andersonville-第53部分

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to　give　a　considerable　degree　of　consistency　to　the　soil。　　The　internal
structure　of　the　hills；　as　revealed　by　the　deep　wells；　is　similar　to　that
already　described。　　The　alternate　layers　of　clay　and　sand；　as　well　as　the
oxide　of　iron；　which　forms　in　its　various　combinations　a　cement　to　the
sand；　allow　of　extensive　tunneling。　　The　prisoners　not　only　constructed
numerous　dirt　huts　with　balls　of　clay　and　sand；　taken　from　the　wells
which　they　have　excavated　all　over　those　hills；　but　they　have　also；　in
some　cases；　tunneled　extensively　from　these　wells。　　The　lower　portions　of
these　hills；　bordering　on　the　stream；　are　wet　and　boggy　from　the　constant
oozing　of　water。　　The　Stockade　was　built　originally　to　accommodate　only
ten　thousand　prisoners；　and　included　at　first　seventeen　acres。　　Near　the
close　of　the　month　of　June　the　area　was　enlarged　by　the　addition　of　ten
acres。　　The　ground　added　was　situated　on　the　northern　slope　of　the
largest　hill。

The　average　number　of　square　feet　of　ground　to　each　prisoner　in　August
1864：　35。7

Within　the　circumscribed　area　of　the　Stockade　the　Federal　prisoners　were
compelled　to　perform　all　the　offices　of　lifecooking；　washing；　the　calls
of　nature；　exercise；　and　sleeping。　　During　the　month　of　March　the　prison
was　less　crowded　than　at　any　subsequent　time；　and　then　the　average　space
of　ground　to　each　prisoner　was　only　98。7　feet；　or　less　than　seven　square
yards。　　The　Federal　prisoners　were　gathered　from　all　parts　of　the
Confederate　States　east　of　the　Mississippi；　and　crowded　into　the　confined
space；　until　in　the　month　of　June　the　average　number　of　square　feet　of
ground　to　each　prisoner　was　only　33。2　or　less　than　four　square　yards。
These　figures　represent　the　condition　of　the　Stockade　in　a　better　light
even　than　it　really　was；　for　a　considerable　breadth　of　land　along　the
stream；　flowing　from　west　to　east　between　the　hills；　was　low　and　boggy；
and　was　covered　with　the　excrement　of　the　men；　and　thus　rendered　wholly
uninhabitable；　and　in　fact　useless　for　every　purpose　except　that　of
defecation。　　The　pines　and　other　small　trees　and　shrubs；　which　originally
were　scattered　sparsely　over　these　hills；　were　in　a　short　time　cut　down
and　consumed　by　the　prisoners　for　firewood；　and　no　shade　tree　was　left　in
the　entire　enclosure　of　the　stockade。　　With　their　characteristic　industry
and　ingenuity；　the　Federals　constructed　for　themselves　small　huts　and
caves；　and　attempted　to　shield　themselves　from　the　rain　and　sun　and　night
damps　and　dew。　　But　few　tents　were　distributed　to　the　prisoners；
and　those　were　in　most　cases　torn　and　rotten。　　In　the　location　and
arrangement　of　these　tents　and　huts　no　order　appears　to　have　been
followed；　in　fact；　regular　streets　appear　to　be　out　of　the　question　in　so
crowded　an　area；　especially　too；　as　large　bodies　of　prisoners　were　from
time　to　time　added　suddenly　without　any　previous　preparations。
The　irregular　arrangement　of　the　huts　and　imperfect　shelters　was　very
unfavorable　for　the　maintenance　of　a　proper　system　of　police。

The　police　and　internal　economy　of　the　prison　was　left　almost　entirely　in
the　hands　of　the　prisoners　themselves；　the　duties　of　the　Confederate
soldiers　acting　as　guards　being　limited　to　the　occupation　of　the　boxes
or　lookouts　ranged　around　the　stockade　at　regular　intervals；　and　to　the
manning　of　the　batteries　at　the　angles　of　the　prison。　　Even　judicial
matters　pertaining　to　themselves；　as　the　detection　and　punishment　of　such
crimes　as　theft　and　murder　appear　to　have　been　in　a　great　measure
abandoned　to　the　prisoners。　　A　striking　instance　of　this　occurred　in　the
month　of　July；　when　the　Federal　prisoners　within　the　Stockade　tried；
condemned；　and　hanged　six　（6）　of　their　own　number；　who　had　been　convicted
of　stealing　and　of　robbing　and　murdering　their　fellow…prisoners。　　They
were　all　hung　upon　the　same　day；　and　thousands　of　the　prisoners　gathered
around　to　witness　the　execution。　　The　Confederate　authorities　are　said
not　to　have　interfered　with　these　proceedings。　　In　this　collection　of　men
from　all　parts　of　the　world；　every　phase　of　human　character　was
represented；　the　stronger　preyed　upon　the　weaker；　and　even　the　sick　who
were　unable　to　defend　themselves　were　robbed　of　their　scanty　supplies　of
food　and　clothing。　　Dark　stories　were　afloat；　of　men；　both　sick　and　well；
who　were　murdered　at　night；　strangled　to　death　by　their　comrades　for
scant　supplies　of　clothing　or　money。　　I　heard　a　sick　and　wounded　Federal
prisoner　accuse　his　nurse；　a　fellow…prisoner　of　the　United　States　Army；
of　having　stealthily；　during　his　sleep　inoculated　his　wounded　arm　with
gangrene；　that　he　might　destroy　his　life　and　fall　heir　to　his　clothing。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。

The　large　number　of　men　confined　within　the　Stockade　soon；　under　a
defective　system　of　police；　and　with　imperfect　arrangements；　covered　the
surface　of　the　low　grounds　with　excrements。　　The　sinks　over　the　lower
portions　of　the　stream　were　imperfect　in　their　plan　and　structure；　and
the　excrements　were　in　large　measure　deposited　so　near　the　borders　of　the
stream　as　not　to　be　washed　away；　or　else　accumulated　upon　the　low　boggy
ground。　　The　volume　of　water　was　not　sufficient　to　wash　away　the　feces；
and　they　accumulated　in　such　quantities　in　the　lower　portion　of　the
stream　as　to　form　a　mass　of　liquid　excrement　heavy　rains　caused　the　water
of　the　stream　to　rise；　and　as　the　arrangements　for　the　passage　of　the
increased　amounts　of　water　out　of　the　Stockade　were　insufficient；　the
liquid　feces　overflowed　the　low　grounds　and　covered　them　several　inches；
after　the　subsidence　of　the　waters。　　The　action　of　the　sun　upon　this
putrefying　mass　of　excrements　and　fragments　of　bread　and　meat　and　bones
excited　most　rapid　fermentation　and　developed　a　horrible　stench。
Improvements　were　projected　for　the　removal　of　the　filth　and　for　the
prevention　of　its　accumulation；　but　they　were　only　partially　and
imperfectly　carried　out。　　As　the　forces　of　the　prisoners　were　reduced　by
confinement；　want　of　exercise；　improper　diet；　and　by　scurvy；　diarrhea；
and　dysentery；　they　were　unable　to　evacuate　their　bowels　within　the
stream　or　along　its　banks；　and　the　excrements　were　deposited　at　the　very
doors　of　their　tents。　　The　vast　majority　appeared　to　lose　all　repulsion
to　filth；　and　both　sick　and　well　disregarded　all　the　laws　of　hygiene　and
personal　cleanliness。　　The　accommodations　for　the　sick　were　imperfect　and
insufficient。　　From　the　organization　of　the　prison；　February　24；　1864；　to
May　22；　the　sick　were　treated　within　the　Stockade。　　In　the　crowded
condition　of　the　Stockade；　and　with　the　tents　and　huts　clustered　thickly
around　the　hospital；　it　was　impossible　to　secure　proper　ventilation　or　to
maintain　the　necessary　police。　　The　Federal　prisoners　also　made　frequent
forays　upon　the　hospital　stores　and　carried　off　the　food　and　clothing　of
the　sick。　　The　hospital　was；　on　the　22d　of　May；　removed　to　its　present
site　without　the　Stockade；　and　five　acres　of　ground　covered　with　oaks　and
pines　appropriated　to　the　use　of　the　sick。

The　supply　of　medical　officers　has　been　insufficient　from　the　foundation
of　the　prison。

The　nurses　and　attendants　upon　the　sick　have　been　most　generally　Federal
prisoners；　who　in　too　many　cases　appear　to　have　been　devoid　of　moral
principle；　and　who　not　only　neglected　their　duties；　but　were　also　engaged
in　extensive　robbing　of　the　sick。

From　the　want　of　proper　police　and　hygienic　regulations　alone　it　is　not
wonderful　that　from　February　24　to　September　21；　1864；　nine　thousand　four
hundred　and　seventy…nine　deaths；　nearly　one…third　the　entire　number　of
prisoners；　should　have　been　recorded。　　I　found　the　Stockade　and　hospital
in　the　following　condition　during　my　pathological　investigations；
instituted　in　the　month　of　September；　1864：


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　STOCKADE；　CONFEDERATE　STATES　MILITARY　PRISON。

At　the　time　of　my　visit　to　Andersonville　a　large　number　of　Federal
prisoners　had　been　removed　to　Millen；　Savannah；　Charleston；　and　other
parts　of；　the　Confederacy；　in　anticipation　of　an　advance　of　General
Sherman's　forces　from　Atlanta；　with　the　design　of　liberating　their
captive　brethren；　however；　about　fifteen　thousand　prisoners　remained
confined　within　the　limits　of　the　Stockade　and　Confederate　States
Military　Prison　Hospital。

In　the　Stockade；　with　the　exception　of　the　damp　lowlands　bordering　the
small　stream；　the　surface　was　covered　with　huts；　and　small　ragged　tents
and　parts　of　blankets　and　fragments　of　oil…cloth；　coats；　and　blankets
stretched　upon　stacks。　　The　tents　and　huts　were　not　arranged　according　to
any　order；　and　there　was　in　most　parts　of　the　enclosure　scarcely　room　for
two　men　to　walk　abreast　between　the　tents　and　huts。

If　one　might　judge　from　the　large　pieces　of　corn…bread　scattered　about　in
every　direction　on　the　ground　the　prisoners　were　either　very　lavishly
supplied　with　this　article　of　diet；　or　else　this　kind　of　food　was　not
relished　by　them。

Each　day　the　dead　from　the　Stockade　were　carried　out　by　their　fellow…
prisoners　and　deposited　upon　the　ground　under　a　bush　arbor；　just　outside
of　the　Southwestern　Gate。　　From　thence　they　were　carried　in　carts　to　the
burying　ground；　one…quarter　of　a　mile　nort