andersonville-第10部分

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purposeless　and　vacillating；　almost　dizzying；　running　backward　and
forward　on　a　network　of　sidetracks　and　switches；　that　seemed　unavoidably
necessary；　a　dozen　years　ago；　in　getting　a　train　into　a　City。

Still　unable　to　regain　my　comrades　and　share　their　fortunes；　I　was
marched　off　with　the　Tennesseeans　through　the　City　to　the　office　of　some
one　who　had　charge　of　the　prisoners　of　war。

The　streets　we　passed　through　were　lined　with　retail　stores；　in　which
business　was　being　carried　on　very　much　as　in　peaceful　times。　　Many
people　were　on　the　streets；　but　the　greater　part　of　the　men　wore　some
sort　of　a　uniform。　　Though　numbers　of　these　were　in　active　service；　yet
the　wearing　of　a　military　garb　did　not　necessarily　imply　this。　　Nearly
every　able…bodied　man　in　Richmond　was；　enrolled　in　some　sort　of　an
organization；　and　armed；　and　drilled　regularly。　　Even　the　members　of　the
Confederate　Congress　were　uniformed　and　attached；　in　theory　at　least；　to
the　Home　Guards。

It　was　obvious　even　to　the　casual　glimpse　of　a　passing　prisoner　of　war；
that　the　City　did　not　lack　its　full　share　of　the　class　which　formed　so
large　an　element　of　the　society　of　Washington　and　other　Northern　Cities
during　the　warthe　dainty　carpet　soldiers；　heros　of　the　promenade　and
the　boudoir；　who　strutted　in　uniforms　when　the　enemy　was　far　off；　and
wore　citizen's　clothes　when　he　was　close　at　hand。　　There　were　many　curled
darlings　displaying　their　fine　forms　in　the　nattiest　of　uniforms；　whose
gloss　had　never　suffered　from　so　much　as　a　heavy　dew；　let　alone　a　rainy
day　on　the　march。　　The　Confederate　gray　could　be　made　into　a　very　dressy
garb。　　With　the　sleeves　lavishly　embroidered　with　gold　lace；　and　the
collar　decorated　with　stars　indicating　the　wearer's　ranksilver　for　the
field　officers；　and　gold　for　the　higher　grade；the　feet　compressed　into
high…heeled；　high…instepped　boots；　（no　Virginian　is　himself　without　a
fine　pair　of　skin…tight　boots）　and　the　head　covered　with　a　fine；　soft；
broad…brimmed　hat；　trimmed　with　a　gold　cord；　from　which　a　bullion　tassel
dangled　several　inches　down　the　wearer's　back；　you　had　a　military　swell；
caparisoned　for　conquestamong　the　fair　sex。

On　our　way　we　passed　the　noted　Capitol　of　Virginiaa　handsome　marble
building；of　the　column…fronted　Grecian　temple　style。　　It　stands　in　the
center　of　the　City。　　Upon　the　grounds　is　Crawford's　famous　equestrian
statue　of　Washington；　surrounded　by　smaller　statues　of　other
Revolutionary　patriots。

The　Confederate　Congress　was　then　in　session　in　the　Capitol；　and　also　the
Legislature　of　Virginia；　a　fact　indicated　by　the　State　flag　of　Virginia
floating　from　the　southern　end　of　the　building；　and　the　new　flag　of　the
Confederacy　from　the　northern　end。　　This　was　the　first　time　I　had　seen
the　latter；　which　had　been　recently　adopted；　and　I　examined　it　with　some
interest。　　The　design　was　exceedingly　plain。　　Simply　a　white　banner；　with
a　red　field　in　the　corner　where　the　blue　field　with　stars　is　in　ours。
The　two　blue　stripes　were　drawn　diagonally　across　this　field　in　the　shape
of　a　letter　X；　and　in　these　were　thirteen　white　stars；　corresponding　to
the　number　of　States　claimed　to　be　in　the　Confederacy。

The　battle…flag　was　simply　the　red　field。　　My　examination　of　all　this　was
necessarily　very　brief。　　The　guards　felt　that　I　was　in　Richmond　for　other
purposes　than　to　study　architecture；　statuary　and　heraldry；
and　besides　they　were　in　a　hurry　to　be　relieved　of　us　and　get　their
breakfast；　so　my　art…education　was　abbreviated　sharply。

We　did　not　excite　much　attention　on　the　streets。　　Prisoners　had　by　that
time　become　too　common　in　Richmond　to　create　any　interest。　　Occasionally
passers　by　would　fling　opprobrious　epithets　at　〃the　East　Tennessee
traitors；〃　but　that　was　all。

The　commandant　of　the　prisons　directed　the　Tennesseeans　to　be　taken　to
Castle　Lightninga　prison　used　to　confine　the　Rebel　deserters；　among
whom　they　also　classed　the　East　Tennesseeans；　and　sometimes　the　West
Virginians；　Kentuckians；　Marylanders　and　Missourians　found　fighting
against　them。　　Such　of　our　men　as　deserted　to　them　were　also　lodged
there；　as　the　Rebels；　very　properly；　did　not　place　a　high　estimate　upon
this　class　of　recruits　to　their　army；　and；　as　we　shall　see　farther　along；
violated　all　obligations　of　good　faith　with　them；　by　putting　them　among
the　regular　prisoners　of　war；　so　as　to　exchange　them　for　their　own　men。

Back　we　were　all　marched　to　a　street　which　ran　parallel　to　the　river　and
canal；　and　but　one　square　away　from　them。　　It　was　lined　on　both　sides　by
plain　brick　warehouses　and　tobacco　factories；　four　and　five　stories　high；
which　were　now　used　by　the　Rebel　Government　as　prisons　and　military
storehouses。

The　first　we　passed　was　Castle　Thunder；　of　bloody　repute。　　This　occupied
the　same　place　in　Confederate　history；　that；　the　dungeons　beneath　the
level　of　the　water　did　in　the　annals　of　the　Venetian　Council　of　Ten。
It　was　believed　that　if　the　bricks　in　its　somber；　dirt…grimed　walls　could
speak；　each　could　tell　a　separate　story　of　a　life　deemed　dangerous　to　the
State　that　had　gone　down　in　night；　at　the　behest　of　the　ruthless
Confederate　authorities。　　It　was　confidently　asserted　that　among　the
commoner　occurrences　within　its　confines　was　the　stationing　of　a　doomed
prisoner　against　a　certain　bit　of　blood…stained；　bullet…chipped　wall；
and　relieving　the　Confederacy　of　all　farther　fear　of　him　by　the　rifles　of
a　firing　party。　　How　well　this　dark　reputation　was　deserved；　no　one　but
those　inside　the　inner　circle　of　the　Davis　Government　can　say。　　It　is
safe　to　believe　that　more　tragedies　were　enacted　there　than　the　archives
of　the　Rebel　civil　or　military　judicature　give　any　account　of。　　The
prison　was　employed　for　the　detention　of　spies；　and　those　charged　with
the　convenient　allegation　of　〃treason　against　the　Confederate　States　of
America。〃　　It　is　probable　that　many　of　these　were　sent　out　of　the　world
with　as　little　respect　for　the　formalities　of　law　as　was　exhibited　with
regard　to　the　'suspects'　during　the　French　Revolution。

Next　we　came　to　Castle　Lightning；　and　here　I　bade　adieu　to　my　Tennessee
companions。

A　few　squares　more　and　we　arrived　at　a　warehouse　larger　than　any　of　the
others。　　Over　the　door　was　a　sign

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THOMAS　LIBBY　&　SON；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SHIP　CHANDLERS　AND　GROCERS。

This　was　the　notorious　〃Libby　Prison；〃　whose　name　was　painfully　familiar
to　every　Union　man　in　the　land。　　Under　the　sign　was　a　broad　entrance　way；
large　enough　to　admit　a　dray　or　a　small　wagon。　　On　one　side　of　this　was
the　prison　office；　in　which　were　a　number　of　dapper；　feeble…faced　clerks
at　work　on　the　prison　records。

As　I　entered　this　space　a　squad　of　newly　arrived　prisoners　were　being
searched　for　valuables；　and　having　their　names；　rank　and　regiment
recorded　in　the　books。　　Presently　a　clerk　addressed　as　〃Majah　Tunnah；〃
the　man　who　was　superintending　these　operations；　and　I　scanned　him　with
increased　interest；　as　I　knew　then　that　he　was　the　ill…famed　Dick　Turner；
hated　all　over　the　North　for　his　brutality　to　our　prisoners。

He　looked　as　if　he　deserved　his　reputation。　　Seen　upon　the　street　he
would　be　taken　for　a　second　or　third　class　gambler；　one　in　whom　a　certain
amount　of　cunning　is　pieced　out　by　a　readiness　to　use　brute　force。　　His
face；　clean…shaved；　except　a　〃Bowery…b'hoy〃　goatee；　was　white；　fat；　and
selfishly　sensual。　　Small；　pig…like　eyes；　set　close　together；　glanced
around　continually。　　His　legs　were　short；　his　body　long；　and　made　to
appear　longer；　by　his　wearing　no　vesta　custom　common　them　with
Southerners。

His　faculties　were　at　that　moment　absorbed　in　seeing　that　no　person
concealed　any　money　from　him。　　His　subordinates　did　not　search　closely
enough　to　suit　him；　and　he　would　run　his　fat；　heavily…ringed　fingers
through　the　prisoner's　hair；　feel　under　their　arms　and　elsewhere　where　he
thought　a　stray　five　dollar　greenback　might　be　concealed。　　But　with　all
his　greedy　care　he　was　no　match　for　Yankee　cunning。　　The　prisoners　told
me　afterward　that；　suspecting　they　would　be　searched；　they　had　taken　off
the　caps　of　the　large；　hollow　brass　buttons　of　their　coats；　carefully
folded　a　bill　into　each　cavity；　and　replaced　the　cap。　　In　this　way　they
brought　in　several　hundred　dollars　safely。

There　was　one　dirty　old　Englishman　in　the　party；　who；　Turner　was
convinced；　had　money　concealed　about　his　person。　　He　compelled　him　to
strip　off　everything；　and　stand　shivering　in　the　sharp　cold；　while　he
took　up　one　filthy　rag　after　another；　felt　over　each　carefully；　and
scrutinized　each　seam　and　fold。　　I　was　delighted　to　see　that　after　all
his　nauseating　work　he　did　not　find　so　much　as　a　five　cent　piece。

It　came　my　turn。　　I　had　no　desire；　in　that　frigid　atmosphere；　to　strip
down　to　what　Artemus　Ward　called　〃the　skanderlous　costoom　of　the　Greek
Slave；〃　so　I　pulled　out　of　my　pocket　my　little　store　of　wealthten
dollars　in　greenbacks；　sixty　dollars　in　Confederate　graybacksand
displayed　it　as　Turner　came　up　with；　〃There's　all　I　have；　sir。〃　　Turner
pocketed　it　without　a　word；　and　did　not　search　me。　　In　after　months；　when
I　was　nearly　famished；　my　estimation　of　〃Majah　Tunnah〃　was　hardly
enhanced　by　the　reflection　that　what　would　have　purchased　me　many　good
meals　was　probably　lost　by　him　in　betting　on　a　pair　of　queens；　when　his
opponent　held　a　〃king　full。〃

I　ventured　to　step　into　the　office　to　inquire　after　my　comrades。　　One　of
the　whey…faced　clerks　said　with　the　supercilious　asperity　characteristic
of　gnat…brained　headquarters　attaches：

〃Get　out　of　here！〃　as　if　I　had　been　a　stray　cur　wandering　in　in　search　of
a　bone　lunch。

I　wanted　to　feed　the　fellow　to　a　pile…driver。　　The　utmost　I　could　hope
for　in　the　way　of　revenge　was　that　the　delicate　creature　might　some　day
make　a　mistake　in　parting　his　hair；　and　catch　his　death　of　cold。

The　guard　conducted　us　across　the　street；　and　into　the　third　story　of　a
building　standing　on　the　next　corner　below。　　Here　I　found　about　four
hundred　men；　mostly　belonging　to　the　Army　of　the　Potomac；　who　crowded
around　me　with　the　usual　questions　to　new　prisoners：　What　was　my
Regiment；　where　and　when　captured；　and：

What　were　the　prospects　of　exchange？

It　makes　me　shudder　now　to　recall　how　o