andersonville-第67部分

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working　in　the　Confederate　machine　shops　at　Griswoldville；　near　Macon；
that　he　himself　was　also　one　of　the　machinists　employed　there；　and
desired　to　go　thither　but　lacked　the　necessary　means　to　pay　his　passage。
If　the　engineer　would　let　him　ride　up　on　the　engine　he　would　do　work
enough　to　pay　the　fare。　　Frank　told　the　story　ingeniously；　the　engineer
and　firemen　were　won　over；　and　gave　their　consent。

No　more　zealous　assistant　ever　climbed　upon　a　tender　than　Frank　proved　to
be。　　He　loaded　wood　with　a　nervous　industry；　that　stood　him　in　place　of
great　strength。　　He　kept　the　tender　in　perfect　order；　and　anticipated；
as　far　as　possible；　every　want　of　the　engineer　and　his　assistant。　　They
were　delighted　with　him；　and　treated　him　with　the　greatest　kindness；
dividing　their　food　with　him；　and　insisting　that　he　should　share　their
bed　when　they　〃laid　by〃　for　the　night。　　Frank　would　have　gladly　declined
this　latter　kindness　with　thanks；　as　he　was　conscious　that　the　quantity
of　〃graybacks〃　his　clothing　contained　did　not　make　him　a　very　desirable
sleeping　companion　for　any　one；　but　his　friends　were　so　pressing　that　he
was　compelled　to　accede。

His　greatest　trouble　was　a　fear　of　recognition　by　some　one　of　the
prisoners　that　were　continually　passing　by　the　train　load；　on　their　way
from　Andersonville　to　other　prisons。　　He　was　one　of　the　best　known　of　the
prisoners　in　Andersonville；　bright；　active；　always　cheerful；　and　forever
in　motion　during　waking　hours；　every　one　in　the　Prison　speedily　became
familiar　with　him；　and　all　addressed　him　as　〃Sergeant　Frankie。〃　　If　any
one　on　the　passing　trains　had　caught　a　glimpse　of　him；　that　glimpse　would
have　been　followed　almost　inevitably　with　a　shout　of：

〃Hello；　Sergeant　Frankie！　　What　are　you　doing　there？〃

Then　the　whole　game　would　have　been　up。　　Frank　escaped　this　by　persistent
watchfulness；　and　by　busying　himself　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　engine；
with　his　back　turned　to　the　other　trains。

At　last　when　nearing　Griswoldville；　Frank；　pointing　to　a　large　white
house　at　some　distance　across　the　fields；　said：

〃Now；　right　over　there　is　where　my　uncle　lives；　and　I　believe　I'll　just
run　over　and　see　him；　and　then　walk　into　Griswoldville。〃

He　thanked　his　friends　fervently　for　their　kindness；　promised　to　call　and
see　them　frequently；　bade　them　good　by；　and　jumped　off　the　train。

He　walked　towards　the　white　house　as　long　as　he　thought　he　could　be　seen；
and　then　entered　a　large　corn　field　and　concealed　himself　in　a　thicket　in
the　center　of　it　until　dark；　when　he　made　his　way　to　the　neighboring
woods；　and　began　journeying　northward　as　fast　as　his　legs　could　carry
him。　　When　morning　broke　he　had　made　good　progress；　but　was　terribly
tired。　　It　was　not　prudent　to　travel　by　daylight；　so　he　gathered　himself
some　ears　of　corn　and　some　berries；　of　which　he　made　his　breakfast；　and
finding　a　suitable　thicket　he　crawled　into　it；　fell　asleep；　and　did　not
wake　up　until　late　in　the　afternoon。

After　another　meal　of　raw　corn　and　berries　he　resumed　his　journey；　and
that　night　made　still　better　progress。

He　repeated　this　for　several　days　and　nightslying　in　the　woods　in　the
day　time；　traveling　by　night　through　woods；　fields；　and　by…paths　avoiding
all　the　fords；　bridges　and　main　roads；　and　living　on　what　he　could　glean
from　the　fields；　that　he　might　not　take　even　so　much　risk　as　was　involved
in　going　to　the　negro　cabins　for　food。

But　there　are　always　flaws　in　every　man's　armor　of　cautioneven　in　so
perfect　a　one　as　Frank's。　　His　complete　success　so　far　had　the　natural
effect　of　inducing　a　growing　carelessness；　which　wrought　his　ruin。
One　evening　he　started　off　briskly；　after　a　refreshing　rest　and　sleep。
He　knew　that　he　must　be　very　near　Sherman's　lines；　and　hope　cheered　him
up　with　the　belief　that　his　freedom　would　soon　be　won。

Descending　from　the　hill；　in　whose　dense　brushwood　he　had　made　his　bed
all　day；　he　entered　a　large　field　full　of　standing　corn；　and　made　his　way
between　the　rows　until　he　reached；　on　the　other　side；　the　fence　that
separated　it　from　the　main　road；　across　which　was　another　corn…field；
that　Frank　intended　entering。

But　he　neglected　his　usual　precautions　on　approaching　a　road；　and　instead
of　coming　up　cautiously　and　carefully　reconnoitering　in　all　directions
before　he　left　cover；　he　sprang　boldly　over　the　fence　and　strode　out　for
the　other　side。　　As　he　reached　the　middle　of　the　road；　his　ears　were
assailed　with　the　sharp　click　of　a　musket　being　cocked；　and　the　harsh
command：

〃Halt！　halt；　dah；　I　say！〃

Turning　with　a　start　to　his　left　he　saw　not　ten　feet　from　him；　a　mounted
patrol；　the　sound　of　whose　approach　had　been　masked　by　the　deep　dust　of
the　road；　into　which　his　horse's　hoofs　sank　noiselessly。

Frank；　of　course；　yielded　without　a　word；　and　when　sent　to　the　officer　in
command　he　told　the　old　story　about　his　being　an　employee　of　the
Griswoldville　shops；　off　on　a　leave　of　absence　to　make　a　visit　to　sick
relatives。　　But；　unfortunately；　his　captors　belonged　to　that　section
themselves；　and　speedily　caught　him　in　a　maze　of　cross…questioning　from
which　he　could　not　extricate　himself。　　It　also　became　apparent　from　his
language　that　he　was　a　Yankee；　and　it　was　not　far　from　this　to　the
conclusion　that　he　was　a　spya　conclusion　to　which　the　proximity　of
Sherman's　lines；　then　less　than　twenty　miles　distant…greatly　assisted。

By　the　next　morning　this　belief　had　become　so　firmly　fixed　in　the　minds
of　the　Rebels　that　Frank　saw　a　halter　dangling　alarmingly　near；　and　he
concluded　the　wisest　plan　was　to　confess　who　he　really　was。

It　was　not　the　smallest　of　his　griefs　to　realize　by　how　slight　a　chance
he　had　failed。　　Had　he　looked　down　the　road　before　he　climbed　the　fence；
or　had　he　been　ten　minutes　earlier　or　later；　the　patrol　would　not　have
been　there；　he　could　have　gained　the　next　field　unperceived；　and　two　more
nights　of　successful　progress　would　have　taken　him　into　Sherman's　lines
at　Sand　Mountain。　　The　patrol　which　caught　him　was　on　the　look…out　for
deserters　and　shirking　conscripts；　who　had　become　unusually　numerous
since　the　fall　of　Atlanta。

He　was　sent　back　to　us　at　Savannah。　　As　he　came　into　the　prison　gate
Lieutenant　Davis　was　standing　near。　　He　looked　sternly　at　Frank　and　his
Rebel　garments；　and　muttering；

〃By　God；　I'll　stop　this！〃　caught　the　coat　by　the　tails；　tore　it　to　the
collar；　and　took　it　and　his　hat　away　from　Frank。

There　was　a　strange　sequel　to　this　episode。　　A　few　weeks　afterward　a
special　exchange　for　ten　thousand　was　made；　and　Frank　succeeded　in　being
included　in　this。　　He　was　given　the　usual　furlough　from　the　paroled　camp
at　Annapolis；　and　went　to　his　home　in　a　little　town　near　Mansfield；　O。

One　day　while　on　the　cars　goingI　think　to　Newark；　O。；　he　saw　Lieutenant
Davis　on　the　train；　in　citizens'　clothes。　　He　had　been　sent　by　the　Rebel
Government　to　Canada　with　dispatches　relating　to　some　of　the　raids　then
harassing　our　Northern　borders。　　Davis　was　the　last　man　in　the　world　to
successfully　disguise　himself。　　He　had　a　large；　coarse　mouth；　that　made
him　remembered　by　all　who　had　ever　seen　him。　　Frank　recognized　him
instantly　and　said：

〃You　are　Lieutenant　Davis？〃

Davis　replied：

〃You　are　totally　mistaken；　sah；　I　am　…〃

Frank　insisted　that　he　was　right。　　Davis　fumed　and　blustered；　but　though
Frank　was　small；　he　was　as　game　as　a　bantam　rooster；　and　he　gave　Davis　to
understand　that　there　had　been　a　vast　change　in　their　relative　positions；
that　the　one；　while　still　the　same　insolent　swaggerer；　had　not　regiments
of　infantry　or　batteries　of　artillery　to　emphasize　his　insolence；　and　the
other　was　no　longer　embarrassed　in　the　discussion　by　the　immense　odds　in
favor　of　his　jailor　opponent。

After　a　stormy　scene　Frank　called　in　the　assistance　of　some　other
soldiers　in　the　car；　arrested　Davis；　and　took　him　to　Camp　Chasenear
Columbus；　O。；where　he　was　fully　identified　by　a　number　of　paroled
prisoners。　　He　was　searched；　and　documents　showing　the　nature　of　his
mission　beyond　a　doubt；　were　found　upon　his　person。

A　court　martial　was　immediately　convened　for　his　trial。

This　found　him　guilty；　and　sentenced　him　to　be　hanged　as　a　spy。

At　the　conclusion　of　the　trial　Frank　stepped　up　to　the　prisoner　and　said：

〃Mr。　Davis；　I　believe　we're　even　on　that　coat；　now。〃

Davis　was　sent　to　Johnson's　Island　for　execution；　but　influences　were
immediately　set　at　work　to　secure　Executive　clemency。　　What　they　were
I　know　not；　but　I　am　informed　by　the　Rev。　Robert　McCune；　who　was　then
Chaplain　of　the　One　Hundred　and　Twenty…Eighth　Ohio　Infantry　and　the　Post
of　Johnson's　Island　and　who　was　the　spiritual　adviser　appointed　to
prepare　Davis　for　execution；　that　the　sentence　was　hardly　pronounced
before　Davis　was　visited　by　an　emissary；　who　told　him　to　dismiss　his
fears；　that　he　should　not　suffer　the　punishment。

It　is　likely　that　leading　Baltimore　Unionists　were　enlisted　in　his　behalf
through　family　connections；　and　as　the　Border　State　Unionists　were　then
potent　at　Washington；　they　readily　secured　a　commutation　of　his　sentence
to　imprisonment　during　the　war。

It　seems　that　the　justice　of　this　world　is　very　unevenly　dispensed　when
so　much　solicitude　is　shown　for　the　life　of　such　a　man；　and　none　at　all
for　the　much　better　men　whom　he　assisted　to　destroy。

The　official　notice　of　the　commutation　of　the　sentence　was　not　published
until　the　day　set　for　the　execution；　but　the　certain　knowledge　that　it
would　be　forthcoming　enabled　Davis　to　display　a　great　deal　of　bravado　on
approaching　what　was　supposed　to　be　his　end。　　As　the　reader　can　readily
imagine；　from　what　I　have　heretofore　said　of　him；　Davis　was　the　man　to
improve　to　the　utmost　every　opportunity　to　strut　his　little　hour；　and　he
did　it　in　this　instance。　　He　posed；　attitudinized　and　vapored；　so　that
the　camp　and　the　country　were　filled　with　stories　of　the　wonderful
coolness　with　which　he　contemplated　his　approaching　fate。

Among　other　things　he　said　to　his　guard；　as　he　washed　himself　elaborately
the　night　before　the　day　announced　for　the　execution：

〃Well；　you　can　be　sure　of　one　thing；　to…morrow　night　there　will　certainly
be　one　clean　corpse　on　this　Island。〃

Unfortunately　for　his　braggadocio；　he　let　it　leak　out