andersonville-第3节

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East；　West；　South；　North；
It　curses　the　earth；
All　justice　dies；
And　fraud　and　lies
Live　only　in　its　shadow。

Then　let　the　selfish　lip　be　dumb
And　hushed　the　breath　of　sighing；
Before　the　joy　of　peace　must　come
The　pains　of　purifying。
God　give　us　grace
Each　in　his　place
To　bear　his　lot；
And；　murmuring　not；
Endure　and　wait　and　labor！

WHITTIER






ANDERSONVILLE

A　STORY　OF　REBEL　MILITARY　PRISONS




CHAPTER　I。

A　STRANGE　LANDTHE　HEART　OF　THE　APPALACHIANSTHE　GATEWAY　OF　AN　EMPIRE
A　SEQUESTERED　VALE；　AND　A　PRIMITIVE；　ARCADIAN；　NON…PROGRESSIVE　PEOPLE。

A　low；　square；　plainly…hewn　stone；　set　near　the　summit　of　the　eastern
approach　to　the　formidable　natural　fortress　of　Cumberland　Gap；　indicates
the　boundaries　ofthe　three　great　States　of　Virginia；　Kentucky　and
Tennessee。　　It　is　such　a　place　as；　remembering　the　old　Greek　and　Roman
myths　and　superstitions；　one　would　recognize　as　fitting　to　mark　the
confines　of　the　territories　of　great　masses　of　strong；　aggressive；　and
frequently　conflicting　　peoples。　　There　the　god　Terminus　should　have　had
one　of　his　chief　temples；　where　his　shrine　would　be　shadowed　by　barriers
rising　above　the　clouds；　and　his　sacred　solitude　guarded　from　the　rude
invasion　of　armed　hosts　by　range　on　range　of　battlemented　rocks；　crowning
almost　inaccessible　mountains；　interposed　across　every　approach　from　the
usual　haunts　of　men。

Roundabout　the　land　is　full　of　strangeness　and　mystery。　　The　throes　of
some　great　convulsion　of　Nature　are　written　on　the　face　of　the　four
thousand　square　miles　of　territory；　of　which　Cumberland　Gap　is　the
central　point。　　Miles　of　granite　mountains　are　thrust　up　like　giant
walls；　hundreds　of　feet　high；　and　as　smooth　and　regular　as　the　side
of　a　monument。

Huge；　fantastically…shaped　rocks　abound　everywheresometimes　rising　into
pinnacles　on　lofty　summitssometimes　hanging　over　the　verge　of　beetling
cliffs；　as　if　placed　there　in　waiting　for　a　time　when　they　could　be
hurled　down　upon　the　path　of　an　advancing　army；　and　sweep　it　away。

Large　streams　of　water　burst　out　in　the　most　unexpected　planes；
frequently　far　up　mountain　sides；　and　fall　in　silver　veils　upon　stones
beaten　round　by　the　ceaseless　dash　for　ages。　　Caves；　rich　in　quaintly
formed　stalactites　and　stalagmites；　and　their　recesses　filled　with
metallic　salts　of　the　most　powerful　and　diverse　natures；　break　the
mountain　sides　at　frequent　intervals。　　Everywhere　one　is　met　by　surprises
and　anomalies。　　Even　the　rank　vegetation　is　eccentric；　and　as　prone　to
develop　into　bizarre　forms　as　are　the　rocks　and　mountains。

The　dreaded　panther　ranges　through　the　primeval；　rarely　trodden　forests；
every　crevice　in　the　rocks　has　for　tenants　rattlesnakes　or　stealthy
copperheads；　while　long；　wonderfully　swift　〃blue　racers〃　haunt　the　edges
of　the　woods；　and　linger　around　the　fields　to　chill　his　blood　who　catches
a　glimpse　of　their　upreared　heads；　with　their　great；　balefully　bright
eyes；　and　〃white…collar〃　encircled　throats。

The　human　events　happening　here　have　been　in　harmony　with　the　natural
ones。　　It　has　always　been　a　land　of　conflict。　　In　1540339　years　ago
De　Soto；　in　that　energetic　but　fruitless　search　for　gold　which　occupied
his　later　years；　penetrated　to　this　region；　and　found　it　the　fastness　of
the　Xualans；　a　bold；　aggressive　race；　continually　warring　with　its
neighbors。　　When　next　the　white　man　reached　the　countrya　century　and　a
half　laterhe　found　the　Xualans　had　been　swept　away　by　the　conquering
Cherokees；　and　he　witnessed　there　the　most　sanguinary　contest　between
Indians　of　which　our　annals　give　any　accounta　pitched　battle　two　days
in　duration；　between　the　invading　Shawnees；　who　lorded　it　over　what　is
now　Kentucky；　Ohio　and　Indianaand　the　Cherokees；　who　dominated　the
country　the　southeast　of　the　Cumberland　range。　　Again　the　Cherokees　were
victorious；　and　the　discomfited　Shawnees　retired　north　of　the　Gap。

Then　the　white　man　delivered　battle　for　the　possession　the　land；　and
bought　it　with　the　lives　of　many　gallant　adventurers。　　Half　a　century
later　Boone　and　his　hardy　companion　followed；　and　forced　their　way　into
Kentucky。

Another　half　century　saw　the　Gap　the　favorite　haunt　of　the　greatest　of
American　banditsthe　noted　John　A。　　Murrelland　his　gang。　　They
infested　the　country　for　years；　now　waylaying　the　trader　or　drover
threading　his　toilsome　way　over　the　lone＇　mountains；　now　descending　upon
some　little　town；　to　plunder　its　stores　and　houses。

At　length　Murrell　and　his　band　were　driven　out；　and　sought　a　new　field　of
operations　on　the　Lower　Mississippi。　　They　left　germs　behind　them；
however；　that　developed　into　horse　thieve　counterfeiters；　and　later　into
guerrillas　and　bushwhackers。

When　the　Rebellion　broke　out　the　region　at　once　became　th　theater　of
military　operations。　　Twice　Cumberland　Gap　was　seized　by　the　Rebels；　and
twice　was　it　wrested　away　from　them。　　In　1861　it　was　the　point　whence
Zollicoffer　launched　out　with　his　legions　to　〃liberate　Kentucky；〃　and　it
was　whither　they　fled；　beaten　and　shattered；　after　the　disasters　of　Wild
Cat　and　Mill　Springs。　　In　1862　Kirby　Smith　led　his　army　through　the　Gap
on　his　way　to　overrun　Kentucky　and　invade　the　North。　　Three　months　later
his　beaten　forces　sought　refuge　from　their　pursuers　behind　its
impregnable　fortifications。　　Another　year　saw　Burnside　burst　through　the
Gap　with　a　conquering　force　and　redeem　loyal　East　Tennessee　from　its
Rebel　oppressors。

Had　the　South　ever　been　able　to　separate　from　the　North　the　boundary
would　have　been　established　along　this　line。

Between　the　main　ridge　upon　which　Cumberland　Gap　is　situated；　and　the
next　range　on　the　southeast　which　runs　parallel　with　it；　is　a　narrow；
long；　very　fruitful　valley；　walled　in　on　either　side　for　a　hundred　miles
by　tall　mountains　as　a　City　street　is　by　high　buildings。　　It　is　called
Powell's　Valley。　　In　it　dwell　a　simple；　primitive　people；　shut　out　from
the　world　almost　as　much　as　if　they　lived　in　New　Zealand；　and　with　the
speech；　manners　and　ideas　that　their　fathers　brought　into　the　Valley　when
they　settled　it　a　century　ago。　　There　has　been　but　little　change　since
then。　　The　young　men　who　have　annually　driven　cattle　to　the　distant
markets　in　Kentucky；　Tennessee　and　Virginia；　have　brought　back　occasional
stray　bits　of　finery　for　the　〃women　folks；〃　and　the　latest　improved　fire…
arms　for　themselves；　but　this　is　about　all　the　innovations　the　progress
of　the　world　has　been　allowed　to　make。　　Wheeled　vehicles　are　almost
unknown；　men　and　women　travel　on　horseback　as　they　did　a　century　ago；
the　clothing　is　the　product　of　the　farm　and　the　busy　looms　of　the　women；
and　life　is　as　rural　and　Arcadian　as　any　ever　described　in　a　pastoral。
The　people　are　rich　in　cattle；　hogs；　horses；　sheep　and　the　products　of
the　field。　　The　fat　soil　brings　forth　the　substantials　of　life　in　opulent
plenty。　　Having　this　there　seems　to　be　little　care　for　more。　　Ambition
nor　avarice；　nor　yet　craving　after　luxury；　disturb　their　contented　souls
or　drag　them　away　from　the　non…progressive　round　of　simple　life
bequeathed　them　by　their　fathers。




CHAPTER　II。

SCARCITY　OF　FOOD　FOR　THE　ARMYRAID　FOR　FORAGEENCOUNTER　WIT　THE　REBELS
SHARP　CAVALRY　FIGHTDEFEAT　OF　THE　〃JOHNNIES〃POWELL'S　VALLEY　OPENED
UP。

As　the　Autumn　of　1863　advanced　towards　Winter　the　difficulty　of　supplying
the　forces　concentrated　around　Cumberland　Gapas　well　as　the　rest　of
Burnside's　army　in　East　Tennesseebecame　greater　and　greater。　　The　base
of　supplies　was　at　Camp　Nelson；　near　Lexington；　Ky。；　one　hundred　and
eighty　miles　from　the　Gap；　and　all　that　the　Army　used　had　to　be　hauled
that　distance　by　mule　teams　over　roads　that；　in　their　best　state　were
wretched；　and　which　the　copious　rains　and　heavy　traffic　had　rendered
well…nigh　impassable。　　All　the　country　to　our　possession　had　been　drained
of　its　stock　of　whatever　would　contribute　to　the　support　of　man　or　beast。
That　portion　of　Powell's　Valley　extending　from　the　Gap　into　Virginia　was
still　in　the　hands　of　the　Rebels；　its　stock　of　products　was　as　yet　almost
exempt　from　military　contributions。　　Consequently　a　raid　was　projected　to
reduce　the　Valley　to　our　possession；　and　secure　its　much　needed　stores。
It　was　guarded　by　the　Sixty…fourth　Virginia；　a　mounted　regiment；　made　up
of　the　young　men　of　the　locality；　who　had　then　been　in　the　service　about
two　years。

Maj。　C。　H。　Beer's　third　Battalion；　Sixteenth　Illinois　Cavalryfour
companies；　each　about　75　strongwas　sent　on　the　errand　of　driving　out
the　Rebels　and　opening　up　the　Valley　for　our　foraging　teams。　　The　writer
was　invited　to　attend　the　excursion。　　As　he　held　the　honorable；　but　not
very　lucrative　position　of　〃high；　private〃　in　Company　L；　of　the
Battalion；　and　the　invitation　came　from　his　Captain；　he　did　not　feel　at
liberty　to　decline。　　He　went；　as　private　soldiers　have　been　in　the　habit
of　doing　ever　since　the　days　of　the　old　Centurion；　who　said　with　the
characteristic　boastfulness　of　one　of　the　lower　grades　of　commissioned
officers　when　he　happens　to　be　a　snob：

　　　　　For　I　am　also　a　man　set　under　authority；　having　under　me　soldiers；
　　　　　and　I　say　unto　one；　Go；　and　he　goeth；　and　to　another；　Come；　and　he
　　　　　cometh；　and　to　my　servant；　Do　this；　and　he　doeth　i