach　the　skies。

One　can　readily　comprehend　the　horrors　of　death　on　the　burning　sands　of
a　desert。　　But　the　desert　sand　is　at　least　clean；　there　is　nothing　worse
about　it　than　heat　and　intense　dryness。　　It　is　not；　as　that　was　at
Andersonville；　poisoned　with　the　excretions　of　thousands　of　sick　and
dying　men；　filled　with　disgusting　vermin；　and　loading　the　air　with　the
germs　of　death。　　The　difference　is　as　that　between　a　brick…kiln　and　a
sewer。　　Should　the　fates　ever　decide　that　I　shall　be　flung　out　upon　sands
to　perish；　I　beg　that　the　hottest　place　in　the　Sahara　may　be　selected；
rather　than　such　a　spot　as　the　interior　of　the　Andersonville　Stockade。

It　may　be　said　that　we　had　an　abundance　of　water；　which　made　a　decided
improvement　on　a　desert。　　Doubtlesshad　that　water　been　pure。　　But　every
mouthful　of　it　was　a　blood　poison；　and　helped　promote　disease　and　death。
Even　before　reaching　the　Stockade　it　was　so　polluted　by　the　drainage　of
the　Rebel　camps　as　to　be　utterly　unfit　for　human　use。　　In　our　part　of　the
prison　we　sank　several　wellssome　as　deep　as　forty　feetto　procure
water。　　We　had　no　other　tools　for　this　than　our　ever…faithful　half
canteens；　and　nothing　wherewith　to　wall　the　wells。　　But　a　firm　clay　was
reached　a　few　feet　below　the　surface；　which　afforded　tolerable　strong
sides　for　the　lower　part；　ana　furnished　material　to　make　adobe　bricks　for
curbs　to　keep　out　the　sand　of　the　upper　part。　　The　sides　were　continually
giving　away；　however；　and　fellows　were　perpetually　falling　down　the
holes；　to　the　great　damage　of　their　legs　and　arms。　　The　water；　which　was
drawn　up　in　little　cans；　or　boot　leg　buckets；　by　strings　made　of　strips
of　cloth；　was　much　better　than　that　of　the　creek；　but　was　still　far　from
pure；　as　it　contained　the　seepage　from　the　filthy　ground。

The　intense　heat　led　men　to　drink　great　quantities　of　water；　and　this
superinduced　malignant　dropsical　complaints；　which；　next　to　diarrhea；
scurvy　and　gangrene；　were　the　ailments　most　active　in　carrying　men　off。
Those　affected　in　this　way　swelled　up　frightfully　from　day　to　day。　　Their
clothes　speedily　became　too　small　for　them；　and　were　ripped　off；　leaving
them　entirely　naked；　and　they　suffered　intensely　until　death　at　last　came
to　their　relief。　　Among　those　of　my　squad　who　died　in　this　way；　was　a
young　man　named　Baxter；　of　the　Fifth　Indiana　Cavalry；　taken　at
Chicamauga。　　He　was　very　fine　lookingtall；　slender；　with　regular
features　and　intensely　black　hair　and　eyes；　he　sang　nicely；　and　was
generally　liked。　　A　more　pitiable　object　than　he；　when　last　I　saw　him；
just　before　his　death；　can　not　be　imagined。　　His　body　had　swollen　until
it　seemed　marvelous　that　the　human　skin　could　bear　so　much　distention
without　disruption；　All　the　old　look　of　bright　intelligence　had　been。
driven　from　his　face　by　the　distortion　of　his　features。　　His　swarthy　hair
and　beard；　grown　long　and　ragged；　had　that　peculiar　repulsive　look　which
the　black　hair　of　the　sick　is　prone　to　assume。

I　attributed　much　of　my　freedom　from　the　diseases　to　which　others
succumbed　to　abstention　from　water　drinking。　　Long　before　I　entered　the
army；　I　had　constructed　a　theoryon　premises　that　were　doubtless　as
insufficient　as　those　that　boyish　theories　are　usually　based　uponthat
drinking　water　was　a　habit；　and　a　pernicious　one；　which　sapped　away　the
energy。　　I　took　some　trouble　to　curb　my　appetite　for　water；　and　soon
found　that　I　got　along　very　comfortably　without　drinking　anything　beyond
that　which　was　contained　in　my　food。　　I　followed　this　up　after　entering
the　army；　drinking　nothing　at　any　time　but　a　little　coffee；　and　finding
no　need；　even　on　the　dustiest　marches；　for　anything　more。　　I　do　not
presume　that　in　a　year　I　drank　a　quart　of　cold　water。　　Experience　seemed
to　confirm　my　views；　for　I　noticed　that　the　first　to　sink　under　a
fatigue；　or　to　yield　to　sickness；　were　those　who　were　always　on　the
lookout　for　drinking　water；　springing　from　their　horses　and　struggling
around　every　well　or　spring　on　the　line　of　march　for　an　opportunity　to
fill　their　canteens。

I　made　liberal　use　of　the　Creek　for　bathing　purposes；　however；　visiting
it　four　or　five　times　a；　day　during　the　hot　days；　to　wash　myself　all
over。　　This　did　not　cool　one　off　much；　for　the　shallow　stream　was　nearly
as　hot　as　the　sand；　but　it　seemed　to　do　some　good；　and　it　helped　pass
away　the　tedious　hours。　　The　stream　was　nearly　all　the　time　filled　as
full　of　bathers　as　they　could　stand；　and　the　water　could　do　little
towards　cleansing　so　many。　　The　occasional　rain　storms　that　swept　across
the　prison　were　welcomed；　not　only　because　they　cooled　the　air
temporarily；　but　because　they　gave　us　a　shower…bath。　　As　they　came　up；
nearly　every　one　stripped　naked　and　got　out　where　he　could　enjoy　the　full
benefit　of　the　falling　water。　　Fancy；　if　possible；　the　spectacle　of
twenty…five　thousand　or　thirty　thousand　men　without　a　stitch　of　clothing
upon　them。　　The　like　has　not　been　seen；　I　imagine；　since　the　naked
followers　of　Boadicea　gathered　in　force　to　do　battle　to　the　Roman
invaders。

It　was　impossible　to　get　really　clean。　　Our　bodies　seemed　covered　with　a
varnish…like；　gummy　matter　that　defied　removal　by　water　alone。
I　imagined　that　it　came　from　the　rosin　or　turpentine；　arising　from　the
little　pitch　pine　fires　over　which　we　hovered　when　cooking　our　rations。
It　would　yield　to　nothing　except　strong　soap…and　soap；　as　I　have　before
statedwas　nearly　as　scarce　in　the　Southern　Confederacy　as　salt。　　We　in
prison　saw　even　less　of　it；　or　rather；　none　at　all。　　The　scarcity　of　it；
and　our　desire　for　it；　recalls　a　bit　of　personal　experience。

I　had　steadfastly　refused　all　offers　of　positions　outside　the　prison　on
parole；　as；　like　the　great　majority　of　the　prisoners；　my　hatred　of　the
Rebels　grew　more　bitter；　day　by　day；　I　felt　as　if　I　would　rather　die　than
accept　the　smallest　favor　at　their　hands；　and　I　shared　the　common
contempt　for　those　who　did。　　But；　when　the　movement　for　a　grand　attack　on
the　Stockadementioned　in　a　previous　chapterwas　apparently　rapidly
coming　to　a　head；　I　was　offered　a　temporary　detail　outside　to；　assist　in
making　up　some　rolls。　　I　resolved　to　accept；　first　because　I　thought　I
might　get　some　information　that　would　be　of　use　in　our　enterprise；　and；
next；　because　I　foresaw　that　the　rush　through　the　gaps　in　the　Stockade
would　be　bloody　business；　and　by　going　out　in　advance　I　would　avoid　that
much　of　the　danger；　and　still　be　able　to　give　effective　assistance。

I　was　taken　up　to　Wirz's　office。　　He　was　writing　at　a　desk　at　one　end　of
a　large　room　when　the　Sergeant　brought　me　in。　　He　turned　around；　told　the
Sergeant　to　leave　me；　and　ordered　me　to　sit　down　upon　a　box　at　the　other
end　of　the　room。

Turning　his　back　and　resuming　his　writing；　in　a　few　minutes　he　had
forgotten　me。　　I　sat　quietly；　taking　in　the　details　for　a　half…hour；　and
then；　having　exhausted　everything　else　in　the　room；　I　began　wondering
what　was　in　the　bog　I　was　sitting　upon。　　The　lid　was　loose；　I　hitched　it
forward　a　little　without　attracting　Wirz's　attention；　and　slipped　my　left
hand　down　of　a　voyage　of　discovery。　　It　seemed　very　likely　that　there　was
something　there　that