andersonville-第8节

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an　enemy　whom　we　had　hated　so　bitterly。　　As　we　stood　there　on　the　bleak
mountain…side；　the　biting　wind　soughing　through　the　leafless　branches；
the　shadows　of　a　gloomy　winter　night　closing　around　us；　the　groans　and
shrieks　of　our　wounded　mingling　with　the　triumphant　yells　of　the　Rebels
plundering　our　tents；　it　seemed　as　if　Fate　could　press　to　man's　lips　no
cup　with　bitterer　dregs　in　it　than　this。




CHAPTER　V。

THE　REACTIONDEPRESSIONBITTING　COLDSHARP　HUNGER　AND　SAD　REFLEXION。

　　　　　　　　　　〃Of　being　taken　by　the　Insolent　foe。〃Othello。


The　night　that　followed　was　inexpressibly　dreary：　The　high…wrought
nervous　tension；　which　had　been　protracted　through　the　long　hours　that
the　fight　lasted；　was　succeeded　by　a　proportionate　mental　depression；
such　as　naturally　follows　any　strain　upon　the　mind。　　This　was　intensified
in　our　cases　by　the　sharp　sting　of　defeat；　the　humiliation　of　having　to
yield　ourselves；　our　horses　and　our　arms　into　the　possession　of　the
enemy；　the　uncertainty　as　to　the　future；　and　the　sorrow　we　felt　at　the
loss　of　so　many　of　our　comrades。

Company　L　had　suffered　very　severely；　but　our　chief　regret　was　for　the
gallant　Osgood；　our　Second　Lieutenant。　　He；　above　all　others；　was　our
trusted　leader。　　The　Captain　and　First　Lieutenant　were　brave　men；　and
good　enough　soldiers；　but　Osgood　was　the　one　〃whose　adoption　tried；　we
grappled　to　our　souls　with　hooks　of　steel。〃　　There　was　never　any
difficulty　in　getting　all　the　volunteers　he　wanted　for　a　scouting　party。
A　quiet；　pleasant　spoken　gentleman；　past　middle　age；　he　looked　much
better　fitted　for　the　office　of　Justice　of　the　Peace；　to　which　his
fellow…citizens　of　Urbana；　Illinois；　had　elected　and　reelected　him；　than
to　command　a　troop　of　rough　riders　in　a　great　civil　war。　　But　none　more
gallant　than　he　ever　vaulted　into　saddle　to　do　battle　for　the　right。
He　went　into　the　Army　solely　as　a　matter　of　principle；　and　did　his　duty
with　the　unflagging　zeal　of　an　olden　Puritan　fighting　for　liberty　and　his
soul's　salvation。　　He　was　a　superb　horsemanas　all　the　older　Illinoisans
are　and；　for　all　his　two…score　years　and　ten；　he　recognized　few　superiors
for　strength　and　activity　in　the　Battalion。　　A　radical；　uncompromising
Abolitionist；　he　had　frequently　asserted　that　he　would　rather　die　than
yield　to　a　Rebel；　and　he　kept　his　word　in　this　as　in　everything　else。

As　for　him；　it　was　probably　the　way　he　desired　to　die。　　No　one　believed
more　ardently　than　he　that

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Whether　on　the　scaffold　high；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Or　in　the　battle's　van；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　fittest　place　for　man　to　die；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Is　where　he　dies　for　man。

Among　the　many　who　had　lost　chums　and　friends　was　Ned　Johnson；　of　Company
K。　　Ned　was　a　young　Englishman；　with　much　of　the　suggestiveness　of　the
bull…dog　common　to　the　lower　class　of　that　nation。　　His　fist　was　readier
than　his　tongue。　　His　chum；　Walter　Savage　was　of　the　same　surly　type。
The　two　had　come　from　England　twelve　years　before；　and　had　been　together
ever　since。　　Savage　was　killed　in　the　struggle　for　the　fence　described　in
the　preceding　chapter。　　Ned　could　not　realize　for　a　while　that　his　friend
was　dead。　　It　was　only　when　the　body　rapidly　stiffened　on　its　icy　bed；
and　the　eyes　which　had　been　gleaming　deadly　hate　when　he　was　stricken
down　were　glazed　over　with　the　dull　film　of　death；　that　he　believed　he
was　gone　from　him　forever。　　Then　his　rage　was　terrible。　　For　the　rest　of
the　day　he　was　at　the　head　of　every　assault　upon　the　enemy。　　His　voice
could　ever　be　heard　above　the　firing；　cursing　the　Rebels　bitterly；　and
urging　the　boys　to　〃Stand　up　to　'em！　　Stand　right　up　to　'em！　　Don't　give
a　inch！　　Let　them　have　the　best　you　got　in　the　shop！　　Shoot　low；　and
don't　waste　a　cartridge！〃

When　we　surrendered；　Ned　seemed　to　yield　sullenly　to　the　inevitable。
He　threw　his　belt　and　apparently　his　revolver　with　it　upon　the　snow。
A　guard　was　formed　around　us；　and　we　gathered　about　the　fires　that　were
started。　　Ned　sat　apart；　his　arms　folded；　his　head　upon　his　breast；
brooding　bitterly　upon　Walter's　death。　　A　horseman；　evidently　a　Colonel
or　General；　clattered　up　to　give　some　directions　concerning　us。　　At　the
sound　of　his　voice　Ned　raised　his　head　and　gave　him　a　swift　glance；　the
gold　stars　upon　the　Rebel's　collar　led　him　to　believe　that　he　was　the
commander　of　the　enemy。　　Ned　sprang　to　his　feet；　made　a　long　stride
forward；　snatched　from　the　breast　of　his　overcoat　the　revolver　he　had
been　hiding　there；　cocked　it　and　leveled　it　at　the　Rebel's　breast。
Before　he　could　pull　the　trigger　Orderly　Sergeant　Charles　Bentley；　of　his
Company；　who　was　watching　him；　leaped　forward；　caught　his　wrist　and　threw
the　revolver　up。　　Others　joined　in；　took　the　weapon　away；　and　handed　it
over　to　the　officer；　who　then　ordered　us　all　to　be　searched　for　arms；
and　rode　away。

All　our　dejection　could　not　make　us　forget　that　we　were　intensely　hungry。
We　had　eaten　nothing　all　day。　　The　fight　began　before　we　had　time　to　get
any　breakfast；　and　of　course　there　was　no　interval　for　refreshments
during　the　engagement。　　The　Rebels　were　no　better　off　than　we；　having
been　marched　rapidly　all　night　in　order　to　come　upon　us　by　daylight。

Late　in　the　evening　a　few　sacks　of　meal　were　given　us；　and　we　took　the
first　lesson　in　an　art　that　long　and　painful　practice　afterward　was　to
make　very　familiar　to　us。　　We　had　nothing　to　mix　the　meal　in；　and　it
looked　as　if　we　would　have　to　eat　it　dry；　until　a　happy　thought　struck
some　one　that　our　caps　would　do　for　kneading　troughs。　　At　once　every　cap
was　devoted　to　this。　　Getting　water　from　an　adjacent　spring；　each　man
made　a　little　wad　of　doughunsaltedand　spreading　it　upon　a　flat　stone
or　a　chip；　set　it　up　in　front　of　the　fire　to　bake。　　As　soon　as　it　was
browned　on　one　side；　it　was　pulled　off　the　stone；　and　the　other　side
turned　to　the　fire。　　It　was　a　very　primitive　way　of　cooking　and　I　became
thoroughly　disgusted　with　it。　　It　was　fortunate　for　me　that　I　little
dreamed　that　this　was　the　way　I　should　have　to　get　my　meals　for　the　next
fifteen　months。

After　somewhat　of　the　edge　had　been　taken　off　our　hunger　by　this　food；
we　crouched　around　the　fires；　talked　over　the　events　of　the　day；
speculated　as　to　what　was　to　be　done　with　us；　and　snatched　such　sleep　as
the　biting　cold　would　permit。




CHAPTER

〃ON　TO　RICHMOND！〃MARCHING　ON　FOOT　OVER　THE　MOUNTAINSMY　HORSE　HAS　A
NEW　RIDERUNSOPHISTICATED　MOUNTAIN　GIRLSDISCUSSING　THE　ISSUES　OF　THE
WARPARTING　WITH　〃HIATOGA。〃

At　dawn　we　were　gathered　together；　more　meal　issued　to　us；　which　we
cooked　in　the　same　way；　and　then　were　started　under　heavy　guard　to　march
on　foot　over　the　mountains　to　Bristol；　a　station　at　the　point　where　the
Virginia　and　Tennessee　Railroad　crosses　the　line　between　Virginia　and
Tennessee。

As　we　were　preparing　to　set　out　a　Sergeant　of　the　First　Virginia　cavalry
came　galloping　up　to　us　on　my　horse！　　The　sight　of　my　faithful　〃Hiatoga〃
bestrid　by　a　Rebel；　wrung　my　heart。　　During　the　action　I　had　forgotten
him；　but　when　it　ceased　I　began　to　worry　about　his　fate。　　As　he　and　his
rider　came　near　I　called　out　to　him；　he　stopped　and　gave　a　whinny　of
recognition；　which　seemed　also　a　plaintive　appeal　for　an　explanation　of
the　changed　condition　of　affairs。

The　Sergeant　was　a　pleasant；　gentlemanly　boy　of　about　my　own　age。
He　rode　up　to　me　and　inquired　if　it　was　my　horse；　to　which　I　replied　in
the　affirmative；　and　asked　permission　to　take　from　the　saddle　pockets
some　letters；　pictures　and　other　trinkets。　　He　granted　this；　and　we
became　friends　from　thence　on　until　we　separated。　　He　rode　by　my　side　as
we　plodded　over　the　steep；　slippery　hills；　and　we　beguiled　the　way　by
chatting　of　the　thousand　things　that　soldiers　find　to　talk　about；　and
exchanged　reminiscences　of　the　service　on　both　sides。　　But　the　subject　he
was　fondest　of　was　that　which　I　relished　least：　mynow　hishorse。　　Into
the　open　ulcer　of　my　heart　he　poured　the　acid　of　all　manner　of　questions
concerning　my　lost　steed's　qualities　and　capabilities：　would　he　swim？
how　was　he　in　fording？　　did　he　jump　well！　　how　did　he　stand　fire？
I　smothered　my　irritation；　and　answered　as　pleasantly　as　I　could。

In　the　afternoon　of　the　third　day　after　the　capture；　we　came　up　to　where
a　party　of　rustic　belles　were　collected　at　〃quilting。〃　　The　〃Yankees〃
were　instantly　objects　of　greater　interest　than　the　parade　of　a　menagerie
would　have　been。　　The　Sergeant　told　the　girls　we　were　going　to　camp　for
the　night　a　mile　or　so　ahead；　and　if　they　would　be　at　a　certain　house；
he　would　have　a　Yankee　for　them　for　close　inspection。　　After　halting；
the　Sergeant　obtained　leave　to　take　me　out　with　a　guard；　and　I　was
presently　ushered　into　a　room　in　which　the　damsels　were　massed　in　force；
a　carnation…checked；　staring；　open…mouthed；　linsey…clad　crowd；　as
ignorant　of　corsets　and　gloves　as　of　Hebrew；　and　with　a　propensity　to
giggle　that　was　chronic　and　irrepressible。　　When　we　entered　the　room
there　was　a　general　giggle；　and　then　a　shower　of　comments　upon　my
appearance；each　sentence　punctuated　with　the　chorus　of　feminine
cachination。　　A　remark　was　made　about　my　hair　and　eyes；　and　their
risibles　gave　way；　judgment　was　passed　on　my　nose；　and　then　came　a　ripple
of　laug