andersonville-第77章

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show。　　They　ran　horses　and　fought　cocks；　dawdled　through　society　when
young；　and　intrigued　in　politics　the　rest　of　their　lives；　with　frequent
spice…work　of　duels。　　Esteeming　personal　courage　as　a　supreme　human
virtue；　and　never　wearying　of　prating　their　devotion　to　the　highest
standard　of　intrepidity；　they　never　produced　a　General　who　　was　even
mediocre；　nor　did　any　one　ever　hear　of　a　South　Carolina　regiment　gaining
distinction。　　Regarding　politics　and　the　art　of　government　as；　equally
with　arms；　their　natural　vocations；　they　have　never　given　the　Nation　a
statesman；　and　their　greatest　politicians　achieved　eminence　by　advocating
ideas　which　only　attracted　attention　by　their　balefulness。

Still　further　resembling　the　French　'grandes　seigneurs'　of　the　eighteenth
century；　they　rolled　in　wealth　wrung　from　the　laborer　by　reducing　the
rewards　of　his　toil　to　the　last　fraction　that　would　support　his　life　and
strength。　　The　rice　culture　was　immensely　profitable；　because　they　had
found　the　secret　for　raising　it　more　cheaply　than　even　the　pauper　laborer
of　the　of　world　could。　　Their　lands　had　cost　them　nothing　originally；　the
improvements　of　dikes　and　ditches　were　comparatively；　inexpensive；　the
taxes　were　nominal；　and　their　slaves　were　not　so　expensive　to　keep　as
good　horses　in　the　North。

Thousands　of　the　acres　along　the　road　belonged　to　the　Rhetts；　thousands
to　the　Heywards；　thousands　to　the　Manigault　the　Lowndes；　the　Middletons；
the　Hugers；　the　Barnwells；　and　the　Elliotsall　names　too　well　known　in
the　history　of　our　country's　sorrows。　　Occasionally　one　of　their　stately
mansions　could　be　seen　on　some　distant　elevation；　surrounded　by　noble　old
trees；　and　superb　grounds。　　Here　they　lived　during　the　healthy　part　of
the　year；　but　fled　thence　to　summer　resort　in　the　highlands　as　the
miasmatic　season　approached。

The　people　we　saw　at　the　stations　along　our　route　were　melancholy
illustrations　of　the　evils　of　the　rule　of　such　an　oligarchy。　　There　was
no　middle　class　visible　anywherenothing　but　the　two　extremes。　　A　man
was　either　a　〃gentleman；〃　and　wore　white　shirt　and　city…made　clothes；
or　he　was　a　loutish　hind；　clad　in　mere　apologies　for　garments。　　We
thought　we　had　found　in　the　Georgia　〃cracker〃　the　lowest　substratum　of
human　society；　but　he　was　bright　intelligence　compared　to　the　South
Carolina　〃clay…eater〃　and　〃sand…hiller。〃　　The　〃cracker〃　always　gave　hopes
to　one　that　if　he　had　the　advantage　of　common　schools；　and　could　be　made
to　understand　that　laziness　was　dishonorable；　he　might　develop　into
something。　　There　was　little　foundation　for　such　hope　in　the　average　low
South　Carolinian。　　His　mind　was　a　shaking　quagmire；　which　did　not　admit
of　the　erection　of　any　superstructure　of　education　upon　it。　　The　South
Carolina　guards　about　us　did　not　know　the　name　of　the　next　town；　though
they　had　been　raised　in　that　section。　　They　did　not　know　how　far　it　was
there；　or　to　any　place　else；　and　they　did　not　care　to　learn。　　They　had　no
conception　of　what　the　war　was　being　waged　for；　and　did　not　want　to　find
out；　they　did　not　know　where　their　regiment　was　going；　and　did　not
remember　where　it　had　been；　they　could　not　tell　how　long　they　had　been　in
service；　nor　the　time　they　had　enlisted　for。　　They　only　remembered　that
sometimes　they　had　had　〃sorter　good　times；〃　and　sometimes　〃they　had　been
powerful　bad；〃　and　they　hoped　there　would　be　plenty　to　eat　wherever　they
went；　and　not　too　much　hard　marching。　　Then　they　wondered　〃whar　a
feller'd　be　likely　to　make　a　raise　of　a　canteen　of　good　whisky？〃

Bad　as　the　whites　were；　the　rice　plantation　negros　were　even　worse；
if　that　were　possible。　　Brought　to　the　country　centuries　ago；　as　brutal
savages　from　Africa；　they　had　learned　nothing　of　Christian　civilization；
except　that　it　meant　endless　toil；　in　malarious　swamps；　under　the　lash　of
the　taskmaster。　　They　wore；　possibly；　a　little　more　clothing　than　their
Senegambian　ancestors　did；　they　ate　corn　meal；　yams　and　rice；　instead　of
bananas；　yams　and　rice；　as　their　forefathers　did；　and　they　had　learned　a
bastard；　almost　unintelligible；　English。　　These　were　the　sole　blessings
acquired　by　a　transfer　from　a　life　of　freedom　in　the　jungles　of　the　Gold
Coast；　to　one　of　slavery　in　the　swamps　of　the　Combahee。

I　could　not　then；　nor　can　I　now；　regret　the　downfall　of　a　system　of
society　which　bore　such　fruits。

Towards　night　a　distressingly　cold　breeze；　laden　with　a　penetrating　mist；
set　in　from　the　sea；　and　put　an　end　to　future　observations　by　making　us
too　uncomfortable　to　care　for　scenery　or　social　conditions。　　We　wanted
most　to　devise　a　way　to　keep　warm。　　Andrews　and　I　pulled　our　overcoat　and
blanket　closely　about　us；　snuggled　together　so　as　to　make　each　one's
meager　body　afford　the　other　as　much　heat　as　possibleand　endured。

We　became　fearfully　hungry。　　It　will　be　recollected　that　we　ate　the　whole
of　the　two　days'　rations　issued　to　us　at　Blackshear　at　once；　and　we　had
received　nothing　since。　　We　reached　the　sullen；　fainting　stage　of　great
hunger；　and　for　hours　nothing　was　said　by　any　one；　except　an　occasional
bitter　execration　on　Rebels　and　Rebel　practices。

It　was　late　at　night　when　we　reached　Charleston。　　The　lights　of　the　City；
and　the　apparent　warmth　and　comfort　there　cheered　us　up　somewhat　with　the
hopes　that　we　might　have　some　share　in　them。　　Leaving　the　train；　we　were
marched　some　distance　through　well…lighted　streets；　in　which　were　plenty
of　people　walking　to　and　fro。　　There　were　many　stores；　apparently　stocked
with　goods；　and　the　citizens　seemed　to　be　going　about　their　business　very
much　as　was　the　custom　up　North。

At　length　our　head　of　column　made　a　〃right　turn；〃　and　we　marched　away
from　the　lighted　portion　of　the　City；　to　a　part　which　I　could　see　through
the　shadows　was　filled　with　ruins。　　An　almost　insupportable　odor　of　gas；
escaping　I　suppose　from　the　ruptured　pipes；　mingled　with　the　cold；
rasping　air　from　the　sea；　to　make　every　breath　intensely　disagreeable。

As　I　saw　the　ruins；　it　flashed　upon　me　that　this　was　the　burnt　district
of　the　city；　and　they　were　putting　us　under　the　fire　of　our　own　guns。
At　first　I　felt　much　alarmed。　　Little　relish　as　I　had　on　general
principles；　for　being　shot　I　had　much　less　for　being　killed　by　our　own
men。　　Then　I　reflected　that　if　they　put　me　thereand　kept　mea　guard
would　have　to　be　placed　around　us；　who　would　necessarily　be　in　as　much
clanger　as　we　were；　and　I　knew　I　could　stand　any　fire　that　a　Rebel　could。

We　were　halted　in　a　vacant　lot；　and　sat　down；　only　to　jump　up　the　next
instant；　as　some　one　shouted：

〃There　comes　one　of　'em！〃

It　was　a　great　shell　from　the　Swamp　Angel　Battery。　　Starting　from　a　point
miles　away；　where；　seemingly；　the　sky　came　down　to　the　sea；　was　a；　narrow
ribbon　of　fire；　which　slowly　unrolled　itself　against　the　star…lit　vault
over　our　heads。　　On；　on　it　came；　and　was　apparently　following　the　sky
down　to　the　horizon　behind　us。　　As　it　reached　the　zenith；　there　came　to
our　ears　a　prolonged；　but　not　sharp；

〃Whishish…ish…ish…ish！〃

We　watched　it　breathlessly；　and　it　seemed　to　be　long　minutes　in　running
its　course；　then　a　thump　upon　the　ground；　and　a　vibration；　told　that　it
had　struck。　　For　a　moment　there　was　a　dead　silence。　　Then　came　a　loud
roar；　and　the　crash　of　breaking　timber　and　crushing　walls。　　The　shell　had
bursted。

Ten　minutes　later　another　shell　followed；　with　like　results。　　For　awhile
we　forgot　all　about　hunger　in　the　excitement　of　watching　the　messengers
from　〃God's　country。〃　　What　happiness　to　be　where　those　shells　came　from。
Soon　a　Rebel　battery　of　heavy　guns　somewhere　near　and　in　front　of　us；
waked　up；　and　began　answering　with　dull；　slow　thumps　that　made　the　ground
shudder。　　This　continued　about　an　hour；　when　it　quieted　down　again；　but
our　shells　kept　coming　over　at　regular　intervals　with　the　same　slow
deliberation；　the　same　prolonged　warning；　and　the　same　dreadful　crash
when　they　struck。　　They　had　already　gone　on　this　way　for　over　a　year；
and　were　to　keep　it　up　months　longer　until　the　City　was　captured。

The　routine　was　the　same　from　day　to　day；　month　in；　and　month　out；　from
early　in　August；　1863；　to　the　middle　of　April；　1865。　　Every　few　minutes
during　the　day　our　folks　would　hurl　a　great　shell　into　the　beleaguered
City；　and　twice　a　day；　for　perhaps　an　hour　each　time；　the　Rebel　batteries
would　talk　back。　　It　must　have　been　a　lesson　to　the　Charlestonians　of　the
persistent；　methodical　spirit　of　the　North。　　They　prided　themselves　on
the　length　of　the　time　they　were　holding　out　against　the　enemy；　and　the
papers　each　day　had　a　column　headed：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃390th　DAY　OF　THE　SIEGE；〃

or　391st；　393d；　etc。；　as　the　number　might　be　since　our　people　opened　fire
upon　the　City。　　The　part　where　we　lay　was　a　mass　of　ruins。　　Many　large
buildings　had　been　knocked　down；　very　many　more　were　riddled　with　shot
holes　and　tottering　to　their　fall。　　One　night　a　shell　passed　through　a
large　building　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　us。　　It　had　already　been
struck　several　times；　and　was　shaky。　　The　shell　went　through　with　a
deafening　crash。　　All　was　still　for　an　instant；　then　it　exploded　with　a
dull　roar；　followed　by　more　crashing　of　timber　and　walls。　　The　sound　died
away　and　was　succeeded　by　a　moment　of　silence。　　Finally　the　great
building　fell；　a　shapeless　heap　of　ruins；　with　a　noise　like　that　of　a
dozen　field　pieces。　　We　wanted　to　cheer　but　restrained　ourselves。　　This
was　the　nearest　to　us　that　any　shell　came。

There　was　only　one　section　of　the　City　in　reach　of　our　guns　and　this　was
nearly　destroyed。　　Fires　had　come　to　complete　the　work　begun　by　the
shells。　　Outside　of　the　boundaries　of　this　region；　the　people　felt
themselves　as　safe　as　in　one　of　our　northern　Cities　to…day。　　They　had　an
abiding　faith　that　they　were　clear　out　of　reach　of　any　artillery　that　we
could　mount。　　I　learned　afterwards　from　some　of　the　prisoners；　who　went
into　Charleston　ahead　of　us；　and　were　camped　on　the　race　course　outside
of　the　City；　that　one　day　our　fellows　threw　a　shell　clear　over　the　City
to　this　race　course。　　There　was　an　immediate　and　terrible　panic　among　the
citizens。　　They　thought　we　had　mounted　some　new　guns　of　increased　range；
and　now　the　whole　city　must　go。　　But　the　next　shell　fell　inside　the
established　limits；　and　those　following　were　equally　well　behaved；　so
that　the　panic　abated。　　I　have　never　heard　any　explanation　of　the　matter。
It　may　have　been　some　freak　of　the　gun…squad；　trying　the　effect　of　an
extra　charge　of　powder。　　Had　our　people　known　of　its　signal　effect；　they
could　have　depopulated　the　place　in　a　few　hours。

The　whole　matter　impressed　me　queerly。　　The　only　artillery　I　had　ever
seen　in　action　were　field　pieces。　　They　made　an　earsplitting　crash　when
they　were　discharged；　and　there　was　likely　to　be　oceans　of　trouble　for
everybody　in　that　neighborhood　about　that　time。　　I　reasoned　from　this
that　bigger　guns　made　a　proportionally　greater　amount　of　noise；　and　bred
an　infinitely　larger　quantity　of　trouble。　　Now　I　was　hearing　the　giants
of　the　world's　ordnance；　and　they　were　not　so　impressive　as　a　lively
battery　of　three…inch　rifles。　　Their　reports　did　not　threaten　to　shatter
everything；　but　had　a　dull　resonance；　something　like　that　produced　by
striking　an　empty　bar