andersonville-第14部分

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either　at　City　Point；　Va。；　or　Vicksburg；　Miss。　　This　worked　very　well　for
some　months；　until　our　Government　began　organizing　negro　troops。　　The
Rebels　then　issued　an　order　that　neither　these　troops　nor　their　officers
should　be　held　as　amenable　to　the　laws　of　war；　but　that；　when　captured；
the　men　should　be　returned　to　slavery；　and　the　officers　turned　over　to
the　Governors　of　the　States　in　which　they　were　taken；　to　be　dealt　with
according　to　the　stringent　law　punishing　the　incitement　of　servile
insurrection。　　Our　Government　could　not　permit　this　for　a　day。　　It　was
bound　by　every　consideration　of　National　honor　to　protect　those　who　wore
its　uniform　and　bore　its　flag。　　The　Rebel　Government　was　promptly
informed　that　rebel　officers　and　men　would　be　held　as　hostages　for　the
proper　treatment　of　such　members　of　colored　regiments　as　might　be　taken。

4。　　This　discussion　did　not　put　a　stop　to　the　exchange；　but　while　it　was
going　on　Vicksburg　was　captured；　and　the　battle　of　Gettysburg　was　fought。
The　first　placed　one　of　the　exchange　points　in　our　hands。　　At　the　opening
of　the　fight　at　Gettysburg　Lee　captured　some　six　thousand　Pennsylvania
militia。　　He　sent　to　Meade　to　have　these　exchanged　on　the　field　of
battle。　　Meade　declined　to　do　so　for　two　reasons：　first；　because　it　was
against　the　cartel；　which　prescribed　that　prisoners　must　be　reduced　to
possession；　and　second；　because　he　was　anxious　to　have　Lee　hampered　with
such　a　body　of　prisoners；　since　it　was　very　doubtful　if　he　could　get　his
beaten　army　back　across　the　Potomac；　let　alone　his　prisoners。　　Lee　then
sent　a　communication　to　General　Couch；　commanding　the　Pennsylvania
militia；　asking　him　to　receive　prisoners　on　parole；　and　Couch；　not
knowing　what　Meade　had　done；　acceded　to　the　request。　　Our　Government
disavowed　Couch's　action　instantly；　and　ordered　the　paroles　to　be　treated
as　of　no　force；　whereupon　the　Rebel　Government　ordered　back　into　the
field　twelve　thousand　of　the　prisoners　captured　by　Grant's　army　at
Vicksburg。

5。　　The　paroling　now　stopped　abruptly；　leaving　in　the　hands　of　both　sides
the　prisoners　captured　at　Gettysburg；　except　the　militia　above　mentioned。
The　Rebels　added　considerably　to　those　in　their　hands　by　their　captures
at　Chickamauga；　while　we　gained　a　great　many　at　Mission　Ridge；　Cumberland
Gap　and　elsewhere；　so　that　at　the　time　we　arrived　in　Richmond　the　Rebels
had　about　fifteen　thousand　prisoners　in　their　hands　and　our　Government
had　about　twenty…five　thousand。

6。　　The　rebels　now　began　demanding　that　the　prisoners　on　both　sides　be
exchangedman　for　manas　far　as　they　went；　and　the　remainder　paroled。
Our　Government　offered　to　exchange　man　for　man；　but　declinedon　account
of　the　previous　bad　faith　of　the　Rebelsto　release　the　balance　on
parole。　　The　Rebels　also　refused　to　make　any　concessions　in　regard　to　the
treatment　of　officers　and　men　of　colored　regiments。

7。　　At　this　juncture　General　B。　F。　Butler　was　appointed　to　the　command　of
the　Department　of　the　Blackwater；　which　made　him　an　ex…officio
Commissioner　of　Exchange。　　The　Rebels　instantly　refused　to　treat　with
him；　on　the　ground　that　he　was　outlawed　by　the　proclamation　of　Jefferson
Davis。　　General　Butler　very　pertinently　replied　that　this　only　placed　him
nearer　their　level；　as　Jefferson　Davis　and　all　associated　with　him　in　the
Rebel　Government　had　been　outlawed　by　the　proclamation　of　President
Lincoln。　　The　Rebels　scorned　to　notice　this　home　thrust　by　the　Union
General。

8。　　On　February　12；　1864；　General　Butler　addressed　a　letter　to　the　Rebel
Commissioner　Ould；　in　which　be　asked；　for　the　sake　of　humanity；　that　the
questions　interrupting　the　exchange　be　left　temporarily　in　abeyance　while
an　informal　exchange　was　put　in　operation。　　He　would　send　five　hundred
prisoners　to　City　Point；　let　them　be　met　by　a　similar　number　of　Union
prisoners。　　This　could　go　on　from　day　to　day　until　all　in　each　other's
hands　should　be　transferred　to　their　respective　flags。

The　five　hundred　sent　with　the　General's　letter　were　received；　and　five
hundred　Union　prisoners　returned　for　them。　　Another　five　hundred；　sent
the　next　day；　were　refused；　and　so　this　reasonable　and　humane　proposition
ended　in　nothing。

This　was　the　condition　of　affairs　in　February；　1864；　when　the　Rebel
authorities　concluded　to　send　us　to　Andersonville。　　If　the　reader　will
fix　these　facts　in　his　minds　I　will　explain　other　phases　as　they　develop。




CHAPTER　XL

PUTTING　IN　THE　TIMERATIONSCOOKING　UTENSILS〃FIAT　SOUP〃SPOONING〃
AFRICAN　NEWSPAPER　VENDERSTRADING　GREENBACKS　FOR　CONFEDERATE　MONEY
VISIT　FROM　JOHN　MORGAN。

The　Winter　days　passed　on；　one　by　one；　after　the　manner　described　in　a
former　chapter；the　mornings　in　ill…nature　hunger；　the　afternoons　and
evenings　in　tolerable　comfort。　　The　rations　kept　growing　lighter　and
lighter；　the　quantity　of　bread　remained　the　same；　but　the　meat
diminished；　and　occasional　days　would　pass　without　any　being　issued。
Then　we　receive　a　pint　or　less　of　soup　made　from　the　beans　or　peas　before
mentioned；　but　this；　too；　suffered　continued　change；　in　the　gradually
increasing　proportion　of　James　River　water；　and　decreasing　of　that　of　the
beans。

The　water　of　the　James　River　is　doubtless　excellent：　it　looks　wellat　a
distanceand　is　said　to　serve　the　purposes　of　ablution　and　navigation
admirably。　　There　seems　to　be　a　limit　however；　to　the　extent　of　its
advantageous　combination　with　the　bean　（or　pea）　for　nutritive　purposes。
This；　though；　was　or　view　of　the　case；　merely；　and　not　shared　in　to　any
appreciably　extent　by　the　gentlemen　who　were　managing　our　boarding　house。
We　seemed　to　view　the　matter　through　allopathic　spectacles；　they　through
homoeopathic　lenses。　　We　thought　that　the　atomic　weight　of　peas　（or
beans）　and　the　James　River　fluid　were　about　equal；　which　would　indicate
that　the　proper　combining　proportions　would　be；　say　a　bucket　of　beans　（or
peas）　to　a　bucket　of　water。　　They　held　that　the　nutritive　potency　was
increased　by　the　dilution；　and　the　best　results　were　obtainable　when　the
symptoms　of　hunger　were　combated　by　the　trituration　of　a　bucketful　of　the
peas…beans　with　a　barrel　of　'aqua　jamesiana。'

My　first　experience　with　this　〃flat〃　soup　was　very　instructive；　if　not
agreeable。　　I　had　come　into　prison；　as　did　most　other　prisoners；
absolutely　destitute　of　dishes；　or　cooking　utensils。　　The　well…used；
half…canteen　frying…pan；　the　blackened　quart　cup；　and　the　spoon；　which
formed　the　usual　kitchen　outfit　of　the　cavalryman　in　the　field；　were　in
the　haversack　on　my　saddle；　and　were　lost　to　me　when　I　separated　from　my
horse。　　Now；　when　we　were　told　that　we　were　to　draw　soup；　I　was　in　great
danger　of　losing　my　ration　from　having　no　vessel　in　which　to　receive　it。
There　were　but　few　tin　cups　in　the　prison；　and　these　were；　of　course；
wanted　by　their　owners。　By　great　good　fortune　I　found　an　empty　fruit　can；
holding　about　a　quart。　　I　was　also　lucky　enough　to　find　a　piece　　from
which　to　make　a　bail。　　I　next　manufactured　a　spoon　and　knife　combined
from　a　bit　of　hoop…iron。

These　two　humble　utensils　at　once　placed　myself　and　my　immediate　chums　on
another　plane；　as　far　as　worldly　goods　were　concerned。　　We　were　better
off　than　the　mass；　and　as　well　off　as　the　most　fortunate。　　It　was　a
curious　illustration　of　that　law　of　political　economy　which　teaches　that
so…called　intrinsic　value　is　largely　adventitious。　　Their　possession　gave
us　infinitely　more　consideration　among　our　fellows　than　would　the
possession　of　a　brown…stone　front　in　an　eligible　location；　furnished　with
hot　and　cold　water　throughout；　and　all　the　modern　improvements。　　It　was　a
place　where　cooking　utensils　were　in　demand；　and　title…deeds　to　brown…
stone　fronts　were　not。　　We　were　in　possession　of　something　which　every
one　needed　every　day；　and；　therefore；　were　persons　of　consequence　and
consideration　to　those　around　us　who　were　present　or　prospective
borrowers。

On　our　side　we　obeyed　another　law　of　political　economy：　We　clung　to　our
property　with　unrelaxing　tenacity；　made　the　best　use　of　it　in　our
intercourse　with　our　fellows；　and　only　gave　it　up　after　our　release　and
entry　into　a　land　where　the　plenitude　of　cooking　utensils　of　superior
construction　made　ours　valueless。　　Then　we　flung　them　into　the　sea；　with
little　gratitude　for　the　great　benefit　they　had　been　to　us。　　We　were　more
anxious　to　get　rid　of　the　many　hateful　recollections　clustering　around
them。

But；　to　return　to　the　alleged　soup：　As　I　started　to　drink　my　first　ration
it　seemed　to　me　that　there　was　a　superfluity　of　bugs　upon　its　surface。
Much　as　I　wanted　animal　food；　I　did　not　care　for　fresh　meat　in　that　form。
I　skimmed　them　off　carefully；　so　as　to　lose　as　little　soup　as　possible。
But　the　top　layer　seemed　to　be　underlaid　with　another　equally　dense。
This　was　also　skimmed　off　as　deftly　as　possible。　　But　beneath　this
appeared　another　layer；　which；　when　removed；　showed　still　another；　and　so
on；　until　I　had　scraped　to　the　bottom　of　the　can；　and　the　last　of　the
bugs　went　with　the　last　of　my　soup。　　I　have　before　spoken　of　the
remarkable　bug　fecundity　of　the　beans　（or　peas）。　　This　was　a
demonstration　of　it。　　Every　scouped　out　pea　（or　bean）　which　found　its　way
into　the　soup　bore　inside　of　its　shell　from　ten　to　twenty　of　these　hard…
crusted　little　weevil。　　Afterward　I　drank　my　soup　without　skimming。
It　was　not　that　I　hated　the　weevil　less；　but　that　I　loved　the　soup　more。
It　was　only　another　step　toward　a　closer　conformity　to　that　grand　rule
which　I　have　made　the　guiding　maxim　of　my　life：

'When　I　must；　I　had　better。'

I　recommend　this　to　other　young　men　starting　on　their　career。

The　room　in　which　we　were　was　barely　large　enough　for　all　of　us　to　lie
down　at　once。　　Even　then　it　required　pretty　close　〃spooning〃　together
so　close　in　fact　that　all　sleeping　along　one　side　would　have　to　turn　at
once。　　It　was　funny　to　watch　this　operation。　　All；　for　instance；　would　be
lying　on　their　right　sides。　　They　would　begin　to　get　tired；　and　one　of
the　wearied　ones　would　sing　out　to　the　Sergeant　who　was　in　command　of　the
row

〃Sergeant：　let's　spoon　the　other　way。〃

That　individual　would　reply：

〃All　right。　　Attention　！　　LEFT　SPOON！！　　and　the　whole　line　would　at　once
flop　over　on　their　left　sides。

The　feet