andersonville-第33节

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them　on　the　camp　of　the　Reserves　who；　it　was　imagined；　would　drop　their
arms　and　take　to　their　heels　after　receiving　a　round　or　so　of　shell。
We　would　gather　what　arms　we　could；　and　place　them　in　the　hands　of　the
most　active　and　determined。　　This　would　give　us　frown　eight　to　ten
thousand　fairly　armed；　resolute　men；　with　which　we　thought　we　could　march
to　Appalachicola　Bay；　or　to　Sherman。

We　worked　energetically　at　our　tunnels；　which　soon　began　to　assume　such
shape　as　to　give　assurance　that　they　would　answer　our　expectations　in
opening　the　prison　walls。

Then　came　the　usual　blight　to　all　such　enterprises：　a　spy　or　a　traitor
revealed　everything　to　Wirz。　　One　day　a　guard　came　in；　seized　Baker　and
took　him　out。　　What　was　done　with　him　I　know　not；　we　never　heard　of　him
after　he　passed　the　inner　gate。

Immediately　afterward　all　the　Sergeants　of　detachments　were　summoned
outside。　　There　they　met　Wirz；　who　made　a　speech　informing　them　that　he
knew　all　the　details　of　the　plot；　and　had　made　sufficient　preparations　to
defeat　it。　　The　guard　had　been　strongly　reinforced；　and　disposed　in　such
a　manner　as　to　protect　the　guns　from　capture。　　The　Stockade　had　been
secured　to　prevent　its　falling；　even　if　undermined。　　He　said；　in
addition；　that　Sherman　had　been　badly　defeated　by　Johnston；　and　driven
back　across　the　river；　so　that　any　hopes　of　co…operation　by　him　would　be
ill…founded。

When　the　Sergeants　returned；　he　caused　the　following　notice　to　be　posted
on　the　gates

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　NOTICE。

　　　　　Not　wishing　to　shed　the　blood　of　hundreds；　not　connected　with　those
　　　　　who　concocted　a　mad　plan　to　force　the　Stockade；　and　make　in　this　way
　　　　　their　escape；　I　hereby　warn　the　leaders　and　those　who　formed
　　　　　themselves　into　a　band　to　carry　out　this；　that　I　am　in　possession　of
　　　　　all　the　facts；　and　have　made　my　dispositions　accordingly；　so　as　to
　　　　　frustrate　it。　　No　choice　would　be　left　me　but　to　open　with　grape　and
　　　　　canister　on　the　Stockade；　and　what　effect　this　would　have；　in　this
　　　　　densely　crowded　place；　need　not　be　told。

　　　　　May　25；1864。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　H。　Wirz。

The　next　day　a　line　of　tall　poles；　bearing　white　flags；　were　put　up　at
some　little　distance　from　the　Dead　Line；　and　a　notice　was　read　to　us　at
roll　call　that　if；　except　at　roll　call；　any　gathering　exceeding　one
hundred　was　observed；　closer　the　Stockade　than　these　poles；　the　guns
would　open　with　grape　and　canister　without　warning。

The　number　of　deaths　in　the　Stockade　in　May　was　seven　hundred　and　eight；
about　as　many　as　had　been　killed　in　Sherman's　army　during　the　same　time。




CHAPTER　XXX。

JUNEPOSSIBILITIES　OF　A　MURDEROUS　CANNONADEWHAT　WAS　PROPOSED　TO　BE
DONE　IN　THAT　EVENTA　FALSE　ALARMDETERIORATION　OF　THE　RATIONS
FEARFUL　INCREASE　OF　MORTALITY。

After　Wirz's　threat　of　grape　and　canister　upon　the　slightest　provocation；
we　lived　in　daily　apprehension　of　some　pretext　being　found　for　opening
the　guns　upon　us　for　a　general　massacre。　　Bitter　experience　had　long
since　taught　us　that　the　Rebels　rarely　threatened　in　vain。　　Wirz；
especially；　was　much　more　likely　to　kill　without　warning；　than　to　warn
without　killing。　　This　was　because　of　the　essential　weakness　of　his
nature。　　He　knew　no　art　of　government；　no　method　of　discipline　save　〃kill
them！〃　　His　petty　little　mind's　scope　reached　no　further。　　He　could
conceive　of　no　other　way　of　managing　men　than　the　punishment　of　every
offense；　or　seeming　offense；　with　death。　　Men　who　have　any　talent　for
governing　find　little　occasion　for　the　death　penalty。　　The　stronger　they
are　in　themselvesthe　more　fitted　for　controlling　othersthe　less　their
need　of　enforcing　their　authority　by　harsh　measures。

There　was　a　general　expression　of　determination　among　the　prisoners　to
answer　any　cannonade　with　a　desperate　attempt　to　force　the　Stockade。
It　was　agreed　that　anything　was　better　than　dying　like　rats　in　a　pit　or
wild　animals　in　a　battue。　　It　was　believed　that　if　anything　would　occur
which　would　rouse　half　those　in　the　pen　to　make　a　headlong　effort　in
concert；　the　palisade　could　be　scaled；　and　the　gates　carried；　and；　though
it　would　be　at　a　fearful　loss　of　life；　the　majority　of　those　making
the　attempt　would　get　out。　　If　the　Rebels　would　discharge　grape　and
canister；　or　throw　a　shell　into　the　prison；　it　would　lash　everybody　to
such　a　pitch　that　they　would　see　that　the　sole　forlorn　hope　of　safety　lay
in　wresting　the　arms　away　from　our　tormentors。　　The　great　element　in　our
favor　was　the　shortness　of　the　distance　between　us　and　the　cannon。
We　could　hope　to　traverse　this　before　the　guns　could　be　reloaded　more
than　once。

Whether　it　would　have　been　possible　to　succeed　I　am　unable　to　say。
It　would　have　depended　wholly　upon　the　spirit　and　unanimity　with　which
the　effort　was　made。　　Had　ten　thousand　rushed　forward　at　once；　each　with
a　determination　to　do　or　die；　I　think　it　would　have　been　successful
without　a　loss　of　a　tenth　of　the　number。　　But　the　insuperable　troublein
our　disorganized　statewas　want　of　concert　of　action。　　I　am　quite　sure；
however；　that　the　attempt　would　have　been　made　had　the　guns　opened。

One　day；　while　the　agitation　of　this　matter　was　feverish；　I　was　cooking
my　dinnerthat　is；　boiling　my　pitiful　little　ration　of　unsalted　meal；　in
my　fruit　can；　with　the　aid　of　a　handful　of　splinters　that　I　had　been　able
to　pick　up　by　a　half　day's　diligent　search。　　Suddenly　the　long　rifle　in
the　headquarters　fort　rang　out　angrily。　　A　fuse　shell　shrieked　across　the
prisonclose　to　the　tops　of　the　logs；　and　burst　in　the　woods　beyond。
It　was　answered　with　a　yell　of　defiance　from　ten　thousand　throats。

I　sprang　up…my　heart　in　my　mouth。　　The　long　dreaded　time　had　arrived；　the
Rebels　had　opened　the　massacre　in　which　they　must　exterminate　us；　or　we
them。

I　looked　across　to　the　opposite　bank；　on　which　were　standing　twelve
thousand　menerect；　excited；　defiant。　　I　was　sure　that　at　the　next　shot
they　would　surge　straight　against　the　Stockade　like　a　mighty　human
billow；　and　then　a　carnage　would　begin　the　like　of　which　modern　times　had
never　seen。

The　excitement　and　suspense　were　terrible。　　We　waited　for　what　seemed
ages　for　the　next　gun。　　It　was　not　fired。　　Old　Winder　was　merely　showing
the　prisoners　how　he　could　rally　the　guards　to　oppose　an　outbreak。
Though　the　gun　had　a　shell　in　it；　it　was　merely　a　signal；　and　the　guards
came　double…quicking　up　by　regiments；　going　into　position　in　the　rifle
pits　and　the　hand…grenade　piles。

As　we　realized　what　the　whole　affair　meant；　we　relieved　our　surcharged
feelings　with　a　few　general　yells　of　execration　upon　Rebels　generally；
and　upon　those　around　us　particularly；　and　resumed　our　occupation　of
cooking　rations；　killing　lice；　and　discussing　the　prospects　of　exchange
and　escape。

The　rations；　like　everything　else　about　us；　had　steadily　grown　worse。
A　bakery　was　built　outside　of　the　Stockade　in　May　and　our　meal　was　baked
there　into　loaves　about　the　size　of　brick。　　Each　of　us　got　a　half　of　one
of　these　for　a　day's　ration。　　This；　and　occasionally　a　small　slice　of
salt　pork；　was　call　that　I　received。　　I　wish　the　reader　would　prepare
himself　an　object　lesson　as　to　how　little　life　can　be　supported　on　for
any　length　of　time；　by　procuring　a　piece　of　corn　bread　the　size　of　an
ordinary　brickbat；　and　a　thin　slice　of　pork；　and　then　imagine　how　he
would　fare；　with　that　as　his　sole　daily　ration；　for　long　hungry　weeks　and
months。　　Dio　Lewis　satisfied　himself　that　he　could　sustain　life　on　sixty
cents；　a　week。　　I　am　sure　that　the　food　furnished　us　by　the　Rebels　would
not；　at　present　prices　cost　one…third　that。　　They　pretended　to　give　us
one…third　of　pound　of　bacon　and　one　and　one…fourth　pounds　of　corn　meal。
A　week's　rations　then　would　be　two　and　one…third　pounds　of　baconworth
ten　cents；　and　eight　and　three…fourths　pounds　of　meal；　worth；　say；　ten
cents　more。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　do　not　presume　that　at　any　time　we
got　this　full　ration。　　It　would　surprise　me　to　learn　that　we　averaged
two…thirds　of　it。

The　meal　was　ground　very　coarse　and　produced　great　irrition　in　the
bowels。　　We　used　to　have　the　most　frightful　cramps　that　men　ever　suffered
from。　　Those　who　were　predisposed　intestinal　affections　were　speedily
carried　off　by　incurable　diarrhea　and　dysentery。　　Of　the　twelve　thousand
and　twelve　men　who　died；　four　thousand　died　of　chronic　diarrhea；　eight
hundred　and　seventeen　died　of　acute　diarrhea；　and　one　thousand　three
hundred　and　eighty…four　died　of　dysenteria；　making　total　of　six　thousand
two　hundred　and　one　victims　to　enteric　disorders。

Let　the　reader　reflect　a　moment　upon　this　number；　till　comprehends　fully
how　many　six　thousand　two　hundred　and　men　are；　and　how　much　force；
energy；　training；　and　rich　possibilities　for　the　good　of　the　community
and　country　died　with　those　six　thousand　two　hundred　and　one　young；
active　men。　　It　may　help　his　perception　of　the　magnitude　of　this　number
to　remember　that　the　total　loss　of　the　British；　during　the　Crimean　war；
by　death　in　all　shapes；　was　four　thousand　five　hundred　and　ninety…five；
or　one　thousand　seven　hundred　and　six　less　than　the　deaths　in
Andersonville　from　dysenteric　diseases　alone。

The　loathsome　maggot