andersonville-第31章
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us； the desire for a wider； manlier field of action； so much as an
intense longing to get where care and comforts would arrest their swift
progress to the shadowy hereafter。 The cruel rains had sapped away their
stamina； and they could not recover it with the meager and innutritious
diet of coarse meal； and an occasional scrap of salt meat。 Quick
consumption； bronchitis； pneumonia； low fever and diarrhea seized upon
these ready victims for their ravages； and bore them off at the rate of
nearly a score a day。
It now became a part of； the day's regular routine to take a walk past
the gates in the morning； inspect and count the dead； and see if any
friends were among them。 Clothes having by this time become a very
important consideration with the prisoners； it was the custom of the mess
in which a man died to remove from his person all garments that were of
any account； and so many bodies were carried out nearly naked。 The hands
were crossed upon the breast； the big toes tied together with a bit of
string； and a slip of paper containing the man's name； rank； company and
regiment was pinned on the breast of his shirt。
The appearance of the dead was indescribably ghastly。 The unclosed eyes
shone with a stony glitter
An orphan's curse would drag to hell
A spirit from on high：
But； O； more terrible than that；
Is the curse in a dead man's eye。
The lips and nostrils were distorted with pain and hunger； the sallow；
dirt…grimed skin drawn tensely over the facial bones； and the whole
framed with the long； lank； matted hair and beard。 Millions of lice
swarmed over the wasted limbs and ridged ribs。 These verminous pests had
become so numerousowing to our lack of changes of clothing； and of
facilities for boiling what we hadthat the most a healthy man could
do was to keep the number feeding upon his person down to a reasonable
limitsay a few tablespoonfuls。 When a man became so sick as to be
unable to help himself； the parasites speedily increased into millions；
or； to speak more comprehensively； into pints and quarts。 It did not
even seem exaggeration when some one declared that lie had seen a dead
man with more than a gallon of lice on him。
There is no doubt that the irritation from the biting of these myriads
materially the days of those who died。
Where a sick man had friends or comrades； of course part of their duty；
in taking care of him； was to 〃louse〃 his clothing。 One of the most
effectual ways of doing this was to turn the garments wrong side out and
hold the seams as close to the fire as possible； without burning the
cloth。 In a short time the lice would swell up and burst open； like pop…
corn。 This method was a favorite one for another reason than its
efficacy： it gave one a keener sense of revenge upon his rascally little
tormentors than he could get in any other way。
As the weather grew warmer and the number in the prison increased； the
lice became more unendurable。 They even filled the hot sand under our
feet； and voracious troops would climb up on one like streams of ants
swarming up a tree。 We began to have a full comprehension of the third
plague with which the Lord visited the Egyptians：
And the Lord said unto Moses； Say unto Aaron； Stretch out thy rod；
and smite the dust of the land； that it may become lice through all
the land of Egypt。
And they did so； for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod； and
smote the dust of the earth； and it became lice in man and in beast；
all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of
Egypt。
The total number of deaths in April； according to the official report；
was five hundred and seventy…six； or an average of over nineteen a day。
There was an average of five thousand prisoner's in the pen during all
but the last few days of the month； when the number was increased by the
arrival of the captured garrison of Plymouth。 This would make the loss
over eleven per cent。； and so worse than decimation。 At that rate we
should all have died in about eight months。 We could have gone through a
sharp campaign lasting those thirty days and not lost so great a
proportion of our forces。 The British had about as many men as were in
the Stockade at the battle of New Orleans； yet their loss in killed fell
much short of the deaths in the pen in April。
A makeshift of a hospital was established in the northeastern corner of
the Stockade。 A portion of the ground was divided from the rest of the
prison by a railing； a few tent flies were stretched； and in these the
long leaves of the pine were made into apologies for beds of about the
goodness of the straw on which a Northern farmer beds his stock。 The
sick taken there were no better off than if they had staid with their
comrades。
What they needed to bring about their recovery was clean clothing；
nutritious food； shelter and freedom from the tortures of the lice。
They obtained none of these。 Save a few decoctions of roots； there were
no medicines； the sick were fed the same coarse corn meal that brought
about the malignant dysentery from which they all suffered； they wore and
slept in the same vermin…infested clothes； and there could be but one
result： the official records show that seventy…six per cent。 of those
taken to the hospitals died there。
The establishment of the hospital was specially unfortunate for my little
squad。 The ground required for it compelled a general reduction of the
space we all occupied。 We had to tear down our huts and move。 By this
time the materials had become so dry that we could not rebuild with them；
as the pine tufts fell to pieces。 This reduced the tent and bedding
material of our partynow numbering fiveto a cavalry overcoat and a
blanket。 We scooped a hole a foot deep in the sand and stuck our tent…
poles around it。 By day we spread our blanket over the poles for a tent。
At night we lay down upon the overcoat and covered ourselves with the
blanket。 It required considerable stretching to make it go over five；
the two out side fellows used to get very chilly； and squeeze the three
inside ones until they felt no thicker than a wafer。 But it had to do；
and we took turns sleeping on the outside。 In the course of a few weeks
three of my chums died and left myself and B。 B。 Andrews （now Dr。
Andrews； of Astoria； Ill。） sole heirs to and occupants of； the overcoat
and blanket。
CHAPTER XXV。
THE 〃PLYMOUTH PILGRIMS〃SAD TRANSITION FROM COMFORTABLE BARRACKS TO
ANDERSONVILLEA CRAZED PENNSYLVANIANDEVELOPMENT OF THE BUTLER
BUSINESS。
We awoke one morning； in the last part of April； to find about two
thousand freshly arrived prisoners lying asleep in the main streets
running from the gates。 They were attired in stylish new uniforms；
with fancy hats and shoes； the Sergeants and Corporals wore patent
leather or silk chevrons； and each man had a large； well…filled knapsack；
of the kind new recruits usually carried on coming first to the front；
and which the older soldiers spoke of humorously as 〃bureaus。〃 They were
the snuggest； nattiest lot of soldiers we had ever seen； outside of the
〃paper collar〃 fellows forming the headquarter guard of some General in a
large City。 As one of my companions surveyed them； he said：
〃Hulloa！ I'm blanked if the Johnnies haven't caught a regiment of
Brigadier Generals； somewhere。〃
By…and…by the 〃fresh fish；〃 as all new arrivals were termed； began to
wake up； and then we learned that they belonged to a brigade consisting
of the Eighty…Fifth New York； One Hundred and First and One Hundred and
Third Pennsylvania； Sixteenth Connecticut； Twenty…Fourth New York
Battery； two companies of Massachusetts heavy artillery； and a company of
the Twelfth New York Cavalry。
They had been garrisoning Plymouth； N。 C。； an important seaport on the
Roanoke River。 Three small gunboats assisted them in their duty。 The
Rebels constructed a powerful iron clad called the 〃Albemarle；〃 at a
point further up the Roanoke； and on the afternoon of the 17th； with her
and three brigades of infantry； made an attack upon the post。
The 〃Albemarle〃 ran p
