andersonville-第91部分

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mounted　where　they　would　command　the　camp。

We　started　in　to　make　ourselves　comfortable；　as　at　Millen；　by　building
shanties。　　The　prisoners　we　left　behind　followed　us；　and　we　soon　had　our
old　crowd　of　five　or　six　thousand；　who　had　been　our　companions　at
Savannah　and　Millers；　again　with　us。　　The　place　looked　very　favorable　for
escape。　　We　knew　we　were　still　near　the　sea　coastreally　not　more　than
forty　miles　awayand　we　felt　that　if　we　could　once　get　there　we　should
be　safe。　　Andrews　and　I　meditated　plans　of　escape；　and　toiled　away　at　our
cabin。

About　a　week　after　our　arrival　we　were　startled　by　an　order　for　the　one
thousand　of　us　who　had　first　arrived　to　get　ready　to　move　out。　　In　a　few
minutes　we　were　taken　outside　the　guard　line；　massed　close　together；　and
informed　in　a　few　words　by　a　Rebel　officer　that　we　were　about　to　be　taken
back　to　Savannah　for　exchange。

The　announcement　took　away　our　breath。　　For　an　instant　the　rush　of
emotion　made　us　speechless；　and　when　utterance　returned；　the　first　use　we
made　of　it　was　to　join　in　one　simultaneous　outburst　of　acclamation。
Those　inside　the　guard　line；　understanding　what　our　cheer　meant；　answered
us　with　a　loud　shout　of　congratulationthe　first　real；　genuine；　hearty
cheering　that　had　been　done　since　receiving　the　announcement　of　the
exchange　at　Andersonville；　three　months　before。

As　soon　as　the　excitement　had　subsided　somewhat；　the　Rebel　proceeded　to
explain　that　we　would　all　be　required　to　sign　a　parole。　　This　set　us　to
thinking。　　After　our　scornful　rejection　of　the　proposition　to　enlist　in
the　Rebel　army；　the　Rebels　had　felt　around　among　us　considerably　as　to
how　we　were　disposed　toward　taking　what　was　called　the　〃Non…Combatant's
Oath；〃　that　is；　the　swearing　not　to　take　up　arms　against　the　Southern
Confederacy　again　during　the　war。　　To　the　most　of　us　this　seemed　only　a
little　less　dishonorable　than　joining　the　Rebel　army。　　We　held　that　our
oaths　to　our　own　Government　placed　us　at　its　disposal　until　it　chose　to
discharge　us；　and　we　could　not　make　any　engagements　with　its　enemies　that
might　come　in　contravention　of　that　duty。　　In　short；　it　looked　very　much
like　desertion；　and　this　we　did　not　feel　at　liberty　to　consider。

There　were　still　many　among　us；　who；　feeling　certain　that　they　could　not
survive　imprisonment　much　longer；　were　disposed　to　look　favorably　upon
the　Non…Combatant's　Oath；　thinking　that　the　circumstances　of　the　case
would　justify　their　apparent　dereliction　from　duty。　　Whether　it　would　or
not　I　must　leave　to　more　skilled　casuists　than　myself　to　decide。　　It　was
a　matter　I　believed　every　man　must　settle　with　his　own　conscience。　　The
opinion　that　I　then　held　and　expressed　was；　that　if　a　boy；　felt　that　he
was　hopelessly　sick；　and　that　he　could　not　live　if　he　remained　in　prison；
he　was　justified　in　taking　the　Oath。　　In　the　absence　of　our　own　Surgeons
he　would　have　to　decide　for　himself　whether　be　was　sick　enough　to　be
warranted　in　resorting　to　this　means　of　saving　his　life。　　If　he　was　in　as
good　health　as　the　majority　of　us　were；　with　a　reasonable　prospect　of
surviving　some　weeks　longer；　there　was　no　excuse　for　taking　the　Oath；
for　in　that　few　weeks　we　might　be　exchanged；　be　recaptured；　or　make　our
escape。　　I　think　this　was　the　general　opinion　of　the　prisoners。

While　the　Rebel　was　talking　about　our　signing　the　parole；　there　flashed
upon　all　of　us　at　the　same　moment；　a　suspicion　that　this　was　a　trap　to
delude　us　into　signing　the　Non…Combatant's　Oath。　　Instantly　there　went　up
a　general　shout：

〃Read　the　parole　to　us。〃

The　Rebel　was　handed　a　blank　parole　by　a　companion；　and　he　read　over　the
printed　condition　at　the　top；　which　was　that　those　signing　agreed　not　to
bear　arms　against　the　Confederates　in　the　field；　or　in　garrison；　not　to
man　any　works；　assist　in　any　expedition；　do　any　sort　of　guard　duty；　serve
in　any　military　constabulary；　or　perform　any　kind　of　military　service
until　properly　exchanged。

For　a　minute　this　was　satisfactory；　then　their　ingrained　distrust　of　any
thing　a　Rebel　said　or　did　returned；　and　they　shouted：

〃No；　no；　let　some　of　us　read　it；　let　Ilinoy'　read　it〃

The　Rebel　looked　around　in　a　puzzled　manner。

〃Who　the　hl　is　'Illinoy！'　　Where　is　he？〃　said　he。

I　saluted　and　said：

〃That's　a　nickname　they　give　me。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　he；　〃get　up　on　this　stump　and　read　this　parole　to　these
d…d　fools　that　won't　believe　me。〃

I　mounted　the　stump；　took　the　blank　from　his　hand　and　read　it　over
slowly；　giving　as　much　emphasis　as　possible　to　the　all…important　clause
at　the　end〃until　properly　exchanged。〃　　I　then　said：

〃Boys；　this　seems　all　right　to　me；〃　and　they　answered；　with　almost　one
voice：

Yes；　that's　all　right。　　We'll　sign　that。〃

I　was　never　so　proud　of　the　American　soldier…boy　as　at　that　moment。　　They
all　felt　that　signing　that　paper　was　to　give　them　freedom　and　life。　　They
knew　too　well　from　sad　experience　what　the　alternative　was。　　Many　felt
that　unless　released　another　week　would　see　them　in　their　graves。　　All
knew　that　every　day's　stay　in　Rebel　hands　greatly　lessened　their　chances
of　life。　　Yet　in　all　that　thousand　there　was　not　one　voice　in　favor　of
yielding　a　tittle　of　honor　to　save　life。　　They　would　secure　their　freedom
honorably；　or　die　faithfully。　　Remember　that　this　was　a　miscellaneous
crowd　of　boys；　gathered　from　all　sections　of　the　country；　and　from　many
of　whom　no　exalted　conceptions　of　duty　and　honor　were　expected。　　I　wish
some　one　would　point　out　to　me；　on　the　brightest　pages　of　knightly
record；　some　deed　of　fealty　and　truth　that　equals　the　simple　fidelity　of
these　unknown　heros。　　I　do　not　think　that　one　of　them　felt　that　he　was
doing　anything　especially　meritorious。　　He　only　obeyed　the　natural
promptings　of　his　loyal　heart。

The　business　of　signing　the　paroles　was　then　begun　in　earnest。　　We　were
separated　into　squads　according　to　the　first　letters　of　our　names；　all
those　whose　name　began　with　A　being　placed　in　one　squad；　those　beginning
with　B；　in　another；　and　so　on。　　Blank　paroles　for　each　letter　were　spread
out　on　boxes　and　planks　at　different　places；　and　the　signing　went　on
under　the　superintendence　of　a　Rebel　Sergeant　and　one　of　the　prisoners。
The　squad　of　M's　selected　me　to　superintend　the　signing　for　us；　and　I
stood　by　to　direct　the　boys；　and　sign　for　the　very　few　who　could　not
write。　　After　this　was　done　we　fell　into　ranks　again；　called　the　roll　of
the　signers；　and　carefully　compared　the　number　of　men　with　the　number　of
signatures　so　that　nobody　should　pass　unparoled。　　The　oath　was　then
administered　to　us；　and　two　day's　rations　of　corn　meal　and　fresh　beef
were　issued。

This　formality　removed　the　last　lingering　doubt　that　we　had　of　the
exchange　being　a　reality；　and　we　gave　way　to　the　happiest　emotions。
We　cheered　ourselves　hoarse；　and　the　fellows　still　inside　followed　our
example；　as　they　expected　that　they　would　share　our　good　fortune　in　a　day
or　two。

Our　next　performance　was　to　set　to　work；　cook　our　two　days'　rations　at
once　and　eat　them。　　This　was　not　very　difficult；　as　the　whole　supply　for
two　days　would　hardly　make　one　square　meal。　　That　done；　many　of　the　boys
went　to　the　guard　line　and　threw　their　blankets；　clothing；　cooking
utensils；　etc。；　to　their　comrades　who　were　still　inside。　　No　one　thought
they　would　have　any　further　use　for　such　things。

〃To…morrow；　at　this　time；　thank　Heaven；〃　said　a　boy　near　me；　as　he　tossed
his　blanket　and　overcoat　back　to　some　one　inside；　〃we'll　be　in　God's
country；　and　then　I　wouldn't　touch　them　d…d　lousy　old　rags　with　a　ten…
foot　pole。〃

One　of　the　boys　in　the　M　squad　was　a　Maine　infantryman；　who　had　been　with
me　in　the　Pemberton　building；　in　Richmond；　and　had　fashioned　himself　a
little　square　pan　out　of　a　tin　plate　of　a　tobacco　press；　such　as　I　have
described　in　an　earlier　chapter。　　He　had　carried　it　with　him　ever　since；
and　it　was　his　sole　vessel　for　all　purposesfor　cooking；　carrying　water；
drawing　rations；　etc。　　He　had　cherished　it　as　if　it　were　a　farm　or　a　good
situation。　　But　now；　as　he　turned　away　from　signing　his　name　to　the
parole；　he　looked　at　his　faithful　servant　for　a　minute　in　undisguised
contempt；　on　the　eve　of　restoration　to　happier；　better　things；　it　was　a
reminder　of　all　the　petty；　inglorious　contemptible　trials　and　sorrows　he
had　endured；　he　actually　loathed　it　for　its　remembrances；　and　flinging　it
upon　the　ground　he　crushed　it　out　of　all　shape　and　usefulness　with　his
feet；　trampling　upon　it　as　he　would　everything　connected　with　his　prison
life。　　Months　afterward　I　had　to　lend　this　man　my　little　can　to　cook　his
rations　in。

Andrews　and　I　flung　the　bright　new　tin　pans　we　had　stolen　at　Millen
inside　the　line；　to　be　scrambled　for。　　It　was　hard　to　tell　who　were　the
most　surprised　at　their　appearancethe　Rebels　or　our　own　boysfor　few
had　any　idea　that　there　were　such　things　in　the　whole　Confederacy；　and
certainly　none　looked　for　them　in　the　possession　of　two　such　poverty…
stricken　specimens　as　we　were。　　We　thought　it　best　to　retain　possession
of　our　little　can；　spoon；　chess…board；　blanket；　and　overcoat。

As　we　marched　down　and　boarded　the　train；　the　Rebels　confirmed　their
previous　action　by　taking　all　the　guards　from　around　us。　　Only　some　e