andersonville-第13节

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roused　them。　　For　the　last　hour　or　so　of　these　long　waits　hardly　a　word
would　be　spoken。　　We　were　too　ill…natured　to　talk　for　amusement；　and
there　was　nothing　else　to　talk　for。

This　spell　was　broken　about　eleven　o'clock　by　the　appearance　at　the　head
of　the　stairway　of　the　Irishman　with　the　gun…barrel　cane；　and　his　singing
out：

〃Sargint　uv　the　flure：　fourtane　min　and　a　bread…box！〃

Instantly　every　man　sprang　to　his　feet；　and　pressed　forward　to　be　one　of
the　favored　fourteen。　　One　did　not　get　any　more　gyrations　or　obtain　them
any　sooner　by　this；　but　it　was　a　relief；　and　a　change　to　walk　the　half
square　outside　the　prison　to　the　cookhouse；　and　help　carry　the　rations
back。

For　a　little　while　after　our　arrival　in　Richmond；　the　rations　were
tolerably　good。　　There　had　been　so　much　said　about　the　privations　of　the
prisoners　that　our　Government　had；　after　much　quibbling　and　negotiation；
succeeded　in　getting　the　privilege　of　sending　food　and　clothing　through
the　lines　to　us。　　Of　course　but　a　small　part　of　that　sent　ever　reached
its　destination。　　There　were　too　many　greedy　Rebels　along　its　line　of
passage　to　let　much　of　it　be　received　by　those　for　whom　it　was　intended。
We　could　see　from　our　windows　Rebels　strutting　about　in　overcoats；　in
which　the　box　wrinkles　were　still　plainly　visible；　wearing　new　〃U。　S。〃
blankets　as　cloaks；　and　walking　in　Government　shoes；　worth　fabulous
prices　in　Confederate　money。

Fortunately　for　our　Government　the　rebels　decided　to　out　themselves　off
from　this　profitable　source　of　supply。　　We　read　one　day　in　the　Richmond
papers　that　〃President　Davis　and　his　Cabinet　had　come　to　the　conclusion
that　it　was　incompatible　with　the　dignity　of　a　sovereign　power　to　permit
another　power　with　which　it　was　at　war；　to　feed　and　clothe　prisoners　in
its　hands。〃

I　will　not　stop　to　argue　this　point　of　honor；　and　show　its　absurdity　by
pointing　out　that　it　is　not　an　unusual　practice　with　nations　at　war。　　It
is　a　sufficient　commentary　upon　this　assumption　of　punctiliousness　that
the　paper　went　on　to　say　that　some　five　tons　of　clothing　and　fifteen　tons
of　food；　which　had　been　sent　under　a　flag　of　truce　to　City　Point；　would
neither　be　returned　nor　delivered　to　us；　but　〃converted　to　the　use　of　the
Confederate　Government。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃And　surely　they　are　all　honorable　men！〃

Heaven　save　the　mark。




CHAPTER　IX。
BRANS　OR　PEASINSUFFICIENCY　OF　DARKY　TESTIMONYA　GUARD　KILLS　A
PRISONERPRISONERS　TEAZE　THE　GUARDSDESPERATE　OUTBREAK。

But；　to　return　to　the　rationsa　topic　which；　with　escape　or　exchange；
were　to　be　the　absorbing　ones　for　us　for　the　next　fifteen　months。　　There
was　now　issued　to　every　two　men　a　loaf　of　coarse　breadmade　of　a　mixture
of　flour　and　mealand　about　the　size　and　shape　of　an　ordinary　brick。
This　half　loaf　was　accompanied；　while　our　Government　was　allowed　to
furnish　rations；　with　a　small　piece　of　corned　beef。　　Occasionally　we　got
a　sweet　potato；　or　a　half…pint　or　such　a　matter　of　soup　made　from　a
coarse；　but　nutritious；　bean　or　pea；　called　variously　〃nigger…pea；〃
〃stock…pea；〃　or　〃cow…pea。〃

This；　by　the　way；　became　a　fruitful　bone　of　contention　during　our　stay
in　the　South。　　One　strong　party　among　us　maintained　that　it　was　a　bean；
because　it　was　shaped　like　one；　and　brown；　which　they　claimed　no　pea　ever
was。　　The　other　party　held　that　it　was　a　pea　because　its　various　names
all　agreed　in　describing　it　as　a　pea；　and　because　it　was　so　full　of　bugs…
…none　being　entirely　free　from　insects；　and　some　having　as　many　as　twelve
by　actual　countwithin　its　shell。　　This；　they　declared；　was　a
distinctive　characteristic　of　the　pea　family。　　The　contention　began　with
our　first　instalment　of　the　leguminous　ration；　and　was　still　raging
between　the　survivors　who　passed　into　our　lines　in　1865。　　It　waxed　hot
occasionally；　and　each　side　continually　sought　evidence　to　support　its
view　of　the　case。　　Once　an　old　darky；　sent　into　the　prison　on　some
errand；　was　summoned　to　decide　a　hot　dispute　that　was　raging　in　the　crowd
to　which　I　belonged。　　The　champion　of　the　pea　side　said；　producing　one　of
the　objects　of　dispute：

〃Now；　boys；　keep　still；　till　I　put　the　question　fairly。　　Now；　uncle；　what
do　they　call　that　there？〃

The　colored　gentleman　scrutinized　the　vegetable　closely；　and　replied；

〃Well；　dey　mos'　generally　calls　'em　stock…peas；　round　hyar　aways。〃

〃There；〃　said　the　pea…champion　triumphantly。

〃But；〃　broke　in　the　leader　of　the　bean　party；　〃Uncle；　don't　they　also
call　them　beans？〃

〃Well；　yes；　chile；　I　spec　dat　lots　of　'em　does。〃

And　this　was　about　the　way　the　matter　usually　ended。

I　will　not　attempt　to　bias　the　reader's　judgment　by　saying　which　side　I
believed　to　be　right。　　As　the　historic　British　showman　said；　in　reply　to
the　question　as　to　whether　an　animal　in　his　collection　was　a　rhinoceros
or　an　elephant；　〃You　pays　your　money　and　you　takes　your　choice。〃

The　rations　issued　to　us；　as　will　be　seen　above；　though　they　appear
scanty；　were　still　sufficient　to　support　life　and　health；　and　months
afterward；　in　Andersonville；　we　used　to　look　back　to　them　as　sumptuous。
We　usually　had　them　divided　and　eaten　by　noon；　and；　with　the　gnawings　of
hunger　appeased；　we　spent　the　afternoon　and　evening　comfortably。　　We　told
stories；　paced　up　and　down；　the　floor　for　exercise；　played　cards；　sung；
read　what　few　books　were　available；　stood　at　the　windows　and　studied　the
landscape；　and　watched　the　Rebels　trying　their　guns　and　shells；　and　so　on
as　long　as　it　was　daylight。　　Occasionally　it　was　dangerous　to　be　about
the　windows。　　This　depended　wholly　on　the　temper　of　the　guards。　　One　day
a　member　of　a　Virginia　regiment；　on　guard　on　the　pavement　in　front；
deliberately　left　his　beat；　walked　out　into　the　center　of　the　street；
aimed　his　gun　at　a　member　of　the　Ninth　West　Virginia；　who　was　standing　at
a　window　near；　and　firing；　shot　him　through　the　heart；　the　bullet　passing
through　his　body；　and　through　the　floor　above。　　The　act　was　purely
malicious；　and　was　done；　doubtless；　in　revenge　for　some　injury　which　our
men　had　done　the　assassin　or　his　family。

We　were　not　altogether　blameless；　by　any　means。　　There　were　few
opportunities　to　say　bitterly　offensive　things　to　the　guards；　let　pass
unimproved。

The　prisoners　in　the　third　floor　of　the　Smith　building；　adjoining　us；
had　their　own　way　of　teasing　them。　　Late　at　night；　when　everybody　would
be　lying　down；　and　out　of　the　way　of　shots；　a　window　in　the　third　story
would　open；　a　broomstick；　with　a　piece　nailed　across　to　represent　arms；
and　clothed　with　a　cap　and　blouse；　would　be　protruded；　and　a　voice　coming
from　a　man　carefully　protected　by　the　wall；　would　inquire：

〃S…a…y；　g…uarr…d；　what　time　is　it？〃

If　the　guard　was　of　the　long　suffering　kind　he　would　answer：

〃Take　yo'　head　back　in；　up　dah；　you　kno　hits　agin　all　odahs　to　do　dat？〃

Then　the　voice　would　say；　aggravatingly；　〃Oh；　well；　go　to　
you　　Rebel　；　if　you　can't　answer　a　civil　question。〃

Before　the　speech　was　ended　the　guard's　rifle　would　be　at　his　shoulder
and　he　would　fire。　　Back　would　come　the　blouse　and　hat　in　haste；　only　to
go　out　again　the　next　instant；　with　a　derisive　laugh；　and

〃Thought　you　were　going　to　hurt　somebody；　didn't　you；　you　　　
　。　　But；　Lord；　you　can't　shoot　for　sour　apples；　if　I　couldn't
shoot　no　better　than　you；　Mr。　Johnny　Reb；　I　would　〃

By　this　time　the　guard；　having　his　gun　loaded　again；　would　cut　short　the
remarks　with　another　shot；　which；　followed　up　with　similar　remarks；　would
provoke　still　another；　when　an　alarm　sounding；　the　guards　at　Libby　and
all　the　other　buildings　around　us　would　turn　out。　　An　officer　of　the
guard　would　go　up　with　a　squad　into　the　third　floor；　only　to　find
everybody　up　there　snoring　away　as　if　they　were　the　Seven　Sleepers。
After　relieving　his　mind　of　a　quantity　of　vigorous　profanity；　and　threats
to　〃buck　and　gag〃　and　cut　off　the　rations　of　the　whole　room；　the　officer
would　return　to　his　quarters　in　the　guard　house；　but　before　he　was　fairly
ensconced　there　the　cap　and　blouse　would　go　out　again；　and　the　maddened
guard　be　regaled　with　a　spirited　and　vividly　profane　lecture　on　the
depravity　of　Rebels　in　general；　and　his　own　unworthiness　in　particular。

One　night　in　January　things　took　a　more　serious　turn。　　The　boys　on　the
lower　floor　of　our　building　had　long　considered　a　plan　of　escape。　　There
were　then　about　fifteen　thousand　prisoners　in　Richmondten　thousand　on
Belle　Isle　and　five　thousand　in　the　buildings。　　Of　these　one　thousand
five　hundred　were　officers　in　Libby。　　Besides　there　were　the　prisoners　in
Castles　Thunder　and　Lightning。　　The　essential　features　of　the　plan　were
that　at　a　preconcerted　signal　we　at　the；　second　and　third　floors　should
appear　at　the　windows　with　bricks　and　irons　from　the　tobacco　presses；
which　a　should　shower　down　on　the　guards　and　drive　them　away；　while　the
men　of　the　first　floor　would　pour　out；　chase　the　guards　into　the　board
house　in　the　basement；　seize　their　arms；　drive　those　away　from　around
Libby　and　the　other　prisons；　release　the　officers；　organize　into
regiments　and　brigades；　seize　the　armory；　set　fire　to　the　public
buildings　and　retreat　from　the　City；　by　the　south　side　of　the　James；
where　there　was　but　a　scanty　force　of　Rebels；　and