andersonville-第82章

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and　with　this　cheerful　estimate　of　our　own　powers　to　animate　us；　we　set
to　work　to　steal　the　boards　from　under　the　guard's　nose。　　The　Johnny　had
malice　in　his　heart　and　buck…and…ball　in　his　musket；　but　his　eyes　were
not　sufficiently　numerous　to　adequately　discharge　all　the　duties　laid
upon　him。　　He　had　too　many　different　things　to　watch　at　the　same　time。
I　would　approach　a　gap　in　the　fence　not　yet　closed　as　if　I　intended
making　a　dash　through　it　for　liberty；　and　when　the　Johnny　had
concentrated　all　his　attention　on　letting　me　have　the　contents　of　his　gun
just　as　soon　as　he　could　have　a　reasonable　excuse　for　doing　so；　Andrews
would　pick　u　a　couple　of　boards　and　slip　away　with　them。　　Then　I　would
fall　back　in　pretended　（and　some　real）　alarm；　andAndrew　would　come　up
and　draw　his　attention　by　a　similar　feint；　while　I　made　off　with　a　couple
more　pieces。　　After　a　few　hours　c　this　strategy；　we　found　ourselves　the
possessors　of　some　dozen　planks；　with　which　we　made　a　lean…to；　that
formed　a　tolerable　shelter　for　our　heads　and　the　upper　portion　of　our
bodies。　　As　the　boards　were　not　over　five　feet　long；　and　the　slope　reduce
the　sheltered　space　to　about　four…and…one…half　feet；　it　left　th　lower
part　of　our　naked　feet　and　legs　to　project　out…of…doors。　　Andrews　used　to
lament　very　touchingly　the　sunburning　his　toe…nails　were　receiving。
He　knew　that　his　complexion　was　being　ruined　for　life；　and　all　the　Balm
of　a　Thousand　Flowers　in　the　world　would　not　restore　his　comely　ankles　to
that　condition　of　pristine　loveliness　which　would　admit　of　their
introduction　into　good　society　again。　　Another　defect　was　that；　like　the
fun　in　a　practical　joke；　it　was　all　on　one　side；　there　was　not　enough　of
it　to　go　clear　round。　　It　was　very　unpleasant；　when　a　storm　came　up　in　a
direction　different　from　that　we　had　calculated　upon；　to　be　compelled　to
get　out　in　the　midst　of　it；　and　build　our　house　over　to　face　the　other
way。

Still　we　had　a　tent；　and　were　that　much　better　off　than　three…fourths　of
our　comrades　who　had　no　shelter　at　all。　　We　were　owners　of　a　brown　stone
front　on　Fifth　Avenue　compared　to　the　other　fellows。

Our　tent　erected；　we　began　a　general　survey　of　our　new　abiding　place。
The　ground　was　a　sandy　common　in　the　outskirts　of　Savannah。　　The　sand　was
covered　with　a　light　sod。　　The　Rebels；　who　knew　nothing　of　our　burrowing
propensities；　had　neglected　to　make　the　plank　forming　the　walls　of　the
Prison　project　any　distance　below　the　surface　of　the　ground；　and　had　put
up　no　Dead　Line　around　the　inside；　so　that　it　looked　as　if　everything　was
arranged　expressly　to　invite　us　to　tunnel　out。　　We　were　not　the　boys　to
neglect　such　an　invitation。　　By　night　about　three　thousand　had　been
received　from　Andersonville；　and　placed　inside。　　When　morning　came　it
looked　as　if　a　colony　of　gigantic　rats　had　been　at　work。　　There　was　a
tunnel　every　ten　or　fifteen　feet；　and　at　least　twelve　hundred　of　us　had
gone　out　through　them　during　the　night。　　I　never　understood　why　all　in
the　pen　did　not　follow　our　example；　and　leave　the　guards　watching　a
forsaken　Prison。　　There　was　nothing　to　prevent　it。　　An　hour's　industrious
work　with　a　half…canteen　would　take　any　one　outside；　or　if　a　boy　was　too
lazy　to　dig　his　own　tunnel；　he　could　have　the　use　of　one　of　the　hundred
others　that　had　been　dug。

But　escaping　was　only　begun　when　the　Stockade　was　passed。　　The　site　of
Savannah　is　virtually　an　island。　　On　the　north　is　the　Savannah　River；　to
the　east；　southeast　and　south；　are　the　two　Ogeechee　rivers；　and　a　chain
of　sounds　and　lagoons　connecting　with　the　Atlantic　Ocean。　　To　the　west　is
a　canal　connecting　the　Savannah　and　Big　Ogeechee　Rivers。　　We　found
ourselves　headed　off　by　water　whichever　way　we　went。　　All　the　bridges
were　guarded；　and　all　the　boats　destroyed。　　Early　in　the　morning　the
Rebels　discovered　our　absence；　and　the　whole　garrison　of　Savannah　was
sent　out　on　patrol　after　us。　　They　picked　up　the　boys　in　squads　of　from
ten　to　thirty；　lurking　around　the　shores　of　the　streams　waiting　for　night
to　come；　to　get　across；　or　engaged　in　building　rafts　for　transportation。
By　evening　the　whole　mob　of　us　were　back　in　the　pen　again。　　As　nobody　was
punished　for　running　away；　we　treated　the　whole　affair　as　a　lark；　and
those　brought　back　first　stood　around　the　gate　and　yelled　derisively　as
the　others　came　in。

That　night　big　fires　were　built　all　around　the　Stockade；　and　a　line　of
guards　placed　on　the　ground　inside　of　these。　　In　spite　of　this
precaution；　quite　a　number　escaped。　　The　next　day　a　Dead　Line　was　put　up
inside　of　the　Prison；　twenty　feet　from　the　Stockade。　　This　only　increased
the　labor　of　burrowing；　by　making　us　go　farther。　　Instead　of　being　able
to　tunnel　out　in　an　hour；　it　now　took　three　or　four　hours。　　That　night
several　hundred　of　us；　rested　from　our　previous　performance；　and　hopeful
of　better　luck；　brought　our　faithful　half　canteensnow　scoured　very
bright　by　constant　use…into　requisition　again；　and　before　the　morning。
dawned　we　had　gained　the　high　reeds　of　the　swamps；　where　we　lay　concealed
until　night。

In　this　way　we　managed　to　evade　the　recapture　that　came　to　most　of　those
who　went　out；　but　it　was　a　fearful　experience。　　Having　been　raised　in　a
country　where　venomous　snakes　abounded；　I　had　that　fear　and　horror　of
them　that　inhabitants　of　those　districts　feel；　and　of　which　people　living
in　sections　free　from　such　a　scourge　know　little。　　I　fancied　that　the
Southern　swamps　were　filled　with　all　forms　of　loathsome　and　poisonous
reptiles；　and　it　required　all　my　courage　to　venture　into　them　barefooted。
Besides；　the　snags　and　roots　hurt　our　feet　fearfully。　　Our　hope　was　to
find　a　boat　somewhere；　in　which　we　could　float　out　to　sea；　and　trust　to
being　picked　up　by　some　of　the　blockading　fleet。　　But　no　boat　could　we
find；　with　all　our　painful　and　diligent　search。　　We　learned　afterward
that　the　Rebels　made　a　practice　of　breaking　up　all　the　boats　along　the
shore　to　prevent　negros　and　their　own　deserters　from　escaping　to　the
blockading　fleet。　　We　thought　of　making　a　raft　of　logs；　but　had　we　had
the　strength　to　do　this；　we　would　doubtless　have　thought　it　too　risky；
since　we　dreaded　missing　the　vessels；　and　being　carried　out　to　sea　to
perish　of　hunger。　　During　the　night　we　came　to　the　railroad　　bridge
across　the　Ogeechee。　　We　had　some　slender　hope　that；　if　we　could　reach
this　we　might　perhaps　get　across　the　river；　and　find　better　opportunities
for　escape。　　But　these　last　expectations　were　blasted　by　the　discovery
that　it　was　guarded。　　There　was　a　post　and　a　fire　on　the　shore　next　us；
and　a　single　guard　with　a　lantern　was　stationed　on　one　of　the　middle
spans。　　Almost　famished　with　hunger；　and　so　weary　and　footsore　that　we
could　scarcely　move　another　step；　we　went　back　to　a　cleared　place　on　the
high　ground；　and　laid　down　to　sleep；　entirely　reckless　as　to　what　became
of　us。　　Late　in　the　morning　we　were　awakened　by　the　Rebel　patrol　and
taken　back　to　the　prison。　　Lieutenant　Davis；　disgusted　with　the　perpetual
attempts　to　escape；　moved　the　Dead　Line　out　forty　feet　from　the　Stockade；
but　this　restricted　our　room　greatly；　since　the　number　of　prisoners　in
the　pen　had　now　risen　to　about　six　thousand；　and；　besides；　it　offered
little　additional　protection　against　tunneling。

It　was　not　much　more　difficult　to　dig　fifty　feet　than　it　had　been　to　dig
thirty　feet。　　Davis　soon　realized　this；　and　put　the　Dead　Line　back　to
twenty　feet。　　His　next　device　was　a　much　more　sensible　one。　　A　crowd　of
one　hundred　and　fifty　negros　dug　a　trench　twenty　feet　wide　and　five　feet
deep　around　the　whole　prison　on　the　outside；　and　this　ditch　was　filled
with　water　from　the　City　Water　Works。　　No　one　could　cross　this　without
attracting　the　attention　of　the　guards。

Still　we　were　not　discouraged；　and　Andrews　and　I　joined　a　crowd　that　was
constructing　a　large　tunnel　from　near　our　quarters　on　the　east　side　of
the　pen。　　We　finished　the　burrow　to　within　a　few　inches　of　the　edge　of
the　ditch；　and　then　ceased　operations；　to　await　some　stormy　night；　when
we　could　hope　to　get　across　the　ditch　unnoticed。

Orders　were　issued　to　guards　to　fire　without　warning　on　men　who　were
observed　to　be　digging　or　carrying　out　dirt　after　nightfall。