andersonville-第60部分

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As　I　came　under　the　fence　he　was　still　leaning　motionless　against　the
tree；　but　to　my　heated　imagination　he　appeared　to　have　turned　and　be
watching　me。　　I　hardly　breathed；　the　filthy　water　rippling　past　me　seemed
to　roar　to　attract　the　guard's　attention；　I　reached　my　hand　out
cautiously　to　grasp　a　root　to　pull　myself　along　by；　and　caught　instead　a
dry　branch；　which　broke　with　a　loud　crack。　　My　heart　absolutely　stood
still。　　The　guard　evidently　heard　the　noise。　　The　black　lump　separated
itself　from　the　tree；　and　a　straight　line　which　I　knew　to　be　his　musket
separated　itself　from　the　lump。　　In　a　brief　instant　I　lived　a　year　of
mortal　apprehension。　　So　certain　was　I　that　he　had　discovered　me；　and　was
leveling　his　piece　to　fire；　that　I　could　scarcely　restrain　myself　from
springing　up　and　dashing　away　to　avoid　the　shot。　　Then　I　heard　him　take　a
step；　and　to　my　unutterable　surprise　and　relief；　he　walked　off　farther
from　the　Creek；　evidently　to　speak　to　the　man　whose　beat　joined　his。

I　pulled　away　more　swiftly；　but　still　with　the　greatest　caution；　until
after　half…an…hour's　painful　effort　I　had　gotten　fully　one　hundred　and
fifty　yards　away　from　the　Hospital　fence；　and　found　Harney　crouched　on　a
cypress　knee；　close　to　the　water's　edge；　watching　for　me。

We　waited　there　a　few　minutes；　until　I　could　rest；　and　calm　my　perturbed
nerves　down　to　something　nearer　their　normal　equilibrium；　and　then
started　on。　　We　hoped　that　if　we　were　as　lucky　in　our　next　step　as　in　the
first　one　we　would　reach　the　Flint　River　by　daylight；　and　have　a　good
long　start　before　the　morning　roll…call　revealed　our　absence。　　We　could
hear　the　hounds　still　baying　in　the　distance；　but　this　sound　was　too
customary　to　give　us　any　uneasiness。

But　our　progress　was　terribly　slow。　　Every　step　hurt　fearfully。　　The
Creek　bed　was　full　of　roots　and　snags；　and　briers；　and　vines　trailed
across　it。　　These　caught　and　tore　our　bare　feet　and　legs；　rendered
abnormally　tender　by　the　scurvy。　　It　seemed　as　if　every　step　was　marked
with　blood。　　The　vines　tripped　us；　and　we　frequently　fell　headlong。　　We
struggled　on　determinedly　for　nearly　an　hour；　and　were　perhaps　a　mile
from　the　Hospital。

The　moon　came　up；　and　its　light　showed　that　the　creek　continued　its
course　through　a　dense　jungle　like　that　we　had　been　traversing；　while　on
the　high　ground　to　our　left　were　the　open　pine　woods　I　have　previously
described。

We　stopped　and　debated　for　a　few　minutes。　　We　recalled　our　promise　to
keep　in　the　Creek；　the　experience　of　other　boys　who　had　tried　to　escape
and　been　caught　by　the　hounds。　　If　we　staid　in　the　Creek　we　were　sure　the
hounds　would　not　find　our　trail；　but　it　was　equally　certain　that　at　this
rate　we　would　be　exhausted　and　starved　before　we　got　out　of　sight　of　the
prison。　　It　seemed　that　we　had　gone　far　enough　to　be　out　of　reach　of　the
packs　patrolling　immediately　around　the　Stockade；　and　there　could　be　but
little　risk　in　trying　a　short　walk　on　the　dry　ground。　　We　concluded　to
take　the　chances；　and；　ascending　the　bank；　we　walked　and　ran　as　fast　as
we　could　for　about　two　miles　further。

All　at　once　it　struck　me　that　with　all　our　progress　the　hounds　sounded　as
near　as　when　we　started。　　I　shivered　at　the　thought；　and　though　nearly
ready　to　drop　with　fatigue；　urged　myself　and　Harney　on。

An　instant　later　their　baying　rang　out　on　the　still　night　air　right
behind　us；　and　with　fearful　distinctness。　　There　was　no　mistake　now；　they
had　found　our　trail；　and　were　running　us　down。　　The　change　from　fearful
apprehension　to　the　crushing　reality　stopped　us　stock…still　in　our
tracks。

At　the　next　breath　the　hounds　came　bursting　through　the　woods　in　plain
sight；　and　in　full　cry。　　We　obeyed　our　first　impulse；　rushed　back　into
the　swamp；　forced　our　way　for　a　few　yards　through　the　flesh…tearing
impediments；　until　we　gained　a　large　cypress；　upon　whose　great　knees　we
climbedthoroughly　exhaustedjust　as　the　yelping　pack　reached　the　edge
of　the　water；　and　stopped　there　and　bayed　at　us。　　It　was　a　physical
impossibility　for　us　to　go　another　step。

In　a　moment　the　low…browed　villain　who　had　charge　of　the　hounds　came
galloping　up　on　his　mule；　tooting　signals　to　his　dogs　as　he　came；　on　the
cow…horn　slung　from　his　shoulders。

He　immediately　discovered　us；　covered　us　with　his　revolver；　and　yelled
out：

〃Come　ashore；　there；　quick：　you　　　s！〃

There　was　no　help　for　it。　　We　climbed　down　off　the　knees　and　started
towards　the　land。　　As　we　neared　it；　the　hounds　became　almost　frantic；
and　it　seemed　as　if　we　would　be　torn　to　pieces　the　moment　they　could
reach　us。　　But　the　master　dismounted　and　drove　them　back。　　He　was　surly…
even　savageto　us；　but　seemed　in　too　much　hurry　to　get　back　to　waste　any
time　annoying　us　with　the　dogs。　　He　ordered　us　to　get　around　in　front　of
the　mule；　and　start　back　to　camp。　　We　moved　as　rapidly　as　our　fatigue　and
our　lacerated　feet　would　allow　us；　and　before　midnight　were　again　in　the
hospital；　fatigued；　filthy；　torn；　bruised　and　wretched　beyond　description
or　conception。

The　next　morning　we　were　turned　back　into　the　Stockade　as　punishment。




CHAPTER　XLVIII。

AUGUSTGOOD　LUCK　IN　NOT　MEETING　CAPTAIN　WIRZTHAT　WORTHY'S　TREATMENT　OF
RECAPTURED　PRISONERSSECRET　SOCIETIES　IN　PRISONSINGULAR　MEETING　AND
ITS　RESULTDISCOVERY　AND　REMOVAL　OF　THE　OFFICERS　AMONG　THE　ENLISTED　MEN。

Harney　and　I　were　specially　fortunate　in　being　turned　back　into　the
Stockade　without　being　brought　before　Captain　Wirz。

We　subsequently　learned　that　we　owed　this　good　luck　to　Wirz's　absence　on
sick　leavehis　place　being　supplied　by　Lieutenant　Davis；　a　moderate
brained　Baltimorean；　and　one　of　that　horde　of　Marylanders　in　the　Rebel
Army；　whose　principal　service　to　the　Confederacy　consisted　in　working
themselves　into　〃bomb…proof〃　places；　and　forcing　those　whom　they
displaced　into　the　field。　　Winder　was　the　illustrious　head　of　this　crowd
of　bomb…proof　Rebels　from　〃Maryland；　My　Maryland！〃　whose　enthusiasm　for
the　Southern　cause　and　consistency　in　serving　it　only　in　such　places　as
were　out　of　range　of　the　Yankee　artillery；　was　the　subject　of　many　bitter
jibes　by　the　Rebelsespecially　by　those　whose　secure　berths　they
possessed　themselves　of。

Lieutenant　Davis　went　into　the　war　with　great　brashness。　　He　was　one　of
the　mob　which　attacked　the　Sixth　Massachusetts　in　its　passage　through
Baltimore；　but；　like　all　of　that　class　of　roughs；　he　got　his　stomach　full
of　war　as　soon　as　the　real　business　of　fighting　began；　and　he　retired　to
where　the　chances　of　attaining　a　ripe　old　age　were　better　than　in　front
of　the　Army　of　the　Potomac's　muskets。　　We　shall　hear　of　Davis　again。

Encountering　Captain　Wirz　was　one　of　the　terrors　of　an　abortive　attempt
to　escape。　　When　recaptured　prisoners　were　brought　before　him　he　would
frequently　give　way　to　paroxysms　of　screaming　rage；　so　violent　as　to
closely　verge　on　insanity。　　Brandishing　the　fearful　and　wonderful
revolverof　which　I　have　spoken　in　such　a　manner　as　to　threaten　the
luckless　captives　with　instant　death；　he　would　shriek　out　imprecations；
curses；　and　foul　epithets　in　French；　German　and　English；　until　he　fairly
frothed　at　the　mouth。　There　were　plenty　of　stories　current　in　camp　of　his
having　several　times　given　away　to　his　rage　so　far　as　to　actually　shoot
men　down　in　these　interviews；　and　still　more　of　his　knocking　boys　down
and　jumping　upon　them；　until　he　inflicted　injuries　that　soon　resulted　in
death。　　How　true　these　rumors　were　I　am　unable　to　say　of　my　own　personal
knowledge；　since　I　never　saw　him　kill　any　one；　nor　have　I　talked　with　any
one　who　did。　　There　were　a　number　of　cases　of　this　kind　testified　to　upon
his　trial；　but　they　all　happened　among　〃paroles〃　outside　the　Stockade；
or　among　the　prisoners　inside　after　we　left；　so　I　knew　nothing　of　them。

One　of　the　Old　Switzer's　favorite　ways　of　ending　these　seances　was　to
inform　the　boys　that　he　would　have　them　shot　in　an　hour　or　so；　and　bid
them　prepare　for　death。　　After　keeping　them　in　fearful　suspense　for　hours
he　would　order　them　to　be　punished　with　the　stocks；　the　ball…and…chain；
the　chain…gang；　orif　his　fierce　mood　had　burned　itself　entirely　out
as　was　quite　likely　with　a　man　of　his　shallop'　brain　and　vacillating
temperto　be　simply　returned　to　the　stockade。

Nothing；　I　am　sure；　since　the　days　of　the　Inquisitionor　still　later；
since　the　terrible　punishments　visited　upon　the　insurgents　of　1848　by　the
Austrian　aristocratshas　been　so　diabolical　as　the　stocks　and　chain…
gangs；　as　used　by　Wirz。　　At　one　time　seven　men；　sitting　in　the　stocks
near　the　Star　Fortin　plain　view　of　the　campbecame　objects　of　interest
to　everybody　inside。　　They　were　never　relieved　from　their　painful
position；　but　were　kept　there　until　all　of　them　died。　　I　think　it　was
nearly　two　weeks　before　the　last　one　succumbed。　　What　they　endured　in
that　time　even　imagination　cannot　conceiveI　do　not　think　that　an　Indian
tribe　ever　devised　keener　torture　for　its　captives。

The　chain…gang　consisted　of　a　number　of　menvarying　from　twelve　to
twenty…five；　all　chained　to　one　sixty…four　pound　ball。　　They　were　also
stationed　near　the　Star　Fort；　standing　out　in　the　hot　sun；　without　a
particle　of　shade　over　them。　　When　one　moved　they　all　had　to　move。
They　were　scourged　with　the　dysentery；　and　the　necessities　of　some　one
of　their　number　kept　them　constantly　in　motion。　　I　can　see　them
distinctly　yet；　tramping　laboriously　and　painfully　back　and　forward　over
that　burning　hillside；　every　moment　of　the　long；　weary　Summer　days。

A　comrade　writes　to　remind　me　of　the　beneficent　work　of　the　Masonic
Order。　　I　mention　it　most　gladly；　as　it　was　the　sole　recognition　on　the
part　of　any　of　our　foes　of　our　claims　to　human　kinship。　　The　churches　of
all　denominationsexcept　the　solitary　Catholic　priest；　Father　Hamilton；
ignored　us　as　wholly　as　if　we　were　dumb　beasts。　　Lay　humanitarians　were
equally　indifferent；　and　the　only　interest　manifested　by　any　Rebel　in　the
welfare　of　any　prisoner　was　by　the　Masonic　brotherhood。　　The　Rebel　Masons
interested　themselves　in　securing　details　outside　the　Stockade　in　the
cookhouse；　the　commissary；　and　elsewhere；　for　the　brethren　among　the
prisoners　who　would　accept　such　favors。　　Such　as　did　not　feel　inclined　to
go　outside　on　parole　re