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stirring when played by a brass band。
We heard these songs with tiresome iteration； daily and nightly； during
our stay in the Southern Confederacy。 Some one of the guards seemed to
be perpetually beguiling the weariness of his watch by singing in all
keys； in every sort of a voice； and with the wildest latitude as to air
and time。 They became so terribly irritating to us； that to this day the
remembrance of those soul…lacerating lyrics abides with me as one of the
chief of the minor torments of our situation。 They were； in fact； nearly
as bad as the lice。
We revenged ourselves as best we could by constructing fearfully wicked；
obscene and insulting parodies on these； and by singing them with
irritating effusiveness in the hearing of the guards who were inflicting
these nuisances upon us。
Of the same nature was the garrison music。 One fife； played by an
asthmatic old fellow whose breathings were nearly as audible as his
notes； and one rheumatic drummer； constituted the entire band for the
post。 The fifer actually knew but one tune 〃The Bonnie Blue Flag〃
and did not know that well。 But it was all that he had； and he played it
with wearisome monotony for every camp callfive or six times a day；
and seven days in the week。 He called us up in the morning with it for a
reveille； he sounded the 〃roll call〃 and 〃drill call；〃 breakfast； dinner
and supper with it； and finally sent us to bed； with the same dreary wail
that had rung in our ears all day。 I never hated any piece of music as I
came to hate that threnody of treason。 It would have been such a relief
if the； old asthmatic who played it could have been induced to learn
another tune to play on Sundays； and give us one day of rest。 He did
not； but desecrated the Lord's Day by playing as vilely as on the rest of
the week。 The Rebels were fully conscious of their musical deficiencies；
and made repeated but unsuccessful attempts to induce the musicians among
the prisoners to come outside and form a band。
CHAPTER XLV
AUGUSTNEEDLES STUCK IN PUMPKIN SEEDSSOME PHENOMENA OF STARVATION
RIOTING IN REMEMBERED LUXURIES。
〃Illinoy；〃said tall； gaunt Jack North； of the One Hundred and Fourteenth
Illinois； to me； one day； as we sat contemplating our naked； and sadly
attenuated underpinning； 〃what do our legs and feet most look most like？〃
〃Give it up； Jack；〃 said I。
〃Whydarning needles stuck in pumpkin seeds； of course。〃 I never heard
a better comparison for our wasted limbs。
The effects of the great bodily emaciation were sometimes very startling。
Boys of a fleshy habit would change so in a few weeks as to lose all
resemblance to their former selves； and comrades who came into prison
later would utterly fail to recognize them。 Most fat men； as most large
men； died in a little while after entering； though there were exceptions。
One of these was a boy of my own company； named George Hillicks。 George
had shot up within a few years to over six feet in hight； and then； as
such boys occasionally do； had； after enlisting with us； taken on such a
development of flesh that we nicknamed him the 〃Giant；〃 and he became a
pretty good load for even the strongest horse。 George held his flesh
through Belle Isle； and the earlier weeks in Andersonville； but June；
July； and August 〃fetched him；〃 as the boys said。 He seemed to melt away
like an icicle on a Spring day； and he grew so thin that his hight seemed
preternatural。 We called him 〃Flagstaff；〃 and cracked all sorts of jokes
about putting an insulator on his head； and setting him up for a
telegraph pole； braiding his legs and using him for a whip lash； letting
his hair grow a little longer； and trading him off to the Rebels for a
sponge and staff for the artillery； etc。 We all expected him to die；
and looked continually for the development of the fatal scurvy symptoms；
which were to seal his doom。 But he worried through； and came out at
last in good shape； a happy result due as much as to anything else to his
having in Chester Hayward； of Prairie City； Ill。；one of the most
devoted chums I ever knew。 Chester nursed and looked out for George with
wife…like fidelity； and had his reward in bringing him safe through our
lines。 There were thousands of instances of this generous devotion to
each other by chums in Andersonville； and I know of nothing that reflects
any more credit upon our boy soldiers。
There was little chance for any one to accumulate flesh on the rations we
were receiving。 I say it in all soberness that I do not believe that a
healthy hen could have grown fat upon them。 I am sure that any good…
sized 〃shanghai〃 eats more every day than the meager half loaf that we
had to maintain life upon。 Scanty as this was； and hungry as all were；
very many could not eat it。 Their stomachs revolted against the trash；
it became so nauseous to them that they could not force it down； even
when famishing； and they died of starvation with the chunks of the so…
called bread under their head。 I found myself rapidly approaching this
condition。 I had been blessed with a good digestion and a talent for
sleeping under the most discouraging circumstances。 These； I have no
doubt； were of the greatest assistance to me in my struggle for
existence。 But now the rations became fearfully obnoxious to me； and it
was only with the greatest effortpulling the bread into little pieces
and swallowing each； of these as one would a pillthat I succeeded in
worrying the stuff down。 I had not as yet fallen away very much； but as
I had never； up； to that time； weighed so much as one hundred and twenty…
five pounds； there was no great amount of adipose to lose。 It was
evident that unless some change occurred my time was near at hand。
There was not only hunger for more food； but longing with an intensity
beyond expression for alteration of some kind in the rations。
The changeless monotony of the miserable saltless bread； or worse mush；
for days； weeks and months； became unbearable。 If those wretched mule
teams had only once a month hauled in something differentif they had
come in loaded with sweet potatos； green corn or wheat flour； there would
be thousands of men still living who now slumber beneath those melancholy
pines。 It would have given something to look forward to； and remember
when past。 But to know each day that the gates would open to admit the
same distasteful apologies for food took away the appetite and raised
one's gorge； even while famishing for something to eat。
We could for a while forget the stench； the lice； the heat； the maggots；
the dead and dying around us； the insulting malignance of our jailors；
but it was； very hard work to banish thoughts and longings for food from
our minds。 Hundreds became actually insane from brooding over it。 Crazy
men could be found in all parts of the camp。 Numbers of them wandered
around entirely naked。 Their babblings and maunderings about something
to eat were painful to hear。 I have before mentioned the case of the
Plymouth Pilgrim near me； whose insanity took the form of imagining that
he was sitting at the table with his family； and who would go through the
show of helping them to imaginary viands and delicacies。 The cravings
for green food of those afflicted with the scurvy were； agonizing。 Large
numbers of watermelons were brought to the prison； and sold to those who
had the money to pay for them at from one to five dollars； greenbacks；
apiece。 A boy who had means to buy a piece of these would be followed
about while eating it by a crowd of perhaps twenty…five or thirty livid…
gummed scorbutics； each imploring him for the rind when he was through
with it。
We thought of food all day； and were visited with torturing dreams of it
at night。 One of the pleasant recollections of my pre…military life was
a banquet at the 〃Planter's House；〃 St。 Louis； at which I was a boyish
guest。 It was； doubtless； an ordinary affair； as banquets go； but to me
then； with all the keen appreciation of youth and first experience； it
was a feast worthy of Lucullus。 But now this delightful reminiscence
became a torment。 Hundreds of times I dreamed I was again at the
〃Planter's。〃 I saw the wide corridors； with their mosaic pavement；
I entered the grand dining…room； keeping timidly near the friend to whose
kindness I owed this wonderful favor； I saw again the mirror…lined walls；
the evergreen decked ceilings； the festoons and mottos； the tables
gleaming with cutglass and silver； the buffets with wines and fruits；
the brigade of sleek； black； white…aproned waiters； headed by one who had
presence enough for a major General。 Again I reveled in all the dainties
and dishes on the bill…of…fare； calling for everything that I dared to；
just to see what each was like； and to be able to say afterwards that I
had partaken of it； all these bewildering delights of the first
realization of what a boy has read and wondered much over； and longed
for； would dance their rout and reel through my somnolent brain。 Then I
would awake to find myself a half…naked； half…starved； vermin…eaten
wretch； crouching in a hole in the ground； waiting for my keepers to
fling me a chunk of corn bread。