andersonville-第17部分

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His　elegant　penmanship　would　have　secured　him　an　easy　berth　and　better
society　at　headquarters；　but　he　declined　to　accept　a　detail。　　He　became
an　exciting　mystery　to　a　knot　of　us　imaginative　young　cubs；　who　sorted　up
out　of　the　reminiscential　rag…bag　of　high　colors　and　strong　contrasts
with　which　the　sensational　literature　that　we　most　affected　had
plentifully　stored　our　minds；　a　half…dozen　intensely　emotional　careers
for　him。　　We　spent　much　time　in　mentally　trying　these　on；　and　discussing
which　fitted　him　best。　　We　were　always　expecting　a　denouement　that　would
come　like　a　lightning　flash　and　reveal　his　whole　mysterious　past；　showing
him　to　have　been　the　disinherited　scion　of　some　noble　house；　a　man　of
high　station；　who　was　expiating　some　fearful　crime；　an　accomplished
villain　eluding　his　pursuersin　short；　a　Somebody　who　would　be　a　fitting
hero　for　Miss　Braddon's　or　Wilkie　Collins's　literary　purposes。　　We　never
got　but　two　clues　of　his　past；　and　they　were　faint　ones。　　One　day；　he
left　lying　near　me　a　small　copy　of　〃Paradise　Lost；〃　that　he　always
carried　with　him。　　Turning　over　its　leaves　I　found　all　of　Milton's　bitter
invectives　against　women　heavily　underscored。　　Another　time；　while　on
guard　with　him；　he　spent　much　of　his　time　in　writing　some　Latin　verses　in
very　elegant　chirography　upon　the　white　painted　boards　of　a　fence　along
which　his　beat　ran。　　We　pressed　in　all　the　available　knowledge　of　Latin
about　camp；　and　found　that　the　tenor　of　the　verses　was　very
uncomplimentary　to　that　charming　sex　which　does　us　the　honor　of　being　our
mothers　and　sweethearts。　　These　evidences　we　accepted　as　sufficient
demonstration　that　there　was　a　woman　at　the　bottom　of　the　mystery；　and
made　us　more　impatient　for　further　developments。　　These　were　never　to
come。　　Bradford　pined　away　an　Belle　Isle；　and　grew　weaker；　but　no　less
reserved；　each　day。　　At　length；　one　bitter　cold　night　ended　it　all。
He　was　found　in　the　morning　stone　dead；　with　his　iron…gray　hair　frozen
fast　to　the　ground；　upon　which　he　lay。　　Our　mystery　had　to　remain
unsolved。　　There　was　nothing　about　his　person　to　give　any　hint　as　to　his
past。




CHAPTER　XIV。

HOPING　FOR　EXCHANGEAN　EXPOSITION　OF　THE　DOCTRINE　OF　CHANCES
OFF　FOR　ANDERSONVILLEUNCERTAINTY　AS　TO　OUR　DESTINATIONARRIVAL　AT
ANDERSONVILLE。

As　each　lagging　day　closed；　we　confidently　expected　that　the　next　would
bring　some　news　of　the　eagerly…desired　exchange。　　We　hopefully　assured
each　other　that　the　thing　could　not　be　delayed　much　longer；　that　the
Spring　was　near；　the　campaign　would　soon　open；　and　each　government　would
make　an　effort　to　get　all　its　men　into　the　field；　and　this　would　bring
about　a　transfer　of　prisoners。　　A　Sergeant　of　the　Seventh　Indiana
Infantry　stated　his　theory　to　me　this　way：

〃You　know　I'm　just　old　lightnin'　on　chuck…a…luck。　　Now　the　way　I　bet　is
this：　I　lay　down；　say　on　the　ace；　an'　it　don't　come　up；　I　just　double　my
bet　on　the　ace；　an'　keep　on　doublin'　every　time　it　loses；　until　at　last
it　comes　up　an'　then　I　win　a　bushel　o'　money；　and　mebbe　bust　the　bank。
You　see　the　thing's　got　to　come　up　some　time；　an'　every　time　it　don't
come　up　makes　it　more　likely　to　come　up　the　next　time。　　It's　just　the
same　way　with　this　'ere　exchange。　　The　thing's　got　to　happen　some　day；
an'　every　day　that　it　don't　happen　increases　the　chances　that　it　will
happen　the　next　day。〃

Some　months　later　I　folded　the　sanguine　Sergeant's　stiffening　hands
together　across　his　fleshless　ribs；　and　helped　carry　his　body　out　to　the
dead…house　at　Andersonville；　in　order　to　get　a　piece　of　wood　to　cook　my
ration　of　meal　with。

On　the　evening　of　the　17th　of　February；　1864；　we　were　ordered　to　get
ready　to　move　at　daybreak　the　next　morning。　　We　were　certain　this　could
mean　nothing　else　than　exchange；　and　our　exaltation　was　such　that　we　did
little　sleeping　that　night。　　The　morning　was　very　cold；　but　we　sang　and
joked　as　we　marched　over　the　creaking　bridge；　on　our　way　to　the　cars。
We　were　packed　so　tightly　in　these　that　it　was　impossible　to　even　sit
down；　and　we　rolled　slow　ly　away　after　a　wheezing　engine　to　Petersburg；
whence　we　expected　to　march　to　the　exchange　post。　　We　reached　Petersburg
before　noon；　and　the　cars　halted　there　along　time；　we　momentarily
expecting　an　order　to　get　out。　　Then　the　train　started　up　and　moved　out
of　the　City　toward　the　southeast。　　This　was　inexplicable；　but　after　we
had　proceeded　this　way　for　several　hours　some　one　conceived　the　idea　that
the　Rebels；　to　avoid　treating　with　Butler；　were　taking　us　into　the
Department　of　some　other　commander　to　exchange　us。　　This　explanation
satisfied　us；　and　our　spirits　rose　again。

Night　found　us　at　Gaston；　N。　C。；　where　we　received　a　few　crackers　for
rations；　and　changed　cars。　　It　was　dark；　and　we　resorted　to　a　little
strategy　to　secure　more　room。　　About　thirty　of　us　got　into　a　tight　box
car；　and　immediately　announced　that　it　was　too　full　to　admit　any　more。
When　an　officer　came　along　with　another　squad　to　stow　away；　we　would　yell
out　to　him　to　take　some　of　the　men　out；　as　we　were　crowded　unbearably。
In　the　mean　time　everybody　in　the　car　would　pack　closely　around　the　door；
so　as　to　give　the　impression　that　the　car　was　densely　crowded。　　The　Rebel
would　look　convinced；　and　demand：

〃Why；　how　many　men　have　you　got　in　de　cah？〃

Then　one　of　us　would　order　the　imaginary　host　in　the　invisible　recesses
to

〃Stand　still　there；　and　be　counted；〃　while　he　would　gravely　count　up　to
one　hundred　or　one　hundred　and　twenty；　which　was　the　utmost　limit　of　the
car；　and　the　Rebel　would　hurry　off　to　put　his　prisoners　somewhere　else。
We　managed　to　play　this　successfully　during　the　whole　journey；　and　not
only　obtained　room　to　lie　down　in　the　car；　but　also　drew　three　or　four
times　as　many　rations　as　were　intended　for　us；　so　that　while　we　at　no
time　had　enough；　we　were　farther　from　starvation　than　our　less　strategic
companions。

The　second　afternoon　we　arrived　at　Raleigh；　the　capitol　of　North
Carolina；　and　were　camped　in　a　piece　of　timber；　and　shortly　after　dark
orders　were　issued　to　us　all　to　lie　flat　on　the　ground　and　not　rise　up
till　daylight。　　About　the　middle　of　the　night　a　man　belonging　to　a　New
Jersey　regiment；　who　had　apparently　forgotten　the　order；　stood　up；　and
was　immediately　shot　dead　by　the　guard。

For　four　or　five　days　more　the　decrepit　little　locomotive　strained　along；
dragging　after　it　the　rattling'　old　cars。　　The　scenery　was　intensely
monotonous。　　It　was　a　flat；　almost　unending；　stretch　of　pine　barrens　and
the　land　so　poor　that　a　disgusted　Illinoisan；　used　to　the　fertility　of
the　great　American　Bottom；　said　rather　strongly；　that；

〃By　George；　they'd　have　to　manure　this　ground　before　they　could　even　make
brick　out　of　it。〃

It　was　a　surprise　to　all　of　us　who　had　heard　so　much　of　the　wealth　of
Virginia；　North　Carolina；　South　Carolina　and　Georgia；　to　find　the　soil　a
sterile　sand　bank；　interspersed　with　swamps。

We　had　still　no　idea　of　where　we　were　going。　　We　only　knew　that　our
general　course　was　southward；　and　that　we　had　passed　through　the
Carolinas；　and　were　in　Georgia。　　We　furbished　up　our　school　knowledge　of
geography　and　endeavored　to　recall　something　of　the　location　of　Raleigh；
Charlotte；　Columbia　and　Augusta；　through　which　we　passed；　but　the　attempt
was　not　a　success。

Late　on　the　afternoon　of　the　25th　of　February　the　Seventh　Indiana
Sergeant　approached　me　with　the　inquiry：

〃Do　you　know　where　Macon　is？〃

The　place　had　not　then　become　as　well　known　as　it　was　afterward。

It　seemed　to　me　that　I　had　read　something　of　Macon　in　Revolutionary
history；　and　that　it　was　a　fort　on　the　sea　coast。　　He　said　that　the　guard
had　told　him　that　we　were　to　be　taken　to　a　point　near　that　place；　and　we
agreed　that　it　was　probably　a　new　place　of　exchange。　　A　little　later　we
passed　through　the　town　of　Macon；　Ga；　and　turned　upon　a　road　that　led
almost　due　south。

About　midnight　the　train　stopped；　and　we　were　ordered　off。　　We　were　in
the　midst　of　a　forest　of　tall　trees　that　loaded　the　air　with　the　heavy
balsamic　odor　peculiar　to　pine　trees。　　A　few　small　rude　houses　were
scattered　around　near。

Stretching　out　into　the　darkness　was　a　double　row　of　great　heaps　of
burning　pitch　pine；　that　smoked　and　flamed　fiercely；　and　lit　up　a　little
space　around　in　the　somber　forest　with　a　ruddy　glare。　　Between　these　two
rows　lay　a　road；　which　we　were　ordered　to　take。

The　scene　was　weird　and　uncanny。　　I　had　recently　read　the　〃Iliad；〃　and
the　long　lines　of　huge　fires　reminded　me　of　that　scene　in　the　first　book；
where　the　Greeks　burn　on　the　sea　shore　the　bodies　of　those　smitten　by
Apollo's　pestilential…arrows

　　　　　　　　　　For　nine　long　nights；　through　all　the　dusky　air；
　　　　　　　　　　The　pyres；　thick　flaming　shot　a　dismal　glare。

Five　hundred　weary　men　moved　along　slowly　through　double　lines　of　guards。
Five　hundred　men　marched　silently　towards　the　gates　that　were　to　shut　out
life　and　hope　from　most　of　them　forever。　　A　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the
railroad　we　came　to　a　massive　palisade　of　great　squared　logs　standing
upright　in　the　ground。　　The　fires　blazed　up　and　showed　us　a　section　of
these；　and　two　massive　wooden　gates；　with　heavy　iron　hinges　and　bolts。
They　swung　open　as　we　stood　there　and　we　passed　through　into　the　space
beyond。

We　were　in　Andersonville。




CHAPTER　XV。

GEORGIAA　LEAN　AND　HUNGRY　LANDDIFFERENCE　BETWEEN　UPPER　AND　LOWER
GEORGIATHE　PILLAGE　OF　ANDERSONVILLE。

As　the　next　nine　months　of　the　existence　of　those　of　us　who　survived　were
spent　in　intimate　connection　with　the　soil　of　Georgia；　and；　as　it
exercised　a　potential　influence　upon　our　comfort　and　well…being；　or
rather　lack　of　thesea　mention　of　some　of　its　peculiar　characteristics
may　help　the　reader　to　a　fuller　comprehension　of　the　conditions
surrounding　usour　environment；　as　Darwin　would　say。

Georgia；　which；　next　to　Texas；　is　the　largest　State　in　the　South；　and　has
nearly　twenty…five　per　cent。　more　area　than　the　great　State　of　New　York；
is　divided　into　two　distinct　and　widely　differing　sections；　by　a
geological　line　extending　directly　across　the　State　from　Augusta；　on　the
Savannah　River；　through　Macon；　on　the　Ocmulgee；　to　Columbus；　on　the
Chattahoochie。　　That　part　lying　to　the　north　and　west　of　this　l