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thousand four hundred and fifty…four men。 After he has found the number
of square feet that each man had for sleeping apartment； dining room；
kitchen； exercise grounds and outhouses； and decided that nobody could
live for any length of time in such contracted space； I will tell him
that a few weeks later double that many men were crowded upon that space
that over thirty…five thousand were packed upon those twelve and a…half
or thirteen acres。
But I will not anticipate。 With the warm weather the condition of the
swamp in the center of the prison became simply horrible。 We hear so
much now…a…days of blood poisoning from the effluvia of sinks and sewers；
that reading it； I wonder how a man inside the Stockade； and into whose
nostrils came a breath of that noisomeness； escaped being carried off by
a malignant typhus。 In the slimy ooze were billions of white maggots。
They would crawl out by thousands on the warm sand； and； lying there a
few minutes； sprout a wing or a pair of them。 With these they would
essay a clumsy flight； ending by dropping down upon some exposed portion
of a man's body； and stinging him like a gad…fly。 Still worse； they
would drop into what he was cooking； and the utmost care could not
prevent a mess of food from being contaminated with them。
All the water that we had to use was that in the creek which flowed
through this seething mass of corruption； and received its sewerage。
How pure the water was when it came into the Stockade was a question。
We always believed that it received the drainage from the camps of the
guards； a half…a…mile away。
A road was made across the swamp； along the Dead Line at the west side；
where the creek entered the pen。 Those getting water would go to this
spot； and reach as far up the stream as possible； to get the water that
was least filthy。 As they could reach nearly to the Dead Line this
furnished an excuse to such of the guards as were murderously inclined to
fire upon them。 I think I hazard nothing in saying that for weeks at
least one man a day was killed at this place。 The murders became
monotonous； there was a dreadful sameness to them。 A gun would crack；
looking up we would see； still smoking； the muzzle of the musket of one
of the guards on either side of the creek。 At the same instant would
rise a piercing shriek from the man struck； now floundering in the creek
in his death agony。 Then thousands of throats would yell out curses and
denunciations； and
〃O； give the Rebel a furlough！〃
It was our belief that every guard who killed a Yankee was rewarded with
a thirty…day furlough。 Mr。 Frederick Holliger； now of Toledo； formerly a
member of the Seventy…Second Ohio； and captured at Guntown； tells me； as
his introduction to Andersonville life； that a few hours after his entry
he went to the brook to get a drink； reached out too far； and was fired
upon by the guard； who missed him； but killed another man and wounded a
second。 The other prisoners standing near then attacked him； and beat
him nearly to death； for having drawn the fire of the guard。
Nothing could be more inexcusable than these murders。 Whatever defense
there might be for firing on men who touched the Dead Line in other parts
of the prison； there could be none here。 The men had no intention of
escaping； they had no designs upon the Stockade； they were not leading
any party to assail it。 They were in every instance killed in the act of
reaching out with their cups to dip up a little water。
CHAPTER XXIX
SOME DISTINCTION BETWEEN SOLDIERLY DUTY AND MURDERA PLOT TO ESCAPE
IT IS REVEALED AND FRUSTRATED。
Let the reader understand that in any strictures I make I do not complain
of the necessary hardships of war。 I understood fully and accepted the
conditions of a soldier's career。 My going into the field uniformed and
armed implied an intention； at least； of killing； wounding； or capturing；
some of the enemy。 There was consequently no ground of complaint if I
was； myself killed； wounded； or captured。 If I did not want to take
these chances I ought to stay at home。 In the same way； I recognized the
right of our captors or guards to take proper precautions to prevent our
escape。 I never questioned for an instant the right of a guard to fire
upon those attempting to escape； and to kill them。 Had I been posted
over prisoners I should have had no compunction about shooting at those
trying to get away； and consequently I could not blame the Rebels for
doing the same thing。 It was a matter of soldierly duty。
But not one of the men assassinated by the guards at Andersonville were
trying to escape； nor could they have got away if not arrested by a
bullet。 In a majority of instances there was not even a transgression of
a prison rule； and when there was such a transgression it was a mere
harmless inadvertence。 The slaying of every man there was a foul crime。
The most of this was done by very young boys； some of it by old men。
The Twenty…Sixth Alabama and Fifty…Fifth Georgia； had guarded us since
the opening of the prison； but now they were ordered to the field； and
their places filled by the Georgia 〃Reserves；〃 an organization of boys
under； and men over the military age。 As General Grant aptly…phrased it；
〃They had robbed the cradle and the grave；〃 in forming these regiments。
The boys； who had grown up from children since the war began； could not
comprehend that a Yankee was a human being； or that it was any more
wrongful to shoot one than to kill a mad dog。 Their young imaginations
had been inflamed with stories of the total depravity of the Unionists
until they believed it was a meritorious thing to seize every opportunity
to exterminate them。
Early one morning I overheard a conversation between two of these
youthful guards：
〃Say； Bill； I heerd that you shot a Yank last night？〃
〃Now； you just bet I did。 God！ you jest ought to've heerd him holler。〃
Evidently the juvenile murderer had no more conception that he had
committed crime than if he had killed a rattlesnake。
Among those who came in about the last of the month were two thousand men
from Butler's command； lost in the disastrous action of May 15； by which
Butler was 〃bottled up〃 at Bermuda Hundreds。 At that time the Rebel
hatred for Butler verged on insanity； and they vented this upon these men
who were so lucklessin every senseas to be in his command。 Every
pains was taken to mistreat them。 Stripped of every article of clothing；
equipment； and cooking utensilseverything； except a shirt and a pair of
pantaloons； they were turned bareheaded and barefooted into the prison；
and the worst possible place in the pen hunted out to locate them upon。
This was under the bank； at the edge of the Swamp and at the eastern side
of the prison； where the sinks were； and all filth from the upper part of
the camp flowed down to them。 The sand upon which they lay was dry and
burning as that of a tropical desert； they were without the slightest
shelter of any kind； the maggot flies swarmed over them； and the stench
was frightful。 If one of them survived the germ theory of disease is a
hallucination。
The increasing number of prisoners made it necessary for the Rebels to
improve their means of guarding and holding us in check。 They threw up a
line of rifle pits around the Stockade for the infantry guards。
At intervals along this were piles of hand grenades； which could be used
with fearful effect in case of an outbreak。 A strong star fort was
thrown up at a little distance from the southwest corner。 Eleven field
pieces were mounted in this in such a way as to rake the Stockade
diagonally。 A smaller fort； mounting five guns； was built at the
northwest corner； and at the northeast and southeast corners were small
lunettes； with a couple of howitzers each。 Packed as we were we had
reason to dread a single round from any of these works； which could not
fail to produce fearful havoc。
Still a plot was concocted for a break； and it seemed to the sanguine
portions of us that it must prove successful。 First a secret society was
organized； bound by the most stringent oaths that could be devised。
The members of this were divided into companies of fifty men each； under
officers regularly elected。 The secrecy was assumed in order to shut out
Rebel spies and the traitors from a knowledge of the contemplated
outbreak。 A man named Bakerbelonging； I think； to some New York
regimentwas the grand organizer of the scheme。 We were careful in each
of our companies to admit none to membership except such as long
acquaintance gave us entire confidence in。
The plan was to dig large tunnels to the Stockade at various places； and
then hollow out the ground at the foot of the timbers； so that a half
dozen or so could be pushed over with a little effort； and make a gap ten
or twelve feet wide。 All these were to be thrown down at a preconcerted
signal； the companies were to rush out and seize the eleven guns of the
headquarters fort。 The Plymouth Brigade was then to man these and turn
them on the camp of the Reserves who； it was imagined； would drop their
arms and take to their heels after receiving a round or so