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six； or more。 It was a relief to us when he died in about a month after
he came in。
As stated above； the Plymouth men brought in a large amount of money
variously estimated at from ten thousand to one hundred thousand dollars。
The presence of this quantity of circulating medium immediately started a
lively commerce。 All sorts of devices were resorted to by the other
prisoners to get a little of this wealth。 Rude chuck…a…luck boards were
constructed out of such material as was attainable； and put in operation。
Dice and cards were brought out by those skilled in such matters。
As those of us already in the Stockade occupied all the ground； there was
no disposition on the part of many to surrender a portion of their space
without exacting a pecuniary compensation。 Messes having ground in a
good location would frequently demand and get ten dollars for permission
for two or three to quarter with them。 Then there was a great demand for
poles to stretch blankets over to make tents； the Rebels； with their
usual stupid cruelty； would not supply these； nor allow the prisoners to
go out and get them themselves。 Many of the older prisoners had poles to
spare which they were saying up for fuel。 They sold these to the
Plymouth folks at the rate of ten dollars for threeenough to put up a
blanket。
The most considerable trading was done through the gates。 The Rebel
guards were found quite as keen to barter as they had been in Richmond。
Though the laws against their dealing in the money of the enemy were
still as stringent as ever； their thirst for greenbacks was not abated
one whit； and they were ready to sell anything they had for the coveted
currency。 The rate of exchange was seven or eight dollars in Confederate
money for one dollar in greenbacks。 Wood； tobacco； meat； flour； beans；
molasses； onions and a villainous kind of whisky made from sorghum； were
the staple articles of trade。 A whole race of little traffickers in
these articles sprang up； and finally Selden； the Rebel Quartermaster；
established a sutler shop in the center of the North Side； which he put
in charge of Ira Beverly； of the One Hundredth Ohio； and Charlie
Huckleby； of the Eighth Tennessee。 It was a fine illustration of the
development of the commercial instinct in some men。 No more unlikely
place for making money could be imagined； yet starting in without a cent；
they contrived to turn and twist and trade； until they had transferred to
their pockets a portion of the funds which were in some one else's。
The Rebels； of course； got nine out of every ten dollars there was in the
prison； but these middle men contrived to have a little of it stick to
their fingers。
It was only the very few who were able to do this。 Nine hundred and
ninety…nine out of every thousand were； like myself； either wholly
destitute of money and unable to get it from anybody else； or they paid
out what money they had to the middlemen； in exorbitant prices for
articles of food。
The N'Yaarkers had still another method for getting food； money； blankets
and clothing。 They formed little bands called 〃Raiders；〃 under the
leadership of a chief villain。 One of these bands would select as their
victim a man who had good blankets； clothes； a watch； or greenbacks。
Frequently he would be one of the little traders； with a sack of beans；
a piece of meat； or something of that kind。 Pouncing upon him at night
they would snatch away his possessions； knock down his friends who came
to his assistance； and scurry away into the darkness。
CHAPTER XXVI
LONGINGS FOR GOD'S COUNTRYCONSIDERATIONS OF THE METHODS OF GETTING
THEREEXCHANGE AND ESCAPEDIGGING TUNNELS； AND THE DIFFICULTIES
CONNECTED THEREWITHPUNISHMENT OF A TRAITOR。
To our minds the world now contained but two grand divisions； as widely
different from each other as happiness and misery。 The firstthat
portion over which our flag floated was usually spoken of as 〃God's
Country；〃 the otherthat under the baneful shadow of the banner of
rebellionwas designated by the most opprobrious epithets at the
speaker's command。
To get from the latter to the former was to attain； at one bound； the
highest good。 Better to be a doorkeeper in the House of the Lord； under
the Stars and Stripes； than to dwell in the tents of wickedness； under
the hateful Southern Cross。
To take even the humblest and hardest of service in the field now would
be a delightsome change。 We did not ask to go homewe would be content
with anything； so long as it was in that blest place 〃within our lines。〃
Only let us get back once； and there would be no more grumbling at
rations or guard dutywe would willingly endure all the hardships and
privations that soldier flesh is heir to。
There were two ways of getting backescape and exchange。 Exchange was
like the ever receding mirage of the desert； that lures the thirsty
traveler on over the parched sands； with illusions of refreshing springs；
only to leave his bones at last to whiten by the side of those of his
unremembered predecessors。 Every day there came something to build up
the hopes that exchange was near at handevery day brought something to
extinguish the hopes of the preceding one。 We took these varying phases
according to our several temperaments。 The sanguine built themselves up
on the encouraging reports； the desponding sank down and died under the
discouraging ones。
Escape was a perpetual allurement。 To the actively inclined among us it
seemed always possible； and daring； busy brains were indefatigable in
concocting schemes for it。 The only bit of Rebel brain work that I ever
saw for which I did not feel contempt was the perfect precautions taken
to prevent our escape。 This is shown by the fact that； although； from
first to last； there were nearly fifty thousand prisoners in
Andersonville； and three out of every five of these were ever on the
alert to take French leave of their captors； only three hundred and
twenty…eight succeeded in getting so far away from Andersonville as to
leave it to be presumed that they had reached our lines。
The first； and almost superhuman difficulty was to get outside the
Stockade。 It was simply impossible to scale it。 The guards were too
close together to allow an instant's hope to the most sanguine； that he
could even pass the Dead Line without being shot by some one of them。
This same closeness prevented any hope of bribing them。 To be successful
half those on post would have to be bribed； as every part of the Stockade
was clearly visible from every other part； and there was no night so dark
as not to allow a plain view to a number of guards of the dark figure
outlined against the light colored logs of any Yankee who should essay to
clamber towards the top of the palisades。
The gates were so carefully guarded every time they were opened as to
preclude hope of slipping out through theme。 They were only unclosed
twice or thrice a dayonce to admit； the men to call the roll； once to
let them out again； once to let the wagons come in with rations； and
once； perhaps； to admit； new prisoners。 At all these times every
precaution was taken to prevent any one getting out surreptitiously。
This narrowed down the possibilities of passing the limits of the pen
alive； to tunneling。 This was also surrounded by almost insuperable
difficulties。 First； it required not less than fifty feet of
subterranean excavation to get out； which was an enormous work with our
limited means。 Then the logs forming the Stockade were set in the ground
to a depth of five feet； and the tunnel had to go down beneath them。
They had an unpleasant habit of dropping down into the burrow under them。
It added much to the discouragements of tunneling to think of one of
these massive timbers dropping upon a fellow as he worked his mole…like
way under it； and either crushing him to death outright； or pinning him
there to die of suffocation or hunger。
In one instance； in a tunnel near me； but in which I was not interested；
the log slipped down after the digger had got out beyond it。
He immediately began digging for the surface； for life； and was
fortunately able to break through before he suffocated。 He got his head
above the ground； and then fainted。 The guard outside saw him； pulled
him out of the hole； and when he recovered sensibility hurried him back
into the Stockade。
In another tunnel； also near us； a broad…shouldered German； of the Second
Minnesota； went in to take his turn at digging。 He was so much larger
than any of his predecessors that he stuck fast in a narrow part； and
despite all the efforts of himself and comrades； it was found impossible
to move him one way or the other。 The comrades were at last reduced to
the humiliation of informing the Officer of the Guard of their tunnel and
the condition of their friend； and of asking assistance to release him；
which was given。
The great tunneling tool was the indispensable half…canteen。 The
inventive genius of our people； stimulated by the war； produced nothing
for the comfort and effectiveness of the soldier equal in usefulness to
this humble and unrecognized utensil。 It will be remembered that a
canteen was comp