andersonville-第55章

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In　a　moment　the　low…browed　villain　who　had　charge　of　the　hounds　came
galloping　up　on　his　mule；　tooting　signals　to　his　dogs　as　he　came；　on　the
cow…horn　slung　from　his　shoulders。

He　immediately　discovered　us；　covered　us　with　his　revolver；　and　yelled
out：

〃Come　ashore；　there；　quick：　you　　　s！〃

There　was　no　help　for　it。　　We　climbed　down　off　the　knees　and　started
towards　the　land。　　As　we　neared　it；　the　hounds　became　almost　frantic；
and　it　seemed　as　if　we　would　be　torn　to　pieces　the　moment　they　could
reach　us。　　But　the　master　dismounted　and　drove　them　back。　　He　was　surly…
even　savageto　us；　but　seemed　in　too　much　hurry　to　get　back　to　waste　any
time　annoying　us　with　the　dogs。　　He　ordered　us　to　get　around　in　front　of
the　mule；　and　start　back　to　camp。　　We　moved　as　rapidly　as　our　fatigue　and
our　lacerated　feet　would　allow　us；　and　before　midnight　were　again　in　the
hospital；　fatigued；　filthy；　torn；　bruised　and　wretched　beyond　description
or　conception。

The　next　morning　we　were　turned　back　into　the　Stockade　as　punishment。




CHAPTER　XLVIII。

AUGUSTGOOD　LUCK　IN　NOT　MEETING　CAPTAIN　WIRZTHAT　WORTHY'S　TREATMENT　OF
RECAPTURED　PRISONERSSECRET　SOCIETIES　IN　PRISONSINGULAR　MEETING　AND
ITS　RESULTDISCOVERY　AND　REMOVAL　OF　THE　OFFICERS　AMONG　THE　ENLISTED　MEN。

Harney　and　I　were　specially　fortunate　in　being　turned　back　into　the
Stockade　without　being　brought　before　Captain　Wirz。

We　subsequently　learned　that　we　owed　this　good　luck　to　Wirz's　absence　on
sick　leavehis　place　being　supplied　by　Lieutenant　Davis；　a　moderate
brained　Baltimorean；　and　one　of　that　horde　of　Marylanders　in　the　Rebel
Army；　whose　principal　service　to　the　Confederacy　consisted　in　working
themselves　into　〃bomb…proof〃　places；　and　forcing　those　whom　they
displaced　into　the　field。　　Winder　was　the　illustrious　head　of　this　crowd
of　bomb…proof　Rebels　from　〃Maryland；　My　Maryland！〃　whose　enthusiasm　for
the　Southern　cause　and　consistency　in　serving　it　only　in　such　places　as
were　out　of　range　of　the　Yankee　artillery；　was　the　subject　of　many　bitter
jibes　by　the　Rebelsespecially　by　those　whose　secure　berths　they
possessed　themselves　of。

Lieutenant　Davis　went　into　the　war　with　great　brashness。　　He　was　one　of
the　mob　which　attacked　the　Sixth　Massachusetts　in　its　passage　through
Baltimore；　but；　like　all　of　that　class　of　roughs；　he　got　his　stomach　full
of　war　as　soon　as　the　real　business　of　fighting　began；　and　he　retired　to
where　the　chances　of　attaining　a　ripe　old　age　were　better　than　in　front
of　the　Army　of　the　Potomac's　muskets。　　We　shall　hear　of　Davis　again。

Encountering　Captain　Wirz　was　one　of　the　terrors　of　an　abortive　attempt
to　escape。　　When　recaptured　prisoners　were　brought　before　him　he　would
frequently　give　way　to　paroxysms　of　screaming　rage；　so　violent　as　to
closely　verge　on　insanity。　　Brandishing　the　fearful　and　wonderful
revolverof　which　I　have　spoken　in　such　a　manner　as　to　threaten　the
luckless　captives　with　instant　death；　he　would　shriek　out　imprecations；
curses；　and　foul　epithets　in　French；　German　and　English；　until　he　fairly
frothed　at　the　mouth。　There　were　plenty　of　stories　current　in　camp　of　his
having　several　times　given　away　to　his　rage　so　far　as　to　actually　shoot
men　down　in　these　interviews；　and　still　more　of　his　knocking　boys　down
and　jumping　upon　them；　until　he　inflicted　injuries　that　soon　resulted　in
death。　　How　true　these　rumors　were　I　am　unable　to　say　of　my　own　personal
knowledge；　since　I　never　saw　him　kill　any　one；　nor　have　I　talked　with　any
one　who　did。　　There　were　a　number　of　cases　of　this　kind　testified　to　upon
his　trial；　but　they　all　happened　among　〃paroles〃　outside　the　Stockade；
or　among　the　prisoners　inside　after　we　left；　so　I　knew　nothing　of　them。

One　of　the　Old　Switzer's　favorite　ways　of　ending　these　seances　was　to
inform　the　boys　that　he　would　have　them　shot　in　an　hour　or　so；　and　bid
them　prepare　for　death。　　After　keeping　them　in　fearful　suspense　for　hours
he　would　order　them　to　be　punished　with　the　stocks；　the　ball…and…chain；
the　chain…gang；　orif　his　fierce　mood　had　burned　itself　entirely　out
as　was　quite　likely　with　a　man　of　his　shallop'　brain　and　vacillating
temperto　be　simply　returned　to　the　stockade。

Nothing；　I　am　sure；　since　the　days　of　the　Inquisitionor　still　later；
since　the　terrible　punishments　visited　upon　the　insurgents　of　1848　by　the
Austrian　aristocratshas　been　so　diabolical　as　the　stocks　and　chain…
gangs；　as　used　by　Wirz。　　At　one　time　seven　men；　sitting　in　the　stocks
near　the　Star　Fortin　plain　view　of　the　campbecame　objects　of　interest
to　everybody　inside。　　They　were　never　relieved　from　their　painful
position；　but　were　kept　there　until　all　of　them　died。　　I　think　it　was
nearly　two　weeks　before　the　last　one　succumbed。　　What　they　endured　in
that　time　even　imagination　cannot　conceiveI　do　not　think　that　an　Indian
tribe　ever　devised　keener　torture　for　its　captives。

The　chain…gang　consisted　of　a　number　of　menvarying　from　twelve　to
twenty…five；　all　chained　to　one　sixty…four　pound　ball。　　They　were　also
stationed　near　the　Star　Fort；　standing　out　in　the　hot　sun；　without　a
particle　of　shade　over　them。　　When　one　moved　they　all　had　to　move。
They　were　scourged　with　the　dysentery；　and　the　necessities　of　some　one
of　their　number　kept　them　constantly　in　motion。　　I　can　see　them
distinctly　yet；　tramping　laboriously　and　painfully　back　and　forward　over
that　burning　hillside；　every　moment　of　the　long；　weary　Summer　days。

A　comrade　writes　to　remind　me　of　the　beneficent　work　of　the　Masonic
Order。　　I　mention　it　most　gladly；　as　it　was　the　sole　recognition　on　the
part　of　any　of　our　foes　of　our　claims　to　human　kinship。　　The　churches　of
all　denominationsexcept　the　solitary　Catholic　priest；　Father　Hamilton；
ignored　us　as　wholly　as　if　we　were　dumb　beasts。　　Lay　humanitarians　were
equally　indifferent；　and　the　only　interest　manifested　by　any　Rebel　in　the
welfare　of　any　prisoner　was　by　the　Masonic　brotherhood。　　The　Rebel　Masons
interested　themselves　in　securing　details　outside　the　Stockade　in　the
cookhouse；　the　commissary；　and　elsewhere；　for　the　brethren　among　the
prisoners　who　would　accept　such　favors。　　Such　as　did　not　feel　inclined　to
go　outside　on　parole　received　frequent　presents　in　the　way　of　food；　and
especially　of　vegetables；　which　were　literally　beyond　price。　　Materials
were　sent　inside　to　build　tents　for　the　Masons；　and　I　think　such　as　made
themselves　known　before　death；　received　burial　according　to　the　rites　of
the　Order。　　Doctor　White；　and　perhaps　other　Surgeons；　belonged　to　the
fraternity；　and　the　wearing　of　a　Masonic　emblem　by　a　new　prisoner　was
pretty　sure　to　catch　their　eyes；　and　be　the　means　of　securing　for　the
wearer　the　tender　of　their　good　offices；　such　as　a　detail　into　the
Hospital　as　nurse；　ward…master；　etc。

I　was　not　fortunate　enough　to　be　one　of　the　mystic　brethren；　and　so
missed　all　share　in　any　of　these　benefits；　as　well　as　in　any　others；
and　I　take　special　pride　in　one　thing：　that　during　my　whole　imprisonment
I　was　not　beholden　to　a　Rebel　for　a　single　favor　of　any　kind。　　The　Rebel
does　not　live　who　can　say　that　he　ever　gave　me　so　much　as　a　handful　of
meal；　a　spoonful　of　salt；　an　inch　of　thread；　or　a　stick　of　wood。
From　first　to　last　I　received　nothing　but　my　rations；　except　occasional
trifles　that　I　succeeded　in　stealing　from　the　stupid　officers　charged
with　issuing　rations。　　I　owe　no　man　in　the　Southern　Confederacy　gratitude
for　anythingnot　even　for　a　kind　word。

Speaking　of　secret　society　pins　recalls　a　noteworthy　story　which　has　been
told　me　since　the　war；　of　boys　whom　I　knew。　　At　the　breaking　out　of
hostilities　there　existed　in　Toledo　a　festive　little　secret　society；
such　as　lurking　boys　frequently　organize；　with　no　other　object　than　fun
and　the　usual　adolescent　love　of　mystery。　　There　were　a　dozen　or　so
members　in　it　who　called　themselves　〃The　Royal　Reubens；〃　and　were　headed
by　a　bookbinder　named　Ned　Hopkins。　　Some　one　started　a　branch　of　the
Order　in　Napoleon；　O。；　and　among　the　members　was　Charles　E。　Reynolds；
of　that　town。　　The　badge　of　the　society　was　a　peculiarly　shaped　gold　pin。
Reynolds　and　Hopkins　never　met；　and　had　no　acquaintance　with　each　other。
When　the　war　broke　out；　Hopkins　enlisted　in　Battery　H；　First　Ohio
Artillery；　and　was　sent　to　the　Army　of　the　Potomac；　where　he　was
captured；　in　the　Fall　of　1863；　while　scouting；　in　the　neighborhood　of
Richmond。　　Reynolds　entered　the　Sixty…Eighth　Ohio　Volunteer　Infantry；
and　was　taken　in　the　neighborhood　of　Jackson；　Miss。；two　thousand　miles
from　the　place　of　Hopkins's　capture。　　At　Andersonville　Hopkins　became　one
of　the　officers　in　charge　of　the　Hospital。　　One　day　a　Rebel　Sergeant；　who
called　the　roll　in　the　Stockade；　after　studying　Hopkins's　pin　a　minute；
said：

〃I　seed　a　Yank　in　the　Stockade　to…day　a…wearing　a　pin　egzackly　like　that
ere。〃

This　aroused　Hopkins's　interest；　and　he　went　inside　in　search　of　the
other　〃feller。〃　　Having　his　squad　and　detachment　there　was　little
difficulty　in　finding　him。　　He　recognized　the　pin；　spoke　to　its　wearer；
gave　him　the　〃grand　hailing　sign〃　of　the　〃Royal　Reubens；〃　and　it　was　duly
responded　to。　　The　upshot　of　the　matter　was　that　he　took　Reynolds　out
with　him　as　clerk；　and　saved　his　life；　as　the　latter　was　going　down　hill
very　rapidly。　　Reynolds；　in　turn；　secured　the　detail　of　a　comrade　of　the
Sixty…Eighth　who　was　failing　fast；　and　succeeded　in　saving　his　lifeall
of　which　happy　results　were　directly　attributable　to　that　insignificant
boyish　society；　and　its　equally　unimportant　badge　of　membership。

Along　in　the　last　of　August　the　Rebels　learned　that　there　were　between
two　and　three　hundred　Captains　and　Lieutenants　in　the　Stockade；　passing
themselves　off　as　enlisted　men。　　The　motive　of　these　officers　was　two…
fold：　first；　a　chivalrous　wish　to　share　the　fortunes　and　fate　of　their
boys；　and　second；　disinclination　to　gratify　the　Rebels　by　the　knowledge
of　the　rank　of　their　captives。　　The　secret　was　so　well　kept　that　none　of
us　suspected　it　until　the　fact　was　announced　by　the　Rebels　themselves。
They　were　taken　out　immediately；　and　sent　to　Macon；　where　the
commissioned　officers'　prison　was。　　It　would　not　do　to　trust　such
possible　leaders　with　us　another　day。




CHAPTER　L

FOODTHE　MEAGERNESS；　INFERIOR　QUALITY；　AND　TERRIBLE　SAMENESS
REBEL　TESTIMONY　ON　THE　SUBJECTFUTILITY　OF　SUCCESSFUL　EXPLANATION。

I　have　in　other　places　dwelt　upon　the　insufficiency　and　the　nauseousness
of　the　food。　　No　words　that　I　can　use；　no　insistence　upon　this　theme；　can
give　the　reader　any　idea　of　its　mortal　importance　to　us。

Let　the　reader　consider　for　a　moment　the　quantity；　quality；　and　variety
of　food　that　he　now　holds　to　be　necessary　for　the　maintenance　of　life　and
health。　　I　trust　that　every　one　who　peruses　this　bookthat　every　one　in
fact　over　whom　the　Stars　and　Stripes　wavehas　his　cup　of　coffee；　his
biscuits　and　his　beefsteak　for　breakfasta　substantial　dinner　of　roast
or　boiledand　a　lighter；　but　still　sufficient　meal　in　the　evening。
In　all；　certainly　not　less　than　fifty　different　articles　are　set　before
him　during　the　day；　for　his　choice　as　elements　of　nourishment。　　Let　him
scan　this　extended　bill…of…fare；　which　long　custom　has　made　so　common…
place　as　to　be　uninterestingperhaps　even　wearisome　to　think　about
and　s