andersonville-第6章

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command　after　a　few　months　in　the　field；　but；　though　the　pitcher　goes
often　to　the　well；　it　is　broken　at　last；　and　our　time　was　evidently　at
hand。　　The　narrow　throat　of　the　Valley；　through　which　lay　the　road　back
to　the　Gap；　was　held　by　a　force　of　Rebels　evidently　much　superior　to　our
own；　and　strongly　posted。　　The　road　was　a　slender；　tortuous　one；　winding
through　rocks　and　gorges。　　Nowhere　was　there　room　enough　to　move　with
even　a　platoon　front　against　the　enemy；　and　this　precluded　all　chances　of
cutting　out。　　The　best　we　could　do　was　a　slow；　difficult　movement；　in
column　of　fours；　and　this　would　have　been　suicide。　　On　the　other　side　of
the　Town　the　Rebels　were　massed　stronger；　while　to　the　right　and　left
rose　the　steep　mountain　sides。　　We　were　caught…trapped　as　surely　as　a　rat
ever　was　in　a　wire　trap。

As　we　learned　afterwards；　a　whole　division　of　cavalry；　under　command　of
the　noted　Rebel；　Major　General　Sam　Jones；　had　been　sent　to　effect　our
capture；　to　offset　in　a　measure　Longstreet's　repulse　at　Knoxville。
A　gross　overestimate　of　our　numbers　had　caused　the　sending　of　so　large
a　force　on　this　errand；　and　the　rough　treatment　we　gave　the　two　columns
that　attacked　us　first　confirmed　the　Rebel　General's　ideas　of　our
strength；　and　led　him　to　adopt　cautious　tactics；　instead　of　crushing　us
out　speedily；　by　a　determined　advance　of　all　parts　of　his　encircling
lines。

The　lull　in　the　fight　did　not　last　long。　　A　portion　of　the　Rebel　line　on
the　east　rushed　forward　to　gain　a　more　commanding　position。
We　concentrated　in　that　direction　and　drove　it　back；　the　Rodman　assisting
with　a　couple　of　well…aimed　shells。　This　was　followed　by　a　similar　but
more　successful　attempt　by　another　part　of　the　Rebel　line；　and　so　it　went
on　all　daythe　Rebels　rushing　up　first　on　this　side；　and　then　on　that；
and　we；　hastily　collecting　at　the　exposed　points；　seeking　to　drive　them
back。　　We　were　frequently　successful；　we　were　on　the　inside；　and　had　the
advantage　of　the　short　interior　lines；　so　that　our　few　men　and　our
breech…loaders　told　to　a　good　purpose。

There　were　frequent　crises　in　the　struggle；　that　at　some　times　gave
encouragement；　but　never　hope。　　Once　a　determined　onset　was　made　from　the
East；　and　was　met　by　the　equally　determined　resistance　of　nearly　our
whole　force。　　Our　fire　was　so　galling　that　a　large　number　of　our　foes
crowded　into　a　house　on　a　knoll；　and　making　loopholes　in　its　walls；　began
replying　to　us　pretty　sharply。　　We　sent　word　to　our　faithful
artillerists；　who　trained　the　gun　upon　the　house。　　The　first　shell
screamed　over　the　roof；　and　burst　harmlessly　beyond。　　We　suspended　fire
to　watch　the　next。　　It　crashed　through　the　side；　for　an　instant　all　was
deathly　still；　we　thought　it　had　gone　on　through。　　Then　came　a　roar　and　a
crash；　the　clapboards　flew　off　the　roof；　and　smoke　poured　out；　panic…
stricken　Rebels　rushed　from　the　doors　and　sprang　from　the　windows…like
bees　from　a　disturbed　hive；　the　shell　had　burst　among　the　confined　mass
of　men　inside！　　We　afterwards　heard　that　twenty…five　were　killed　there。

At　another　time　a　considerable　force　of　rebels　gained　the　cover　of　a
fence　in　easy　range　of　our　main　force。　　Companies　L　and　K　were　ordered　to
charge　forward　on　foot　and　dislodge　them。　　Away　we　went；　under　a　fire
that　seemed　to　drop　a　man　at　every　step。　　A　hundred　yards　in　front　of　the
Rebels　was　a　little　cover；　and　behind　this　our　men　lay　down　as　if　by　one
impulse。　　Then　came　a　close；　desperate　duel　at　short　range。　　It　was　a
question　between　Northern　pluck　and　Southern　courage；　as　to　which　could
stand　the　most　punishment。　　Lying　as　flat　as　possible　on　the　crusted
snow；　only　raising　the　head　or　body　enough　to　load　and　aim；　the　men　on
both　sides；　with　their　teeth　set；　their　glaring　eyes　fastened　on　the　foe；
their　nerves　as　tense　as　tightly…drawn　steel　wires；　rained　shot　on　each
other　as　fast　as　excited　hands　could　crowd　cartridges　into　the　guns　and
discharge　them。

Not　a　word　was　said。

The　shallower　enthusiasm　that　expresses　itself　in　oaths　and　shouts　had
given　way　to　the　deep；　voiceless　rage　of　men　in　a　death　grapple。　　The
Rebel　line　was　a　rolling　torrent　of　flame；　their　bullets　shrieked　angrily
as　they　flew　past；　they　struck　the　snow　in　front　of　us；　and　threw　its
cold　flakes　in　faces　that　were　white　with　the　fires　of　consuming　hate；
they　buried　themselves　with　a　dull　thud　in　the　quivering　bodies　of　the
enraged　combatants。

Minutes　passed；　they　seemed　hours。

Would　the　villains；　scoundrels；　hell…hounds；　sons　of　vipers　never　go？

At　length　a　few　Rebels　sprang　up　and　tried　to　fly。　　They　were　shot　down
instantly。

Then　the　whole　line　rose　and　ran！

The　relief　was　so　great　that　we　jumped　to　our　feet　and　cheered　wildly；
forgetting　in　our　excitement　to　make　use　of　our　victory　by　shooting　down
our　flying　enemies。

Nor　was　an　element　of　fun　lacking。　　A　Second　Lieutenant　was　ordered　to
take　a　party　of　skirmishers　to　the　top　of　a　hill　and　engage　those　of　the
Rebels　stationed　on　another　hill…top　across　a　ravine。　　He　had　but　lately
joined　us　from　the　Regular　Army；　where　he　was　a　Drill　Sergeant。
Naturally；　he　was　very　methodical　in　his　way；　and　scorned　to　do　otherwise
under　fire　than　he　would　upon　the　parade　ground。　　He　moved　his　little
command　to　the　hill…top；　in　close　order；　and　faced　them　to　the　front。
The　Johnnies　received　them　with　a　yell　and　a　volley；　whereat　the　boys
winced　a　little；　much　to　the　Lieutenant's　disgust；　who　swore　at　them；
then　had　them　count　off　with　great　deliberation；　and　deployed　them　as
coolly　as　if　them　was　not　；an　enemy　within　a　hundred　miles。　　After　the
line　deployed；　he　〃dressed〃　it；　commanded　〃Front！〃　and　〃Begin；　firing！〃
his　attention　was　called　another　way　for　an　instant；　and　when　he　looked
back　again；　there　was　not　a　man　of　his　nicely　formed　skirmish　line
visible。　　The　logs　and　stones　had　evidently　been　put　there　for　the　use　of
skirmishers；　the　boys　thought；　and　in　an　instant　they　availed　themselves
of　their　shelter。

Never　was　there　an　angrier　man　than　that　Second　Lieutenant；　he　brandished
his　saber　and　swore；　he　seemed　to　feel　that　all　his　soldierly　reputation
was　gone；　but　the　boys　stuck　to　their　shelter　for　all　that；　informing　him
that　when　the　Rebels　would　stand　out　in　the　open　field　and　take　their
fire；　they　would　d　likewise。

Despite　all　our　efforts；　the　Rebel　line　crawled　up　closer　an　closer　to
us；　we　were　driven　back　from　knoll　to　knoll；　and　from　one　fence　after
another。　　We　had　maintained　the　unequal　struggle　for　eight　hours；　over
one…fourth　of　our　number　were　stretched　upon　the　snow；　killed　or　badly
wounded。　　Our　cartridges　were　nearly　all　gone；　the　cannon　had　fired　its
last　shot　long　ago；　and　having　a　blank　cartridge　left；　had　shot　the
rammer　at　a　gathering　party　of　the　enemy。

Just　as　the　Winter　sun　was　going　down　upon　a　day　of　gloom　the　bugle
called　us　all　up　on　the　hillside。　　Then　the　Rebels　saw　for　the　first　time
how　few　there　were；　and　began　an　almost　simultaneous　charge　all　along　the
line。　　The　Major　raised　piece　of　a　shelter　tent　upon　a　pole。　　The　line
halted。　　An　officer　rode　out　from　it；　followed　by　two　privates。

Approaching　the　Major；　he　said；　〃Who　is　in　command　this　force？〃

The　Major　replied：　〃I　am。〃

〃Then；　Sir；　I　demand　your　sword。〃

〃What　is　your　rank；　Sir！〃

〃I　am　Adjutant　of　the　Sixty…fourth　Virginia。〃

The　punctillious　soul　of　the　old　〃Regular〃for　such　the　Major　was
swelled　up　instantly；　and　he　answered：

〃By　…；　sir；　I　will　never　surrender　to　my　inferior　in　rank！〃

The　Adjutant　reined　his　horse　back。　　His　two　followers　leveled　their
pieces　at　the　Major　and　waited　orders　to　fire。　　They　were　covered　by　a
dozen　carbines　in　the　hands　of　our　men。　　The　Adjutant　ordered　his　men　to
〃recover　arms；〃　and　rode　away　with　them。　　He　presently　returned　with　a
Colonel；　and　to　him　the　Major　handed　his　saber。

As　the　men　realized　what　was　being　done；　the　first　thought　of　many　of
them　was　to　snatch　out　the　cylinder's　of　their　revolvers；　and　the　slides
of　their　carbines；　and　throw　them　away；　so　as　to　make　the　arms　useless。

We　were　overcome　with　rage　and　humiliation　at　being　compelled　to　yield　to
an　enemy　whom　we　had　hated　so　bitterly。　　As　we　stood　there　on　the　bleak
mountain…side；　the　biting　wind　soughing　through　the　leafless　branches；
the　shadows　of　a　gloomy　winter　night　closing　around　us；　the　groans　and
shrieks　of　our　wounded　mingling　with　the　triumphant　yells　of　the　Rebels
plundering　our　tents；　it　seemed　as　if　Fate　could　press　to　man's　lips　no
cup　with　bitterer　dregs　in　it　than　this。




CHAPTER　V。

THE　REACTIONDEPRESSIONBITTING　COLDSHARP　HUNGER　AND　SAD　REFLEXION。

　　　　　　　　　　〃Of　being　taken　by　the　Insolent　foe。〃Othello。


The　night　that　followed　was　inexpressibly　dreary：　The　high…wrought
nervous　tension；　which　had　been　protracted　through　the　long　hours　that
the　fight　lasted；　was　succeeded　by　a　proportionate　mental　depression；
such　as　naturally　follows　any　strain　upon　the　mind。　　This　was　intensified
in　our　cases　by　the　sharp　sting　of　defeat；　the　humiliation　of　having　to
yield　ourselves；　our　horses　and　our　arms　into　the　possession　of　the
enemy；　the　uncertainty　as　to　the　future；　and　the　sorrow　we　felt　at　the
loss　of　so　many　of　our　comrades。

Company　L　had　suffered　very　severely；　but　our　chief　regret　was　for　the
gallant　Osgood；　our　Second　Lieutenant。　　He；　above　all　others；　was　our
trusted　leader。　　The　Captain　and　First　Lieutenant　were　brave　men；　and
good　enough　soldiers；　but　Osgood　was　the　one　〃whose　adoption　tried；　we
grappled　to　our　souls　with　hooks　of　steel。〃　　There　was　never　any
difficulty　in　getting　all　the　volunteers　he　wanted　for　a　scouting　party。
A　quiet；　pleasant　spoken　gentleman；　past　middle　age；　he　looked　much
better　fitted　for　the　office　of　Justice　of　the　Peace；　to　which　his
fellow…citizens　of　Urbana；　Illinois；　had　elected　and　reelected　him；　than
to　command　a　troop　of　rough　riders　in　a　great　civil　war。　　But　none　more
gallant　than　he　ever　vaulted　into　saddle　to　do　battle　for　the　right。
He　went　into　the　Army　solely　as　a　matter　of　principle；　and　did　his　duty
with　the　unflagging　zeal　of　an　olden　Puritan　fighting　for　liberty　and　his
soul's　salvation。　　He　was　a　superb　horsemanas　all　the　older　Illinoisans
are　and；　for　all　his　two…score　years　and　ten；　he　recognized　few　superiors
for　strength　and　activity　in　the　Battalion。　　A　radical；　uncompromising
Abolitionist；　he　had　frequently　asserted　that　he　would　rather　die　than
yield　to　a　Rebel；　and　he　kept　his　word　in　this　as　in　everything　else。

As　for　him；　it　was　probably　the　way　he　desired　to　die。　　No　one　believed
more　ardently　than　he　that

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Whether　on　the　scaffold　high；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Or　in　the　battle's　van；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　fittest　place　for　man　to　die；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Is　where　he　dies　for　man。

Among　the　many　who　had　lost　chums　and　friends　was　Ned　Johnson；　of　Company
K。　　Ned　was　a　young　Englishman；　with　much　of　the　suggestiveness　of　the
bull…dog　common　to　the　lower　class　of　that　nation。　　His　fist　was　readier
than　his　tongue。　　His　chum；　Walter　Savage　was　of　the　same　surly　type。
The　two　had　come　from　England　twelve　years　before；　and　had　been　together
ever　since。　　Savage　was　killed　in　the　struggle　for　the　fence　described　in
the　preceding　chapter。　　Ned　could　not　r