andersonville-第89章

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FRUITLESS　WAITING　FOR　SHERMANWE　LEAVE　FLORENCEINTELLIGENCE　OF　THE
FALL　OF　WILMINGTON　COMMUNICATED　TO　US　BY　A　SLAVETHE　TURPENTINE　REGION
OF　NORTH　CAROLINAWE　COME　UPON　A　REBEL　LINE　OF　BATTLEYANKEES　AT　BOTH
ENDS　OF　THE　ROAD。

Things　had　gone　on　in　the　way　described　in　the　previous　chapter　until
past　the　middle　of　February。　　For　more　than　a　week　every　waking　hour　was
spent　in　anxious　expectancy　of　Shermanlistening　for　the　far…off　rattle
of　his　gunsstraining　our　ears　to　catch　the　sullen　boom　of　his
artilleryscanning　the　distant　woods　to　see　the　Rebels　falling　back　in
hopeless　confusion　before　the　pursuit　of　his　dashing　advance。　　Though　we
became　as　impatient　as　those　ancient　sentinels　who　for　ten　long　years
stood　upon　the　Grecian　hills　to　catch　the　first　glimpse　of　the　flames　of
burning　Troy；　Sherman　came　not。　　We　afterwards　learned　that　two
expeditions　were　sent　down　towards　us　from　Cheraw；　but　they　met　with
unexpected　resistance；　and　were　turned　back。

It　was　now　plain　to　us　that　the　Confederacy　was　tottering　to　its　fall；
and　we　were　only　troubled　by　occasional　misgivings　that　we　might　in　some
way　be　caught　and　crushed　under　the　toppling　ruins。　　It　did　not　seem
possible　that　with　the　cruel　tenacity　with　which　the　Rebels　had　clung　to
us　they　would　be　willing　to　let　us　go　free　at　last；　but　would　be　tempted
in　the　rage　of　their　final　defeat　to　commit　some　unparalleled　atrocity
upon　us。

One　day　all　of　us　who　were　able　to　walk　were　made　to　fall　in　and　march
over　to　the　railroad；　where　we　were　loaded　into　boxcars。　　The　sick
except　those　who　were　manifestly　dyingwere　loaded　into　wagons　and
hauled　over。　　The　dying　were　left　to　their　fate；　without　any　companions
or　nurses。

The　train　started　off　in　a　northeasterly　direction；　and　as　we　went
through　Florence　the　skies　were　crimson　with　great　fires；　burning　in　all
directions。　　We　were　told　these　were　cotton　and　military　stores　being
destroyed　in　anticipation　of　a　visit　from；　a　part　of　Sherman's　forces。

When　morning　came　we　were　still　running　in　the　same　direction　that　we
started。　　In　the　confusion　of　loading　us　upon　the　cars　the　previous
evening；　I　had　been　allowed　to　approach　too　near　a　Rebel　officer's　stock
of　rations；　and　the　result　was　his　being　the　loser　and　myself　the　gainer
of　a　canteen　filled　with　fairly　good　molasses。　　Andrews　and　I　had　some
corn　bread；　and　we；　breakfasted　sumptuously　upon　it　and　the　molasses；
which　was　certainly　none…the…less　sweet　from　having　been　stolen。

Our　meal　over；　we　began　reconnoitering；　as　much　for　employment　as
anything　else。　　We　were　in　the　front　end　of　a　box　car。　　With　a　saw　made
on　the　back　of　a　case…knife　we　cut　a　hole　through　the　boards　big　enough
to　permit　us　to　pass　out；　and　perhaps　escape。　　We　found　that　we　were　on
the　foremost　box　car　of　the　trainthe　next　vehicle　to　us　being　a
passenger　coach；　in　which　were　the　Rebel　officers。　　On　the　rear　platform
of　this　car　was　seated　one　of　their　servantsa　trusty　old　slave；　well
dressed；　for　a　negro；　and　as　respectful　as　his　class　usually　was。　　Said　I
to　him：

〃Well；　uncle；　where　are　they　taking　us？〃

He　replied：

〃Well；　sah；　I　couldn't　rightly　say。〃

〃But　you　could　guess；　if　you　tried；　couldn't　you？〃

〃Yes　sah。〃

He　gave　a　quick　look　around　to　see　if　the　door　behind　him　was　so　securely
shut　that　he　could　not　be　overheard　by　the　Rebels　inside　the　car；　his
dull；　stolid　face　lighted　up　as　a　negro's　always　does　in　the　excitement
of　doing　something　cunning；　and　he　said　in　a　loud　whisper：

〃Dey's　a…gwine　to　take　you　to　Wilmingtonef　dey　kin　get　you　dar！〃

〃Can　get　us　there！〃　said　I　in　astonishment。　　〃Is　there　anything　to
prevent　them　taking　us　there？〃

The　dark　face　filled　with　inexpressible　meaning。　　I　asked：

〃It　isn't　possible　that　there　are　any　Yankees　down　there　to　interfere；
is　it？〃

The　great　eyes　flamed　up　with　intelligence　to　tell　me　that　I　guessed
aright；　again　he　glanced　nervously　around　to　assure　himself　that　no　one
was　eavesdropping；　and　then　he　said　in　a　whisper；　just　loud　enough　to　be
heard　above　the　noise　of　the　moving　train：

〃De　Yankees　took　Wilmington　yesterday　mawning。〃

The　news　startled　me；　but　it　was　true；　our　troops　having　driven　out　the
Rebel　troops；　and　entered　Wilmington；　on　the　preceding　daythe　22d　of
February；　1865；　as　I　learned　afterwards。　　How　this　negro　came　to　know
more　of　what　was　going　on　than　his　masters　puzzled　me　much。　　That　he　did
know　more　was　beyond　question；　since　if　the　Rebels　in　whose　charge　we
were　had　known　of　Wilmington's　fall；　they　would　not　have　gone　to　the
trouble　of　loading　us　upon　the　cars　and　hauling　us　one；　hundred　miles　in
the　direction　of　a　City　which　had　come　into　the　hands　of　our　men。

It　has　been　asserted　by　many　writers　that　the　negros　had　some　occult
means　of　diffusing　important　news　among　the　mass　of　their　people；
probably　by　relays　of　swift　runners　who　traveled　at　night；　going　twenty…
five　or　thirty　miles　and　back　before　morning。　　Very　astonishing　stories
are　told　of　things　communicated　in　this　way　across　the　length　or　breadth
of　the　Confederacy。　　It　is　said　that　our　officers　in　the　blockading　fleet
in　the　Gulf　heard　from　the　negros　in　advance　of　the　publication　in　the
Rebel　papers　of　the　issuance　of　the　Proclamation　of　Emancipation；　and　of
several　of　our　most　important　Victories。　　The　incident　given　above
prepares　me　to　believe　all　that　has　been　told　of　the　perfection　to　which
the　negros　had　brought　their　〃grapevine　telegraph；〃　as　it　was　jocularly
termed。

The　Rebels　believed　something　of　it；　too。　　In　spite　of　their　rigorous
patrol；　an　institution　dating　long　before　the　war；　and　the　severe
punishments　visited　upon　negros　found　off　their　master's　premises　without
a　pass；　none　of　them　entertained　a　doubt　that　the　young　negro　men　were　in
the　habit　of　making　long；　mysterious　journeys　at　night；　which　had　other
motives　than　love…making　or　chicken…stealing。　　Occasionally　a　young　man
would　get　caught　fifty　or　seventy…five　miles　from　his　〃quarters；〃　while
on　some　errand　of　his　own；　the　nature　of　which　no　punishment　could　make
him　divulge。　　His　master　would　be　satisfied　that　he　did　not　intend
running　away；　because　he　was　likely　going　in　the　wrong　direction；　but
beyond　this　nothing　could　be　ascertained。　　It　was　a　common　belief　among
overseers；　when　they　saw　an　active；　healthy　young　〃buck〃　sleepy　and
languid　about　his　work；　that　he　had　spent　the　night　on　one　of　these
excursions。

The　country　we　were　running　throughif　such　straining；　toilsome　progress
as　our　engine　was　making　could　be　called　runningwas　a　rich　turpentine
district。　　We　passed　by　forests　where　all　the　trees　were　marked　with　long
scores　through　the　bark；　and　extended　up　to　a　hight　of　twenty　feet　or
more。　　Into　these；　the　turpentine　and　rosin；　running　down；　were　caught；
and　conveyed　by　negros　to　stills　near　by；　where　it　was　prepared　for
market。　　The　stills　were　as　rude　as　the　mills　we　had　seen　in　Eastern
Tennessee　and　Kentucky；　and　were　as　liable　to　fiery　destruction　as　a
powder…house。　　Every　few　miles　a　wide　space　of　ground；　burned　clean　of
trees　and　underbrush；　and　yet　marked　by　a　portion　of　the　stones　which　had
formed　the　furnace；　showed　where　a　turpentine　still；　managed　by　careless
and　ignorant　blacks；　had　been　licked　up　by　the　breath　of　flame。　　They
never　seemed　to　re…build　on　these　spotswhether　from　superstition　or
other　reasons；　I　know　not。

Occasionally　we　came　to　great　piles　of　barrels　of　turpentine；　rosin　and
tar；　some　of　which　had　laid　there　since　the　blockade　had　cut　off
communication　with　the　outer　world。　　Many　of　the　barrels　of　rosin　had
burst；　and　their　contents　melted　in　the　heat　of　the　sun；　had　run　over　the
ground　like　streams　of　lava；　covering　it　to　a　depth　of　many　inches。
At　the　enormous　price　rosin；　tar　and　turpentine　were　commanding　in　the
markets　of　the　world；　each　of　these　piles　represented　a　superb　fortune。
Any　one　of　them；　if　lying　upon　the　docks　of　New　York；　would　have　yielded
enough　to　make　every　one　of　us　upon　the　train　comfortable　for　life。
But　a　few　months　after　the　blockade　was　raised；　and　they　sank　to　one…
thirtieth　of　their　present　value。

These　terebinthine　stores　were　the　property　of　the　plantation　lords　of
the　lowlands　of　North　Carolina；　who　correspond　to　the　pinchbeck　barons　of
the　rice　districts　of　South　Carolina。　　As　there；　the　whites　and　negros　we
saw　were　of　the　lowest；　most　squalid　type　of　humanity。　　The　people　of　the
middle　and　upland　districts　of　North　Carolina　are　a　much　superior　race　to
the　same　class　in　South　Carolina。　　They　are　mostly　of　Scotch…Irish
descent；　with　a　strong　infusion　of　English…Quaker　blood；　and　resemble
much　the　best　of　the　Virginians。　　They　make　an　effort　to　diffuse
education；　and　have　many　of　the　virtues　of　a　simple；　non…progressive；
tolerably　industrious　middle　class。　　It　was　here　that　the　strong　Union
sentiment　of　North　Carolina　numbered　most　of　its　adherents。　　The　people
of　the　lowlands　were　as　different　as　if　belonging　to　another　race。　　The
enormous　mass　of　ignorancethe　three　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　men　and
women　who　could　not　read　or　writewere　mostly　black　and　white　serfs　of
the　great　landholders；　whose　plantations　lie　within　one　hundred　miles　of
the　Atlantic　coast。

As　we　approached　the　coast　the　country　became　swampier；　and　our　old
acquaintances；　the　cypress；　with　their　malformed　〃knees；〃　became　more　and
more　numerous。

About　the　middle　of　the　afternoon　our　train　suddenly　stopped。　　Looking
out　to　ascertain　the　cause；　we　were　electrified　to　see　a　Rebel　line　of
battle　stretched　across　the　track；　about　a　half　mile　ahead　of　the　engine；
and　with　its　rear　toward　us。　　It　was　as　real　a　line　as　was　ever　seen　on
any　field。　　The　double　ranks　of　〃Butternuts；〃　with　arms　gleaming　in　the
afternoon　sun；　stretched　away　out　through　the　open　pine　woods；　farther
than　we　could　see。　　Close　behind　the　motionless　line　stood　the　company
officers；　leaning　on　their　drawn　swords。　　Behind　these　still；　were　the
regimental　officers　on　their　horses。　　On　a　slight　rise　of　the　ground；　a
group　of　horsemen；　to　whom　other　horsemen　momentarily　dashed　up　to　or
sped　away　from；　showed　the　station　of　the　General　in　command。　　On　another
knoll；　at　a　little　distance；　were　several…field　pieces；　standing　〃in
battery；〃　the　cannoneers　at　the　guns；　the　postillions　dismounted　and
holding　their　horses　by　the　bits；　the　caisson　men　standing　in　readiness
to　serve　out　ammunition。　　Our　men　were　evidently　close　at　hand　in　strong
force；　and　the　engagement　was　likely　to　open　at　any　instant。

For　a　minute　we　were　speechless　with　astonishment。　　Then　came　a　surge　of
excitement。　　What　should　we　do？　　What　could　we　do？　　Obviously　nothing。
Eleven　hundred；　sick；　enfeebled　prisoners　could　not　even　overpower　their
guards；　let　alone　make　such　a　diversion　in　the　rear　of　a　line…of…battle
as　would　assist　our　folks　to　gain　a　victory。　　But　while　we　debated　the
engine　whistled　sharplya　frightened　shriek　it　sounded　to　usand　began
pushing　our　train　rapidly　backward　over　the　rough　and　wretched　track。
Back；　back　we　went；　as　fast　as　rosin　and　pine　knots　could　force　the
engine　to　move　us。　　The　cars　swayed　continually　back　and　forth；
momentarily　threatening　to　fly　the　crazy　roadway；　and　roll　over　the
embankment　or　into　one　of　the　ad