andersonville-第69章

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for　the　broiling　sun　at　Andersonville　and　Savannah；　but　now；　with　the
thermometer　nightly　dipping　a　little　nearer　the　frost　line；　it　became
unpleasantly　evident　that　as　garments　their　office　was　purely
perfunctory；　one　might　say　ornamental　simply；　if　he　wanted　to　be　very
sarcastic。　　They　were　worn　solely　to　afford　convenient　quarters　for
multitudes　of　lice；　and　in　deference　to　the　prejudice　which　has　existed
since　the　Fall　of　Man　against　our　mingling　with　our　fellow　creatures　in
the　attire　provided　us　by　Nature。　　Had　I　read　Darwin　then　I　should　have
expected　that　my　long　exposure　to　the　weather　would　start　a　fine　suit　of
fur；　in　the　effort　of　Nature　to　adapt；　me　to　my；　environment。　　But　no
more　indications　of　this　appeared　than　if　I　had　been　a　hairless　dog　of
Mexico；　suddenly　transplanted　to　more　northern　latitudes。　　Providence　did
not　seem　to　be　in　the　tempering…the…wind…to…the…shorn…lamb　business；　as
far　as　I　was　concerned。　　I　still　retained　an　almost　unconquerable
prejudice　against　stripping　the　dead　to　secure　clothes；　and　so　unless
exchange　or　death　came　speedily；　I　was　in　a　bad　fix。

One　morning　about　day　break；　Andrews；　who　had　started　to　go　to　another
part　of　the　camp；　came　slipping　back　in　a　state　of　gleeful　excitement。
At　first　I　thought　he　either　had　found　a　tunnel　or　had　heard　some　good
news　about　exchange。　　It　was　neither。　　He　opened　his　jacket　and　handed　me
an　infantry　man's　blouse；　which　he　had　found　in　the　main　street；　where　it
had　dropped　out　of　some　fellow's　bundle。　　We　did　not　make　any　extra
exertion　to　find　the　owner。　　Andrews　was　in　sore　need　of　clothes　himself；
but　my　necessities　were　so　much　greater　that　the　generous　fellow　thought
of　my　wants　first。　　We　examined　the　garment　with　as　much　interest　as　ever
a　belle　bestowed　on　a　new　dress　from　Worth's。　　It　was　in　fair
preservation；　but　the　owner　had　cut　the　buttons　off　to　trade　to　the
guard；　doubtless　for　a　few　sticks　of　wood；　or　a　spoonful　of　salt。
We　supplied　the　place　of　these　with　little　wooden　pins；　and　I　donned　the
garment　as　a　shirt　and　coat　and　vest；　too；　for　that　matter。　　The　best
suit　I　ever　put　on　never　gave　me　a　hundredth　part　the　satisfaction　that
this　did。　　Shortly　after；　I　managed　to　subdue　my　aversion　so　far　as　to
take　a　good　shoe　which　a　one…legged　dead　man　had　no　farther　use　for；　and
a　little　later　a　comrade　gave　me　for　the　other　foot　a　boot　bottom　from
which　he　had　cut　the　top　to　make　a　bucket。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。

The　day　of　the　Presidential　election　of　1864　approached。　　The　Rebels　were
naturally　very　much　interested　in　the　result；　as　they　believed　that　the
election　of　McClellan　meant　compromise　and　cessation　of　hostilities；
while　the　re…election　of　Lincoln　meant　prosecution　of　the　War　to　the
bitter　end。　　The　toadying　Raiders；　who　were　perpetually　hanging　around
the　gate　to　get　a　chance　to　insinuate　themselves　into　the　favor　of　the
Rebel　officers；　persuaded　them　that　we　were　all　so　bitterly　hostile　to
our　Government　for　not　exchanging　us　that　if　we　were　allowed　to　vote　we
would　cast　an　overwhelming　majority　in　favor　of　McClellan。

The　Rebels　thought　that　this　might　perhaps　be　used　to　advantage　as
political　capital　for　their　friends　in　the　North。　　They　gave　orders　that
we　might；　if　we　chose；　hold　an　election　on　the　same　day　of　the
Presidential　election。　　They　sent　in　some　ballot　boxes；　and　we　elected
Judges　of　the　Election。

About　noon　of　that　day　Captain　Bowes；　and　a　crowd　of　tightbooted；　broad…
hatted　Rebel　officers；　strutted　in　with　the　peculiar　〃Ef…yer…don't…
b'lieveI'm…a…butcher…jest…smell…o'…mebutes〃　swagger　characteristic　of
the　class。　　They　had　come　in　to　see　us　all　voting　for　McClellan。
Instead；　they　found　the　polls　surrounded　with　ticket　pedlers　shouting：

〃Walk　right　up　here　now；　and　get　your　Unconditional…Union…Abraham…Lincoln
…tickets！〃

〃Here's　your　straight…haired　prosecution…of…the…war　ticket。〃

〃Vote　the　Lincoln　ticket；　vote　to　whip　the　Rebels；　and　make　peace　with
them　when　they've　laid　down　their　arms。〃

〃Don't　vote　a　McClellan　ticket　and　gratify　Rebels；　everywhere；〃　etc。

The　Rebel　officers　did　not　find　the　scene　what　their　fancy　painted　it；
and　turning　around　they　strutted　out。

When　the　votes　came　to　be　counted　out　there　were　over　seven　thousand　for
Lincoln；　and　not　half　that　many　hundred　for　McClellan。　　The　latter　got
very　few　votes　outside　the　Raider　crowd。　　The　same　day　a　similar　election
was　held　in　Florence；　with　like　result。　　Of　course　this　did　not　indicate
that　there　was　any　such　a　preponderance　of　Republicans　among　us。
It　meant　simply　that　the　Democratic　boys；　little　as　they　might　have　liked
Lincoln；　would　have　voted　for　him　a　hundred　times　rather　than　do　anything
to　please　the　Rebels。

I　never　heard　that　the　Rebels　sent　the　result　North。




CHAPTER　LXI

THE　REBELS　FORMALLY　PROPOSE　TO　US　TO　DESERT　TO　THEMCONTUMELIOUS
TREATMENT　OF　THE　PROPOSITIONTHEIR　RAGEAN　EXCITING　TIMEAN　OUTBREAK
THREATENEDDIFFICULTIES　ATTENDING　DESERTION　TO　THE　REBELS。

One　day　in　November；　some　little　time　after　the　occurrences　narrated　in
the　last　chapter；　orders　came　in　to　make　out　rolls　of　all　those　who　were
born　outside　of　the　United　States；　and　whose　terms　of　service　had
expired。

We　held　a　little　council　among　ourselves　as　to　the　meaning　of　this；　and
concluded　that　some　partial　exchange　had　been　agreed　on；　and　the　Rebels
were　going　to　send　back　the　class　of　boys　whom　they　thought　would　be　of
least　value　to　the　Government。　　Acting　on　this　conclusion　the　great
majority　of　us　enrolled　ourselves　as　foreigners；　and　as　having　served　out
our　terms。　　I　made　out　the　roll　of　my　hundred；　and　managed　to　give　every
man　a　foreign　nativity。　　Those　whose　names　would　bear　it　were　assigned　to
England；　Ireland；　Scotland　France　and　Germany；　and　the　balance　were
distributed　through　Canada　and　the　West　Indies。　　After　finishing　the　roll
and　sending　it　out；　I　did　not　wonder　that　the　Rebels　believed　the　battles
for　the　Union　were　fought　by　foreign　mercenaries。　　The　other　rolls　were
made　out　in　the　same　way；　and　I　do　not　suppose　that　they　showed　five
hundred　native　Americans　in　the　Stockade。

The　next　day　after　sending　out　the　rolls；　there　came　an　order　that　all
those　whose　names　appeared　thereon　should　fall　in。　　We　did　so；　promptly；
and　as　nearly　every　man　in　camp　was　included；　we　fell　in　as　for　other
purposes；　by　hundreds　and　thousands。　　We　were　then　marched　outside；　and
massed　around　a　stump　on　which　stood　a　Rebel　officer；　evidently　waiting
to　make　us　a　speech。　　We　awaited　his　remarks　with　the　greatest
impatience；　but　He　did　not　begin　until　the　last　division　had　marched　out
and　came　to　a　parade　rest　close　to　the　stump。

It　was　the　same　old　story：

〃Prisoners；　you　can　no　longer　have　any　doubt　that　your　Government　has
cruelly　abandoned　you；　it　makes　no　efforts　to　release　you；　and　refuses
all　our　offers　of　exchange。　　We　are　anxious　to　get　our　men　back；　and　have
made　every　effort　to　do　so；　but　it　refuses　to　meet　us　on　any　reasonable
grounds。　　Your　Secretary　of　War　has　said　that　the　Government　can　get
along　very　well　without　you；　and　General　Halleck　has　said　that　you　were
nothing　but　a　set　of　blackberry　pickers　and　coffee　boilers　anyhow。

〃You've　already　endured　much　more　than　it　could　expect　of　you；　you　served
it　faithfully　during　the　term　you　enlisted　for；　and　now；　when　it　is
through　with　you；　it　throws　you　aside　to　starve　and　die。　　You　also　can
have　no　doubt　that　the　Southern　Confederacy　is　certain　to　succeed　in
securing　its　independence。　　It　will　do　this　in　a　few　months。　　It　now
offers　you　an　opportunity　to　join　its　service；　and　if　you　serve　it
faithfully　to　the　end；　you　will　receive　the　same　rewards　as　the　rest　of
its　soldiers。　　You　will　be　taken　out　of　here；　be　well　clothed　and　fed；
given　a　good　bounty；　and；　at　the　conclusion　of　the　War　receive　a　land
warrant　for　a　nice　farm。　　If　you〃

But　we　had　heard　enough。　　The　Sergeant　of　our　divisiona　man　with　a
stentorian　voice　sprang　out　and　shouted：

〃Attention；　first　Division！〃

We　Sergeants　of　hundreds　repeated　the　command　down　the　line。　　Shouted　he：

〃First　Division；　about〃

Said　we：

〃First　Hundred；　about〃

〃Second　Hundred；　about〃

〃Third　Hundred；　about〃

〃Fourth　Hundred；　about〃　etc。；　etc。

Said　he：

〃FACE！！〃

Ten　Sergeants　repeated　〃Face！〃　one　after　the　other；　and　each　man　in　the
hundreds　turned　on　his　heel。　　Then　our　leader　commanded

〃First　Division；　forward！　　MARCH！〃　and　we　strode　back　into　the　Stockade；
followed　immediately　by　all　the　other　divisions；　leaving　the　orator　still
standing　on　the　stump。

The　Rebels　were　furious　at　this　curt　way　of　replying。　　We　had　scarcely
reached　our　quarters　when　they　came　in　with　several　companies；　with
loaded　guns　and　fixed　bayonets。　　They　drove　us　out　of　our　tents　and　huts；
into　one　corner；　under　the　pretense　of　hunting　axes　and　spades；　but　in
reality　to　steal　our　blankets；　and　whatever　else　they　could　find　that
they　wanted；　and　to　break　down　and　injure　our　huts；　many　of　which；
costing　us　days　of　patient　labor；　they　destroyed　in　pure　wantonness。

We　were　burning　with　the　bitterest　indignation。　　A　tall；　slender　man
named　Lloyd；　a　member　of　the　Sixty…First　Ohioa　rough；　uneducated
fellow；　but　brim　full　of　patriotism　and　manly　common　sense；　jumped　up　on
a　stump　and　poured　out　his　soul　in　rude　but　fiery　eloquence：　〃Comrades；〃
he　said；　〃do　not　let　the　blowing　of　these　Rebel　whelps　discourage　you；
pay　no　attention　to　the　lies　they　have　told　you　to…day；　you　know　well
that　our　Government　is　too　honorable　and　just　to　desert　any　one　who
serves　it；　it　has　not　deserted　us；　their　hell…born　Confederacy　is　not
going　to　succeed。　　I　tell　you　that　as　sure　as　there　is　a　God　who　reigns
and　judges　in　Israel；　before　the　Spring　breezes　stir　the　tops　of　these
blasted　old　pines　their　Confederacy　and　all　the　lousy　graybacks　who
support　it　will　be　so　deep　in　hell　that　nothing　but　a　search　warrant　from
the　throne　of　God　Almighty　can　ever　find　it　again。　　And　the　glorious　old
Stars　and　Stripes〃

Here　we　began　cheering　tremendously。　　A　Rebel　Captain　came　running　up；
said　to　the　guard；　who　was　leaning　on　his　gun；　gazing　curiously　at　Lloyd：

〃What　in　　are　you　standing　gaping　there　for？　　Why　don't　you　shoot　the
　　Yankee　son　　…　…？〃　and　snatching　the　gun　away　from
him；　cocked　and　leveled　it　at　Lloyd；　but　the　boys　near　jerked　the　speaker
down　from　the　stump　and　saved　his　life。

We　became　fearfully；　wrought　up。　　Some　of　the　more　excitable　shouted　out
to　charge　on　the　line　of　guards；　snatch　they　guns　away　from　them；　and
force　our　way　through　the　gate　The　shouts　were　taken　up　by　others；　and；
as　if　in　obedience　to　the　suggestion；　we　instinctively　formed　in　line…of…
battle　facing　the　guards。　　A　glance　down　the　line　showed　me　an　array　of
desperate；　tensely　drawn　faces；　such　as　one　sees　who　looks　a　men　when
they　are　summoning　up　all　their　resolution　for　some　deed　of　great　peril。
The　Rebel　officers　hastily　retreated　behind　the　line　of　guards；　whose
faces　blanched；　but　they　leveled　the　muskets　and　prepared　to　receive　us。

Captain　Bowes；　who　was　overlooking　the　prison　from　an　elevation　outside；
had；　however；　divined　the　trouble　at　the　outset；　an　was　preparing　to　meet
it。　　The　gunners；　who　had　sho