andersonville-第94部分

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Andersonville；　in　July；　August　and　September。　　Probably　at　the　beginning
of　the　war　they　would　have　felt　uneasy　at　slaying　one　man　per　day　by　such
means；　but　as　retribution　came　not；　and　as　their　appetite　for　slaughter
grew　with　feeding；　and　as　their　sympathy　with　human　misery　atrophied　from
long　suppression；　they　ventured　upon　ever　widening　ranges　of
destructiveness。　　Had　the　war　lasted　another　year；　and　they　lived；　five
hundred　deaths　a　day　would　doubtless　have　been　insufficient　to　disturb
them。

Winder　doubtless　went　about　his　part　of　the　task　of　slaughter　coolly；
leisurely；　almost　perfunctorily。　　His　training　in　the　Regular　Army　was
against　the　likelihood　of　his　displaying　zeal　in　anything。　　He　instituted
certain　measures；　and　let　things　take　their　course。　　That　course　was　a
rapid　transition　from　bad　to　worse；　but　it　was　still　in　the　direction　of
his　wishes；　and；　what　little　of　his　own　energy　was　infused　into　it　was　in
the　direction　of　impetus；…not　of　controlling　or　improving　the　course。
To　have　done　things　better　would　have　involved　soma　personal　discomfort。
He　was　not　likely　to　incur　personal　discomfort　to　mitigate　evils　that
were　only　afflicting　someone　else。　　By　an　effort　of　one　hour　a　day　for
two　weeks　he　could　have　had　every　man　in　Andersonville　and　Florence　given
good　shelter　through　his　own　exertions。　　He　was　not　only　too　indifferent
and　too　lazy　to　do　this；　but　he　was　too　malignant；　and　this　neglect　to
allowsimply　allow；　rememberthe　prisoners　to　protect　their　lives　by
providing　their　own　shelter；　gives　the　key　to　his　whole　disposition；
and　would　stamp　his　memory　with　infamy；　even　if　there　were　no　other
charges　against　him。




CHAPTER　LXXV。

ONE　INSTANCE　OF　A　SUCCESSFUL　ESCAPETHE　ADVENTURES　OF　SERGEANT　WALTER
HARTSOUGH；　OF　COMPANY　K；　SIXTEENTH　ILLINOIS　CAVALRYHE　GETS　AWAY　FROM
THE　REBELS　AT　THOMASVILLE；　AND　AFTER　A　TOILSOME　AND　DANGEROUS　JOURNEY
OF　SEVERAL　HUNDRED　MILES；　REACHES　OUR　LINES　IN　FLORIDA。

While　I　was　at　Savannah　I　got　hold　of　a　primary　geography　in　possession
of　one　of　the　prisoners；　and　securing　a　fragment　of　a　lead　pencil　from
one　comrade；　and　a　sheet　of　note　paper　from　another；　I　made　a　copy　of　the
South　Carolina　and　Georgia　sea　coast；　for　the　use　of　Andrews　and　myself
in　attempting　to　escape。　　The　reader　remembers　the　ill　success　of　all　our
efforts　in　that　direction。　　When　we　were　at　Blackshear　we　still　had　the
map；　and　intended　to　make　another　effort；〃　as　soon　as　the　sign　got
right。〃　　One　day　while　we　were　waiting　for　this；　Walter　Hartsough；　a
Sergeant　of　Company　g；　of　our　battalion；　came　to　me　and　said：

〃Mc。；　I　wish　you'd　lend　me　your　map　a　little　while。　　I　want　to　make　a
copy。〃

I　handed　it　over　to　him；　and　never　saw　him　more；　as　almost　immediately
after　we　were　taken　out　〃on　parole〃　and　sent　to　Florence。　　I　heard　from
other　comrades　of　the　battalion　that　he　had　succeeded　in　getting　past　the
guard　line　and　into　the　Woods；　which　was　the　last　they　ever　heard　of　him。
Whether　starved　to　death　in　some　swamp；　whether　torn　to　pieces　by　dogs；
or　killed　by　the　rifles　of　his　pursuers；　they　knew　not。　　The　reader　can
judge　of　my　astonishment　as　well　as　pleasure；　at　receiving　among　the
dozens　of　letters　which　came　to　me　every　day　while　this　account　was
appearing　in　the　BLADE；　one　signed　〃Walter　Hartsough；　late　of　Co。　K；
Sixteenth　Illinois　Cavalry。〃　　It　was　like　one　returned　from　the　grave；
and　the　next　mail　took　a　letter　to　him；　inquiring　eagerly　of　his
adventures　after　we　separated。　　I　take　pleasure　in　presenting　the　reader
with　his　reply；　which　was　only　intended　as　a　private　communication　to
myself。　　The　first　part　of　the　letter　I　omit；　as　it　contains　only　gossip
about　our　old　comrades；　which；　however　interesting　to　myself；　would
hardly　be　so　to　the　general　reader。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　GENOA；　WAYNE　COUNTY；　IA。；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　May　27；　1879。

Dear　Comrade　Mc。：
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。
I　have　been　living　in　this　town　for　ten　years；　running　a　general　store；
under　the　firm　name　of　Hartsough　&　Martin；　and　have　been　more　successful
than　I　anticipated。

I　made　my　escape　from　Thomasville；　Ga。；　Dec。　7；　1864；　by　running　the
guards；　in　company　with　Frank　Hommat；　of　Company　M；　and　a　man　by　the　name
of　Clipson；　of　the　Twenty…First　Illinois　Infantry。　　I　had　heard　the
officers　in　charge　of　us　say　that　they　intended　to　march　us　across　to　the
other　road；　and　take　us　back　to　Andersonville。　　We　concluded　we　would
take　a　heavy　risk　on　our　lives　rather　than　return　there。　　By　stinting
ourselves　we　had　got　a　little　meal　ahead；　which　we　thought　we　would　bake
up　for　the　journey；　but　our　appetites　got　the　better　of　us；　and　we　ate　it
all　up　before　starting。　　We　were　camped　in　the　woods　then；　with　no
Stockadeonly　a　line　of　guards　around　us。　　We　thought　that　by　a　little
strategy　and　boldness　we　could　pass　these。　　We　determined　to　try。
Clipson　was　to　go　to　the　right；　Hommat　in　the　center；　and　myself　to　the
left。　　We　all　slipped　through；　without　a　shot。　　Our　rendezvous　was　to　be
the　center　of　a　small　swamp；　through　which　flowed　a　small　stream　that
supplied　the　prisoners　with　water。　　Hommat　and　I　got　together　soon　after
passing　the　guard　lines；　and　we　began　signaling　for　Clipson。　　We　laid
down　by　a　large　log　that　lay　across　the　stream；　and　submerged　our　limbs
and　part　of　our　bodies　in　the　water；　the　better　to　screen　ourselves　from
observation。　　Pretty　soon　a　Johnny　came　along　with　a　bunch　of　turnip
tops；　that　he　was　taking　up　to　the　camp　to　trade　to　the　prisoners。　　As　he
passed　over　the　log　I　could　have　caught　him　by　the　leg；　which　I　intended
to　do　if　he　saw　us；　but　he　passed　along；　heedless　of　those　concealed
under　his　very　feet；　which　saved　him　a　ducking　at　least；　for　we　were
resolved　to　drown　him　if　he　discovered　us。　　Waiting　here　a　little　longer
we　left　our　lurking　place　and　made　a　circuit　of　the　edge　of　the　swamp；
still　signaling　for　Clipson。　　But　we　could　find　nothing　of　him；　and　at
last　had　to　give　him　up。

We　were　now　between　Thomasville　and　the　camp；　and　as　Thomasville　was　the
end　of　the　railroad；　the　woods　were　full　of　Rebels　waiting
transportation；　and　we　approached　the　road　carefully；　supposing　that　it
was　guarded　to　keep　their　own　men　from　going　to　town。　　We　crawled　up　to
the　road；　but　seeing　no　one；　started　across　it。　　At　that　moment　a　guard
about　thirty　yards　to　our　left；　who　evidently　supposed　that　we　were
Rebels；　sang　out：

〃Whar　ye　gwine　to　thar　boys？〃

I　answered：

〃Jest　a…gwine　out　here　a　little　ways。〃

Frank　whispered　me　to　run；　but　I　said；　〃No；　wait　till　he　halts　us；　and
then　run。〃　　He　walked　up　to　where　we　had　crossed　his　beatlooked　after
us　a　few　minutes；　and　then；　to　our　great　relief；　walked　back　to　his　post。
After　much　trouble　we　succeeded　in　getting　through　all　the　troops；　and
started　fairly　on　our　way。　　We　tried　to　shape　our　course　toward　Florida。
The　country　was　very　swampy；　the　night　rainy　and　dark；　no　stars　were　out
to　guide　us；　and　we　made　such　poor　progress　that　when　daylight　came　we
were　only　eight　miles　from　our　starting　place；　and　close　to　a　road
leading　from　Thomasville　to　Monticello。　　Finding　a　large　turnip　patch；
we　filled　our　pockets；　and　then　hunted　a　place　to　lie　concealed　in　during
the　day。　　We　selected　a　thicket　in　the　center　of　a　large　pasture。　　We
crawled　into　this　and　laid　down。　　Some　negros　passed　close　to　us；　going
to　their　work　in　an　adjoining　field。　　They　had　a　bucket　of　victuals　with
them　for　dinner；　which　they　hung　on　the　fence　in　such　a　way　that　we　could
have　easily　stolen　it　without　detection。　　The　temptation　to　hungry　men
was　very　great；　but　we　concluded　that　it　was　best　and　safest　to　let　it
alone。

As　the　negros　returned　from　work　in　the　evening　they　separated；　one　old
man　passing　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　thicket　from　the　rest。　　We　halted
him　and　told　him　that　we　were　Rebs；　who　had　taken　a　French　leave　of
Thomasville；　that　we　were　tired　of　guarding　Yanks；　and　were　going　home；
and　further；　that　we　were　hungry；　and　wanted　something　to　eat。　　He　told
us　that　he　was　the　boss　on　the　plantation。　　His　master　lived　in
Thomasville。　　He；　himself；　did　not　have　much　to　eat；　but　he　would　show　us
where　to　stay；　and　when　the　folks　went　to　bed　he　would　bring　us　some
food。　　Passing　up　close　to　the　negro　quarters　we　got　over　the　fence　and
lay　down　behind　it；　to　wait　for　our　supper。

We　had　been　there　but　a　short　time　when　a　young　negro　came　out；　and
passing　close　by　us；　went　into　a　fence　corner　a　few　panels　distant　and；
kneeling　down；　began　praying　aloud；　and　very；　earnestly；　and　stranger
still；　the　burden　of　his　supplication　was　for　the　success　of　our　armies。
I　thought　it　the　best　prayer　I　ever　listened　to。　　Finishing　his　devotions
he　returned　to　the　house；　and　shortly　after　the　old　man　came　with　a　good
supper　of　corn　bread；　molasses　and　milk。　　He　said　that　he　had　no　meat；
and　that　he　had　done　the　best　he　could　for　us。　　After　we　had　eaten；　he
said　that　as　the　young　people　had　gone　to　bed；　we　had　better　come　into
his　cabin　and　rest　awhile；　which　we　did。

Hommat　had　a　full　suit　of　Rebel　clothes；　and　I　had　stolen　sacks　enough　at
Andersonville；　when　they　were　issuing　rations；　to　make　me　a　shirt　and
pantaloons；　which　a　sailor　fabricated　for　me。　　I　wore　these　over　what　was
left　of　my　blue　clothes。　　The　old　negro　lady　treated　us　very　coolly。　　In
a　few　minutes　a　young　negro　came　in；　whom　the　old　gentleman　introduced　as
his　son；　and　whom　I　immediately　recognized　as　our　friend　of　the　prayerful
proclivities。　　He　said　that　he　had　been　a　body　servant　to　his　young
master；　who　was　an　officer　in　the　Rebel　army。

〃Golly！〃　says　he；　〃if　you　'uns　had　stood　a　little　longer　at　Stone　River；
our　men　would　have　run。〃

I　turned　to　him　sharply　with　the　question　of　what　he　meant　by　calling　us
〃You　'uns；〃　and　asked　him　if　he　believed　we　were　Yankees。　　He　surveyed　us
carefully　for　a　few　seconds；　and　then　said：

〃Yes；　I　bleav　you　is　Yankees。〃

He　paused　a　second；　and　added：

〃Yes；　I　know　you　is。〃

I　asked　him　how　he　knew　it；　and　he　said　that　we　neither　looked　nor　talked
like　their　men。　　I　then　acknowledged　that　we　were　Yankee　prisoners；
trying　to　make　our　escape　to　our　lines。　　This　announcement　put　new　life
int