andersonville-第16部分

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These　were　the　fledglings　of　the　slums　and　dives　of　New　Yorkgraduates
of　that　metropolitan　sink　of　iniquity　where　the　rogues　and　criminals　of
the　whole　world　meet　for　mutual　instruction　in　vice。

They　were　men　who；　as　a　rule；　had　never　known；　a　day　of　honesty　and
cleanliness　in　their　misspent　lives；　whose　fathers；　brothers　and　constant
companions　were　roughs；　malefactors　and；　felons；　whose　mothers；　wives　and
sisters　were　prostitutes；　procuresses　and　thieves；　men　who　had　from
infancy　lived　in　an　atmosphere　of　sin；　until　it　saturated　every　fiber　of
their　being　as　a　dweller　in　a　jungle　imbibes　malaria　by　every　one　of　his；
millions　of　pores；　until　his　very　marrow　is　surcharged　with　it。

They　included　representatives　from　all　nationalities；　and　their
descendants；　but　the　English　and　Irish　elements　predominated。　　They　had
an　argot　peculiar　to　themselves。　　It　was　partly　made　up　of　the　〃flash〃
language　of　the　London　thieves；　amplified　and　enriched　by　the　cant
vocabulary　and　the　jargon　of　crime　of　every　European　tongue。　　They　spoke
it　with　a　peculiar　accent　and　intonation　that　made　them　instantly
recognizable　from　the　roughs　of　all　other　Cities。　　They　called　themselves
〃N'Yaarkers；〃　we　came　to　know　them　as　〃Raiders。〃

If　everything　in　the　animal　world　has　its　counterpart　among　men；　then
these　were　the　wolves；　jackals　and　hyenas　of　the　race　at　once　cowardly
and　fierceaudaciously　bold　when　the　power　of　numbers　was　on　their　side；
and　cowardly　when　confronted　with　resolution　by　anything　like　an　equality
of　strength。

Like　all　other　roughs　and　rascals　of　whatever　degree；　they　were　utterly
worthless　as　soldiers。　　There　may　have　been　in　the　Army　some　habitual
corner　loafer；　some　fistic　champion　of　the　bar…room　and　brothel；　some
Terror　of　Plug　Uglyville；　who　was　worth　the　salt　in　the　hard　tack　he
consumed；　but　if　there　were；　I　did　not　form　his　acquaintance；　and　I　never
heard　of　any　one　else　who　did。　　It　was　the　rule　that　the　man　who　was　the
readiest　in　the　use　of　fist　and　slungshot　at　home　had　the　greatest
diffidence　about　forming　a　close　acquaintance　with　cold　lead　in　the
neighborhood　of　the　front。　　Thousands　of　the　so…called　〃dangerous
classes〃　were　recruited；　from　whom　the　Government　did　not　receive　so　much
service　as　would　pay　for　the　buttons　on　their　uniforms。　　People　expected
that　they　would　make　themselves　as　troublesome　to　the　Rebels　as　they　were
to　good　citizens　and　the　Police；　but　they　were　only　pugnacious　to　the
provost　guard；　and　terrible　to　the　people　in　the　rear　of　the　Army　who　had
anything　that　could　be　stolen。

The　highest　type　of　soldier　which　the　world　has　yet　produced　is　the
intelligent；　self…respecting　American　boy；　with　home；　and　father　and
mother　and　friends　behind　him；　and　duty　in　front　beckoning　him　on。
In　the　sixty　centuries　that　war　has　been　a　profession　no　man　has　entered
its　ranks　so　calmly　resolute　in　confronting　danger；　so　shrewd　and
energetic　in　his　aggressiveness；　so　tenacious　of　the　defense　and　the
assault；　so　certain　to　rise　swiftly　to　the　level　of　every　emergency；　as
the　boy　who；　in　the　good　old　phrase；　had　been　〃well…raised〃　in　a
Godfearing　home；　and　went　to　the　field　in　obedience　to　a　conviction　of
duty。　　His　unfailing　courage　and　good　sense　won　fights　that　the
incompetency　or　cankering　jealousy　of　commanders　had　lost。　　High　officers
were　occasionally　disloyal；　or　willing　to　sacrifice　their　country　to
personal　pique；　still　more　frequently　they　were　ignorant　and　inefficient；
but　the　enlisted　man　had　more　than　enough　innate　soldiership　to　make
amends　for　these　deficiencies；　and　his　superb　conduct　often　brought
honors　and　promotions　to　those　only　who　deserved　shame　and　disaster。

Our　〃N'Yaarkers；〃　swift　to　see　any　opportunity　for　dishonest　gain；　had
taken　to　bounty…jumping；　or；　as　they　termed　it；　〃leppin'　the　bounty；〃
for　a　livelihood。　　Those　who　were　thrust　in　upon　us　had　followed　this
until　it　had　become　dangerous；　and　then　deserted　to　the　Rebels。　　The
latter　kept　them　at　Castle　Lightning　for　awhile；　and　then；　rightly
estimating　their　character；　and　considering　that　it　was　best　to　trade
them　off　for　a　genuine　Rebel　soldier；　sent　them　in　among　us；　to　be
exchanged　regularly　with　us。　　There　was　not　so　much　good　faith　as　good
policy　shown　by　this。　　It　was　a　matter　of　indifference　to　the　Rebels　how
soon　our　Government　shot　these　deserters　after　getting　them　in　its　hands
again。　　They　were　only　anxious　to　use　them　to　get　their　own　men　back。

The　moment　they　came　into　contact　with　us　our　troubles　began。　　They　stole
whenever　opportunities　offered；　and　they　were　indefatigable　in　making
these　offer；　they　robbed　by　actual　force；　whenever　force　would　avail；
and　more　obsequious　lick…spittles　to　power　never　existedthey　were
perpetually　on　the　look…out　for　a　chance　to　curry　favor　by　betraying
some　plan　or　scheme　to　those　who　guarded　us。

I　saw　one　day　a　queer　illustration　of　the　audacious　side　of　these
fellows'　characters；　and　it　shows　at　the　same　time　how　brazen　effrontery
will　sometimes　get　the　better　of　courage。　　In　a　room　in　an　adjacent
building　were　a　number　of　these　fellows；　and　a　still　greater　number　of
East　Tennesseeans。　　These　latter　were　simple；　ignorant　folks；　but
reasonably　courageous。　　About　fifty　of　them　were　sitting　in　a　group　in
one　corner　of　the　room；　and　near　them　a　couple　or　three　〃N'Yaarkers。〃
Suddenly　one　of　the　latter　said　with　an　oath：

〃I　was　robbed　last　night；　I　lost　two　silver　watches；　a　couple　of　rings；
and　about　fifty　dollars　in　greenbacks。　　I　believe　some　of　you　fellers
went　through　me。〃

This　was　all　pure　invention；　he　no　more　had　the　things　mentioned　than。
he　had　purity　of　heart　and　a　Christian　spirit；　but　the　unsophisticated
Tennesseeans　did　not　dream　of　disputing　his　statement；　and　answered　in
chorus：

〃Oh；　no；　mister；　we　didn't　take　your　things；　we　ain't　that　kind。〃

This　was　like　the　reply　of　the　lamb　to　the　wolf；　in　the　fable；　and　the
N'Yaarker　retorted　with　a　simulated　storm　of　passion；　and　a　torrent　of
oaths：

〃　　I　know　ye　did；　I　know　some　uv　yez　has　got　them；　stand　up　agin
the　wall　there　till　I　search　yez！〃

And　that　whole　fifty　men；　any　one　of　whom　was　physically　equal　to　the
N'Yaarker；　and　his　superior　in　point　of　real　courage；　actually　stood
against　the　wall；　and　submitted　to　being　searched　and　having　taken　from
them　the　few　Confederate　bills　they　had；　and　such　trinkets　as　the
searcher　took　a　fancy　to。

I　was　thoroughly　disgusted。




CHAPTER　XIII。

BELLE　ISLETERRIBLE　SUFFERING　FROM　COLD　AND　HUNGERFATE　OF　LIEUTENANT
BOISSEUX'S　DOGOUR　COMPANY　MYSTERYTERMINATION　OF　ALL　HOPES　OF　ITS
SOLUTION。

In　February　my　chumB。　B。　Andrews；　now　a　physician　in　Astoria；　Illinois
was　brought　into　our　building；　greatly　to　my　delight　and　astonishment；
and　from　him　I　obtained　the　much　desired　news　as　to　the　fate　of　my
comrades。　　He　told　me　they　had　been　sent　to　Belle　Isle；　whither　he　had
gone；　but　succumbing　to　the　rigors　of　that　dreadful　place；　he　had　been
taken　to　the　hospital；　and；　upon　his　convalesence；　placed　in　our　prison。

Our　men　were　suffering　terribly　on　the　island。　　It　was　low；　damp；　and
swept　by　the　bleak；　piercing　winds　that　howled　up　and　down　the　surface　of
the　James。　　The　first　prisoners　placed　on　the　island　had　been　given　tents
that　afforded　them　some　shelter；　but　these　were　all　occupied　when　our
battalion　came　in；　so　that　they　were　compelled　to　lie　on　the　snow　and
frozen　ground；　without　shelter；　covering　of　any　kind；　or　fire。　　During
this　time　the　cold　had　been　so　intense　that　the　James　had　frozen　over
three　times。

The　rations　had　been　much　worse　than　ours。　　The　so…called　soup　had　been
diluted　to　a　ridiculous　thinness；　and　meat　had　wholly　disappeared。
So　intense　became　the　craving　for　animal　food；　that　one　day　when
Lieutenant　Boisseuxthe　Commandantstrolled　into　the　camp　with　his
beloved　white　bull…terrier；　which　was　as　fat　as　a　Cheshire　pig；　the
latter　was　decoyed　into　a　tent；　a　blanket　thrown　over　him；　his　throat　cut
within　a　rod　of　where　his　master　was　standing；　and　he　was　then　skinned；
cut　up；　cooked；　and　furnished　a　savory　meal　to　many　hungry　men。

When　Boisseux　learned　of　the　fate　of　his　four…footed　friend　he　was；
of　course；　intensely　enraged；　but　that　was　all　the　good　it　did　him。
The　only　revenge　possible　was　to　sentence　more　prisoners　to　ride　the
cruel　wooden　horse　which　he　used　as　a　means　of　punishment。

Four　of　our　company　were　already　dead。　　Jacob　Lowry　and　John　Beach　were
standing　near　the　gate　one　day　when　some　one　snatched　the　guard's　blanket
from　the　post　where　he　had　hung　it；　and　ran。　　The　enraged　sentry　leveled
his　gun　and　fired　into　the　crowd。　　The　balls　passed　through　Lowry's　and
Beach's　breasts。　　Then　Charley　Osgood；　son　of　our　Lieutenant；　a　quiet；
fair…haired；　pleasant…spoken　boy；　but　as　brave　and　earnest　as　his　gallant
father；　sank　under　the　combination　of　hunger　and　cold。　　One　stinging
morning　he　was　found　stiff　and　stark；　on　the　hard　ground；　his　bright；
frank　blue　eyes　glazed　over　in　death。

One　of　the　mysteries　of　our　company　was　a　tall；　slender；　elderly
Scotchman；　who　appeared　on　the　rolls　as　William　Bradford。　　What　his　past
life　had　been；　where　he　had　lived；　what　his　profession；　whether　married
or　single；　no　one　ever　knew。　　He　came　to　us　while　in　Camp　of　Instruction
near　Springfield；　Illinois；　and　seemed　to　have　left　all　his　past　behind
him　as　he　crossed　the　line　of　sentries　around　the　camp。　　He　never
received　any　letters；　and　never　wrote　any；　never　asked　for　a　furlough　or
pass；　and　never　expressed　a　wish　to　be　elsewhere　than　in　camp。　　He　was
courteous　and　pleasant；　but　very　reserved。　　He　interfered　with　no　one；
obeyed　orders　promptly　and　without　remark；　and　was　always　present　for
duty。　　Scrupulously　neat　in　dress；　always　as　clean…shaved　as　an　old…
fashioned　gentleman　of　the　world；　with　manners　and　conversation　that
showed　him　to　have　belonged　to　a　refined　and　polished　circle；　he　was
evidently　out　of　place　as　a　private　soldier　in　a　company　of　reckless　and
none…too…refined　young　Illinois　troopers；　but　he　never　availed　himself　of
any　of　the　numerous　opportunities　offered　to　change　his　associations。
His　elegant　penmanship　would　have　secured　him　an　easy　berth　and　better
society　at　headquarters；　but　he　d