andersonville-第51章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


again　volunteered　to　〃polish〃　him　off。

Andersonville　did　not　improve　either　his　temper　or　his　communicativeness。
He　seemed　to　want　to　get　as　far　away　from　the　rest　of　us　as　possible；
and　took　up　his　quarters　in　a　remote　corner　of　the　Stockade；　among　utter
strangers。　　Those　of　us　who　wandered　up　in　his　neighborhood　occasionally；
to　see　how　he　was　getting　along；　were　received　with　such　scant　courtesy；
that　we　did　not　hasten　to　repeat　the　visit。　　At　length；　after　none　of　us
had　seen　him　for　weeks；　we　thought　that　comradeship　demanded　another
visit。　　We　found　him　in　the　last　stages　of　scurvy　and　diarrhea。　　Chunks
of　uneaten　corn　bread　lay　by　his　head。　　They　were　at　least　a　week　old。
The　rations　since　then　had　evidently　been　stolen　from　the　helpless　man　by
those　around　him。　　The　place　where　he　lay　was　indescribably　filthy；　and
his　body　was　swarming　with　vermin。　　Some　good　Samaritan　had　filled　his
little　black　oyster　can　with　water；　and　placed　it　within　his　reach。
For　a　week；　at　least；　he　had　not　been　able　to　rise　from　the　ground；
he　could　barely　reach　for　the　water　near　him。　　He　gave　us　such　a　glare　of
recognition　as　I　remembered　to　have　seen　light　up　the　fast…darkening　eyes
of　a　savage　old　mastiff；　that　I　and　my　boyish　companions　once　found　dying
in　the　woods　of　disease　and　hurts。　　Had　he　been　able　he　would　have　driven
us　away；　or　at　least　assailed　us　with　biting　English　epithets。　　Thus　he
had　doubtless　driven　away　all　those　who　had　attempted　to　help　him。
We　did　what　little　we　could；　and　staid　with　him　until　the　next　afternoon；
when　he　died。　　We　prepared　his　body；　in　the　customary　way：　folded　the
hands　across　his　breast；　tied　the　toes　together；　and　carried　it　outside；
not　forgetting　each　of　us；　to　bring　back　a　load　of　wood。

The　scarcity　of　mechanics　of　all　kinds　in　the　Confederacy；　and　the　urgent
needs　of　the　people　for　many　things　which　the　war　and　the　blockade
prevented　their　obtaining；　led　to　continual　inducements　being　offered　to
the　artizans　among　us　to　go　outside　and　work　at　their　trade。　　Shoemakers
seemed　most　in　demand；　next　to　these　blacksmiths；　machinists；　molders　and
metal　workers　generally。　　Not　a　week　passed　during　my　imprisonment　that　I
did　not　see　a　Rebel　emissary　of　some　kind　about　the　prison　seeking　to
engage　skilled　workmen　for　some　purpose　or　another。　　While　in　Richmond
the　managers　of　the　Tredegar　Iron　Works　were　brazen　and　persistent　in
their　efforts　to　seduce　what　are　termed　〃malleable　iron　workers；〃　to
enter　their　employ。　　A　boy　who　was　master　of　any　one　of　the　commoner
trades　had　but　to　make　his　wishes　known；　and　he　would　be　allowed　to　go
out　on　parole　to　work。　　I　was　a　printer；　and　I　think　that　at　least　a
dozen　times　I　was　approached　by　Rebel　publishers　with　offers　of　a　parole；
and　work　at　good　prices。　　One　from　Columbia；　S。　C。；　offered　me　two
dollars　and　a　half　a　〃thousand〃　for　composition。　　As　the　highest　price
for　such　work　that　I　had　received　before　enlisting　was　thirty　cents　a
thousand；　this　seemed　a　chance　to　accumulate　u4told　wealth。　　Since　a　man
working　in　day　time　can　set　from　thirty…five　to　fifty　〃thousand〃　a　week；
this　would　make　weekly　wages　run　from　eighty…seven　dollars　and　fifty
cents　to　one　hundred　and　twenty…five　dollarsbut　it　was　in　Confederate
money；　then　worth　from　ten　to　twenty　cents　on　the　dollar。

Still　better　offers　were　made　to　iron　workers　of　all　kinds；
to　shoemakers；　tanners；　weavers；　tailors；　hatters；　engineers；　machinists；
millers；　railroad　men；　and　similar　tradesmen。　　Any　of　these　could　have
made　a　handsome　thing　by　accepting　the　offers　made　them　almost　weekly。
As　nearly　all　in　the　prison　had　useful　trades；　it　would　have　been　of
immense　benefit　to　the　Confederacy　if　they　could　have　been　induced　to
work　at　them。　　There　is　no　measuring　the　benefit　it　would　have　been　to
the　Southern　cause　if　all　the　hundreds　of　tanners　and　shoemakers　in　the
Stockade　could　have；　been　persuaded　to　go　outside　and　labor　in　providing
leather　and　shoes　for　the　almost　shoeless　people　and　soldiery。　　The
machinists　alone　could　have　done　more　good　to　the　Southern　Confederacy
than　one　of　our　brigades　was　doing　harm；　by　consenting　to　go　to　the
railroad　shops　at　Griswoldville　and　ply　their　handicraft。　　The　lack　of
material　resources　in　the　South　was　one　of　the　strongest　allies　our　arms
had。　　This　lack　of　resources　was　primarily　caused　by　a　lack　of　skilled
labor　to　develop　those　resources；　and　nowhere　could　there　be　found　a
finer　collection　of　skilled　laborers　than　in　the　thirty…three　thousand
prisoners　incarcerated　in　Andersonville。

All　solicitations　to　accept　a　parole　and　go　outside　to　work　at　one's
trade　were　treated　with　the　scorn　they　deserved。　　If　any　mechanic　yielded
to　them；　the　fact　did　not　come　under　my　notice。　　The　usual　reply　to
invitations　of　this　kind　was：

〃No；　Sir！　　By　God；　I'll　stay　in　here　till　I　rot；　and　the　maggots　carry　me
out　through　the　cracks　in　the　Stockade；　before　I'll　so　much　as　raise　my
little　finger　to　help　the　infernal　Confederacy；　or　Rebels；　in　any　shape
or　form。〃

In　August　a　Macon　shoemaker　came　in　to　get　some　of　his　trade　to　go　back
with　him　to　work　in　the　Confederate　shoe　factory。　　He　prosecuted　his
search　for　these　until　he　reached　the　center　of　the　camp　on　the　North
Side；　when　some　of　the　shoemakers　who　had　gathered　around　him；　apparently
considering　his　propositions；　seized　him　and　threw　him　into　a　well。
He　was　kept　there　a　whole　day；　and　only　released　when　Wirz　cut　off　the
rations　of　the　prison　for　that　day；　and　announced　that　no　more　would　be
issued　until　the　man　was　returned　safe　and　sound　to　the　gate。

The　terrible　crowding　was　somewhat　ameliorated　by　the　opening　in　July　of
an　additionsix　hundred　feet　longto　the　North　Side　of　the　Stockade。
This　increased　the　room　inside　to　twenty　acres；　giving　about　an　acre　to
every　one　thousand　seven　hundred　men；a　preposterously　contracted　area
still。　　The　new　ground　was　not　a　hotbed　of　virulent　poison　like　the　olds
however；　and　those　who　moved　on　to　it　had　that　much　in　their　favor。

The　palisades　between　the　new　and　the　old　portions　of　the　pen　were　left
standing　when　the　new　portion　was　opened。　　We　were　still　suffering　a
great　deal　of　inconvenience　from　lack　of　wood。　　That　night　the　standing
timbers　were　attacked　by　thousands　of　prisoners　armed　with　every　species
of　a　tool　to　cut　wood；　from　a　case…knife　to　an　ax。　　They　worked　the　live…
long　night　with　such　energy　that　by　morning　not　only　every　inch　of　the
logs　above　ground　had　disappeared；　but　that　below　had　been　dug　up；　and
there　was　not　enough　left　of　the　eight　hundred　foot　wall　of　twenty…five…
foot　logs　to　make　a　box　of　matches。

One　afternoonearly　in　Augustone　of　the　violent　rain　storms　common　to
that　section　sprung　up；　and　in　a　little　while　the　water　was　falling　in
torrents。　　The　little　creek　running　through　the　camp　swelled　up
immensely；　and　swept　out　large　gaps　in　the　Stockade；　both　in　the　west　and
east　sides。　　The　Rebels　noticed　the　breaches　as　soon　as　the　prisoners。
Two　guns　were　fired　from　the　Star　Tort；　and　all　the　guards　rushed　out；
and　formed　so　as　to　prevent　any　egress；　if　one　was　attempted。　　Taken　by
surprise；　we　were　not　in　a　condition　to　profit　by　the　opportunity　until
it　was　too　late。

The　storm　did　one　good　thing：　it　swept　away　a　great　deal　of　filth；　and
left　the　camp　much　more　wholesome。　　The　foul　stench　rising　from　the　camp
made　an　excellent　electrical　conductor；　and　the　lightning　struck　several
times　within　one　hundred　feet　of　the　prison。

Toward　the　end　of　August　there　happened　what　the　religously　inclined
termed　a　Providential　Dispensation。　　The　water　in　the　Creek　was
indescribably　bad。　　No　amount　of　familiarity　with　it；　no　increase　of
intimacy　with　our　offensive　surroundings；　could　lessen　the　disgust　at　the
polluted　water。　　As　I　have　said　previously；　before　the　stream　entered　the
Stockade；　it　was　rendered　too　filthy　for　any　use　by　the　contaminations
from　the　camps　of　the　guards；　situated　about　a　half…mile　above。
Immediately　on　entering　the　Stockade　the　contamination　became　terrible。
The　oozy　seep　at　the　bottom　of　the　hillsides　drained　directly　into　it　all
the　mass　of　filth　from　a　population　of　thirty…three　thousand。　　Imagine
the　condition　of　an　open　sewer；　passing　through　the　heart　of　a　city　of
that　many　people；　and　receiving　all　the　offensive　product　of　so　dense　a
gathering　into　a　shallow；　sluggish　stream；　a　yard　wide　and　five　inches
deep；　and　heated　by　the　burning　rays　of　the　sun　in　the　thirty…second
degree　of　latitude。　　Imagine；　if　one　can；　without　becoming　sick　at　the
stomach；　all　of　these　people　having　to　wash　in　and　drink　of　this　foul
flow。

There　is　not　a　scintilla　of　exaggeration　in　this　statement。　　That　it　is
within　the　exact　truth　is　demonstrable　by　the　testimony　of　any　manRebel
or　Unionwho　ever　saw　the　inside　of　the　Stockade　at　Andersonville。　　I　am
quite　content　to　have　its　truthas　well　as　that　of　any　other　statement
made　in　this　bookbe　determined　by　the　evidence　of　any　one；　no　matter
how　bitter　his　hatred　of　the　Union；　who　had　any　personal　knowledge　of　the
condition　of　affairs　at　Andersonville。　　No　one　can　successfully　deny　that
there　were　at　least　thirty…three　thousand　prisoners　in　the　Stockade；　and
that　the　one　shallow；　narrow　creek；　which　passed　through　the　prison；　was
at　once　their　main　sewer　and　their　source　of　supply　of　water　for　bathing；
drinking　and　washing。　　With　these　main　facts　admitted；　the　reader's
common　sense　of　natural　consequences　will　furnish　the　rest　of　the
details。

It　is　true　that　some　of　the　more　fortunate　of　us　had　wells；　thanks　to　our
own　energy　in　overcoming　extraordinary　obstacles；　no　thanks　to　our
gaolers　for　making　the　slightest　effort　to　provide　these　necessities　of
life。　　We　dug　the　wells　with　case　and　pocket　knives；　and　half　canteens　to
a　depth　of　from　twenty　to　thirty　feet；　pulling　up　the　dirt　in　pantaloons
legs；　and　running　continual　risk　of　being　smothered　to　death　by　the
caving　in　of　the　unwalled　sides。　　Not　only　did　the　Rebels　refuse　to　give
us　boards　with　which　to　wall　the　wells；　and　buckets　for　drawing　the
water；　but　they　did　all　in　their　power　to　prevent　us　from　digging　the
wells；　and　made　continual　forays　to　capture　the　digging　tools；　because
the　wells　were　frequently　used　as　the　starting　places　for　tunnels。
Professor　Jones　lays　special　stress　on　this　tunnel　feature　in　his
testimony；　which　I　have　introduced　in　a　previous　chapter。

The　great　majority　of　the　prisoners　who　went　to　the　Creek　for　water；　went
as　near　as　possible　to　the　Dead　Line　on　the　West　Side；　where　the　Creek
entered　the　Stockade；　that　they　might　get　water　with　as　little　filth　in
it　as　possible。　　In　the　crowds　struggling　there　for　their　turn　to　take　a
dip；　some　one　nearly　every　day　got　so　close　to　the　Dead　Line　as　to　arouse
a　suspicion　in　the　guard's　mind　that　he　was　touching　it。　　The　suspicion
was　the　unfortunate　one's　death　warrant；　and　also　its　execution。　　As　the
sluggish　brain　of　the　guard　conceived　it　he　leveled　his　gun；　the　distance
to　his　victim　was　not　over　one　hundred　feet；　he　never　failed　his　aim；　the
first　warning　the　wretched　prisoner　got　that　he　was　suspected　of
transgressing　a　prison…rule　was　the　charge　of　〃ball…and…buck〃　that　tore
through　his　body。　　It　was　lucky　if　he　was；