andersonville-第75部分

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I　thought　it　very　wrong　at　the　time；　but　possibly　my　views　might　have
been　colored　highly　by　my　not　having　any　money　wherewith　to　procure　my
own　inclusion　in　the　happy　lot　of　the　exchanged。

Of　one　thing　I　am　certain：　that　his　acceptance　of　money　to　bias　his
official　action　was　not　singular　on　his　part。　　I　am　convinced　that　every
commandant　we　had　over　usexcept　Wirzwas　habitually　in　the　receipt　of
bribes　from　prisoners。　　I　never　heard　that　any　one　succeeded　in　bribing
Wirz；　and　this　is　the　sole　good　thing　I　can　say　of　that　fellow。　　Against
this　it　may　be　said；　however；　that　he　plundered　the　boys　so　effectually
on　entering　the　prison　as　to　leave　them　little　of　the　wherewithal　to
bribe　anybody。

Davis　was　probably　the　most　unscrupulous　bribe…taker　of　the　lot。
He　actually　received　money　for　permitting　prisoners　to　escape　to　our
lines；　and　got　down　to　as　low　a　figure　as　one　hundred　dollars　for　this
sort　of　service。　　I　never　heard　that　any　of　the　other　commandants　went
this　far。

The　rations　issued　to　us　were　somewhat　better　than　those　of
Andersonville；　as　the　meal　was　finer　and　better；　though　it　was　absurdedly
insufficient　in　quantity；　and　we　received　no　salt。　　On　several　occasions
fresh　beef　was　dealt　out　to　us；　and　each　time　the　excitement　created
among　those　who　had　not　tasted　fresh　meat　for　weeks　and　months　was
wonderful。　　On　the　first　occasion　the　meat　was　simply　the　heads　of　the
cattle　killed　for　the　use　of　the　guards。　　Several　wagon　loads　of　these
were　brought　in　and　distributed。　　We　broke　them　up　so　that　every　man　got
a　piece　of　the　bone；　which　was　boiled　and　reboiled；　as　long　as　a　single
bubble　of　grease　would　rise　to　the　surface　of　the　water；　every　vestige　of
meat　was　gnawed　and　scraped　from　the　surface　and　then　the　bone　was
charred　until　it　crumbled；　when　it　was　eaten。　　No　one　who　has　not
experienced　it　can　imagine　the　inordinate　hunger　for　animal　food　of　those
who　had　eaten　little　else　than　corn　bread　for　so　long。　　Our　exhausted
bodies　were　perishing　for　lack　of　proper　sustenance。　　Nature　indicated
fresh　beef　as　the　best　medium　to　repair　the　great　damage　already　done；
and　our　longing　for　it　became　beyond　description。




CHAPTER　LX

THE　RAIDERS　REAPPEAR　ON　THE　SCENETHE　ATTEMPT　TO　ASSASSINATE　THOSE　WHO
WERE　CONCERNED　IN　THE　EXECUTIONA　COUPLE　OF　LIVELY　FIGHTS；　IN　WHICH　THE
RAIDERS　ARE　DEFEATEDHOLDING　AN　ELECTION。

Our　old　antagoniststhe　Raiderswere　present　in　strong　force　in　Millen。
Like　ourselves；　they　had　imagined　the　departure　from　Andersonville　was
for　exchange；　and　their　relations　to　the　Rebels　were　such　that　they　were
all　given　a　chance　to　go　with　the　first　squads。　　A　number　had　been
allowed　to　go　with　the　sailors　on　the　Special　Naval　Exchange　from
Savannah；　in　the　place　of　sailors　and　marines　who　had　died。　　On　the　way
to　Charleston　a　fight　had　taken　place　between　them　and　the　real　sailors；
during　which　one　of　their　numbera　curly…headed　Irishman　named　Dailey；
who　was　in　such　high　favor　with　the　Rebels　that　he　was　given　the　place　of
driving　the　ration　wagon　that　came　in　the　North　Side　at　Andersonville
was　killed；　and　thrown　under　the　wheels　of　the　moving　train；　which　passed
over　him。

After　things　began　to　settle　into　shape　at　Millen；　they　seemed　to　believe
that　they　were　in　such　ascendancy　as　to　numbers　and　organization　that
they　could　put　into　execution　their　schemes　of　vengeance　against　those　of
us　who　had　been　active　participants　in　the　execution　of　their
confederates　at　Andersonville。

After　some　little　preliminaries　they　settled　upon　Corporal　〃Wat〃　Payne；
of　my　company；　as　their　first　victim。　　The　reader　will　remember　Payne　as
one　of　the　two　Corporals　who　pulled　the　trigger　to　the　scaffold　at　the
time　of　the　execution。

Payne　was　a　very　good　man　physically；　and　was　yet　in　fair　condition。
The　Raiders　came　up　one　day　with　their　best　manPete　Donnellyand
provoked　a　fight；　intending；　in　the　course　of　it；　to　kill　Payne。　　We；
who　knew　Payee；　felt　reasonably　confident　of　his　ability　to　handle　even
so　redoubtable　a　pugilist　as　Donnelly；　and　we　gathered　together　a　little
squad　of　our　friends　to　see　fair　play。

The　fight　began　after　the　usual　amount　of　bad　talk　on　both　sides；　and　we
were　pleased　to　see　our　man　slowly　get　the　better　of　the　New　York　plug…
ugly。　　After　several　sharp　rounds　they　closed；　and　still　Payne　was　ahead；
but　in　an　evil　moment　he　spied　a　pine　knot　at　his　feet；　which　he　thought
he　could　reach；　and　end　the　fight　by　cracking　Donnelly's　head　with　it。
Donnelly　took　instant　advantage　of　the　movement　to　get　it；　threw　Payne
heavily；　and　fell　upon　him。　　His　crowd　rushed　in　to　finish　our　man　by
clubbing　him　over　the　head。　　We　sailed　in　to　prevent　this；　and　after　a
rattling　exchange　of　blows　all　around；　succeeded　in　getting　Payne　away。

The　issue　of　the　fight　seemed　rather　against　us；　however；　and　the　Raiders
were　much　emboldened。　　Payne　kept　close　to　his　crowd　after　that；　and　as
we　had　shown　such　an　entire　willingness　to　stand　by　him；　the　Raiders
with　their　accustomed　prudence　when　real　fighting　was　involveddid　not
attempt　to　molest　him　farther；　though　they　talked　very　savagely。

A　few　days　after　this　Sergeant　Goody　and　Corporal　Ned　Carrigan；　both　of
our　battalion；　came　in。　　I　must　ask　the　reader　to　again　recall　the　fact
that　Sergeant　Goody　was　one　of　the　six　hangmen　who　put　the　meal…sacks
over　the　heads；　and　the　ropes　around　the　necks　of　the　condemned。
Corporal　Carrigan　was　the　gigantic　prize　fighter；　who　was　universally
acknowledged　to　be　the　best　man　physically　among　the　whole　thirty…four
thousand　in　Andersonville。　　The　Raiders　knew　that　Goody　had　come　in
before　we　of　his　own　battalion　did。　　They　resolved　to　kill　him　then　and
there；　and　in　broad　daylight。　　He　had　secured　in　some　way　a　shelter　tent；
and　was　inside　of　it　fixing　it　up。　　The　Raider　crowd；　headed　by　Pete
Donnelly；　and　Dick　Allen；　went　up　to　his　tent　and　one　of　them　called　to
him：

〃Sergeant；　come　out；　I　want　to　see　you。〃

Goody；　supposing　it　was　one　of　us；　came　crawling　out　on　his　hands　and
knees。　　As　he　did　so　their　heavy　clubs　crashed　down　upon　his　head。
He　was　neither　killed　nor　stunned；　as　they　had　reason　to　expect。
He　succeeded　in　rising　to　his　feet；　and　breaking　through　the　crowd　of
assassins。　　He　dashed　down　the　side　of　the　hill；　hotly　pursued　by　them。
Coming　to　the　Creek；　he　leaped　it　in　his　excitement；　but　his　pursuers
could　not；　and　were　checked。　　One　of　our　battalion　boys；　who　saw　and
comprehended　the　whole　affair；　ran　over　to　us；　shouting：

〃Turn　out！　turn　out；　for　God's　sake！　the　Raiders　are　killing　Goody！〃

We　snatched　up　our　clubs　and　started　after　the　Raiders；　but　before　we
could　reach　them；　Ned　Carrigan；　who　also　comprehended　what　the　trouble
was；　had　run　to　the　side　of　Goody；　armed　with　a　terrible　looking　club。
The　sight　of　Ned；　and　the　demonstration　that　he　was　thoroughly　aroused；
was　enough　for　the　Raider　crew；　and　they　abandoned　the　field　hastily。
We　did　not　feel　ourselves　strong　enough　to　follow　them　on　to　their　own
dung　hill；　and　try　conclusions　with　them；　but　we　determined　to　report　the
matter　to　the　Rebel　Commandant；　from　whom　we　had　reason　to　believe　we
could　expect　assistance。　　We　were　right。　　He　sent　in　a　squad　of　guards；
arrested　Dick　Allen；　Pete　Donnelly；　and　several　other　ringleaders；　took
them　out　and　put　them　in　the　stocks　in　such　a　manner　that　they　were
compelled　to　lie　upon　their　stomachs。　　A　shallow　tin　vessel　containing
water　was　placed　under　their　faces　to　furnish　them　drink。

They　staid　there　a　day　and　night；　and　when　released；　joined　the　Rebel
Army；　entering　the　artillery　company　that　manned　the　guns　in　the　fort
covering　the　prison。　　I　used　to　imagine　with　what　zeal　they　would　send　us
over；　a　round　of　shell　or　grape　if　they　could　get　anything　like　an
excuse。

This　gave　us　good　riddanceof　our　dangerous　enemies；　and　we　had　little
further　trouble　with　any　of　them。

The　depression　in　the　temperature　made　me　very　sensible　of　the
deficiencies　in　my　wardrobe。　　Unshod　feet；　a　shirt　like　a　fishing　net；
and　pantaloons　as　well　ventilated　as　a　paling　fence　might　do　very　well
for　the　broiling　sun　at　Andersonville　and　Savannah；　but　now；　with　the
thermometer　nightly　dipping　a　little　nearer　the　frost　line；　it　became
unpleasantly　evident　that　as　garments　their　office　was　purely
perfunctory；　one　might　say　ornamental　simply；　if　he　wanted　to　be　very
sarcastic。　　They　were　worn　solely　to　afford　convenient　quarters　for
multitudes　of　lice；　and　in　deference　to　the　prejudice　which　has　existed
since　the　Fall　of　Man　against　our　mingling　with　our　fellow　creatures　in
the　attire　provided　us　by　Nature。　　Had　I　read　Darwin　then　I　should　have
expected　that　my　long　exposure　to　the　weather　would　start　a　fine　suit　of
fur；　in　the　effort　of　Nature　to　adapt；　me　to　my；　environment。　　But　no
more　indications　of　this　appeared　than　if　I　had　been　a　hairless　dog　of
Mexico；　suddenly　transplanted　to　more　northern　latitudes。　　Providence　did
not　seem　to　be　in　the　tempering…the…wind…to…the…shorn…lamb　business；　as
far　as　I　was　concerned。　　I　still　retained　an　almost　unconquerable
prejudice　against　stripping　the　dead　to　secure　clothes；　and　so　unless
exchange　or　death　came　speedily；　I　was　in　a　bad　fix。

One　morning　about　day　break；　Andrews；　who　had　started　to　go　to　another
part　of　the　camp；　came　slipping　back　in　a　state　of　gleeful　excitement。
At　first　I　thought　he　either　had　found　a　tunnel　or　had　heard　some　good
news　about　exchange。　　It　was　neither。　　He　opened　his　jacket　and　handed　me
an　infantry　man's　blouse；　which　he　had　found　in　the　main　street；　where　it
had　dropped　out　of　some　fellow's　bundle。　　We　did　not　make　any　extra
exertion　to　find　the　owner。　　Andrews　was　in　sore　need　of　clothes　himself；
but　my　necessities　were　so　much　greater　that　the　generous　fellow　thought
of　my　wants　first。　　We　examined　the　garment　with　as　much　interest　as　ever
a　belle　bestowed　on　a　new　dress　from　Worth's。　　It　was　in　fair
preservation；　but　the　owner　had　cut　the　buttons　off　to　trade　to　the
guard；　doubtless　for　a　few　sticks　of　wood；　or　a　spoonful　of　salt。
We　supplied　the　place　of　these　with　little　wooden　pins；　and　I　donned　the
garment　as　a　shirt　and　coat　and　vest；　too；　for　that　matter。　　The　best
suit　I　ever　put　on　never　gave　me