andersonville-第62章

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GUARDSCOMPARISON　BETWEEN　WIRZ　AND　DAVISA　BRIEF　INTERVAL　OF　GOOD
RATIONSWINDER；　THE　MAN　WITH　THE　EVIL　EYE
THE　DISLOYAL　WORK　OF　A　SHYSTER。

After　all　Savannah　was　a　wonderful　improvement　on　Andersonville。
We　got　away　from　the　pestilential　Swamp　and　that　poisonous　ground。
Every　mouthful　of　air　was　not　laden　with　disease　germs；　nor　every　cup　of
water　polluted　with　the　seeds　of　death。　　The　earth　did　not　breed
gangrene；　nor　the　atmosphere　promote　fever。　　As　only　the　more　vigorous
had　come　away；　we　were　freed　from　the　depressing　spectacle　of　every　third
man　dying。　　The　keen　disappointment　prostrated　very　many　who　had　been　of
average　health；　and　I　imagine；　several　hundred　died；　but　there　were
hospital　arrangements　of　some　kind；　and　the　sick　were　taken　away　from
among　us。　　Those　of　us　who　tunneled　out　had　an　opportunity　of　stretching
our　legs；　which　we　had　not　had　for　months　in　the　overcrowded　Stockade　we
had　left。　　The　attempts　to　escape　did　all　engaged　in　them　good；　even
though　they　failed；　since　they　aroused　new　ideas　and　hopes；　set　the　blood
into　more　rapid　circulation；　and　toned　up　the　mind　and　system　both。
I　had　come　away　from　Andersonville　with　considerable　scurvy　manifesting
itself　in　my　gums　and　feet。　　Soon　these　signs　almost　wholly　disappeared。

We　also　got　away　from　those　murderous　little　brats　of　Reserves；
who　guarded　us　at　Andersonville；　and　shot　men　down　as　they　would　stone
apples　out　of　a　tree。　　Our　guards　now　were　mostly；　sailors；　from　the
Rebel　fleet　in　the　harborIrishmen；　Englishmen　and　Scandinavians；　as
free　hearted　and　kindly　as　sailors　always　are。　　I　do　not　think　they　ever
fired　a　shot　at　one　of　us。　　The　only　trouble　we　had　was　with　that　portion
of　the　guard　drawn　from　the　infantry　of　the　garrison。　　They　had　the　same
rattlesnake　venom　of　the　Home　Guard　crowd　wherever　we　met　it；　and　shot　us
down　at　the　least　provocation。　　Fortunately　they　only　formed　a　small　part
of　the　sentinels。

Best　of　all；　we　escaped　for　a　while　from　the　upas…like　shadow　of　Winder
and　Wirz；　in　whose　presence　strong　men　sickened　and　died；　as　when　near
some　malign　genii　of　an　Eastern　story。　　The　peasantry　of　Italy　believed
firmly　in　the　evil　eye。　　Did　they　ever　know　any　such　men　as　Winder　and
his　satellite；　I　could　comprehend　how　much　foundation　they　could　have　for
such　a　belief。

Lieutenant　Davis　had　many　faults；　but　there　was　no　comparison　between　him
and　the　Andersonville　commandant。　　He　was　a　typical　young　Southern　man；
ignorant　and　bumptious　as　to　the　most　common　matters　of　school…boy
knowledge；　inordinately　vain　of　himself　and　his　family；　coarse　in　tastes
and　thoughts；　violent　in　his　prejudices；　but　after　all　with　some　streaks
of　honor　and　generosity　that　made　the　widest　possible　difference　between
him　and　Wirz；　who　never　had　any。　　As　one　of　my　chums　said　to　me：

〃Wirz　is　the　most　even…tempered　man　I　ever　knew；　he's　always　foaming
mad。〃

This　was　nearly　the　truth。　　I　never　saw　Wirz　when　he　was　not　angry；
if　not　violently　abusive；　he　was　cynical　and　sardonic。　　Never；　in　my
little　experience　with　him　did　I　detect　a　glint　of　kindly；　generous
humanity；　if　he　ever　was　moved　by　any　sight　of　suffering　its　exhibition
in　his　face　escaped　my　eye。　　If　he　ever　had　even　a　wish　to　mitigate　the
pain　or　hardship　of　any　man　the　expression　of　such　wish　never　fell　on　my
ear。　　How　a　man　could　move　daily　through　such　misery　as　he　encountered；
and　never　be　moved　by　it　except　to　scorn　and　mocking　is　beyond　my　limited
understanding。

Davis　vapored　a　great　deal；　swearing　big　round　oaths　in　the　broadest　of
Southern　patois；　he　was　perpetually　threatening　to：

〃Open　on　ye　wid　de　ahtillery；〃　but　the　only　death　that　I　knew　him　to
directly　cause　or　sanction　was　that　I　have　described　in　the　previous
chapter。　　He　would　not　put　himself　out　of　the　way　to　annoy　and　oppress
prisoners；　as　Wirz　would；　but　frequently　showed　even　a　disposition　to
humor　them　in　some　little　thing；　when　it　could　be　done　without　danger　or
trouble　to　himself。

By…and…by；　however；　he　got　an　idea　that　there　was　some　money　to　be　made
out　of　the　prisoners；　and　he　set　his　wits　to　work　in　this　direction。
One　day；　standing　at　the　gate；　he　gave　one　of　his　peculiar　yells　that　he
used　to　attract　the　attention　of　the　camp　with：

〃Wh…ah…ye！！〃

We　all　came　to　〃attention；〃　and　he　announced：

〃Yesterday；　while　I　wuz　in　the　camps　（a　Rebel　always　says　camps；）　some　of
you　prisoners　picked　my　pockets　of　seventy…five　dollars　in　greenbacks。
Now；　I　give　you　notice　that　I'll　not　send　in　any　moah　rations　till　the
money's　returned　to　me。〃

This　was　a　very　stupid　method　of　extortion；　since　no　one　believed　that　he
had　lost　the　money；　and　at　all　events　he　had　no　business　to　have　the
greenbacks；　as　the　Rebel　laws　imposed　severe　penalties　upon　any　citizen；
and　still　more　upon　any　soldier　dealing　with；　or　having　in　his　possession
any　of　〃the　money　of　the　enemy。〃　　We　did　without　rations　until　night；
when　they　were　sent　in。　　There　was　a　story　that　some　of　the　boys　in　the
prison　had　contributed　to　make　up　part　of　the　sum；　and　Davis　took　it　and
was　satisfied。　　I　do　not　know　how　true　the　story　was。　　At　another　time
some　of　the　boys　stole　the　bridle　and　halter　off　an　old　horse　that　was
driven　in　with　a　cart。　　The　things　were　worth；　at　a　liberal　estimate；
one　dollar。　　Davis　cut　off　the　rations　of　the　whole　six　thousand　of　us
for　one　day　for　this。　　We　always　imagined　that　the　proceeds　went　into　his
pocket。

A　special　exchange　was　arranged　between　our　Navy　Department　and　that　of
the　Rebels；　by　which　all　seamen　and　marines　among　us　were　exchanged。
Lists　of　these　were　sent　to　the　different　prisons　and　the　men　called　for。
About　three…fourths　of　them　were　dead；　but　many　soldiers　divining；　the
situation　of　affairs；　answered　to　the　dead　men's　names；　went　away　with
the　squad　and　were　exchanged。　　Much　of　this　was　through　the　connivance　of
the　Rebel　officers；　who　favored　those　who　had　ingratiated　themselves　with
them。　　In　many　instances　money　was　paid　to　secure　this　privilege；　and　I
have　been　informed　on　good　authority　that　Jack　Huckleby；　of　the　Eighth
Tennessee；　and　Ira　Beverly；　of　the　One　Hundredth　Ohio；　who　kept　the　big
sutler　shop　on　the　North　Side　at　Andersonville；　paid　Davis　five　hundred
dollars　each　to　be　allowed　to　go　with　the　sailors。　　As　for　Andrews　and
me；　we　had　no　friends　among　the　Rebels；　nor　money　to　bribe　with；　so　we
stood　no　show。

The　rations　issued　to　us　for　some　time　after　our　arrival　seemed　riotous
luxury　to　what　we　had　been　getting　at　Andersonville。　　Each　of　us　received
daily　a　half…dozen　rude　and　coarse　imitations　of　our　fondly…remembered
hard　tack；　and　with　these　a　small　piece　of　meat　or　a　few　spoonfuls　of
molasses；　and　a　quart　or　so　of　vinegar；　and　several　plugs　of　tobacco　for
each　hundred。〃　　How　exquisite　was　the　taste　of　the　crackers　and　molasses！
It　was　the　first　wheat　bread　I　had　eaten　since　my　entry　into　Richmond
nine　months　beforeand　molasses　had　been　a　stranger　to　me　for　years。
After　the　corn　bread　we　had　so　long　lived　upon；　this　was　manna。　　It　seems
that　the　Commissary　at　Savannah　labored　under　the　delusion　that　he　must
issue　to　us　the　same　rations　as　were　served　out　to　the　Rebel　soldiers　and
sailors。　　It　was　some　little　time　before　the　fearful　mistake　came　to　the
knowledge　of　Winder。　　I　fancy　that　the　news　almost　threw　him　into　an
apoplectic　fit。　　Nothing；　save　his　being　ordered　to　the　front；　could　have
caused　him　such　poignant　sorrow　as　the　information　that　so　much　good　food
had　been　worse　than　wasted　in　undoing　his　work　by　building　up　the　bodies
of　his　hated　enemies。

Without　being　told；　we　knew　that　he　had　been　heard　from　when　the　tobacco；
vinegar　and　molasses　failed　to　come　in；　and　the　crackers　gave　way　to　corn
meal。　　Still　this　was　a　vast　improvement　on　Andersonville；　as　the　meal
was　fine　and　sweet；　and　we　each　had　a　spoonful　of　salt　issued　to　us
regularly。

I　am　quite　sure　that　I　cannot　make　the　reader　who　has　not　had　an
experience　similar　to　ours　comprehend　the　wonderful　importance　to　us　of
that　spoonful　of　salt。　　Whether　or　not　the　appetite　for　salt　be；　as　some
scientists　claim；　a　purely　artificial　want；　one　thing　is　certain；　and
that　is；　that　either　the　habit　of　countless　generations　or　some　other
cause；　has　so　deeply　ingrained　it　into　our　common　nature；　that　it　has
come　to　be　nearly　as　essential　as　food　itself；　and　no　amount　of
deprivation　can　accustom　us　to　its　absence。　　Rather；　it　seemed　that　the
longer　we　did　without　it　the　more　overpowering　became　our　craving。
I　could　get　along　to…day　and　to…morrow；　perhaps　the　whole　week；　without
salt　in　my　food；　since　the　lack　would　be　supplied　from　the　excess　I　had
already　swallowed；　but　at　the　end　of　that　time　Nature　would　begin　to
demand　that　I　renew　the　supply　of　saline　constituent　of　my　tissues；　and
she　would　become　more　clamorous　with　every　day　that　I　neglected　her
bidding；　and　finally　summon　Nausea　to　aid　Longing。

The　light　artillery　of　the　garrison　of　Savannahfour　batteries；　twenty…
four　pieceswas　stationed　around　three　sides　of　the　prison；　the　guns
unlimbered；　planted　at　convenient　distance；　and　trained　upon　us；　ready
for　instant　use。　　We　could　see　all　the　grinning　mouths　through　the　cracks
in　the　fence。　　There　were　enough　of　them　to　send　us　as　high　as　the
traditional　kite　flown　by　Gilderoy。　　The　having　at　his　beck　this　array　of
frowning　metal　lent　Lieutenant　Davis　such　an　importance　in　his　own　eyes
that　his　demeanor　swelled　to　the　grandiose。　　It　became　very　amusing　to
see　him　puff　up　and　vaunt　over　it；　as　he　did　on　every　possible　occasion。
For　instance；　finding　a　crowd　of　several　hundred　lounging　around　the
gate；　he　would　throw　open　the　wicket；　stalk　in　with　the　air　of　a　Jove
threatening　a　rebellious　world　with　the　dread　thunders　of　heaven；　and
shout：

〃W…h…a…a　y…e…e！　　Prisoners；　I　give　you　jist　two　minutes　to　cleah　away
from　this　gate；　aw　I'll　open　on　ye　wid　de　ahtillery！〃

One　of　the　buglers　of　the　artillery　was　a　superb　musicianevidently　some
old　〃regular〃　whom　the　Confederacy　had　seduced　into　its　service；　and　his
instrument　was　so　sweet　toned　that　we　imagined　that　it　was　made　of
silver。　　The　calls　he　played　were　nearly　the　same　as　we　used　in　the
cavalry；　and　for　the　first　few　days　we　became　bitterly　homesick　every
time　he　sent　ringing　out　the　old　familiar　signals；　that　to　us　were　so
closely　associated　with　what　now　seemed　the　bright　and　happy　days　when　we
were　in　the　field　with　our　battalion。　　If　we　were　only　back　in　the
valleys　of　Tennessee　with　what　alacrity　we　would　respond　to　that
〃assembly；〃　no　Orderly's　patience　would　be　worn　out　in　getting　laggards
and　lazy　ones　to　〃fall　in　for　roll…call；〃　how　eagerly　we　would　attend　to
〃stable　duty；〃　how　gladly　mount　our　faithful　horses　and　ride　away　to
〃water；〃　and　what　bareback　races　ride；　going　and　coming。　　We　would　be
even　glad　to　hear　〃guard　〃　and　〃drill〃　sounded；　and　there　would　be　music
in　the　disconsolate　〃surgeon's　call：〃

　　　　　〃Come…get…your…q…n…i…n…i…n…e；　come；　get　your　quinine；　It'll　make　you
　　　　　sad：　It'll　make　you　sick。　　Come；　come。〃

O；　if　we　were　only　back；　what　admirable　soldiers　we　would　be！
One　morning；　about　three　or　four　o'clock；　we　were　awakened　by　the　ground
shaking　and　a　series　of　heavy；　dull　thumps　sounding　oft　seaward