andersonville-第96章

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snatching　some　of　then　back　even　after　they　had　told　the　guard　their
wishes　in　a　tones（　loud　that　all　near　could　hear　distinctly。　　The
Officer…of…the…Guard　rushed　in　two　or　three　times　in　a　vain　attempt　to
save　the　would　be　deserter　from　the　cruel　hands　that　clutched　him　and
bore　him　away　to　where　he　had　a　lesson　in　loyalty　impressed　upon　the
fleshiest　part　of　his　person　by　a　long；　flexible　strip　of　pine　wielded　by
very　willing　hands。

After　this　was　kept　up　for　several　nights　different　ideas　began　I　to
prevail。　　It　was　felt　that　if　a　man　wanted　to　join　the　Rebels；　the　best
way　was　to　let　him　go　and　get　rid　of　him。　　He　was　of　no　benefit　to　the
Government；　and　would　be　of　none　to　the　Rebels。　　After　this　no
restriction　was　put　upon　any　one　who　desired　to　go　outside　and　take　the
oath。　　But　very　few　did　so；　however；　and　these　were　wholly　confined　to
the　Raider　crowd。




CHAPTER　LXII。

SERGEANT　LEROY　L。　KEYHIS　ADVENTURES　SUBSEQUENT　TO　THE　EXECUTIONS
HE　GOES　OUTSIDE　AT　ANDERSONVILLE　ON　PAROLELABORS　IN　THE　COOK…HOUSE
ATTEMPTS　TO　ESCAPEIS　RECAPTURED　AND　TAKEN　TO　MACONESCAPES　FROM　THERE；
BUT　IS　COMPELLED　TO　RETURNIS　FINALLY　EXCHANGED　AT　SAVANNAH。

Leroy　L。　Key；　the　heroic　Sergeant　of　Company　M；　Sixteenth　Illinois
Cavalry；　who　organized　and　led　the　Regulators　at　Andersonville　in　their
successful　conflict　with　and　defeat　of　the　Raiders；　and　who　presided　at
the　execution　of　the　six　condemned　men　on　the　11th　of　July；　furnishes；
at　the　request　of　the　author；　the　following　story　of　his　prison　career
subsequent　to　that　event：

On　the　12th　day　of　July；　1864；　the　day　after　the　hanging　of　the　six
Raiders；　by　the　urgent　request　of　my　many　friends　（of　whom　you　were　one）；
I　sought　and　obtained　from　Wirz　a　parole　for　myself　and　the　six　brave　men
who　assisted　as　executioners　of　those　desperados。　　It　seemed　that　you
were　all　fearful　that　we　might；　after　what　had　been　done；　be　assassinated
if　we　remained　in　the　Stockade；　and　that　we　might　be　overpowered；
perhaps；　by　the　friends　of　the　Raiders　we　had　hanged；　at　a　time　possibly；
when　you　would　not　be　on　hand　to　give　us　assistance；　and　thus　lose　our
lives　for　rendering　the　help　we　did　in　getting　rid　of　the　worst
pestilence　we　had　to　contend　with。

On　obtaining　my　parole　I　was　very　careful　to　have　it　so　arranged　and
mutually　understood；　between　Wirz　and　myself；　that　at　any　time　that　my
squad　（meaning　the　survivors　of　my　comrades；　with　whom　I　was　originally
captured）　was　sent　away　from　Andersonville；　either　to　be　exchanged　or　to
go　to　another　prison；　that　I　should　be　allowed　to　go　with　them。　　This　was
agreed　to；　and　so　written　in　my　parole　which　I　carried　until　it
absolutely　wore　out。　　I　took　a　position　in　the　cook…house；　and　the　other
boys　either　went　to　work　there；　or　at　the　hospital　or　grave…yard　as
occasion　required。　　I　worked　here；　and　did　the　best　I　could　for　the　many
starving　wretches　inside；　in　the　way　of　preparing　their　food；　until　the
eighth　day　of　September；　at　which　time；　if　you　remember；　quite　a　train
load　of　men　were　removed；　as　many　of　us　thought；　for　the　purpose　of
exchange；　but；　as　we　afterwards　discovered；　to　be　taken　to　another
prison。　　Among　the　crowd　so　removed　was　my　squad；　or；　at　least；　a　portion
of　them；　being　my　intimate　mess…mates　while　in　the　Stockade。　　As　soon　as
I　found　this　to　be　the　case　I　waited　on　Wirz　at　his　office；　and　asked
permission　to　go　with　them；　which　he　refused；　stating　that　he　was
compelled　to　have　men　at　the　cookhouse　to　cook　for　those　in　the　Stockade
until　they　were　all　gone　or　exchanged。　　I　reminded　him　of　the　condition
in　my　parole；　but　this　only　had　the　effect　of　making　him　mad；　and　he
threatened　me　with　the　stocks　if　I　did　not　go　back　and　resume　work。
I　then　and　there　made　up　my　mind　to　attempt　my　escape；　considering　that
the　parole　had　first　been　broken　by　the　man　that　granted　it。

On　inquiry　after　my　return　to　the　cook…house；　I　found　four　other　boys　who
were　also　planning　an　escape；　and　who　were　only　too　glad　to　get　me　to
join　them　and　take　charge　of　the　affair。　　Our　plans　were　well　laid　and
well　executed；　as　the　sequel　will　prove；　and　in　this　particular　my　own
experience　in　the　endeavor　to　escape　from　Andersonville　is　not　entirely
dissimilar　from　yours；　though　it　had　different　results。　　I　very　much
regret　that　in　the　attempt　I　lost　my　penciled　memorandum；　in　which　it　was
my　habit　to　chronicle　what　went　on　around　me　daily；　and　where　I　had　the
names　of　my　brave　comrades　who　made　the　effort　to　escape　with　me。
Unfortunately；　I　cannot　now　recall　to　memory　the　name　of　one　of　them　or
remember　to　what　commands　they　belonged。

I　knew　that　our　greatest　risk　was　run　in　eluding　the　guards；　and　that　in
the　morning　we　should　be　compelled　to　cheat　the　blood…hounds。　　The　first
we　managed　to　do　very　well；　not　without　many　hairbreadth　escapes；
however；　but　we　did　succeed　in　getting　through　both　lines　of　guards；
and　found　ourselves　in　the　densest　pine　forest　I　ever　saw。　　We　traveled；
as　nearly　as　we　could　judge；　due　north　all　night　until　daylight。　　From
our　fatigue　and　bruises；　and　the　long　hours　that　had　elapsed　since　8
o'clock；　the　time　of　our　starting；　we　thought　we　had　come　not　less　than
twelve　or　fifteen　miles。　　Imagine　our　surprise　and　mortification；　then；
when　we　could　plainly　hear　the　reveille；　and　almost　the　Sergeant's　voice
calling　the　roll；　while　the　answers　of　〃Here！〃　were　perfectly　distinct。
We　could　not　possibly　have　been　more　than　a　mile；　or　a　mile…and…a…half　at
the　farthest；　from　the　Stockade。

Our　anxiety　and　mortification　were　doubled　when　at　the　usual　houras　we
supposedwe　heard　the　well…known　and　long…familiar　sound　of　the　hunter's
horn；　calling　his　hounds　to　their　accustomed　task　of　making　the　circuit
of　the　Stockade；　for　the　purpose　of　ascertaining　whether　or　not　any　？
〃Yankee〃　had　had　the　audacity　to　attempt　an　escape。　　The　hounds；
anticipating；　no　doubt；　this　usual　daily　work；　gave　forth　glad　barks　of
joy　at　being　thus　called　forth　to　duty。　　We　heard　them　start；　as　was
usual；　from　about　the　railroad　depot　（as　we　imagined）；　but　the　sounds
growing　fainter　and　fainter　gave　us　a　little　hope　that　our　trail　had　been
missed。　　Only　a　short　time；　however；　were　we　allowed　this　pleasant
reflection；　for　ere　longit　could　not　have　been　more　than　an　hourwe
could　plainly　see　that　they　were　drawing　nearer　and　nearer。　　They　finally
appeared　so　close　that　I　advised　the　boys　to　climb　a　tree　or　sapling　in
order　to　keep　the　dogs　from　biting　them；　and　to　be　ready　to　surrender
when　the　hunters　came　up；　hoping　thus　to　experience　as　little　misery　as
possible；　and　not　dreaming　but　that　we　were　caught。　　On；　on　came　the
hounds；　nearer　and　nearer　still；　till　we　imagined　that　we　could　see　the
undergrowth　in　the　forest　shaking　by　coming　in　contact　with　their　bodies。
Plainer　and　plainer　came　the　sound　of　the　hunter's　voice　urging　them
forward。　　Our　hearts　were　in　our　throats；　and　in　the　terrible　excitement
we　wondered　if　it　could　be　possible　for　Providence　to　so　arrange　it　that
the　dogs　would　pass　us。　　This　last　thought；　by　some　strange　fancy；　had
taken　possession　of　me；　and　I　here　frankly　acknowledge　that　I　believed　it
would　happen。　　Why　I　believed　it；　God　only　knows。　　My　excitement　was　so
great；　indeed；　that　I　almost　lost　sight　of　our　danger；　and　felt　like
shouting　to　the　dogs　myself；　while　I　came　near　losing　my　hold　on　the　tree
in　which　I　was　hidden。　　By　chance　I　happened　to　look　around　at　my　nearest
neighbor　in　distress。　　His　expression　was　sufficient　to　quell　any
enthusiasm　I　might　have　had；　and　I；　too；　became　despondent。　　In　a　very
few　minutes　our　suspense　was　over。　　The　dogs　came　within　not　less　than
three　hundred　yards　of　us；　and　we　could　even　see　one　of　them；　God　in
Heaven　can　only　imagine　what　great　joy　was　then；　brought　to　our　aching
hearts；　for　almost　instantly　upon　coming　into　sight；　the　hounds　struck
off　on　a　different　trail；　and　passed　us。　　Their　voices　became　fainter　and
fainter；　until　finally　we　could　hear　them　no　longer。　　About　noon；
however；　they　were　called　back　and　taken　to　camp；　but　until　that　time　not
one　of　us　left　our　position　in　the　trees。

When　we　were　satisfied　that　we　were　safe　for　the　present；　we　descended　to
the　ground　to　get　wha