andersonville-第30章

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hand　down　of　a　voyage　of　discovery。　　It　seemed　very　likely　that　there　was
something　there　that　a　loyal　Yankee　deserved　better　than　a　Rebel。
I　found　that　it　was　a　fine　article　of　soft　soap。　　A　handful　was　scooped
up　and　speedily　shoved　into　my　left　pantaloon　pocket。　　Expecting　every
instant　that　Wirz　would　turn　around　and　order　me　to　come　to　the　desk　to
show　my　handwriting；　hastily　and　furtively　wiped　my　hand　on　the　back　of
my　shirt　and　watched　Wirz　with　as　innocent　an　expression　as　a　school　boy
assumes　when　he　has　just　flipped　a　chewed　paper　wad　across　the　room。
Wirz　was　still　engrossed　in　his　writing；　and　did　not　look　around。　　I　was
emboldened　to　reach　down　for　another　handful。　　This　was　also　successfully
transferred；　the　hand　wiped　off　on　the　back　of　the　shirt；　and　the　face
wore　its　expression　of　infantile　ingenuousness。　　Still　Wirz　did　not　look
up。　　I　kept　dipping　up　handful　after　handful；　until　I　had　gotten　about　a
quart　in　the　left　hand　pocket。　　After　each　handful　I　rubbed　my　hand　off
on　the　back　of　my　shirt　and　waited　an　instant　for　a　summons　to　the　desk。
Then　the　process　was　repeated　with　the　other　hand；　and　a　quart　of　the
saponaceous　mush　was　packed　in　the　right　hand　pocket

Shortly　after　Wirz　rose　and　ordered　a　guard　to　take　me　away　and　keep　me；
until　he　decided　what　to　do　with　me。　　The　day　was　intensely　hot；　and　soon
the　soap　in　my　pockets　and　on　the　back　of　my　shirt　began　burning　like
double　strength　Spanish　fly　blisters。　　There　was　nothing　to　do　but　grin
and　bear　it。　　I　set　my　teeth；　squatted　down　under　the　shade　of　the
parapet　of　the　fort；　and　stood　it　silently　and　sullenly。　　For　the　first
time　in　my　life　I　thoroughly　appreciated　the　story　of　the　Spartan　boy；
who　stole　the　fox　and　suffered　the　animal　to　tear　his　bowels　out　rather
than　give　a　sign　which　would　lead　to　the　exposure　of　his　theft。

Between　four　and　five　o'clock…after　I　had　endured　the　thing　for　five　or
six　hours；　a　guard　came　with　orders　from　Wirz　that　I　should　be　returned
to　the　Stockade。　　Upon　hastily　removing　my　clothes；　after　coming　inside；
I　found　I　had　a　blister　on　each　thigh；　and　one　down　my　back；　that　would
have　delighted　an　old　practitioner　of　the　heroic　school。　　But　I　also　had
a　half　gallon　of　excellent　soft　soap。　　My　chums　and　I　took　a　magnificent
wash；　and　gave　our　clothes　the　same；　and　we　still　had　soap　enough　left　to
barter　for　some　onions　that　we　had　long　coveted；　and　which　tasted　as
sweet　to　us　as　manna　to　the　Israelites。




CHAPTER　XXXIII

〃POUR　PASSER　LE　TEMPS〃A　SET　OF　CHESSMEN　PROCURED　UNDER　DIFFICULTIES
RELIGIOUS　SERVICESTHE　DEVOTED　PRIESTWAR　SONG。

The　time　moved　with　leaden　feet。　　Do　the　best　we　could；　there　were　very
many　tiresome　hours　for　which　no　occupation　whatever　could　be　found。
All　that　was　necessary　to　be　done　during　the　dayattending　roll　call；
drawing　and　cooking　rations；　killing　lice　and　washingcould　be　disposed
of　in　an　hour's　time；　and　we　were　left　with　fifteen　or　sixteen　waking
hours；　for　which　there　was　absolutely　no　employment。　　Very　many　tried　to
escape　both　the　heat　and　ennui　by　sleeping　as　much　as　possible　through
the　day；　but　I　noticed　that　those　who　did　this　soon　died；　and
consequently　I　did　not　do　it。　　Card　playing　had　sufficed　to　pass　away　the
hours　at　first；　but　our　cards　soon　wore　out；　and　deprived　us　of　this
resource。　　My　chum；　Andrews；　and　I　constructed　a　set　of　chessmen　with　an
infinite　deal　of　trouble。　　We　found　a　soft；　white　root　in　the　swamp　which
answered　our　purpose。　　A　boy　near　us　had　a　tolerably　sharp　pocket…knife；
for　the　use　of　which　a　couple　of　hours　each　day；　we　gave　a　few　spoonfuls
of　meal。　　The　knife　was　the　only　one　among　a　large　number　of　prisoners；
as　the　Rebel　guards　had　an　affection　for　that　style　of　cutlery；　which　led
them　to　search　incoming　prisoners；　very　closely。　　The　fortunate　owner　of
this　derived　quite　a　little　income　of　meal　by　shrewdly　loaning　it　to　his
knifeless　comrades。　　The　shapes　that　we　made　for　pieces　and　pawns　were
necessarily　very　rude；　but　they　were　sufficiently　distinct　for
identification。　　We　blackened　one　set　with　pitch　pine　soot；　found　a　piece
of　plank　that　would　answer　for　a　board　and　purchased　it　from　its
possessor　for　part　of　a　ration　of　meal；　and　so　were　fitted　out　with　what
served　until　our　release　to　distract　our　attention　from　much　of　the
surrounding　misery。

Every　one　else　procured　such　amusement　as　they　could。　　Newcomers；　who
still　had　money　and　cards；　gambled　as　long　as　their　means　lasted。　　Those
who　had　books　read　them　until　the　leaves　fell　apart。　　Those　who　had　paper
and　pen　and　ink　tried　to　write　descriptions　and　keep　journals；　but　this
was　usually　given　up　after　being　in　prison　a　few　weeks。　　I　was　fortunate
enough　to　know　a　boy　who　had　brought　a　copy　of　〃Gray's　Anatomy〃　into
prison　with　him。　　I　was　not　specially　interested　in　the　subject；　but　it
was　Hobson's　choice；　I　could　read　anatomy　or　nothing；　and　so　I　tackled　it
with　such　good　will　that　before　my　friend　became　sick　and　was　taken
outside；　and　his　book　with　him；　I　had　obtained　a　very　fair　knowledge　of
the　rudiments　of　physiology。

There　was　a　little　band　of　devoted　Christian　workers；　among　whom　were
Orderly　Sergeant　Thomas　J。　Sheppard；　Ninety…Seventh　O。　Y。　L；　now　a
leading　Baptist　minister　in　Eastern　Ohio；　Boston　Corbett；　who　afterward
slew　John　Wilkes　Booth；　and　Frank　Smith；　now　at　the　head　of　the　Railroad
Bethel　work　at　Toledo。　　They　were　indefatigable　in　trying　to　evangelize
the　prison。　　A　few　of　them　would　take　their　station　in　some　part　of　the
Stockade　（a　different　one　every　time）；　and　begin　singing　some　old
familiar　hymn　like

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Come；　Thou　fount　of　every　blessing；〃

and　in　a　few　minutes　they　would　have　an　attentive　audience　of　as　many
thousand　as　could　get　within　hearing。　　The　singing　would　be　followed　by
regular　services；　during　which　Sheppard；　Smith；　Corbett；　and　some　others
would　make　short；　spirited；　practical　addresses；　which　no　doubt　did　much
good　to　all　who　heard　them；　though　the　grains　of　leaven　were　entirely　too
small　to　leaven　such　an　immense　measure　of　meal。　　They　conducted　several
funerals；　as　nearly　like　the　way　it　was　done　at　home　as　possible。　　Their
ministrations　were　not　confined　to　mere　lip　service；　but　they　labored
assiduously　in　caring　for　the　sick；　and　made　many　a　poor　fellow's　way　to
the　grave　much　smoother　for　him。

This　was　about　all　the　religious　services　that　we　were　favored　with。
The　Rebel　preachers　did　not　make　that　effort　to　save　our　misguided　souls
which　one　would　have　imagined　they　would　having　us　where　we　could　not
choose　but　hear　they　might　have　taken　advantage　of　our　situation　to　rake
us　fore　and　aft　with　their　theological　artillery。　　They　only　attempted　it
in　one　instance。　　While　in　Richmond　a　preacher　came　into　our　room　and
announced　in　an　authoritative　way　that　he　would　address　us　on　religious
subjects。　　We　uncovered　respectfully；　and　gathered　around　him。　　He　was　a
loud…tongued；　brawling　Boanerges；　who　addressed　the　Lord　as　if　drilling　a
brigade。

He　spoke　but　a　few　moments　before　making　apparent　his　belief　that　the
worst　of　crimes　was　that　of　being　a　Yankee；　and　that　a　man　must　not　only
be　saved　through　Christ's　blood；　but　also　serve　in　the　Rebel　army　before
he　could　attain　to　heaven。

Of　course　we　raised　such　a　yell　of　derision　that　the　sermon　was　brought
to　an　abrupt　conclusion。

The　only　minister　who　came　into　the　Stockade　was　a　Catholic　priest；
middle…aged；　tall；　slender；　and　unmistakably　devout。　　He　was　unwearied　in
his　attention　to　the　sick；　and　the　whole　day　could　be　seen　moving　around
through　the　prison；　attending　to　those　who　needed　spiritual　consolation。
It　was　interesting　to　see　him　administer　the　extreme　unction　to　a　dying
man。　　Placing　a　long　purple　scarf　about　his　own　neck　and　a　small　brazen
crucifix　in　the　hands　of　the　dying　one；　he　would　kneel　by　the　latter's
side　and　anoint　him　upon　the　eyes；　ears；　nostrils；　lips；　hands；　feet　and
breast；　with　sacred　oil；　from　a　little　brass　vessel；　repeating　the　while；
in　an　impressive　voice；　the　solemn　offices　of　the　Church。

His　unwearying　devotion　gained　the　admiration　of　all；　no　matter　how
little　inclined　one　might　be　to　view　priestliness　generally　with　favor。
He　was　evidently　of　such　stuff　as　Christian　heros　have　ever　been　made　of；
and　would　have　faced　stake　and　fagot；　at　the　call　of　duty；　with
unquailing　eye。　　His　name　was　Father　Hamilton；　and　he　was　stationed　at
Macon。　　The　world　should　know　more　of　a　man　whose　services　were　so
creditable　to　humanity　and　his　Church：

The　good　father　had　the　wisdom　of　the　serpent；　with　the　harmlessness　of
the　dove。　　Though　full　of　commiseration　for　the　unhappy　lot　of　the
prisoners；　nothing　could　betray　him　into　the　slightest　expression　of
opinion　regarding　the　war　or　those　who　were　the　authors　of　all　this
misery。　　In　our　impatience　at　our　treatment；　and　hunger　for　news；　we
forgot　his　sacerdotal　character；　and　importuned　him　for　tidings　of　the
exchange。　　His　invariable　reply　was　that　he　lived　apart　from　these　things
and　kept　himself　ignorant　of　them。

〃But；　father；〃　said　I　one　day；　with　an　impatience　that　I　could　not　wholly
repress；　〃you　must　certainly　hear　or　read　something　of　this；　while　you
are　outside　among　the　Rebel　officers。〃　　Like　many　other　people；　I
supposed　that　the　whole　world　was　excited　over　that　in　which　I　felt　a
deep　interest。

〃No；　my　son；〃　replied　he；　in　his　usual　calm；　measured　tones。　　〃I　go　not
among　them；　nor　do　I　hear　anything　from　them。　　When　I　leave　the　prison　in
the　evening；　full　of　sorrow　at　what　I　have　seen　here；　I　find　that　the
best　use　I　can　make　of　my　time　is　in　studying　the　Word　of　God；　and
especially　the　Psalms　of　David。〃

We　were　not　any　longer　good　company　for　each　other。　　We　had　heard　over
and　over　again　all　each　other's　stories　and　jokes；　and　each　knew　as　much
about　the　other's　previous　history　as　we　chose　to　communicate。　　The　story
of　every　individual's　past　life；　relations；　friends；　regiment；　and
soldier　experience　had　been　told　again　and　again；　until　the　repetition
was　wearisome。　　The　cool　nights　following　the　hot　days　were　favorable　to
little　gossiping　seances　like　the　yarn…spinning　watches　of　sailors　on
pleasant　nights。　　Our　squad；　though　its　stock　of　stories　was　worn
threadbare；　was　fortunate　enough　to　have　a　sweet　singer　in　Israel　〃Nosey〃
Payneof　whose　tunefulness　we　never　tired。　　He　had　a　large　repertoire　of
patriotic　songs；　which　he　sang　with　feeling　and　correctness；　and　which
helped　much　to　make　the　calm　Summer　nights　pass　agreeably。　　Among　the
best　of　these　was　〃Brave　Boys　are　They；〃　which　I　always　thought　was　the
finest　ballad；　both　in　poetry　and　music；　produced　by　the　War。




CHAPTER　XXXIV。

MAGGOTS；　LICE　AND　RAIDERSPRACTICES　OF　THESE　HUMAN　VERMINPLUNDERING
THE　SICK　AND　DYINGNIGHT　ATTACKS；　AND　BATTLES　BY　DAYHARD　TIMES　FOR　THE
SMALL　TRADERS。

With　each　long；　hot　Summer　hour　the　lice；　the　maggot…flies　and　the
N'Yaarkers　increased　in　numbers　and　venomous　activity。　　They　were　ever…
present　annoyances　and　troubles；　no　time　was　free　from　them。　　The　lice
worried　us　by　day　and　tormented　us　by　night；　the　maggot…flies　fouled　our
food；　and　laid　in　sores　and　wounds　larvae　that　speedily　became　masses　of
wriggling　worms。　　The　N'Yaarkers　were　hum