andersonville-第101节

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small；　considering　all　the　circumstances。　　The　official　report　says　three
hundred　and　twenty…six；　but　I　imaging　this　is　under　the　truth；　since
quite　a　number　were　turned　back　in　after　their　utter　uselessness　had　been
demonstrated。　　I　suppose　that　five　hundred　〃galvanized；〃　as　we　termed　it；
but　this　was　very　few　when　the　hopelessness　of　exchange；　the　despair　of
life；　and　the　wretchedness　of　the　condition　of　the　eleven　or　twelve
thousand　inside　the　Stockade　is　remembered。

The　motives　actuating　men　to　desert　were　not　closely　analyzed　by　us；
but　we　held　all　who　did　so　as　despicable　scoundrels；　too　vile　to　be
adequately　described　in　words。　　It　was　not　safe　for　a　man　to　announce　his
intention　of　〃galvanizing；〃　for　he　incurred　much　danger　of　being　beaten
until　he　was　physically　unable　to　reach　the　gate。　　Those　who　went　over　to
the　enemy　had　to　use　great　discretion　in　letting　the　Rebel　officer；　know
so　much　of　their　wishes　as　would　secure　their　being　taker　outside。　　Men
were　frequently　knocked　down　and　dragged　away　while　telling　the　officers
they　wanted　to　go　out。

On　one　occasion　one　hundred　or　more　of　the　raider　crowd　who　had
galvanized；　were　stopped　for　a　few　hours　in　some　little　Town；　on　their
way　to　the　front。　　They　lost　no　time　in　stealing　everything　they　could
lay　their　hands　upon；　and　the　disgusted　Rebel　commander　ordered　them　to
be　returned　to　the　Stockade。　　They　came　in　in　the　evening；　all　well
rigged　out　in　Rebel　uniforms；　and　carrying　blankets。　　We　chose　to
consider　their　good　clothes　and　equipments　an　aggravation　of　their
offense　and　an　insult　to　ourselves。　　We　had　at　that　time　quite　a　squad　of
negro　soldiers　inside　with　us。　　Among　them　was　a　gigantic　fellow　with　a
fist　like　a　wooden　beetle。　　Some　of　the　white　boys　resolved　to　use　these
to　wreak　the　camp's　displeasure　on　the　Galvanized。　　The　plan　was　carried
out　capitally。　　The　big　darky；　followed　by　a　crowd　of　smaller　and　nimbler
〃shades；〃　would　approach　one　of　the　leaders　among　them　with：

〃Is　you　a　Galvanized？〃

The　surly　reply　would　be；

〃Yes；　you　　black　。　　What　the　business　is　that　of　yours？〃

At　that　instant　the　bony　fist　of　the　darky；　descending　like　a　pile…
driver；　would　catch　the　recreant　under　the　ear；　and　lift　him　about　a　rod。
As　he　fell；　the　smaller　darkies　would　pounce　upon　him；　and　in　an　instant
despoil　him　of　his　blanket　and　perhaps　the　larger　portion　of　his　warm
clothing。　　The　operation　was　repeated　with　a　dozen　or　more。　　The　whole
camp　enjoyed　it　as　rare　fun；　and　it　was　the　only　time　that　I　saw　nearly
every　body　at　Florence　laugh。

A　few　prisoners　were　brought　in　in　December；　who　had　been　taken　in
Foster's　attempt　to　cut　the　Charleston　&　Savannah　Railroad　at　Pocataligo。
Among　them　we　were　astonished　to　find　Charley　Hirsch；　a　member　of　Company
I's　of　our　battalion。　　He　had　had　a　strange　experience。　　He　was
originally　a　member　of　a　Texas　regiment　and　was　captured　at　Arkansas
Post。　　He　then　took　the　oath　of　allegiance　and　enlisted　with　us。　　While
we　were　at　Savannah　he　approached　a　guard　one　day　to　trade　for　tobacco。
The　moment　he　spoke　to　the　man　he　recognized　him　as　a　former　comrade　in
the　Texas　regiment。　　The　latter　knew　him　also；　and　sang　out；

〃I　know　you；　you're　Charley　Hirsch；　that　used　to　be　in　my　company。〃

Charley　backed　into　the　crowd　as　quickly　as　possible；　to　elude　the
fellow's　eyes；　but　the　latter　called　for　the　Corporal　of　the　Guard；　had
himself　relieved；　and　in　a　few　minutes　came　in　with　an　officer　in　search
of　the　deserter。　　He　found　him　with　little　difficulty；　and　took　him　out。
The　luckless　Charley　was　tried　by　court　martial；　found；　guilty；　sentenced
to　be　shot；　and　while　waiting　execution　was　confined　in　the　jail。　　Before
the　sentence　could　be　carried　into　effect　Sherman　came　so　close　to　the
City　that　it　was　thought　best　to　remove　the　prisoners。　　In　the　confusion
Charley　managed　to　make　his　escape；　and　at　the　moment　the　battle　of
Pocataligo　opened；　was　lying　concealed　between　the　two　lines　of　battle；
without　knowing；　of　course；　that　he　was　in　such　a　dangerous　locality。
After　the　firing　opened；　he　thought　it　better　to　lie　still　than　run　the
risk　from　the　fire　of　both　sides；　especially　as　he　momentarily　expected
our　folks　to　advance　and　drive　the　Rebels　away。　　But　the　reverse
happened；　the　Johnnies　drove　our　fellows；　and；　finding　Charley　in　his
place　of　concealment；　took　him　for　one　of　Foster's　men；　and　sent　him　to
Florence；　where　he　staid　until　we　went　through　to　our　lines。

Our　days　went　by　as　stupidly　and　eventless　as　can　be　conceived。
We　had　grown　too　spiritless　and　lethargic　to　dig　tunnels　or　plan　escapes。
We　had　nothing　to　read；　nothing　to　make　or　destroy；　nothing　to　work　with；
nothing　to　play　with；　and　even　no　desire　to　contrive　anything　for
amusement。　　All　the　cards　in　the　prison　were　worn　out　long　ago。　　Some　of
the　boys　had　made　dominos　from　bones；　and　Andrews　and　I　still　had　our
chessmen；　but　we　were　too　listless　to　play。　　The　mind；　enfeebled　by　the
long　disuse　of　it　except　in　a　few　limited　channels；　was　unfitted　for　even
so　much　effort　as　was　involved　in　a　game　for　pastime。

Nor　were　there　any　physical　exercises；　such　as　that　crowd　of　young　men
would　have　delighted　in　under　other　circumstances。　　There　was　no　running；
boxing；　jumping；　wrestling；　leaping；　etc。　　All　were　too　weak　and　hungry
to　make　any　exertion　beyond　that　absolutely　necessary。　　On　cold　days
everybody　seemed　totally　benumbed。　　The　camp　would　be　silent　and　still。
Little　groups　everywhere　hovered　for　hours；　moody　and　sullen；　over
diminutive；　flickering　fires；　made　with　one　poor　handful　of　splinters。
When　the　sun　shone；　more　activity　was　visible。　　Boys　wandered　around；
hunted　up　their　friends；　and　saw　what　gaps　deathalways　busiest　during
the　cold　spellshad　made　in　the　ranks　of　their　acquaintances。　　During
the　warmest　part　of　the　day　everybody　disrobed；　and　spent　an　hour　or　more
killing　the　lice　that　had　waxed　and　multiplied　to　grievous　proportions
during　the　few　days　of　comparative　immunity。

Besides　the　whipping　of　the　Galvanized　by　the　darkies；　I　remember　but　two
other　bits　of　amusement　we　had　while　at　Florence。　　One　of　these　was　in
hearing　the　colored　soldiers　sing　patriotic　songs；　which　they　did　with
great　gusto　when　the　weather　became　mild。　　The　other　was　the　antics　of　a
circus　clowna　member；　I　believe；　of　a　Connecticut　or　a　New　York
regiment；　who；　on　the　rare　occasions　when　we　were　feeling　not　exactly
well　so　much　as　simply　better　than　we　had　been；　would　give　us　an　hour　or
two　of　recitations　of　the　drolleries　with　which　he　was　wont　to　set　the
crowded　canvas　in　a　roar。　　One　of　his　happiest　efforts；　I　remember；　was　a
stilted　paraphrase　of　〃Old　Uncle　Ned〃　a　song　very　popular　a　quarter　of　a
century　ago；　and　which　ran　something　like　this：

There　was　an　old　darky；　an'　his　name　was　Uncle　Ned；
But　he　died　long　ago；　long　ago
He　had　no　wool　on　de　top　of　his　head；
De　place　whar　de　wool　ought　to　grouw。

　　　　　　　　　　CHORUS
　　　　　　　　　　Den　lay　down　de　shubel　an'　de　hoe；
　　　　　　　　　　Den　hang　up　de　fiddle　an'　de　bow；
　　　　　　　　　　For　dere's　no　more　hard　work　for　poor　Uncle　Ned
　　　　　　　　　　He's　gone　whar　de　good　niggahs　go。

His　fingers　war　long；　like　de　cane　in　de　brake；
And　his　eyes　war　too　dim　for　to　see；
He　had　no　teeth　to　eat　de　corn　cake；
So　he　had　to　let　de　corn　cake　be。

　　　　　　　　　　CHORUS。

His　legs　were　so　bowed　dat　he　couldn't　lie　still。
An'　he　had　no　nails　on　his　toes；

His　neck　was　so　crooked　dot　he　couldn't　take　a　pill；
So　he　had　to　take　a　pill　through　his　nose。

　　　　　　　　　　CHORUS。

One　cold　frosty　morning　old　Uncle　Ned　died；
An'　de　tears　ran　down　massa's　cheek　like　rain；
For　he　knew　when　Uncle　Ned　was　laid　in　de　groun'；
He　would　never　see　poor　Uncle　Ned　again；

　　　　　　　　　　CHORUS。


In　the　hands　of　this　artist　the　song　became

There　was　an　aged　and　indigent　African　whose　cognomen　was　Uncle　Edward；
But　he　is　deceased　since　a　remote　period；　a　very　remote　period；
He　possessed　no　capillary　substance　on　the　summit　of　his　cranium；
The　place　designated　by　kind　Nature　for　the　capillary　substance　to
vegetate。

CHORUS。
Then　let　the　agricultural　implements　rest　recumbent　upon　the　ground；
And　suspend　the　musical　instruments　in　peace　neon　the　wall；
For　there's　no　more　physical　energy　to　be　displayed　by　our　Indigent　Uncle
　　　　　　　　　　Edward
He　has　departed　to　that　place　set　apart　by　a　beneficent　Providence　for
　　　　　　　　　　the　reception　of　the　better　class　of　Africans。


And　so　on。　　These　rare　flashes　of　fun　only　served　to　throw　the　underlying
misery　out　in　greater　relief。　　It　was　like　lightning　playing　across　the
surface　of　a　dreary　morass。

I　have　before　alluded　several　times　to　the　general　inability　of　Rebels　to
count　accurately；　even　in　low　numbers。　　One　continually　met　phases　of
this　that　seemed　simply　incomprehensible　to　us；　who　had　taken　in　the
multiplication　table　almost　with　our　mother's　milk；　and　knew　the　Rule　of
Three　as　well　as　a　Presbyterian　boy　does　the　Shorter　Catechism。
A　cadetan　undergraduate　of　the　South　Carolina　Military　Institute
called　our　roll　at　Florence；　and　though　an　inborn　young　aristocrat；　who
believed　himself　made　of　finer　clay　than　most　mortals；　he　was　not　a　bad
fellow　at　all。　　He　thought　South　Carolina　aristoc