andersonville-第3章
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We but hate a vicious social system； the lingering shadow of a darker
age； to which they yield； and which； by elevating bad men to power； has
proved their own and their country's bane。
The following story does not claim to be in any sense a history of
Southern prisons。 It is simply a record of the experience of one
individualone boywho staid all the time with his comrades inside the
prison； and had no better opportunities for gaining information than any
other of his 60；000 companions。
The majority of the illustrations in this work are from the skilled
pencil of Captain O。 J。 Hopkins； of Toledo； who served through the war in
the ranks of the Forty…second Ohio。 His army experience has been of
peculiar value to the work； as it has enabled him to furnish a series of
illustrations whose life…like fidelity of action； pose and detail are
admirable。
Some thirty of the pictures； including the frontispiece； and the
allegorical illustrations of War and Peace； are from the atelier of Mr。
O。 Reich； Cincinnati； O。
A word as to the spelling： Having always been an ardent believer in the
reformation of our present preposterous systemor rather； no systemof
orthography； I am anxious to do whatever lies in my power to promote it。
In the following pages the spelling is simplified to the last degree
allowed by Webster。 I hope that the time is near when even that advanced
spelling reformer will be left far in the rear by the progress of a
people thoroughly weary of longer slavery to the orthographical
absurdities handed down to us from a remote and grossly unlearned
ancestry。
Toledo； O。； Dec。 10； 1879。
JOHN McELROY。
We wait beneath the furnace blast
The pangs of transformation；
Not painlessly doth God recast
And mold anew the nation。
Hot burns the fire
Where wrongs expire；
Nor spares the hand
That from the land
Uproots the ancient evil。
The hand…breadth cloud the sages feared
Its bloody rain is dropping；
The poison plant the fathers spared
All else is overtopping。
East； West； South； North；
It curses the earth；
All justice dies；
And fraud and lies
Live only in its shadow。
Then let the selfish lip be dumb
And hushed the breath of sighing；
Before the joy of peace must come
The pains of purifying。
God give us grace
Each in his place
To bear his lot；
And； murmuring not；
Endure and wait and labor！
WHITTIER
ANDERSONVILLE
A STORY OF REBEL MILITARY PRISONS
CHAPTER I。
A STRANGE LANDTHE HEART OF THE APPALACHIANSTHE GATEWAY OF AN EMPIRE
A SEQUESTERED VALE； AND A PRIMITIVE； ARCADIAN； NON…PROGRESSIVE PEOPLE。
A low； square； plainly…hewn stone； set near the summit of the eastern
approach to the formidable natural fortress of Cumberland Gap； indicates
the boundaries ofthe three great States of Virginia； Kentucky and
Tennessee。 It is such a place as； remembering the old Greek and Roman
myths and superstitions； one would recognize as fitting to mark the
confines of the territories of great masses of strong； aggressive； and
frequently conflicting peoples。 There the god Terminus should have had
one of his chief temples； where his shrine would be shadowed by barriers
rising above the clouds； and his sacred solitude guarded from the rude
invasion of armed hosts by range on range of battlemented rocks； crowning
almost inaccessible mountains； interposed across every approach from the
usual haunts of men。
Roundabout the land is full of strangeness and mystery。 The throes of
some great convulsion of Nature are written on the face of the four
thousand square miles of territory； of which Cumberland Gap is the
central point。 Miles of granite mountains are thrust up like giant
walls； hundreds of feet high； and as smooth and regular as the side
of a monument。
Huge； fantastically…shaped rocks abound everywheresometimes rising into
pinnacles on lofty summitssometimes hanging over the verge of beetling
cliffs； as if placed there in waiting for a time when they could be
hurled down upon the path of an advancing army； and sweep it away。
Large streams of water burst out in the most unexpected planes；
frequently far up mountain sides； and fall in silver veils upon stones
beaten round by the ceaseless dash for ages。 Caves； rich in quaintly
formed stalactites and stalagmites； and their recesses filled with
metallic salts of the most powerful and diverse natures； break the
mountain sides at frequent intervals。 Everywhere one is met by surprises
and anomalies。 Even the rank vegetation is eccentric； and as prone to
develop into bizarre forms as are the rocks and mountains。
The dreaded panther ranges through the primeval； rarely trodden forests；
every crevice in the rocks has for tenants rattlesnakes or stealthy
copperheads； while long； wonderfully swift 〃blue racers〃 haunt the edges
of the woods； and linger around the fields to chill his blood who catches
a glimpse of their upreared heads； with their great； balefully bright
eyes； and 〃white…collar〃 encircled throats。
The human events happening here have been in harmony with the natural
ones。 It has always been a land of conflict。 In 1540339 years ago
De Soto； in that energetic but fruitless search for gold which occupied
his later years； penetrated to this region； and found it the fastness of
the Xualans； a bold； aggressive race； continually warring with its
neighbors。 When next the white man reached the countrya century and a
half laterhe found the Xualans had been swept away by the conquering
Cherokees； and he witnessed there the most sanguinary contest between
Indians of which our annals give any accounta pitched battle two days
in duration； between the invading Shawnees； who lorded it over what is
now Kentucky； Ohio and Indianaand the Cherokees； who dominated the
country the southeast of the Cumberland range。 Again the Cherokees were
victorious； and the discomfited Shawnees retired north of the Gap。
Then the white man delivered battle for the possession the land； and
bought it with the lives of many gallant adventurers。 Half a century
later Boone and his hardy companion followed； and forced their way into
Kentucky。
Another half century saw the Gap the favorite haunt of the greatest of
American banditsthe noted John A。 Murrelland his gang。 They
infested the country for years； now waylaying the trader or drover
threading his toilsome way over the lone＇ mountains； now descending upon
some little town； to plunder its stores and houses。
At length Murrell and his band were driven out； and sought a new field of
operations on the Lower Mississippi。 They left germs behind them；
however； that developed into horse thieve counterfeiters； and later into
guerrillas and bushwhackers。
When the Rebellion broke out the region at once became th theater of
military operations。 Twice Cumberland Gap was seized by the Rebels； and
twice was it wrested away from them。 In 1861 it was the point whence
Zollicoffer launched out with his legions to 〃liberate Kentucky；〃 and it
was whither they fled； beaten and shattered； after the disasters of Wild
Cat and Mill Springs。 In 1862 Kirby Smith led his army through the Gap
on his way to overrun Kentucky and invade the North。 Three months later
his beaten forces sought refuge from their pursuers behind its
impregnable fortifications。 Another year saw Burnside burst through the
Gap with a conquering force and redeem loyal East Tennessee from its
Rebel oppressors。
Had the South ever been able to separate from the North the boundary
would have been established along this line。
Between the main ridge upon which Cumberland Gap is situated； and the
next range on the southeast which runs parallel with it； is a narrow；
long； very fruitful valley； walled in on either side for a hundred miles
by tall mountains as a City street is by high buildings。 It is called
Powell's Valley。 In it dwell a simple； primitive people； shut out from
the world almost as much as if they lived in New Zealand； and with the
speech； manners and ideas that their fathers brought into the Valley when
they settled it a century ago。 There has been but little change since
then。 The young men who have annually driven cattle to
