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feet； and voracious troops would climb up on one like streams of ants
swarming up a tree。 We began to have a full comprehension of the third
plague with which the Lord visited the Egyptians：
And the Lord said unto Moses； Say unto Aaron； Stretch out thy rod；
and smite the dust of the land； that it may become lice through all
the land of Egypt。
And they did so； for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod； and
smote the dust of the earth； and it became lice in man and in beast；
all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of
Egypt。
The total number of deaths in April； according to the official report；
was five hundred and seventy…six； or an average of over nineteen a day。
There was an average of five thousand prisoner's in the pen during all
but the last few days of the month； when the number was increased by the
arrival of the captured garrison of Plymouth。 This would make the loss
over eleven per cent。； and so worse than decimation。 At that rate we
should all have died in about eight months。 We could have gone through a
sharp campaign lasting those thirty days and not lost so great a
proportion of our forces。 The British had about as many men as were in
the Stockade at the battle of New Orleans； yet their loss in killed fell
much short of the deaths in the pen in April。
A makeshift of a hospital was established in the northeastern corner of
the Stockade。 A portion of the ground was divided from the rest of the
prison by a railing； a few tent flies were stretched； and in these the
long leaves of the pine were made into apologies for beds of about the
goodness of the straw on which a Northern farmer beds his stock。 The
sick taken there were no better off than if they had staid with their
comrades。
What they needed to bring about their recovery was clean clothing；
nutritious food； shelter and freedom from the tortures of the lice。
They obtained none of these。 Save a few decoctions of roots； there were
no medicines； the sick were fed the same coarse corn meal that brought
about the malignant dysentery from which they all suffered； they wore and
slept in the same vermin…infested clothes； and there could be but one
result： the official records show that seventy…six per cent。 of those
taken to the hospitals died there。
The establishment of the hospital was specially unfortunate for my little
squad。 The ground required for it compelled a general reduction of the
space we all occupied。 We had to tear down our huts and move。 By this
time the materials had become so dry that we could not rebuild with them；
as the pine tufts fell to pieces。 This reduced the tent and bedding
material of our partynow numbering fiveto a cavalry overcoat and a
blanket。 We scooped a hole a foot deep in the sand and stuck our tent…
poles around it。 By day we spread our blanket over the poles for a tent。
At night we lay down upon the overcoat and covered ourselves with the
blanket。 It required considerable stretching to make it go over five；
the two out side fellows used to get very chilly； and squeeze the three
inside ones until they felt no thicker than a wafer。 But it had to do；
and we took turns sleeping on the outside。 In the course of a few weeks
three of my chums died and left myself and B。 B。 Andrews （now Dr。
Andrews； of Astoria； Ill。） sole heirs to and occupants of； the overcoat
and blanket。
CHAPTER XXV。
THE 〃PLYMOUTH PILGRIMS〃SAD TRANSITION FROM COMFORTABLE BARRACKS TO
ANDERSONVILLEA CRAZED PENNSYLVANIANDEVELOPMENT OF THE BUTLER
BUSINESS。
We awoke one morning； in the last part of April； to find about two
thousand freshly arrived prisoners lying asleep in the main streets
running from the gates。 They were attired in stylish new uniforms；
with fancy hats and shoes； the Sergeants and Corporals wore patent
leather or silk chevrons； and each man had a large； well…filled knapsack；
of the kind new recruits usually carried on coming first to the front；
and which the older soldiers spoke of humorously as 〃bureaus。〃 They were
the snuggest； nattiest lot of soldiers we had ever seen； outside of the
〃paper collar〃 fellows forming the headquarter guard of some General in a
large City。 As one of my companions surveyed them； he said：
〃Hulloa！ I'm blanked if the Johnnies haven't caught a regiment of
Brigadier Generals； somewhere。〃
By…and…by the 〃fresh fish；〃 as all new arrivals were termed； began to
wake up； and then we learned that they belonged to a brigade consisting
of the Eighty…Fifth New York； One Hundred and First and One Hundred and
Third Pennsylvania； Sixteenth Connecticut； Twenty…Fourth New York
Battery； two companies of Massachusetts heavy artillery； and a company of
the Twelfth New York Cavalry。
They had been garrisoning Plymouth； N。 C。； an important seaport on the
Roanoke River。 Three small gunboats assisted them in their duty。 The
Rebels constructed a powerful iron clad called the 〃Albemarle；〃 at a
point further up the Roanoke； and on the afternoon of the 17th； with her
and three brigades of infantry； made an attack upon the post。
The 〃Albemarle〃 ran past the forts unharmed； sank one of the gunboats；
and drove the others away。 She then turned her attention to the
garrison； which she took in the rear； while the infantry attacked in
front。 Our men held out until the 20th； when they capitulated。
They were allowed to retain their personal effects； of all kinds；
and； as is the case with all men in garrison； these were considerable。
The One Hundred and First and One Hundred and Third Pennsylvania and
Eighty…Fifth New York had just 〃veteranized；〃 and received their first
instalment of veteran bounty。 Had they not been attacked they would have
sailed for home in a day or two； on their veteran furlough； and this
accounted for their fine raiment。 They were made up of boys from good
New York and Pennsylvania families； and were； as a rule； intelligent and
fairly educated。
Their horror at the appearance of their place of incarceration was beyond
expression。 At one moment they could not comprehend that we dirty and
haggard tatterdemalions had once been clean； self…respecting； well…fed
soldiers like themselves； at the next they would affirm that they knew
they could not stand it a month； in here we had then endured it from four
to nine months。 They took it； in every way； the hardest of any prisoners
that came in； except some of the 'Hundred…Days' men； who were brought in
in August； from the Valley of Virginia。 They had served nearly all their
time in various garrisons along the seacoastfrom Fortress Monroe to
Beaufortwhere they had had comparatively little of the actual hardships
of soldiering in the field。 They had nearly always had comfortable
quarters； an abundance of food； few hard marches or other severe service。
Consequently they were not so well hardened for Andersonville as the
majority who came in。 In other respects they were better prepared；
as they had an abundance of clothing； blankets and cooking utensils；
and each man had some of his veteran bounty still in possession。
It was painful to see how rapidly many of them sank under the miseries of
the situation。 They gave up the moment the gates were closed upon them；
and began pining away。 We older prisoners buoyed ourselves up
continually with hopes of escape or exchange。 We dug tunnels with the
persistence of beavers； and we watched every possible opportunity to get
outside the accursed walls of the pen。 But we could not enlist the
interest of these discouraged ones in any of our schemes； or talk。
They resigned themselves to Death； and waited despondingly till he came。
A middle…aged One Hundred and First Pennsylvanian； who had taken up his
quarters near me； was an object of peculiar interest。 Reasonably
intelligent and fairly read； I presume that he was a respectable mechanic
before entering the Army。 He was evidently a very domestic man； whose
whole happiness centered in his family。
When he first came in he was thoroughly dazed by the greatness of his
misfortune。 He would sit for hours with his face in his hands and his
elbows on his knees； gazing out upon the mass of men and huts； with
vacant； lack…luster eyes。 We could not interest him in anything。
We tried to show him how to fix his blanket up to give him some shelter；
but he went at the work in a disheartened way； and finally smiled feebly
and stopped。 He had some letters from his family and a melaineotype of a
plain…faced womanhis wifeand her children； and spent much time in
looking at them。 At first he ate his rations when he drew them； but
finally began to reject； them。 In a few days he was delirious with
hunger and homesick ness。 He would sit on the sand for hours imagining
that be was at his family table； dispensing his frugal hospitalities to
his wife and children。
Making a motion； as if presenting a dish； he would say：
〃Janie； have another biscuit； do！〃
Or；
〃Eddie； son； won't you have another piece of this nice steak？〃
Or；
〃Maggie； have some more potatos；〃 and so on； through a whole family of
six； or more。 It was a relief to us when he died in about a month after
he came in。