andersonville-第12章

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imposing　and　impregnable　fortifications；　with　powerful　forts　and　heavy
guns；　perhaps　even　walls；　castles；　postern　gates；　moats　and　ditches；
and　all　the　other　panoply　of　defensive　warfare；　with　which　romantic
history　had　made　us　familiar。

We　were　disappointedbadly　disappointedin　seeing　nothing　of　this　as　we
slowly　rolled　along。　　The　spires　and　the　tall　chimneys　of　the　factories
rose　in　the　distance　very　much　as　they　had　in　other　Cities　we　had
visited。　　We　passed　a　single　line　of　breastworks　of　bare　yellow　sand；
but　the　scrubby　pines　in　front　were　not　cut　away；　and　there　were　no　signs
that　there　had　ever　been　any　immediate　expectation　of　use　for　the　works。
A　redoubt　or　twowithout　gunscould　be　made　out；　and　this　was　all。
Grim…visaged　war　had　few　wrinkles　on　his　front　in　that　neighborhood。
They　were　then　seaming　his　brow　on　the　Rappahannock；　seventy　miles　away；
where　the　Army　of　Northern　Virginia　and　the　Army　of　the　Potomac　lay
confronting　each　other。

At　one　of　the　stopping　places　I　had　been　separated　from　my　companions　by
entering　a　car　in　which　were　a　number　of　East　Tennesseeans；　captured　in
the　operations　around　Knoxville；　and　whom　the　Rebels；　in　accordance　with
their　usual　custom；　were　treating　with　studied　contumely。　　I　had　always
had　a　very　warm　side　for　these　simple　rustics　of　the　mountains　and
valleys。　　I　knew　much　of　their　unwavering　fidelity　to　the　Union；　of　the
firm　steadfastness　with　which　they　endured　persecution　for　their
country's　sake；　and　made　sacrifices　even　unto　death；　and；　as　in　those
days　I　estimated　all　men　simply　by　their　devotion　to　the　great　cause　of
National　integrity；　（a　habit　that　still　clings　to　me）　I　rated　these　men
very　highly。　　I　had　gone　into　their　car　to　do　my　little　to　encourage
them；　and　when　I　attempted　to　return　to　my　own　I　was　prevented　by　the
guard。

Crossing　the　long　bridge；　our　train　came　to　a　halt　on　the　other　side　of
the　river　with　the　usual　clamor　of　bell　and　whistle；　the　usual　seemingly
purposeless　and　vacillating；　almost　dizzying；　running　backward　and
forward　on　a　network　of　sidetracks　and　switches；　that　seemed　unavoidably
necessary；　a　dozen　years　ago；　in　getting　a　train　into　a　City。

Still　unable　to　regain　my　comrades　and　share　their　fortunes；　I　was
marched　off　with　the　Tennesseeans　through　the　City　to　the　office　of　some
one　who　had　charge　of　the　prisoners　of　war。

The　streets　we　passed　through　were　lined　with　retail　stores；　in　which
business　was　being　carried　on　very　much　as　in　peaceful　times。　　Many
people　were　on　the　streets；　but　the　greater　part　of　the　men　wore　some
sort　of　a　uniform。　　Though　numbers　of　these　were　in　active　service；　yet
the　wearing　of　a　military　garb　did　not　necessarily　imply　this。　　Nearly
every　able…bodied　man　in　Richmond　was；　enrolled　in　some　sort　of　an
organization；　and　armed；　and　drilled　regularly。　　Even　the　members　of　the
Confederate　Congress　were　uniformed　and　attached；　in　theory　at　least；　to
the　Home　Guards。

It　was　obvious　even　to　the　casual　glimpse　of　a　passing　prisoner　of　war；
that　the　City　did　not　lack　its　full　share　of　the　class　which　formed　so
large　an　element　of　the　society　of　Washington　and　other　Northern　Cities
during　the　warthe　dainty　carpet　soldiers；　heros　of　the　promenade　and
the　boudoir；　who　strutted　in　uniforms　when　the　enemy　was　far　off；　and
wore　citizen's　clothes　when　he　was　close　at　hand。　　There　were　many　curled
darlings　displaying　their　fine　forms　in　the　nattiest　of　uniforms；　whose
gloss　had　never　suffered　from　so　much　as　a　heavy　dew；　let　alone　a　rainy
day　on　the　march。　　The　Confederate　gray　could　be　made　into　a　very　dressy
garb。　　With　the　sleeves　lavishly　embroidered　with　gold　lace；　and　the
collar　decorated　with　stars　indicating　the　wearer's　ranksilver　for　the
field　officers；　and　gold　for　the　higher　grade；the　feet　compressed　into
high…heeled；　high…instepped　boots；　（no　Virginian　is　himself　without　a
fine　pair　of　skin…tight　boots）　and　the　head　covered　with　a　fine；　soft；
broad…brimmed　hat；　trimmed　with　a　gold　cord；　from　which　a　bullion　tassel
dangled　several　inches　down　the　wearer's　back；　you　had　a　military　swell；
caparisoned　for　conquestamong　the　fair　sex。

On　our　way　we　passed　the　noted　Capitol　of　Virginiaa　handsome　marble
building；of　the　column…fronted　Grecian　temple　style。　　It　stands　in　the
center　of　the　City。　　Upon　the　grounds　is　Crawford's　famous　equestrian
statue　of　Washington；　surrounded　by　smaller　statues　of　other
Revolutionary　patriots。

The　Confederate　Congress　was　then　in　session　in　the　Capitol；　and　also　the
Legislature　of　Virginia；　a　fact　indicated　by　the　State　flag　of　Virginia
floating　from　the　southern　end　of　the　building；　and　the　new　flag　of　the
Confederacy　from　the　northern　end。　　This　was　the　first　time　I　had　seen
the　latter；　which　had　been　recently　adopted；　and　I　examined　it　with　some
interest。　　The　design　was　exceedingly　plain。　　Simply　a　white　banner；　with
a　red　field　in　the　corner　where　the　blue　field　with　stars　is　in　ours。
The　two　blue　stripes　were　drawn　diagonally　across　this　field　in　the　shape
of　a　letter　X；　and　in　these　were　thirteen　white　stars；　corresponding　to
the　number　of　States　claimed　to　be　in　the　Confederacy。

The　battle…flag　was　simply　the　red　field。　　My　examination　of　all　this　was
necessarily　very　brief。　　The　guards　felt　that　I　was　in　Richmond　for　other
purposes　than　to　study　architecture；　statuary　and　heraldry；
and　besides　they　were　in　a　hurry　to　be　relieved　of　us　and　get　their
breakfast；　so　my　art…education　was　abbreviated　sharply。

We　did　not　excite　much　attention　on　the　streets。　　Prisoners　had　by　that
time　become　too　common　in　Richmond　to　create　any　interest。　　Occasionally
passers　by　would　fling　opprobrious　epithets　at　〃the　East　Tennessee
traitors；〃　but　that　was　all。

The　commandant　of　the　prisons　directed　the　Tennesseeans　to　be　taken　to
Castle　Lightninga　prison　used　to　confine　the　Rebel　deserters；　among
whom　they　also　classed　the　East　Tennesseeans；　and　sometimes　the　West
Virginians；　Kentuckians；　Marylanders　and　Missourians　found　fighting
against　them。　　Such　of　our　men　as　deserted　to　them　were　also　lodged
there；　as　the　Rebels；　very　properly；　did　not　place　a　high　estimate　upon
this　class　of　recruits　to　their　army；　and；　as　we　shall　see　farther　along；
violated　all　obligations　of　good　faith　with　them；　by　putting　them　among
the　regular　prisoners　of　war；　so　as　to　exchange　them　for　their　own　men。

Back　we　were　all　marched　to　a　street　which　ran　parallel　to　the　river　and
canal；　and　but　one　square　away　from　them。　　It　was　lined　on　both　sides　by
plain　brick　warehouses　and　tobacco　factories；　four　and　five　stories　high；
which　were　now　used　by　the　Rebel　Government　as　prisons　and　military
storehouses。

The　first　we　passed　was　Castle　Thunder；　of　bloody　repute。　　This　occupied
the　same　place　in　Confederate　history；　that；　the　dungeons　beneath　the
level　of　the　water　did　in　the　annals　of　the　Venetian　Council　of　Ten。
It　was　believed　that　if　the　bricks　in　its　somber；　dirt…grimed　walls　could
speak；　each　could　tell　a　separate　story　of　a　life　deemed　dangerous　to　the
State　that　had　gone　down　in　night；　at　the　behest　of　the　ruthless
Confederate　authorities。　　It　was　confidently　asserted　that　among　the
commoner　occurrences　within　its　confines　was　the　stationing　of　a　doomed
prisoner　against　a　certain　bit　of　blood…stained；　bullet…chipped　wall；
and　relieving　the　Confederacy　of　all　farther　fear　of　him　by　the　rifles　of
a　firing　party。　　How　well　this　dark　reputation　was　deserved；　no　one　but
those　inside　the　inner　circle　of　the　Davis　Government　can　say。　　It　is
safe　to　believe　that　more　tragedies　were　enacted　there　than　the　archives
of　the　Rebel　civil　or　military　judicature　give　any　account　of。　　The
prison　was　employed　for　the　detention　of　spies；　and　those　charged　with
the　convenient　allegation　of　〃treason　against　the　Confederate　States　of
America。〃　　It　is　probable　that　many　of　these　were　sent　out　of　the　world
with　as　little　respect　for　the　formalities　of　law　as　was　exhibited　with
regard　to　the　'suspects'　during　the　French　Revolution。

Next　we　came　to　Castle　Lightning；　and　here　I　bade　adieu　to　my　Tennessee
companions。

A　few　squares　more　and　we　arrived　at　a　warehouse　larger　than　any　of　the
others。　　Over　the　door　wa