andersonville-第70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！


fast　approaching；　we　hold　it　to　be　our　duty　as　soldiers　and　citizens　of
the　United　States；　to　inform　our　Government　that　the　majority　of　our
prisoners　ate　without　proper　clothing；　in　some　cases　being　almost　naked；
and　are　without　blankets　to　protect　us　from　the　scorching　sun　by　day　or
the　heavy　dews　by　night；　and　we　would　most　respectfully　request　the
Government　to　make　some　arrangement　whereby　we　can　be　supplied　with
these；　to　us；　necessary　articles。

〃Resolved；　That；　whereas；　the　term　of　service　of　many　of　our　comrades
having　expired；　they；　having　served　truly　and　faithfully　for　the　term　of
their　several　enlistments；　would　most　respectfully　ask　their　Government；
are　they　to　be　forgotten？　　Are　past　services　to　be　ignored？　　Not　having
seen　their　wives　and　little　ones　for　over　three　years；　they　would　most
respectfully；　but　firmly；　request　the　Government　to　make　some
arrangements　whereby　they　can　be　exchanged　or　paroled。

〃Resolved；　That；　whereas；　in　the　fortune　of　war；　it　was　our　lot　to　become
prisoners；　we　have　suffered　patiently；　and　are　still　willing　to　suffer；
if　by　so　doing　we　can　benefit　the　country；　but　we　must　most　respectfully
beg　to　say；　that　we　are　not　willing　to　suffer　to　further　the　ends　of　any
party　or　clique　to　the　detriment　of　our　honor；　our　families；　and　our
country；　and　we　beg　that　this　affair　be　explained　to　us；　that　we　may
continue　to　hold　the　Government　in　that　respect　which　is　necessary　to
make　a　good　citizen　and　soldier。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃P。　BRADLEY；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Chairman　of　Committee　in　behalf　of　Prisoners。〃


In　regard　to　the　above　I　will　simply　say　this；　that　while　I　cannot
pretend　to　know　or　even　much　that　went　on　around　me；　I　do　not　think　it
was　possible　for　a　mass　meeting　of　prisoners　to　have　been　held　without
my　knowing　it；　and　its　essential　features。　　Still　less　was　it　possible
for　a　mass　meeting　to　have　been　held　which　would　have　adopted　any　such
a　document　as　the　above；　or　anything　else　that　a　Rebel　would　have　found
the　least　pleasure　in　republishing。　　The　whole　thing　is　a　brazen
falsehood。




CHAPTER　LV。

WHY　WE　WERE　HURRIED　OUT　OF　ANDERSONVILLETHE　OF　THE　FALL　OF　ATLANTA
OUR　LONGING　TO　HEAR　THE　NEWSARRIVAL　OF　SOME　FRESH　FISHHOW　WE　KNEW
THEY　WERE　WESTERN　BOYSDIFFERENCE　IN　THE　APPEARANCE　OF　THE　SOLDIERS　OF
THE　TWO　ARMIES。

The　reason　of　our　being　hurried　out　of　Andersonville　under　the　false
pretext　of　exchange　dawned　on　us　before　we　had　been　in　Savannah　long。
If　the　reader　will　consult　the　map　of　Georgia　he　will　understand　this；
too。　　Let　him　remember　that　several　of　the　railroads　which　now　appear
were　not　built　then。　　The　road　upon　which　Andersonville　is　situated　was
about　one　hundred　and　twenty　miles　long；　reaching　from　Macon　to　Americus；
Andersonville　being　about　midway　between　these　two。　　It　had　no
connections　anywhere　except　at　Macon；　and　it　was　hundreds　of　miles　across
the　country　from　Andersonville　to　any　other　road。　　When　Atlanta　fell　it
brought　our　folks　to　within　sixty　miles　of　Macon；　and　any　day　they　were
liable　to　make　a　forward　movement；　which　would　capture　that　place；　and
have　us　where　we　could　be　retaken　with　ease。

There　was　nothing　left　undone　to　rouse　the　apprehensions　of　the　Rebels　in
that　direction。　　The　humiliating　surrender　of　General　Stoneman　at　Macon
in　July；　showed　them　what　our；　folks　were　thinking　of；　and　awakened　their
minds　to　the　disastrous　consequences　of　such　a　movement　when　executed　by
a　bolder　and　abler　commander。　　Two　days　of　one　of　Kilpatrick's　swift；
silent　marches　would　carry　his　hard…riding　troopers　around　Hood's　right
flank；　and　into　the　streets　of　Macon；　where　a　half　hour's　work　with　the
torch　on　the　bridges　across　the　Ocmulgee　and　the　creeks　that　enter　it　at
that　point；　would　have　cut　all　of　the　Confederate　Army　of　the　Tennessee's
communications。　　Another　day　and　night　of　easy　marching　would　bring　his
guidons　fluttering　through　the　woods　about　the　Stockade　at　Andersonville；
and　give　him　a　reinforcement　of　twelve　or　fifteen　thousand　able…bodied
soldiers；　with　whom　he　could　have　held　the　whole　Valley　of　the
Chattahoochie；　and　become　the　nether　millstone；　against　which　Sherman
could　have　ground　Hood's　army　to　powder。

Such　a　thing　was　not　only　possible；　but　very　probable；　and　doubtless
would　have　occurred　had　we　remained　in　Andersonville　another　week。

Hence　the　haste　to　get　us　away；　and　hence　the　lie　about　exchange；　for；
had　it　not　been　for　this；　one…quarter　at　least　of　those　taken　on　the　cars
would　have　succeeded　in　getting　off　and　attempted　to　have　reached
Sherman's　lines。

The　removal　went　on　with　such　rapidity　that　by　the　end　of　September　only
eight　thousand　two　hundred　and　eighteen　remained　at　Andersonville；　and
these　were　mostly　too　sick　to　be　moved；　two　thousand　seven　hundred　died
in　September；　fifteen　hundred　and　sixty　in　October；　and　four　hundred　and
eighty…five　in　November；　so　that　at　the　beginning　of　December　there　were
only　thirteen　hundred　and　fifty…nine　remaining。　　The　larger　part　of　those
taken　out　were　sent　on　to　Charleston；　and　subsequently　to　Florence　and
Salisbury。　　About　six　or　seven　thousand　of　us；　as　near　as　I　remember；
were　brought　to　Savannah。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。

We　were　all　exceedingly　anxious　to　know　how　the　Atlanta　campaign　had
ended。　　So　far　our　information　only　comprised　the　facts　that　a　sharp
battle　had　been　fought；　and　the　result　was　the　complete　possession　of　our
great　objective　point。　　The　manner　of　accomplishing　this　glorious　end；
the　magnitude　of　the　engagement；　the　regiments；　brigades　and　corps
participating；　the　loss　on　both　sides；　the　completeness　of　the　victories；
etc。；　were　all　matters　that　we　knew　nothing　of；　and　thirsted　to　learn。

The　Rebel　papers　said　as　little　as　possible　about　the　capture；　and　the
facts　in　that　little　were　so　largely　diluted　with　fiction　as　to　convey　no
real　information。　　But　few　new；　prisoners　were　coming　in；　and　none　of
these　were　from　Sherman。　　However；　toward　the　last　of　September；　a
handful　of　〃fresh　fish〃　were　turned　inside；　whom　our　experienced　eyes
instantly　told　us　were　Western　boys。

There　was　never　any　difficulty　in　telling；　as　far　as　he　could　be　seen；
whether　a　boy　belonged　to　the　East　or　the　west。　　First；　no　one　from　the
Army　of　the　Potomac　was　ever　without　his　corps　badge　worn　conspicuously；
it　was　rare　to　see　such　a　thing　on　one　of　Sherman's　men。　　Then　there　was
a　dressy　air　about　the　Army　of　the　Potomac　that　was　wholly　wanting　in　the
soldiers　serving　west　of　the　Alleghanies。

The　Army；　of　the　Potomac　was　always　near　to　its　base　of　supplies；　always
had　its　stores　accessible；　and　the　care　of　the　clothing　and　equipments　of
the　men　was　an　essential　part　of　its　discipline。　　A　ragged　or　shabbily
dressed　man　was　a　rarity。　　Dress　coats；　paper　collars；　fresh　woolen
shirts；　neat…fitting　pantaloons；　good　comfortable　shoes；　and　trim　caps　or
hats；　with　all　the　blazing　brass　of　company　letters　an　inch　long；
regimental　number；　bugle　and　eagle；　according　to　the　Regulations；　were　as
common　to　Eastern　boys　as　they　were　rare　among　the　Westerners。

The　latter　usually　wore　blouses；　instead　of　dress　coats；　and　as　a　rule
their　clothing　had　not　been　renewed　since　the　opening；　of　the　campaign…
and　it　showed　this。　　Those　who　wore　good　boots　or　shoes　generally　had　to
submit　to　forcible　exchanges　by　their；　captors；　and　the　same　was　true　of
head　gear。　　The　Rebels　were　badly　off　in　regard　to　hats。　　They　did　not
have　skill　and　ingenuity　enough　to　make　these　out　of　felt　or　straw；　and
the　make…shifts　they　contrived　of　quilted　calico　and　long…leaved　pine；
were　ugly　enough　to　frighten　horned　cattle。

I　never　blamed　them　much　for　wanting　to　get　rid　of　these；　even　if　they
did　have　to　commit　a　sort　of　highway　robbery　upon　defenseless　prisoners
to　do　so。　　To　be　a　traitor　in　arms　was　bad　certainly；　but　one　never
appreciated　the　entire　magnitude　of　the　crime　until　he　saw　a　Rebel
wearing　a　calico　or　a　pine…leaf　hat。　　Then　one　felt　as　if　it　would　be　a
great　mistake　to　ever　show　such　a　man　mercy。

The　Army　of　Northern　Virginia　seemed　to　have　supplied　themselves　with
head…gear　of　Yankee　manufacture　of　previous　years；　and　they　then　quit
taking　the　hats　of　their　prisoners。　　Johnston's　Army　did　not　have　such
good　luck；　and　had　to　keep　plundering　to　the　end　of　the　war。

Another　thing　about　the　Army　of　the　Potomac　was　the　variety　of　the
uniforms。　　There　were　members　of　Zouave　regiments；　wearing　baggy　breeches
of　various　hues；　gaiters；　crimson　fezes；　and　profusely　braided　jackets。
I　have　before　mentioned　the　queer　garb　of　the　〃Lost　Ducks。〃　　（Les　Enfants
Perdu；　Forty…eighth　New　York。）

One　of　the　most　striking　uniforms　was　that　of　the　〃Fourteenth　Brooklyn。〃
They　wore　scarlet　pantaloons；　a　blue　jacket　handsomely　braided；　and　a　red
fez；　with　a　white　cloth　wrapped　around　the　head；　turban…fashion。
As　a　large　number　of　them　were　captured；　they　formed　quite　a　picturesque
feature　of　every　crowd。　　They　were　generally　good　fellows　and　gallant
soldiers。

Another　uniform　that　attracted　much；　though　not　so　favorable；　attention
was　that　of　the　Third　New　Jersey　Cavalry；　or　First　New　Jersey　Hussars；
as　they　preferred　to　call　themselves。　　The　designer　of　the　uniform　must
have　had　an　interest　in　a　curcuma　plantation；　or　else　he　was　a　fanatical
Orangeman。　　Each　uniform　would　furnish　occasion　enough　for　a　dozen　New
York　riots　on　the　12th　of　July。　　Never　was　such　an　eruption　of　the
yellows　seen　outside　of　the　jaundiced　livery　of　some　Eastern　potentate。
Down　each　leg　of　the　pantaloons　ran　a　stripe　of　yellow　braid　one　and　one…
half　inches　wide。　　The　jacket　had　enormous　gilt　buttons；　and　was
embellished　with　yellow　braid　until　it　was　difficult　to　tell　whether　it
was　blue　cloth　trimmed　with　yellow；　or　yellow　adorned　with　blue。　　From
the　shoulders　swung　a　little；　false　hussar　jacket；　lined　with　the　same
flaring　yellow。　　The　vizor…less　cap　was　similarly　warmed　up　with　the　hue
of　the　perfected　sunflower。　　Their　saffron　magnificence　was　like　the
gorgeous　gold　of　the　lilies　of　the　field；　and　Solomon　in　all　his　glory
could　not　have　beau　arrayed　like　one　of　them。　　I　hope　he　was　not。　　I　want
to　retain　my　respect　for　him。　　We　dubbed　these　daffodil