andersonville-第34章

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It　was　not　yet　determined　how　punishment　should　be　meted　out　to　the
remainder；　but　circumstances　themselves　decided　the　matter。　　Wirz　became
tired　of　guarding　so　large　a　number　as　Key　had　arrested；　and　he　informed
Key　that　he　should　turn　them　back　into　the　Stockade　immediately。　　Key
begged　for　little　farther　time　to　consider　the　disposition　of　the　cases；
but　Wirz　refused　it；　and　ordered　the　Officer　of　the　Guard　to　return　all
arrested；　save　those　sentenced　to　death；　to　the　Stockade。　　In　the
meantime　the　news　had　spread　through　the　prison　that　the　Raiders　were　to
be　sent　in　again　unpunished；　and　an　angry　mob；　numbering　some　thousands；
and　mostly　composed　of　men　who　had　suffered　injuries　at　the　hands　of　the
marauders；　gathered　at　the　South　Gate；　clubs　in　hand；　to　get　such
satisfaction　as　they　could　out　of　the　rascals。　　They　formed　in　two　long；
parallel　lines；　facing　inward；　and　grimly　awaited　the　incoming　of　the
objects　of　their　vengeance。

The　Officer　of　the　Guard　opened　the　wicket　in　the　gate；　and　began　forcing
the　Raiders　through　itone　at　a　timeat　the　point　of　the　bayonet；　and
each　as　he　entered　was　told　what　he　already　realized　wellthat　he　must
run　for　his　life。　　They　did　this　with　all　the　energy　that　they　possessed；
and　as　they　ran　blows　rained　on　their　heads；　arms　and　backs。　　If　they
could　succeed　in　breaking　through　the　line　at　any　place　they　were
generally　let　go　without　any　further　punishment。　　Three　of　the　number
were　beaten　to　death。　　I　saw　one　of　these　killed。　　I　had　no　liking　for
the　gauntlet　performance；　and　refused　to　have　anything　to　do　with　it；
as　did　most；　if　not　all；　of　my　crowd。　　While　the　gauntlet　was　in
operation；　I　was　standing　by　my　tent　at　the　head　of　a　little　street；
about　two　hundred　feet　from　the　line；　watching　what　was　being　done。
A　sailor　was　let　in。　　He　had　a　large　bowie　knife　concealed　about　his
person　somewhere；　which　he　drew；　and　struck　savagely　with　at　his
tormentors　on　either　side。　　They　fell　back　from　before　him；　but　closed　in
behind　and　pounded　him　terribly。　　He　broke　through　the　line；　and　ran　up
the　street　towards　me。　　About　midway　of　the　distance　stood　a　boy　who　had
helped　carry　a　dead　man　out　during　the　day；　and　while　out　had　secured　a
large　pine　rail　which　he　had　brought　in　with　him。　　He　was　holding　this
straight　up　in　the　air；　as　if　at　a　〃present　arms。〃　　He　seemed　to　have
known　from　the　first　that　the　Raider　would　run　that　way。　　Just　as　he　came
squarely　under　it；　the　boy　dropped　the　rail　like　the　bar　of　a　toll　gate。
It　struck　the　Raider　across　the　head；　felled　him　as　if　by　a　shot；　and　his
pursuers　then　beat　him　to　death。




CHAPTER　XXXVII。

THE　EXECUTIONBUILDING　THE　SCAFFOLDDOUBTS　OF　THE　CAMP…CAPTAIN　WIRZ
THINKS　IT　IS　PROBABLY　A　RUSE　TO　FORCE　THE　STOCKADEHIS　PREPARATIONS
AGAINST　SUCH　AN　ATTEMPTENTRANCE　OF　THE　DOOMED　ONESTHEY　REALIZE　THEIR
FATEONE　MAKES　A　DESPERATE　ATTEMPT　TO　ESCAPEHIS　RECAPTUREINTENSE
EXCITEMENTWIRZ　ORDERS　THE　GUNS　TO　OPENFORTUNATELY　THEY　DO　NOT…THE　SIX
ARE　HANGEDONE　BREAKS　HIS　ROPESCENE　WHEN　THE　RAIDERS　ARE　CUT　DOWN。

It　began　to　be　pretty　generally　understood　through　the　prison　that　six
men　had　been　sentenced　to　be　hanged；　though　no　authoritative　announcement
of　the　fact　had　been　made。　　There　was　much　canvassing　as　to　where　they
should　be　executed；　and　whether　an　attempt　to　hang　them　inside　of　the
Stockade　would　not　rouse　their　friends　to　make　a　desperate　effort　to
rescue　them；　which　would　precipitate　a　general　engagement　of　even　larger
proportions　than　that　of　the　3d。　　Despite　the　result　of　the　affairs　of
that　and　the　succeeding　days；　the　camp　was　not　yet　convinced　that　the
Raiders　were　really　conquered；　and　the　Regulators　themselves　were　not
thoroughly　at　ease　on　that　score。　　Some　five　thousand　or　six　thousand　new
prisoners　had　come　in　since　the　first　of　the　month；　and　it　was　claimed
that　the　Raiders　had　received　large　reinforcements　from　those；a　claim
rendered　probable　by　most　of　the　new…comers　being　from　the　Army　of　the
Potomac。

Key　and　those　immediately　about　him　kept　their　own　counsel　in　the　matter；
and　suffered　no　secret　of　their　intentions　to　leak　out；　until　on　the
morning　of　the　11th；　when　it　became　generally　known　that　the　sentences
were　too　be　carried　into　effect　that　day；　and　inside　the　prison。

My　first　direct　information　as　to　this　was　by　a　messenger　from　Key　with
an　order　to　assemble　my　company　and　stand　guard　over　the　carpenters　who
were　to　erect　the　scaffold。　　He　informed　me　that　all　the　Regulators　would
be　held　in　readiness　to　come　to　our　relief　if　we　were　attacked　in　force。
I　had　hoped　that　if　the　men　were　to　be　hanged　I　would　be　spared　the
unpleasant　duty　of　assisting；　for；　though　I　believed　they　richly　deserved
that　punishment；　I　had　much　rather　some　one　else　administered　it　upon
them。　　There　was　no　way　out　of　it；　however；　that　I　could　see；　and　so
〃Egypt〃　and　I　got　the　boys　together；　and　marched　down　to　the　designated
place；　which　was　an　open　space　near　the　end　of　the　street　running　from
the　South　Gate；　and　kept　vacant　for　the　purpose　of　issuing　rations。
It　was　quite　near　the　spot　where　the　Raiders'　Big　Tent　had　stood；　and
afforded　as　good　a　view　to　the　rest　of　the　camp　as　could　be　found。

Key　had　secured　the　loan　of　a　few　beams　and　rough　planks；　sufficient　to
build　a　rude　scaffold　with。　　Our　first　duty　was　to　care　for　these　as　they
came　in；　for　such　was　the　need　of　wood；　and　plank　for　tent　purposes；　that
they　would　scarcely　have　fallen　to　the　ground　before　they　were　spirited
away；　had　we　not　stood　over　them　all　the　time　with　clubs。

The　carpenters　sent　by　Key　came　over　and　set　to　work。　　The　N'Yaarkers
gathered　around　in　considerable　numbers；　sullen　and　abusive。　　They　cursed
us　with　all　their　rich　vocabulary　of　foul　epithets；　vowed　that　we　should
never　carry　out　the　execution；　and　swore　that　they　had　marked　each　one
for　vengeance。　　We　returned　the　compliments　in　kind；　and　occasionally　it
seemed　as　if　a　general　collision　was　imminent；　but　we　succeeded　in
avoiding　this；　and　by　noon　the　scaffold　was　finished。　　It　was　a　very
simple　affair。　　A　stout　beam　was　fastened　on　the　top　of　two　posts；　about
fifteen　feet　high。　　At　about　the　height　of　a　man's　head　a　couple　of
boards　stretched　across　the　space　between　the　posts；　and　met　in　the
center。　　The　ends　at　the　posts　laid　on　cleats；　the　ends　in　the　center
rested　upon　a　couple　of　boards；　standing　upright；　and　each　having　a　piece
of　rope　fastened　through　a　hole　in　it　in　such　a　manner；　that　a　man　could
snatch　it　from　under　the　planks　serving　as　the　floor　of　the　scaffold；　and
let　the　whole　thing　drop。　　A　rude　ladder　to　ascend　by　completed　the
preparations。

As　the　arrangements　neared　completion　the　excitement　in　and　around　the
prison　grew　intense。　　Key　came　over　with　the　balance　of　the　Regulators；
and　we　formed　a　hollow　square　around　the　scaffold；　our　company　marking
the　line　on　the　East　Side。　　There　were　now　thirty　thousand　in　the　prison。
Of　these　about　one…third　packed　themselves　as　tightly　about　our　square　as
they　could　stand。　　The　remaining　twenty　thousand　were　wedged　together　in
a　solid　mass　on　the　North　Side。　　Again　I　contemplated　the　wonderful；
startling；　spectacle　of　a　mosaic　pavement　of　human　faces　covering　the
whole　broad　hillside。

Outside；　the　Rebel；　infantry　was　standing　in　the　rifle　pits；　the
artillerymen　were　in　place　about　their　loaded　and　trained　pieces；　the　No。
4　of　each　gun　holding　the　lanyard　cord　in　his　hand；　ready　to　fire　the
piece　at　the　instant　of　command。　　The　small　squad　of　cavalry　was　drawn　up
on　the　hill　near　the　Star　Fort；　and　near　it　were　the　masters　of　the
hounds；　with　their　yelping　packs。

All　the　hangers…on　of　the　Rebel　campclerks；　teamsters；　employer；
negros；　hundreds　of　white　and　colored　women；　in　all　forming　a　motley
crowd　of　between　one　and　two　thousand；　were　gathered　together　in　a　group
between　the　end　of　the　rifle　pits　and　the　Star　Fort。　　They　had　a　good
view　from　there；　but　a　still　better　one　could　be　had；　a　little　farther　to
the　right；　and　in　front　of　the　guns。　　They　kept　edging　up　in　that
direction；　as　crowds　will；　though　they　knew　the　danger　they　would　incur
if　the　artillery　opened。

The　day　was　broiling　hot。　　The　sun　shot　his　perpendicular　rays　down　with
blistering　fierceness；　and　the　densely　packed；　motionless　crowds　made　the
heat　almost　insupportable。

Key　took　up　his　position　inside　the　square　to　direct　matters。　　With　him
were　Limber　Jim；　Dick　McCullough；　and　one　or　two　others。　　Also；　Ned
Johnson；　Tom　Larkin；　Sergeant　Goody；　and　three　others　who　were　to　act　as
hangmen。　　Each　of　these　six　was　provided　with　a　white　sack；　such　as　the
Rebels　brought　in　meal　in。　　Two　Corporals　of　my　company〃Stag〃　Harris
and　Wat　Paynewere　appointed　to　pull　the　stays　from　under　the　platform
at　the　signal。

A　little　after　noon　the　South　Gate　opened；　and　Wirz　rode　in；　dressed　in　a
suit　of　white　duck；　and　mounted　on　his　white　horsea　conjunction　which
had　gained　for　him　the　appellation　of　〃Death　on　a　Pale　Horse。〃　　Behind
him　walked　the　faithful　old　priest；　wearing　his　Church's　purple　insignia
of　the　deepest　sorrow；　and　reading　the　service　for　the　condemned。　　The
six　doomed　men　followed；　walking　between　double　ranks　of　Rebel　guards。

All　came　inside　the　hollow　square　and　halted。　　Wirz　then　said：

〃Brizners；　I　return　to　you　dose　men　so　Boot　as　I　got　dem。　　You　haf　tried
dem　yourselves；　and　found　dem　guiltyI　haf　had　notting　to　do　wit　it。
I　vash　my　hands　of　eferyting　connected　wit　dem。　　Do　wit　dem　as　you　like；
and　may　Gott　haf　mercy　on　you　and　on　dem。　　Garts；　about　face！　Voryvarts；
march！〃

With　this　he　marched　out　and　left　us。

For　a　moment　the　condemned　looked　stunned。　　They　seemed　to　comprehend　for
the　first　time　that　it　was　really　the　determination　of　the　Regulators　to
hang　them。　　Before　that　they　had　evidently　thought　that　the　talk　of
hanging　was　merely　bluff。　　One　of　them　gasped　out：

〃My　God；　men；　you　don't　really　mean　to　hang　us　up　there！〃

Key　answered　grimly　and　laconically：

〃That　seems　to　be　about　the　size　of　it。〃

At　this　they　burst　out　in　a　passionate　storm　of　intercessions　and
imprecations；　which　lasted　for　a　minute　or　so；　when　it　was　stopped　by　one
of　them　saying　imperatively：

〃All　of　you　stop　now；　and　let　the　priest　talk　for　us。〃

At　this　the　priest　closed　the　book　upon　which　he　had　kept　his　eyes　bent
since　his　entrance；　and　facing　the　multitude　on　the　North　Side　began　a
plea　for　mercy。

The　condemned　faced　in　the；　same　direction；　to　read　their　fate　in　the
countenances　of　those　whom　he　was　addressing。　　This　movement　brought
Curtisa　low…statured；　massively　built　manon　the　right　of　their　line；
and　about　ten　or　fifteen　steps　from　my　company。

The　whole　camp　had　been　as　still　as　death　since　Wirz's　exit。　　The　silence
seemed　to　become　even　more　profound　as　the　priest　began　his　appeal。
For　a　minute　every　ear　was　strained　to　catch　what　he　said。　　Then；　as　the
nearest　of　the　thousands　comprehended　what　he　was　saying　they　raised　a
shout　of　〃No！　no！！　　NO！！〃　　〃Hang　them！　hang　them！〃　　〃Don't　let　them　go！
Never！〃

〃Hang　the　rascals！　hang　the　villains！〃

〃Hang；'em！　　hang　'em！　　hang　'em！〃

This　was　taken　up　all　over　the　prison；　and　tens　of　thousands　throats
yelled　it　in　a　fearful　chorus。

Curtis　turned　from　the　cr