andersonville-第27部分

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He　immediately　began　digging　for　the　surface；　for　life；　and　was
fortunately　able　to　break　through　before　he　suffocated。　　He　got　his　head
above　the　ground；　and　then　fainted。　　The　guard　outside　saw　him；　pulled
him　out　of　the　hole；　and　when　he　recovered　sensibility　hurried　him　back
into　the　Stockade。

In　another　tunnel；　also　near　us；　a　broad…shouldered　German；　of　the　Second
Minnesota；　went　in　to　take　his　turn　at　digging。　　He　was　so　much　larger
than　any　of　his　predecessors　that　he　stuck　fast　in　a　narrow　part；　and
despite　all　the　efforts　of　himself　and　comrades；　it　was　found　impossible
to　move　him　one　way　or　the　other。　　The　comrades　were　at　last　reduced　to
the　humiliation　of　informing　the　Officer　of　the　Guard　of　their　tunnel　and
the　condition　of　their　friend；　and　of　asking　assistance　to　release　him；
which　was　given。

The　great　tunneling　tool　was　the　indispensable　half…canteen。　　The
inventive　genius　of　our　people；　stimulated　by　the　war；　produced　nothing
for　the　comfort　and　effectiveness　of　the　soldier　equal　in　usefulness　to
this　humble　and　unrecognized　utensil。　　It　will　be　remembered　that　a
canteen　was　composed　of　two　pieces　of　tin　struck　up　into　the　shape　of
saucers；　and　soldered　together　at　the　edges。　　After　a　soldier　had　been　in
the　field　a　little　while；　and　thrown　away　or　lost　the　curious　and
complicated　kitchen　furniture　he　started　out　with；　he　found　that　by
melting　the　halves　of　his　canteen　apart；　he　had　a　vessel　much　handier　in
every　way　than　any　he　had　parted　with。　　It　could　be　used　for　anything
to　make　soup　or　coffee　in；　bake　bread；　brown　coffee；　stew　vegetables；
etc。；　etc。　　A　sufficient　handle　was　made　with　a　split　stick。　　When　the
cooking　was　done；　the　handle　was　thrown　away；　and　the　half　canteen
slipped　out　of　the　road　into　the　haversack。　　There　seemed　to　be　no　end　of
the　uses　to　which　this　ever…ready　disk　of　blackened　sheet　iron　could　be
turned。　　Several　instances　are　on　record　where　infantry　regiments；　with
no　other　tools　than　this；　covered　themselves　on　the　field　with　quite
respectable　rifle　pits。

The　starting　point　of　a　tunnel　was　always　some　tent　close　to　the　Dead
Line；　and　sufficiently　well　closed　to　screen　the　operations　from　the
sight　of　the　guards　near　by。　　The　party　engaged　in　the　work　organized　by
giving　every　man　a　number　to　secure　the　proper　apportionment　of　the
labor。　　Number　One　began　digging　with　his　half　canteen。　　After　he　had
worked　until　tired；　he　came　out；　and　Number　Two　took　his　place；　and　so
on。　　The　tunnel　was　simply　a　round；　rat…like　burrow；　a　little　larger　than
a　man's　body。　　The　digger　lay　on　his　stomach；　dug　ahead　of　him；　threw　the
dirt　under　him；　and　worked　it　back　with　his　feet　till　the　man　behind　him；
also　lying　on　his　stomach；　could　catch　it　and　work　it　back　to　the　next。
As　the　tunnel　lengthened　the　number　of　men　behind　each　other　in　this　way
had　to　be　increased；　so　that　in　a　tunnel　seventy…five　feet　long　there
would　be　from　eight　to　ten　men　lying　one　behind　the　other。　　When　the　dirt
was　pushed　back　to　the　mouth　of　the　tunnel　it　was　taken　up　in　improvised
bags；　made　by　tying　up　the　bottoms　of　pantaloon　legs；　carried　to　the
Swamp；　and　emptied。　　The　work　in　the　tunnel　was　very　exhausting；　and　the
digger　had　to　be　relieved　every　half…hour。

The　greatest　trouble　was　to　carry　the　tunnel　forward　in　a　straight　line。
As　nearly　everybody　dug　most　of　the　time　with　the　right　hand；　there　was
an　almost　irresistible　tendency　to　make　the　course　veer　to　the　left。　　The
first　tunnel　I　was　connected　with　was　a　ludicrous　illustration　of　this。
About　twenty　of　us　had　devoted　our　nights　for　over　a　week　to　the
prolongation　of　a　burrow。　　We　had　not　yet　reached　the　Stockade；　which
astonished　us；　as　measurement　with　a　string　showed　that　we　had　gone
nearly　twice　the　distance　necessary　for　the　purpose。　　The　thing　was
inexplicable；　and　we　ceased　operations　to　consider　the　matter。　　The　next
day　a　man　walking　by　a　tent　some　little　distance　from　the　one　in　which
the　hole　began；　was　badly　startled　by　the　ground　giving　way　under　his
feet；　and　his　sinking　nearly　to　his　waist　in　a　hole。　　It　was　very
singular；　but　after　wondering　over　the　matter　for　some　hours；　there　came
a　glimmer　of　suspicion　that　it　might　be；　in　some　way；　connected　with　the
missing　end　of　our　tunnel。　　One　of　us　started　through　on　an　exploring
expedition；　and　confirmed　the　suspicions　by　coming　out　where　the　man　had
broken　through。　　Our　tunnel　was　shaped　like　a　horse　shoe；　and　the
beginning　and　end　were　not　fifteen　feet　apart。　　After　that　we　practised
digging　with　our　left　hand；　and　made　certain　compensations　for　the
tendency　to　the　sinister　side。

Another　trouble　connected　with　tunneling　was　the　number　of　traitors　and
spies　among　us。　　There　were　manyprincipally　among　the　N'Yaarker　crowd
who　were　always　zealous　to　betray　a　tunnel；　in　order　to　curry　favor　with
the　Rebel　officers。　　Then；　again；　the　Rebels　had　numbers　of　their　own　men
in　the　pen　at　night；　as　spies。　　It　was　hardly　even　necessary　to　dress
these　in　our　uniform；　because　a　great　many　of　our　own　men　came　into　the
prison　in　Rebel　clothes；　having　been　compelled　to　trade　garments　with
their　captors。

One　day　in　May；　quite　an　excitement　was　raised　by　the　detection　of　one　of
these　〃tunnel　traitors〃　in　such　a　way　as　left　no　doubt　of　his　guilt。
At　first　everybody　vas　in　favor　of　killing　him；　and　they　actually　started
to　beat　him　to　death。　　This　was　arrested　by　a　proposition　to　〃have
Captain　Jack　tattoo　him；〃　and　the　suggestion　was　immediately　acted　upon。

〃Captain　Jack〃　was　a　sailor　who　had　been　with　us　in　the　Pemberton
building　at　Richmond。　　He　was　a　very　skilful　tattoo　artist；　but；　I　am
sure；　could　make　the　process　nastier　than　any　other　that　I　ever　saw
attempt　it。　　He　chewed　tobacco　enormously。　　After　pricking　away　for　a　few
minutes　at　the　design　on　the　arm　or　some　portion　of　the　body；　he　would
deluge　it　with　a　flood　of　tobacco　spit；　which；　he　claimed；　acted　as　a
kind　of　mordant。　　Piping　this　off　with　a　filthy　rag；　he　would　study　the
effect　for　an　instant；　and　then　go　ahead　with　another　series　of　prickings
and　tobacco　juice　drenchings。

The　tunnel…traitor　was　taken　to　Captain　Jack。　　That　worthy　decided　to
brand　him　with　a　great　〃T；〃　the　top　part　to　extend　across　his　forehead
and　the　stem　to　run　down　his　nose。　　Captain　Jack　got　his　tattooing　kit
ready；　and　the　fellow　was　thrown　upon　the　ground　and　held　there。　　The
Captain　took　his　head　between　his　legs；　and　began　operations。　　After　an
instant's　work　with　the　needles；　he　opened　his　mouth；　and　filled　the
wretch's　face　and　eyes　full　of　the　disgusting　saliva。　　The　crowd　round
about　yelled　with　delight　at　this　new　process。　　For　an　hour；　that　was
doubtless　an　eternity　to　the　rascal　undergoing　branding；　Captain　Jack
continued　his　alternate　pickings　and　drenchings。　　At　the　end　of　that　time
the　traitor's　face　was　disfigured　with　a　hideous　mark　that　he　would　bear
to　his　grave。　　We　learned　afterwards　that　he　was　not　one　of　our　men；　but
a　Rebel　spy。　　This　added　much　to　our　satisfaction　with　the　manner　of　his
treatment。　　He　disappeared　shortly　after　the　operation　was　finished；
being；　I　suppose；　taken　outside。　　I　hardly　think　Captain　Jack　would　be
pleased　to　meet　him　again。




CHAPTER　XXVII。

THE　HOUNDS；　AND　THE　DIFFICULTIES　THEY　PUT　IN　THE　WAY　OF　ESCAPE
THE　WHOLE　SOUTH　PATROLLED　BY　THEM。

Those　who　succeeded；　one　way　or　another；　in　passing　the　Stockade　limits；
found　still　more　difficulties　lying　between　them　and　freedom　than　would
discourage　ordinarily　resolute　men。　　The　first　was　to　get　away　from　the
immediate　vicinity　of　the　prison。　　All　around　were　Rebel　patrols；　pickets
and　guards；　watching　every　avenue　of　egress。　　Several　packs　of　hounds
formed　efficient　coadjutors　of　these；　and　were　more　dreaded　by　possible
〃escapes；〃　than　any　other　means　at　the　command　of　our　jailors。　　Guards
and　patrols　could　be　evaded；　or　circumvented；　but　the　hounds　could　not。
Nearly　every　man　brought　back　from　a　futile　attempt　at　escape　told　the
same　story：　he　had　been　able　to　escape　the　human　Rebels；　but　not　their
canine　colleagues。　　Three　of　our　detachmentmembers　of　the　Twentieth
Indianahad　an　experience　of　this　kind　that　will　serve　to　illustrate
hundreds　of　others。　　They　had　been　taken　outside　to　do　some　work　upon　the
cook…house　that　was　being　built。　　A　guard　was　sent　with　the　three　a
little　distance　into　the　woods　to　get　a　piece　of　timber。　　The　boys
sauntered；　along　carelessly　with　the　guard；　and　managed　to　get　pretty
near　him。　　As　soon　as　they　were　fairly　out　of　sight　of　the　rest；　the
strongest　of　themTom　Williamssnatched　the　Rebel's　gun　away　from　him；
and　the　other　two　springing　upon　him　as　swift　as　wild　cats；　throttled
him；　so　that　he　could　not　give　the　alarm。　　Still　keeping　a　hand　on　his
throat；　they　led　him　off　some　distance；　and　tied　him　to　a　sapling　with
strings　made　by　tearing　up　one　of　their　blouses。　　He　was　also　securely
gagged；　and　the　boys；　bidding　him　a　hasty；　but　not　specially　tender；
farewell；　struck　out；　as　they　fondly　hoped；　for　freedom。　　It　was　not　long
until　they　were　missed；　and　the　parties　sent　in　search　found　and　released
the　guard；　who　gave　all　the　information　he　possessed　as　to　what　had
become　of　his　charges。　　All　the　packs　of　hounds；　the　squads　of　cavalry；
and　the　foot　patrols　were　sent　out　to　scour　the　adjacent　country。
The　Yankees　kept　in　the　swamps　and　creeks；　and　no　trace　of　them　was　found
that　afternoon　or　evening。　　By　this　time　they　were　ten　or　fifteen　miles
away；　and　thought　that　they　could　safely　leave　the　creeks　for　better
walking　on　the　solid　ground。　　They　had　gone　but　a　few　miles；　when　the
pack　of　hounds　Captain　Wirz　was　with　took　their　trail；　and　came　after
them　in　full　cry。　　The　boys　tried　to　ran；　but；　exhausted　as　they　were；
they　could　make　no　headway。　　Two　of　them　were　soon　caught；　but　Tom
Williams；　who　was　so　desperate　that　he　preferred　death　to　recapture；
jumped　into　a　mill…pond　near　by。　　When　he　came　up；　it　was　in　a　lot　of
saw　logs　and　drift　wood　that　hid　him　from　being　seen　from　the　shore。
The　dogs　stopped　at　the　shore；　and　bayed　after　the　disappearing　prey。
The　Rebels　with　them；　who　had　seen　Tom　spring　in；　came　up　and　made　a
pretty　thorough　search　for　him。　　As　they　did　not　think　to　probe　around
th