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Andersonville from dysenteric diseases alone。
The loathsome maggot flies swarmed about the bakery； and dropped into the
trough where the dough was being mixed； so that it was rare to get a
ration of bread not contaminated with a few of them。
It was not long until the bakery became inadequate to supply bread for
all the prisoners。 Then great iron kettles were set； and mush was issued
to a number of detachments； instead of bread。 There was not so much
cleanliness and care in preparing this as a farmer shows in cooking food
for stock。 A deep wagon…bed would be shoveled full of the smoking paste；
which was then hailed inside and issued out to the detachments； the
latter receiving it on blankets； pieces of shelter tents； or； lacking
even these； upon the bare sand。
As still more prisoners came in； neither bread nor mush could be
furnished them； and a part of the detachments received their rations in
meal。 Earnest solicitation at length resulted in having occasional
scanty issues of wood to cook this with。 My detachment was allowed to
choose which it would takebread； mush or meal。 It took the latter。
Cooking the meal was the topic of daily interest。 There were three ways
of doing it： Bread； mush and 〃dumplings。〃 In the latter the meal was
dampened until it would hold together； and was rolled into little balls；
the size of marbles； which were then boiled。 The bread was the most
satisfactory and nourishing； the mush the bulkiestit made a bigger
show； but did not stay with one so long。 The dumplings held an
intermediate positionthe water in which they were boiled becoming a
sort of a broth that helped to stay the stomach。 We received no salt；
as a rule。 No one knows the intense longing for this； when one goes
without it for a while。 When； after a privation of weeks we would get a
teaspoonful of salt apiece； it seemed as if every muscle in our bodies
was invigorated。 We traded buttons to the guards for red peppers； and
made our mush； or bread； or dumplings； hot with the fiery…pods； in hopes
that this would make up for the lack of salt； but it was a failure。
One pinch of salt was worth all the pepper pods in the Southern
Confederacy。 My little squadnow diminished by death from five to
threecooked our rations together to economize wood and waste of meal；
and quarreled among； ourselves daily as to whether the joint stock should
be converted into bread； mush or dumplings。 The decision depended upon
the state of the stomach。 If very hungry； we made mush； if less
famished； dumplings； if disposed to weigh matters； bread。
This may seem a trifling matter； but it was far from it。 We all remember
the man who was very fond of white beans； but after having fifty or sixty
meals of them in succession； began to find a suspicion of monotony in the
provender。 We had now six months of unvarying diet of corn meal and
water； and even so slight a change as a variation in the way of combining
the two was an agreeable novelty。
At the end of June there were twenty…six thousand three hundred and
sixty…seven prisoners in the Stockade； and one thousand two hundredjust
forty per dayhad died during the month。
CHAPTER XXXI
DYING BY INCHESSEITZ； THE SLOW； AND HIS DEATHSTIGGALL AND EMERSON
RAVAGES ON THE SCURVY。
May and June made sad havoc in the already thin ranks of our battalion。
Nearly a score died in my companyLand the other companies suffered
proportionately。 Among the first to die of my company comrades； was a
genial little Corporal； 〃Billy〃 Phillipswho was a favorite with us all。
Everything was done for him that kindness could suggest； but it was of
little avail。 Then 〃Bruno〃 Weeksa young boy； the son of a preacher；
who had run away from his home in Fulton County； Ohio； to join us；
succumbed to hardship and privation。
The next to go was good…natured； harmless Victor Seitz； a Detroit cigar
maker； a German； and one of the slowest of created mortals。 How he ever
came to go into the cavalry was beyond the wildest surmises of his
comrades。 Why his supernatural slowness and clumsiness did not result in
his being killed at least once a day； while in the service； was even
still farther beyond the power of conjecture。 No accident ever happened
in the company that Seitz did not have some share in。 Did a horse fall
on a slippery road； it was almost sure to be Seitz's； and that imported
son of the Fatherland was equally sure to be caught under him。 Did
somebody tumble over a bank of a dark night； it was Seitz that we soon
heard making his way back； swearing in deep German gutterals； with
frequent allusion to 'tausend teuflin。' Did a shanty blow down； we ran
over and pulled Seitz out of the debris； when he would exclaim：
〃Zo！ dot vos pretty vunny now； ain't it？〃
And as he surveyed the scene of his trouble with true German phlegm； he
would fish a brier…wood pipe from the recesses of his pockets； fill it
with tobacco； and go plodding off in a cloud of smoke in search of some
fresh way to narrowly escape destruction。 He did not know enough about
horses to put a snaffle…bit in one's mouth； and yet he would draw the
friskiest； most mettlesome animal in the corral； upon whose back he was
scarcely more at home than he would be upon a slack rope。 It was no
uncommon thing to see a horse break out of ranks； and go past the
battalion like the wind； with poor Seitz clinging to his mane like the
traditional grim Death to a deceased African。 We then knew that Seitz
had thoughtlessly sunk the keen spurs he would persist in wearing； deep
into the flanks of his high…mettled animal。
These accidents became so much a matter…of…course that when anything
unusual occurred in the company our first impulse was to go and help
Seitz out。
When the bugle sounded 〃boots and saddles；〃 the rest of us would pack up；
mount； 〃count off by fours from the right；〃 and be ready to move out
before the last notes of the call had fairly died away。 Just then we
would notice an unsaddled horse still tied to the hitching place。 It was
Seitz's； and that worthy would be seen approaching； pipe in mouth； and
bridle in hand； with calm； equable steps； as if any time before the
expiration of his enlistment would be soon enough to accomplish the
saddling of his steed。 A chorus of impatient and derisive remarks would
go up from his impatient comrades：
〃For heaven's sake； Seitz； hurry up！〃
〃Seitz！ you are like a cow's tailalways behind！〃
〃Seitz； you are slower than the second coming of the Savior！〃
〃Christmas is a railroad train alongside of you； Seitz！〃
〃If you ain't on that horse in half a second； Seitz； we'll go off and
leave you； and the Johnnies will skin you alive！〃 etc。； etc。
Not a ripple of emotion would roll over Seitz's placid features under the
sharpest of these objurgations。 At last； losing all patience； two or
three boys would dismount； run to Seitz's horse； pack； saddle and bridle
him； as if he were struck with a whirlwind。 Then Seitz would mount； and
we would move 'off。
For all this； we liked him。 His good nature was boundless； and his
disposition to oblige equal to the severest test。 He did not lack a
grain of his full share of the calm； steadfast courage of his race； and
would stay where he was put； though Erebus yawned and bade him fly。
He was very useful； despite his unfitness for many of the duties of a
cavalryman。 He was a good guard； and always ready to take charge of
prisoners； or be sentry around wagons or a forage pile…duties that most
of the boys cordially hated。
But he came into the last trouble at Andersonville。 He stood up pretty
well under the hardships of Belle Isle； but lost his cheerfulnesshis
unrepining calmnessafter a few weeks in the Stockade。 One day we
remembered that none of us had seen him for several days； and we started
in search of him。 We found him in a distant part of the camp； lying near
the Dead Line。 His long fair hair was matted together； his blue eyes had
the flush of fever。 Every part of his clothing was gray with the lice
that were hastening his death with their torments。 He uttered the first
complaint I ever heard him make； as I came up to him：
〃My Gott； M ； dis is worse dun a dog's det！〃
In a few days we gave him all the funeral in our power； tied his big toes
together； folded his hands across his breast； pinned to his shirt a slip
of paper； upon which was written：
VICTOR E。 SEITZ；
Co。 L； Sixteenth Illinois Cavalry。
And laid his body at the South Gate； beside some scores of others that
were awaiting the arrival of the six…mule wagon that hauled them to the
Potter's Field； which was to be their last resting…place。
John Emerson and John Stiggall； of my company； were two Norwegian boys；
and fine specimens of their raceintelligent； faithful； and always ready
for duty。 They had an affection for each other that reminded one of the
stories told of the sworn attachment and the unfailing devotion that were
common between two Gothic warrior youths。 Coming into Andersonville some
little time after the rest of us； they found all the desirable ground
taken up； and they established their quarters at the base of the hill；
near the Swa