andersonville-第66部分

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front　on　Fifth　Avenue　compared　to　the　other　fellows。

Our　tent　erected；　we　began　a　general　survey　of　our　new　abiding　place。
The　ground　was　a　sandy　common　in　the　outskirts　of　Savannah。　　The　sand　was
covered　with　a　light　sod。　　The　Rebels；　who　knew　nothing　of　our　burrowing
propensities；　had　neglected　to　make　the　plank　forming　the　walls　of　the
Prison　project　any　distance　below　the　surface　of　the　ground；　and　had　put
up　no　Dead　Line　around　the　inside；　so　that　it　looked　as　if　everything　was
arranged　expressly　to　invite　us　to　tunnel　out。　　We　were　not　the　boys　to
neglect　such　an　invitation。　　By　night　about　three　thousand　had　been
received　from　Andersonville；　and　placed　inside。　　When　morning　came　it
looked　as　if　a　colony　of　gigantic　rats　had　been　at　work。　　There　was　a
tunnel　every　ten　or　fifteen　feet；　and　at　least　twelve　hundred　of　us　had
gone　out　through　them　during　the　night。　　I　never　understood　why　all　in
the　pen　did　not　follow　our　example；　and　leave　the　guards　watching　a
forsaken　Prison。　　There　was　nothing　to　prevent　it。　　An　hour's　industrious
work　with　a　half…canteen　would　take　any　one　outside；　or　if　a　boy　was　too
lazy　to　dig　his　own　tunnel；　he　could　have　the　use　of　one　of　the　hundred
others　that　had　been　dug。

But　escaping　was　only　begun　when　the　Stockade　was　passed。　　The　site　of
Savannah　is　virtually　an　island。　　On　the　north　is　the　Savannah　River；　to
the　east；　southeast　and　south；　are　the　two　Ogeechee　rivers；　and　a　chain
of　sounds　and　lagoons　connecting　with　the　Atlantic　Ocean。　　To　the　west　is
a　canal　connecting　the　Savannah　and　Big　Ogeechee　Rivers。　　We　found
ourselves　headed　off　by　water　whichever　way　we　went。　　All　the　bridges
were　guarded；　and　all　the　boats　destroyed。　　Early　in　the　morning　the
Rebels　discovered　our　absence；　and　the　whole　garrison　of　Savannah　was
sent　out　on　patrol　after　us。　　They　picked　up　the　boys　in　squads　of　from
ten　to　thirty；　lurking　around　the　shores　of　the　streams　waiting　for　night
to　come；　to　get　across；　or　engaged　in　building　rafts　for　transportation。
By　evening　the　whole　mob　of　us　were　back　in　the　pen　again。　　As　nobody　was
punished　for　running　away；　we　treated　the　whole　affair　as　a　lark；　and
those　brought　back　first　stood　around　the　gate　and　yelled　derisively　as
the　others　came　in。

That　night　big　fires　were　built　all　around　the　Stockade；　and　a　line　of
guards　placed　on　the　ground　inside　of　these。　　In　spite　of　this
precaution；　quite　a　number　escaped。　　The　next　day　a　Dead　Line　was　put　up
inside　of　the　Prison；　twenty　feet　from　the　Stockade。　　This　only　increased
the　labor　of　burrowing；　by　making　us　go　farther。　　Instead　of　being　able
to　tunnel　out　in　an　hour；　it　now　took　three　or　four　hours。　　That　night
several　hundred　of　us；　rested　from　our　previous　performance；　and　hopeful
of　better　luck；　brought　our　faithful　half　canteensnow　scoured　very
bright　by　constant　use…into　requisition　again；　and　before　the　morning。
dawned　we　had　gained　the　high　reeds　of　the　swamps；　where　we　lay　concealed
until　night。

In　this　way　we　managed　to　evade　the　recapture　that　came　to　most　of　those
who　went　out；　but　it　was　a　fearful　experience。　　Having　been　raised　in　a
country　where　venomous　snakes　abounded；　I　had　that　fear　and　horror　of
them　that　inhabitants　of　those　districts　feel；　and　of　which　people　living
in　sections　free　from　such　a　scourge　know　little。　　I　fancied　that　the
Southern　swamps　were　filled　with　all　forms　of　loathsome　and　poisonous
reptiles；　and　it　required　all　my　courage　to　venture　into　them　barefooted。
Besides；　the　snags　and　roots　hurt　our　feet　fearfully。　　Our　hope　was　to
find　a　boat　somewhere；　in　which　we　could　float　out　to　sea；　and　trust　to
being　picked　up　by　some　of　the　blockading　fleet。　　But　no　boat　could　we
find；　with　all　our　painful　and　diligent　search。　　We　learned　afterward
that　the　Rebels　made　a　practice　of　breaking　up　all　the　boats　along　the
shore　to　prevent　negros　and　their　own　deserters　from　escaping　to　the
blockading　fleet。　　We　thought　of　making　a　raft　of　logs；　but　had　we　had
the　strength　to　do　this；　we　would　doubtless　have　thought　it　too　risky；
since　we　dreaded　missing　the　vessels；　and　being　carried　out　to　sea　to
perish　of　hunger。　　During　the　night　we　came　to　the　railroad　　bridge
across　the　Ogeechee。　　We　had　some　slender　hope　that；　if　we　could　reach
this　we　might　perhaps　get　across　the　river；　and　find　better　opportunities
for　escape。　　But　these　last　expectations　were　blasted　by　the　discovery
that　it　was　guarded。　　There　was　a　post　and　a　fire　on　the　shore　next　us；
and　a　single　guard　with　a　lantern　was　stationed　on　one　of　the　middle
spans。　　Almost　famished　with　hunger；　and　so　weary　and　footsore　that　we
could　scarcely　move　another　step；　we　went　back　to　a　cleared　place　on　the
high　ground；　and　laid　down　to　sleep；　entirely　reckless　as　to　what　became
of　us。　　Late　in　the　morning　we　were　awakened　by　the　Rebel　patrol　and
taken　back　to　the　prison。　　Lieutenant　Davis；　disgusted　with　the　perpetual
attempts　to　escape；　moved　the　Dead　Line　out　forty　feet　from　the　Stockade；
but　this　restricted　our　room　greatly；　since　the　number　of　prisoners　in
the　pen　had　now　risen　to　about　six　thousand；　and；　besides；　it　offered
little　additional　protection　against　tunneling。

It　was　not　much　more　difficult　to　dig　fifty　feet　than　it　had　been　to　dig
thirty　feet。　　Davis　soon　realized　this；　and　put　the　Dead　Line　back　to
twenty　feet。　　His　next　device　was　a　much　more　sensible　one。　　A　crowd　of
one　hundred　and　fifty　negros　dug　a　trench　twenty　feet　wide　and　five　feet
deep　around　the　whole　prison　on　the　outside；　and　this　ditch　was　filled
with　water　from　the　City　Water　Works。　　No　one　could　cross　this　without
attracting　the　attention　of　the　guards。

Still　we　were　not　discouraged；　and　Andrews　and　I　joined　a　crowd　that　was
constructing　a　large　tunnel　from　near　our　quarters　on　the　east　side　of
the　pen。　　We　finished　the　burrow　to　within　a　few　inches　of　the　edge　of
the　ditch；　and　then　ceased　operations；　to　await　some　stormy　night；　when
we　could　hope　to　get　across　the　ditch　unnoticed。

Orders　were　issued　to　guards　to　fire　without　warning　on　men　who　were
observed　to　be　digging　or　carrying　out　dirt　after　nightfall。　　They
occasionally　did　so；　but　the　risk　did　not　keep　anyone　from　tunneling。
Our　tunnel　ran　directly　under　a　sentry　box。　　When　carrying　dirt　away　the
bearer　of　the　bucket　had　to　turn　his　back　on　the　guard　and　walk　directly
down　the　street　in　front　of　him；　two　hundred　or　three　hundred　feet；　to
the　center　of　the　camp；　where　he　scattered　the　sand　aroundso　as　to　give
no　indication　of　where　it　came　from。　　Though　we　always　waited　till　the
moon　went　down；　it　seemed　as　if；　unless　the　guard　were　a　fool；　both　by
nature　and　training；　he　could　not　help　taking　notice　of　what　was　going　on
under　his　eyes。　　I　do　not　recall　any　more　nervous　promenades　in　my　life；
than　those　when；　taking　my　turn；　I　received　my　bucket　of　sand　at　the
mouth　of　the　tunnel；　and　walked　slowly　away　with　it。　　The　most
disagreeable　part　was　in　turning　my　back　to　the　guard。　　Could　I　have
faced　him；　I　had　sufficient　confidence　in　my　quickness　of　perception；
and　talents　as　a　dodger；　to　imagine　that　I　could　make　it　difficult　for
him　to　hit　me。　　But　in　walling　with　my　back　to　him　I　was　wholly　at　his
mercy。　　Fortune；　however；　favored　us；　and　we　were　allowed　to　go　on　with
our　worknight　after　nightwithout　a　shot。

In　the　meanwhile　another　happy　thought　slowly　gestated　in　Davis's　alleged
intellect。　　How　he　came　to　give　birth　to　two　ideas　with　no　more　than　a
week　between　them；　puzzled　all　who　knew　him；　and　still　more　that　he
survived　this　extraordinary　strain　upon　the　gray　matter　of　the　cerebrum。
His　new　idea　was　to　have　driven　a　heavily…laden　mule　cart　around　the
inside　of　the　Dead　Line　at　least　once　a　day。　　The　wheels　or　the　mule's
feet　broke　through　the　thin　sod　covering　the　tunnels　and　exposed　them。
Our　tunnel　went　with　the　rest；　and　those　of　our　crowd　who　wore　shoes　had
humiliation　added　to　sorrow　by　being　compelled　to　go　in　and　spade　the
hole　full　of　dirt。　　This　put　an　end　to　subterranean　engineering。

One　day　one　of　the　boys　watched　his　opportunity；　got　under　the　ration
wagon；　and　clinging　close　to　the　coupling　pole　with　hands　and　feet；　was
carried　outside。　　He　was　detected；　however；　as　he　came　from　under　the
wagon；　and　brought　back。




CHAPTER　LIII。

FRANK　REVERSTOCK'S　ATTEMPT　AT　ESCAPEPASSING　OFF　AS　REBEL　BOY　HE　REACHES
GRISWOLDVILLE　BY　RAIL；　AND　THEN　STRIKES　ACROSS　THE　COUNTRY　FOR　SHERMAN；
BUT　IS　CAUGHT　WITHIN　TWENTY　MILES　OF　OUR　LINES。

One　of　the　shrewdest　and　nearest　successful　attempts　to　escape　that　came
under　my　notice　was　that　of　my　friend　Sergeant　Frank　Reverstock；　of　the
Third　West　Virginia　Cavalry；　of　whom　I　have　before　spoken。　　Frank；　who
was　quite　small；　with　a　smooth　boyish　face；　had　converted　to　his　own　use
a　citizen's　coat；　belonging　to　a　young　boy；　a　Sutler's　assistant；　who　had
died　in　Andersonville。　　He　had　made　himself　a　pair　of　bag　pantaloons　and
a　shirt　from　pieces　of　meal　sacks　which　he　had　appropriated　from　day　to
day。　　He　had　also　the　Sutler's　assistant's　shoes；　and；　to　crown　all；　he
wore　on　his　head　one　of　those　hideous　looking　hats　of　quilted　calico
which　the　Rebels　had　taken　to　wearing　in　the　lack　of　felt　hats；　which
they　could　neither　make　nor　buy。　　Altogether　Frank　looked　enough　like　a
Rebel　to　be　dangerous　to　trust　near　a　country　store　or　a　stable　full　of
horses。　　When　we　first　arrived　in　the　prison　quite　a　crowd　of　the
Savannahians　rushed　in　to　inspect　us。　　The　guards　had　some　difficulty　in
keeping　them　and　us　separate。　　While　perplexed　with　this　annoyance；　one
of　them　saw　Frank　standing　in　our　crowd；　and；　touching　him　with　his
bayonet；　said；　with　some　sharpness：

〃See　heah；　you　must　stand　back；　you　musn't　crowd　on　them　prisoners　so。〃；

Frank　stood　back。　　He　did　it　promptly　but　calmly；　and　then；　as　if　his
curiosity　as　to　Yankees　was　fully　satisfied；　he　walked　slowly　away　up　the
street；　deliberating　as　he　went　on　a　plan　for　getting　out　of　the　City。
He　hit　upon　an　excellent　one。　　Going　to　the　engineer　of　a　freight　train
making　ready　to　start　back　to　Macon；　he　told　him　that　his　father　was
working　in　the　Confederate　machine　shops　at　Griswoldville；　near　Macon；
that　he　himself　was　also　one　of　the　machinists　employed　there；