andersonville-第5章

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and　ground　it　in　the　quaintest；　rudest　little　mills　that　can　be　imagined
outside　of　the　primitive　affairs　by　which　the　women　of　Arabia　coarsely
powder　the　grain　for　the　family　meal。　　Sometimes　the　mill　would　consist
only　of　four　stout　posts　thrust　into　the　ground　at　the　edge　of　some
stream。　　A　line　of　boulders　reaching　diagonally　across　the　stream
answered　for　a　dam；　by　diverting　a　portion　of　the　volume　of　water　to　a
channel　at　the　side；　where　it　moved　a　clumsily　constructed　wheel；　that
turned　two　small　stones；　not　larger　than　good…sized　grindstones。　　Over
this　would　be　a　shed　made　by　resting　poles　in　forked　posts　stuck　into　the
ground；　and　covering　these　with　clapboards　held　in　place　by　large　flat
stones。　　They　resembled　the　mills　of　the　godsin　grinding　slowly。
It　used　to　seem　that　a　healthy　man　could　eat　the　meal　faster　than　they
ground　it。

But　what　savory　meals　we　used　to　concoct　around　the　campfires；　out　of　the
rich　materials　collected　during　the　day's　ride！　　Such　stews；　such　soups；
such　broils；　such　wonderful　commixtures　of　things　diverse　in　nature　and
antagonistic　in　properties　such　daring　culinary　experiments　in　combining
materials　never　before　attempted　to　be　combined。　　The　French　say　of
untasteful　arrangement　of　hues　in　dress　〃that　the　colors　swear　at　each
other。〃　　I　have　often　thought　the　same　thing　of　the　heterogeneities　that
go　to　make　up　a　soldier's　pot…a　feu。

But　for　all　that　they　never　failed　to　taste　deliciously　after　a　long
day's　ride。　　They　were　washed　down　by　a　tincupful　of　coffee　strong　enough
to　tan　leather；　then　came　a　brier…wood　pipeful　of　fragrant　kinnikinnic；
and　a　seat　by　the　ruddy；　sparkling　fire　of　aromatic　cedar　logs；　that
diffused　at　once　warmth；　and　spicy；　pleasing　incense。　　A　chat　over　the
events　of　the　day；　and　the　prospect　of　the　morrow；　the　wonderful　merits
of　each　man's　horse；　and　the　disgusting　irregularities　of　the　mails　from
home；　lasted　until　the　silver…voiced　bugle　rang　out　the　sweet；　mournful
tattoo　of　the　Regulations；　to　the　flowing　cadences　of　which　the　boys　had
arranged　the　absurdly　incongruous　words：

　　　　　　　　　　〃S…a…yD…e…u…t…c…h…e…r…will…you　fight…mit　Sigel！
　　　　　　　　　　Zwei…glass　of　lager…bier；　ja！　ja！　JA！

Words　were　fitted　to　all　the　calls；　which　generally　bore　some
relativeness　to　the　sigmal；　but　these　were　as；　destitute　of　congruity　as
of　sense。

Tattoo　always　produces　an　impression　of　extreme　loneliness。　　As　its
weird；　half…availing　notes　ring　out　and　are　answered　back　from　the
distant　rocks　shrouded　in　night；　and　perhaps　concealing　the　lurking　foe；
the　soldier　remembers　that　he　is　far　away　from　home　and　friendsdeep　in
the　enemy's　country；　encompassed　on　every　hand　by　those　in　deadly
hostility　to　him；　who　are　perhaps　even　then　maturing　the　preparations　for
his　destruction。

As　the　tattoo　sounds；　the　boys　arise　from　around　the　fire；　visit　the
horse　line；　see　that　their　horses　are　securely　tied；　rub　off　from　the
fetlocks　and　legs　such　specks　of　mud　as　may　have　escaped　the　cleaning　in
the　early　evening；　and　if　possible；　smuggle　their　faithful　four…footed
friends　a　few　ears　of　corn；　or　another　bunch　of　hay。

If　not　too　tired；　and　everything　else　is　favorable；　the　cavalryman　has
prepared　himself　a　comfortable　couch　for　the　night。　　He　always　sleeps
with　a　chum。　　The　two　have　gathered　enough　small　tufts　of　pine　or　cedar
to　make　a　comfortable；　springy；　mattress…like　foundation。　　On　this　is
laid　the　poncho　or　rubber　blanket。　　Next　comes　one　of　their　overcoats；
and　upon　this　they　lie；　covering　themselves　with　the　two　blankets　and　the
other　overcoat；　their　feet　towards　the　fire；　their　boots　at　the　foot；　and
their　belts；　with　revolver；　saber　and　carbine；　at　the　sides　of　the　bed。
It　is　surprising　what　an　amount　of　comfort　a　man　can　get　out　of　such　a
couch；　and　how；　at　an　alarm；　he　springs　from　it；　almost　instantly　dressed
and　armed。

Half　an　hour　after　tattoo　the　bugle　rings　out　another　sadly　sweet　strain；
that　hath　a　dying　sound。




CHAPTER　IV。

A　BITTER　COLD　MORNING　AND　A　WARM　AWAKENINGTROUBLE　ALL　ALONG　THE　LINE
FIERCE　CONFLICTS；　ASSAULTS　AND　DEFENSEPROLONGED　AND　DESPERATE　STRUGGLE
ENDING　WITH　A　SURRENDER。

The　night　had　been　the　most　intensely　cold　that　the　country　had　known　for
many　years。　　Peach　and　other　tender　trees　had　been　killed　by　the　frosty
rigor；　and　sentinels　had　been　frozen　to　death　in　our　neighborhood。　　The
deep　snow　on　which　we　made　our　beds；　the　icy　covering　of　the　streams　near
us；　the　limbs　of　the　trees　above　us；　had　been　cracking　with　loud　noises
all　night；　from　the　bitter　cold。

We　were　camped　around　Jonesville；　each　of　the　four　companies　lying　on　one
of　the　roads　leading　from　the　town。　　Company　L　lay　about　a　mile　from　the
Court　House。　　On　a　knoll　at　the　end　of　the　village　toward　us；　and　at　a
point　where　two　roads　separated；one　of　which　led　to　us；stood　a　three…
inch　Rodman　rifle；　belonging　to　the　Twenty…second　Ohio　Battery。　　It　and
its　squad　of　eighteen　men；　under　command　of　Lieutenant　Alger　and　Sergeant
Davis；　had　been　sent　up　to　us　a　few　days　before　from　the　Gap。

The　comfortless　gray　dawn　was　crawling　sluggishly　over　the　mountain…tops；
as　if　numb　as　the　animal　and　vegetable　life　which　had　been　shrinking　all
the　long　hours　under　the　fierce　chill。

The　Major's　bugler　had　saluted　the　morn　with　the　lively；　ringing　tarr…r…
r…a…ta…ara　of　the　Regulation　reveille；　and　the　company　buglers；　as　fast
as　they　could　thaw　out　their　mouth…pieces；　were　answering　him。

I　lay　on　my　bed；　dreading　to　get　up；　and　yet　not　anxious　to　lie　still。
It　was　a　question　which　would　be　the　more　uncomfortable。　　I　turned　over；
to　see　if　there　was　not　another　position　in　which　it　would　be　warmer；
and　began　wishing　for　the　thousandth　time　that　the　efforts　for　the
amelioration　of　the　horrors　of　warfare　would　progress　to　such　a　point　as
to　put　a　stop　to　all　Winter　soldiering；　so　that　a　fellow　could　go　home　as
soon　as　cold　weather　began；　sit　around　a　comfortable　stove　in　a　country
store；　and　tell　camp　stories　until　the　Spring　was　far　enough　advanced　to
let　him　go　back　to　the　front　wearing　a　straw　hat　and　a　linen　duster。

Then　I　began　wondering　how　much　longer　I　would　dare　lie　there；　before　the
Orderly　Sergeant　would　draw　me　out　by　the　heels；　and　accompany　the
operation　with　numerous　unkind　and　sulphurous　remarks。

This　cogitation；　was　abruptly　terminated　by　hearing　an　excited　shout　from
the　Captain：

〃Turn　Out！COMPANY　L！！　　TURNOUT　！　　！　　！〃

Almost　at　the　same　instant　rose　that　shrill；　piercing　Rebel　yell；　which
one　who　has　once　heard　it　rarely　forgets；　and　this　was　followed　by　a
crashing　volley　from　apparently　a　regiment　of　rifles。

I　arose…promptly。

There　was　evidently　something　of　more　interest　on　hand　than　the　weather。

Cap；　overcoat；　boots　and　revolver　belt　went　on；　and　eyes　opened　at　about
the　same　instant。

As　I　snatched　up　my　carbine；　I　looked　out　in　front；　and　the　whole　woods
appeared　to　be　full　of　Rebels；　rushing　toward　us；　all　yelling　and　some
firing。　　My　Captain　and　First　Lieutenant　had　taken　up　position　on　the
right　front　of　the　tents；　and　part　of　the　boys　were　running　up　to　form　a
line　alongside　them。　　The　Second　Lieutenant　had　stationed　himself　on　a
knoll　on　the　left　front；　and　about　a　third　of　the　company　was　rallying
around　him。

My　chum　was　a　silent；　sententious　sort　of　a　chap；　and　as　we　ran　forward
to　the　Captain's　line；　he　remarked　earnestly：

〃Well：　this　beats　hell！〃

I　thought　he　had　a　clear　idea　of　the　situation。

All　this　occupied　an　inappreciably　short　space　of　time。　　The　Rebels　had
not　stopped　to　reload；　but　were　rushing　impetuously　toward　us。　　We　gave
them　a　hot；　rolling　volley　from　our　carbines。　　Many　fell；　more　stopped　to
load　and　reply；　but　the　mass　surged　straight　forward　at　us。　　Then　our
fire　grew　so　deadly　that　they　showed　a　disposition　to　cover　themselves
behind　the　rocks　and　trees。　　Again　they　were　urged　forward；　and　a　body　of
them　headed　by　their　Colonel；　mounted　on　a　white　horse；　pushed　forward
through　the　gap　between　us　and　the　Second　Lieutenant。　　The　Rebel　Colonel
dashed　up　to　the　Second　Lieutenant；　and　ordered　him　to　surrender。　　The
latter…a　gallant　old　graybeardcursed　the　Rebel　bitterly　and　snapped　his
now　empty　revolver　in　his　face。　　The　Colonel　fired　and　killed　him；
whereupon　his　squad；　with　two　of　its　Sergeants　killed　and　half　its
numbers　on　the　ground；　surrendered。

The　Rebels　in　our　front　and　flank　pressed　us　with　equal　closeness。
It　seemed　as　if　it　was　absolutely　impossible　to　check　their　rush　for　an
instant；　and　as　we　saw　the　fate　of　our　companions　the　Captain　gave　the
word　for　every　man　to　look　out　for　himself。　　We　ran　back　a　little
distance；　sprang　over　the　fence　into　the　fields；　and　rushed　toward　Town；
the　Rebels　encouraging　us　to　make　good　time　by　a　sharp　fire　into　our
backs　from　the　fence。

While　we　were　vainly　attempting　to　stem　the　onset　of　the　column　dashed
against　us；　better　success　was　secured　elsewhere。　　Another　column　swept
down　the　other　road；　upon　which　there　was　only　an　outlying　picket。　　This
had　to　come　back　on　the　run　before　the　overwhelming　numbers；　and　the
Rebels　galloped　straight　for　the　three…inch　Rodman。　　Company　M　was　the
first　to　get　saddled　and　mounted；　and　now　came　up　at　a　steady；　swinging
gallop；　in　two　platoons；　saber　and　revolver　in　hand；　and　led　by　two
Sergeants…Key　and　McWright；printer　boys　from　Bloomington；　Illinois。
They　divined　the　object　of　the　Rebel　dash；　and　strained　every　nerve　to
reach　the　gun　first。　　The　Rebels　were　too　near；　and　got　the　gun　and
turned　it。　　Before　they　could　fire　it；　Company　M　struck　them　headlong；
but　they　took　the　terrible　impact　without　flinching；　and　for　a　few
minutes　there　was　fierce　hand…to…hand　work；　with　sword　and　pistol。
The　Rebel　leader　sank　under　a　half…dozen　simultaneous　wounds；　and　fell
dead　almost　under　the　gun。　　Men　dropped　from　their　horses　each　instant；
and　the　riderless　steeds　fled　away。　　The　scale　of　victory　was　turned　by
the　Major　dashing　against　the　Rebel　left　flank　at　the　head　of　Company　I；
and　a　portion　of　the　artillery　squad。　　The　Rebels　gave　ground　slowly；
and　were　packed　into　a　dense　mass　in　the　lane　up　which　they　had　charged。
After　they　had　been　crowded　back；　say　fifty　yards；　word　was　passed
through　our　men　to　open　to　the　right　and　left　on　the　sides　of　the　road。
The　artillerymen　had　turned　the　gun　and　loaded　it　with　a　solid　shot。
Instantly　a　wide　lane　opened　through　our　ranks；　the　man　with　the　lanyard
drew　the　fatal　cord；　fire　burst　from　the　primer　and　the　muzzle；　the　long
gun　sprang　up　and　recoiled；　and　there　seemed　to　be　a　demoniac　yell　in　its
ear…splitting　crash；　as　the　heavy　ball　left　the　mouth；　and　tore　its
bloody　way　through　the　bodies　of　the　struggling　mass　of　men　and　horses。

This　ended　it。　　The　Rebels　gave　way　in　disorder；　and　our　men　fell　back　to
give　the　gun　an　opportunity　to　throw　shell　and　canister。

The　Rebels　now　saw　that　we　were　not　to　be　run　over　like　a　field　of
cornstalks；　and　they　fell　back　to　devise　further　tactics；　giving　us　a
breathing　spell　to　get　ourselves　in　shape　for　defense。

The　dullest　could　see　that　we　were　in　a　desperate　situation。　　Critical
positions　were　no　new　experience　to　us；　as　they　never　are　to　a　cavalry
command　after　a　few　months　in　the　field；　but；　thou