andersonville-第40部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


around　his　ankles　with　his　hands。　　The　part　of　the　body　thus　brought　into
most　prominence　was　denuded　of　clothing　and　〃spanked〃　from　one　to　twenty
times；　as　Hill　ordered；　by　the　〃shake〃　in　same　strong　and　willing　hand。
It　was　very　amusingto　the　bystanders。　　The　〃spankee〃　never　seemed　to
enter　very　heartily　into　the　mirth　of　the　occasion。　　As　a　rule　he　slept
on　his　face　for　a　week　or　so　after；　and　took　his　meals　standing。

The　fear　of　the　spanking；　and　Hill's　skill　in　detecting　the　guilty　ones；
had　a　very　salutary　effect　upon　the　smaller　criminals。

The　Raiders　who　had　been　put　into　irons　were　very　restive　under　the
infliction；　and　begged　Hill　daily　to　release　them。　　They　professed　the
greatest　penitence；　and　promised　the　most　exemplary　behavior　for　the
future。　　Hill　refused　to　release　them；　declaring　that　they　should　wear
the　irons　until　delivered　up　to　our　Government。

One　of　the　Raidersnamed　Heffronhad；　shortly　after　his　arrest；　turned
State's　evidence；　and　given　testimony　that　assisted　materially　in　the
conviction　of　his　companions。　　One　morning；　a　week　or　so　after　the
hanging；　his　body　was　found　lying　among　the　other　dead　at　the　South　Gate。
The　impression　made　by　the　fingers　of　the　hand　that　had　strangled　him；
were　still　plainly　visible　about　the　throat。　　There　was　no　doubt　as　to
why　he　had　been　killed；　or　that　the　Raiders　were　his　murderers；　but　the
actual　perpetrators　were　never　discovered。




CHAPTER　XXXIX。

JULYTHE　PRISON　BECOMES　MORE　CROWDED；　THE　WEATHER　HOTTER；　NATIONS
POORER；　AND　MORTALITY　GREATERSOME　OF　THE　PHENOMENA　OF　SUFFERING　AND
DEATH。

All　during　July　the　prisoners　came　streaming　in　by　hundreds　and　thousands
from　every　portion　of　the　long　line　of　battle；　stretching　from　the
Eastern　bank　of　the　Mississippi　to　the　shores　of　the　Atlantic。　　Over　one
thousand　squandered　by　Sturgis　at　Guntown　came　in；　two　thousand　of　those
captured　in　the　desperate　blow　dealt　by　Hood　against　the　Army　of　the
Tennessee　on　the　22d　of　the　month　before　Atlanta；　hundreds　from　Hunter's
luckless　column　in　the　Shenandoah　Valley；　thousands　from　Grant's　lines　in
front　of　Petersburg。　　In　all；　seven　thousand　one　hundred　and　twenty…eight
were；　during　the　month；　turned　into　that　seething　mass　of　corrupting
humanity　to　be　polluted　and　tainted　by　it；　and　to　assist　in　turn　to　make
it　fouler　and　deadlier。　　Over　seventy　hecatombs　of　chosen　victims
of　fair　youths　in　the　first　flush　of　hopeful　manhood；　at　the　threshold　of
a　life　of　honor　to　themselves　and　of　usefulness　to　the　community；
beardless　boys；　rich　in　the　priceless　affections　of　homes；　fathers；
mothers；　sisters　and　sweethearts；　with　minds　thrilling　with　high
aspirations　for　the　bright　future；　were　sent　in　as　the　monthly　sacrifice
to　this　Minotaur　of　the　Rebellion；　who；　couched　in　his　foul　lair；　slew
them；　not　with　the　merciful　delivery　of　speedy　death；　as　his　Cretan
prototype　did　the　annual　tribute　of　Athenian　youths　and　maidens；　but；
gloating　over　his　prey；　doomed　them　to　lingering　destruction。　　He　rotted
their　flesh　with　the　scurvy；　racked　their　minds　with　intolerable
suspense；　burned　their　bodies　with　the　slow　fire　of　famine；　and　delighted
in　each　separate　pang；　until　they　sank　beneath　the　fearful　accumulation。
Theseus　＇Sherman。　　D。W。＇the　delivererwas　coming。　　His　terrible　sword
could　be　seen　gleaming　as　it　rose　and　fell　on　the　banks　of　the　James；　and
in　the　mountains　beyond　Atlanta；　where　he　was　hewing　his　way　towards　them
and　the　heart　of　the　Southern　Confederacy。　　But　he　came　too　late　to　save
them。　　Strike　as　swiftly　and　as　heavily　as　he　would；　he　could　not　strike
so　hard　nor　so　sure　at　his　foes　with　saber　blow　and　musket　shot；　as　they
could　at　the　hapless　youths　with　the　dreadful　armament　of　starvation　and
disease。

Though　the　deaths　were　one　thousand　eight　hundred　and　seventeen　more　than
were　killed　at　the　battle　of　Shilohthis　left　the　number　in　the　prison
at　the　end　of　the　month　thirty…one　thousand　six　hundred　and　seventy…
eight。　　Let　me　assist　the　reader's　comprehension　of　the　magnitude　of　this
number　by　giving　the　population　of　a　few　important　Cities；　according　to
the　census　of　1870：

Cambridge；　Mass　　　　　89；639
Charleston；　S。　　C。　　48；958
Columbus；　O。　　　　　　　　31；274
Dayton；　O。　　　　　　　　　　30；473
Fall　River；　Mass　　　　26；766
Kansas　City；　Mo　　　　　32；260

The　number　of　prisoners　exceeded　the　whole　number　of　men　between　the　ages
of　eighteen　and　forty…five　in　several　of　the　States　and　Territories　in
the　Union。　　Here；　for　instance；　are　the　returns　for　1870；　of　men　of
military　age　in　some　portions　of　the　country：

Arizona　　　　　　　　　　　　　　5；157
Colorado　　　　　　　　　　　　15；166
Dakota　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　5；301
Idaho　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　9；431
Montana　　　　　　　　　　　　　12；418
Nebraska　　　　　　　　　　　　35；677
Nevada　　　　　　　　　　　　　　24；762
New　Hampshire　　　　　　　60；684
Oregon　　　　　　　　　　　　　　23；959
Rhode　Island　　　　　　　　44；377
Vermont　　　　　　　　　　　　　62；450
West　Virginia　　　　　　　　6；832

It　was　more　soldiers　than　could　be　raised　to…day；　under　strong　pressure；
in　either　Alabama；　Arizona；　Arkansas；　California；　Colorado；　Connecticut；
Dakota；　Delaware；　District　of　Columbia；　Florida；　Idaho；　Louisiana；　Maine；
Minnesota；　Montana；　Nebraska；　Nevada；　New　Hampshire；　New　Medico；　Oregon；
Rhode　Island；　South　Carolina；　Utah；　Vermont　or　West　Virginia。

These　thirty…one　thousand　six　hundred　and　seventy…eight　active　young　men；
who　were　likely　to　find　the　confines　of　a　State　too　narrow　for　them；　were
cooped　up　on　thirteen　acres　of　groundless　than　a　farmer　gives　for　play…
ground　for　a　half　dozen　colts　or　a　small　flock　of　sheep。　　There　was
hardly　room　for　all　to　lie　down　at　night；　and　to　walk　a　few　hundred　feet
in　any　direction　would　require　an　hour's　patient　threading　of　the　mass　of
men　and　tents。

The　weather　became　hotter　and　hotter；　at　midday　the　sand　would　burn　the
hand。　　The　thin　skins　of　fair　and　auburn…haired　men　blistered　under　the
sun's　rays；　and　swelled　up　in　great　watery　puffs；　which　soon　became　the
breeding　grounds　of　the　hideous　maggots；　or　the　still　more　deadly
gangrene。　　The　loathsome　swamp　grew　in　rank　offensiveness　with　every
burning　hour。　　The　pestilence　literally　stalked　at　noon…day；　and　struck
his　victims　down　on　every　hand。　　One　could　not　look　a　rod　in　any
direction　without　seeing　at　least　a　dozen　men　in　the　last　frightful
stages　of　rotting　Death。

Let　me　describe　the　scene　immediately　around　my　own　tent　during　the　last
two　weeks　of　July；　as　a　sample　of　the　condition　of　the　whole　prison：
I　will　take　a　space　not　larger　than　a　good　sized　parlor　or　sitting　room。
On　this　were　at　least　fifty　of　us。　　Directly　in　front　of　me　lay　two
brothersnamed　Sherwoodbelonging　to　Company　I；　of　my　battalion；　who
came　originally　from　Missouri。　　They　were　now　in　the　last　stages　of
scurvy　and　diarrhea。　　Every　particle　of　muscle　and　fat　about　their　limbs
and　bodies　had　apparently　wasted　away；　leaving　the　skin　clinging　close　to
the　bone　of　the　face；　arms；　hands；　ribs　and　thighseverywhere　except　the
feet　and　legs；　where　it　was　swollen　tense　and　transparent；　distended　with
gallons　of　purulent　matter。　　Their　livid　gums；　from　which　most　of　their
teeth　had　already　fallen；　protruded　far　beyond　their　lips。　　To　their　left
lay　a　Sergeant　and　two　others　of　their　company；　all　three　slowly　dying
from　diarrhea；　and　beyond　was　a　fair…haired　German；　young　and　intelligent
looking；　whose　life　was　ebbing　tediously　away。　　To　my　right　was　a
handsome　young　Sergeant　of　an　Illinois　Infantry　Regiment；　captured　at
Kenesaw。　　His　left　arm　had　been　amputated　between　the　shoulder　and　elbow；
and　he　was　turned　into　the　Stockade　with　the　stump　all　undressed；　save
the　ligating　of　the　arteries。　　Of　course；　he　had　not　been　inside　an　hour
until　the　maggot　flies　had　laid　eggs　in　the　open　wound；　and　before　the
day　was　gone　the　worms　were　hatched　out；　and　rioting　amid　the　inflamed
and　super…sensitive　nerves；　where　their　every　motion　was　agony。
Accustomed　as　we　were　to　misery；　we　found　a　still　lower　depth　in　his
misfortune；　and　I　would　be　happier　could　I　forget　his　pale；　drawn　face；
as　he　wandered　uncomplainingly　to　and　fro；　holding　his　maimed　limb　with
his　right　hand；　occasionally　stopping　to　squeeze　it；　as　one　does　a　boil；
and　press　from　it　a　stream　of　maggots　and　pus。　　I　do　not　think　he　ate　or
slept　for　a　week　before　he　died。　　Next　to　him　staid　an　Irish　Sergeant　of
a　New　York　Regiment；　a　fine　soldierly　man；　who；　with　pardonable　pride；
wore；　conspicuously　on　his　left　breast；　a　medal　gained　by　gallantry　while
a　British　soldier　in　the　Crimea。　　He　was　wasting　away　with　diarrhea；　and
died　before　the　month　was　out。

This　was　what　one　could　see　on　every　square　rod　of　the　prison。　　Where　I
was　was　not　only　no　worse　than　the　rest　of　the　prison；　but　was　probably
much　better　and　healthier；　as　it　was　the　highest　ground　inside；　farthest
from　the　Swamp；　and　having　the　dead　line　on　two　sides；　had　a　ventilation
that　those　nearer　the　center　could　not　possibly　have。　　Yet；　with　all
these　conditions　in　our　favor；　the　mortality　was　as　I　have　described。

Near　us　an　exasperating　idiot；　who　played　the　flute；　had　established
himself。　　Like　all　poor　players；　he　affected　the　low；　mournful　notes；
as　plaintive　as　the　distant　cooing　of　the　dove　in　lowering；　weather。
He　played　or　rather　tooted　away　in　his　〃blues〃inducing　strain　hour　after
hour；　despite　our　energetic　protests；　and　occasionally　flinging　a　club　at
him。　　There　was　no　more　stop　to　him　than　to　a　man　with　a　hand…organ；　and
to　this　day　the　low；　sad　notes　of　a　flute　are　the　swiftest　reminder　to　me
of　those　sorrowful；　death…laden　days。

I　had　an　illustration　one　morning　of　how　far　decomposition　would　progress
in　a　man's　body　before　he　died。　　My　chum　and　I　found　a　treasure…trove　in
the　streets；　in　the　shape　of　the　body　of　a　man　who　died　during　the　night。
The　value　of　this　〃find〃　was　that　if　we　took　it　to　the　gate；　we　would　be
allowed　to　carry　it　outside　to　the　deadhouse；　and　on　our　way　back　have　an
opportunity　to　pick　up　a　chunk　of　wood；　to　use　in　cooking。　　While
discussing　our　good　luck　another　party　came　up　and　claimed　the　body。
A　verbal　dispute　led　to　one　of　blows；　in　which　we　came　off　victorious；
and　I　hastily　caught　hold　of　the　arm　near　the　elbow　to　help　bear　the　body
away。　　The　skin　gave　way　under　my　hand；　and　slipped　wit