andersonville-第110部分

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feint。　　At　all　events　it　was　definitely　known　the　next　day　that　he　had
withdrawn　so　far　as　to　render　it　wholly　unlikely　that　he　intended
attacking　Florence；　so　we　were　brought　back　and　returned　to　our　old
quarters。　　For　a　week　or　more　we　loitered　about　the　now　nearly…abandoned
prison；　skulked　and　crawled　around　the　dismal　mud…tents　like　the　ghostly
denizens　of　some　Potter's　Field；　who；　for　some　reason　had　been　allowed　to
return　to　earth；　and　for　awhile　creep　painfully　around　the　little
hillocks　beneath　which　they　had　been　entombed。

A　few　score；　whose　vital　powers　were　strained　to　the　last　degree　of
tension；　gave　up　the　ghost；　and　sank　to　dreamless　rest。　　It　mattered　now
little　to　these　when　Sherman　came；　or　when　Kilpatrick's　guidons　should
flutter　through　the　forest　of　sighing　pines；　heralds　of　life；　happiness；
and　home

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　After　life's　fitful　fever　they　slept　well
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Treason　had　done　its　worst。　　Nor　steel　nor　poison：
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Malice　domestic；　foreign　levy；　nothing
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Could　touch　them　farther。

One　day　another　order　came　for　us　to　be　loaded　on　the　cars；　and　over　to
the　railroad　we　went　again　in　the　same　fashion　as　before。　　The
comparatively　few　of　us　who　were　still　able　to　walk　at　all　well；　loaded
ourselves　down　with　the　bundles　and　blankets　of　our　less　fortunate
companions；　who　hobbled　and　limpedmany　even　crawling　on　their　hands　and
kneesover　the　hard；　frozen　ground；　by　our　sides。

Those　not　able　to　crawl　even；　were　taken　in　wagons；　for　the　orders　were
imperative　not　to　leave　a　living　prisoner　behind。

At　the　railroad　we　found　two　trains　awaiting　us。　　On　the　front　of　each
engine　were　two　rude　white　flags；　made　by　fastening　the　halves　of　meal
sacks　to　short　sticks。　　The　sight　of　these　gave　us　some　hope；　but　our
belief　that　Rebels　were　constitutional　liars　and　deceivers　was　so　firm
and　fixed；　that　we　persuaded　ourselves　that　the　flags　meant　nothing　more
than　some　wilful　delusion　for　us。

Again　we　started　off　in　the　direction　of　Wilmington；　and　traversed　the
same　country　described　in　the　previous　chapter。　　Again　Andrews　and　I
found　ourselves　in　the　next　box　car　to　the　passenger　coach　containing　the
Rebel　officers。　　Again　we　cut　a　hole　through　the　end；　with　our　saw；　and
again　found　a　darky　servant　sitting　on　the　rear　platform。　　Andrews　went
out　and　sat　down　alongside　of　him；　and　found　that　he　was　seated　upon　a
large　gunny…bag　sack　containing　the　cooked　rations　of　the　Rebel　officers。

The　intelligence　that　there　was　something　there　worth　taking　Andrews
communicated　to　me　by　an　expressive　signal；　of　which　soldiers　campaigning
together　as　long　as　he　and　I　had；　always　have　an　extensive　and　well
understood　code。

I　took　a　seat　in　the　hole　we　had　made　in　the　end　of　the　car；　in　reach　of
Andrews。　　Andrews　called　the　attention　of　the　negro　to　some　feature　of
the　country　near　by；　and　asked　him　a　question　in　regard　to　it。　　As　he
looked　in　the　direction　indicated；　Andrews　slipped　his　hand　into　the
mouth　of　the　bag；　and　pulled　out　a　small　sack　of　wheat　biscuits；　which　he
passed　to　me　and　I　concealed。　　The　darky　turned　and　told　Andrews　all
about　the　matter　in　regard　to　which　the　interrogation　had　been　made。
Andrews　became　so　much　interested　in　what　was　being　told　him；　that　he　sat
up　closer　and　closer　to　the　darky；　who　in　turn　moved　farther　away　from
the　sack。

Next　we　ran　through　a　turpentine　plantation；　and　as　the　darky　was
pointing　out　where　the　still；　the　master's　place；　the　〃quarters；〃　etc。；
were；　Andrews　managed　to　fish　out　of　that　bag　and　pass　to　me　three
roasted　chickens。　　Then　a　great　swamp　called　for　description；　and　before
we　were　through　with　it；　I　had　about　a　peck　of　boiled　sweet　potatos。

Andrews　emptied　the　bag　as　the　darky　was　showing　him　a　great　peanut
plantation；　taking　from　it　a　small　frying…pan；　a　canteen　of　molasses；
and　a　half…gallon　tin　bucket；　which　had　been　used　to　make　coffee　in。
We　divided　up　our　wealth　of　eatables　with　the　rest　of　the　boys　in　the
car；　not　forgetting　to　keep　enough　to　give　ourselves　a　magnificent　meal。

As　we　ran　along　we　searched　carefully　for　the　place　where　we　had　seen　the
line…of…battle；　expecting　that　it　would　now　be　marked　with　signs　of　a
terrible　conflict；　but　we　could　see　nothing。　　We　could　not　even　fix　the
locality　where　the　line　stood。

As　it　became　apparent　that　we　were　going　directly　toward　Wilmington；
as　fast　as　our　engines　could　pull　us；　the　excitement　rose。　　We　had　many
misgivings　as　to　whether　our　folks　still　retained　possession　of
Wilmington；　and　whether；　if　they　did；　the　Rebels　could　not　stop　at　a
point　outside　of　our　lines；　and　transfer　us　to　some　other　road。

For　hours　we　had　seen　nobody　in　the　country　through　which　we　were
passing。　　What　few　houses　were　visible　were　apparently　deserted；　and
there　were　no　Towns　or　stations　anywhere。　　We　were　very　anxious　to　see
some　one；　in　hopes　of　getting　a　hint　of　what　the　state　of　affairs　was　in
the　direction　we　were　going。　　At　length　we　saw　a　young　manapparently　a
scouton　horseback；　but　his　clothes　were　equally　divided　between　the
blue　and　the　butternut；　as　to　give　no　clue　to　which　side　he　belonged。

An　hour　later　we　saw　two　infantrymen；　who　were　evidently　out　foraging。
They　had　sacks　of　something　on　their　backs；　and　wore　blue　clothes。　　This
was　a　very　hopeful　sign　of　a　near　approach　to　our　lines；　but　bitter
experience　in　the　past　warned　us　against　being　too　sanguine。

About　4　o'clock　P。　M。；　the　trains　stopped　and　whistled　long　and　loud。
Looking　out　I　could　seeperhaps　half…a…mile　awaya　line　of　rifle　pits
running　at　right　angles　with　the　track。　　Guards；　whose　guns　flashed　as
they　turned；　were　pacing　up　and　down；　but　they　were　too　far　away　for　me
to　distinguish　their　uniforms。

The　suspense　became　fearful。

But　I　received　much　encouragement　from　the　singular　conduct　of　our
guards。　　First　I　noticed　a　Captain；　who　had　been　especially　mean　to　us
while　at　Florence。

He　was　walking　on　the　ground　by　the　train。　　His　face　was　pale；　his　teeth
set；　and　his　eyes　shone　with　excitement。　　He　called　out　in　a　strange；
forced　voice　to　his　men　and　boys　on　the　roof　of　the　cars

〃Here；　you　fellers　git　down　off'en　thar　and　form　a　line。〃

The　fellows　did　so；　in　a　slow；　constrained；　frightened　ways　and　huddled
together；　in　the　most　unsoldierly　manner。

The　whole　thing　reminded　me　of　a　scene　I　once　saw　in　our　line；　where　a
weak…kneed　Captain　was　ordered　to　take　a　party　of　rather　chicken…hearted
recruits　out　on　the　skirmish…line。

We　immediately　divined　what　was　the　matter。　　The　lines　in　front　of　us
were　really　those　of　our　people；　and　the　idiots　of　guards；　not　knowing　of
their　entire　safety　when　protected　by　a　flag　of　truce；　were　scared　half
out　of　their　small　wits　at　approaching　so　near　to　armed　Yankees。

We　showered　taunts　and　jeers　upon　them。　　An　Irishman　in　my　car　yelled
out：

〃Och；　ye　dirty　spalpeens；　it's　not　shootin'　prisoners　ye　are　now；　it's
cumin'　where　the　Yankee　b'ys　hev　the　gun；　and　the　minnit　ye　say　thim　yer
white　livers　show　themselves　in　yer　pale　faces。　　Bad　luck　to　the
blatherin'　bastards　that　yez　are；　and　to　the　mothers　that　bore　ye。〃

At　length　our　train　moved　up　so　near　to　the　line　that　I　could　see　it　was
the　grand；　old　loyal　blue　that　clothed　the　forms　of　the　men　who　were
pacing　up　and　down。

And　certainly　the　world　does　not　hold　as　superb　looking　men　as　these
appeared　to　me。　　Finely　formed；　stalwart；　full…fed　and　well　clothed；　they
formed　the　most　delightful　contrast　with　the　scrawny；　shambling；　villain…
visaged　little　clay…eaters　and　white　trash　who　had　looked　down　upon　us
from　the　sentry　boxes　for　many　long　months。

I　sprang　out　of　the　cars　and　began　washing　my　face　and　hands　in　the　ditch
at　the　side　of　the　road。　　The　Rebel　Captain；　noticing　me；　said；　in　the
old；　hateful；　brutal；　imperious　tone：

〃Git　back　in　dat　cah；　dah。〃

An　hour　before　I　would　have　scrambled　back　as　quickly　as　possible；
knowing　that　an　instant's　hesitation　would　be　followed　by　a　bullet。
Now；　I　looked　him　in　the　face；　and　said　as　irritatingly　as　possible：

〃O；　you　go　to　；　you　Rebel。　　I'm　going　into　Uncle　Sam's　lines　with　as
little　Rebel　filth　on　me　as　possible。〃

He　passed　me　without　replying。

His　day　of　shooting　was　past。

Descending　from　the　cars；　we　passed　through　the　guards　into　our　lines；
a　Rebel　and　a　Union　clerk　checking　us　off　as　we　passed。　　By　the　time　it
was　dark　we　were　all　under　our　flag　again。

The　place　where　we　came　through　was　several　miles　west　of　Wilmington；
where　the　railroad　crossed　a　branch　of　the　Cape　Fear　River。　　The　point
was　held　by　a　brigade　of　Schofield's　armythe　Twenty…Third　Army　Corps。

The　boys　lavished　unstinted　kindness　upon　us。　　All　of　the　brigade　off
duty　crowded　around；　offering　us　blankets；　shirts　shoes；　pantaloons　and
other　articles　of　clothing　and　similar　things　that　we　were　obviously　in
the　greatest　need　of。　　The　sick　were　carried；　by　hundreds　of　willing
hands；　to　a　sheltered　spot；　and　laid　upon　good；　comfortable　beds
improvised　with　leaves　and　blankets。　　A　great　line　of　huge；　generous
fires　was　built；　that　every　one　of　us　could　have　plenty　of　place　around
them。

By　and　by　a　line　of　wagons　came　over　from　Wilmington　laden　with　rati