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unfortunates。 He either could not be made to understand their condition；
or willfully disregarded it； for it was one of the commonest sights to
see him knock down； beat； kick or otherwise abuse them for not instantly
obeying orders which their dazed senses could not comprehend； or their
feeble limbs execute； even if comprehended。
In my life I have seen many wantonly cruel men。 I have known numbers of
mates of Mississippi river steamersa class which seems carefully
selected from ruffians most proficient in profanity； obscenity and swift…
handed violence； I have seen negro…drivers in the slave marts of
St。 Louis； Memphis and New Orleans； and overseers on the plantations of
Mississippi and Louisiana； as a police reporter in one of the largest
cities in America； I have come in contact with thousands of the
brutalized scoundrelsthe thugs of the brothel； bar…room and alleywho
form the dangerous classes of a metropolis。 I knew Captain Wirz。 But in
all this exceptionally extensive and varied experience； I never met a man
who seemed to love cruelty for its own sake as well as Lieutenant
Barrett。 He took such pleasure in inflicting pain as those Indians who
slice off their prisoners' eyelids； ears； noses and hands； before burning
them at the stake。
That a thing hurt some one else was always ample reason for his doing it。
The starving； freezing prisoners used to collect in considerable numbers
before the gate； and stand there for hours gazing vacantly at it。 There
was no special object in doing this； only that it was a central point；
the rations came in there； and occasionally an officer would enter； and
it was the only place where anything was likely to occur to vary the
dreary monotony of the day； and the boys went there because there was
nothing else to offer any occupation to their minds。 It became a
favorite practical joke of Barrett's to slip up to the gate with an
armful of clubs； and suddenly opening the wicket； fling them one after
another； into the crowd； with all the force he possessed。 Many were
knocked down； and many received hurts which resulted in fatal gangrene。
If he had left the clubs lying where thrown； there would have been some
compensation for his meanness； but he always came in and carefully
gathered up such as he could get； as ammunition for another time。
I have heard men speak of receiving justiceeven favors from Wirz。
I never heard any one saying that much of Barrett。 Like Winder； if he
had a redeeming quality it was carefully obscured from the view of all
that I ever met who knew him。
Where the fellow came from； what State was entitled to the discredit of
producing and raising him； what he was before the War； what became of him
after he left us； are matters of which I never heard even a rumor； except
a very vague one that he had been killed by our cavalry； some returned
prisoner having recognized and shot him。
Colonel Iverson； of the Fifth Georgia； was the Post Commander。 He was a
man of some education； but had a violent； ungovernable temper； during
fits of which he did very brutal things。 At other times he would show a
disposition towards fairness and justice。 The worst point in my
indictment against him is that he suffered Barrett to do as he did。
Let the reader understand that I have no personal reasons for my opinion
of these men。 They never did anything to me； save what they did to all
of my companions。 I held myself aloof from them； and shunned intercourse
so effectually that during my whole imprisonment I did not speak as many
words to Rebel officers as are in this and the above paragraphs； and most
of those were spoken to the Surgeon who visited my hundred。 I do not
usually seek conversation with people I do not like； and certainly did
not with persons for whom I had so little love as I had for Turner； Ross；
Winder； Wirz； Davis； Iverson； Barrett； et al。 Possibly they felt badly
over my distance and reserve； but I must confess that they never showed
it very palpably。
As January dragged slowly away into February； rumors of the astonishing
success of Sherman began to be so definite and well authenticated as to
induce belief。 We knew that the Western Chieftain had marched almost
unresisted through Georgia； and captured Savannah with comparatively
little difficulty。 We did not understand it； nor did the Rebels around
us； for neither of us comprehended the Confederacy's near approach to
dissolution； and we could not explain why a desperate attempt was not
made somewhere to arrest the onward sweep of the conquering armies of the
West。 It seemed that if there was any vitality left in Rebeldom it would
deal a blow that would at least cause the presumptuous invader to pause。
As we knew nothing of the battles of Franklin and Nashville； we were
ignorant of the destruction of Hood's army； and were at a loss to account
for its failure to contest Sherman's progress。 The last we had heard of
Hood； he had been flanked out of Atlanta； but we did not understand that
the strength or morale of his force had been seriously reduced in
consequence。
Soon it drifted in to us that Sherman had cut loose from Savannah； as
from Atlanta； and entered South Carolina； to repeat there the march
through her sister State。 Our sources of information now were confined
to the gossip which our menworking outside on parole；could overhear
from the Rebels； and communicate to us as occasion served。 These
occasions were not frequent； as the men outside were not allowed to come
in except rarely； or stay long then。 Still we managed to know
reasonably； soon that Sherman was sweeping resistlessly across the State；
with Hardee； Dick Taylor； Beauregard； and others； vainly trying to make
head against him。 It seemed impossible to us that they should not stop
him soon； for if each of all these leaders had any command worthy the
name the aggregate must make an army that； standing on the defensive；
would give Sherman a great deal of trouble。 That he would be able to
penetrate into the State as far as we were never entered into our minds。
By and by we were astonished at the number of the trains that we could
hear passing north on the Charleston & Cheraw Railroad。 Day and night
for two weeks there did not seem to be more than half an hour's interval
at any time between the rumble and whistles of the trains as they passed
Florence Junction； and sped away towards Cheraw； thirty…five miles north
of us。 We at length discovered that Sherman had reached Branchville； and
was singing around toward Columbia； and other important points to the
north； that Charleston was being evacuated； and its garrison； munitions
and stores were being removed to Cheraw； which the Rebel Generals
intended to make their new base。 As this news was so well confirmed as
to leave no doubt of it； it began to wake up and encourage all the more
hopeful of us。 We thought we could see some premonitions of the glorious
end； and that we were getting vicarious satisfaction at the hands of our
friends under the command of Uncle Billy。
One morning orders came for one thousand men to get ready to move。
Andrews and I held a council of war on the situation； the question before
the house being whether we would go with that crowd； or stay behind。 The
conclusion we came to was thus stated by Andrews：
〃Now； Mc。； we've flanked ahead every time； and see how we've come out。
We flanked into the first squad that left Richmond； and we were
consequently in the first that got into Andersonville。 May be if we'd
staid back we'd got into that squad that was exchanged。 We were in the
first squad that left Andersonville。 We were the first to leave Savannah
and enter Millen。 May be if we'd staid back； we'd got exchanged with the
ten thousand sick。 We were the first to leave Millen and the first to
reach Blackshear。 We were again the first to leave Blackshear。 Perhaps
those fellows we left behind then are exchanged。 Now； as we've played
ahead every time； with such infernal luck； let's play backward this time；
and try what that brings us。〃
〃But； Lale；〃 （Andrews's nicknamehis proper name being Bezaleel）； said
I； 〃we made something by going ahead every timethat is； if we were not
going to be exchanged。 By getting into those places first we picked out
the best spots to stay； and got tent…building stuff that those who came
after us could not。 And certainly we can never again get into as bad a
place as this is。 The chances are that if this does not mean exchange；
it means transfer to a better prison。〃
But we concluded； as I said above； to reverse our usual order of
procedure and flank back； in hopes that something would favor our escape
to Sherman。 Accordingly； we let the first squad go off without us； and
the next； and the next； and so on； till there were only eleven hundred
mostly those sick in the Hospitalremaining behind。 Those who went
awaywe afterwards learned； were run down on the cars to Wilmington； and
afterwards up to Goldsboro； N。 C。
For a week or more we eleven hundred tenanted the Stockade； and by
burning up the tents of those who had gone had the only decent；
comfortable fires we had while in Florence。 In hunting around through