andersonville-第71章

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provisions；　which　not　only　gave　us　a　good　supper；　but　supplied　us　for　the
next　day　with　all　that　we　wanted。　　They　then　guided　us　on　our　way　for
several　miles；　and　left　us；　after　having　refused　compensation　for　what
they　had　done。

We　continued　to　travel　in　this　way　for　nine　long　weary　nights；　and　on　the
morning　of　the　tenth　day；　as　we　were　going　into　the　woods　to　hide　as
usual；　a　little　before　daylight；　we　came　to　a　small　pond　at　which　there
was　a　negro　boy　watering　two　mules　before　hitching　them　to　a　cane　mill；
it　then　being　cane　grinding　time　in　Georgia。　　He　saw　us　at　the　same　time
we　did　him；　and　being　frightened　put　whip　to　the　animals　and　ran　off。
We　tried　every　way　to　stop　him；　but　it　was　no　use。　　He　had　the　start　of
us。　　We　were　very　fearful　of　the　consequences　of　this　mishap；　but　had　no
remedy；　and　being　very　tired；　could　do　nothing　else　but　go　into　the
woods；　go　to　sleep　and　trust　to　luck。

The　next　thing　I　remembered　was　being　punched　in　the　ribs　by　my　comrade
nearest　to　me；　and　aroused　with　the　remark；　〃We　are　gone　up。〃　　On　opening
my　eyes；　I　saw　four　men；　in　citizens'　dress；　each　of　whom　had　a　shot　gun
ready　for　use。　　We　were　ordered　to　get　up。　　The　first　question　asked　us
was：

〃Who　are　you。〃

This　was　spoken　in　so　mild　a　tone　as　to　lead　me　to　believe　that　we　might
possibly　be　in　the　hands　of　gentlemen；　if　not　indeed　in　those　of　friends。
It　was　some　time　before　any　one　answered。　　The　boys；　by　their　looks　and
the　expression　of　their　countenances；　seemed　to　appeal　to　me　for　a　reply
to　get　them　out　of　their　present　dilemma；　if　possible。　　Before　I　had　time
to　collect　my　thoughts；　we　were　startled　by　these　words；　coming　from　the
same　man　that　had　asked　the　original　question：

〃You　had　better　not　hesitate；　for　we　have　an　idea　who　you　are；　and　should
it　prove　that　we　are　correct；　it　will　be　the　worse　for　you。〃

〃'Who　do　you　think　we　are？'　I　inquired。

〃'Horse　thieves　and　moss…backs；'　was　the　reply。

I　jumped　at　the　conclusion　instantly　that　in　order　to　save　our　lives；　we
had　better　at　once　own　the　truth。　　In　a　very　few　words　I　told　them　who　we
were；　where　we　were　from；　how　long　we　had　been　on　the　road；　etc。　　At　this
they　withdrew　a　short　distance　from　us　for　consultation；　leaving　us　for
the　time　in　terrible　suspense　as　to　what　our　fate　might　be。　　Soon；　how
ever；　they　returned　and　informed　us　that　they　would　be　compelled　to　take
us　to　the　County　Jail；　to　await　further　orders　from　the　Military
Commander　of　the　District。　　While　they　were　talking　together；　I　took　a
hasty　inventory　of　what　valuables　we　had　on　hand。　　I　found　in　the　crowd
four　silver　watches；　about　three　hundred　dollars　in　Confederate　money；
and　possibly；　about　one　hundred　dollars　in　greenbacks。　　Before　their
return；　I　told　the　boys　to　be　sure　not　to　refuse　any　request　I　should
make。　　Said　I：

〃'Gentlemen；　we　have　here　four　silver　watches　and　several　hundred　dollars
in　Confederate　money　and　greenbacks；　all　of　which　we　now　offer　you；　if
you　will　but　allow　us　to　proceed　on　our　journey；　we　taking　our　own
chances　in　the　future。〃

This　proposition；　to　my　great　surprise；　was　refused。　　I　thought　then　that
possibly　I　had　been　a　little　indiscreet　in　exposing　our　valuables；　but　in
this　I　was　mistaken；　for　we　had；　indeed；　fallen　into　the　hands　of
gentlemen；　whose　zeal　for　the　Lost　Cause　was　greater　than　that　for
obtaining　worldly　wealth；　and　who　not　only　refused　the　bribe；　but　took　us
to　a　well…furnished　and　well…supplied　farm　house　close　by；　gave　us　an
excellent　breakfast；　allowing　us　to　sit　at　the　table　in　a　beautiful
dining…room；　with　a　lady　at　the　head；　filled　our　haversacks　with　good；
wholesome　food；　and　allowed　us　to　keep　our　property；　with　an　admonition
to　be　careful　how　we　showed　it　again。　　We　were　then　put　into　a　wagon　and
taken　to　Hamilton；　a　small　town；　the　county　seat　of　Hamilton　County；
Georgia；　and　placed　in　jail；　where　we　remained　for　two　days　and　nights
fearing；　always；　that　the　jail　would　be　burned　over　our　heads；　as　we
heard　frequent　threats　of　that　nature；　by　the　mob　on　the　streets。
But　the　same　kind　Providence　that　had　heretofore　watched　over　us；　seemed
not　to　have　deserted　us　in　this　trouble。

One　of　the　days　we　were　confined　at　this　place　was　Sunday；　and　some　kind…
hearted　lady　or　ladies　（I　only　wish　I　knew　their　names；　as　well　as　those
of　the　gentlemen　who　had　us　first　in　charge；　so　that　I　could　chronicle
them　with　honor　here）　taking　compassion　upon　our　forlorn　condition；　sent
us　a　splendid　dinner　on　a　very　large　china　platter。　　Whether　it　was　done
intentionally　or　not；　we　never　learned；　but　it　was　a　fact；　however；　that
there　was　not　a　knife；　fork　or　spoon　upon　the　dish；　and　no　table　to　set
it　upon。　　It　was　placed　on　the　floor；　around　which　we　soon　gathered；　and；
with　grateful　hearts；　we　〃got　away〃　with　it　all；　in　an　incredibly　short
space　of　time；　while　many　men　and　boys　looked　on；　enjoying　our　ludicrous
attitudes　and　manners。

From　here　we　were　taken　to　Columbus；　Ga。；　and　again　placed　in　jail；　and
in　the　charge　of　Confederate　soldiers。　　We　could　easily　see　that　we　were
gradually　getting　into　hot　water　again；　and　that；　ere　many　days；　we　would
have　to　resume　our　old　habits　in　prison。　　Our　only　hope　now　was　that　we
would　not　be　returned　to　Andersonville；　knowing　well　that　if　we　got　back
into　the　clutches　of　Wirz　our　chances　for　life　would　be　slim　indeed。
From　Columbus　we　were　sent　by　rail　to　Macon；　where　we　were　placed　in　a
prison　somewhat　similar　to　Andersonville；　but　of　nothing　like　its
pretensions　to　security。　　I　soon　learned　that　it　was　only　used　as　a　kind
of　reception　place　for　the　prisoners　who　were　captured　in　small　squads；
and　when　they　numbered　two　or　three　hundred；　they　would　be　shipped　to
Andersonville；　or　some　other　place　of　greater　dimensions　and　strength。
What　became　of　the　other　boys　who　were　with　me；　after　we　got　to　Macon；
I　do　not　know；　for　I　lost　sight　of　them　there。　　The　very　next　day　after
our　arrival；　there　were　shipped　to　Andersonville　from　this　prison　between
two　and　three　hundred　men。　　I　was　called　on　to　go　with　the　crowd；　but
having　had　a　sufficient　experience　of　the　hospitality　of　that　hotel；
I　concluded　to　play　〃old　soldier；〃　so　I　became　too　sick　to　travel。
In　this　way　I　escaped　being　sent　off　four　different　times。

Meanwhile；　quite　a　large　number　of　commissioned　officers　had　been　sent　up
from　Charleston　to　be　exchanged　at　Rough　and　Ready。　　With　them　were　about
forty　more　than　the　cartel　called　for；　and　they　were　left　at　Macon　for
ten　days　or　two　weeks。　　Among　these　officers　were　several　of　my
acquaintance；　one　being　Lieut。　Huntly　of　our　regiment　（I　am　not　quite
sure　that　I　am　right　in　the　name　of　this　officer；　but　I　think　I　am）；
through　whose　influence　I　was　allowed　to　go　outside　with　them　on　parole。
It　was　while　enjoying　this　parole　that　I　got　more　familiarly　acquainted
with　Captain　Hurtell；　or　Hurtrell；　who　was　in　command　of　the　prison　at
Macon；　and　to　his　honor；　I　here　assert；　that　he　was　the　only　gentleman
and　the　only　officer　that　had　the　least　humane　feeling　in　his　breast；
who　ever　had　charge　of　me　while　a　prisoner　of　war　after　we　were　taken　out
of　the　hands　of　our　original　captors　at　Jonesville；　Va。

It　now　became　very　evident　that　the　Rebels　were　moving　the　prisoners　from
Andersonville　and　elsewhere；　so　as　to　place　them　beyond　the　reach　of
Sherman　and　Stoneman。　　At　my　present　place　of　confinement　the　fear　of　our
recapture　had　also　taken　possession　of　the　Rebel　authorities；　so　the
prisoners　were　sent　off　in　much　smaller　squads　than　formerly；　frequently
not　more　than　ten　or　fifteen　in　a　gang；　whereas；　before；　they　never
thought　of　dispatching　less　than　two　or　three　hundred　together。
I　acknowledge　that　I　began　to　get　very　uneasy；　fearful　that　the　〃old
soldier〃　dodge　would　not　be　much　longer　successful；　and　I　would　be　forced
back　to　my　old　haunts。　　It　so　happened；　however；　that　I　managed　to　make
it　serve　me；　by　getting　detailed　in　the　prison　hospital　as　nurse；　so　that
I　was　enabled　to　play　another　〃dodge〃　upon　the　Rebel　officers。　　At　first；
when　the　Sergeant　would　come　around　to　find　out　who　were　able　to　walk；
with　assistance；　to　the　depot；　I　was　shaking　with　a　chill；　which；
according　to　my　representation；　had　not　abated　in　the　least　for　several
hours。　　My　teeth　were　actually　chattering　at　the　time；　for　I　had　learned
how　to　make　them　do　so。　　I　was　passed。　　The　next　day　the　orders　for
removal　were　more　stringent　than　had　yet　been　issued；　stating　that　all
who　could　stand　it　to　be　removed　on　stretchers　must　go。　　I　concluded　at
once　that　I　was　gone；　so　as　soon　as　I　learned　how　matters　were；　I　got　out
from　under　my　dirty　blanket；　stood　up　and　found　I　was　able　to　walk；　to　my
great　astonishment；　of　course。　　An　officer　came　early　in　the　morning　to
muster　us　into　ranks　preparatory　for　removal。　　I　fell　in　with　the　rest。
We　were　marched　out　and　around　to　the　gate　of　the　prison。

Now；　it　so　happened　that　just　as　we　neared　the　gate　of　the　prison；　the
prisoners　were　being　marched　from　the　Stockade。　　The　officer　in　charge　of
uswe　numbering　possibly　about　tenundertook　to　place　us　at　the　head　of
the　column　coming　out；　but　the　guard　in　charge　of　that　squad　refused　to
let　him　do　so。　　We　were　then　ordered　to　stand　at　one　side　with　no　guard
over　us　but　the　officer　who　had　brought　us　from　the　Hospital。

Taking　this　in　at　a　glance；　I　concluded　that　now　was　my　chance　to　make　my
second　attempt　to　escape。　　I　stepped　behind　the　gate　office　（a　small
frame　building　with　only　one　room）；　which　was　not　more　than　six　feet　from
me；　and　as　luck　（or　Providence）　would　have　it；　the　negro　man　whose　duty
it　was；　as　I　knew；　to　wait　on　and　take　care　of　this　office；　and　who　had
taken　quite　a　liking　for　me；　was　standing　at　the　back　door。　　I　winked　at
him　and　threw　him　my　blanket　and　the　cup；　at　the　same　time　telling　him　in
a　whisper　to　hide　them　away　for　me　until　he　heard　from　me　again。　　With　a
grin　and　a　nod；　he　accepted　the　trust；　and　I　started　down　along　the　walls
of　the　Stockade　alone。　　In　order　to　make　this　more　plain；　and　to　show
what　a　risk　I　was　running　at　the　time；　I　will　state　that　between　the
Stockade　and　a　brick　wall；　fully　as　high　as　the　Stockade　fence　that　was
parallel　with　it；　throughout　its　entire　length　on　that　side；　there　was　a
space　of　not　more　than　thirty　feet。　　On　the　outside　of　this　Stockade　was
a　platform；　built　for　the　guards　to　walk　on；　sufficiently　clear　the　top
to　allow　them　to　look　inside　with　ease；　and　on　this　side；　on　the
platform；　were　three　guards。　　I　had　traveled　about　fifty　feet　only；　from
the　gate　office；　when　I　heard　the　command　to　〃Halt！〃　I　did　so；　of　course。

〃Where　are　you　going；　you　d…d　Yank？〃　said　the　guard。

〃Going　after　my　clothes；　that　are　over　there　in　the　wash；〃　pointing　to　a
small　cabin　just　beyond　the　Stockade；　where　I　happened　to　know　that　the
officers　had　their　washing　done。

〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　he；　〃you　are　one　of　the　Yank's　that's　been　on；　parole；
are　you？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Well；　hurry　up；　or　you　will　get　left。〃

The　other　guards　heard　this　conversation　and　thinking　it　all　right　I　was
allowed　to　pass　without　further　trouble。　　I　went　to　the　cabin　in
questionfor　I　saw　the　last　guard　on　the　line　watching　me；　and　boldly
entered。　　I　made　a　clear　statement　to　the