andersonville-第42节

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fifteen　feet　high。　　At　about　the　height　of　a　man's　head　a　couple　of
boards　stretched　across　the　space　between　the　posts；　and　met　in　the
center。　　The　ends　at　the　posts　laid　on　cleats；　the　ends　in　the　center
rested　upon　a　couple　of　boards；　standing　upright；　and　each　having　a　piece
of　rope　fastened　through　a　hole　in　it　in　such　a　manner；　that　a　man　could
snatch　it　from　under　the　planks　serving　as　the　floor　of　the　scaffold；　and
let　the　whole　thing　drop。　　A　rude　ladder　to　ascend　by　completed　the
preparations。

As　the　arrangements　neared　completion　the　excitement　in　and　around　the
prison　grew　intense。　　Key　came　over　with　the　balance　of　the　Regulators；
and　we　formed　a　hollow　square　around　the　scaffold；　our　company　marking
the　line　on　the　East　Side。　　There　were　now　thirty　thousand　in　the　prison。
Of　these　about　one…third　packed　themselves　as　tightly　about　our　square　as
they　could　stand。　　The　remaining　twenty　thousand　were　wedged　together　in
a　solid　mass　on　the　North　Side。　　Again　I　contemplated　the　wonderful；
startling；　spectacle　of　a　mosaic　pavement　of　human　faces　covering　the
whole　broad　hillside。

Outside；　the　Rebel；　infantry　was　standing　in　the　rifle　pits；　the
artillerymen　were　in　place　about　their　loaded　and　trained　pieces；　the　No。
4　of　each　gun　holding　the　lanyard　cord　in　his　hand；　ready　to　fire　the
piece　at　the　instant　of　command。　　The　small　squad　of　cavalry　was　drawn　up
on　the　hill　near　the　Star　Fort；　and　near　it　were　the　masters　of　the
hounds；　with　their　yelping　packs。

All　the　hangers…on　of　the　Rebel　campclerks；　teamsters；　employer；
negros；　hundreds　of　white　and　colored　women；　in　all　forming　a　motley
crowd　of　between　one　and　two　thousand；　were　gathered　together　in　a　group
between　the　end　of　the　rifle　pits　and　the　Star　Fort。　　They　had　a　good
view　from　there；　but　a　still　better　one　could　be　had；　a　little　farther　to
the　right；　and　in　front　of　the　guns。　　They　kept　edging　up　in　that
direction；　as　crowds　will；　though　they　knew　the　danger　they　would　incur
if　the　artillery　opened。

The　day　was　broiling　hot。　　The　sun　shot　his　perpendicular　rays　down　with
blistering　fierceness；　and　the　densely　packed；　motionless　crowds　made　the
heat　almost　insupportable。

Key　took　up　his　position　inside　the　square　to　direct　matters。　　With　him
were　Limber　Jim；　Dick　McCullough；　and　one　or　two　others。　　Also；　Ned
Johnson；　Tom　Larkin；　Sergeant　Goody；　and　three　others　who　were　to　act　as
hangmen。　　Each　of　these　six　was　provided　with　a　white　sack；　such　as　the
Rebels　brought　in　meal　in。　　Two　Corporals　of　my　company〃Stag〃　Harris
and　Wat　Paynewere　appointed　to　pull　the　stays　from　under　the　platform
at　the　signal。

A　little　after　noon　the　South　Gate　opened；　and　Wirz　rode　in；　dressed　in　a
suit　of　white　duck；　and　mounted　on　his　white　horsea　conjunction　which
had　gained　for　him　the　appellation　of　〃Death　on　a　Pale　Horse。〃　　Behind
him　walked　the　faithful　old　priest；　wearing　his　Church's　purple　insignia
of　the　deepest　sorrow；　and　reading　the　service　for　the　condemned。　　The
six　doomed　men　followed；　walking　between　double　ranks　of　Rebel　guards。

All　came　inside　the　hollow　square　and　halted。　　Wirz　then　said：

〃Brizners；　I　return　to　you　dose　men　so　Boot　as　I　got　dem。　　You　haf　tried
dem　yourselves；　and　found　dem　guiltyI　haf　had　notting　to　do　wit　it。
I　vash　my　hands　of　eferyting　connected　wit　dem。　　Do　wit　dem　as　you　like；
and　may　Gott　haf　mercy　on　you　and　on　dem。　　Garts；　about　face！　Voryvarts；
march！〃

With　this　he　marched　out　and　left　us。

For　a　moment　the　condemned　looked　stunned。　　They　seemed　to　comprehend　for
the　first　time　that　it　was　really　the　determination　of　the　Regulators　to
hang　them。　　Before　that　they　had　evidently　thought　that　the　talk　of
hanging　was　merely　bluff。　　One　of　them　gasped　out：

〃My　God；　men；　you　don't　really　mean　to　hang　us　up　there！〃

Key　answered　grimly　and　laconically：

〃That　seems　to　be　about　the　size　of　it。〃

At　this　they　burst　out　in　a　passionate　storm　of　intercessions　and
imprecations；　which　lasted　for　a　minute　or　so；　when　it　was　stopped　by　one
of　them　saying　imperatively：

〃All　of　you　stop　now；　and　let　the　priest　talk　for　us。〃

At　this　the　priest　closed　the　book　upon　which　he　had　kept　his　eyes　bent
since　his　entrance；　and　facing　the　multitude　on　the　North　Side　began　a
plea　for　mercy。

The　condemned　faced　in　the；　same　direction；　to　read　their　fate　in　the
countenances　of　those　whom　he　was　addressing。　　This　movement　brought
Curtisa　low…statured；　massively　built　manon　the　right　of　their　line；
and　about　ten　or　fifteen　steps　from　my　company。

The　whole　camp　had　been　as　still　as　death　since　Wirz's　exit。　　The　silence
seemed　to　become　even　more　profound　as　the　priest　began　his　appeal。
For　a　minute　every　ear　was　strained　to　catch　what　he　said。　　Then；　as　the
nearest　of　the　thousands　comprehended　what　he　was　saying　they　raised　a
shout　of　〃No！　no！！　　NO！！〃　　〃Hang　them！　hang　them！〃　　〃Don't　let　them　go！
Never！〃

〃Hang　the　rascals！　hang　the　villains！〃

〃Hang；'em！　　hang　'em！　　hang　'em！〃

This　was　taken　up　all　over　the　prison；　and　tens　of　thousands　throats
yelled　it　in　a　fearful　chorus。

Curtis　turned　from　the　crowd　with　desperation　convulsing　his　features。
Tearing　off　the　broad…brimmed　hat　which　he　wore；　he　flung　it　on　the
ground　with　the　exclamation！

〃By　God；　I'll　die　this　way　first！〃　and；　drawing　his　head　down　and　folding
his　arms　about　it；　he　dashed　forward　for　the　center　of　my　company；　like　a
great　stone　hurled　from　a　catapult。

〃Egypt〃　and　I　saw　where　he　was　going　to　strike；　and　ran　down　the　line　to
help　stop　him。　　As　he　came　up　we　rained　blows　on　his　head　with　our　clubs；
but　so　many　of　us　struck　at　him　at　once　that　we　broke　each　other's　clubs
to　pieces；　and　only　knocked　him　on　his　knees。　　He　rose　with　an　almost
superhuman　effort；　and　plunged　into　the　mass　beyond。

The　excitement　almost　became　delirium。　　For　an　instant　I　feared　that
everything　was　gone　to　ruin。　　〃Egypt〃　and　I　strained　every　energy　to
restore　our　lines；　before　the　break　could　be　taken　advantage　of　by　the
others。　　Our　boys　behaved　splendidly；　standing　firm；　and　in　a　few　seconds
the　line　was　restored。

As　Curtis　broke　through；　Delaney；　a　brawny　Irishman　standing　next　to　him；
started　to　follow。　　He　took　one　step。　　At　the　same　instant　Limber　Jim's
long　legs　took　three　great　strides；　and　placed　him　directly　in　front　of
Delaney。　　Jim's　right　hand　held　an　enormous　bowie…knife；　and　as　he　raised
it　above　Delaney　he　hissed　out：

〃If　you　dare　move　another　step；　you　open　you　　　；　I'll　open
you　from　one　end　to　the　other。

Delaney　stopped。　　This　checked　the　others　till　our　lines　reformed。

When　Wirz　saw　the　commotion　he　was　panic…stricken　with　fear　that　the
long…dreaded　assault　on　the　Stockade　had　begun。　　He　ran　down　from　the
headquarter　steps　to　the　Captain　of　the　battery；　shrieking：

〃Fire！　fire！　fire！〃

The　Captain；　not　being　a　fool；　could　see　that　the　rush　was　not　towards
the　Stockade；　but　away　from　it；　and　he　refrained　from　giving　the　order。

But　the　spectators　who　had　gotten　before　the　guns；　heard　Wirz's　excited
yell；　and　remembering　the　consequences　to　themselves　should　the　artillery
be　discharged；　became　frenzied　with　fear；　and　screamed；　and　fell　down
over　and　trampled　upon　each　other　in　endeavoring　to　get　away。　　The　guards
on　that　side　of　the　Stockade　ran　down　in　a　panic；　and　the　ten　thousand
prisoners　immediately　around　us；　expecting　no　less　than　that　the　next
instant　we　would　be　swept　with　grape　and　canister；　stampeded
tumultuously。　　There　were　quite　a　number　of　wells　right　around　us；　and
all　of　these　were　filled　full　of　men　that　fell　into　them　as　the　crowd
rushed　away。　Many　had　legs　and　arms　broken；　and　I　have　no　doubt　that
several　were　killed。

It　was　the　stormiest　five　minutes　that　I　ever　saw。

While　this　was　going　on　two　of　my　company；　belonging　to　the　Fifth　Iowa
Cavalry；　were　in　hot　pursuit　of　Curtis。　　I　had　seen　them　start　and
shouted　to　them　to　come　back；　as　I　feared　they　would　be　set　upon　by　the
Raiders　and　murdered。　But　the　din　was　so　overpowering　that　they　could　not
hear　me；　and　doubtless　would　not　have　come　back　if　they　had　heard。

Curtis　ran　diagonally　down　the　hill；　jumping　over　the　tents　and　knocking
down　the　men　who　happened　in　his　way。　　Arriving　at　the　swamp　he　plunged
in；　sinking　nearly　to　his　hips　in　the　fetid；　filthy　ooze。　He　forged　his
way　through　with　terrible　effort。　　His　pursuers　followed　his　example；　and
caught　up　to　him　just　as　he　emerged　on　the　other　side。　　They　struck　him
on　the　back　of　the　head　with　their　clubs；　and　knocked　him　down。

By　this　time　order　had　been　restored　about　us。　　The　guns　remained　silent；
and　the　crowd　massed　around　us　again。　　From　where　we　were　we　could　see
the　successful　end　of　the　chase　after　Curtis；　and　could　see　his　captors
start　back　with　him。　　Their　success　was　announced　with　a　roar　of　applause
from　the　North　Side。　　Both　captors　and　captured　were　greatly　exhausted；
and　they　were　coming　back　very　slowly。　　Key　ordered　the　balance　up　on　to
the　scaffold。　　They　obeyed　promptly。　　The　priest　resumed　his　reading　of
the　service　for　the　condemned。　　The　excitement　seemed　to　make　the　doomed
ones　exceedingly　thirsty。　　I　never　saw　men　drink　such　inordinate
quantities　of　water。　　They　called　f