andersonville-第64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！


been　as　little　trouble　to　have　varied　our　rations　with　green　corn　and
sweet　potatos；　of　which　the　country　was　then　full。

A　few　wagon　loads　of　roasting　ears　and　sweet　potatos　would　have　banished
every　trace　of　scurvy　from　the　camp；　healed　up　the　wasting　dysentery；
and　saved　thousands　of　lives。　　Any　day　that　the　Rebels　had　chosen　they
could　have　gotten　a　thousand　volunteers　who　would　have　given　their　solemn
parole　not　to　escape；　and　gone　any　distance　into　the　country；　to　gather
the　potatos　and　corn；　and　such　other　vegetables　as　were　readily
obtainable；　and　bring；　them　into　the　camp。

Whatever　else　may　be　said　in　defense　of　the　Southern　management　of
military　prisons；　the　permitting　seven　thousand　men　to　die　of　the　scurvy
in　the　Summer　time；　in　the　midst　of　an　agricultural　region；　filled　with
all　manner　of　green　vegetation；　must　forever　remain　impossible　of
explanation。




CHAPTER　LI。

SOLICITUDE　AS　TO　THE　FATE　OF　ATLANTA　AND　SHERMAN'S　ARMYPAUCITY　OF　NEWS
HOW　WE　HEARD　THAT　ATLANTA　HAD　FALLENANNOUNCEMENT　OF　A　GENERAL
EXCHANGEWE　LEAVE　ANDERSONVILLE。

We　again　began　to　be　exceedingly　solicitous　over　the　fate　of　Atlanta　and
Sherman's　Army：　we　had　heard　but　little　directly　from　that　front　for
several　weeks。　　Few　prisoners　had　come　in　since　those　captured　in　the
bloody　engagements　of　the　20th；　22d；　and　28th　of　July。　　In　spite　of　their
confident　tones；　and　our　own　sanguine　hopes；　the　outlook　admitted　of　very
grave　doubts。　　The　battles　of　the　last　week　of　July　had　been　looked　at　it
in　the　best　light　possibleindecisive。　　Our　men　had　held　their　own；
it　is　true；　but　an　invading　army　can　not　afford　to　simply　hold　its　own。
Anything　short　of　an　absolute　success　is　to　it　disguised　defeat。　　Then　we
knew　that　the　cavalry　column　sent　out　under　Stoneman　had　been　so　badly
handled　by　that　inefficient　commander　that　it　had　failed　ridiculously　in
its　object；　being　beaten　in　detail；　and　suffering　the　loss　of　its
commander　and　a　considerable　portion　of　its　numbers。　　This　had　been
followed　by　a　defeat　of　our　infantry　at　Etowah　Creek；　and　then　came　a
long　interval　in　which　we　received　no　news　save　what　the　Rebel　papers
contained；　and　they　pretended　no　doubt　that　Sherman's　failure　was　already
demonstrated。　　Next　came　well…authenticated　news　that　Sherman　had　raised
the　siege　and　fallen　back　to　the　Chattahoochee；　and　we　felt　something　of
the　bitterness　of　despair。　　For　days　thereafter　we　heard　nothing；　though
the　hot；　close　Summer　air　seemed　surcharged　with　the　premonitions　of　a
war　storm　about　to　burst；　even　as　nature　heralds　in　the　same　way　a
concentration　of　the　mighty　force　of　the　elements　for　the　grand　crash　of
the　thunderstorm。　　We　waited　in　tense　expectancy　for　the　decision　of　the
fates　whether　final　victory　or　defeat　should　end　the　long　and　arduous
campaign。

At　night　the　guards　in　the　perches　around　the　Stockade　called　out　every
half　hour；　so　as　to　show　the　officers　that　they　were　awake　and　attending
to　their　duty。　　The　formula　for　this　ran　thus：

〃Post　numbah　1；　half…past　eight　o'clock；　and　a…1…1　's　w…e…l…l！〃

Post　No。　2　repeated　this　cry；　and　so　it　went　around。

One　evening　when　our　anxiety　as　to　Atlanta　was　wrought　to　the　highest
pitch；　one　of　the　guards　sang　out：

〃Post　numbah　foahhalf　past　eight　o'clockand　Atlanta'sgonet…o
hell〃

The　heart　of　every　man　within　hearing　leaped　to　his　mouth。　　We　looked
toward　each　other；　almost　speechless　with　glad　surprise；　and　then　gasped
out：

〃Did　'you　hear　THAT？〃

The　next　instant　such　a　ringing　cheer　burst　out　as　wells　spontaneously
from　the　throats　and　hearts　of　men；　in　the　first　ecstatic　moments　of
victorya　cheer　to　which　our　saddened　hearts　and　enfeebled　lungs　had
long　been　strangers。　　It　was　the　genuine；　honest；　manly　Northern　cheer；
as　different　from　the　shrill　Rebel　yell　as　the　honest　mastiff's　deep…
voiced　welcome　is　from　the　howl　of　the　prowling　wolf。

The　shout　was　taken　up　all　over　the　prison。　　Even　those　who　had　not　heard
the　guard　understood　that　it　meant　that　〃Atlanta　was　ours　and　fairly
won；〃　and　they　took　up　the　acclamation　with　as　much　enthusiasm　as　we　had
begun　it。　　All　thoughts　of　sleep　were　put　to　flight：　we　would　have　a
season　of　rejoicing。　　Little　knots　gathered　together；　debated　the　news；
and　indulged　in　the　most　sanguine　hopes　as　to　the　effect　upon　the　Rebels。
In　some　parts　of　the　Stockade　stump　speeches　were　made。　　I　believe　that
Boston　Corbett　and　his　party　organized　a　prayer　and　praise　meeting。
In　our　corner　we　stirred　up　our　tuneful　friend　〃Nosey；〃　who　sang　again
the　grand　old　patriotic　hymns　that　set　our　thin　blood　to　bounding；
and　made　us　remember　that　we　were　still　Union　soldiers；　with　higher　hopes
than　that　of　starving　and　dying　in　Andersonville。　　He　sang　the　ever…
glorious　Star　Spangled　Banner；　as　he　used　to　sing　it　around　the　camp　fire
in　happier　days；　when　we　were　in　the　field。　　He　sang　the　rousing　〃Rally
Round　the　Flag；〃　with　its　wealth　of　patriotic　fire　and　martial　vigor；
and　we；　with　throats　hoarse　from　shouting；　joined　in　the　chorus　until　the
welkin　rang　again。

The　Rebels　became　excited；　lest　our　exaltation　of　spirits　would　lead　to
an　assault　upon　the　Stockade。　　They　got　under　arms；　and　remained　so　until
the　enthusiasm　became　less　demonstrative。

A　few　days　lateron　the　evening　of　the　6th　of　Septemberthe　Rebel
Sergeants　who　called　the　roll　entered　the　Stockade；　and　each　assembling
his　squads；　addressed　them　as　follows：

〃PRISONERS：　I　am　instructed　by　General　Winder　to　inform　you　that　a
general　exchange　has　been　agreed　upon。　　Twenty　thousand　men　will　be
exchanged　immediately　at　Savannah；　where　your　vessels　are　now　waiting　for
you。　　Detachments　from　One　to　Ten　will　prepare　to　leave　early　to…morrow
morning。〃

The　excitement　that　this　news　produced　was　simply　indescribable。　　I　have
seen　men　in　every　possible　exigency　that　can　confront　men；　and　a　large
proportion　viewed　that　which　impended　over　them　with　at　least　outward
composure。　　The　boys　around　me　had　endured　all　that　we　suffered　with
stoical　firmness。　　Groans　from　pain…racked　bodies　could　not　be　repressed；
and　bitter　curses　and　maledictions　against　the　Rebels　leaped　unbidden　to
the　lips　at　the　slightest　occasion；　but　there　was　no　murmuring　or
whining。　　There　was　not　a　dayhardly　an　hourin　which　one　did　not　see
such　exhibitions　of　manly　fortitude　as　made　him　proud　of　belonging　to　a
race　of　which　every　individual　was　a　hero。

But　the　emotion　which　pain　and　suffering　and　danger　could　not　develop；
joy　could；　and　boys　sang；　and　shouted　and　cried；　and　danced　as　if　in　a
delirium。　　〃God's　country；〃　fairer　than　the　sweet　promised　land　of　Canaan
appeared　to　the　rapt　vision　of　the　Hebrew　poet　prophet；　spread　out　in
glad　vista　before　the　mind's　eye　of　every　one。　　It　had　comeat　last　it
had　come　that　which　we　had　so　longed　for；　wished　for；　prayed　for；　dreamed
of；　schemed；　planned；　toiled　for；　and　for　which　went　up　the　last　earnest；
dying　wish　of　the　thousands　of　our　comrades　who　would　now　know　no
exchange　save　into　that　eternal　God's　country〃　where

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Sickness　and　sorrow；　pain　and　death
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Are　felt　and　feared　no　more。

Our　〃preparations；〃　for　leaving　were　few　and　simple。　　When　the　morning
came；　and　shortly　after　the　order　to　move；　Andrews　and　I　picked　our　well…
worn　blanket；　our　tattered　overcoat；　our　rude　chessmen；　and　no　less　rude
board；　our　little　black　can；　and　the　spoon　made　of　hoop…iron；　and　bade
farewell　to　the　hole…in…the…ground　that　had　been　our　home　for　nearly
seven　long　months。

My　feet　were　still　in　miserable　condition　from　the　lacerations　received
in　the　attempt　to　escape；　but　I　took　one　of　our　tent　poles　as　a　staff　and
hobbled　away。　　We　re…passed　the　gates　which　we　had　entered　on　that
February　night；　ages　since；　it　seemed；　and　crawled　slowly　over　to　the
depot。

I　had　come　to　regard　the　Rebels　around　us　as　such　measureless　liars　that
my　first　impulse　was　to　believe　the　reverse　of　anything　they　said　to　us；
and　even　now；　while　I　hoped　for　the　best；　my　old　habit　of　mind　was　so
strongly　upon　me　that　I　had　some　doubts　of　our　going　to　be　exchanged；
simply　because　it　was　a　Rebel　who　had　said　so。　　But　in　the　crowd　of
Rebels　who　stood　close　to　the　road　upon　which　we　were　walking　was　a　young
Second　Lieutenant；　who　said　to　a　Colonel　as　I　passed：

〃Weil；　those　fellows　can　sing　'Homeward　Bound；'　can't　they？〃

This　set　my　last　misgiving　at　rest。　　Now　I　was　certain　that　we　were　going
to　be　exchanged；　and　my　spirits　soared　to　the　skies。

Entering　the　cars　we　thumped　and　pounded　toilsomely　along；　after　the
manner　of　Southern　railroads；　at　the　rate　of　six　or　eight　miles　an　hour。
Savannah　was　two　hundred　and　forty　miles　away；　and　to　our　impatient　minds
it　seemed　as　if　we　would　never　get　there。　　The　route　lay　the　whole
distance　through　the　cheerless　pine　barrens　which　cover　the　greater　part
of　Georgia。　　The　only　considerable　town　on　the　way　was　Macon；　which　had
then　a　population　of　five　thousand　or　thereabouts。　　For　scores　of　miles
there　would　not　be　a　sign　of　a　human　habitation；　and　in　the　one　hundred
and　eighty　miles　between　Macon　and　Savannah　there　were　only　three
insignificant　villages。　　There　was　a　station　every　ten　miles；　at　which
the　only　building　was　an　open　shed；　to　shelter　from　sun　and　rain　a　casual
passenger；　or　a　bit　of　goods。

The　occasional　specimens　of　the　poor　white　〃cracker〃　population　that　we
saw；　seemed　indigenous　products　of　the　starved　soil。　　They　suited　their
poverty…stricken　surroundings　as　well　as　the　gnarled　and　scrubby
vegetation　suited　the　sterile　sand。　　Thin…chested；　round…shouldered；
scraggy…bearded；　dull…eyed　and　open…mouthed；　they　all　looked　alikeall
looked　as　ignorant；　as　stupid；　and　as　lazy　as　they　were　poor　and　weak。
They　were　〃low…downers〃　in　every　respect；　and　made　our　rough　and　simple。
minded　East　Tennesseans　look　like　models　of　elegant　and　cultured
gentlemen　in　contrast。

We　looked　on　the　poverty…stricken　land　with　good…natured　contempt；　for　we
thought　we　were　leaving　it　forever；　and　would　soon　be　in　one　which；
compared　to　it；　was　as　the　fatness　at　Egypt　to　the　leanness　of　the　desert
of　Sinai。

The　second　day　after　leaving　Andersonville　our　train　struggled　across　the
swamps　into　Savannah；　and　rolled　slowly　dow