andersonville-第108节

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comfortable　fires　we　had　while　in　Florence。　　In　hunting　around　through
the　tents　for　fuel　we　found　many　bodies　of　those　who　had　died　as　their
comrades　were　leaving。　　As　the　larger　portion　of　us　could　barely　walk；
the　Rebels　paroled　us　to　remain　inside　of　the　Stockade　or　within　a　few
hundred　yards　of　the　front　of　it；　and　took　the　guards　off。　　While　these
were　marching　down；　a　dozen　or　more　of　us；　exulting　in　even　so　much
freedom　as　we　had　obtained；　climbed　on　the　Hospital　shed　to　see　what　the
outlook　was；　and　perched　ourselves　on　the　ridgepole。　　Lieutenant　Barrett
came　along；　at　a　distance　of　two　hundred　yards；　with　a　squad　of　guards。
Observing　us；　he　halted　his　men；　faced　them　toward　us；　and　they　leveled
their　guns　as　if　to　fire。　　He　expected　to　see　us　tumble　down　in　ludicrous
alarm；　to　avoid　the　bullets。　　But　we　hated　him　and　them　so　bad；　that　we
could　not　give　them　the　poor　satisfaction　of　scaring　us。　　Only　one　of　our
party　attempted　to　slide　down；　but　the　moment　we　swore　at　him　he　came
back　and　took　his　seat　with　folded　arms　alongside　of　us。　　Barrett　gave
the　order　to　fire；　and　the　bullets　shrieked　aver　our　heads；　fortunately
not　hitting　anybody。　　We　responded　with　yells　of　derision；　and　the　worst
abuse　we　could　think　of。

Coming　down　after　awhile；　I　walked　to　the　now　open　gate；　and　looped
through　it　over　the　barren　fields　to　the　dense　woods　a　mile　away；　and　a
wild　desire　to　run　off　took　possession　of　me。　　It　seemed　as　if　I　could
not　resist　it。　　The　woods　appeared　full　of　enticing　shapes；　beckoning　me
to　come　to　them；　and　　the　winds　whispered　in　my　ears：

〃Run！　　Run！　　Run！〃

But　the　words　of　my　parole　were　still　fresh　in　my　mind；　and　I　stilled　my
frenzy　to　escape　by　turning　back　into　the　Stockade　and　looking　away　from
the　tempting　view。

Once　five　new　prisoners；　the　first　we　had　seen　in　a　long　time；　were
brought　in　from　Sherman's　army。　　They　were　plump；　well…conditioned；　well…
dressed；　healthy；　devil…may…care　young　fellows；　whose　confidence　in
themselves　and　in　Sherman　was　simply　limitless；　and　their　contempt　for
all　Rebels　and　especially　those　who　terrorized　over　us；　enormous。

〃Come　up　here　to　headquarters；〃　said　one　of　the　Rebel　officers　to　them　as
they　stood　talking　to　us；　〃and　we'll　parole　you。〃

〃O　go　to　h…　with　your　parole；〃　said　the　spokesman　of　the　crowd；　with
nonchalant　contempt；　〃we　don't　want　none　of　your　paroles。　　Old　Billy'll
parole　us　before　Saturday。〃

To　us　they　said：

〃Now；　you　boys　want　to　cheer　right　up；　keep　a　stiff　upper　lip。　　This
thing's　workin'　all　right。　　Their　old　Confederacy's　goin'　to　pieces　like
a　house　afire。　　Sherman's　promenadin'　through　it　just　as　it　suits　him；
and　he's　liable　to　pay　a　visit　at　any　hour。　　We're　expectin'　him　all　the
time；　because　it　was　generally　understood　all　through　the　Army　that　we
were　to　take　the　prison　pen　here　in　on　our　way。〃

I　mentioned　my　distrust　of　the　concentration　of　Rebels　at　Cheraw；　and
their　faces　took　on　a　look　of　supreme　disdain。

〃Now；　don't　let　that　worry　you　a　minute；〃　said　the　confident　spokesman。
〃All　the　Rebels　between　here　and　Lee's　Army　can't　prevent　Sherman　from
going　just　where　he　pleases。　　Why；　we've　quit　fightin'　'em　except　with
the　Bummers　advance。　　We　haven't　had　to　go　into　regular　line　of　battle
against　them　for　I　don't　know　how　long。　　Sherman　would　like　anything
better　than　to　have　'em　make　a　stand　somewhere　so　that　he　could　get　a
good　fair　whack　at　'em。〃

No　one　can　imagine　the　effect　of　all　this　upon　us。　　It　was　better　than　a
carload　of　medicines　and　a　train　load　of　provisions　would　have　been。
From　the　depths　of　despondency　we　sprang　at　once　to　tip…toe　on　the
mountain…tops　of　expectation。　　We　did　little　day　and　night　but　listen　for
the　sound　of　Sherman's　guns　and　discuss　what　we　would　do　when　he　came。
We　planned　schemes　of　terrible　vengeance　on　Barrett　and　Iverson；　but
these　worthies　had　mysteriously　disappearedwhither　no　one　knew。　　There
was　hardly　an　hour　of　any　night　passed　without　some　one　of　us　fancying
that　he　heard　the　welcome　sound　of　distant　firing。　　As　everybody　knows；
by　listening　intently　at　night；　one　can　hear　just　exactly　what　he　is
intent　upon　hearing；　and　so　was　with　us。　　In　the　middle　of　the　night　boys
listening　awake　with　strained　ears；　would　say：

〃Now；　if　ever　I　heard　musketry　firing　in　my　life；　that's　a　heavy　skirmish
line　at　work；　and　sharply　too；　and　not　more　than　three　miles　away；
neither。〃

Then　another　would　say：

〃I　don't　want　to　ever　get　out　of　here　if　that　don't　sound　just　as　the
skirmishing　at　Chancellorsville　did　the　first　day　to　us。　　We　were　lying
down　about　four　miles　off；　when　it　began　pattering　just　as　that　is　doing
now。〃

And　so　on。

One　night　about　nine　or　ten；　there　came　two　short；　sharp　peals　of
thunder；　that　sounded　precisely　like　the　reports　of　rifled　field　pieces。
We　sprang　up　in　a　frenzy　of　excitement；　and　shouted　as　if　our　throats
would　split。　　But　the　next　peal　went　off　in　the　usual　rumble；　and　our
excitement　had　to　subside。




CHAPTER　LXXVII

FRUITLESS　WAITING　FOR　SHERMANWE　LEAVE　FLORENCEINTELLIGENCE　OF　THE
FALL　OF　WILMINGTON　COMMUNICATED　TO　US　BY　A　SLAVETHE　TURPENTINE　REGION
OF　NORTH　CAROLINAWE　COME　UPON　A　REBEL　LINE　OF　BATTLEYANKEES　AT　BOTH
ENDS　OF　THE　ROAD。

Things　had　gone　on　in　the　way　described　in　the　previous　chapter　until
past　the　middle　of　February。　　For　more　than　a　week　every　waking　hour　was
spent　in　anxious　expectancy　of　Shermanlistening　for　the　far…off　rattle
of　his　gunsstraining　our　ears　to　catch　the　sullen　boom　of　his
artilleryscanning　the　distant　woods　to　see　the　Rebels　falling　back　in
hopeless　confusion　before　the　pursuit　of　his　dashing　advance。　　Though　we
became　as　impatient　as　those　ancient　sentinels　who　for　ten　long　years
stood　upon　the　Grecian　hills　to　catch　the　first　glimpse　of　the　flames　of
burning　Troy；　Sherman　came　not。　　We　afterwards　learned　that　two
expeditions　were　sent　down　towards　us　from　Cheraw；　but　they　met　with
unexpected　resistance；　and　were　turned　back。

It　was　now　plain　to　us　that　the　Confederacy　was　tottering　to　its　fall；
and　we　were　only　troubled　by　occasional　misgivings　that　we　might　in　some
way　be　caught　and　crushed　under　the　toppling　ruins。　　It　did　not　seem
possible　that　with　the　cruel　tenacity　with　which　the　Rebels　had　clung　to
us　they　would　be　willing　to　let　us　go　free　at　last；　but　would　be　tempted
in　the　rage　of　their　final　defeat　to　commit　some　unparalleled　atrocity
upon　us。

One　day　all　of　us　who　were　able　to　walk　were　made　to　fall　in　and　march
over　to　the　railroad；　where　we　were　loaded　into　boxcars。　　The　sick
except　those　who　were　manifestly　dyingwere　loaded　into　wagons　and
hauled　over。　　The　dying　were　left　to　their　fate；　without　any　companions
or　nurses。

The　train　started　off　in　a　northeasterly　direction；　and　as　we　went
through　Florence　the　skies　were　crimson　with　great　fires；　burning　in　all
directions。　　We　were　told　these　were　cotton　and　military　stores　being
destroyed　in　anticipation　of　a　visit　from；　a　part　of　Sherman's　forces。

When　morning　came　we　were　still　running　in　the　same　direction　that　we
started。　　In　the　confusion　of　loading　us　upon　the　cars　the　previous
evening；　I　had　been　allowed　to　approach　too　near　a　Rebel　officer's　stock
of　rations；　and　the　result　was　his　being　the　loser　and　myself　the　gainer
of　a　canteen　filled　with　fairly　good　molasses。　　Andrews　and　I　had　some
corn　bread；　and　we；　breakfasted　sumptuously　upon　it　and　the　molasses；
which　was　certainly　none…the…less　sweet　from　having　been　stolen。

Our　meal　over；　we　began　reconnoitering；　as　much　for　employment　as
anything　else。　　We　were　in　the　front　end　of　a　box　car。　　With　a　saw　made
on　the　back　of　a　case…knife　we　cut　a　hole　through　the　boards　big　enough
to　permit　us　to　pass　out；　and　perhaps　escape。　　We　found　that　we　were　on
the　foremost　box　car　of　the　trainthe　next　vehicle　to　us　being　a
passenger　coach；　in　which　were　the　Rebel　officers。　　On　the　rear　platform
of　this　car　was　seated　one　of　their　servantsa　trusty　old　slave；　well
dressed；　for　a　negro；　and　as　respectful　as　his　class　usually　was。　　Said　I
to　him：

〃Well；　uncle；　where　are　they　taking　us？〃

He　replied：

〃Well；　sah；　I　couldn't　rightly　say。〃

〃But　you　could　guess；　if　you　tried；　couldn't　you？〃

〃Yes　sah。〃

He　gave　a　quick　look　around　to　see　if　the　door　behind　him　was　so　securely
shut　that　he　could　not　be　overheard　by　the　Rebels　inside　the　car；　his
dull；　stolid　face　lighted　up　as　a　negro's　always　does　in　the　excitement
of　doing　something　cunning；　and　he　said　in　a　loud　whisper：

〃Dey's　a…gwine　to　take　you　to　Wilmingtonef　dey　kin　get　you　dar！〃

〃Can　get　us　there！〃　said　I　in　astonishment。　　〃Is　there　anything　to
prevent　them　taking　us　there？〃

The　dark　face　filled　with　inexpressible　meaning。　　I　asked：

〃It　isn't　possible　that　there　are　any　Yankees　down　there　to　interfere；
is　it？〃

The　great　eyes　flamed　up　with　intelligence　to　tell　me　that　I　guessed
aright；　again　he　glanced　nervously　around　to　assure　himself　that　no　one
was　eavesdropping；　and　then　he　said　in　a　whisper；　just　loud　enough　to　be
heard　above　the　noise　of　the　moving　train：

〃De　Yankees　took　Wilmington　yesterday　mawning。〃

The　news　startled　me；　but　it　was　true；　our　troops　having　driven　out　the
Reb