andersonville-第12部分

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enhanced　by　the　reflection　that　what　would　have　purchased　me　many　good
meals　was　probably　lost　by　him　in　betting　on　a　pair　of　queens；　when　his
opponent　held　a　〃king　full。〃

I　ventured　to　step　into　the　office　to　inquire　after　my　comrades。　　One　of
the　whey…faced　clerks　said　with　the　supercilious　asperity　characteristic
of　gnat…brained　headquarters　attaches：

〃Get　out　of　here！〃　as　if　I　had　been　a　stray　cur　wandering　in　in　search　of
a　bone　lunch。

I　wanted　to　feed　the　fellow　to　a　pile…driver。　　The　utmost　I　could　hope
for　in　the　way　of　revenge　was　that　the　delicate　creature　might　some　day
make　a　mistake　in　parting　his　hair；　and　catch　his　death　of　cold。

The　guard　conducted　us　across　the　street；　and　into　the　third　story　of　a
building　standing　on　the　next　corner　below。　　Here　I　found　about　four
hundred　men；　mostly　belonging　to　the　Army　of　the　Potomac；　who　crowded
around　me　with　the　usual　questions　to　new　prisoners：　What　was　my
Regiment；　where　and　when　captured；　and：

What　were　the　prospects　of　exchange？

It　makes　me　shudder　now　to　recall　how　often；　during　the　dreadful　months
that　followed；　this　momentous　question　was　eagerly　propounded　to　every
new　comer：　put　with　bated　breath　by　men　to　whom　exchange　meant　all　that
they　asked　of　this　world；　and　possibly　of　the　next；　meant　life；　home；
wife　or　sweet…heart；　friends；　restoration　to　manhood；　and　self…respect
everything；　everything　that　makes　existence　in　this　world　worth　having。

I　answered　as　simply　and　discouragingly　as　did　the　tens　of　thousands　that
came　after　me：

〃I　did　not　hear　anything　about　exchange。〃

A　soldier　in　the　field　had　many　other　things　of　more　immediate　interest
to　think　about　than　the　exchange　of　prisoners。　　The　question　only　became
a　living　issue　when　he　or　some　of　his　intimate　friends　fell　into　the
enemy's　hands。

Thus　began　my　first　day　in　prison。




CHAPTER　VIII

INTRODUCTION　TO　PRISON　LIFETHE　PEMBERTON　BUILDING　AND　ITS　OCCUPANTS
NEAT　SAILORSROLL　CALLRATIONS　AND　CLOTHINGCHIVALRIC　〃CONFISCATION。〃

I　began　acquainting　myself　with　my　new　situation　and　surroundings。
The　building　into　which　I　had　been　conducted　was　an　old　tobacco　factory；
called　the　〃Pemberton　building；〃　possibly　from　an　owner　of　that　name；
and　standing　on　the　corner　of　what　I　was　told　were　Fifteenth　and　Carey
streets。　　In　front　it　was　four　stories　high；　behind　but　three；　owing　to
the　rapid　rise　of　the　hill；　against　which　it　was　built。

It　fronted　towards　the　James　River　and　Kanawha　Canal；　and　the　James
Riverboth　lying　side　by　side；　and　only　one　hundred　yards　distant；
with　no　intervening　buildings。　　The　front　windows　afforded　a　fine　view。
To　the　right　front　was　Libby；　with　its　guards　pacing　around　it　on　the
sidewalk；　watching　the　fifteen　hundred　officers　confined　within　its
walls。　　At　intervals　during　each　day　squads　of　fresh　prisoners　could　be
seen　entering　its　dark　mouth；　to　be　registered；　and　searched；　and　then
marched　off　to　the　prison　assigned　them。　　We　could　see　up　the　James　River
for　a　mile　or　so；　to　where　the　long　bridges　crossing　it　bounded　the　view。
Directly　in　front；　across　the　river；　was　a　flat；　sandy　plain；　said　to　be
General　Winfield　Scott's　farm；　and　now　used　as　a　proving　ground　for　the
guns　cast　at　the　Tredegar　Iron　Works。

The　view　down　the　river　was　very　fine。　　It　extended　about　twelve　miles；
to　where　a　gap　in　the　woods　seemed　to　indicate　a　fort；　which　we　imagined
to　be　Fort　Darling；　at　that　time　the　principal　fortification　defending
the　passage　of　the　James。

Between　that　point　and　where　we　were　lay　the　river；　in　a　long；　broad
mirror…like　expanse；　like　a　pretty　little　inland　lake。　　Occasionally　a
busy　little　tug　would　bustle　up　or　down；　a　gunboat　move　along　with
noiseless　dignity；　suggestive　of　a　reserved　power；　or　a　schooner　beat
lazily　from　one　side　to　the　other。　　But　these　were　so　few　as　to　make　even
more　pronounced　the　customary　idleness　that　hung　over　the　scene。　　The
tug's　activity　seemed　spasmodic　and　forceda　sort　of　protest　against　the
gradually　increasing　lethargy　that　reigned　upon　the　bosom　of　the　waters
the　gunboat　floated　along　as　if　performing　a　perfunctory　duty；　and　the
schooners　sailed　about　as　if　tired　of　remaining　in　one　place。　　That
little　stretch　of　water　was　all　that　was　left　for　a　cruising　ground。
Beyond　Fort　Darling　the　Union　gunboats　lay；　and　the　only　vessel　that
passed　the　barrier　was　the　occasional　flag…of…truce　steamer。

The　basement　of　the　building　was　occupied　as　a　store…house　for　the　taxes…
in…kind　which　the　Confederate　Government　collected。　　On　the　first　floor
were　about　five　hundred　men。　　On　the　second　floorwhere　I　waswere
about　four　hundred　men。　　These　were　principally　from　the　First　Division；
First　Corps　distinguished　by　a　round　red　patch　on　their　caps；　First
Division；　Second　Corps；　marked　by　a　red　clover　leaf；　and　the　First
Division；　Third　Corps；　who　wore　a　red　diamond。　　They　were　mainly　captured
at　Gettysburg　and　Mine　Run。　　Besides　these　there　was　a　considerable
number　from　the　Eighth　Corps；　captured　at　Winchester；　and　a　large
infusion　of　Cavalry…First；　Second　and　Third　West　Virginiataken　in
Averill's　desperate　raid　up　the　Virginia　Valley；　with　the　Wytheville　Salt
Works　as　an　objective。

On　the　third　floor　were　about　two　hundred　sailors　and　marines；　taken　in
the　gallant　but　luckless　assault　upon　the　ruins　of　Fort　Sumter；　in　the
September　previous。　　They　retained　the　discipline　of　the　ship　in　their
quarters；　kept　themselves　trim　and　clean；　and　their　floor　as　white　as　a
ship's　deck。　　They　did　not　court　the　society　of　the　〃sojers〃　below；　whose
camp　ideas　of　neatness　differed　from　theirs。　　A　few　old　barnacle…backs
always　sat　on　guard　around　the　head　of　the　steps　leading　from　the　lower
rooms。　　They　chewed　tobacco　enormously；　and　kept　their　mouths　filled　with
the　extracted　juice。　　Any　luckless　〃sojer〃　who　attempted　to　ascend　the
stairs　usually　returned　in　haste；　to　avoid　the　deluge　of　the　filthy
liquid。

For　convenience　in　issuing　rations　we　were　divided　into　messes　of　twenty；
each　mess　electing　a　Sergeant　as　its　head；　and　each　floor　electing　a
Sergeant…of…the…Floor；　who　drew　rations　and　enforced　what　little
discipline　was　observed。

Though　we　were　not　so　neat　as　the　sailors　above　us；　we　tried　to　keep　our
quarters　reasonably　clean；　and　we　washed　the　floor　every　morning；　getting
down　on　our　knees　and　rubbing　it　clean　and　dry　with　rags。　　Each　mess
detailed　a　man　each　day　to　wash　up　the　part　of　the　floor　it　occupied；
and　he　had　to　do　this　properly　or　no　ration　would　be　given　him。　　While
the　washing　up　was　going　on　each　man　stripped　himself　and　made　close
examination　of　his　garments　for　the　body…lice；　which　otherwise　would　have
increased　beyond　control。　　Blankets　were　also　carefully　hunted　over　for
these　〃small　deer。〃

About　eight　o'clock　a　spruce　little　lisping　rebel　named　Ross　would　appear
with　a　book；　and　a　body…guard；　consisting　of　a　big　Irishman；　who　had　the
air　of　a　Policeman；　and　carried　a　musket　barrel　made　into　a　cane。　　Behind
him　were　two　or　three　armed　guards。　　The　Sergeant…of…the…Floor　commanded：

〃Fall　in　in　four　ranks　for　roll…call。〃

We　formed　along　one　side　of　the　room；　the　guards　halted　at　the　head　of
the　stairs；　Ross　walked　down　in　front　and　counted　the　files；　closely
followed　by　his　Irish　aid；　with　his　gun…barrel　cane　raised　ready　for　use
upon　any　one　who　should　arouse　his　ruffianly　ire。　　Breaking　ranks　we
returned　to　our　places；　and　sat　around　in　moody　silence　for　three　hours。
We　had　eaten　nothing　since　the　previous　noon。　　Rising　hungry；　our　hunger
seemed　to　increase　in　arithmetical　ratio　with　every　quarter　of　an　hour。

These　times　afforded　an　illustration　of　the　thorough　subjection　of　man　to
the　tyrant　Stomach。　　A　more　irritable　lot　of　individuals　could　scarcely
be　found　outside　of　a　menagerie　than　these　men　during　the　hours　waiting
for　rations。　　〃Crosser　than；　two　sticks〃　utterly　failed　as　a　comparison。
They　were　crosser　than　the　lines　of　a　check　apron。　　Many　could　have　given
odds　to　the　traditional　bear　with　a　sore　head；　and　run　out　of　the　game
fifty　points　ahead　of　him。　　It　was　astonishingly　easy　to　get　up　a　fight
at　these　times。　　There　was　no　need　of　going　a　step　out　of　the　way　to
search　for　it；　as　one　could　have　a　full　fledged　article　of　overwhelming
size　on　his　hands　at　any　instant；　by　a　trifling　indiscretion　of　speech　or
manner。　　All　the　old　irritating　flings　between　the　cavalry；　the　artillery
and　the　infantry；　the　older　〃first…call〃　men；　and　the　later　or　〃Three…
Hundred…Dollar…men；〃　as　they　were　derisively　dubbed；　between　the
different　corps　of　the　Army　of　the　Potomac；　between　men　of　different
States；　and　lastly　between　the　adherents　and　opponents　of　McClellan；　came
to　the　lips　and　were　answered　by　a　blow　with　the　fist；　when　a　ring　would
be　formed　around　the　combatants　by　a　crowd；　which　would　encourage　them
with　yells　to　do　their　best。　　In　a　few　minutes　one　of　the　parties　to　the
fistic　debate；　who　found　the　point　raised　by　him　not　well　taken；　would
retire　to　the　sink　to　wash　the　blood　from　his　battered　face；　and　the　rest
would　resume　their　seats　and　glower　at　space　until　some　fresh　excitement
roused　them。　　For　the　last　hour　or　so　of　these　long　waits　hardly　a　word
would　be　spoken。