andersonville-第97节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


was　rather　thickly　wooded；　and　covered　with　undergrowth；　when　the
Stockade　was　built；　and　certainly　no　bit　of　soil　was　ever　so　thoroughly
cleared　as　this　was。　　The　trees　and　brush　were　cut　down　and　worked　up
into　hut　building　materials　by　the　same　slow　and　laborious　process　that　I
have　described　as　employed　in　building　our　huts　at　Millen。

Then　the　stumps　were　attacked　for　fuel；　and　with　such　persistent
thoroughness　that　after　some　weeks　there　was　certainly　not　enough　woody
material　left　in　that　whole　fifteen　acres　of　ground　to　kindle　a　small
kitchen　fire。　　The　men　would　begin　work　on　the　stump　of　a　good　sized
tree；　and　chip　and　split　it　off　painfully　and　slowly　until　they　had
followed　it　to　the　extremity　of　the　tap　root　ten　or　fifteen　feet　below
the　surface。　　The　lateral　roots　would　be　followed　with　equal
determination；　and　trenches　thirty　feet　long；　and　two　or　three　feet　deep
were　dug　with　case…knives　and　half…canteens；　to　get　a　root　as　thick　as
one's　wrist。　　The　roots　of　shrubs　and　vines　were　followed　up　and　gathered
with　similar　industry。　　The　cold　weather　and　the　scanty　issues　of　wood
forced　men　to　do　this。

The　huts　constructed　were　as　various　as　the　materials　and　the　tastes　of
the　builders。　　Those　who　were　fortunate　enough　to　get　plenty　of　timber
built　such　cabins　as　I　have　described　at　Millen。　　Those　who　had　less　eked
out　their　materials　in　various　ways。　　Most　frequently　all　that　a　squad　of
three　or　four　could　get　would　be　a　few　slender　poles　and　some　brush。
They　would　dig　a　hole　in　the　ground　two　feet　deep　and　large　enough　for
them　all　to　lie　in。　　Then　putting　up　a　stick　at　each　end　and　laying　a
ridge　pole　across；　they；　would　adjust　the　rest　of　their　material　so　as　to
form　sloping　sides　capable　of　supporting　earth　enough　to　make　a　water…
tight　roof。　　The　great　majority　were　not　so　well　off　as　these；　and　had
absolutely；　nothing　of　which　to　build。　　They　had　recourse　to　the　clay　of
the　swamp；　from　which　they　fashioned　rude　sun…dried　bricks；　and　made
adobe　houses；　shaped　like　a　bee　hive；　which　lasted　very　well　until　a　hard
rain　came；　when　they　dissolved　into　red　mire　about　the　bodies　of　their
miserable　inmates。

Remember　that　all　these　makeshifts　were　practiced　within　a　half…a…mile　of
an　almost　boundless　forest；　from　which　in　a　day's　time　the　camp　could
have　been　supplied　with　material　enough　to　give　every　man　a　comfortable
hut。




CHAPTER　LXIX。

BARRETT'S　INSANE　CRUELTYHOW　HE　PUNISHED　THOSE　ALLEGED　TO　BE　ENGAGED　IN
TUNNELINGTHE　MISERY　IN　THE　STOCKADEMEN'S　LIMBS　ROTTING　OFF　WITH　DRY
GANGRENE。

Winder　had　found　in　Barrett　even　a　better　tool　for　his　cruel　purposes
than　Wirz。　　The　two　resembled　each　other　in　many　respects。　　Both　were
absolutely　destitute　of　any　talent　for　commanding　men；　and　could　no　more
handle　even　one　thousand　men　properly　than　a　cabin　boy　could　navigate　a
great　ocean　steamer。　　Both　were　given　to　the　same　senseless　fits　of
insane　rage；　coming　and　going　without　apparent　cause；　during　which　they
fired　revolvers　and　guns　or　threw　clubs　into　crowds　of　prisoners；　or
knocked　down　such　as　were　within　reach　of　their　fists。　　These　exhibitions
were　such　as　an　overgrown　child　might　be　expected　to　make。　　They　did　not
secure　any　result　except　to　increase　the　prisoners'　wonder　that　such　ill…
tempered　fools　could　be　given　any　position　of　responsibility。

A　short　time　previous　to　our　entry　Barrett　thought　he　had　reason　to
suspect　a　tunnel。　　He　immediately　announced　that　no　more　rations　should
be　issued　until　its　whereabouts　was　revealed　and　the；　ringleaders　in　the
attempt　to　escape　delivered　up　to　him。　　The　rations　at　that　time　were
very　scanty；　so　that　the　first　day　they　were　cut　off　the　sufferings　were
fearful。　　The　boys　thought　he　would　surely　relent　the　next　day；　but　they
did　not　know　their　man。　　He　was　not　suffering　any；　why　should　he　relax
his　severity？　　He　strolled　leisurely　out　from　his　dinner　table；　picking
his　teeth　with　his　penknife　in　the　comfortable；　self…satisfied　way　of　a
coarse　man　who　has　just　filled　his　stomach　to　his　entire　contentan
attitude　and　an　air　that　was　simply　maddening　to　the　famishing　wretches；
of　whom　he　inquired　tantalizingly：

〃Air　ye're　hungry　enough　to　give　up　them　G…d　d　d　ss　of　bs　yet？〃

That　night　thirteen　thousand　men；　crazy；　fainting　with　hunger；　walked
hither　and　thither；　until　exhaustion　forced　them　to　become　quiet；　sat　on
the　ground　and　pressed　their　bowels　in　by　leaning　against　sticks　of　wood
laid　across　their　thighs；　trooped　to　the　Creek　and　drank　water　until
their　gorges　rose　and　they　could　swallow　no　moredid　everything　in　fact
that　imagination　could　suggestto　assuage　the　pangs　of　the　deadly
gnawing　that　was　consuming　their　vitals。　　All　the　cruelties　of　the
terrible　Spanish　Inquisition；　if　heaped　together；　would　not　sum　up　a
greater　aggregate　of　anguish　than　was　endured　by　them。　　The　third　day
came；　and　still　no　signs　of　yielding　by　Barrett。　　The　Sergeants　counseled
together。　　Something　must　be　done。　　The　fellow　would　starve　the　whole
camp　to　death　with　as　little　compunction　as　one　drowns　blind　puppies。
It　was　necessary　to　get　up　a　tunnel　to　show　Barrett；　and　to　get　boys　who
would　confess　to　being　leaders　in　the　work。　　A　number　of　gallant　fellows
volunteered　to　brave　his　wrath；　and　save　the　rest　of　their　comrades。
It　required　high　courage　to　do　this；　as　there　was　no　question　but　that
the　punishment　meted　out　would　be　as　fearful　as　the　cruel　mind　of　the
fellow　could　conceive。　　The　Sergeants　decided　that　four　would　be
sufficient　to　answer　the　purpose；　they　selected　these　by　lot；　marched
them　to　the　gate　and　delivered　them　over　to　Barrett；　who　thereupon
ordered　the　rations　to　be　sent　in。　　He　was　considerate　enough；　too；　to
feed　the　men　he　was　going　to　torture。

The　starving　men　in　the　Stockade　could　not　wait　after　the　rations　were
issued　to　cook　them；　but　in　many　instances　mixed　the　meal　up　with　water；
and　swallowed　it　raw。　　Frequently　their　stomachs；　irritated　by　the　long
fast；　rejected　the　mess；　any　very　many　had　reached　the　stage　where　they
loathed　food；　a　burning　fever　was　consuming　them；　and　seething　their
brains　with　delirium。　　Hundreds　died　within　a　few　days；　and　hundreds　more
were　so　debilitated　by　the　terrible　strain　that　they　did　not　linger　long
afterward。

The　boys　who　had　offered　themselves　as　a　sacrifice　for　the　rest　were　put
into　a　guard　house；　and　kept　over　night　that　Barrett　might　make　a　day　of
the　amusement　of　torturing　them。　　After　he　had　laid　in　a　hearty
breakfast；　and　doubtless　fortified　himself　with　some　of　the　villainous
sorgum　whisky；　which　the　Rebels　were　now　reduced　to　drinking；　he　set
about　his　entertainment。

The　devoted　four　were　brought　outone　by　oneand　their　hands　tied
together　behind　their　backs。　　Then　a　noose　of　a　slender；　strong　hemp　rope
was　slipped　over　the　first　one's　thumbs　and　drawn　tight；　after　which　the
rope　was　thrown　over　a　log　projecting　from　the　roof　of　the　guard　house；
and　two　or　three　Rebels　hauled　upon　it　until　the　miserable　Yankee　was
lifted　from　the　ground；　and　hung　suspended　by　the　thumbs；　while　his
weight　seemed　tearing　his　limbs　from　his　shoulder　blades。　　The　other
three　were　treated　in　the　same　manner。

The　agony　was　simply　excruciating。　　The　boys　were　brave；　and　had　resolved
to　stand　their　punishment　without　a　groan；　but　this　was　too　much　for
human　endurance。　　Their　will　was　strong；　but　Nature　could　not　be　denied；
and　they　shrieked　aloud　so　pitifully　that　a　young　Reserve　standing　near
fainted。　　Each　one　screamed：

〃For　God's　sake；　kill　me！　kill　me！　Shoot　me　ifyou　want　to；　but　let　me
down　from　here！〃　　The　only　effect　of　this　upon　Barrett　was　to　light　up
his　brutal　face　with　a　leer　of　fiendish　satisfaction。　　He　said　to　the
guards　with　a　gleeful　wink：

〃By　God；　I'll　learn　these　Yanks　to　be　more　afeard　of　me　than　of　the　old
devil　himself。　　They'll　soon　understand　that　I'm　not　the　man　to　fool
with。　　I'm　old　pizen；　I　am；　when　I　git　started。　　Jest　hear　'em　squeal；
won't　yer？〃

Then　walking　from　one　prisoner　to　another；　he　said：

〃D…n　yer　skins；　ye'll　dig　tunnels；　will　ye？　　Ye'll　try　to　git　out；　and
run　through　the　country　stealin'　and　carryin'　off　niggers；　and　makin'
more　trouble　than　yer　dd　necks　are　worth。　　I'll　learn　ye　all　about
that。　　If　I　ketch　ye　at　this　sort　of　work　again；　dd　ef　I　don't　kill
ye　ez　soon　ez　I　ketch　ye。〃

And　so　on；　ad　infinitum。　　How　long　the　boys　were　kept　up　there　undergoing
this　torture　can　not　be　said。　　Perhaps　it　was　an　hour　or　more。　　To　the
locker…on　it　seemed　long　hours；　to　the　poor　fellows　themselves　it　was
ages。　　When　they　were　let　down　at　last；　all　fainted；　and　were　carried
away　to　the　hospital；　where　they　were　weeks　in　recovering　from　the
effects。　　Some　of　them　were　crippled　for　life。

When　we　came　into　the　prison　there　were　about　eleven　thousand　there。
More　uniformly　wretched　creatures　I　had　never　before　seen。　　Up　to　the
time　of　our　departure　from　Andersonville　the　constant　influx　of　new
prisoners　had　prevented　the　misery　and　wasting　away　of　life　from　becoming
fully　realized。　　Though　thousands　were　continually　dying；　thousands　more
of　healthy；　clean；　well…clothed　men　were　as　continually　coming　in　from
the　front；　so　that　a　large　portion　of　those　inside