andersonville-第7章

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ever　since。　　Savage　was　killed　in　the　struggle　for　the　fence　described　in
the　preceding　chapter。　　Ned　could　not　realize　for　a　while　that　his　friend
was　dead。　　It　was　only　when　the　body　rapidly　stiffened　on　its　icy　bed；
and　the　eyes　which　had　been　gleaming　deadly　hate　when　he　was　stricken
down　were　glazed　over　with　the　dull　film　of　death；　that　he　believed　he
was　gone　from　him　forever。　　Then　his　rage　was　terrible。　　For　the　rest　of
the　day　he　was　at　the　head　of　every　assault　upon　the　enemy。　　His　voice
could　ever　be　heard　above　the　firing；　cursing　the　Rebels　bitterly；　and
urging　the　boys　to　〃Stand　up　to　'em！　　Stand　right　up　to　'em！　　Don't　give
a　inch！　　Let　them　have　the　best　you　got　in　the　shop！　　Shoot　low；　and
don't　waste　a　cartridge！〃

When　we　surrendered；　Ned　seemed　to　yield　sullenly　to　the　inevitable。
He　threw　his　belt　and　apparently　his　revolver　with　it　upon　the　snow。
A　guard　was　formed　around　us；　and　we　gathered　about　the　fires　that　were
started。　　Ned　sat　apart；　his　arms　folded；　his　head　upon　his　breast；
brooding　bitterly　upon　Walter's　death。　　A　horseman；　evidently　a　Colonel
or　General；　clattered　up　to　give　some　directions　concerning　us。　　At　the
sound　of　his　voice　Ned　raised　his　head　and　gave　him　a　swift　glance；　the
gold　stars　upon　the　Rebel's　collar　led　him　to　believe　that　he　was　the
commander　of　the　enemy。　　Ned　sprang　to　his　feet；　made　a　long　stride
forward；　snatched　from　the　breast　of　his　overcoat　the　revolver　he　had
been　hiding　there；　cocked　it　and　leveled　it　at　the　Rebel's　breast。
Before　he　could　pull　the　trigger　Orderly　Sergeant　Charles　Bentley；　of　his
Company；　who　was　watching　him；　leaped　forward；　caught　his　wrist　and　threw
the　revolver　up。　　Others　joined　in；　took　the　weapon　away；　and　handed　it
over　to　the　officer；　who　then　ordered　us　all　to　be　searched　for　arms；
and　rode　away。

All　our　dejection　could　not　make　us　forget　that　we　were　intensely　hungry。
We　had　eaten　nothing　all　day。　　The　fight　began　before　we　had　time　to　get
any　breakfast；　and　of　course　there　was　no　interval　for　refreshments
during　the　engagement。　　The　Rebels　were　no　better　off　than　we；　having
been　marched　rapidly　all　night　in　order　to　come　upon　us　by　daylight。

Late　in　the　evening　a　few　sacks　of　meal　were　given　us；　and　we　took　the
first　lesson　in　an　art　that　long　and　painful　practice　afterward　was　to
make　very　familiar　to　us。　　We　had　nothing　to　mix　the　meal　in；　and　it
looked　as　if　we　would　have　to　eat　it　dry；　until　a　happy　thought　struck
some　one　that　our　caps　would　do　for　kneading　troughs。　　At　once　every　cap
was　devoted　to　this。　　Getting　water　from　an　adjacent　spring；　each　man
made　a　little　wad　of　doughunsaltedand　spreading　it　upon　a　flat　stone
or　a　chip；　set　it　up　in　front　of　the　fire　to　bake。　　As　soon　as　it　was
browned　on　one　side；　it　was　pulled　off　the　stone；　and　the　other　side
turned　to　the　fire。　　It　was　a　very　primitive　way　of　cooking　and　I　became
thoroughly　disgusted　with　it。　　It　was　fortunate　for　me　that　I　little
dreamed　that　this　was　the　way　I　should　have　to　get　my　meals　for　the　next
fifteen　months。

After　somewhat　of　the　edge　had　been　taken　off　our　hunger　by　this　food；
we　crouched　around　the　fires；　talked　over　the　events　of　the　day；
speculated　as　to　what　was　to　be　done　with　us；　and　snatched　such　sleep　as
the　biting　cold　would　permit。




CHAPTER

〃ON　TO　RICHMOND！〃MARCHING　ON　FOOT　OVER　THE　MOUNTAINSMY　HORSE　HAS　A
NEW　RIDERUNSOPHISTICATED　MOUNTAIN　GIRLSDISCUSSING　THE　ISSUES　OF　THE
WARPARTING　WITH　〃HIATOGA。〃

At　dawn　we　were　gathered　together；　more　meal　issued　to　us；　which　we
cooked　in　the　same　way；　and　then　were　started　under　heavy　guard　to　march
on　foot　over　the　mountains　to　Bristol；　a　station　at　the　point　where　the
Virginia　and　Tennessee　Railroad　crosses　the　line　between　Virginia　and
Tennessee。

As　we　were　preparing　to　set　out　a　Sergeant　of　the　First　Virginia　cavalry
came　galloping　up　to　us　on　my　horse！　　The　sight　of　my　faithful　〃Hiatoga〃
bestrid　by　a　Rebel；　wrung　my　heart。　　During　the　action　I　had　forgotten
him；　but　when　it　ceased　I　began　to　worry　about　his　fate。　　As　he　and　his
rider　came　near　I　called　out　to　him；　he　stopped　and　gave　a　whinny　of
recognition；　which　seemed　also　a　plaintive　appeal　for　an　explanation　of
the　changed　condition　of　affairs。

The　Sergeant　was　a　pleasant；　gentlemanly　boy　of　about　my　own　age。
He　rode　up　to　me　and　inquired　if　it　was　my　horse；　to　which　I　replied　in
the　affirmative；　and　asked　permission　to　take　from　the　saddle　pockets
some　letters；　pictures　and　other　trinkets。　　He　granted　this；　and　we
became　friends　from　thence　on　until　we　separated。　　He　rode　by　my　side　as
we　plodded　over　the　steep；　slippery　hills；　and　we　beguiled　the　way　by
chatting　of　the　thousand　things　that　soldiers　find　to　talk　about；　and
exchanged　reminiscences　of　the　service　on　both　sides。　　But　the　subject　he
was　fondest　of　was　that　which　I　relished　least：　mynow　hishorse。　　Into
the　open　ulcer　of　my　heart　he　poured　the　acid　of　all　manner　of　questions
concerning　my　lost　steed's　qualities　and　capabilities：　would　he　swim？
how　was　he　in　fording？　　did　he　jump　well！　　how　did　he　stand　fire？
I　smothered　my　irritation；　and　answered　as　pleasantly　as　I　could。

In　the　afternoon　of　the　third　day　after　the　capture；　we　came　up　to　where
a　party　of　rustic　belles　were　collected　at　〃quilting。〃　　The　〃Yankees〃
were　instantly　objects　of　greater　interest　than　the　parade　of　a　menagerie
would　have　been。　　The　Sergeant　told　the　girls　we　were　going　to　camp　for
the　night　a　mile　or　so　ahead；　and　if　they　would　be　at　a　certain　house；
he　would　have　a　Yankee　for　them　for　close　inspection。　　After　halting；
the　Sergeant　obtained　leave　to　take　me　out　with　a　guard；　and　I　was
presently　ushered　into　a　room　in　which　the　damsels　were　massed　in　force；
a　carnation…checked；　staring；　open…mouthed；　linsey…clad　crowd；　as
ignorant　of　corsets　and　gloves　as　of　Hebrew；　and　with　a　propensity　to
giggle　that　was　chronic　and　irrepressible。　　When　we　entered　the　room
there　was　a　general　giggle；　and　then　a　shower　of　comments　upon　my
appearance；each　sentence　punctuated　with　the　chorus　of　feminine
cachination。　　A　remark　was　made　about　my　hair　and　eyes；　and　their
risibles　gave　way；　judgment　was　passed　on　my　nose；　and　then　came　a　ripple
of　laughter。　　I　got　very　red　in　the　face；　and　uncomfortable　generally。
Attention　was　called　to　the　size　of　my　feet　and　hands；　and　the　usual
chorus　followed。　　Those　useful　members　of　my　body　seemed　to　swell　up　as
they　do　to　a　young　man　at　his　first　party。

Then　I　saw　that　in　the　minds　of　these　bucolic　maidens　I　was　scarcely；
if　at　all；　human；　they　did　not　understand　that　I　belonged　to　the　race；
I　was　a　〃Yankee〃a　something　of　the　non…human　class；　as　the　gorilla　or
the　chimpanzee。　　They　felt　as　free　to　discuss　my　points　before　my　face　as
they　would　to　talk　of　a　horse　or　a　wild　animal　in　a　show。　　My　equanimity
was　partially　restored　by　this　reflection；　but　I　was　still　too　young　to
escape　embarrassment　and　irritation　at　being　thus　dissected　and　giggled
at　by　a　party　of　girls；　even　if　they　were　ignorant　Virginia　mountaineers。

I　turned　around　to　speak　to　the　Sergeant；　and　in　so　doing　showed　my　back
to　the　ladies。　　The　hum　of　comment　deepened　into　surprise；　that　half
stopped　and　then　intensified　the　giggle。

I　was　puzzled　for　a　minute；　and　then　the　direction　of　their　glances；　and
their　remarks　explained　it　all。　　At　the　rear　of　the　lower　part　of　the
cavalry　jacket；　about　where　the　upper　ornamental　buttons　are　on　the　tail
of　a　frock　coat；　are　two　funny　tabs；　about　the　size　of　small　pin…
cushions。　　They　are　fastened　by　the　edge；　and　stick　out　straight　behind。
Their　use　is　to　support　the　heavy　belt　in　the　rear；　as　the　buttons　do　in
front。　　When　the　belt　is　off　it　would　puzzle　the　Seven　Wise　Men　to　guess
what　they　are　for。　　The　unsophisticated　young　ladies；　with　that　swift
intuition　which　is　one　of　lovely　woman's　salient　mental　traits；
immediately　jumped　at　the　conclusion　that　the　projections　covered　some
peculiar　conformation　of　the　Yankee　anatomysome　incipient；　dromedary…
like　humps；　or　perchance　the　horns　of　which　they　had　heard　so　much。

This　anatomical　phenomena　was　discussed　intently　for　a　few　minutes；
during　which　I　heard　one　of　the　girls　inquire　whether　〃it　would　hurt　him
to　cut　'em　off？〃　and　another　hazarded　the　opinion　that　〃it　would　probably
bleed　him　to　death。〃

Then　a　new　idea　seized　them；　and　they　said　to　the　Sergeant　〃Make　him
sing！　　Make　him　sing！〃

This　was　too　much　for　the　Sergeant；　who　had　been　intensely　amused　at　the
girls'　wonderment。　　He　turned　to　me；　very　red　in　the　face；　with：

〃Sergeant：　the　girls　want　to　hear　you　sing。〃

I　replied　that　I　could　not　sing　a　note。　　Said　he：

〃Oh；　come　now。　　I　know　better　than　that；　I　never　seed　or　heerd　of　a
Yankee　that　couldn't　sing。〃

I　nevertheless　assured　him　that　there　really　were　some　Yankees　that　did
not　have　any　musical　accomplishments；　and　that　I　was　one　of　that
unfortunate　number。　　I　asked　him　to　get　the　ladies　to　sing　for　me；
and　to　this　they　acceded　quite　readily。　　One　girl；　with　a　fair　soprano；
who　seemed　to　be　the　leader　of　the　crowd；　sang　〃The　Homespun　Dress；〃　a
song　very　popular　in　the　South；　and　having　the　same　tune　as　the　〃Bonnie
Blue　Flag。〃　　It　began；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　I　envy　not　the　Northern　girl
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Their　silks　and　jewels　fine；

and　proceeded　to　compare　the　homespun　habiliments　of　the　Southern　women
to　the　finery　and　frippery　of　the　ladies　on　the　other　side　of　Mason　and
Dixon's　line　in　a　manner　very　disadvantageous　to　the　latter。

The　rest　of　the　girls　made　a　fine　exhibition　of　the　lung…power　acquired
in　climbing　their　precipitous　mountains；　when　they　came　in　on　the　chorus

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Hurra！　　Hurra！　for　southern　rights　Hurra！
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Hurra　for　the　homespun　dress；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Southern　ladies　wear。

This　ended　the　entertainment。

On　our　journey　to　Bristol　we　met　many　Rebel　soldiers；　of　all　ranks；
and　a　small　number　of　citizens。　　As　the　conscription　had　then　been
enforced　pretty　sharply　for　over　a　year　the　only　able…bodied　men　seen　in
civil　life　were　those　who　had　some　trade　which　exempted　them　from　being
forced　into　active　service。　　It　greatly　astonished　us　at　first　to　find
that　nearly　all　the　mechanics　were　included　among　the　exempts；　or　could
be　if　they　chose；　but　a　very　little　reflection　showed　us　the　wisdom　of
such　a　policy。　　The　South　is　as　nearly　a　purely　agricultural　country　as
is　Russia　or　South　America。　　The　people　have；　little　inclination　or
capacity　for　anything　else　than　pastoral　pursuits。　　Consequently
mechanics　are　very　scarce；　and　manufactories　much　scarcer。　　The　limited
quantity　of　products　of　mechanical　skill　needed　by　the　people　was　mostly
imported　from　the　North　or　Europe。　　Both　these　sources　of　supply　were
cutoff　by　the　war；　and　the　country　was　thrown　upon　its　own　slender
manufacturing　resources。　　To　force　its　mechanics　into　the　army　would
therefore　be　suicidal。　　The　Army　would　gain　a　few　thousand　men；　but　its
operations　would　be　embarrassed；　if　not　stopped　altogether；　by　a　want　of
supplies。　　This　condition　of　affairs　reminded　one　of　the　singular　paucity
of　mechanical　skill　among　the　Bedouins　of　the　desert；　which　renders　the
life　of　a　blacksmith　sacred。　　No　matter　how　bitter　the　feud　between
trib