andersonville-第114章
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！
After the firing opened； he thought it better to lie still than run the
risk from the fire of both sides； especially as he momentarily expected
our folks to advance and drive the Rebels away。 But the reverse
happened； the Johnnies drove our fellows； and； finding Charley in his
place of concealment； took him for one of Foster's men； and sent him to
Florence； where he staid until we went through to our lines。
Our days went by as stupidly and eventless as can be conceived。
We had grown too spiritless and lethargic to dig tunnels or plan escapes。
We had nothing to read； nothing to make or destroy； nothing to work with；
nothing to play with； and even no desire to contrive anything for
amusement。 All the cards in the prison were worn out long ago。 Some of
the boys had made dominos from bones； and Andrews and I still had our
chessmen； but we were too listless to play。 The mind； enfeebled by the
long disuse of it except in a few limited channels； was unfitted for even
so much effort as was involved in a game for pastime。
Nor were there any physical exercises； such as that crowd of young men
would have delighted in under other circumstances。 There was no running；
boxing； jumping； wrestling； leaping； etc。 All were too weak and hungry
to make any exertion beyond that absolutely necessary。 On cold days
everybody seemed totally benumbed。 The camp would be silent and still。
Little groups everywhere hovered for hours； moody and sullen； over
diminutive； flickering fires； made with one poor handful of splinters。
When the sun shone； more activity was visible。 Boys wandered around；
hunted up their friends； and saw what gaps deathalways busiest during
the cold spellshad made in the ranks of their acquaintances。 During
the warmest part of the day everybody disrobed； and spent an hour or more
killing the lice that had waxed and multiplied to grievous proportions
during the few days of comparative immunity。
Besides the whipping of the Galvanized by the darkies； I remember but two
other bits of amusement we had while at Florence。 One of these was in
hearing the colored soldiers sing patriotic songs； which they did with
great gusto when the weather became mild。 The other was the antics of a
circus clowna member； I believe； of a Connecticut or a New York
regiment； who； on the rare occasions when we were feeling not exactly
well so much as simply better than we had been； would give us an hour or
two of recitations of the drolleries with which he was wont to set the
crowded canvas in a roar。 One of his happiest efforts； I remember； was a
stilted paraphrase of 〃Old Uncle Ned〃 a song very popular a quarter of a
century ago； and which ran something like this：
There was an old darky； an' his name was Uncle Ned；
But he died long ago； long ago
He had no wool on de top of his head；
De place whar de wool ought to grouw。
CHORUS
Den lay down de shubel an' de hoe；
Den hang up de fiddle an' de bow；
For dere's no more hard work for poor Uncle Ned
He's gone whar de good niggahs go。
His fingers war long； like de cane in de brake；
And his eyes war too dim for to see；
He had no teeth to eat de corn cake；
So he had to let de corn cake be。
CHORUS。
His legs were so bowed dat he couldn't lie still。
An' he had no nails on his toes；
His neck was so crooked dot he couldn't take a pill；
So he had to take a pill through his nose。
CHORUS。
One cold frosty morning old Uncle Ned died；
An' de tears ran down massa's cheek like rain；
For he knew when Uncle Ned was laid in de groun'；
He would never see poor Uncle Ned again；
CHORUS。
In the hands of this artist the song became
There was an aged and indigent African whose cognomen was Uncle Edward；
But he is deceased since a remote period； a very remote period；
He possessed no capillary substance on the summit of his cranium；
The place designated by kind Nature for the capillary substance to
vegetate。
CHORUS。
Then let the agricultural implements rest recumbent upon the ground；
And suspend the musical instruments in peace neon the wall；
For there's no more physical energy to be displayed by our Indigent Uncle
Edward
He has departed to that place set apart by a beneficent Providence for
the reception of the better class of Africans。
And so on。 These rare flashes of fun only served to throw the underlying
misery out in greater relief。 It was like lightning playing across the
surface of a dreary morass。
I have before alluded several times to the general inability of Rebels to
count accurately； even in low numbers。 One continually met phases of
this that seemed simply incomprehensible to us； who had taken in the
multiplication table almost with our mother's milk； and knew the Rule of
Three as well as a Presbyterian boy does the Shorter Catechism。
A cadetan undergraduate of the South Carolina Military Institute
called our roll at Florence； and though an inborn young aristocrat； who
believed himself made of finer clay than most mortals； he was not a bad
fellow at all。 He thought South Carolina aristocracy the finest gentry；
and the South Carolina Military Institute the greatest institution of
learning 1n the world； but that is common with all South Carolinians。
One day he came in so full of some matter of rare importance that we
became somewhat excited as to its nature。 Dismissing our hundred after
roll…call； he unburdened his mind：
〃Now you fellers are all so d…d peart on mathematics； and such things；
that you want to snap me up on every opportunity； but I guess I've got
something this time that'll settle you。 Its something that a fellow gave
out yesterday； and Colonel Iverson； and all the officers out there have
been figuring on it ever since； and none have got the right answer； and
I'm powerful sure that none of you； smart as you think you are； can do
it。〃
〃Heavens； and earth； let's hear this wonderful problem；〃 said we all。
〃Well；〃 said he； 〃what is the length of a pole standing in a river； one…
fifth of which is in the mud； two…thirds in the water； and one…eighth
above the water； while one foot and three inches of the top is broken
off？〃
In a minute a dozen answered； 〃One hundred and fifty feet。〃
The cadet could only look his amazement at the possession of such an
amount of learning by a crowd of mudsills； and one of our fellows said
contemptuously：
〃Why； if you South Carolina Institute fellows couldn't answer such
questions as that they wouldn't allow you in the infant class up North。〃
Lieutenant Barrett； our red…headed tormentor； could not； for the life of
him； count those inside in hundreds and thousands in such a manner as to
be reasonably certain of correctness。 As it would have cankered his soul
to feel that he was being beaten out of a half…dozen rations by the
superior cunning of the Yankees； he adopted a plan which he must have
learned at some period of his life when he was a hog or sheep drover。
Every Sunday morning all in the camp were driven across the Creek to the
East Side； and then made to file slowly backone at a timebetween two
guards stationed on the little bridge that spanned the Creek。 By this
means； if he was able to count up to one hundred； he could get our number
correctly。
The first time this was done after our arrival he gave us a display of
his wanton malevolence。 We were nearly all assembled on the East Side；
and were standing in ranks； at the edge of the swamp； facing the west。
Barrett was walking along the opposite edge of the swamp； and； coming to
a little gully jumped； it。 He was very awkward； and came near falling
into the mud。 We all yelled derisively。 He turned toward us in a fury；
shook his fist； and shouted curses and imprecations。 We yelled still
louder。 He snatched out his revolver； and began firing at our line。 The
distance was considerablesay four or five hundred feetand the bullets
struck in the mud in advance of the line。 We still yelled。 Then he
jerked a gun from a guard and fired； but his aim was still bad； and the
bullet sang over our heads； striking in the bank above us。 He posted of
to get
