andersonville-第39部分

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single　jerk。　　The　planks　fell　with　a　clatter。　　Five　of　the　bodies　swung
around　dizzily　in　the　air。　　The　sixth　that　of　〃Mosby；〃　a　large；　powerful；
raw…boned　man；　one　of　the　worst　in　the　lot；　and　who；　among　other　crimes；
had　killed　Limber　Jim's　brother…broke　the　rope；　and　fell　with　a　thud　to
the　ground。　　Some　of　the　men　ran　forward；　examined　the　body；　and　decided
that　he　still　lived。　　The　rope　was　cut　off　his　neck；　the　meal　sack
removed；　and　water　thrown　in　his　face　until　consciousness　returned。
At　the　first　instant　he　thought　he　was　in　eternity。　　He　gasped　out：

〃Where　am　I？　　Am　I　in　the　other　world？〃

Limber　Jim　muttered　that　they　would　soon　show　him　where　he　was；　and　went
on　grimly　fixing　up　the　scaffold　anew。　　〃Mosby〃　soon　realized　what　had
happened；　and　the　unrelenting　purpose　of　the　Regulator　Chiefs。　　Then　he
began　to　beg　piteously　for　his　life；　saying：

〃O　for　God's　sake；　do　not　put　me　up　there　again！　　God　has　spared　my　life
once。　　He　meant　that　you　should　be　merciful　to　me。〃

Limber　Jim　deigned　him　no　reply。　　When　the　scaffold　was　rearranged；　and　a
stout　rope　had　replaced　the　broken　one；　he　pulled　the　meal　sack　once　more
over　〃Mosby's〃　head；　who　never　ceased　his　pleadings。　　Then　picking　up　the
large　man　as　if　he　were　a　baby；　he　carried　him　to　the　scaffold　and　handed
him　up　to　Tom　Larkin；　who　fitted　the　noose　around　his　neck　and　sprang
down。　　The　supports　had　not　been　set　with　the　same　delicacy　as　at　first；
and　Limber　Jim　had　to　set　his　heel　and　wrench　desperately　at　them　before
he　could　force　them　out。　　Then　〃Mosby〃　passed　away　without　a　struggle。

After　hanging　till　life　was　extinct；　the　bodies　were　cut　down；　the　meal…
sacks　pulled　off　their　faces；　and　the　Regulators　formal　two　parallel
lines；　through　which　all　the　prisoners　passed　and　took　a　look　at　the
bodies。　　Pete　Donnelly　and　Dick　Allen　knelt　down　and　wiped　the　froth　off
Delaney's　lips；　and　swore　vengeance　against　those　who　had　done　him　to
death。




CHAPTER　XXXVIII。

AFTER　THE　EXECUTIONFORMATION　OF　A　POLICE　FORCEITS　FIRST　CHIEF
〃SPANKING〃　AN　OFFENDER。

After　the　executions　Key；　knowing　that　he；　and　all　those　prominently
connected　with　the　hanging；　would　be　in　hourly　danger　of　assassination　if
they　remained　inside；　secured　details　as　nurses　and　ward…masters　in　the
hospital；　and　went　outside。　　In　this　crowd　were　Key；　Ned　Carrigan；　Limber
Jim；　Dick　McCullough；　the　six　hangmen；　the　two　Corporals　who　pulled　the
props　from　under　the　scaffold；　and　perhaps　some　others　whom　I　do　not　now
remember。

In　the　meanwhile　provision　had　been　made　for　the　future　maintenance　of
order　in　the　prison　by　the　organization　of　a　regular　police　force；　which
in　time　came　to　number　twelve　hundred　men。　　These　were　divided　into
companies；　under　appropriate　officers。　　Guards　were　detailed　for　certain
locations；　patrols　passed　through　the　camp　in　all　directions　continually；
and　signals　with　whistles　could　summon　sufficient　assistance　to　suppress
any　disturbance；　or　carry　out　any　orders　from　the　chief。

The　chieftainship　was　first　held　by　Key；　but　when　he　went　outside　he
appointed　Sergeant　A。　R。　Hill；　of　the　One　Hundredth　O。　V。　I。　now　a
resident　of　Wauseon；　Ohio；his　successor。　　Hill　was　one　of　the
notabilities　of　that　immense　throng。　　A　great；　broad…shouldered；　giant；
in　the　prime　of　his　manhoodthe　beginning　of　his　thirtieth　yearhe　was
as　good…natured　as　big；　and　as　mild…mannered　as　brave。　　He　spoke　slowly；
softly；　and　with　a　slightly　rustic　twang；　that　was　very　tempting　to　a
certain　class　of　sharps　to　take　him　up　for　a　〃luberly　greeny。〃　　The　man
who　did　so　usually　repented　his　error　in　sack…cloth　and　ashes。

Hill　first　came　into　prominence　as　the　victor　in　the　most　stubbornly
contested　fight　in　the　prison　history　of　Belle　Isle。　　When　the　squad　of
the　One　Hundredth　Ohiocaptured　at　Limestone　Station；　East　Tennessee；　in
September；1863arrived　on　Belle　Isle；　a　certain　Jack　Oliver；　of　the
Nineteenth　Indiana；　was　the　undisputed　fistic　monarch　of　the　Island。
He　did　not　bear　his　blushing　honors　modestly；　few　of　a　right　arm　that
indefinite　locality　known　as　〃　the　middle　of　next　week；〃　is　something
that　the　possessor　can　as　little　resist　showing　as　can　a　girl　her　first
solitaire　ring。　　To　know　that　one　can　certainly　strike　a　disagreeable
fellow　out　of　time　is　pretty　sure　to　breed　a　desire　to　do　that　thing
whenever　occasion　serves。　　Jack　Oliver　was　one　who　did　not　let　his　biceps
rust　in　inaction；　but　thrashed　everybody　on　the　Island　whom　he　thought
needed　it；　and　his　ideas　as　to　those　who　should　be　included　in　this　class
widened　daily；　until　it　began　to　appear　that　he　would　soon　feel　it　his
duty　to　let　no　unwhipped　man　escape；　but　pound　everybody　on　the　Island。

One　day　his　evil　genius　led　him　to　abuse　a　rather　elderly　man　belonging
to　Hill's　mess。　　As　he　fired　off　his　tirade　of　contumely；　Hill　said　with
more　than　his　usual　〃soft〃　rusticity：

〃MisterIdon'tthinkitjustrightforayoungmantocall
anoldonesuchbad　names。〃

Jack　Oliver　turned　on　him　savagely。

〃Well！　　may　be　you　want　to　take　it　up？〃

The　grin　on　Hill's　face　looked　still　more　verdant；　as　he　answered　with
gentle　deliberation：

〃WellmisterIdon'tgoaroundahuntingthingsbutI
ginerallytakecareofallthat'ssentme！〃

Jack　foamed；　but　his　fiercest　bluster　could　not　drive　that　infantile
smile　from　Hill's　face；　nor　provoke　a　change　in　the　calm　slowness　of　his
speech。

It　was　evident　that　nothing　would　do　but　a　battle…royal；　and　Jack　had
sense　enough　to　see　that　the　imperturbable　rustic　was　likely　to　give　him
a　job　of　some　difficulty。　　He　went　off　and　came　back　with　his　clan；　while
Hill's　comrades　of　the　One　Hundredth　gathered　around　to　insure　him　fair
play。　　Jack　pulled　off　his　coat　and　vest；　rolled　up　his　sleeves；　and　made
other　elaborate　preparations　for　the　affray。　　Hill；　without　removing　a
garment；　said；　as　he　surveyed　him　with　a　mocking　smile：

〃Misteryouseemtobeoneofthempartick…e…lerfellers。〃

Jack　roared　out；

〃By　…；　I'll　make　you　partickeler　before　I　get　through　with　you。　　Now；
how　shall　we　settle　this？　　Regular　stand…up…and　knock…down；　or　rough　and
tumble？〃

If　anything　Hill's　face　was　more　vacantly　serene；　and　his　tones　blander
than　ever；　as　he　answered：

〃Strikeanygaitthatsuitsyou；Mister；I　guessIwillbe
abletokeepupwithyou。〃

They　closed。　　Hill　feinted　with　his　left；　and　as　Jack　uncovered　to　guard；
he　caught　him　fairly　on　the　lower　left　ribs；　by　a　blow　from　his　mighty
right　fist；　that　soundedas　one　of　the　by…standers　expressed　it〃like
striking　a　hollow　log　with　a　maul。〃

The　color　in　Jack's　face　paled。　　He　did　not　seem　to　understand　how　he　had
laid　himself　open　to　such　a　pass；　and　made　the　same　mistake；　receiving
again　a　sounding　blow　in　the　short　ribs。　　This　taught　him　nothing；
either；　for　again　he　opened　his　guard　in　response　to　a　feint；　and　again
caught　a　blow　on　his　luckless　left；　ribs；　that　drove　the　blood　from　his
face　and　the　breath　from　his　body。　　He　reeled　back　among　his　supporters
for　an　instant　to　breathe。　　Recovering　his　wind；　be　dashed　at　Hill
feinted　strongly　with　his　right；　but　delivered　a　terrible　kick　against
the　lower　part　of　the　latter's　abdomen。　　Both　closed　and　fought　savagely
at　half…arm's　length　for　an　instant；　during　which　Hill　struck　Jack　so
fairly　in　the　mouth　as　to　break　out　three　front　teeth；　which　the　latter
swallowed。　　Then　they　clenched　and　struggled　to　throw　each　other。　　Hill's
superior　strength　and　skill　crushed　his　opponent　to　the　ground；　and　he
fell　upon　him。　　As　they　grappled　there；　one　of　Jack's　followers　sought　to
aid　his　leader　by　catching　Hill　by　the　hair；　intending　to　kick　him　in　the
face。　　In　an　instant　he　was　knocked　down　by　a　stalwart　member　of　the　One
Hundredth；　and　then　literally　lifted　out　of　the　ring　by　kicks。

Jack　was　soon　so　badly　beaten　as　to　be　unable　to　cry　〃enough！　　〃One　of
his　friends　did　that　service　for　him；　the　fight　ceased；　and　thenceforth
Mr。　　Oliver　resigned　his　pugilistic　crown；　and　retired　to　the　shades　of
private　life。　　He　died　of　scurvy　and　diarrhea；　some　months　afterward；　in
Andersonville。

The　almost　hourly　scenes　of　violence　and　crime　that　marked　the　days　and
nights　before　the　Regulators　began　operations　were　now　succeeded　by　the
greatest　order。　　The　prison　was　freer　from　crime　than　the　best　governed
City。　　There　were　frequent　squabbles　and　fights；　of　course；　and　many
petty　larcenies。　　Rations　of　bread　and　of　wood；　articles　of　clothing；
and　the　wretched　little　cans　and　half　canteens　that　formed　our　cooking
utensils；　were　still　stolen；　but　all　these　were　in　a　sneak…thief　way。
There　was　an　entire　absence　of　the　audacious　open…day　robbery　and　murder
the　〃raiding〃　of　the　previous　few　weeks。　　The　summary　punishment
inflicted　on　the　condemned　was　sufficient　to　cow　even　bolder　men　than　the
Raiders；　and　they　were　frightened　into　at　least　quiescence。

Sergeant　Hill's　administration　was　vigorous；　and　secured　the　best
results。　　He　became　a　judge　of　all　infractions　of　morals　and　law；　and　sat
at　the　door　of　his　tent　to　dispense　justice　to　all　comers；　like　the　Cadi
of　a　Mahometan　Village。　　His　judicial　methods　and　punishments　also
reminded　one　strongly　of　the　primitive　judicature　of　Oriental　lands。
The　wronged　one　came　before　him　and　told　his　tale：　he　had　his　blouse；　or
his　quart　cup；　or　his　shoes；　or　his　watch；　or　his　money　stolen　during　the
night。　　The　suspected　one　was　also　summoned；　confronted　with　his　accuser；
and　sharply　interrogated。　　Hill　would　revolve　the　stories　in　his　mind；
decide　the　innocence　or　guilt　of　the　accused；　and　if　he　thought　the
accusation　sustained；　order　the　culprit　to　punishment。　　He　did　not
imitate　his　Mussulman　prototypes　to　the　extent　of　bowstringing　or
decapitating　the　condemned；　nor　did　he　cut　any　thief's　hands　off；　nor　yet
nail　his　ears　to　a　doorpost；　but　he　introduced　a　modification　of　the
bastinado　that　made　those　who　were　punished　by　it　even　wish　they　were
dead。　　The　instrument　used　was　what　is　called　in　the　South　a　〃shake〃
a　split　shingle；　a　yard　or　more　long；　and　with　one　end　whittled　down　to
form　a　handle。　　The　culprit　was　made　to　bend　down　until　he　could　catch
around　his　ankles　with　his　hands。　　The　part　of　the　body　thus　brought　into
most　prominence　was　denuded　of　clothing　and　〃spanked〃　from　one　t