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At first these depredations were only perpetrated at night。 The quarry
was selected during the day； and arrangements made for a descent。 After
the victim was asleep the band dashed down upon him； and sheared him of
his goods with incredible swiftness。 Those near would raise the cry of
〃Raiders！〃 and attack the robbers。 If the latter had secured their booty
they retreated with all possible speed； and were soon lost in the crowd。
If not； they would offer battle； and signal for assistance from the other
bands。 Severe engagements of this kind were of continual occurrence； in
which men were so badly beaten as to die from the effects。 The weapons
used were fists； clubs； axes； tent…poles； etc。 The Raiders were
plentifully provided with the usual weapons of their classslung…shots
and brass…knuckles。 Several of them had succeeded in smuggling bowie…
knives into prison。
They had the great advantage in these rows of being well acquainted with
each other； while； except the Plymouth Pilgrims； the rest of the
prisoners were made up of small squads of men from each regiment in the
service； and total strangers to all outside of their own little band。
The Raiders could concentrate； if necessary； four hundred or five hundred
men upon any point of attack； and each member of the gangs had become so
familiarized with all the rest by long association in New York； and
elsewhere； that he never dealt a blow amiss； while their opponents were
nearly as likely to attack friends as enemies。
By the middle of June the continual success of the Raiders emboldened
them so that they no longer confined their depredations to the night；
but made their forays in broad daylight； and there was hardly an hour in
the twenty…four that the cry of 〃Raiders！ Raiders！〃 did； not go up from
some part of the pen； and on looking in the direction of the cry； one
would see a surging commotion； men struggling； and clubs being plied
vigorously。 This was even more common than the guards shooting men at
the Creek crossing。
One day I saw 〃Dick Allen's Raiders；〃 eleven in number； attack a man
wearing the uniform of Ellett's Marine Brigade。 He was a recent comer；
and alone； but he was brave。 He had come into possession of a spade； by
some means or another； and he used this with delightful vigor and effect。
Two or three times he struck one of his assailants so fairly on the head
and with such good will that I congratulated myself that he had killed
him。 Finally； Dick Allen managed to slip around behind him unnoticed；
and striking him on the head with a slung…shot； knocked him down； when
the whole crowd pounced upon him to kill him； but were driven off by
others rallying to his assistance。
The proceeds of these forays enabled the Raiders to wax fat and lusty；
while others were dying from starvation。 They all had good tents；
constructed of stolen blankets； and their headquarters was a large； roomy
tent； with a circular top； situated on the street leading to the South
Gate； and capable of accommodating from seventy…five to one hundred men。
All the material for this had been wrested away from others。 While
hundreds were dying of scurvy and diarrhea； from the miserable；
insufficient food； and lack of vegetables； these fellows had flour； fresh
meat； onions； potatoes； green beans； and other things； the very looks of
which were a torture to hungry； scorbutic； dysenteric men。 They were on
the best possible terms with the Rebels； whom they fawned upon and
groveled before； and were in return allowed many favors； in the way of
trading； going out upon detail； and making purchases。
Among their special objects of attack were the small traders in the
prison。 We had quite a number of these whose genius for barter was so
strong that it took root and flourished even in that unpropitious soil；
and during the time when new prisoners were constantly coming in with
money； they managed to accumulate small sumsfrom ten dollars upward； by
trading between the guards and the prisoners。 In the period immediately
following a prisoner's entrance he was likely to spend all his money and
trade off all his possessions for food； trusting to fortune to get him
out of there when these were gone。 Then was when he was profitable to
these go…betweens； who managed to make him pay handsomely for what he
got。 The Raiders kept watch of these traders； and plundered them
whenever occasion served。 It reminded one of the habits of the fishing
eagle； which hovers around until some other bird catches a fish； and then
takes it away。
CHAPTER XXXV
A COMMUNITY WITHOUT GOVERNMENTFORMATION OF THE REGULATORSRAIDERS
ATTACK KEY BUT ARE BLUFFED OFFASSAULT OF THE REGULATORS ON THE RAIDERS
DESPERATE BATTLEOVERTHROW OF THE RAIDERS。
To fully appreciate the condition of affairs let it be remembered that we
were a community of twenty…five thousand boys and young mennone too
regardful of control at bestand now wholly destitute of government。
The Rebels never made the slightest attempt to maintain order in the
prison。 Their whole energies were concentrated in preventing our escape。
So long as we staid inside the Stockade； they cared as little what we did
there as for the performances of savages in the interior of Africa。
I doubt if they would have interfered had one…half of us killed and eaten
the other half。 They rather took a delight in such atrocities as came to
their notice。 It was an ocular demonstration of the total depravity of
the Yankees。
Among ourselves there was no one in position to lay down law and enforce
it。 Being all enlisted men we were on a dead level as far as rank was
concernedthe highest being only Sergeants； whose stripes carried no
weight of authority。 The time of our stay wasit was hopedtoo
transient to make it worth while bothering about organizing any form of
government。 The great bulk of the boys were recent comers； who hoped
that in another week or so they would be out again。 There were no fat
salaries to tempt any one to take upon himself the duty of ruling the
masses； and all were left to their own devices； to do good or evil；
according to their several bents； and as fear of consequences swayed
them。 Each little squad of men was a law unto themselves； and made and
enforced their own regulations on their own territory。 The administration
of justice was reduced to its simplest terms。 If a fellow did wrong he
was poundedif there was anybody capable of doing it。 If not he went
free。
The almost unvarying success of the Raiders intheir forays gave the
general impression that they were invinciblethat is； that not enough
men could be concentrated against them to whip them。 Our ill…success in
the attack we made on them in April helped us to the same belief。 If we
could not beat them then； we could not now； after we had been enfeebled
by months of starvation and disease。 It seemed to us that the Plymouth
Pilgrims； whose organization was yet very strong； should undertake the
task； but； as is usually the case in this world； where we think somebody
else ought to undertake the performance of a disagreeable public duty；
they did not see it in the light that we wished them to。 They
established guards around their squads； and helped beat off the Raiders
when their own territory was invaded； but this was all they would do。
The rest of us formed similar guards。 In the southwest corner of the
Stockadewhere I waswe formed ourselves into a company of fifty active
boysmostly belonging to my own battalion and to other Illinois
regimentsof which I was elected Captain。 My First Lieutenant was a
tall； taciturn； long…armed member of the One Hundred and Eleventh
Illinois； whom we called 〃Egypt；〃 as he came from that section of the
State。 He was wonderfully handy with his fists。 I think he could knock
a fellow down so that he would fall…harder； and lie longer than any
person I ever saw。 We made a tacit division of duties： I did the
talking； and 〃Egypt〃 went through the manual labor of knocking our
opponents down。 In the numerous little encounters in which our company
was engaged； 〃Egypt〃 would stand by my side； silent； grim and patient；
while I pursued the dialogue with the leader of the other crowd。 As soon
as he thought the conversation had reached the proper point； his long
left arm stretched out like a flash； and the other fellow dropped as if
he had suddenly come in range of a mule that was feeling well。 That
unexpected left…hander never failed。 It would have made Charles Reade's
heart leap for joy to see it。
In spite of our company and our watchfulness； the Raiders beat us badly
on one occasion。 Marion Friend； of Company I of our battalion； was one
of the small traders； and had accumulated forty dollars by his bartering。
One evening at dusk Delaney's Raiders； about twenty…five strong； took
advantage of the absence of most of us drawing rations； to make a rush
for Marion。 They knocked him down； cut him across the wrist and neck
with a razor； and robbed him of his forty dollars。 By the time we could
rally Delaney and his attendant scoundrels were safe from pursuit in the
midst of their friends。
This state of things had become unendurable。 Sergeant Le