andersonville-第85部分

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〃First　Division；　about〃

Said　we：

〃First　Hundred；　about〃

〃Second　Hundred；　about〃

〃Third　Hundred；　about〃

〃Fourth　Hundred；　about〃　etc。；　etc。

Said　he：

〃FACE！！〃

Ten　Sergeants　repeated　〃Face！〃　one　after　the　other；　and　each　man　in　the
hundreds　turned　on　his　heel。　　Then　our　leader　commanded

〃First　Division；　forward！　　MARCH！〃　and　we　strode　back　into　the　Stockade；
followed　immediately　by　all　the　other　divisions；　leaving　the　orator　still
standing　on　the　stump。

The　Rebels　were　furious　at　this　curt　way　of　replying。　　We　had　scarcely
reached　our　quarters　when　they　came　in　with　several　companies；　with
loaded　guns　and　fixed　bayonets。　　They　drove　us　out　of　our　tents　and　huts；
into　one　corner；　under　the　pretense　of　hunting　axes　and　spades；　but　in
reality　to　steal　our　blankets；　and　whatever　else　they　could　find　that
they　wanted；　and　to　break　down　and　injure　our　huts；　many　of　which；
costing　us　days　of　patient　labor；　they　destroyed　in　pure　wantonness。

We　were　burning　with　the　bitterest　indignation。　　A　tall；　slender　man
named　Lloyd；　a　member　of　the　Sixty…First　Ohioa　rough；　uneducated
fellow；　but　brim　full　of　patriotism　and　manly　common　sense；　jumped　up　on
a　stump　and　poured　out　his　soul　in　rude　but　fiery　eloquence：　〃Comrades；〃
he　said；　〃do　not　let　the　blowing　of　these　Rebel　whelps　discourage　you；
pay　no　attention　to　the　lies　they　have　told　you　to…day；　you　know　well
that　our　Government　is　too　honorable　and　just　to　desert　any　one　who
serves　it；　it　has　not　deserted　us；　their　hell…born　Confederacy　is　not
going　to　succeed。　　I　tell　you　that　as　sure　as　there　is　a　God　who　reigns
and　judges　in　Israel；　before　the　Spring　breezes　stir　the　tops　of　these
blasted　old　pines　their　Confederacy　and　all　the　lousy　graybacks　who
support　it　will　be　so　deep　in　hell　that　nothing　but　a　search　warrant　from
the　throne　of　God　Almighty　can　ever　find　it　again。　　And　the　glorious　old
Stars　and　Stripes〃

Here　we　began　cheering　tremendously。　　A　Rebel　Captain　came　running　up；
said　to　the　guard；　who　was　leaning　on　his　gun；　gazing　curiously　at　Lloyd：

〃What　in　　are　you　standing　gaping　there　for？　　Why　don't　you　shoot　the
　　Yankee　son　　…　…？〃　and　snatching　the　gun　away　from
him；　cocked　and　leveled　it　at　Lloyd；　but　the　boys　near　jerked　the　speaker
down　from　the　stump　and　saved　his　life。

We　became　fearfully；　wrought　up。　　Some　of　the　more　excitable　shouted　out
to　charge　on　the　line　of　guards；　snatch　they　guns　away　from　them；　and
force　our　way　through　the　gate　The　shouts　were　taken　up　by　others；　and；
as　if　in　obedience　to　the　suggestion；　we　instinctively　formed　in　line…of…
battle　facing　the　guards。　　A　glance　down　the　line　showed　me　an　array　of
desperate；　tensely　drawn　faces；　such　as　one　sees　who　looks　a　men　when
they　are　summoning　up　all　their　resolution　for　some　deed　of　great　peril。
The　Rebel　officers　hastily　retreated　behind　the　line　of　guards；　whose
faces　blanched；　but　they　leveled　the　muskets　and　prepared　to　receive　us。

Captain　Bowes；　who　was　overlooking　the　prison　from　an　elevation　outside；
had；　however；　divined　the　trouble　at　the　outset；　an　was　preparing　to　meet
it。　　The　gunners；　who　had　shotted　the　pieces　and　trained　them　upon　us
when　we　came　out　to　listen　t　the　speech；　had　again　covered　us　with　them；
and　were　ready　to　sweep　the　prison　with　grape　and　canister　at　the　instant
of　command。　　The　long　roll　was　summoning　the　infantry　regiments　back　into
line；　and　some　of　the　cooler…headed　among　us　pointed　these　facts　out　and
succeeded　in　getting　the　line　to　dissolve　again　into　groups　of　muttering；
sullen…faced　men。　　When　this　was　done；　the　guards　marched　out；　by　a
cautious　indirect　maneuver；　so　as　not　to　turn　their　backs　to　us。

It　was　believed　that　we　had　some　among　us　who　would　like　to　avail
themselves　of　the　offer　of　the　Rebels；　and　that　they　would　try　to　inform
the　Rebels　of　their　desires　by　going　to　the　gate　during　the　night　and
speaking　to　the　Officer…of…the…Guard。　　A　squad　armed　themselves　with
clubs　and　laid　in　wait　for　these。　　They　succeeded　in　catching　several
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　fift