andersonville-第86章

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for　instant　use。　　We　could　see　all　the　grinning　mouths　through　the　cracks
in　the　fence。　　There　were　enough　of　them　to　send　us　as　high　as　the
traditional　kite　flown　by　Gilderoy。　　The　having　at　his　beck　this　array　of
frowning　metal　lent　Lieutenant　Davis　such　an　importance　in　his　own　eyes
that　his　demeanor　swelled　to　the　grandiose。　　It　became　very　amusing　to
see　him　puff　up　and　vaunt　over　it；　as　he　did　on　every　possible　occasion。
For　instance；　finding　a　crowd　of　several　hundred　lounging　around　the
gate；　he　would　throw　open　the　wicket；　stalk　in　with　the　air　of　a　Jove
threatening　a　rebellious　world　with　the　dread　thunders　of　heaven；　and
shout：

〃W…h…a…a　y…e…e！　　Prisoners；　I　give　you　jist　two　minutes　to　cleah　away
from　this　gate；　aw　I'll　open　on　ye　wid　de　ahtillery！〃

One　of　the　buglers　of　the　artillery　was　a　superb　musicianevidently　some
old　〃regular〃　whom　the　Confederacy　had　seduced　into　its　service；　and　his
instrument　was　so　sweet　toned　that　we　imagined　that　it　was　made　of
silver。　　The　calls　he　played　were　nearly　the　same　as　we　used　in　the
cavalry；　and　for　the　first　few　days　we　became　bitterly　homesick　every
time　he　sent　ringing　out　the　old　familiar　signals；　that　to　us　were　so
closely　associated　with　what　now　seemed　the　bright　and　happy　days　when　we
were　in　the　field　with　our　battalion。　　If　we　were　only　back　in　the
valleys　of　Tennessee　with　what　alacrity　we　would　respond　to　that
〃assembly；〃　no　Orderly's　patience　would　be　worn　out　in　getting　laggards
and　lazy　ones　to　〃fall　in　for　roll…call；〃　how　eagerly　we　would　attend　to
〃stable　duty；〃　how　gladly　mount　our　faithful　horses　and　ride　away　to
〃water；〃　and　what　bareback　races　ride；　going　and　coming。　　We　would　be
even　glad　to　hear　〃guard　〃　and　〃drill〃　sounded；　and　there　would　be　music
in　the　disconsolate　〃surgeon's　call：〃

　　　　　〃Come…get…your…q…n…i…n…i…n…e；　come；　get　your　quinine；　It'll　make　you
　　　　　sad：　It'll　make　you　sick。　　Come；　come。〃

O；　if　we　were　only　back；　what　admirable　soldiers　we　would　be！
One　morning；　about　three　or　four　o'clock；　we　were　awakened　by　the　ground
shaking　and　a　series　of　heavy；　dull　thumps　sounding　oft　seaward。
Our　silver…voiced　bugler　seemed　to　be　awakened；　too。　　He　set　the　echoes
ringing　with　a　vigorously　played　〃reveille；〃　a　minute　later　came　an
equally　earnest　〃assembly；〃　and　when　〃boots　and　saddles〃　followed；　we
knew　that　all　was　not　well　in　Denmark；　the　thumping　and　shaking　now　had
a　significance。　　It　meant　heavy　Yankee　guns　somewhere　near。　　We　heard　the
gunners　hitching　up；　the　bugle　signal　〃forward；〃　the　wheels　roll　off；
and　for　a　half　hour　afterwards　we　caught　the　receding　sound　of　the　bugle
commanding　〃right　turn；〃　〃left　turn；〃　etc。；　as　the　batteries　marched
away。　　Of　course；　we　became　considerably　wrought　up　over　the　matter；
as　we　fancied　that；　knowing　we　were　in　Savannah；　our　vessels　were　trying
to　pass　up　to　the　City　and　take　it。　　The　thumping　and　shaking　continued
until　late　in　the　afternoon。

We　subsequently　learned　that　some　of　our　blockaders；　finding　time　banging
heavy　upon　their　hands；　had　essayed　a　little　diversion　by　knocking　Forts
Jackson　and　Bledsoetwo　small　forts　defending　the　passage　of　the
Savannahabout　their　defenders'　ears。　　After　capturing　the　forts　our
folks　desisted　and　came　no　farther。

Quite　a　number　of　the　old　Raider　crowd　had　come　with　us　from
Andersonville。　　Among　these　was　the　shyster；　Peter　Bradley。　　They　kept　up
their　old　tactics　of　hanging　around　the　gates；　and　currying　favor　with
the　Rebels　in　every　possible　way；　in　hopes　to　get　paroles　outside　or
other　favors。　　The　great　mass　of　the　prisoners　were　so　bitter　against　the
Rebels　as　to　feel　that　they　would　rather　die　than　ask　or　accept　a　favor
from　their　hands；　and　they　had　little　else　than　contempt　for　these
trucklers。　　The　raider　crowd's　favorite　theme　of　conversation　with　the
Rebels　was　the　strong　discontent　of　the　boys　with　the　manner　of　their
treatment　by　our　Government。　　The　assertion　that　there　was　any　such
widespread　feeling　was　utterly　false。　　We　all　had　confidenceas　we
continue　to　have　to　this　daythat　our　Government　would　do　everything　for
us　possible；　consistent　with　its　honor；　and　the　success　of　military
operations；　and　outside　of　the　little　squad　of　which　I　speak；　not　an
admission　could　be　extracted　from　anybody　that　blame　could　be　attached　to
any　one；　except　the　Rebels。　　It　was　regarded　as　unmanly　and　unsoldier…
like　to　the　last　degree；　as　well　as　senseless；　to　revile　our　Government
for　the　crimes　committed　by　its　foes。

But　the　Rebels　were　led　to　believe　that　we　were　ripe　for　revolt　against
our　flag；　and　to　side　with　them。　　Imagine；　if　possible；　the　stupidity
that　would　mistake　our　bitter　hatred　of　those　who　were　our　deadly
enemies；　for　any　feeling　that　would　lead　us　to　join　hands　with　those
enemies。　　One　day　we　were　surprised　to　see　the　carpenters　erect　a　rude
stand　in　the　center　of　the　camp。　　When　it　was　finished；　Bradley　appeared
upon　it；　in　company　with　some　Rebel　officers　and　guards。　　We　gathered
around　in　curiosity；　and　Bradley　began　making　a　speech。

He　said　that　it　had　now　become　apparent　to　all　of　us　that　our　Government
had　abandoned　us；　that　it　cared　little　or　nothing　for　us；　since　it　could
hire　as　many　more　quite　readily；　by　offering　a　bounty　equal　to　the　pay
which　would　be　due　us　now；　that　it　cost　only　a　few　hundred　dollars　to
bring　over　a　shipload　of　Irish；　〃Dutch；〃　and　French；　who　were　only　too
glad　to　agree　to　fight　or　do　anything　else　to　get　to　this　country。　　＇The
peculiar　impudence　of　this　consisted　in　Bradley　himself　being　a
foreigner；　and　one　who　had　only　come　out　under　one　of　the　later　calls；
and　the　influence　of　a　big　bounty。＇

Continuing　in　this　strain　he　repeated　and　dwelt　upon　the　old　lie；　always
in　the　mouths　of　his　crowd；　that　Secretary　Stanton　and　General　Halleck
had　positively　refused　to　enter　upon　negotiations　for　exchange；　because
those　in　prison　were　〃only　a　miserable　lot　of　'coffee…boilers'　and
'blackberry　pickers；'　whom　the　Army　was　better　off　without。〃

The　terms　〃coffee…boiler；〃　and　〃blackberry…pickers〃　were　considered　the
worst　terms　of　opprobrium　we　had　in　prison。　　They　were　applied　to　that
class　of　stragglers　and　skulkers；　who　were　only　too　ready　to　give
themselves　up　to　the　enemy；　and　who；　on　coming　in；　told　some　gauzy　story
about　〃just　having　stopped　to　boil　a　cup　of　coffee；〃　or　to　do　something
else　which　they　should　not　have　done；　when　they　were　gobbled　up。　　It　is
not　risking　much　to　affirm　the　probability　of　Bradley　and　most　of　his
crowd　having　belonged　to　this　dishonorable　class。

The　assertion　that　either　the　great　Chief…of…Staff　or　the　still　greater
War…Secretary　were　even　capable　of　applying　such　epithets　to　the　mass　of
prisoners　is　too　preposterous　to　need　refutation；　or　even　denial。
No　person　outside　the　raider　crowd　ever　gave　the　silly　lie　a　moment's
toleration。

Bradley　concluded　his　speech　in　some　such　language　as　this：

〃And　now；　fellow　prisoners；　I　propose　to　you　this：　that　we　unite　in
informing　our　Government　that　unless　we　are　exchanged　in　thirty　days；　we
will　be　forced　by　self…preservation　to　join　the　Confederate　army。〃

For　an　instant　his　hearers　seemed　stunned　at　the　fellow's　audacity；　and
then　there　went　up　such　a　roar　of　denunciation　and　execration　that　the
air　trembled。　　The　Rebels　thought　that　the　whole　camp　was　going　to　rush
on　Bradley　and　tear　him　to　pieces；　and　they　drew　revolvers　and　leveled
muskets　to　defend　him。　　The　uproar　only　ceased　when　Bradley　was　hurried
out　of　the　prisons　but　for　hours　everybody　was　savage　and　sullen；　and
full　of　threatenings　against　him；　when　opportunity　served。　　We　never　saw
him　afterward。

Angry　as　I　was；　I　could　not　help　being　amused　at　the　tempestuous　rage　of
a　tall；　fine…looking　and　well　educated　Irish　Sergeant　of　an　Illinois
regiment。　　He　poured　forth　denunciations　of　the　traitor　and　the　Rebels；
with　the　vivid　fluency　of　his　Hibernian　nature；　vowed　he'd　〃give　a　year
of　me　life；　be　J…s；　to　have　the　handling　of　the　dirty　spalpeen　for　ten
minutes；　be　G…　d；〃　and　finally　in　his　rage；　tore　off　his　own　shirt　and
threw　it　on　the　ground　and　trampled　on　it。

Imagine　my　astonishment；　some　time　after　getting　out　of　prison；　to　find
the　Southern　pa