andersonville-第85部分

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bastard；　almost　unintelligible；　English。　　These　were　the　sole　blessings
acquired　by　a　transfer　from　a　life　of　freedom　in　the　jungles　of　the　Gold
Coast；　to　one　of　slavery　in　the　swamps　of　the　Combahee。

I　could　not　then；　nor　can　I　now；　regret　the　downfall　of　a　system　of
society　which　bore　such　fruits。

Towards　night　a　distressingly　cold　breeze；　laden　with　a　penetrating　mist；
set　in　from　the　sea；　and　put　an　end　to　future　observations　by　making　us
too　uncomfortable　to　care　for　scenery　or　social　conditions。　　We　wanted
most　to　devise　a　way　to　keep　warm。　　Andrews　and　I　pulled　our　overcoat　and
blanket　closely　about　us；　snuggled　together　so　as　to　make　each　one's
meager　body　afford　the　other　as　much　heat　as　possibleand　endured。

We　became　fearfully　hungry。　　It　will　be　recollected　that　we　ate　the　whole
of　the　two　days'　rations　issued　to　us　at　Blackshear　at　once；　and　we　had
received　nothing　since。　　We　reached　the　sullen；　fainting　stage　of　great
hunger；　and　for　hours　nothing　was　said　by　any　one；　except　an　occasional
bitter　execration　on　Rebels　and　Rebel　practices。

It　was　late　at　night　when　we　reached　Charleston。　　The　lights　of　the　City；
and　the　apparent　warmth　and　comfort　there　cheered　us　up　somewhat　with　the
hopes　that　we　might　have　some　share　in　them。　　Leaving　the　train；　we　were
marched　some　distance　through　well…lighted　streets；　in　which　were　plenty
of　people　walking　to　and　fro。　　There　were　many　stores；　apparently　stocked
with　goods；　and　the　citizens　seemed　to　be　going　about　their　business　very
much　as　was　the　custom　up　North。

At　length　our　head　of　column　made　a　〃right　turn；〃　and　we　marched　away
from　the　lighted　portion　of　the　City；　to　a　part　which　I　could　see　through
the　shadows　was　filled　with　ruins。　　An　almost　insupportable　odor　of　gas；
escaping　I　suppose　from　the　ruptured　pipes；　mingled　with　the　cold；
rasping　air　from　the　sea；　to　make　every　breath　intensely　disagreeable。

As　I　saw　the　ruins；　it　flashed　upon　me　that　this　was　the　burnt　district
of　the　city；　and　they　were　putting　us　under　the　fire　of　our　own　guns。
At　first　I　felt　much　alarmed。　　Little　relish　as　I　had　on　general
principles；　for　being　shot　I　had　much　less　for　being　killed　by　our　own
men。　　Then　I　reflected　that　if　they　put　me　thereand　kept　mea　guard
would　have　to　be　placed　around　us；　who　would　necessarily　be　in　as　much
clanger　as　we　were；　and　I　knew　I　could　stand　any　fire　that　a　Rebel　could。

We　were　halted　in　a　vacant　lot；　and　sat　down；　only　to　jump　up　the　next
instant；　as　some　one　shouted：

〃There　comes　one　of　'em！〃

It　was　a　great　shell　from　the　Swamp　Angel　Battery。　　Starting　from　a　point
miles　away；　where；　seemingly；　the　sky　came　down　to　the　sea；　was　a；　narrow
ribbon　of　fire；　which　slowly　unrolled　itself　against　the　star…lit　vault
over　our　heads。　　On；　on　it　came；　and　was　apparently　following　the　sky
down　to　the　horizon　behind　us。　　As　it　reached　the　zenith；　there　came　to
our　ears　a　prolonged；　but　not　sharp；

〃Whishish…ish…ish…ish！〃

We　watched　it　breathlessly；　and　it　seemed　to　be　long　minutes　in　running
its　course；　then　a　thump　upon　the　ground；　and　a　vibration；　told　that　it
had　struck。　　For　a　moment　there　was　a　dead　silence。　　Then　came　a　loud
roar；　and　the　crash　of　breaking　timber　and　crushing　walls。　　The　shell　had
bursted。

Ten　minutes　later　another　shell　followed；　with　like　results。　　For　awhile
we　forgot　all　about　hunger　in　the　excitement　of　watching　the　messengers
from　〃God's　country。〃　　What　happiness　to　be　where　those　shells　came　from。
Soon　a　Rebel　battery　of　heavy　guns　somewhere　near　and　in　front　of　us；
waked　up；　and　began　answering　with　dull；　slow　thumps　that　made　the　ground
shudder。　　This　continued　about　an　hour；　when　it　quieted　down　again；　but
our　shells　kept　coming　over　at　regular　intervals　with　the　same　slow
deliberation；　the　same　prolonged　warning；　and　the　same　dreadful　crash
when　they　struck。　　They　had　already　gone　on　this　way　for　over　a　year；
and　were　to　keep　it　up　months　longer　until　the　City　was　captured。

The　routine　was　the　same　from　day　to　day；　month　in；　and　month　out；　from
early　in　August；　1863；　to　the　middle　of　April；　1865。　　Every　few　minutes
during　the　day　our　folks　would　hurl　a　great　shell　into　the　beleaguered
City；　and　twice　a　day；　for　perhaps　an　hour　each　time；　the　Rebel　batteries
would　talk　back。　　It　must　have　been　a　lesson　to　the　Charlestonians　of　the
persistent；　methodical　spirit　of　the　North。　　They　prided　themselves　on
the　length　of　the　time　they　were　holding　out　against　the　enemy；　and　the
papers　each　day　had　a　column　headed：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃390th　DAY　OF　THE　SIEGE；〃

or　391st；　393d；　etc。；　as　the　number　might　be　since　our　people　opened　fire
upon　the　City。　　The　part　where　we　lay　was　a　mass　of　ruins。　　Many　large
buildings　had　been　knocked　down；　very　many　more　were　riddled　with　shot
holes　and　tottering　to　their　fall。　　One　night　a　shell　passed　through　a
large　building　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　us。　　It　had　already　been
struck　several　times；　and　was　shaky。　　The　shell　went　through　with　a
deafening　crash。　　All　was　still　for　an　instant；　then　it　exploded　with　a
dull　roar；　followed　by　more　crashing　of　timber　and　walls。　　The　sound　died
away　and　was　succeeded　by　a　moment　of　silence。　　Finally　the　great
building　fell；　a　shapeless　heap　of　ruins；　with　a　noise　like　that　of　a
dozen　field　pieces。　　We　wanted　to　cheer　but　restrained　ourselves。　　This
was　the　nearest　to　us　that　any　shell　came。

There　was　only　one　section　of　the　City　in　reach　of　our　guns　and　this　was
nearly　destroyed。　　Fires　had　come　to　complete　the　work　begun　by　the
shells。　　Outside　of　the　boundaries　of　this　region；　the　people　felt
themselves　as　safe　as　in　one　of　our　northern　Cities　to…day。　　They　had　an
abiding　faith　that　they　were　clear　out　of　reach　of　any　artillery　that　we
could　mount。　　I　learned　afterwards　from　some　of　the　prisoners；　who　went
into　Charleston　ahead　of　us；　and　were　camped　on　the　race　course　outside
of　the　City；　that　one　day　our　fellows　threw　a　shell　clear　over　the　City
to　this　race　course。　　There　was　an　immediate　and　terrible　panic　among　the
citizens。　　They　thought　we　had　mounted　some　new　guns　of　increased　range；
and　now　the　whole　city　must　go。　　But　the　next　shell　fell　inside　the
established　limits；　and　those　following　were　equally　well　behaved；　so
that　the　panic　abated。　　I　have　never　heard　any　explanation　of　the　matter。
It　may　have　been　some　freak　of　the　gun…squad；　trying　the　effect　of　an
extra　charge　of　powder。　　Had　our　people　known　of　its　signal　effect；　they
could　have　depopulated　the　place　in　a　few　hours。

The　whole　matter　impressed　me　queerly。　　The　only　artillery　I　had　ever
seen　in　action　were　field　pieces。　　They　made　an　earsplitting　crash　when
they　were　discharged；　and　there　was　likely　to　be　oceans　of　trouble　for
everybody　in　that　neighborhood　about　that　time。　　I　reasoned　from　this
that　bigger　guns　made　a　proportionally　greater　amount　of　noise；　and　bred
an　infinitely　larger　quantity　of　trouble。　　Now　I　was　hearing　the　giants
of　the　world's　ordnance；　and　they　were　not　so　impressive　as　a　lively
battery　of　three…inch　rifles。　　Their　reports　did　not　threaten　to　shatter
everything；　but　had　a　dull　resonance；　something　like　that　produced　by
striking　an　empty　barrel　with　a　wooden　maul。　　Their　shells　did　not　come
at　one　in　that　wildly；　ferocious　way；　with　which　a　missile　from　a　six…
pounder　convinces　every　fellow　in　a　long　line　of　battle　that　he　is　the
identical　one　it　is　meant　for；　but　they　meandered　over　in　a　lazy；
leisurely　manner；　as　if　time　was　no　object　and　no　person　would　feel　put
out　at　having　to　wait　for　them。　　Then；　the　idea　of　firing　every　quarter
of　an　hour　for　a　yearfixing　up　a　job　for　a　lifetime；　as　Andrews
expressed　it；and　of　being　fired　back　at　for　an　hour　at　9　o'clock　every
morning　and　evening；　of　fifty　thousand　people　going　on　buying　and
selling；　eating；　drinking　and　sleeping；　having　dances；　drives　and　balls；
marrying　and　giving　in　marriage；　all　within　a　few　hundred　yards　of　where
the　shells　were　falling…struck　me　as　a　most　singular　method　of　conducting
warfare。

We　received　no　rations　until　the　day　after　our　arrival；　and　then　they
were　scanty；　though　fair　in　quality。　　We　were　by　this　time　so　hungry　and
faint　that　we　could　hardly　move。　　We　did　nothing　for　hours　but　lie　around
on　the　ground　and　try　to　forget　how　famished　we　were。　　At　the
announcement　of　rations；　many　acted　as　if　crazy；　and　it　was　all　that　the
Sergeants　could　do　to　restrain　the　impatient　mob　from　tearing　the　food
away　and　devouring　it；　when　they　were　trying　to　divide　it　out。　　Very
manyperhaps　thirtydied　during　the　night　and　morning。　　No　blame　for
this　is　attached　to　the　Charlestonians。　　They　distinguished　themselves
from　the　citizens　of　every　other　place　in　the　Southern　Confederacy　where
we　had　been；　by　making　efforts　to　relieve　our　condition。　　They　sent　quite
a　quantity　of　food　to　us；　and　the　Sisters　of　Charity　came　among　us；
seeking　and　ministering　to　the　sick。　　I　believe　our　experience　was　the
usual　one。　　The　prisoners　who　passed　through　Charleston　before　us　all
spoke　very　highly　of　the　kindness　shown　them　by　the　citizens　there。

We　remained　in　Charleston　but　a　few　days。　　One　night　we　were　marched　down
to　a　rickety　depot；　and　put　aboard　a　still　more　rickety　train。　　When
morning　came　we　found　ourselves　running　northward　through　a　pine　barren
country　that　resembled　somewhat　that　in　Georgia；　except　that　the　pine　was
short…leaved；　there　was　more　oak　and　other　hard　woods；　and　the　vegetation
generally　assumed　a　more　Northern　look。　　We　had　been　put　into　close　box
cars；　with　guards　at　the　doors　and　on　top。　　During　the　night　quite　a
number　of　the　boys；　who　had　fabricated　little　saws　out　of　case　knives　and
fragments　of　hoop　iron；　cut　holes　through　the　bottoms　of　the　cars；
through　which　they　dropped　to　the　ground　and　escaped；　but　were　mostly
recaptured　after　several　days。　　There　was　no　hole　cut　in　our　car；　and　so
Andrews　and　I　staid　in。

Just　at　dusk　we　came　to　the　insignificant　village　of　Florence；　the
junction　of　the　road　leading　from　Charleston　to　Cheraw　with　that　running
from　Wilmington　to　Kingsville。　　It　was　about　one　hundred　and　twenty　miles
from　Charleston；　and　the　same　distance　from　Wilmington。　　As　our　train　ran
through　a　cut　near　the　junction