andersonville-第36节

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succumbed　to　abstention　from　water　drinking。　　Long　before　I　entered　the
army；　I　had　constructed　a　theoryon　premises　that　were　doubtless　as
insufficient　as　those　that　boyish　theories　are　usually　based　uponthat
drinking　water　was　a　habit；　and　a　pernicious　one；　which　sapped　away　the
energy。　　I　took　some　trouble　to　curb　my　appetite　for　water；　and　soon
found　that　I　got　along　very　comfortably　without　drinking　anything　beyond
that　which　was　contained　in　my　food。　　I　followed　this　up　after　entering
the　army；　drinking　nothing　at　any　time　but　a　little　coffee；　and　finding
no　need；　even　on　the　dustiest　marches；　for　anything　more。　　I　do　not
presume　that　in　a　year　I　drank　a　quart　of　cold　water。　　Experience　seemed
to　confirm　my　views；　for　I　noticed　that　the　first　to　sink　under　a
fatigue；　or　to　yield　to　sickness；　were　those　who　were　always　on　the
lookout　for　drinking　water；　springing　from　their　horses　and　struggling
around　every　well　or　spring　on　the　line　of　march　for　an　opportunity　to
fill　their　canteens。

I　made　liberal　use　of　the　Creek　for　bathing　purposes；　however；　visiting
it　four　or　five　times　a；　day　during　the　hot　days；　to　wash　myself　all
over。　　This　did　not　cool　one　off　much；　for　the　shallow　stream　was　nearly
as　hot　as　the　sand；　but　it　seemed　to　do　some　good；　and　it　helped　pass
away　the　tedious　hours。　　The　stream　was　nearly　all　the　time　filled　as
full　of　bathers　as　they　could　stand；　and　the　water　could　do　little
towards　cleansing　so　many。　　The　occasional　rain　storms　that　swept　across
the　prison　were　welcomed；　not　only　because　they　cooled　the　air
temporarily；　but　because　they　gave　us　a　shower…bath。　　As　they　came　up；
nearly　every　one　stripped　naked　and　got　out　where　he　could　enjoy　the　full
benefit　of　the　falling　water。　　Fancy；　if　possible；　the　spectacle　of
twenty…five　thousand　or　thirty　thousand　men　without　a　stitch　of　clothing
upon　them。　　The　like　has　not　been　seen；　I　imagine；　since　the　naked
followers　of　Boadicea　gathered　in　force　to　do　battle　to　the　Roman
invaders。

It　was　impossible　to　get　really　clean。　　Our　bodies　seemed　covered　with　a
varnish…like；　gummy　matter　that　defied　removal　by　water　alone。
I　imagined　that　it　came　from　the　rosin　or　turpentine；　arising　from　the
little　pitch　pine　fires　over　which　we　hovered　when　cooking　our　rations。
It　would　yield　to　nothing　except　strong　soap…and　soap；　as　I　have　before
statedwas　nearly　as　scarce　in　the　Southern　Confederacy　as　salt。　　We　in
prison　saw　even　less　of　it；　or　rather；　none　at　all。　　The　scarcity　of　it；
and　our　desire　for　it；　recalls　a　bit　of　personal　experience。

I　had　steadfastly　refused　all　offers　of　positions　outside　the　prison　on
parole；　as；　like　the　great　majority　of　the　prisoners；　my　hatred　of　the
Rebels　grew　more　bitter；　day　by　day；　I　felt　as　if　I　would　rather　die　than
accept　the　smallest　favor　at　their　hands；　and　I　shared　the　common
contempt　for　those　who　did。　　But；　when　the　movement　for　a　grand　attack　on
the　Stockadementioned　in　a　previous　chapterwas　apparently　rapidly
coming　to　a　head；　I　was　offered　a　temporary　detail　outside　to；　assist　in
making　up　some　rolls。　　I　resolved　to　accept；　first　because　I　thought　I
might　get　some　information　that　would　be　of　use　in　our　enterprise；　and；
next；　because　I　foresaw　that　the　rush　through　the　gaps　in　the　Stockade
would　be　bloody　business；　and　by　going　out　in　advance　I　would　avoid　that
much　of　the　danger；　and　still　be　able　to　give　effective　assistance。

I　was　taken　up　to　Wirz's　office。　　He　was　writing　at　a　desk　at　one　end　of
a　large　room　when　the　Sergeant　brought　me　in。　　He　turned　around；　told　the
Sergeant　to　leave　me；　and　ordered　me　to　sit　down　upon　a　box　at　the　other
end　of　the　room。

Turning　his　back　and　resuming　his　writing；　in　a　few　minutes　he　had
forgotten　me。　　I　sat　quietly；　taking　in　the　details　for　a　half…hour；　and
then；　having　exhausted　everything　else　in　the　room；　I　began　wondering
what　was　in　the　bog　I　was　sitting　upon。　　The　lid　was　loose；　I　hitched　it
forward　a　little　without　attracting　Wirz's　attention；　and　slipped　my　left
hand　down　of　a　voyage　of　discovery。　　It　seemed　very　likely　that　there　was
something　there　that　a　loyal　Yankee　deserved　better　than　a　Rebel。
I　found　that　it　was　a　fine　article　of　soft　soap。　　A　handful　was　scooped
up　and　speedily　shoved　into　my　left　pantaloon　pocket。　　Expecting　every
instant　that　Wirz　would　turn　around　and　order　me　to　come　to　the　desk　to
show　my　handwriting；　hastily　and　furtively　wiped　my　hand　on　the　back　of
my　shirt　and　watched　Wirz　with　as　innocent　an　expression　as　a　school　boy
assumes　when　he　has　just　flipped　a　chewed　paper　wad　across　the　room。
Wirz　was　still　engrossed　in　his　writing；　and　did　not　look　around。　　I　was
emboldened　to　reach　down　for　another　handful。　　This　was　also　successfully
transferred；　the　hand　wiped　off　on　the　back　of　the　shirt；　and　the　face
wore　its　expression　of　infantile　ingenuousness。　　Still　Wirz　did　not　look
up。　　I　kept　dipping　up　handful　after　handful；　until　I　had　gotten　about　a
quart　in　the　left　hand　pocket。　　After　each　handful　I　rubbed　my　hand　off
on　the　back　of　my　shirt　and　waited　an　instant　for　a　summons　to　the　desk。
Then　the　process　was　repeated　with　the　other　hand；　and　a　quart　of　the
saponaceous　mush　was　packed　in　the　right　hand　pocket

Shortly　after　Wirz　rose　and　ordered　a　guard　to　take　me　away　and　keep　me；
until　he　decided　what　to　do　with　me。　　The　day　was　intensely　hot；　and　soon
the　soap　in　my　pockets　and　on　the　back　of　my　shirt　began　burning　like
double　strength　Spanish　fly　blisters。　　There　was　nothing　to　do　but　grin
and　bear　it。　　I　set　my　teeth；　squatted　down　under　the　shade　of　the
parapet　of　the　fort；　and　stood　it　silently　and　sullenly。　　For　the　first
time　in　my　life　I　thoroughly　appreciated　the　story　of　the　Spartan　boy；
who　stole　the　fox　and　suffered　the　animal　to　tear　his　bowels　out　rather
than　give　a　sign　which　would　lead　to　the　exposure　of　his　theft。

Between　four　and　five　o'clock…after　I　had　endured　the　thing　for　five　or
six　hours；　a　guard　came　with　orders　from　Wirz　that　I　should　be　returned
to　the　Stockade。　　Upon　hastily　removing　my　clothes；　after　coming　inside；
I　found　I　had　a　blister　on　each　thigh；　and　one　down　my　back；　that　would
have　delighted　an　old　practitioner　of　the　heroic　school。　　But　I　also　had
a　half　gallon　of　excellent　soft　soap。　　My　chums　and　I　took　a　magnificent
wash；　and　gave　our　clothes　the　same；　and　we　still　had　soap　enough　left　to
barter　for　some　onions　that　we　had　long　coveted；　and　which　tasted　as
sweet　to　us　as　manna　to　the　Israelites。




CHAPTER　XXXIII

〃POUR　PASSER　LE　TEMPS〃A　SET　OF　CHESSMEN　PROCURED　UNDER　DIFFICULTIES
RELIGIOUS　SERVICESTHE　DEVOTED　PRIESTWAR　SONG。

The　time　moved　with　leaden　feet。　　Do　the　best　we　could；　there　were　very
many　tiresome　hours　for　which　no　occupation　whatever　could　be　found。
All　that　was　necessary　to　be　done　during　the　dayattending　roll　call；
drawing　and　cooking　rations；　killing　lice　and　washingcould　be　disposed
of　in　an　hour's　time；　and　we　were　left　with　fifteen　or　sixteen　waking
hours；　for　which　there　was　absolutely　no　employment。　　Very　many　tried　to
escape　both　the　heat　and　ennui　by　sleeping　as　much　as　possible　through
the　day；　but　I　noticed　that　those　who　did　this　soon　died；　and
consequently　I　did　not　do　it。　　Card　playing　had　sufficed　to　pass　away　the
hours　at　first；　but　our　cards　soon　wore　out；　and　deprived　us　of　this
resource。　　My　chum；　Andrews；　and　I　constructed　a　set　of　chessmen　with　an
infinite　deal　of　trouble。　　We　found　a　soft；　white　root　in　the　swamp　which
answered　our　purpose。　　A　boy　near　us　had　a　tolerably　sharp　pocket…knife；
for　the　use　of　which　a　couple　of　hours　each　day；　we　gave　a　few　spoonfuls
of　meal。　　The　knife　was　the　only　one　among　a　large　number　of　prisoners；
as　the　Rebel　guards　had　an　affection　for　that　style　of　cutlery；　which　led
them　to　search　incoming　prisoners；　very　closely。　　The　fortunate　owner　of
this　derived　quite　a　little　income　of　meal　by　shrewdly　loaning　it　to　his
knifeless　comrades。　　The　shapes　that　we　made　for　pieces　and　pawns　were
necessarily　very　rude；　but　they　were　sufficiently　distinct　for
identification。　　We　blackened　one　set　with　pitch　pine　soot；　found　a　piece
of　plank　that　would　answer　for　a　board　and　purchased　it　from　its
possessor　for　part　of　a　ration　of　meal；　and　so　were　fitted　out　with　what
served　until　our　release　to　distract　our　attention　from　much　of　the
surrounding　misery。

Every　one　else　procured　such　amusement　as　they　could。　　Newcomers；　who
still　had　money　and　cards；　gambled　as　long　as　their　means　lasted。　　Those
who　had　books　read　them　until　the　leaves　fell　apart。　　Those　who　had　paper
and　pen　and　ink　tried　to　write　descriptions　and　keep　journals；　but　this
was　usually　given　up　after　being　in　prison　a　few　weeks。　　I　was　fortunate
enough　to　know　a　boy　who　had　brought　a　copy　of　〃Gray's　Anatomy〃　into
prison　with　him。　　I　was　not　specially　interested　in　the　subject；　but　it
was　Hobson's　choice；　I　could　read　anatomy　or　nothing；　and　so　I　tackled　it
with　such　good　will　that　before　my　friend　became　sick　and　was　taken
outside；　and　his　book　with　him；　I　had　obtained　a　very　fair　knowledge　of
the　rudiments　of　physiology。

There　was　a　little　band　of　devoted　Christian　workers；　among　whom　were
Orderly　Sergeant　Thomas　J。　Sheppard；　Ninet