andersonville-第37章

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his　victims　down　on　every　hand。　　One　could　not　look　a　rod　in　any
direction　without　seeing　at　least　a　dozen　men　in　the　last　frightful
stages　of　rotting　Death。

Let　me　describe　the　scene　immediately　around　my　own　tent　during　the　last
two　weeks　of　July；　as　a　sample　of　the　condition　of　the　whole　prison：
I　will　take　a　space　not　larger　than　a　good　sized　parlor　or　sitting　room。
On　this　were　at　least　fifty　of　us。　　Directly　in　front　of　me　lay　two
brothersnamed　Sherwoodbelonging　to　Company　I；　of　my　battalion；　who
came　originally　from　Missouri。　　They　were　now　in　the　last　stages　of
scurvy　and　diarrhea。　　Every　particle　of　muscle　and　fat　about　their　limbs
and　bodies　had　apparently　wasted　away；　leaving　the　skin　clinging　close　to
the　bone　of　the　face；　arms；　hands；　ribs　and　thighseverywhere　except　the
feet　and　legs；　where　it　was　swollen　tense　and　transparent；　distended　with
gallons　of　purulent　matter。　　Their　livid　gums；　from　which　most　of　their
teeth　had　already　fallen；　protruded　far　beyond　their　lips。　　To　their　left
lay　a　Sergeant　and　two　others　of　their　company；　all　three　slowly　dying
from　diarrhea；　and　beyond　was　a　fair…haired　German；　young　and　intelligent
looking；　whose　life　was　ebbing　tediously　away。　　To　my　right　was　a
handsome　young　Sergeant　of　an　Illinois　Infantry　Regiment；　captured　at
Kenesaw。　　His　left　arm　had　been　amputated　between　the　shoulder　and　elbow；
and　he　was　turned　into　the　Stockade　with　the　stump　all　undressed；　save
the　ligating　of　the　arteries。　　Of　course；　he　had　not　been　inside　an　hour
until　the　maggot　flies　had　laid　eggs　in　the　open　wound；　and　before　the
day　was　gone　the　worms　were　hatched　out；　and　rioting　amid　the　inflamed
and　super…sensitive　nerves；　where　their　every　motion　was　agony。
Accustomed　as　we　were　to　misery；　we　found　a　still　lower　depth　in　his
misfortune；　and　I　would　be　happier　could　I　forget　his　pale；　drawn　face；
as　he　wandered　uncomplainingly　to　and　fro；　holding　his　maimed　limb　with
his　right　hand；　occasionally　stopping　to　squeeze　it；　as　one　does　a　boil；
and　press　from　it　a　stream　of　maggots　and　pus。　　I　do　not　think　he　ate　or
slept　for　a　week　before　he　died。　　Next　to　him　staid　an　Irish　Sergeant　of
a　New　York　Regiment；　a　fine　soldierly　man；　who；　with　pardonable　pride；
wore；　conspicuously　on　his　left　breast；　a　medal　gained　by　gallantry　while
a　British　soldier　in　the　Crimea。　　He　was　wasting　away　with　diarrhea；　and
died　before　the　month　was　out。

This　was　what　one　could　see　on　every　square　rod　of　the　prison。　　Where　I
was　was　not　only　no　worse　than　the　rest　of　the　prison；　but　was　probably
much　better　and　healthier；　as　it　was　the　highest　ground　inside；　farthest
from　the　Swamp；　and　having　the　dead　line　on　two　sides；　had　a　ventilation
that　those　nearer　the　center　could　not　possibly　have。　　Yet；　with　all
these　conditions　in　our　favor；　the　mortality　was　as　I　have　described。

Near　us　an　exasperating　idiot；　who　played　the　flute；　had　established
himself。　　Like　all　poor　players；　he　affected　the　low；　mournful　notes；
as　plaintive　as　the　distant　cooing　of　the　dove　in　lowering；　weather。
He　played　or　rather　tooted　away　in　his　〃blues〃inducing　strain　hour　after
hour；　despite　our　energetic　protests；　and　occasionally　flinging　a　club　at
him。　　There　was　no　more　stop　to　him　than　to　a　man　with　a　hand…organ；　and
to　this　day　the　low；　sad　notes　of　a　flute　are　the　swiftest　reminder　to　me
of　those　sorrowful；　death…laden　days。

I　had　an　illustration　one　morning　of　how　far　decomposition　would　progress
in　a　man's　body　before　he　died。　　My　chum　and　I　found　a　treasure…trove　in
the　streets；　in　the　shape　of　the　body　of　a　man　who　died　during　the　night。
The　value　of　this　〃find〃　was　that　if　we　took　it　to　the　gate；　we　would　be
allowed　to　carry　it　outside　to　the　deadhouse；　and　on　our　way　back　have　an
opportunity　to　pick　up　a　chunk　of　wood；　to　use　in　cooking。　　While
discussing　our　good　luck　another　party　came　up　and　claimed　the　body。
A　verbal　dispute　led　to　one　of　blows；　in　which　we　came　off　victorious；
and　I　hastily　caught　hold　of　the　arm　near　the　elbow　to　help　bear　the　body
away。　　The　skin　gave　way　under　my　hand；　and　slipped　with　it　down　to　the
wrist；　like　a　torn　sleeve。　　It　was　sickening；　but　I　clung　to　my　prize；
and　secured　a　very　good　chunk　of　wood　while　outside　with　it。　　The　wood
was　very　much　needed　by　my　mess；　as　our　squad　had　then　had　none　for　more
than　a　week。




CHAPTER　XL。

THE　BATTLE　OF　THE　22D　OF　JULYTHE　ARMS　OF　THE　TENNESSEE　ASSAULTED　FRONT
AND　REARDEATH　OF　GENERAL　MCPHERSONASSUMPTION　OF　COMMAND　BY　GENERAL
LOGANRESULT　OF　THE　BATTLE。

Naturally；　we　had　a　consuming　hunger　for　news　of　what　was　being
accomplished　by　our　armies　toward　crushing　the　Rebellion。　　Now；　more　than
ever；　had　we　reason　to　ardently　wish　for　the　destruction　of　the　Rebel
power。　　Before　capture　we　had　love　of　country　and　a　natural　desire　for
the　triumph　of　her　flag　to　animate　us。　　Now　we　had　a　hatred　of　the　Rebels
that　passed　expression；　and　a　fierce　longing　to　see　those　who　daily
tortured　and　insulted　us　trampled　down　in　the　dust　of　humiliation。

The　daily　arrival　of　prisoners　kept　us　tolerably　well　informed　as　to　the
general　progress　of　the　campaign；　and　we　added　to　the　information　thus
obtained　by　gettingalmost　dailyin　some　manner　or　anothera　copy　of　a
Rebel　paper。　　Most　frequently　these　were　Atlanta　papers；　or　an　issue　of
the　〃Memphis…Corinth…Jackson…Grenada…Chattanooga…Resacca…Marietta…Atlanta
Appeal；〃　as　they　used　to　facetiously　term　a　Memphis　paper　that　left　that
City　when　it　was　taken　in　1862；　and　for　two　years　fell　back　from　place　to
place；　as　Sherman's　Army　advanced；　until　at　last　it　gave　up　the　struggle
in　September；　1864；　in　a　little　Town　south　of　Atlanta；　after　about　two
thousand　miles　of　weary　retreat　from　an　indefatigable　pursuer。　　The
papers　were　brought　in　by　〃fresh　fish；〃　purchased　from　the　guards　at　from
fifty　cents　to　one　dollar　apiece；　or　occasionally　thrown　in　to　us　when
they　had　some　specially　disagreeable　intelligence；　like　the　defeat　of
Banks；　or　Sturgis；　or　Bunter；　to　exult　over。　　I　was　particularly
fortunate　in　getting　hold　of　these。　　Becoming　installed　as　general　reader
for　a　neighborhood　of　several　thousand　men；　everything　of　this　kind　was
immediately　brought　to　me；　to　be　read　aloud　for　the　benefit　of　everybody。
All　the　older　prisoners　knew　me　by　the　nick…name　of　〃Illinoy〃
a　designation　arising　from　my　wearing　on　my　cap；　when　I　entered　prison；
a　neat　little　white　metal　badge　of　〃ILLS。〃　　When　any　reading　matter　was
brought　into　our　neighborhood；　there　would　be　a　general　cry　of：

〃Take　it　up　to　'Illinoy；'〃　and　then　hundreds　would　mass　around　my
quarters　to　bear　the　news　read。

The　Rebel　papers　usually　had　very　meager　reports　of　the　operations　of　the
armies；　and　these　were　greatly　distorted；　but　they　were　still　very
interesting；　and　as　we　always　started　in　to　read　with　the　expectation
that　the　whole　statement　was　a　mass　of　perversions　and　lies；　where　truth
was　an　infrequent　accident；　we　were　not　likely　to　be　much　impressed　with
it。

There　was　a　marled　difference　in　the　tone　of　the　reports　brought　in　from
the　different　armies。　　Sherman's　men　were　always　sanguine。　　They　had　no
doubt　that　they　were　pushing　the　enemy　straight　to　the　wall；　and　that
every　day　brought　the　Southern　Confederacy　much　nearer　its　downfall。
Those　from　the　Army　of　the　Potomac　were　never　so　hopeful。　　They　would
admit　that　Grant　was　pounding　Lee　terribly；　but　the　shadow　of　the
frequent　defeats　of　the　Army　of　the　Potomac　seemed　to　hang　depressingly
over　them。

There　came　a　day；　however；　when　our　sanguine　hopes　as　to　Sherman　were
checked　by　a　possibility　that　he　had　failed；　that　his　long　campaign
towards　Atlanta　had　culminated　in　such　a　reverse　under　the　very　walls　of
the　City　as　would　compel　an　abandonment　of　the　enterprise；　and　possibly　a
humiliating　retreat。　　We　knew　that　Jeff。　Davis　and　his　Government　were
strongly　dissatisfied　with　the　Fabian　policy　of　Joe　Johnston。　　The　papers
had　told　us　of　the　Rebel　President's　visit　to　Atlanta；　of　his　bitter
comments　on　Johnston's　tactics；　of　his　going　so　far　as　to　sneer　about　the
necessity　of　providing　pontoons　at　Key　West；　so　that　Johnston　might
continue　his　retreat　even　to　Cuba。　　Then　came　the　news　of　Johnston's
Supersession　by　Hood；　and　the　papers　were　full　of　the　exulting
predictions　of　what　would　now　be　accomplished　〃when　that　gallant　young
soldier　is　once　fairly　in　the　saddle。〃

All　this　meant　one　supreme　effort　to　arrest　the　onward　course　of　Sherman。
It　indicated　a　resolve　to　stake　the　fate　of　Atlanta；　and　the　fortunes　of
the　Confederacy　in　the　West；　upon　the　hazard　of　one　desperate　fight。
We　watched　the　summoning　up　of　every　Rebel　energy　for　the　blow　with
apprehension。　　We　dreaded　another　Chickamauga。

The　blow　fell　on　the　22d　of　July。　　It　was　well　planned。　　The　Army　of　the
Tennessee；　the　left　of　Sherman's　forces；　was　the　part　struck。　　On　the
night　of　the　21st　Hood　marched　a　heavy　force　around　its　left　flank　and
gained　its　rear。　　On　the　22d　this　force　fell　on　the　rear　with　the
impetuous　violence　of　a　cyclone；　while　the　Rebels　in　the　works
immediately　around　Atlanta　attacked　furiously　in　front。

It　was　an　ordeal　that　no　other　army　ever　passed　through　successfully。
The　steadiest　troops　in　Europe　would　think　it　foolhardiness　to　attempt　to
withstand　an　assault　in　force　in　front　and　rear　at　the　same　time。
The　finest　legions　that　follow　any　flag　to…day　must　almost　inevitably
succumb　to　such　a　mode　of　attack。　　But　the　seasoned　veterans　of　the　Army
of　the　Tennessee　encountered　the　shock　with　an　obstinacy　which　showed
that　the　finest　material　for　soldiery　this　planet　holds　was　that　in　which
undaunted　hearts　beat　beneath　blue　blouses。　　Springing　over　the　front　of
their　breastworks；　they　drove　back　with　a　withering　fire　the　force
assailing　them　in　the　rear。　　This　beaten　off；　they　jumped　back　to　their
proper　places；　and　repulsed　the　assault　in　front。　　This　was　the　way　the
battle　was　waged　until　night　compelled　a　cessation　of　operations。　　Our
boys　were　alternately　behind　the　breastworks　firing　at　Rebels　advancing
upon　the　front；　and　in　front　of　the　works　firing　upon　those　coming　up　in
the　rear。　　Sometimes　part　of　our　line　would　be　on　one　side　of　the　works；
and　part　on　the　other。

In　the　prison　we　were　greatly　excited　over　the　result　of　the　engagement；
of　which　we　were　uncertain　for　many　days。　　A　host　of　new　prisoners
perhaps　two　thousandwas　brought　in　from　there；　but　as　they　were
captured　during　the　progress　of　the　fight；　they　could　not　speak
definitely　as　to　its　issue。　　The　Rebel　papers　exulted　without　stint　over
what　they　termed　〃a　glorious　victory。〃　　They　were　particularly　jubilant
over　the　death　of　McPherson；　who；　they　claimed；　was　the　brain　and　guiding
hand　of　Sherman's　army。　　One　paper　likened　him　to　the　pilot…fish；　which
guides　the　shark　to　his　prey。　　Now　that　he　was　gone；　said　the　paper；
Sherman's　army　becomes　a　great　lumbering　hulk；　with　no　one　in　it　capable
of　directing　it；　and　it　must　soon　fall　to　utter　ruin　under　the　skilfully
delivered　strokes　of　the　gallant　Hood。

We　also　knew　that　great　numbers　of　wounded　had　been　brought　to　the　prison
hospital；　and　this　seemed　to　confirm　the　Rebel　claim　of　a　victory；　as　it
showed　they　retained　possession　of　the　battle　field。

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