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Brigadier General Commanding。
This man was not only unpunished； but the Government is to…day supporting
his children in luxury by the rent it pays for the use of his property
the well…known Winder building； which is occupied by one of the
Departments at Washington。
I confess that all my attempts to satisfactorily analyze Winder's
character and discover a sufficient motive for his monstrous conduct have
been futile。 Even if we imagine him inspired by a hatred of the people
of the North that rose to fiendishness； we can not understand him。
It seems impossible for the mind of any man to cherish so deep and
insatiable an enmity against his fellow…creatures that it could not be
quenched and turned to pity by the sight of even one day's misery at
Andersonville or Florence。 No one man could possess such a grievous
sense of private or national wrongs as to be proof against the daily
spectacle of thousands of his own fellow citizens； inhabitants of the
same country； associates in the same institutions； educated in the same
principles； speaking the same languagethousands of his brethren in
race； creed； and all that unite men into great communities； starving；
rotting and freezing to death。
There is many a man who has a hatred so intense that nothing but the
death of the detested one will satisfy it。 A still fewer number thirst
for a more comprehensive retribution； they would slay perhaps a half…
dozen persons； and there may be such gluttons of revenge as would not be
satisfied with the sacrifice of less than a score or two； but such would
be monsters of whom there have been very few； even in fiction。 How must
they all bow their diminished heads before a man who fed his animosity
fat with tens of thousands of lives。
But； what also militates greatly against the presumption that either
revenge or an abnormal predisposition to cruelty could have animated
Winder； is that the possession of any two such mental traits so strongly
marked would presuppose a corresponding activity of other intellectual
faculties； which was not true of him； as from all I can learn of him his
mind was in no respect extraordinary。
It does not seem possible that he had either the brain to conceive； or
the firmness of purpose to carry out so gigantic and long…enduring a
career of cruelty； because that would imply superhuman qualities in a man
who had previously held his own very poorly in the competition with other
men。
The probability is that neither Winder nor his direct superiorsHowell
Cobb and Jefferson Davisconceived in all its proportions the gigantic
engine of torture and death they were organizing； nor did they comprehend
the enormity of the crime they were committing。 But they were willing to
do much wrong to gain their end； and the smaller crimes of to…day
prepared them for greater ones to…morrow； and still greater ones the day
following。 Killing ten men a day on Belle Isle in January； by starvation
and hardship； led very easily to killing one hundred men a day in
Andersonville； in July； August and September。 Probably at the beginning
of the war they would have felt uneasy at slaying one man per day by such
means； but as retribution came not； and as their appetite for slaughter
grew with feeding； and as their sympathy with human misery atrophied from
long suppression； they ventured upon ever widening ranges of
destructiveness。 Had the war lasted another year； and they lived； five
hundred deaths a day would doubtless have been insufficient to disturb
them。
Winder doubtless went about his part of the task of slaughter coolly；
leisurely； almost perfunctorily。 His training in the Regular Army was
against the likelihood of his displaying zeal in anything。 He instituted
certain measures； and let things take their course。 That course was a
rapid transition from bad to worse； but it was still in the direction of
his wishes； and； what little of his own energy was infused into it was in
the direction of impetus；…not of controlling or improving the course。
To have done things better would have involved soma personal discomfort。
He was not likely to incur personal discomfort to mitigate evils that
were only afflicting someone else。 By an effort of one hour a day for
two weeks he could have had every man in Andersonville and Florence given
good shelter through his own exertions。 He was not only too indifferent
and too lazy to do this； but he was too malignant； and this neglect to
allowsimply allow； rememberthe prisoners to protect their lives by
providing their own shelter； gives the key to his whole disposition；
and would stamp his memory with infamy； even if there were no other
charges against him。
CHAPTER LXXV。
ONE INSTANCE OF A SUCCESSFUL ESCAPETHE ADVENTURES OF SERGEANT WALTER
HARTSOUGH； OF COMPANY K； SIXTEENTH ILLINOIS CAVALRYHE GETS AWAY FROM
THE REBELS AT THOMASVILLE； AND AFTER A TOILSOME AND DANGEROUS JOURNEY
OF SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES； REACHES OUR LINES IN FLORIDA。
While I was at Savannah I got hold of a primary geography in possession
of one of the prisoners； and securing a fragment of a lead pencil from
one comrade； and a sheet of note paper from another； I made a copy of the
South Carolina and Georgia sea coast； for the use of Andrews and myself
in attempting to escape。 The reader remembers the ill success of all our
efforts in that direction。 When we were at Blackshear we still had the
map； and intended to make another effort；〃 as soon as the sign got
right。〃 One day while we were waiting for this； Walter Hartsough； a
Sergeant of Company g； of our battalion； came to me and said：
〃Mc。； I wish you'd lend me your map a little while。 I want to make a
copy。〃
I handed it over to him； and never saw him more； as almost immediately
after we were taken out 〃on parole〃 and sent to Florence。 I heard from
other comrades of the battalion that he had succeeded in getting past the
guard line and into the Woods； which was the last they ever heard of him。
Whether starved to death in some swamp； whether torn to pieces by dogs；
or killed by the rifles of his pursuers； they knew not。 The reader can
judge of my astonishment as well as pleasure； at receiving among the
dozens of letters which came to me every day while this account was
appearing in the BLADE； one signed 〃Walter Hartsough； late of Co。 K；
Sixteenth Illinois Cavalry。〃 It was like one returned from the grave；
and the next mail took a letter to him； inquiring eagerly of his
adventures after we separated。 I take pleasure in presenting the reader
with his reply； which was only intended as a private communication to
myself。 The first part of the letter I omit； as it contains only gossip
about our old comrades； which； however interesting to myself； would
hardly be so to the general reader。
GENOA； WAYNE COUNTY； IA。；
May 27； 1879。
Dear Comrade Mc。：
。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。
I have been living in this town for ten years； running a general store；
under the firm name of Hartsough & Martin； and have been more successful
than I anticipated。
I made my escape from Thomasville； Ga。； Dec。 7； 1864； by running the
guards； in company with Frank Hommat； of Company M； and a man by the name
of Clipson； of the Twenty…First Illinois Infantry。 I had heard the
officers in charge of us say that they intended to march us across to the
other road； and take us back to Andersonville。 We concluded we would
take a heavy risk on our lives rather than return there。 By stinting
ourselves we had got a little meal ahead； which we thought we would bake
up for the journey； but our appetites got the better of us； and we ate it
all up before starting。 We were camped in the woods then； with no
Stockadeonly a line of guards around us。 We thought that by a little
strategy and boldness we could pass these。 We determined to try。
Clipson was to go to the right； Hommat in the center； and myself to the
left。 We all slipped through； without a shot。 Our rendezvous was to be
the center of a small swamp； through which flowed a small stream that
supplied the prisoners with water。 Hommat and I got together soon after
passing the guard lines； and we began signaling for Clipson。 We laid
down by a large log that lay across the stream； and submerged our limbs
and part of our bodies in the water； the better to screen ourselves from
observation。 Pretty soon a Johnny came along with a bunch of turnip
tops； that he was taking up to the camp to trade to the prisoners。 As he
passed over the log I could have caught him by the leg； which I intended
to do if he saw us； but he passed along； heedless of those concealed
under his very feet； which saved him a ducking at least； for we were
resolved to drown him if he discovered us。 Waiting here a little longer
we left our lurking place and made a circuit of the edge of the swamp；
still signaling for Clipson。 But we could find nothing of him； and at
last had to give him up。
We were now between Thomasville and the camp； and as Thomasville was the
end of the railroad； the woods were full of Rebels waiting
transportation； and we approa