andersonville-第37节

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the　rudiments　of　physiology。

There　was　a　little　band　of　devoted　Christian　workers；　among　whom　were
Orderly　Sergeant　Thomas　J。　Sheppard；　Ninety…Seventh　O。　Y。　L；　now　a
leading　Baptist　minister　in　Eastern　Ohio；　Boston　Corbett；　who　afterward
slew　John　Wilkes　Booth；　and　Frank　Smith；　now　at　the　head　of　the　Railroad
Bethel　work　at　Toledo。　　They　were　indefatigable　in　trying　to　evangelize
the　prison。　　A　few　of　them　would　take　their　station　in　some　part　of　the
Stockade　（a　different　one　every　time）；　and　begin　singing　some　old
familiar　hymn　like

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Come；　Thou　fount　of　every　blessing；〃

and　in　a　few　minutes　they　would　have　an　attentive　audience　of　as　many
thousand　as　could　get　within　hearing。　　The　singing　would　be　followed　by
regular　services；　during　which　Sheppard；　Smith；　Corbett；　and　some　others
would　make　short；　spirited；　practical　addresses；　which　no　doubt　did　much
good　to　all　who　heard　them；　though　the　grains　of　leaven　were　entirely　too
small　to　leaven　such　an　immense　measure　of　meal。　　They　conducted　several
funerals；　as　nearly　like　the　way　it　was　done　at　home　as　possible。　　Their
ministrations　were　not　confined　to　mere　lip　service；　but　they　labored
assiduously　in　caring　for　the　sick；　and　made　many　a　poor　fellow's　way　to
the　grave　much　smoother　for　him。

This　was　about　all　the　religious　services　that　we　were　favored　with。
The　Rebel　preachers　did　not　make　that　effort　to　save　our　misguided　souls
which　one　would　have　imagined　they　would　having　us　where　we　could　not
choose　but　hear　they　might　have　taken　advantage　of　our　situation　to　rake
us　fore　and　aft　with　their　theological　artillery。　　They　only　attempted　it
in　one　instance。　　While　in　Richmond　a　preacher　came　into　our　room　and
announced　in　an　authoritative　way　that　he　would　address　us　on　religious
subjects。　　We　uncovered　respectfully；　and　gathered　around　him。　　He　was　a
loud…tongued；　brawling　Boanerges；　who　addressed　the　Lord　as　if　drilling　a
brigade。

He　spoke　but　a　few　moments　before　making　apparent　his　belief　that　the
worst　of　crimes　was　that　of　being　a　Yankee；　and　that　a　man　must　not　only
be　saved　through　Christ's　blood；　but　also　serve　in　the　Rebel　army　before
he　could　attain　to　heaven。

Of　course　we　raised　such　a　yell　of　derision　that　the　sermon　was　brought
to　an　abrupt　conclusion。

The　only　minister　who　came　into　the　Stockade　was　a　Catholic　priest；
middle…aged；　tall；　slender；　and　unmistakably　devout。　　He　was　unwearied　in
his　attention　to　the　sick；　and　the　whole　day　could　be　seen　moving　around
through　the　prison；　attending　to　those　who　needed　spiritual　consolation。
It　was　interesting　to　see　him　administer　the　extreme　unction　to　a　dying
man。　　Placing　a　long　purple　scarf　about　his　own　neck　and　a　small　brazen
crucifix　in　the　hands　of　the　dying　one；　he　would　kneel　by　the　latter's
side　and　anoint　him　upon　the　eyes；　ears；　nostrils；　lips；　hands；　feet　and
breast；　with　sacred　oil；　from　a　little　brass　vessel；　repeating　the　while；
in　an　impressive　voice；　the　solemn　offices　of　the　Church。

His　unwearying　devotion　gained　the　admiration　of　all；　no　matter　how
little　inclined　one　might　be　to　view　priestliness　generally　with　favor。
He　was　evidently　of　such　stuff　as　Christian　heros　have　ever　been　made　of；
and　would　have　faced　stake　and　fagot；　at　the　call　of　duty；　with
unquailing　eye。　　His　name　was　Father　Hamilton；　and　he　was　stationed　at
Macon。　　The　world　should　know　more　of　a　man　whose　services　were　so
creditable　to　humanity　and　his　Church：

The　good　father　had　the　wisdom　of　the　serpent；　with　the　harmlessness　of
the　dove。　　Though　full　of　commiseration　for　the　unhappy　lot　of　the
prisoners；　nothing　could　betray　him　into　the　slightest　expression　of
opinion　regarding　the　war　or　those　who　were　the　authors　of　all　this
misery。　　In　our　impatience　at　our　treatment；　and　hunger　for　news；　we
forgot　his　sacerdotal　character；　and　importuned　him　for　tidings　of　the
exchange。　　His　invariable　reply　was　that　he　lived　apart　from　these　things
and　kept　himself　ignorant　of　them。

〃But；　father；〃　said　I　one　day；　with　an　impatience　that　I　could　not　wholly
repress；　〃you　must　certainly　hear　or　read　something　of　this；　while　you
are　outside　among　the　Rebel　officers。〃　　Like　many　other　people；　I
supposed　that　the　whole　world　was　excited　over　that　in　which　I　felt　a
deep　interest。

〃No；　my　son；〃　replied　he；　in　his　usual　calm；　measured　tones。　　〃I　go　not
among　them；　nor　do　I　hear　anything　from　them。　　When　I　leave　the　prison　in
the　evening；　full　of　sorrow　at　what　I　have　seen　here；　I　find　that　the
best　use　I　can　make　of　my　time　is　in　studying　the　Word　of　God；　and
especially　the　Psalms　of　David。〃

We　were　not　any　longer　good　company　for　each　other。　　We　had　heard　over
and　over　again　all　each　other's　stories　and　jokes；　and　each　knew　as　much
about　the　other's　previous　history　as　we　chose　to　communicate。　　The　story
of　every　individual's　past　life；　relations；　friends；　regiment；　and
soldier　experience　had　been　told　again　and　again；　until　the　repetition
was　wearisome。　　The　cool　nights　following　the　hot　days　were　favorable　to
little　gossiping　seances　like　the　yarn…spinning　watches　of　sailors　on
pleasant　nights。　　Our　squad；　though　its　stock　of　stories　was　worn
threadbare；　was　fortunate　enough　to　have　a　sweet　singer　in　Israel　〃Nosey〃
Payneof　whose　tunefulness　we　never　tired。　　He　had　a　large　repertoire　of
patriotic　songs；　which　he　sang　with　feeling　and　correctness；　and　which
helped　much　to　make　the　calm　Summer　nights　pass　agreeably。　　Among　the
best　of　these　was　〃Brave　Boys　are　They；〃　which　I　always　thought　was　the
finest　ballad；　both　in　poetry　and　music；　produced　by　the　War。




CHAPTER　XXXIV。

MAGGOTS；　LICE　AND　RAIDERSPRACTICES　OF　THESE　HUMAN　VERMINPLUNDERING
THE　SICK　AND　DYINGNIGHT　ATTACKS；　AND　BATTLES　BY　DAYHARD　TIMES　FOR　THE
SMALL　TRADERS。

With　each　long；　hot　Summer　hour　the　lice；　the　maggot…flies　and　the
N'Yaarkers　increased　in　numbers　and　venomous　activity。　　They　were　ever…
present　annoyances　and　troubles；　no　time　was　free　from　them。　　The　lice
worried　us　by　day　and　tormented　us　by　night；　the　maggot…flies　fouled　our
food；　and　laid　in　sores　and　wounds　larvae　that　speedily　became　masses　of
wriggling　worms。　　The　N'Yaarkers　were　human　vermin　that　preyed　upon　and
harried　us　unceasingly。

They　formed　themselves　into　bands　numbering　from　five　to　twenty…five；
each　led　by　a　bold；　unscrupulous；　energetic　scoundrel。　　We　now　called
them　〃Raiders；〃　and　the　most　prominent　and　best　known　of　the　bands　were
called　by　the　names　of　their　ruffian　leaders；　as　〃Mosby's　Raiders；〃
〃Curtis's　Raiders；〃　〃Delaney's　Raiders；〃　〃Sarsfield's　Raiders；〃
〃Collins's　Raiders；〃　etc。

As　long　as　we　old　prisoners　formed　the　bulk　of　those　inside　the　Stockade；
the　Raiders　had　slender　picking。　　They　would　occasionally　snatch　a
blanket　from　the　tent　poles；　or　knock　a　boy　down　at　the　Creek　and　take
his　silver　watch　from　him；　but　this　was　all。　　Abundant　opportunities　for
securing　richer　swag　came　to　them　with　the　advent　of　the　Plymouth
Pilgrims。　　As　had　been　before　stated；　these　boys　brought　in　with　them　a
large　portion　of　their　first　instalment　of　veteran　bountyaggregating　in
amount；　according　to　varying　estimates；　between　twenty…five　thousand　and
one　hundred　thousand　dollars。　　The　Pilgrims　were　likewise　well　clothed；
had　an　abundance　of　blankets　and　camp　equipage；　and　a　plentiful　supply　of
personal　trinkets；　that　could　be　readily　traded　off　to　the　Rebels。　　An
average　one　of　themeven　if　his　money　were　all　gonewas　a　bonanza　to
any　band　which　could　succeed　in　plundering　him。　　His　watch　and　chain；
shoes；　knife；　ring；　handkerchief；　combs　and　similar　trifles；　would　net
several　hundred　dollars　in　Confederate　money。　　The　blockade；　which　cut
off　the　Rebel　communication　with　the　outer　world；　made　these　in　great
demand。　　Many　of　the　prisoners　that　came　in　from　the　Army　of　the　Potomac
repaid　robbing　equally　well。　　As　a　rule　those　from　that　Army　were　not
searched　so　closely　as　those　from　the　West；　and　not　unfrequently　they
came　in　with　all　their　belongings　untouched；　where　Sherman's　men；
arriving　the　same　day；　would　be　stripped　nearly　to　the　buff。

The　methods　of　the　Raiders　were　various；　ranging　all　the　way　from　sneak
thievery　to　highway　robbery。　　All　the　arts　learned　in　the　prisons　and
purlieus　of　New　York　were　put　into　exercise。　　Decoys；　〃bunko…steerers〃　at
home；　would　be　on　the　look…out　for　promising　subjects　as　each　crowd　of
fresh　prisoners　entered　the　gate；　and　by　kindly　offers　to　find　them　a
sleeping　place；　lure　them　to　where　they　could　be　easily　despoiled　during
the　night。　　If　the　victim　resisted　there　was　always　sufficient　force　at
hand　to　conquer　him；　and　not　seldom　his　life　paid　the　penalty　of　his
contumacy。　　I　have　known　as　many　as　three　of　these　to　be　killed　in　a
night；　and　their　bodieswith　throats　cut；　or　skulls　crushed　inbe　found
in　the　morning　among　the　dead　at　the　gates。

All　men　having　money　or　valuables　were　under　continual　espionage；　and
when　found　in　places　convenient　for　attack；　a　rush　was　made　for　them。
They　were　knocked　down　and　their　persons　rifled　with　such　swift　dexterity
that　it　was　done　before　they　realized　what　had　happened。

At　first　these　depredations　were　only　perpetrated　at　night。　　The　quarry
was　selecte