andersonville-第25部分

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〃ante；〃　and　no　〃limit。〃

After　a　number　of　hours'　diligent　playing；　some　lucky　or　skillful　player
would　be　in　possession　of　all　the　beans　in　a　mess；　a　squad；　and　sometimes
a　detachment；　and　have　enough　for　a　good　meal。

Next　the　meal　began　to　diminish　in　quantity　and　deteriorate　in　quality。
It　became　so　exceedingly　coarse　that　the　common　remark　was　that　the　next
step　would　be　to　bring　us　the　corn　in　the　shock；　and　feed　it　to　us　like
stock。　　Then　meat　followed　suit　with　the　rest。　　The　rations　decreased　in
size；　and　the　number　of　days　that　we　did　not　get　any；　kept　constantly
increasing　in　proportion　to　the　days　that　we　did；　until　eventually　the
meat　bade　us　a　final　adieu；　and　joined　the　sweet　potato　in　that
undiscovered　country　from　whose　bourne　no　ration　ever　returned。

The　fuel　and　building　material　in　the　stockade　were　speedily　exhausted。
The　later　comers　had　nothing　whatever　to　build　shelter　with。

But；　after　the　Spring　rains　had　fairly　set　in；　it　seemed　that　we　had　not
tasted　misery　until　then。　　About　the　middle　of　March　the　windows　of
heaven　opened；　and　it　began　a　rain　like　that　of　the　time　of　Noah。　　It　was
tropical　in　quantity　and　persistency；　and　arctic　in　temperature。　　For
dreary　hours　that　lengthened　into　weary　days　and　nights；　and　these　again
into　never…ending　weeks；　the　driving；　drenching　flood　poured　down　upon
the　sodden　earth；　searching　the　very　marrow　of　the　five　thousand　hapless
men　against　whose　chilled　frames　it　beat　with　pitiless　monotony；　and
soaked　the　sand　bank　upon　which　we　lay　until　it　was　like　a　sponge　filled
with　ice…water。　　It　seems　to　me　now　that　it　must　have　been　two　or　three
weeks　that　the　sun　was　wholly　hidden　behind　the　dripping　clouds；　not
shining　out　once　in　all　that　time。　　The　intervals　when　it　did　not　rain
were　rare　and　short。　　An　hour's　respite　would　be　followed　by　a　day　of
steady；　regular　pelting　of　the　great　rain　drops。

I　find　that　the　report　of　the　Smithsonian　Institute　gives　the　average
annual　rainfall　in　the　section　around　Andersonville；　at　fifty…six　inches…
nearly　five　feetwhile　that　of　foggy　England　is　only　thirty…two。　　Our
experience　would　lead　me　to　think　that　we　got　the　five　feet　all　at　once。

We　first　comers；　who　had　huts；　were　measurably　better　off　than　the　later
arrivals。　　It　was　much　drier　in　our　leaf…thatched　tents；　and　we　were
spared　much　of　the　annoyance　that　comes　from　the　steady　dash　of　rain
against　the　body　for　hours。

The　condition　of　those　who　had　no　tents　was　truly　pitiable。

They　sat　or　lay　on　the　hill…side　the　live…long　day　and　night；　and　took
the　washing　flow　with　such　gloomy　composure　as　they　could　muster。

All　soldiers　will　agree　with　me　that　there　is　no　campaigning　hardship
comparable　to　a　cold　rain。　　One　can　brace　up　against　the　extremes　of　heat
and　cold；　and　mitigate　their　inclemency　in　various　ways。　　But　there　is　no
escaping　a　long…continued；　chilling　rain。　　It　seems　to　penetrate　to　the
heart；　and　leach　away　the　very　vital　force。

The　only　relief　attainable　was　found　in　huddling　over　little　fires　kept
alive　by　small　groups　with　their　slender　stocks　of　wood。　　As　this　wood
was　all　pitch…pine；　that　burned　with　a　very　sooty　flame；　the　effect　upon
the　appearance　of　the　hoverers　was；　startling。　　Face；　neck　and　hands
became　covered　with　mixture　of　lampblack　and　turpentine；　forming　a
coating　as　thick　as　heavy　brown　paper；　and　absolutely　irremovable　by
water　alone。　　The　hair　also　became　of　midnight　blackness；　and　gummed　up
into　elflocks　of　fantastic　shape　and　effect。　　Any　one　of　us　could　have
gone　on　the　negro　minstrel　stage；　without　changing　a　hair；　and　put　to
blush　the　most　elaborate　make…up　of　the　grotesque　burnt…cork　artists。

No　wood　was　issued　to　us。　　The　only　way　of　getting　it　was　to　stand　around
the　gate　for　hours　until　a　guard　off　duty　could　be　coaxed　or　hired　to
accompany　a　small　party　to　the　woods；　to　bring　back　a　load　of　such　knots
and　limbs　as　could　be　picked　up。　　Our　chief　persuaders　to　the　guards　to
do　us　this　favor　were　rings；　pencils；　knives；　combs；　and　such　trifles　as
we　might　have　in　our　pockets；　and；　more　especially；　the　brass　buttons　on
our　uniforms。　　Rebel　soldiers；　like　Indians；　negros　and　other　imperfectly
civilized　people；　were　passionately　fond　of　bright　and　gaudy　things。
A　handful　of　brass　buttons　would　catch　every　one　of　them　as　swiftly　and
as　surely　as　a　piece　of　red　flannel　will　a　gudgeon。　　Our　regular　fee　for
an　escort　for　three　of　us　to　the　woods　was　six　over…coat　or　dress…coat
buttons；　or　ten　or　twelve　jacket　buttons。　　All　in　the　mess　contributed　to
this　fund；　and　the　fuel　obtained　was　carefully　guarded　and　husbanded。

This　manner　of　conducting　the　wood　business　is　a　fair　sample　of　the
management；　or　rather　the　lack　of　it；　of　every　other　detail　of　prison
administration。　　All　the　hardships　we　suffered　from　lack　of　fuel　and
shelter　could　have　been　prevented　without　the　slightest　expense　or
trouble　to　the　Confederacy。　　Two　hundred　men　allowed　to　go　out　on　parole；
and　supplied　with　ages；　would　have　brought　in　from　the　adjacent　woods；
in　a　week's　time；　enough　material　to　make　everybody　comfortable　tents；
and　to　supply　all　the　fuel　needed。

The　mortality　caused　by　the　storm　was；　of　course；　very　great。　　The
official　report　says　the　total　number　in　the　prison　in　March　was　four
thousand　six　hundred　and　three；　of　whom　two　hundred　and　eighty…three
died。

Among　the　first　to　die　was　the　one　whom　we　expected　to　live　longest。
He　was　by　much　the　largest　man　in　prison；　and　was　called；　because　of
this；　〃BIG　JOE。〃　　He　was　a　Sergeant　in　the　Fifth　Pennsylvania　Cavalry；
and　seemed　the　picture　of　health。　　One　morning　the　news　ran　through　the
prison　that　〃Big　Joe　is　dead；〃　and　a　visit　to　his　squad　showed　his　stiff；
lifeless　form；　occupying　as　much　ground　as　Goliath's；　after　his　encounter
with　David。

His　early　demise　was　an　example　of　a　general　law；　the　workings　of　which
few　in　the　army　failed　to　notice。　　It　was　always　the　large　and　strong　who
first　succumbed　to　hardship。　　The　stalwart；　huge…limbed；　toil…inured　men
sank　down　earliest　on　the　march；　yielded　soonest　to　malarial　influences；
and　fell　first　under　the　combined　effects　of　home…sickness；　exposure　and
the　privations　of　army　life。　　The　slender；　withy　boys；　as　supple　and　weak
as　cats；　had　apparently　the　nine　lives　of　those　animals。　　There　were　few
exceptions　to　this　rule　in　the　armythere　were　none　in　Andersonville。
I　can　recall　few　or　no　instances　where　a　large；　strong；　〃hearty〃　man
lived　through　a　few　months　of　imprisonment。　　The　survivors　were
invariably　youths；　at　the　verge　of　manhood；slender；　quick；　active；
medium…statured　fellows；　of　a　cheerful　temperament；　in　whom　one　would
have　expected　comparatively　little　powers　of　endurance。

The　theory　which　I　constructed　for　my　own　private　use　in　accounting　for
this　phenomenon　I　offer　with　proper　diffidence　to　others　who　may　be　in
search　of　a　hypothesis　to　explain　facts　that　they　have　observed。　　It　is
this：

a。　　The　circulation　of　the　blood　maintains　health；　and　consequently　life
by　carrying　away　from　the　various　parts　of　the　body　the　particles　of
worn…out　and　poisonous　tissue；　and　replacing　them　with　fresh；　structure…
building　material。

b。　　The　man　is　healthiest　in　whom　this　process　goes　on　most　freely　and
continuously。

c。　　Men　of　considerable　muscular　power　are　disposed　to　be　sluggish；　the
exertion　of　great　strength　does　not　favor　circulation。　　It　rather　retards
it；　and　disturbs　its　equilibrium　by　congesting　the　blood　in　quantities　in
the　sets　of　muscles　called　into　action。

d。　　In　light；　active　men；　on　the　other　hand；　the　circulation　goes　on
perfectly　and　evenly；　because　all　the　parts　are　put　in　motion；　and　kept
so　in　such　a　manner　as　to　promote　the　movement　of　the　blood　to　every
extremity。　　They　do　not　strain　one　set　of　muscles　by　long　continued
effort；　as　a　strong　man　does；　but　call　one　into　play　after　another。

There　is　no　compulsion　on　the　reader　to　accept　this　speculation　at　any
valuation　whatever。　　There　is　not　even　any　charge　for　it。　　I　will　lay
down　this　simple　axiom：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　No　strong　man；　is　a　healthy　man

from　the　athlete　in　the　circus　who　lifts　pieces　of　artillery　and　catches
cannon　balls；　to　the　exhibition　swell　in　a　country　gymnasium。　　If　my
theory　is　not　a　sufficient　explanation　of　this；　there　is　nothing　to
prevent　the　reader　from　building　up　one　to　suit　him　better。




CHAPTER　XXII。

DIFFERENCE　BETWEEN　ALABAMIANS　AND　GEORGIANSDEATH　OF　〃POLL　PARROTT〃
A　GOOD　JOKE　UPON　THE　GUARDA　BRUTAL　RASCAL。

There　were　two　regiments　guarding　usthe　Twenty…Sixth　Alabama　and　the
Fifty…Fifth　Georgia。　　Never　were　two　regiments　of　the　same　army　more
different。　　The　Alabamians　were　the　superiors　of　the　Georgians　in　every
way　that　one　set　of　men　could　be　superior　to　another。　　They　were　manly；
soldierly；　and　honorable；　where　the　Georgians　were　treacherous　and
brutal。　　We　had　nothing　to　complain　of　at　the　hands　of　the　Alabamians；
we　suffered　from　the　Georgians　everything　that　mean…spirited　cruelty
could　devise。　　The　Georgians　were　always　on　the　look…out　for　something
that　they　could　torture　into　such　apparent　violation　of　orders；　as　would
justify　them　in　shooting　men　down；　the　Alabamians　never　fired　until