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with him as clerk； and saved his life； as the latter was going down hill
very rapidly。 Reynolds； in turn； secured the detail of a comrade of the
Sixty…Eighth who was failing fast； and succeeded in saving his lifeall
of which happy results were directly attributable to that insignificant
boyish society； and its equally unimportant badge of membership。
Along in the last of August the Rebels learned that there were between
two and three hundred Captains and Lieutenants in the Stockade； passing
themselves off as enlisted men。 The motive of these officers was two…
fold： first； a chivalrous wish to share the fortunes and fate of their
boys； and second； disinclination to gratify the Rebels by the knowledge
of the rank of their captives。 The secret was so well kept that none of
us suspected it until the fact was announced by the Rebels themselves。
They were taken out immediately； and sent to Macon； where the
commissioned officers' prison was。 It would not do to trust such
possible leaders with us another day。
CHAPTER L
FOODTHE MEAGERNESS； INFERIOR QUALITY； AND TERRIBLE SAMENESS
REBEL TESTIMONY ON THE SUBJECTFUTILITY OF SUCCESSFUL EXPLANATION。
I have in other places dwelt upon the insufficiency and the nauseousness
of the food。 No words that I can use； no insistence upon this theme； can
give the reader any idea of its mortal importance to us。
Let the reader consider for a moment the quantity； quality； and variety
of food that he now holds to be necessary for the maintenance of life and
health。 I trust that every one who peruses this bookthat every one in
fact over whom the Stars and Stripes wavehas his cup of coffee； his
biscuits and his beefsteak for breakfasta substantial dinner of roast
or boiledand a lighter； but still sufficient meal in the evening。
In all； certainly not less than fifty different articles are set before
him during the day； for his choice as elements of nourishment。 Let him
scan this extended bill…of…fare； which long custom has made so common…
place as to be uninterestingperhaps even wearisome to think about
and see what he could omit from it； if necessity compelled him。 After a
reluctant farewell to fish； butter； eggs； milk； sugar； green and
preserved fruits； etc。； he thinks that perhaps under extraordinary
circumstances he might be able to merely sustain life for a limited
period on a diet of bread and meat three times a day； washed down with
creamless； unsweetened coffee； and varied occasionally with additions of
potatos； onions； beans； etc。 It would astonish the Innocent to have one
of our veterans inform him that this was not even the first stage of
destitution； that a soldier who had these was expected to be on the
summit level of contentment。 Any of the boys who followed Grant to
Appomattox Court House； Sherman to the Sea； or 〃Pap〃 Thomas till his
glorious career culminated with the annihilation of Hood； will tell him
of many weeks when a slice of fat pork on a piece of 〃hard tack〃 had to
do duty for the breakfast of beefsteak and biscuits； when another slice
of fat pork and another cracker served for the dinner of roast beef and
vegetables； and a third cracker and slice of pork was a substitute for
the supper of toast and chops。
I say to these veterans in turn that they did not arrive at the first
stages of destitution compared with the depths to which we were dragged。
The restriction for a few weeks to a diet of crackers and fat pork was
certainly a hardship； but the crackers alone； chemists tell us； contain
all the elements necessary to support life； and in our Army they were
always well made and very palatable。 I believe I risk nothing in saying
that one of the ordinary square crackers of our Commissary Department
contained much more real nutriment than the whole of our average ration。
I have before compared the size； shape and appearance of the daily half
loaf of corn bread issued to us to a half…brick； and I do not yet know of
a more fitting comparison。 At first we got a small piece of rusty bacon
along with this； but the size of this diminished steadily until at last
it faded away entirely； and during the last six months of our
imprisonment I do not believe that we received rations of meat above a
half…dozen times。
To this smallness was added ineffable badness。 The meal was ground very
coarsely； by dull； weakly propelled stones； that imperfectly crushed the
grains； and left the tough； hard coating of the kernels in large； sharp；
mica…like scales； which cut and inflamed the stomach and intestines；
like handfuls of pounded glass。 The alimentary canals of all compelled
to eat it were kept in a continual state of irritation that usually
terminated in incurable dysentery。
That I have not over…stated this evil can be seen by reference to the
testimony of so competent a scientific observer as Professor Jones； and I
add to that unimpeachable testimony the following extract from the
statement made in an attempted defense of Andersonville by Doctor R。
Randolph Stevenson； who styles himself； formerly Surgeon in the Army of
the Confederate States of America； Chief Surgeon of the Confederate
States Military Prison Hospitals； Andersonville； Ga。〃：
V。 From the sameness of the food； and from the action of the poisonous
gases in the densely crowded and filthy Stockade and Hospital； the blood
was altered in its constitution； even； before the manifestation of actual
disease。
In both the well and the sick； the red corpuscles were diminished； and in
all diseases uncomplicated with inflammation； the fibrinous element was
deficient。 In cases of ulceration of the mucous membrane of the
intestinal canal； the fibrinous element of the blood appeared to be
increased； while in simple diarrhea； uncomplicated with ulceration； and
dependent upon the character of the food and the existence of scurvy；
it was either diminished or remained stationary。 Heart…clots were very
common； if not universally present； in the cases of ulceration of the
intestinal mucous membrane； while in the uncomplicated cases of diarrhea
and scurvy； the blood was fluid and did not coagulate readily； and the
heart…clots and fibrinous concretions were almost universally absent。
From the watery condition of the blood there resulted various serous
effusions into the pericardium； into the ventricles of the brain； and
into the abdominal cavity。
In almost all cases which I examined after death； even in the most
emaciated； there was more or less serous effusion into the abdominal
cavity。 In cases of hospital gangrene of the extremities； and in cases
of gangrene of the intestines； heart…clots and firm coagula were
universally present。 The presence of these clots in the cases of
hospital gangrene； whilst they were absent in the cases in which there
were no inflammatory symptoms； appears to sustain the conclusion that
hospital gangrene is a species of inflammation （imperfect and irregular
though it may be in its progress）； in which the fibrinous element and
coagulability of the blood are increased； even in those who are suffering
from such a condition of the blood and from such diseases as are
naturally accompanied with a decrease in the fibrinous constituent。
VI。 The impoverished condition of the blood； which led to serous
effusions within the ventricles of the brain； and around the brain and
spinal cord； and into the pericardial and abdominal cavities； was
gradually induced by the action of several causes； but chiefly by the
character of the food。
The Federal prisoners； as a general rule； had been reared upon wheat
bread and Irish potatos； and the Indian corn so extensively used at the
South； was almost unknown to them as an article of diet previous to their
capture。 Owing to the impossibility of obtaining the necessary sieves in
the Confederacy for the separation of the husk from the corn…meal； the
rations of the Confederate soldiers； as well as of the Federal prisoners；
consisted of unbolted corn…flour； and meal and grist； this circumstance
rendered the corn…bread still more disagreeable and distasteful to the
Federal prisoners。 While Indian meal； even when prepared with the husk；
is one of the most wholesome and nutritious forms of food； as has been
already shown by the health and rapid increase of the Southern
population； and especially of the negros； previous to the present war；
and by the strength； endurance and activity of the Confederate soldiers；
who were throughout the war confined to a great extent to unbolted corn…
meal； it is nevertheless true that those who have not been reared upon
corn…meal； or who have not accustomed themselves to its use gradually；
become excessively tired of this kind of diet when suddenly confined to
it without a due proportion of wheat bread。 Large numbers of the Federal
prisoners appeared to be utterly disgusted with Indian corn； and immense
piles of corn…bread could be seen in the Stockade and Hospital
inclosures。 Those who were so disgusted with this form of food that they
had no appetite to partake of it； except in quantities insufficient to
supply the waste of the tissues； were； of course； in the condition of men
slowly starving； notwithstanding tha