andersonville-第35章

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yelled　it　in　a　fearful　chorus。

Curtis　turned　from　the　crowd　with　desperation　convulsing　his　features。
Tearing　off　the　broad…brimmed　hat　which　he　wore；　he　flung　it　on　the
ground　with　the　exclamation！

〃By　God；　I'll　die　this　way　first！〃　and；　drawing　his　head　down　and　folding
his　arms　about　it；　he　dashed　forward　for　the　center　of　my　company；　like　a
great　stone　hurled　from　a　catapult。

〃Egypt〃　and　I　saw　where　he　was　going　to　strike；　and　ran　down　the　line　to
help　stop　him。　　As　he　came　up　we　rained　blows　on　his　head　with　our　clubs；
but　so　many　of　us　struck　at　him　at　once　that　we　broke　each　other's　clubs
to　pieces；　and　only　knocked　him　on　his　knees。　　He　rose　with　an　almost
superhuman　effort；　and　plunged　into　the　mass　beyond。

The　excitement　almost　became　delirium。　　For　an　instant　I　feared　that
everything　was　gone　to　ruin。　　〃Egypt〃　and　I　strained　every　energy　to
restore　our　lines；　before　the　break　could　be　taken　advantage　of　by　the
others。　　Our　boys　behaved　splendidly；　standing　firm；　and　in　a　few　seconds
the　line　was　restored。

As　Curtis　broke　through；　Delaney；　a　brawny　Irishman　standing　next　to　him；
started　to　follow。　　He　took　one　step。　　At　the　same　instant　Limber　Jim's
long　legs　took　three　great　strides；　and　placed　him　directly　in　front　of
Delaney。　　Jim's　right　hand　held　an　enormous　bowie…knife；　and　as　he　raised
it　above　Delaney　he　hissed　out：

〃If　you　dare　move　another　step；　you　open　you　　　；　I'll　open
you　from　one　end　to　the　other。

Delaney　stopped。　　This　checked　the　others　till　our　lines　reformed。

When　Wirz　saw　the　commotion　he　was　panic…stricken　with　fear　that　the
long…dreaded　assault　on　the　Stockade　had　begun。　　He　ran　down　from　the
headquarter　steps　to　the　Captain　of　the　battery；　shrieking：

〃Fire！　fire！　fire！〃

The　Captain；　not　being　a　fool；　could　see　that　the　rush　was　not　towards
the　Stockade；　but　away　from　it；　and　he　refrained　from　giving　the　order。

But　the　spectators　who　had　gotten　before　the　guns；　heard　Wirz's　excited
yell；　and　remembering　the　consequences　to　themselves　should　the　artillery
be　discharged；　became　frenzied　with　fear；　and　screamed；　and　fell　down
over　and　trampled　upon　each　other　in　endeavoring　to　get　away。　　The　guards
on　that　side　of　the　Stockade　ran　down　in　a　panic；　and　the　ten　thousand
prisoners　immediately　around　us；　expecting　no　less　than　that　the　next
instant　we　would　be　swept　with　grape　and　canister；　stampeded
tumultuously。　　There　were　quite　a　number　of　wells　right　around　us；　and
all　of　these　were　filled　full　of　men　that　fell　into　them　as　the　crowd
rushed　away。　Many　had　legs　and　arms　broken；　and　I　have　no　doubt　that
several　were　killed。

It　was　the　stormiest　five　minutes　that　I　ever　saw。

While　this　was　going　on　two　of　my　company；　belonging　to　the　Fifth　Iowa
Cavalry；　were　in　hot　pursuit　of　Curtis。　　I　had　seen　them　start　and
shouted　to　them　to　come　back；　as　I　feared　they　would　be　set　upon　by　the
Raiders　and　murdered。　But　the　din　was　so　overpowering　that　they　could　not
hear　me；　and　doubtless　would　not　have　come　back　if　they　had　heard。

Curtis　ran　diagonally　down　the　hill；　jumping　over　the　tents　and　knocking
down　the　men　who　happened　in　his　way。　　Arriving　at　the　swamp　he　plunged
in；　sinking　nearly　to　his　hips　in　the　fetid；　filthy　ooze。　He　forged　his
way　through　with　terrible　effort。　　His　pursuers　followed　his　example；　and
caught　up　to　him　just　as　he　emerged　on　the　other　side。　　They　struck　him
on　the　back　of　the　head　with　their　clubs；　and　knocked　him　down。

By　this　time　order　had　been　restored　about　us。　　The　guns　remained　silent；
and　the　crowd　massed　around　us　again。　　From　where　we　were　we　could　see
the　successful　end　of　the　chase　after　Curtis；　and　could　see　his　captors
start　back　with　him。　　Their　success　was　announced　with　a　roar　of　applause
from　the　North　Side。　　Both　captors　and　captured　were　greatly　exhausted；
and　they　were　coming　back　very　slowly。　　Key　ordered　the　balance　up　on　to
the　scaffold。　　They　obeyed　promptly。　　The　priest　resumed　his　reading　of
the　service　for　the　condemned。　　The　excitement　seemed　to　make　the　doomed
ones　exceedingly　thirsty。　　I　never　saw　men　drink　such　inordinate
quantities　of　water。　　They　called　for　it　continually；　gulped　down　a　quart
or　more　at　a　time；　and　kept　two　men　going　nearly　all　the　time　carrying　it
to　them。

When　Curtis　finally　arrived；　he　sat　on　the　ground　for　a　minute　or　so；　to
rest；　and　then；　reeking　with　filth；　slowly　and　painfully　climbed　the
steps。　　Delaney　seemed　to　think　he　was　suffering　as　much　from　fright　as
anything　else；　and　said　to　him：

〃Come　on　up；　now；　show　yourself　a　man；　and　die　game。〃

Again　the　priest　resumed　his　reading；　but　it　had　no　interest　to　Delaney；
who　kept　calling　out　directions　to　Pete　Donelly；　who　was　standing　in　the
crowd；　as　to　dispositions　to　be　made　of　certain　bits　of　stolen　property：
to　give　a　watch　to　this　one；　a　ring　to　another；　and　so　on。　　Once　the
priest　stopped　and　said：

〃My　son；　let　the　things　of　this　earth　go；　and　turn　your　attention　toward
those　of　heaven。〃

Delaney　paid　no　attention　to　this　admonition。　　The　whole　six　then　began
delivering　farewell　messages　to　those　in　the　crowd。　　Key　pulled　a　watch
from　his　pocket　and　said：

〃Two　minutes　more　to　talk。〃

Delaney　said　cheerfully：

〃Well；　good　by；　b'ys；　if　I've　hurted　any　of　y　ez；　I　hope　ye'll　forgive
me。　　Shpake　up；　now；　any　of　yez　that　I've　hurted；　and　say　yell　forgive
me。〃

We　called　upon　Marion　Friend；　whose　throat　Delaney　had　tried　to　cut　three
weeks　before　while　robbing　him　of　forty　dollars；　to　come　forward；　but
Friend　was　not　in　a　forgiving　mood；　and　refused　with　an　oath。

Key　said：

〃Time's　up！〃　put　the　watch　back　in　his　pocket　and　raised　his　hand　like　an
officer　commanding　a　gun。　　Harris　and　Payne　laid　hold　of　the　ropes　to　the
supports　of　the　planks。　　Each　of　the　six　hangmen　tied　a　condemned　man's
hands；　pulled　a　meal　sack　down　over　his　head；　placed　the　noose　around　his
neck；　drew　it　up　tolerably　close；　and　sprang　to　the　ground。　　The　priest
began　praying　aloud。

Key　dropped　his　hand。　　Payne　and　Harris　snatched　the　supports　out　with　a
single　jerk。　　The　planks　fell　with　a　clatter。　　Five　of　the　bodies　swung
around　dizzily　in　the　air。　　The　sixth　that　of　〃Mosby；〃　a　large；　powerful；
raw…boned　man；　one　of　the　worst　in　the　lot；　and　who；　among　other　crimes；
had　killed　Limber　Jim's　brother…broke　the　rope；　and　fell　with　a　thud　to
the　ground。　　Some　of　the　men　ran　forward；　examined　the　body；　and　decided
that　he　still　lived。　　The　rope　was　cut　off　his　neck；　the　meal　sack
removed；　and　water　thrown　in　his　face　until　consciousness　returned。
At　the　first　instant　he　thought　he　was　in　eternity。　　He　gasped　out：

〃Where　am　I？　　Am　I　in　the　other　world？〃

Limber　Jim　muttered　that　they　would　soon　show　him　where　he　was；　and　went
on　grimly　fixing　up　the　scaffold　anew。　　〃Mosby〃　soon　realized　what　had
happened；　and　the　unrelenting　purpose　of　the　Regulator　Chiefs。　　Then　he
began　to　beg　piteously　for　his　life；　saying：

〃O　for　God's　sake；　do　not　put　me　up　there　again！　　God　has　spared　my　life
once。　　He　meant　that　you　should　be　merciful　to　me。〃

Limber　Jim　deigned　him　no　reply。　　When　the　scaffold　was　rearranged；　and　a
stout　rope　had　replaced　the　broken　one；　he　pulled　the　meal　sack　once　more
over　〃Mosby's〃　head；　who　never　ceased　his　pleadings。　　Then　picking　up　the
large　man　as　if　he　were　a　baby；　he　carried　him　to　the　scaffold　and　handed
him　up　to　Tom　Larkin；　who　fitted　the　noose　around　his　neck　and　sprang
down。　　The　supports　had　not　been　set　with　the　same　delicacy　as　at　first；
and　Limber　Jim　had　to　set　his　heel　and　wrench　desperately　at　them　before
he　could　force　them　out。　　Then　〃Mosby〃　passed　away　without　a　struggle。

After　hanging　till　life　was　extinct；　the　bodies　were　cut　down；　the　meal…
sacks　pulled　off　their　faces；　and　the　Regulators　formal　two　parallel
lines；　through　which　all　the　prisoners　passed　and　took　a　look　at　the
bodies。　　Pete　Donnelly　and　Dick　Allen　knelt　down　and　wiped　the　froth　off
Delaney's　lips；　and　swore　vengeance　against　those　who　had　done　him　to
death。




CHAPTER　XXXVIII。

AFTER　THE　EXECUTIONFORMATION　OF　A　POLICE　FORCEITS　FIRST　CHIEF
〃SPANKING〃　AN　OFFENDER。

After　the　executions　Key；　knowing　that　he；　and　all　those　prominently
connected　with　the　hanging；　would　be　in　hourly　danger　of　assassination　if
they　remained　inside；　secured　details　as　nurses　and　ward…masters　in　the
hospital；　and　went　outside。　　In　this　crowd　were　Key；　Ned　Carrigan；　Limber
Jim；　Dick　McCullough；　the　six　hangmen；　the　two　Corporals　who　pulled　the
props　from　under　the　scaffold；　and　perhaps　some　others　whom　I　do　not　now
remember。

In　the　meanwhile　provision　had　been　made　for　the　future　maintenance　of
order　in　the　prison　by　the　organization　of　a　regular　police　force；　which
in　time　came　to　number　twelve　hundred　men。　　These　were　divided　into
companies；　under　appropriate　officers。　　Guards　were　detailed　for　certain
locations；　patrols　passed　through　the　camp　in　all　directions　continually；
and　signals　with　whistles　could　summon　sufficient　assistance　to　suppress
any　disturbance；　or　carry　out　any　orders　from　the　chief。

The　chieftainship　was　first　held　by　Key；　but　when　he　went　outside　he
appointed　Sergeant　A。　R。　Hill；　of　the　One　Hundredth　O。　V。　I。　now　a
resident　of　Wauseon；　Ohio；his　successor。　　Hill　was　one　of　the
notabilities　of　that　immense　throng。　　A　great；　broad…shouldered；　giant；
in　the　prime　of　his　manhoodthe　beginning　of　his　thirtieth　yearhe　was
as　good…natured　as　big；　and　as　mild…mannered　as　brave。　　He　spoke　slowly；
softly；　and　with　a　slightly　rustic　twang；　that　was　very　tempting　to　a
certain　class　of　sharps　to　take　him　up　for　a　〃luberly　greeny。〃　　The　man
who　did　so　usually　repented　his　error　in　sack…cloth　and　ashes。

Hill　first　came　into　prominence　as　the　victor　in　the　most　stubbornly
contested　fight　in　the　prison　history　of　Belle　Isle。　　When　the　squad　of
the　One　Hundredth　Ohiocaptured　at　Limestone　Station；　East　Tennessee；　in
September；1863arrived　on　Belle　Isle；　a　certain　Jack　Oliver；　of　the
Nineteenth　Indiana；　was　the　undisputed　fistic　monarch　of　the　Island。
He　did　not　bear　his　blushing　honors　modestly；　few　of　a　right　arm　that
indefinite　locality　known　as　〃　the　middle　of　next　week；〃　is　something
that　the　possessor　can　as　little　resist　showing　as　can　a　girl　her　first
solitaire　ring。　　To　know　that　one　can　certainly　strike　a　disagreeable
fellow　out　of　time　is　pretty　sure　to　breed　a　desire　to　do　that　thing
whenever　occasion　serves。　　Jack　Oliver　was　one　who　did　not　let　his　biceps
rust　in　inaction；　but　thrashed　everybody　on　the　Island　whom　he　thought
needed　it；　and　his　ideas　as　to　those　who　should　be　included　in　this　class
widened　daily；　until　it　began　to　appear　that　he　would　soon　feel　it　his
duty　to　let　no　unwhipped　man　escape；　but　pound　everybody　on　the　Island。

One　day　his　evil　genius　led　him　to　abuse　a　rather　elderly　man　belonging
to　Hill's　mess。　　As　he　fired　off　his　tirade　of　contumely；　Hill　said　with
more　than　his　usual　〃soft〃　rusticity：

〃MisterIdon'tthinkitjustrightforayoungmantocall
anoldonesuchbad　names。〃

Jack　Oliver　turned　on　him　savagely。

〃Well！　　may　be　you　want　to　take　it　up？〃

The　grin　on　Hill's　face　looked　still　more　verdant；　as　he　answered　with
gentle　deliberation：

〃WellmisterIdon'tgoaroundahuntingthings