andersonville-第72章

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questionfor　I　saw　the　last　guard　on　the　line　watching　me；　and　boldly
entered。　　I　made　a　clear　statement　to　the　woman　in　charge　of　it　about　how
I　had　made　my　escape；　and　asked　her　to　secrete　me　in　the　house　until
night。　　I　was　soon　convinced；　however；　from　what　she　told　me；　as　well　as
from　my　own　knowledge　of　how　things　were　managed　in　the　Confederacy；　that
it　would　not　be　right　for　me　to　stay　there；　for　if　the　house　was　searched
and　I　found　in　it；　it　would　be　the　worse　for　her。　　Therefore；　not　wishing
to　entail　misery　upon　another；　I　begged　her　to　give　me　something　to　eat；
and　going　to　the　swamp　near　by；　succeeded　in　getting　well　without
detection。

I　lay　there　all　day；　and　during　the　time　had　a　very　severe　chill　and
afterwards　a　burning　fever；　so　that　when　night　came；　knowing　I　could　not
travel；　I　resolved　to　return　to　the　cabin　and　spend　the　night；　and　give
myself　up　the　next　morning。　　There　was　no　trouble　in　returning。　　I
learned　that　my　fears　of　the　morning　had　not　been　groundless；　for　the
guards　had　actually　searched　the　house　for　me。　　The　woman　told　them　that
I　had　got　my　clothes　and　left　the　house　shortly　after　my　entrance　（which
was　the　truth　except　the　part　about　the　clothes　I　thanked　her　very　kindly
and　begged　to　be　allowed　to　stay　in　the　cabin　till　morning；　when　I　would
present　myself　at　Captain　H。's　office　and　suffer　the　consequences。　　This
she　allowed　me　to　do。　　I　shall　ever　feel　grateful　to　this　woman　for　her
protection。　　She　was　white　and　her　given　name　was　〃Sallie；〃　but　the　other
I　have　forgotten。

About　daylight　I　strolled　over　near　the　office　and　looked　around　there
until　I　saw　the　Captain　take　his　seat　at　his　desk。　　I　stepped　into　the
door　as　soon　as　I　saw　that　he　was　not　occupied　and　saluted　him　〃a　la
militaire。〃

〃Who　are　you？〃　he　asked；　〃you　look　like　a　Yank。〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　I；　〃I　am　called　by　that　name　since　I　was　captured　in　the
Federal　Army。〃

〃Well；　what　are　you　doing　here；　and　what　is　your　name？〃

I　told　him。

〃Why　didn't　you　answer　to　your　name　when　it　was　called　at　the　gate
yesterday；　sir？〃

〃I　never　heard　anyone　call　my　name。〃　　Where　were　you？〃

〃I　ran　away　down　into　the　swamp。〃

〃Were　you　re…captured　and　brought　back？〃

〃No；　sir；　I　came　back　of　my　own　accord。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　this　evasion？〃

〃I　am　not　trying　to　evade；　sir；　or　I　might　not　have　been　here　now。　　The
truth　is；　Captain；　I　have　been　in　many　prisons　since　my　capture；　and　have
been　treated　very　badly　in　all　of　them；　until　I　came　here。〃

〃I　then　explained　to　him　freely　my　escape　from　Andersonville；　and　my
subsequent　re…capture；　how　it　was　that　I　had　played　〃old　soldier〃　etc。

〃Now；〃　said　I；　〃Captain；　as　long　as　I　am　a　prisoner　of　war；　I　wish　to
stay　with　you；　or　under　your　command。　　This　is　my　reason　for　running　away
yesterday；　when　I　felt　confident　that　if　I　did　not　do　so　I　would　be
returned　under　Wirz's　command；　and；　if　I　had　been　so　returned；　I　would
have　killed　myself　rather　than　submit　to　the　untold　tortures　which　he
would　have　put　me　to；　for　having　the　audacity　to　attempt　an　escape　from
him。〃

The　Captain's　attention　was　here　called　to　some　other　matters　in　hand；
and　I　was　sent　back　into　the　Stockade　with　a　command　very　pleasantly
given；　that　I　should　stay　there　until　ordered　out；　which　I　very
gratefully　promised　to　do；　and　did。　　This　was　the　last　chance　I　ever　had
to　talk　to　Captain　Hurtrell；　to　my　great　sorrow；　for　I　had　really　formed
a　liking　for　the　man；　notwithstanding　the　fact　that　he　was　a　Rebel；　and　a
commander　of　prisoners。

The　next　day　we　all　had　to　leave　Macon。　　Whether　we　were　able　or　not；　the
order　was　imperative。　　Great　was　my　joy　when　I　learned　that　we　were　on
the　way　to　Savannah　and　not　to　Andersonville。　　We　traveled　over　the　same
road；　so　well　described　in　one　of　your　articles　on　Andersonville；　and
arrived　in　Savannah　sometime　in　the　afternoon　of　the　21st　day　of
November；　1864。　　Our　squad　was　placed　in　some　barracks　and　confined　there
until　the　next　day。　　I　was　sick　at　the　time；　so　sick　in　fact；　that　I
could　hardly　hold　my　head　up。　　Soon　after；　we　were　taken　to　the　Florida
depot；　as　they　told　us；　to　be　shipped　to　some　prison　in　those　dismal
swamps。　　I　came　near　fainting　when　this　was　told　to　us；　for　I　was
confident　that　I　could　not　survive　another　siege　of　prison　life；　if　it
was　anything　to　compare　to…what　I　had　already　suffered。　　When　we　arrived
at　the　depot；　it　was　raining。　　The　officer　in　charge　of　us　wanted　to　know
what　train　to　put　us　on；　for　there　were　two；　if　not　three；　trains　waiting
orders　to　start。　　He　was　told　to　march　us　on　to　a　certain　flat　car；　near
by；　but　before　giving　the　order　he　demanded　a　receipt　for　us；　which　the
train　officer　refused。　　We　were　accordingly　taken　back　to　our　quarters；
which　proved　to　be　a　most　fortunate　circumstance。

On　the　23d　day　of　November；　to　our　great　relief；　we　were　called　upon　to
sign　a　parole　preparatory　to　being　sent　down　the　river　on　the　flat…boat
to　our　exchange　ships；　then　lying　in　the　harbor。　　When　I　say　we；　I　mean
those　of　us　that　had　recently　come　from　Macon；　and　a　few　others；　who　had
also　been　fortunate　in　reaching　Savannah　in　small　squads。　　The　other　poor
fellows；　who　had　already　been　loaded　on　the　trains；　were　taken　away　to
Florida；　and　many　of　them　never　lived　to　return。　　On　the　24th　those　of　us
who　had　been　paroled　were　taken　on　board　our　ships；　and　were　once　more
safely　housed　under　that　great；　glorious　and　beautiful　Star　Spangled
Banner。　　Long　may　she　wave。




CHAPTER　LXIII。

DREARY　WEATHERTHE　COLD　RAINS　DISTRESS　ALL　AND　KILL　HUNDREDSEXCHANGE
OF　TEN　THOUSAND　SICKCAPTAIN　BOWES　TURNS　A　PRETTY；　BUT　NOT　VERY　HONEST；
PENNY。

As　November　wore　away　long…continued；　chill；　searching　rains　desolated
our　days　and　nights。　　。　　The　great；　cold　drops　pelted　down　slowly；
dismally；　and　incessantly。　　Each　seemed　to　beat　through　our　emaciated
frames　against　the　very　marrow　of　our　bones；　and　to　be　battering　its　way
remorselessly　into　the　citadel　of　life；　like　the　cruel　drops　that　fell
from　the　basin　of　the　inquisitors　upon　the　firmly…fastened　head　of　their
victim；　until　his　reason　fled；　and　the　death…agony　cramped　his　heart　to
stillness。

The　lagging；　leaden　hours　were　inexpressibly　dreary。　　Compared　with　many
others；　we　were　quite　comfortable；　as　our　hut　protected　us　from　the
actual　beating　of　the　rain　upon　our　bodies；　but　we　were　much　more
miserable　than　under　the　sweltering　heat　of　Andersonville；　as　we　lay
almost　naked　upon　our　bed　of　pine　leaves；　shivering　in　the　raw；　rasping
air；　and　looked　out　over　acres　of　wretches　lying　dumbly　on　the　sodden
sand；　receiving　the　benumbing　drench　of　the　sullen　skies　without　a　groan
or　a　motion。

It　was　enough　to　kill　healthy；　vigorous　men；　active　and　resolute；　with
bodies　well…nourished　and　well　clothed；　and　with　minds　vivacious　and
hopeful；　to　stand　these　day…and…night…long　solid　drenchings。　　No　one　can
imagine　how　fatal　it　was　to　boys　whose　vitality　was　sapped　by　long　months
in　Andersonville；　by　coarse；　meager；　changeless　food；　by　groveling　on　the
bare　earth；　and　by　hopelessness　as　to　any　improvement　of　condition。

Fever；　rheumatism；　throat　and　lung　diseases　and　despair　now　came　to
complete　the　work　begun　by　scurvy；　dysentery　and　gangrene；　in
Andersonville。

Hundreds；　weary　of　the　long　struggle；　and　of　hoping　against　hope；　laid
themselves　down　and　yielded　to　their　fate。　　In　the　six　weeks　that　we　were
at　Millen；　one　man　in　every　ten　died。　　The　ghostly　pines　there　sigh　over
the　unnoted　graves　of　seven　hundred　boys；　for　whom　life's　morning　closed
in　the　gloomiest　shadows。　　As　many　as　would　form　a　splendid　regimentas
many　as　constitute　the　first　born　of　a　populous　Citymore　than　three
times　as　many　as　were　slain　outright　on　our　side　in　the　bloody　battle　of
Franklin；　succumbed　to　this　new　hardship。　　The　country　for　which　they
died　does　not　even　have　a　record　of　their　names。　　They　were　simply
blotted　out　of　existence；　they　became　as　though　they　had　never　been。

About　the　middle　of　the　month　the　Rebels　yielded　to　the　importunities　of
our　Government　so　far　as　to　agree　to　exchange　ten　thousand　sick。　　The
Rebel　Surgeons　took　praiseworthy　care　that　our　Government　should　profit
as　little　as　possible　by　this；　by　sending　every　hopeless　case；　every　man
whose　lease　of　life　was　not　likely　to　extend　much　beyond　his　reaching　the
parole　boat。　　If　he　once　reached　our　receiving　officers　it　was　all　that
was　necessary；　he　counted　to　them　as　much　as　if　he　had　been　a　Goliath。
A　very　large　portion　of　those　sent　through　died　on　the　way　to　our　lines；
or　within　a　few　hours　after　their　transports　at　being　once　more　under　the
old　Stars　and　Stripes　had　moderated。

The　sending　of　the　sick　through　gave　our　commandantCaptain　Bowesa
fine　opportunity　to　fill　his　pockets；　by　conniving　at　the　passage　of　well
men。　　There　was　still　considerable　money　in　the　hands　of　a　few　prisoners。
All　this；　and　more；　too；　were　they　willing　to　give　for　their　lives。
In　the　first　batch　that　went　away　were　two　of　the　leading　sutlers　at
Andersonville；　who　had　accumulated　perhaps　one　thousand　dollars　each　by
their　shrewd　and　successful　bartering。　　It　was　generally　believed　that
they　gave　every　cent　to　Bowes　for　the　privilege　of　leaving。　　I　know
nothing　of　the　truth　of　this；　but　I　am　reasonably　certain　that　they　paid
him　very　handsomely。

Soon　we　heard　that　one　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　each　had　been　sufficient
to　buy　some　men　out；　then　one　hundred；　seventy…five；　fifty；　thirty；
twenty；　ten；　and　at　last　five　dollars。　　Whether　the　upright　Bowes　drew
the　line　at　the　latter　figure；　and　refused　to　sell　his　honor　for　less
than　the　ruling　rates　of　a　street…walker's　virtue；　I　know　not。　　It　was
the　lowest　quotation　that　came　to　my　knowledge；　but　he　may　have　gone
cheaper。　　I　have　always　observed　that　when　men　or　women　begin　to　traffic
in　themselves；　their　price　falls　as　rapidly　as　that　of　a　piece　of　tainted
meat　in　hot　weather。　　If　one　could　buy　them　at　the　rate　they　wind　up
with；　and　sell　them　at　their　first　price；　there　would　be　room　for　an
enormous　profit。

The　cheapest　I　ever　knew　a　Rebel　officer　to　be　bought　was　some　weeks
after　this　at　Florence。　　The　sick　exchange　was　still　going　on。　　I　have
before　spoken　of　the　Rebel　passion　for　bright　gilt　buttons。　　It　used　to
be　a　proverbial　comment　upon　the　small　treasons　that　were　of　daily
occurrence　on　both　sides；　that　you　could　buy　the　soul　of　a　mean　man　in
our　crowd　for　a　pint　of　corn　meal；　and　the　soul　of　a　Rebel　guard　for　a
half　dozen　brass　buttons。　　A　boy　of　the　Fifth…fourth　Ohio；　whose　home　was
at　or　near　Lima；　O。；　wore　a　blue　vest；　with　the　gilt；　bright…trimmed
buttons　of　a　staff　officer。　　The　Rebel　Surgeon　who　was　examining　the　sick
for　exchange　saw　the　buttons　and　admired　them　very　much。　　The　boy　stepped
back；　borrowed　a　knife　from　a　comrade；　cut　the　buttons　off；　and　handed
them　to　the　Doctor。

〃All　right；　sir；〃　said　he　as　his　itching　palm　closed　over　the　coveted
ornaments；　〃you　can　pass；〃　and　pass　he　did　to　home　and　friends。

Captain　Bowes's　merchandizing　in　the　matter　of　exchange　was　as　open　as
the　issuing　of　rations。　　His　agent　in　conducting　the　bargaining　was　a
Raidera　New　York　gambler　and　stool…pigeonwhom　we　called　〃Mattie。〃
He　dealt　quite　fairly；　for　sever