andersonville-第60节

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stirring　when　played　by　a　brass　band。

We　heard　these　songs　with　tiresome　iteration；　daily　and　nightly；　during
our　stay　in　the　Southern　Confederacy。　　Some　one　of　the　guards　seemed　to
be　perpetually　beguiling　the　weariness　of　his　watch　by　singing　in　all
keys；　in　every　sort　of　a　voice；　and　with　the　wildest　latitude　as　to　air
and　time。　　They　became　so　terribly　irritating　to　us；　that　to　this　day　the
remembrance　of　those　soul…lacerating　lyrics　abides　with　me　as　one　of　the
chief　of　the　minor　torments　of　our　situation。　　They　were；　in　fact；　nearly
as　bad　as　the　lice。

We　revenged　ourselves　as　best　we　could　by　constructing　fearfully　wicked；
obscene　and　insulting　parodies　on　these；　and　by　singing　them　with
irritating　effusiveness　in　the　hearing　of　the　guards　who　were　inflicting
these　nuisances　upon　us。

Of　the　same　nature　was　the　garrison　music。　　One　fife；　played　by　an
asthmatic　old　fellow　whose　breathings　were　nearly　as　audible　as　his
notes；　and　one　rheumatic　drummer；　constituted　the　entire　band　for　the
post。　　The　fifer　actually　knew　but　one　tune　〃The　Bonnie　Blue　Flag〃
and　did　not　know　that　well。　　But　it　was　all　that　he　had；　and　he　played　it
with　wearisome　monotony　for　every　camp　callfive　or　six　times　a　day；
and　seven　days　in　the　week。　　He　called　us　up　in　the　morning　with　it　for　a
reveille；　he　sounded　the　〃roll　call〃　and　〃drill　call；〃　breakfast；　dinner
and　supper　with　it；　and　finally　sent　us　to　bed；　with　the　same　dreary　wail
that　had　rung　in　our　ears　all　day。　　I　never　hated　any　piece　of　music　as　I
came　to　hate　that　threnody　of　treason。　　It　would　have　been　such　a　relief
if　the；　old　asthmatic　who　played　it　could　have　been　induced　to　learn
another　tune　to　play　on　Sundays；　and　give　us　one　day　of　rest。　　He　did
not；　but　desecrated　the　Lord's　Day　by　playing　as　vilely　as　on　the　rest　of
the　week。　　The　Rebels　were　fully　conscious　of　their　musical　deficiencies；
and　made　repeated　but　unsuccessful　attempts　to　induce　the　musicians　among
the　prisoners　to　come　outside　and　form　a　band。





CHAPTER　XLV

AUGUSTNEEDLES　STUCK　IN　PUMPKIN　SEEDSSOME　PHENOMENA　OF　STARVATION
RIOTING　IN　REMEMBERED　LUXURIES。

〃Illinoy；〃said　tall；　gaunt　Jack　North；　of　the　One　Hundred　and　Fourteenth
Illinois；　to　me；　one　day；　as　we　sat　contemplating　our　naked；　and　sadly
attenuated　underpinning；　〃what　do　our　legs　and　feet　most　look　most　like？〃

〃Give　it　up；　Jack；〃　said　I。

〃Whydarning　needles　stuck　in　pumpkin　seeds；　of　course。〃　　I　never　heard
a　better　comparison　for　our　wasted　limbs。

The　effects　of　the　great　bodily　emaciation　were　sometimes　very　startling。
Boys　of　a　fleshy　habit　would　change　so　in　a　few　weeks　as　to　lose　all
resemblance　to　their　former　selves；　and　comrades　who　came　into　prison
later　would　utterly　fail　to　recognize　them。　　Most　fat　men；　as　most　large
men；　died　in　a　little　while　after　entering；　though　there　were　exceptions。
One　of　these　was　a　boy　of　my　own　company；　named　George　Hillicks。　　George
had　shot　up　within　a　few　years　to　over　six　feet　in　hight；　and　then；　as
such　boys　occasionally　do；　had；　after　enlisting　with　us；　taken　on　such　a
development　of　flesh　that　we　nicknamed　him　the　〃Giant；〃　and　he　became　a
pretty　good　load　for　even　the　strongest　horse。　　George　held　his　flesh
through　Belle　Isle；　and　the　earlier　weeks　in　Andersonville；　but　June；
July；　and　August　〃fetched　him；〃　as　the　boys　said。　　He　seemed　to　melt　away
like　an　icicle　on　a　Spring　day；　and　he　grew　so　thin　that　his　hight　seemed
preternatural。　　We　called　him　〃Flagstaff；〃　and　cracked　all　sorts　of　jokes
about　putting　an　insulator　on　his　head；　and　setting　him　up　for　a
telegraph　pole；　braiding　his　legs　and　using　him　for　a　whip　lash；　letting
his　hair　grow　a　little　longer；　and　trading　him　off　to　the　Rebels　for　a
sponge　and　staff　for　the　artillery；　etc。　　We　all　expected　him　to　die；
and　looked　continually　for　the　development　of　the　fatal　scurvy　symptoms；
which　were　to　seal　his　doom。　　But　he　worried　through；　and　came　out　at
last　in　good　shape；　a　happy　result　due　as　much　as　to　anything　else　to　his
having　in　Chester　Hayward；　of　Prairie　City；　Ill。；one　of　the　most
devoted　chums　I　ever　knew。　　Chester　nursed　and　looked　out　for　George　with
wife…like　fidelity；　and　had　his　reward　in　bringing　him　safe　through　our
lines。　　There　were　thousands　of　instances　of　this　generous　devotion　to
each　other　by　chums　in　Andersonville；　and　I　know　of　nothing　that　reflects
any　more　credit　upon　our　boy　soldiers。

There　was　little　chance　for　any　one　to　accumulate　flesh　on　the　rations　we
were　receiving。　　I　say　it　in　all　soberness　that　I　do　not　believe　that　a
healthy　hen　could　have　grown　fat　upon　them。　　I　am　sure　that　any　good…
sized　〃shanghai〃　eats　more　every　day　than　the　meager　half　loaf　that　we
had　to　maintain　life　upon。　　Scanty　as　this　was；　and　hungry　as　all　were；
very　many　could　not　eat　it。　　Their　stomachs　revolted　against　the　trash；
it　became　so　nauseous　to　them　that　they　could　not　force　it　down；　even
when　famishing；　and　they　died　of　starvation　with　the　chunks　of　the　so…
called　bread　under　their　head。　　I　found　myself　rapidly　approaching　this
condition。　　I　had　been　blessed　with　a　good　digestion　and　a　talent　for
sleeping　under　the　most　discouraging　circumstances。　　These；　I　have　no
doubt；　were　of　the　greatest　assistance　to　me　in　my　struggle　for
existence。　　But　now　the　rations　became　fearfully　obnoxious　to　me；　and　it
was　only　with　the　greatest　effortpulling　the　bread　into　little　pieces
and　swallowing　each；　of　these　as　one　would　a　pillthat　I　succeeded　in
worrying　the　stuff　down。　　I　had　not　as　yet　fallen　away　very　much；　but　as
I　had　never；　up；　to　that　time；　weighed　so　much　as　one　hundred　and　twenty…
five　pounds；　there　was　no　great　amount　of　adipose　to　lose。　　It　was
evident　that　unless　some　change　occurred　my　time　was　near　at　hand。

There　was　not　only　hunger　for　more　food；　but　longing　with　an　intensity
beyond　expression　for　alteration　of　some　kind　in　the　rations。
The　changeless　monotony　of　the　miserable　saltless　bread；　or　worse　mush；
for　days；　weeks　and　months；　became　unbearable。　　If　those　wretched　mule
teams　had　only　once　a　month　hauled　in　something　differentif　they　had
come　in　loaded　with　sweet　potatos；　green　corn　or　wheat　flour；　there　would
be　thousands　of　men　still　living　who　now　slumber　beneath　those　melancholy
pines。　　It　would　have　given　something　to　look　forward　to；　and　remember
when　past。　　But　to　know　each　day　that　the　gates　would　open　to　admit　the
same　distasteful　apologies　for　food　took　away　the　appetite　and　raised
one's　gorge；　even　while　famishing　for　something　to　eat。

We　could　for　a　while　forget　the　stench；　the　lice；　the　heat；　the　maggots；
the　dead　and　dying　around　us；　the　insulting　malignance　of　our　jailors；
but　it　was；　very　hard　work　to　banish　thoughts　and　longings　for　food　from
our　minds。　　Hundreds　became　actually　insane　from　brooding　over　it。　　Crazy
men　could　be　found　in　all　parts　of　the　camp。　　Numbers　of　them　wandered
around　entirely　naked。　　Their　babblings　and　maunderings　about　something
to　eat　were　painful　to　hear。　　I　have　before　mentioned　the　case　of　the
Plymouth　Pilgrim　near　me；　whose　insanity　took　the　form　of　imagining　that
he　was　sitting　at　the　table　with　his　family；　and　who　would　go　through　the
show　of　helping　them　to　imaginary　viands　and　delicacies。　　The　cravings
for　green　food　of　those　afflicted　with　the　scurvy　were；　agonizing。　　Large
numbers　of　watermelons　were　brought　to　the　prison；　and　sold　to　those　who
had　the　money　to　pay　for　them　at　from　one　to　five　dollars；　greenbacks；
apiece。　　A　boy　who　had　means　to　buy　a　piece　of　these　would　be　followed
about　while　eating　it　by　a　crowd　of　perhaps　twenty…five　or　thirty　livid…
gummed　scorbutics；　each　imploring　him　for　the　rind　when　he　was　through
with　it。

We　thought　of　food　all　day；　and　were　visited　with　torturing　dreams　of　it
at　night。　　One　of　the　pleasant　recollections　of　my　pre…military　life　was
a　banquet　at　the　〃Planter's　House；〃　St。　　Louis；　at　which　I　was　a　boyish
guest。　　It　was；　doubtless；　an　ordinary　affair；　as　banquets　go；　but　to　me
then；　with　all　the　keen　appreciation　of　youth　and　first　experience；　it
was　a　feast　worthy　of　Lucullus。　　But　now　this　delightful　reminiscence
became　a　torment。　　Hundreds　of　times　I　dreamed　I　was　again　at　the
〃Planter's。〃　　I　saw　the　wide　corridors；　with　their　mosaic　pavement；
I　entered　the　grand　dining…room；　keeping　timidly　near　the　friend　to　whose
kindness　I　owed　this　wonderful　favor；　I　saw　again　the　mirror…lined　walls；
the　evergreen　decked　ceilings；　the　festoons　and　mottos；　the　tables
gleaming　with　cutglass　and　silver；　the　buffets　with　wines　and　fruits；
the　brigade　of　sleek；　black；　white…aproned　waiters；　headed　by　one　who　had
presence　enough　for　a　major　General。　　Again　I　reveled　in　all　the　dainties
and　dishes　on　the　bill…of…fare；　calling　for　everything　that　I　dared　to；
just　to　see　what　each　was　like；　and　to　be　able　to　say　afterwards　that　I
had　partaken　of　it；　all　these　bewildering　delights　of　the　first
realization　of　what　a　boy　has　read　and　wondered　much　over；　and　longed
for；　would　dance　their　rout　and　reel　through　my　somnolent　brain。　　Then　I
would　awake　to　find　myself　a　half…naked；　half…starved；　vermin…eaten
wretch；　crouching　in　a　hole　in　the　ground；　waiting　for　my　keepers　to
fling　me　a　chunk　of　corn　bread。