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since the fall of Atlanta。
He was sent back to us at Savannah。 As he came into the prison gate
Lieutenant Davis was standing near。 He looked sternly at Frank and his
Rebel garments； and muttering；
〃By God； I'll stop this！〃 caught the coat by the tails； tore it to the
collar； and took it and his hat away from Frank。
There was a strange sequel to this episode。 A few weeks afterward a
special exchange for ten thousand was made； and Frank succeeded in being
included in this。 He was given the usual furlough from the paroled camp
at Annapolis； and went to his home in a little town near Mansfield； O。
One day while on the cars goingI think to Newark； O。； he saw Lieutenant
Davis on the train； in citizens' clothes。 He had been sent by the Rebel
Government to Canada with dispatches relating to some of the raids then
harassing our Northern borders。 Davis was the last man in the world to
successfully disguise himself。 He had a large； coarse mouth； that made
him remembered by all who had ever seen him。 Frank recognized him
instantly and said：
〃You are Lieutenant Davis？〃
Davis replied：
〃You are totally mistaken； sah； I am …〃
Frank insisted that he was right。 Davis fumed and blustered； but though
Frank was small； he was as game as a bantam rooster； and he gave Davis to
understand that there had been a vast change in their relative positions；
that the one； while still the same insolent swaggerer； had not regiments
of infantry or batteries of artillery to emphasize his insolence； and the
other was no longer embarrassed in the discussion by the immense odds in
favor of his jailor opponent。
After a stormy scene Frank called in the assistance of some other
soldiers in the car； arrested Davis； and took him to Camp Chasenear
Columbus； O。；where he was fully identified by a number of paroled
prisoners。 He was searched； and documents showing the nature of his
mission beyond a doubt； were found upon his person。
A court martial was immediately convened for his trial。
This found him guilty； and sentenced him to be hanged as a spy。
At the conclusion of the trial Frank stepped up to the prisoner and said：
〃Mr。 Davis； I believe we're even on that coat； now。〃
Davis was sent to Johnson's Island for execution； but influences were
immediately set at work to secure Executive clemency。 What they were
I know not； but I am informed by the Rev。 Robert McCune； who was then
Chaplain of the One Hundred and Twenty…Eighth Ohio Infantry and the Post
of Johnson's Island and who was the spiritual adviser appointed to
prepare Davis for execution； that the sentence was hardly pronounced
before Davis was visited by an emissary； who told him to dismiss his
fears； that he should not suffer the punishment。
It is likely that leading Baltimore Unionists were enlisted in his behalf
through family connections； and as the Border State Unionists were then
potent at Washington； they readily secured a commutation of his sentence
to imprisonment during the war。
It seems that the justice of this world is very unevenly dispensed when
so much solicitude is shown for the life of such a man； and none at all
for the much better men whom he assisted to destroy。
The official notice of the commutation of the sentence was not published
until the day set for the execution； but the certain knowledge that it
would be forthcoming enabled Davis to display a great deal of bravado on
approaching what was supposed to be his end。 As the reader can readily
imagine； from what I have heretofore said of him； Davis was the man to
improve to the utmost every opportunity to strut his little hour； and he
did it in this instance。 He posed； attitudinized and vapored； so that
the camp and the country were filled with stories of the wonderful
coolness with which he contemplated his approaching fate。
Among other things he said to his guard； as he washed himself elaborately
the night before the day announced for the execution：
〃Well； you can be sure of one thing； to…morrow night there will certainly
be one clean corpse on this Island。〃
Unfortunately for his braggadocio； he let it leak out in some way that he
had been well aware all the time that he would not be executed。
He was taken to Fort Delaware for confinement； and died there some time
after。
Frank Beverstock went back to his regiment； and served with it until the
close of the war。 He then returned home； and； after awhile became a
banker at Bowling Green； O。 He was a fine business man and became very
prosperous。 But though naturally healthy and vigorous； his system
carried in it the seeds of death； sown there by the hardships of
captivity。 He had been one of the victims of the Rebels' vaccination；
the virus injected into his blood had caused a large part of his right
temple to slough off； and when it healed it left a ghastly cicatrix。
Two years ago he was taken suddenly ill； and died before his friends had
any idea that his condition was serious。
CHAPTER LIV。
SAVANNAH PROVES TO BE A CHANGE FOR THE BETTERESCAPE FROM THE BRATS OF
GUARDSCOMPARISON BETWEEN WIRZ AND DAVISA BRIEF INTERVAL OF GOOD
RATIONSWINDER； THE MAN WITH THE EVIL EYE
THE DISLOYAL WORK OF A SHYSTER。
After all Savannah was a wonderful improvement on Andersonville。
We got away from the pestilential Swamp and that poisonous ground。
Every mouthful of air was not laden with disease germs； nor every cup of
water polluted with the seeds of death。 The earth did not breed
gangrene； nor the atmosphere promote fever。 As only the more vigorous
had come away； we were freed from the depressing spectacle of every third
man dying。 The keen disappointment prostrated very many who had been of
average health； and I imagine； several hundred died； but there were
hospital arrangements of some kind； and the sick were taken away from
among us。 Those of us who tunneled out had an opportunity of stretching
our legs； which we had not had for months in the overcrowded Stockade we
had left。 The attempts to escape did all engaged in them good； even
though they failed； since they aroused new ideas and hopes； set the blood
into more rapid circulation； and toned up the mind and system both。
I had come away from Andersonville with considerable scurvy manifesting
itself in my gums and feet。 Soon these signs almost wholly disappeared。
We also got away from those murderous little brats of Reserves；
who guarded us at Andersonville； and shot men down as they would stone
apples out of a tree。 Our guards now were mostly； sailors； from the
Rebel fleet in the harborIrishmen； Englishmen and Scandinavians； as
free hearted and kindly as sailors always are。 I do not think they ever
fired a shot at one of us。 The only trouble we had was with that portion
of the guard drawn from the infantry of the garrison。 They had the same
rattlesnake venom of the Home Guard crowd wherever we met it； and shot us
down at the least provocation。 Fortunately they only formed a small part
of the sentinels。
Best of all； we escaped for a while from the upas…like shadow of Winder
and Wirz； in whose presence strong men sickened and died； as when near
some malign genii of an Eastern story。 The peasantry of Italy believed
firmly in the evil eye。 Did they ever know any such men as Winder and
his satellite； I could comprehend how much foundation they could have for
such a belief。
Lieutenant Davis had many faults； but there was no comparison between him
and the Andersonville commandant。 He was a typical young Southern man；
ignorant and bumptious as to the most common matters of school…boy
knowledge； inordinately vain of himself and his family； coarse in tastes
and thoughts； violent in his prejudices； but after all with some streaks
of honor and generosity that made the widest possible difference between
him and Wirz； who never had any。 As one of my chums said to me：
〃Wirz is the most even…tempered man I ever knew； he's always foaming
mad。〃
This was nearly the truth。 I never saw Wirz when he was not angry；
if not violently abusive； he was cynical and sardonic。 Never； in my
little experience with him did I detect a glint of kindly； generous
humanity； if he ever was moved by any sight of suffering its exhibition
in his face escaped my eye。 If he ever had even a wish to mitigate the
pain or hardship of any man the expression of such wish never fell on my
ear。 How a man could move daily through such misery as he encountered；
and never be moved by it except to scorn and mocking is beyond my limited
understanding。
Davis vapored a great deal； swearing big round oaths in the broadest of
Southern patois； he was perpetually threatening to：
〃Open on ye wid de ahtillery；〃 but the only death that I knew him to
directly cause or sanction was that I have described in the previous
chapter。 He would not put himself out of the way to annoy and oppress
prisoners； as Wirz would； but frequently showed even a disposition to
humor them in some little thing； when it could be done without danger or
trouble to himself。
By…and…by； however； he got an idea that there was some money to be made
out of the prisoners； and he set his wits to work in this direction。
One day； s