andersonville-第80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！
followed by a defeat of our infantry at Etowah Creek； and then came a
long interval in which we received no news save what the Rebel papers
contained； and they pretended no doubt that Sherman's failure was already
demonstrated。 Next came well…authenticated news that Sherman had raised
the siege and fallen back to the Chattahoochee； and we felt something of
the bitterness of despair。 For days thereafter we heard nothing； though
the hot； close Summer air seemed surcharged with the premonitions of a
war storm about to burst； even as nature heralds in the same way a
concentration of the mighty force of the elements for the grand crash of
the thunderstorm。 We waited in tense expectancy for the decision of the
fates whether final victory or defeat should end the long and arduous
campaign。
At night the guards in the perches around the Stockade called out every
half hour； so as to show the officers that they were awake and attending
to their duty。 The formula for this ran thus：
〃Post numbah 1； half…past eight o'clock； and a…1…1 's w…e…l…l！〃
Post No。 2 repeated this cry； and so it went around。
One evening when our anxiety as to Atlanta was wrought to the highest
pitch； one of the guards sang out：
〃Post numbah foahhalf past eight o'clockand Atlanta'sgonet…o
hell〃
The heart of every man within hearing leaped to his mouth。 We looked
toward each other； almost speechless with glad surprise； and then gasped
out：
〃Did 'you hear THAT？〃
The next instant such a ringing cheer burst out as wells spontaneously
from the throats and hearts of men； in the first ecstatic moments of
victorya cheer to which our saddened hearts and enfeebled lungs had
long been strangers。 It was the genuine； honest； manly Northern cheer；
as different from the shrill Rebel yell as the honest mastiff's deep…
voiced welcome is from the howl of the prowling wolf。
The shout was taken up all over the prison。 Even those who had not heard
the guard understood that it meant that 〃Atlanta was ours and fairly
won；〃 and they took up the acclamation with as much enthusiasm as we had
begun it。 All thoughts of sleep were put to flight： we would have a
season of rejoicing。 Little knots gathered together； debated the news；
and indulged in the most sanguine hopes as to the effect upon the Rebels。
In some parts of the Stockade stump speeches were made。 I believe that
Boston Corbett and his party organized a prayer and praise meeting。
In our corner we stirred up our tuneful friend 〃Nosey；〃 who sang again
the grand old patriotic hymns that set our thin blood to bounding；
and made us remember that we were still Union soldiers； with higher hopes
than that of starving and dying in Andersonville。 He sang the ever…
glorious Star Spangled Banner； as he used to sing it around the camp fire
in happier days； when we were in the field。 He sang the rousing 〃Rally
Round the Flag；〃 with its wealth of patriotic fire and martial vigor；
and we； with throats hoarse from shouting； joined in the chorus until the
welkin rang again。
The Rebels became excited； lest our exaltation of spirits would lead to
an assault upon the Stockade。 They got under arms； and remained so until
the enthusiasm became less demonstrative。
A few days lateron the evening of the 6th of Septemberthe Rebel
Sergeants who called the roll entered the Stockade； and each assembling
his squads； addressed them as follows：
〃PRISONERS： I am instructed by General Winder to inform you that a
general exchange has been agreed upon。 Twenty thousand men will be
exchanged immediately at Savannah； where your vessels are now waiting for
you。 Detachments from One to Ten will prepare to leave early to…morrow
morning。〃
The excitement that this news produced was simply indescribable。 I have
seen men in every possible exigency that can confront men； and a large
proportion viewed that which impended over them with at least outward
composure。 The boys around me had endured all that we suffered with
stoical firmness。 Groans from pain…racked bodies could not be repressed；
and bitter curses and maledictions against the Rebels leaped unbidden to
the lips at the slightest occasion； but there was no murmuring or
whining。 There was not a dayhardly an hourin which one did not see
such exhibitions of manly fortitude as made him proud of belonging to a
race of which every individual was a hero。
But the emotion which pain and suffering and danger could not develop；
joy could； and boys sang； and shouted and cried； and danced as if in a
delirium。 〃God's country；〃 fairer than the sweet promised land of Canaan
appeared to the rapt vision of the Hebrew poet prophet； spread out in
glad vista before the mind's eye of every one。 It had comeat last it
had come that which we had so longed for； wished for； prayed for； dreamed
of； schemed； planned； toiled for； and for which went up the last earnest；
dying wish of the thousands of our comrades who would now know no
exchange save into that eternal God's country〃 where
Sickness and sorrow； pain and death
Are felt and feared no more。
Our 〃preparations；〃 for leaving were few and simple。 When the morning
came； and shortly after the order to move； Andrews and I picked our well…
worn blanket； our tattered overcoat； our rude chessmen； and no less rude
board； our little black can； and the spoon made of hoop…iron； and bade
farewell to the hole…in…the…ground that had been our home for nearly
seven long months。
My feet were still in miserable condition from the lacerations received
in the attempt to escape； but I took one of our tent poles as a staff and
hobbled away。 We re…passed the gates which we had entered on that
February night； ages since； it seemed； and crawled slowly over to the
depot。
I had come to regard the Rebels around us as such measureless liars that
my first impulse was to believe the reverse of anything they said to us；
and even now； while I hoped for the best； my old habit of mind was so
strongly upon me that I had some doubts of our going to be exchanged；
simply because it was a Rebel who had said so。 But in the crowd of
Rebels who stood close to the road upon which we were walking was a young
Second Lieutenant； who said to a Colonel as I passed：
〃Weil； those fellows can sing 'Homeward Bound；' can't they？〃
This set my last misgiving at rest。 Now I was certain that we were going
to be exchanged； and my spirits soared to the skies。
Entering the cars we thumped and pounded toilsomely along； after the
manner of Southern railroads； at the rate of six or eight miles an hour。
Savannah was two hundred and forty miles away； and to our impatient minds
it seemed as if we would never get there。 The route lay the whole
distance through the cheerless pine barrens which cover the greater part
of Georgia。 The only considerable town on the way was Macon； which had
then a population of five thousand or thereabouts。 For scores of miles
there would not be a sign of a human habitation； and in the one hundred
and eighty miles between Macon and Savannah there were only three
insignificant villages。 There was a station every ten miles； at which
the only building was an open shed； to shelter from sun and rain a casual
passenger； or a bit of goods。
The occasional specimens of the poor white 〃cracker〃 population that we
saw； seemed indigenous products of the starved soil。 They suited their
poverty…stricken surroundings as well as the gnarled and scrubby
vegetation suited the sterile sand。 Thin…chested； round…shouldered；
scraggy…bearded； dull…eyed and open…mouthed； they all looked alikeall
looked as ignorant； as stupid； and as lazy as they were poor and weak。
They were 〃low…downers〃 in every respect； and made our rough and simple。
minded East Tennesseans look like models of elegant and cultured
gentlemen in contrast。
We looked on the poverty…stricken land with good…natured contempt； for we
thought we were leaving it forever； and would soon be in one which；
compared to it； was as the fatness at Egypt to the leanness of the desert
of Sinai。
The second day after leaving Andersonville our train struggled across the
swamps into Savannah； a
