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seems to be the ease with which men died。 There； was little of the
violence of dissolution so common at Andersonville。 The machinery of
life in all of us； was running slowly and feebly； it would simply grow
still slower and feebler in some； and then stop without a jar； without a
sensation to manifest it。 Nightly one of two or three comrades sleeping
together would die。 The survivors would not know it until they tried to
get him to 〃spoon〃 over； when they would find him rigid and motionless。
As they could not spare even so little heat as was still contained in his
body； they would not remove this； but lie up the closer to it until
morning。 Such a thing as a boy making an outcry when he discovered his
comrade dead； or manifesting any； desire to get away from the corpse； was
unknown。
I remember one who； as Charles II。 said of himself； was
〃an unconscionable long time in dying。〃 His name was Bickford； he
belonged to the Twenty…First Ohio Volunteer Infantry； lived； I think；
near Findlay； O。； and was in my hundred。 His partner and he were both in
a very bad condition； and I was not surprised； on making my rounds； one
morning； to find them apparently quite dead。 I called help； and took his
partner away to the gate。 When we picked up Bickford we found he still
lived； and had strength enough to gasp out：
〃You fellers had better let me alone。〃 We laid him back to die； as we
supposed； in an hour or so。
When the Rebel Surgeon came in on his rounds； I showed him Bickford；
lying there with his eyes closed； and limbs motionless。 The Surgeon
said：
〃O； that man's dead； why don't you have him taken out？〃
I replied： 〃 No； he isn't。 Just see。〃 Stooping； I shook the boy
sharply； and said：
〃Bickford！ Bickford！！ How do you feel？〃
The eyes did not unclose； but the lips opened slowly； and said with a
painful effort：
〃F…i…r…s…t R…a…t…e！〃
This scene was repeated every morning for over a week。 Every day the
Rebel Surgeon would insist that the man should betaken out； and every
morning Bickford would gasp out with troublesome exertion that he felt：
〃F…i…r…s…t R…a…t…e！〃
It ended one morning by his inability； to make his usual answer； and then
he was carried out to join the two score others being loaded into the
wagon。
CHAPTER LXXIV。
NEW YEAR'S DAYDEATH OF JOHN H。 WINDERHE DIES ON HIS WAY TO A DINNER
SOMETHING AS TO CHARACTER AND CAREERONE OF THE WORST MEN THAT EVER
LIVED。
On New Year's Day we were startled by the information that our old…time
enemyGeneral John H。 Winderwas dead。 It seemed that the Rebel Sutler
of the Post had prepared in his tent a grand New Year's dinner to which
all the officers were invited。 Just as Winder bent his head to enter the
tent he fell； and expired shortly after。 The boys said it was a clear
case of Death by Visitation of the Devil； and it was always insisted that
his last words were：
〃My faith is in Christ； I expect to be saved。 Be sure and cut down the
prisoners' rations。〃
Thus passed away the chief evil genius of the Prisoners…of…War。 American
history has no other character approaching his in vileness。 I doubt if
the history of the world can show another man； so insignificant in
abilities and position； at whose door can be laid such a terrible load of
human misery。 There have been many great conquerors and warriors who
have
Waded through slaughter to a throne；
And shut the gates of mercy on mankind；
but they were great men； with great objects； with grand plans to carry
out； whose benefits they thought would be more than an equivalent for the
suffering they caused。 The misery they inflicted was not the motive of
their schemes； but an unpleasant incident； and usually the sufferers were
men of other races and religions； for whom sympathy had been dulled by
long antagonism。
But Winder was an obscure； dull old manthe commonplace descendant of a
pseudo…aristocrat whose cowardly incompetence had once cost us the loss
of our National Capital。 More prudent than his runaway father； he held
himself aloof from the field； his father had lost reputation and almost
his commission； by coming into contact with the enemy； he would take no
such foolish risks； and he did not。 When false expectations of the
ultimate triumph of Secession led him to cast his lot with the Southern
Confederacy； he did not solicit a command in the field； but took up his
quarters in Richmond； to become a sort of Informer…General； High…
Inquisitor and Chief Eavesdropper for his intimate friend； Jefferson
Davis。 He pried and spied around into every man's bedroom and family
circle； to discover traces of Union sentiment。 The wildest tales malice
and vindictiveness could concoct found welcome reception in his ears。
He was only too willing to believe； that he might find excuse for
harrying and persecuting。 He arrested； insulted； imprisoned； banished；
and shot people； until the patience even of the citizens of Richmond gave
way； and pressure was brought upon Jefferson Davis to secure the
suppression of his satellite。 For a long while Davis resisted； but at
last yielded； and transferred Winder to the office of Commissary General
of Prisoners。 The delight of the Richmond people was great。 One of the
papers expressed it in an article； the key note of which was：
〃Thank God that Richmond is at last rid of old Winder。 God have mercy
upon those to whom he has been sent。〃
Remorseless and cruel as his conduct of the office of Provost Marshal
General was； it gave little hint of the extent to which he would go in
that of Commissary General of Prisoners。 Before； he was restrained
somewhat by public opinion and the laws of the land。 These no longer
deterred him。 From the time he assumed command of all the Prisons east
of the Mississippisome time in the Fall of 1863until death removed
him； January 1； 1865certainly not less than twenty…five thousand
incarcerated men died in the most horrible manner that the mind can
conceive。 He cannot be accused of exaggeration； when； surveying the
thousands of new graves at Andersonville； he could say with a quiet
chuckle that he was 〃doing more to kill off the Yankees than twenty
regiments at the front。〃 No twenty regiments in the Rebel Army ever
succeeded in slaying anything like thirteen thousand Yankees in six
months； or any other time。 His cold blooded cruelty was such as to
disgust even the Rebel officers。 Colonel D。 T。 Chandler； of the Rebel
War Department； sent on a tour of inspection to Andersonville； reported
back； under date of August 5； 1864：
〃My duty requires me respectfully to recommend a change in the officer in
command of the post； Brigadier General John H。 Winder； and the
substitution in his place of some one who unites both energy and good
judgment with some feelings of humanity and consideration for the welfare
and comfort； as far as is consistent with their safe keeping； of the vast
number of unfortunates placed under his control； some one who； at least；
will not advocate deliberately； and in cold blood； the propriety of
leaving them in their present condition until their number is
sufficiently reduced by death to make the present arrangements suffice
for their accommodation； and who will not consider it a matter of self…
laudation and boasting that he has never been inside of the Stockadea
place the horrors of which it is difficult to describe； and which is a
disgrace to civilizationthe condition of which he might； by the
exercise of a little energy and judgment； even with the limited means at
his command； have considerably improved。〃
In his examination touching this report； Colonel Chandler says：
〃I noticed that General Winder seemed very indifferent to the welfare of
the prisoners； indisposed to do anything； or to do as much as I thought
he ought to do； to alleviate their sufferings。 I remonstrated with him
as well as I could； and he used that language which I reported to the
Department with reference to itthe language stated in the report。 When
I spoke of the great mortality existing among the prisoners； and pointed
out to him that the sickly season was coming on； and that it must
necessarily increase unless something was done for their reliefthe
swamp； for instance； drained； proper food furnished； and in better
quantity； and other sanitary suggestions which I made to himhe replied
to me that he thought it was better to see half of them die than to take
care of the men。〃
It was he who could issue such an order as this； when it was supposed
that General Stoneman was approaching Andersonville：
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY PRISON；
ANDERSONVILLE； Ga。； July 27；1864。
The officers on duty and in charge of the Battery of Florida Artillery at
the time will； upon receiving notice that the enemy has approached within
seven miles of this post； open upon the Stockade with grapeshot； without
reference to the situation beyond these lines of defense。
JOHN H。 WINDER；
Brigadier General Commanding。
This man was not only unpunished； but the Government is to…day support