andersonville-第88章

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fits　of　which　he　did　very　brutal　things。　　At　other　times　he　would　show　a
disposition　towards　fairness　and　justice。　　The　worst　point　in　my
indictment　against　him　is　that　he　suffered　Barrett　to　do　as　he　did。

Let　the　reader　understand　that　I　have　no　personal　reasons　for　my　opinion
of　these　men。　　They　never　did　anything　to　me；　save　what　they　did　to　all
of　my　companions。　　I　held　myself　aloof　from　them；　and　shunned　intercourse
so　effectually　that　during　my　whole　imprisonment　I　did　not　speak　as　many
words　to　Rebel　officers　as　are　in　this　and　the　above　paragraphs；　and　most
of　those　were　spoken　to　the　Surgeon　who　visited　my　hundred。　　I　do　not
usually　seek　conversation　with　people　I　do　not　like；　and　certainly　did
not　with　persons　for　whom　I　had　so　little　love　as　I　had　for　Turner；　Ross；
Winder；　Wirz；　Davis；　Iverson；　Barrett；　et　al。　　Possibly　they　felt　badly
over　my　distance　and　reserve；　but　I　must　confess　that　they　never　showed
it　very　palpably。

As　January　dragged　slowly　away　into　February；　rumors　of　the　astonishing
success　of　Sherman　began　to　be　so　definite　and　well　authenticated　as　to
induce　belief。　　We　knew　that　the　Western　Chieftain　had　marched　almost
unresisted　through　Georgia；　and　captured　Savannah　with　comparatively
little　difficulty。　　We　did　not　understand　it；　nor　did　the　Rebels　around
us；　for　neither　of　us　comprehended　the　Confederacy's　near　approach　to
dissolution；　and　we　could　not　explain　why　a　desperate　attempt　was　not
made　somewhere　to　arrest　the　onward　sweep　of　the　conquering　armies　of　the
West。　　It　seemed　that　if　there　was　any　vitality　left　in　Rebeldom　it　would
deal　a　blow　that　would　at　least　cause　the　presumptuous　invader　to　pause。
As　we　knew　nothing　of　the　battles　of　Franklin　and　Nashville；　we　were
ignorant　of　the　destruction　of　Hood's　army；　and　were　at　a　loss　to　account
for　its　failure　to　contest　Sherman's　progress。　　The　last　we　had　heard　of
Hood；　he　had　been　flanked　out　of　Atlanta；　but　we　did　not　understand　that
the　strength　or　morale　of　his　force　had　been　seriously　reduced　in
consequence。

Soon　it　drifted　in　to　us　that　Sherman　had　cut　loose　from　Savannah；　as
from　Atlanta；　and　entered　South　Carolina；　to　repeat　there　the　march
through　her　sister　State。　　Our　sources　of　information　now　were　confined
to　the　gossip　which　our　menworking　outside　on　parole；could　overhear
from　the　Rebels；　and　communicate　to　us　as　occasion　served。　　These
occasions　were　not　frequent；　as　the　men　outside　were　not　allowed　to　come
in　except　rarely；　or　stay　long　then。　　Still　we　managed　to　know
reasonably；　soon　that　Sherman　was　sweeping　resistlessly　across　the　State；
with　Hardee；　Dick　Taylor；　Beauregard；　and　others；　vainly　trying　to　make
head　against　him。　　It　seemed　impossible　to　us　that　they　should　not　stop
him　soon；　for　if　each　of　all　these　leaders　had　any　command　worthy　the
name　the　aggregate　must　make　an　army　that；　standing　on　the　defensive；
would　give　Sherman　a　great　deal　of　trouble。　　That　he　would　be　able　to
penetrate　into　the　State　as　far　as　we　were　never　entered　into　our　minds。

By　and　by　we　were　astonished　at　the　number　of　the　trains　that　we　could
hear　passing　north　on　the　Charleston　&　Cheraw　Railroad。　　Day　and　night
for　two　weeks　there　did　not　seem　to　be　more　than　half　an　hour's　interval
at　any　time　between　the　rumble　and　whistles　of　the　trains　as　they　passed
Florence　Junction；　and　sped　away　towards　Cheraw；　thirty…five　miles　north
of　us。　　We　at　length　discovered　that　Sherman　had　reached　Branchville；　and
was　singing　around　toward　Columbia；　and　other　important　points　to　the
north；　that　Charleston　was　being　evacuated；　and　its　garrison；　munitions
and　stores　were　being　removed　to　Cheraw；　which　the　Rebel　Generals
intended　to　make　their　new　base。　　As　this　news　was　so　well　confirmed　as
to　leave　no　doubt　of　it；　it　began　to　wake　up　and　encourage　all　the　more
hopeful　of　us。　　We　thought　we　could　see　some　premonitions　of　the　glorious
end；　and　that　we　were　getting　vicarious　satisfaction　at　the　hands　of　our
friends　under　the　command　of　Uncle　Billy。

One　morning　orders　came　for　one　thousand　men　to　get　ready　to　move。
Andrews　and　I　held　a　council　of　war　on　the　situation；　the　question　before
the　house　being　whether　we　would　go　with　that　crowd；　or　stay　behind。　　The
conclusion　we　came　to　was　thus　stated　by　Andrews：

〃Now；　Mc。；　we've　flanked　ahead　every　time；　and　see　how　we've　come　out。
We　flanked　into　the　first　squad　that　left　Richmond；　and　we　were
consequently　in　the　first　that　got　into　Andersonville。　　May　be　if　we'd
staid　back　we'd　got　into　that　squad　that　was　exchanged。　　We　were　in　the
first　squad　that　left　Andersonville。　　We　were　the　first　to　leave　Savannah
and　enter　Millen。　　May　be　if　we'd　staid　back；　we'd　got　exchanged　with　the
ten　thousand　sick。　　We　were　the　first　to　leave　Millen　and　the　first　to
reach　Blackshear。　　We　were　again　the　first　to　leave　Blackshear。　　Perhaps
those　fellows　we　left　behind　then　are　exchanged。　　Now；　as　we've　played
ahead　every　time；　with　such　infernal　luck；　let's　play　backward　this　time；
and　try　what　that　brings　us。〃

〃But；　Lale；〃　（Andrews's　nicknamehis　proper　name　being　Bezaleel）；　said
I；　〃we　made　something　by　going　ahead　every　timethat　is；　if　we　were　not
going　to　be　exchanged。　　By　getting　into　those　places　first　we　picked　out
the　best　spots　to　stay；　and　got　tent…building　stuff　that　those　who　came
after　us　could　not。　　And　certainly　we　can　never　again　get　into　as　bad　a
place　as　this　is。　　The　chances　are　that　if　this　does　not　mean　exchange；
it　means　transfer　to　a　better　prison。〃

But　we　concluded；　as　I　said　above；　to　reverse　our　usual　order　of
procedure　and　flank　back；　in　hopes　that　something　would　favor　our　escape
to　Sherman。　　Accordingly；　we　let　the　first　squad　go　off　without　us；　and
the　next；　and　the　next；　and　so　on；　till　there　were　only　eleven　hundred
mostly　those　sick　in　the　Hospitalremaining　behind。　　Those　who　went
awaywe　afterwards　learned；　were　run　down　on　the　cars　to　Wilmington；　and
afterwards　up　to　Goldsboro；　N。　C。

For　a　week　or　more　we　eleven　hundred　tenanted　the　Stockade；　and　by
burning　up　the　tents　of　those　who　had　gone　had　the　only　decent；
comfortable　fires　we　had　while　in　Florence。　　In　hunting　around　through
the　tents　for　fuel　we　found　many　bodies　of　those　who　had　died　as　their
comrades　were　leaving。　　As　the　larger　portion　of　us　could　barely　walk；
the　Rebels　paroled　us　to　remain　inside　of　the　Stockade　or　within　a　few
hundred　yards　of　the　front　of　it；　and　took　the　guards　off。　　While　these
were　marching　down；　a　dozen　or　more　of　us；　exulting　in　even　so　much
freedom　as　we　had　obtained；　climbed　on　the　Hospital　shed　to　see　what　the
outlook　was；　and　perched　ourselves　on　the　ridgepole。　　Lieutenant　Barrett
came　along；　at　a　distance　of　two　hundred　yards；　with　a　squad　of　guards。
Observing　us；　he　halted　his　men；　faced　them　toward　us；　and　they　leveled
their　guns　as　if　to　fire。　　He　expected　to　see　us　tumble　down　in　ludicrous
alarm；　to　avoid　the　bullets。　　But　we　hated　him　and　them　so　bad；　that　we
could　not　give　them　the　poor　satisfaction　of　scaring　us。　　Only　one　of　our
party　attempted　to　slide　down；　but　the　moment　we　swore　at　him　he　came
back　and　took　his　seat　with　folded　arms　alongside　of　us。　　Barrett　gave
the　order　to　fire；　and　the　bullets　shrieked　aver　our　heads；　fortunately
not　hitting　anybody。　　We　responded　with　yells　of　derision；　and　the　worst
abuse　we　could　think　of。

Coming　down　after　awhile；　I　walked　to　the　now　open　gate；　and　looped
through　it　over　the　barren　fields　to　the　dense　woods　a　mile　away；　and　a
wild　desire　to　run　off　took　possession　of　me。　　It　seemed　as　if　I　could
not　resist　it。　　The　woods　appeared　full　of　enticing　shapes；　beckoning　me
to　come　to　them；　and　　the　winds　whispered　in　my　ears：

〃Run！　　Run！　　Run！〃

But　the　words　of　my　parole　were　still　fresh　in　my　mind；　and　I　stilled　my
frenzy　to　escape　by　turning　back　into　the　Stockade　and　looking　away　from
the　tempting　view。

Once　five　new　prisoners；　the　first　we　had　seen　in　a　long　time；　were
brought　in　from　Sherman's　army。　　They　were　plump；　well…conditioned；　well…
dressed；　healthy；　devil…may…care　young　fellows；　whose　confidence　in
themselves　and　in　Sherman　was　simply　limitless；　and　their　contempt　for
all　Rebels　and　especially　those　who　terrorized　over　us；　enormous。

〃Come　up　here　to　headquarters；〃　said　one　of　the　Rebel　officers　to　them　as
they　stood　talking　to　us；　〃and　we'll　parole　you。〃

〃O　go　to　h…　with　your　parole；〃　said　the　spokesman　of　the　crowd；　with
nonchalant　contempt；　〃we　don't　want　none　of　your　paroles。　　Old　Billy'll
parole　us　before　Saturday。〃

To　us　they　said：

〃Now；　you　boys　want　to　cheer　right　up；　keep　a　stiff　upper　lip。　　This
thing's　workin'　all　right。　　Their　old　Confederacy's　goin'　to　pieces　like
a　house　afire。　　Sherman's　promenadin'　through　it　just　as　it　suits　him；
and　he's　liable　to　pay　a　visit　at　any　hour。　　We're　expectin'　him　all　the
time；　because　it　was　generally　understood　all　through　the　Army　that　we
were　to　take　the　prison　pen　here　in　on　our　way。〃

I　mentioned　my　distrust　of　the　concentration　of　Rebels　at　Cheraw；　and
their　faces　took　on　a　look　of　supreme　disdain。

〃Now；　don't　let　that　worry　you　a　minute；〃　said　the　confident　spokesman。
〃All　the　Rebels　between　here　and　Lee's　Army　can't　prevent　Sherman　from
going　just　where　he　pleases。　　Why；　we've　quit　fightin'　'em　except　with
the　Bummers　advance。　　We　haven't　had　to　go　into　regular　line　of　battle
against　them　for　I　don't　know　how　long。　　Sherman　would　like　anything
better　than　to　have　'em　make　a　stand　somewhere　so　that　he　could　get　a
good　fair　whack　at　'em。〃

No　one　can　imagine　the　effect　of　all　this　upon　us。　　It　was　better　than　a
carload　of　medicines　and　a　train　load　of　provisions　would　have　been。
From　the　depths　of　despondency　we　sprang　at　once　to　tip…toe　on　the
mountain…tops　of　expectation。　　We　did　little　day　and　night　but　listen　for
the　sound　of　Sherman's　guns　and　discuss　what　we　would　do　when　he　came。
We　planned　schemes　of　terrible　vengeance　on　Barrett　and　Iverson；　but
these　worthies　had　mysteriously　disappearedwhither　no　one　knew。　　There
was　hardly　an　hour　of　any　night　passed　without　some　one　of　us　fancying
that　he　heard　the　welcome　sound　of　distant　firing。　　As　everybody　knows；
by　listening　intently　at　night；　one　can　hear　just　exactly　what　he　is
intent　upon　hearing；　and　so　was　with　us。　　In　the　middle　of　the　night　boys
listening　awake　with　strained　ears；　would　say：

〃Now；　if　ever　I　heard　musketry　firing　in　my　life；　that's　a　heavy　skirmish
line　at　work；　and　sharply　too；　and　not　more　than　three　miles　away；
neither。〃

Then　another　would　say：

〃I　don't　want　to　ever　get　out　of　here　if　that　don't　sound　just　as　the
skirmishing　at　Chancellorsville　did　the　first　day　to　us。　　We　were　lying
down　about　four　miles　off；　when　it　began　pattering　just　as　that　is　doing
now。〃

And　so　on。

One　night　about　nine　or　ten；　there　came　two　short；　sharp　peals　of
thunder；　that　sounded　precisely　like　the　reports　of　rifled　field　pieces。
We　sprang　up　in　a　frenzy　of　excitement；　and　shouted　as　if　our　throats
would　split。　　But　the　next　peal　went　off　in　the　usual　rumble；　and　our
excitement　had　to　subside。




CHAPTER　LXXVII

FRUITLESS　WAITING　FOR　SHERMANWE　LEAVE　FLORENCEINTELLIGENCE　OF　THE
FALL　OF　WILMINGTON　COMMUNICATED　TO　US　BY　A　SLAVETHE　TURPENTINE