andersonville-第103节

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seems　to　be　the　ease　with　which　men　died。　　There；　was　little　of　the
violence　of　dissolution　so　common　at　Andersonville。　　The　machinery　of
life　in　all　of　us；　was　running　slowly　and　feebly；　it　would　simply　grow
still　slower　and　feebler　in　some；　and　then　stop　without　a　jar；　without　a
sensation　to　manifest　it。　　Nightly　one　of　two　or　three　comrades　sleeping
together　would　die。　　The　survivors　would　not　know　it　until　they　tried　to
get　him　to　〃spoon〃　over；　when　they　would　find　him　rigid　and　motionless。
As　they　could　not　spare　even　so　little　heat　as　was　still　contained　in　his
body；　they　would　not　remove　this；　but　lie　up　the　closer　to　it　until
morning。　　Such　a　thing　as　a　boy　making　an　outcry　when　he　discovered　his
comrade　dead；　or　manifesting　any；　desire　to　get　away　from　the　corpse；　was
unknown。

I　remember　one　who；　as　Charles　II。　　said　of　himself；　was
〃an　unconscionable　long　time　in　dying。〃　　His　name　was　Bickford；　he
belonged　to　the　Twenty…First　Ohio　Volunteer　Infantry；　lived；　I　think；
near　Findlay；　O。；　and　was　in　my　hundred。　　His　partner　and　he　were　both　in
a　very　bad　condition；　and　I　was　not　surprised；　on　making　my　rounds；　one
morning；　to　find　them　apparently　quite　dead。　　I　called　help；　and　took　his
partner　away　to　the　gate。　　When　we　picked　up　Bickford　we　found　he　still
lived；　and　had　strength　enough　to　gasp　out：

〃You　fellers　had　better　let　me　alone。〃　　We　laid　him　back　to　die；　as　we
supposed；　in　an　hour　or　so。

When　the　Rebel　Surgeon　came　in　on　his　rounds；　I　showed　him　Bickford；
lying　there　with　his　eyes　closed；　and　limbs　motionless。　　The　Surgeon
said：

〃O；　that　man's　dead；　why　don't　you　have　him　taken　out？〃

I　replied：　〃　No；　he　isn't。　　Just　see。〃　　Stooping；　I　shook　the　boy
sharply；　and　said：

〃Bickford！　　Bickford！！　　How　do　you　feel？〃

The　eyes　did　not　unclose；　but　the　lips　opened　slowly；　and　said　with　a
painful　effort：

〃F…i…r…s…t　　R…a…t…e！〃

This　scene　was　repeated　every　morning　for　over　a　week。　　Every　day　the
Rebel　Surgeon　would　insist　that　the　man　should　betaken　out；　and　every
morning　Bickford　would　gasp　out　with　troublesome　exertion　that　he　felt：

〃F…i…r…s…t　　R…a…t…e！〃

It　ended　one　morning　by　his　inability；　to　make　his　usual　answer；　and　then
he　was　carried　out　to　join　the　two　score　others　being　loaded　into　the
wagon。




CHAPTER　LXXIV。

NEW　YEAR'S　DAYDEATH　OF　JOHN　H。　WINDERHE　DIES　ON　HIS　WAY　TO　A　DINNER
SOMETHING　AS　TO　CHARACTER　AND　CAREERONE　OF　THE　WORST　MEN　THAT　EVER
LIVED。

On　New　Year's　Day　we　were　startled　by　the　information　that　our　old…time
enemyGeneral　John　H。　Winderwas　dead。　　It　seemed　that　the　Rebel　Sutler
of　the　Post　had　prepared　in　his　tent　a　grand　New　Year's　dinner　to　which
all　the　officers　were　invited。　　Just　as　Winder　bent　his　head　to　enter　the
tent　he　fell；　and　expired　shortly　after。　　The　boys　said　it　was　a　clear
case　of　Death　by　Visitation　of　the　Devil；　and　it　was　always　insisted　that
his　last　words　were：

〃My　faith　is　in　Christ；　I　expect　to　be　saved。　　Be　sure　and　cut　down　the
prisoners'　rations。〃

Thus　passed　away　the　chief　evil　genius　of　the　Prisoners…of…War。　　American
history　has　no　other　character　approaching　his　in　vileness。　　I　doubt　if
the　history　of　the　world　can　show　another　man；　so　insignificant　in
abilities　and　position；　at　whose　door　can　be　laid　such　a　terrible　load　of
human　misery。　　There　have　been　many　great　conquerors　and　warriors　who
have

　　　　　　　　　　Waded　through　slaughter　to　a　throne；
　　　　　　　　　　And　shut　the　gates　of　mercy　on　mankind；

but　they　were　great　men；　with　great　objects；　with　grand　plans　to　carry
out；　whose　benefits　they　thought　would　be　more　than　an　equivalent　for　the
suffering　they　caused。　　The　misery　they　inflicted　was　not　the　motive　of
their　schemes；　but　an　unpleasant　incident；　and　usually　the　sufferers　were
men　of　other　races　and　religions；　for　whom　sympathy　had　been　dulled　by
long　antagonism。

But　Winder　was　an　obscure；　dull　old　manthe　commonplace　descendant　of　a
pseudo…aristocrat　whose　cowardly　incompetence　had　once　cost　us　the　loss
of　our　National　Capital。　　More　prudent　than　his　runaway　father；　he　held
himself　aloof　from　the　field；　his　father　had　lost　reputation　and　almost
his　commission；　by　coming　into　contact　with　the　enemy；　he　would　take　no
such　foolish　risks；　and　he　did　not。　　When　false　expectations　of　the
ultimate　triumph　of　Secession　led　him　to　cast　his　lot　with　the　Southern
Confederacy；　he　did　not　solicit　a　command　in　the　field；　but　took　up　his
quarters　in　Richmond；　to　become　a　sort　of　Informer…General；　High…
Inquisitor　and　Chief　Eavesdropper　for　his　intimate　friend；　Jefferson
Davis。　　He　pried　and　spied　around　into　every　man's　bedroom　and　family
circle；　to　discover　traces　of　Union　sentiment。　　The　wildest　tales　malice
and　vindictiveness　could　concoct　found　welcome　reception　in　his　ears。
He　was　only　too　willing　to　believe；　that　he　might　find　excuse　for
harrying　and　persecuting。　　He　arrested；　insulted；　imprisoned；　banished；
and　shot　people；　until　the　patience　even　of　the　citizens　of　Richmond　gave
way；　and　pressure　was　brought　upon　Jefferson　Davis　to　secure　the
suppression　of　his　satellite。　　For　a　long　while　Davis　resisted；　but　at
last　yielded；　and　transferred　Winder　to　the　office　of　Commissary　General
of　Prisoners。　　The　delight　of　the　Richmond　people　was　great。　　One　of　the
papers　expressed　it　in　an　article；　the　key　note　of　which　was：

〃Thank　God　that　Richmond　is　at　last　rid　of　old　Winder。　　God　have　mercy
upon　those　to　whom　he　has　been　sent。〃

Remorseless　and　cruel　as　his　conduct　of　the　office　of　Provost　Marshal
General　was；　it　gave　little　hint　of　the　extent　to　which　he　would　go　in
that　of　Commissary　General　of　Prisoners。　　Before；　he　was　restrained
somewhat　by　public　opinion　and　the　laws　of　the　land。　　These　no　longer
deterred　him。　　From　the　time　he　assumed　command　of　all　the　Prisons　east
of　the　Mississippisome　time　in　the　Fall　of　1863until　death　removed
him；　January　1；　1865certainly　not　less　than　twenty…five　thousand
incarcerated　men　died　in　the　most　horrible　manner　that　the　mind　can
conceive。　　He　cannot　be　accused　of　exaggeration；　when；　surveying　the
thousands　of　new　graves　at　Andersonville；　he　could　say　with　a　quiet
chuckle　that　he　was　〃doing　more　to　kill　off　the　Yankees　than　twenty
regiments　at　the　front。〃　　No　twenty　regiments　in　the　Rebel　Army　ever
succeeded　in　slaying　anything　like　thirteen　thousand　Yankees　in　six
months；　or　any　other　time。　　His　cold　blooded　cruelty　was　such　as　to
disgust　even　the　Rebel　officers。　　Colonel　D。　T。　Chandler；　of　the　Rebel
War　Department；　sent　on　a　tour　of　inspection　to　Andersonville；　reported
back；　under　date　of　August　5；　1864：

〃My　duty　requires　me　respectfully　to　recommend　a　change　in　the　officer　in
command　of　the　post；　Brigadier　General　John　H。　Winder；　and　the
substitution　in　his　place　of　some　one　who　unites　both　energy　and　good
judgment　with　some　feelings　of　humanity　and　consideration　for　the　welfare
and　comfort；　as　far　as　is　consistent　with　their　safe　keeping；　of　the　vast
number　of　unfortunates　placed　under　his　control；　some　one　who；　at　least；
will　not　advocate　deliberately；　and　in　cold　blood；　the　propriety　of
leaving　them　in　their　present　condition　until　their　number　is
sufficiently　reduced　by　death　to　make　the　present　arrangements　suffice
for　their　accommodation；　and　who　will　not　consider　it　a　matter　of　self…
laudation　and　boasting　that　he　has　never　been　inside　of　the　Stockadea
place　the　horrors　of　which　it　is　difficult　to　describe；　and　which　is　a
disgrace　to　civilizationthe　condition　of　which　he　might；　by　the
exercise　of　a　little　energy　and　judgment；　even　with　the　limited　means　at
his　command；　have　considerably　improved。〃

In　his　examination　touching　this　report；　Colonel　Chandler　says：

〃I　noticed　that　General　Winder　seemed　very　indifferent　to　the　welfare　of
the　prisoners；　indisposed　to　do　anything；　or　to　do　as　much　as　I　thought
he　ought　to　do；　to　alleviate　their　sufferings。　　I　remonstrated　with　him
as　well　as　I　could；　and　he　used　that　language　which　I　reported　to　the
Department　with　reference　to　itthe　language　stated　in　the　report。　　When
I　spoke　of　the　great　mortality　existing　among　the　prisoners；　and　pointed
out　to　him　that　the　sickly　season　was　coming　on；　and　that　it　must
necessarily　increase　unless　something　was　done　for　their　reliefthe
swamp；　for　instance；　drained；　proper　food　furnished；　and　in　better
quantity；　and　other　sanitary　suggestions　which　I　made　to　himhe　replied
to　me　that　he　thought　it　was　better　to　see　half　of　them　die　than　to　take
care　of　the　men。〃

It　was　he　who　could　issue　such　an　order　as　this；　when　it　was　supposed
that　General　Stoneman　was　approaching　Andersonville：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　HEADQUARTERS　MILITARY　PRISON；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ANDERSONVILLE；　Ga。；　July　27；1864。
The　officers　on　duty　and　in　charge　of　the　Battery　of　Florida　Artillery　at
the　time　will；　upon　receiving　notice　that　the　enemy　has　approached　within
seven　miles　of　this　post；　open　upon　the　Stockade　with　grapeshot；　without
reference　to　the　situation　beyond　these　lines　of　defense。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　JOHN　H。　WINDER；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Brigadier　General　Commanding。


This　man　was　not　only　unpunished；　but　the　Government　is　to…day　support