andersonville-第53章

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Certainly　this　continent　has　never　seenand　I　fervently　trust　it　will
never　again　seesuch　a　gigantic　concentration　of　misery　as　that　Hospital
displayed　daily。　　The　official　statistics　tell　the　story　of　this　with
terrible　brevity：　There　were　three　thousand　seven　hundred　and　nine　in　the
Hospital　in　August；　one　thousand　four　hundred　and　eighty…ninenearly
every　other　man　died。　　The　rate　afterwards　became　much　higher　than　this。

The　most　conspicuous　suffering　was　in　the　gangrene　wards。　　Horrible　sores
spreading　almost　visibly　from　hour　to　hour；　devoured　men's　limbs　and
bodies。　　I　remember　one　ward　in　which　the　alterations　appeared　to　be
altogether　in　the　back；　where　they　ate　out　the　tissue　between　the　skin
and　the　ribs。　　The　attendants　seemed　trying　to　arrest　the　progress　of　the
sloughing　by　drenching　the　sores　with　a　solution　of　blue　vitriol。　　This
was　exquisitely　painful；　and　in　the　morning；　when　the　drenching　was　going
on；　the　whole　hospital　rang　with　the　most　agonizing　screams。

But　the　gangrene　mostly　attacked　the　legs　and　arms；　and　the　led　more　than
the　arms。　　Sometimes　it　killed　men　inside　of　a　week；　sometimes　they
lingered　on　indefinitely。　　I　remember　one　man　in　the　Stockade　who　cut　his
hand　with　the　sharp　corner　of　a　card　of　corn　bread　he　was　lifting　from
the　ration　wagon；　gangrene　set　in　immediately；　and　he　died　four　days
after。

One　form　that　was　quit　prevalent　was　a　cancer　of　the　lower　one　corner　of
the　mouth；　and　it　finally　ate　the　whole　side　of　the　face　out。　　Of　course
the　sufferer　had　the　greatest　trouble　in　eating　and　drinking。　　For　the
latter　it　was　customary　to　whittle　out　a　little　wooden　tube；　and　fasten
it　in　a　tin　cup；　through　which　he　could　suck　up　the　water。　　As　this　mouth
cancer　seemed　contagious；　none　of　us　would　allow　any　one　afflicted　with
it　to　use　any　of　our　cooking　utensils。　The　Rebel　doctors　at　the　hospital
resorted　to　wholesale　amputations　to　check　the　progress　of　the　gangrene。

They　had　a　two　hours　session　of　limb…lopping　every　morning；　each　of　which
resulted　in　quite　a　pile　of　severed　members。　　I　presume　more　bungling
operations　are　rarely　seen　outside　of　Russian　or　Turkish　hospitals。
Their　unskilfulness　was　apparent　even　to　non…scientific　observers　like
myself。　　The　standard　of　medical　education　in　the　Southas　indeed　of
every　other　form　of　educationwas　quite　low。　　The　Chief　Surgeon　of　the
prison；　Dr。　Isaiah　White；　and　perhaps　two　or　three　others；　seemed　to　be
gentlemen　of　fair　abilities　and　attainments。　　The　remainder　were　of　that
class　of　illiterate　and　unlearning　quacks　who　physic　and　blister　the　poor
whites　and　negros　in　the　country　districts　of　the　South；　who　believe　they
can　stop　bleeding　of　the　nose　by　repeating　a　verse　from　the　Bible；　who
think　that　if　in　gathering　their　favorite　remedy　of　boneset　they　cut　the
stem　upwards　it　will　purge　their　patients；　and　if　downward　it　will　vomit
them；　and　who　hold　that　there　is　nothing　so　good　for　〃fits〃　as　a　black
cat；　killed　in　the　dark　of　the　moon；　cut　open；　and　bound　while　yet　warm；
upon　the　naked　chest　of　the　victim　of　the　convulsions。

They　had　a　case　of　instruments　captured　from　some　of　our　field　hospitals；
which　were　dull　and　fearfully　out　of　order。　　With　poor　instruments　and
unskilled　hands　the　operations　became　mangling。

In　the　Hospital　I　saw　an　admirable　illustration　of　the　affection　which　a
sailor　will　lavish　on　a　ship's　boy；　whom　he　takes　a　fancy　to；　and　makes
his　〃chicken；〃　as　the　phrase　is。　　The　United　States　sloop　〃Water　Witch〃
had　recently　been　captured　in　Ossabaw　Sound；　and　her　crew　brought　into
prison。　　One　of　her　boysa　bright；　handsome　little　fellow　of　about
fifteenhad　lost　one　of　his　arms　in　the　fight。　　He　was　brought　into　the
Hospital；　and　the　old　fellow　whose〃chicken〃　he　was；　was　allowed　to
accompany　and　nurse　him。　　This　〃old　barnacle…back〃　was　as　surly　a　growler
as　ever　went　aloft；　but　to　his　〃chicken〃　he　was　as　tender　and　thoughtful
as　a　woman。　　They　found　a　shady　nook　in　one　corner；　and　any　moment　one
looked　in　that　direction　he　could　see　the　old　tar　hard　at　work　at
something　for　the　comfort　and　pleasure　of　his　pet。　　Now　he　was　dressing
the　wound　as　deftly　and　gently　as　a　mother　caring　for　a　new…born　babe；
now　he　was　trying　to　concoct　some　relish　out　of　the　slender　materials　he
could　beg　or　steal　from　the　Quartermaster；　now　trying　to　arrange　the
shade　of　the　bed　of　pine　leaves　in　a　more　comfortable　manner；　now
repairing　or　washing　his　clothes；　and　so　on。

All　the　sailors　were　particularly　favored　by　being　allowed　to　bring　their
bags　in　untouched　by　the　guards。　　This　〃chicken〃　had　a　wonderful　supply
of　clothes；　the　handiwork　of　his　protector　who；　like　most　good　sailors；
was　very　skillful　with　the　needle。　　He　had　suits　of　fine　white　duck；
embroidered　with　blue　in　a　way　that　would　ravish　the　heart　of　a　fine
lady；　and　blue　suits　similarly　embroidered　with　white。　　No　belle　ever
kept　her　clothes　in　better　order　than　these　were。　　When　the　duck　came　up
from　the　old　sailor's　patient　washing　it　was　as　spotless　as　new…fallen
snow。

I　found　my　chum　in　a　very　bad　condition。　　His　appetite　was　entirely　gone；
but　he　had　an　inordinate　craving　for　tobaccofor　strong；　black　plug
which　he　smoked　in　a　pipe。　　He　had　already　traded　off　all　his　brass
buttons　to　the　guards　for　this。　　I　had　accumulated　a　few　buttons　to　bribe
the　guard　to　take　me　out　for　wood；　and　I　gave　these　also　for　tobacco　for
him。　　When　I　awoke　one　morning　the　man　who　laid　next　to　me　on　the　right
was　dead；　having　died　sometime　during　the　night。　　I　searched　his　pockets
and　took　what　was　in　them。　　These　were　a　silk　pocket　handkerchief；　a
gutta　percha　finger…ring；　a　comb；　a　pencil；　and　a　leather　pocket…book；
making　in　all　quite　a　nice　little　〃find。〃　　I　hied　over　to　the　guard；　and
succeeded　in　trading　the　personal　estate　which　I　had　inherited　from　the
intestate　deceased；　for　a　handful　of　peaches；　a　handful　of　hardly　ripe
figs；　and　a　long　plug　of　tobacco。　　I　hastened　back　to　Watts；　expecting
that　the　figs　and　peaches　would　do　him　a　world　of　good。　　At　first　I　did
not　show　him　the　tobacco；　as　I　was　strongly　opposed　to　his　using　it；
thinking　that　it　was　making　him　much　worse。　　But　he　looked　at　the
tempting　peaches　and　figs　with　lack…luster　eyes；　he　was　too　far　gone　to
care　for　them。　　He　pushed　them　back　to　me；　saying　faintly：

〃No；　you　take　'em；　Mc；　I　don't　want　'em；　I　can't　eat　'em！〃

I　then　produced　the　tobacco；　and　his　face　lighted　up。　　Concluding　that
this　was　all　the　comfort　that　he　could　have；　and　that　I　might　as　well
gratify　him；　I　cut　up　some　of　the　weed；　filled　his　pipe　and　lighted　it。
He　smoked　calmly　and　almost　happily　all　the　afternoon；　hardly　speaking　a
word　to　me。　　As　it　grew　dark　he　asked　me　to　bring　him　a　drink。　　I　did　so；
and　as　I　raised　him　up　he　said：

〃Mc；　this　thing's　ended。　　Tell　my　father　that　I　stood　it　as　long　as　I
could；　and〃

The　death　rattle　sounded　in　his　throat；　and　when　I　laid　him　back　it　was
all　over。　　Straightening　out　his　limbs；　folding　his　hands　across　his
breast；　and　composing　his　features　as　best　I　could；　I　lay；　down　beside
the　body　and　slept　till　morning；　when　I　did　what　little　else　I　could
toward　preparing　for　the　grave　all　that　was　left　of　my　long…suffering
little　friend。




CHAPTER　XLVII。

DETERMINATION　TO　ESCAPEDIFFERENT　PLANS　AND　THEIR　MERITSI　PREFER　THE
APPALACHICOLA　ROUTEPREPARATIONS　FOR　DEPARTUREA　HOT　DAYTHE　FENCE
PASSED　SUCCESSFULLY　PURSUED　BY　THE　HOUNDSCAUGHT
RETURNED　TO　THE　STOCKADE。

After　Watt's　death；　I　set　earnestly　about　seeing　what　could　be　done　in
the　way　of　escape。　　Frank　Harvey；　of　the　First　West　Virginia　Cavalry；
a　boy　of　about　my　own　age　and　disposition；　joined　with　me　in　the　scheme。
I　was　still　possessed　with　my　original　plan　of　making　my　way　down　the
creeks　to　the　Flint　River；　down　the　Flint　River　to　where　it　emptied　into
the　Appalachicola　River；　and　down　that　stream　to　its　debauchure　into　the
bay　that　connected　with　the　Gulf　of　Mexico。　　I　was　sure　of　finding　my　way
by　this　route；　because；　if　nothing　else　offered；　I　could　get　astride　of　a
log　and　float　down　the　current。　　The　way　to　Sherman；　in　the　other
direction；　was　long；　torturous　and　difficult；　with　a　fearful　gauntlet　of
blood…hounds；　patrols　and　the　scouts　of　Hood's　Army　to　be　run。　　I　had　but
little　difficulty　in　persuading　Harvey　into　an　acceptance　of　my　views；
and　we　began　arranging　for　a　solution　of　the　first　great　problemhow　to
get　outside　of　the　Hospital　guards。　　As　I　have　explained　before；　the
Hospital　was　surrounded　by　a　board　fence；　with　guards　walking　their　beats
on　the　ground　outside。　　A　small　creek　flowed　through　the　southern　end　of
the　grounds；　and　at　its　lower　end　was　used　as　a　sink。　　The　boards　of　the
fence　came　down　to　the　surface　of　the　water；　where　the　Creek　passed　out；
but　we　found；　by　careful　prodding　with　a　stick；　that　the　hole　between　the
boards　and　the　bottom　of　the　Creek　was　sufficiently　large　to　allow　the
passage　of　our　bodies；　and　there　had　been　no　stakes　driven　or　other
precautions　used　to　prevent　egress　by　this　channel。　　A　guard　was　posted
there；　and　probably　ordered　to　stand　at　the　edge　of　the　stream；　but　it
smelled　so　vilely　in　those　scorching　days　that　he　had　consulted　his
feelings　and　probably　his　health；　by　retiring　to　the　top　of　the　bank；
a　rod　or　more　distant。　　We　watched　night　after　night；　and　at　last　were
gratified　to　find　that　none　went　nearer　the　Creak　than　the　top　of　this
bank。

Then　we　waited　for　the　moon　to　come　right；　so　that　the　first　part　of　the
night　should　be　dark。　　This　took　several　days；　but　at　last　we　knew　that
the　next　night　she　would　not　rise　until　between　9　and　10　o'clock；　which
would　give　us　nearly　two　hours　of　the　dense　darkness　of　a　moonless　Summer
night　in　the　South。　　We　had　first　thought　of　saving　up　some　rations　for
the　trip；　but　then　reflected　that　these　would　be　ruined　by　the　filthy
water　into　which　we　must　sink　to　go　under　the　fence。　　It　was　not
difficult　to　abandon　the　food　idea；　since　it　was　very　hard　to　force
ourselves　to　lay　by　even　the　smallest　portion　of　our　scanty　rations。

As　the　next　day　wore　on；　our　minds　were　wrought　up　into　exalted　tension
by　the　rapid　approach　of　the　supreme　moment；　with　all　its　chances　and
consequences。　　The　experience　of　the　past　few　months　was　not　such　as　to
mentally　fit　us　for　such　a　hazard。　　It　prepared　us　for　sullen；
uncomplaining　endurance；　for　calmly　contemplating　the　worst　that　could
come；　but　it　did　not　strengthen　that　fiber　of　mind　that　leads　to
venturesome　activity　and　daring　exploits。　　Doubtless　the　weakness　of　our
bodies　reacted　upon　our　spirits。　　We　contemplated　all　the　perils　that
confronted　us；　perils　that；　now　looming　up　with　impending　nearness；　took
a　clearer　and　more　threatening　shape　than　they　had　ever　done　before。

We　considered　the　desperate　chances　of　passing　the　guard　unseen；　or；　if
noticed；　of　escaping　his　fire　without　death　or　severe　wounds。　　But
supposing　him　fortunately　evaded；　then　came　the　gauntlet　of　the　hounds
and　the　patrols　hunting　deserters。　　After　this；　a　long；　weary　journey；
with　bare　feet　and　almost　naked　bodies；　through　an　unknown　country
abounding　with　enemies；　the　dangers　of　assassination　by　the　embittered
populace；　the　risks　of　dying　with　hunger　and　fatigue　in　the　gloomy　depths
o