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followed us； and the prison there was broken up。 Quite a number also
came in fromAndersonville； so that in a little while we had between six
and seven thousand in the Stockade。 The last comers found all the
material for tents and all the fuel used up； and consequently did not
fare so well as the earlier arrivals。
The commandant of the prisonone Captain Boweswas the best of his
class it was my fortune to meet。 Compared with the senseless brutality
of Wirz； the reckless deviltry of Davis； or the stupid malignance of
Barrett； at Florence； his administration was mildness and wisdom itself。
He enforced discipline better than any of those named； but has what they
all lackedexecutive abilityand he secured results that they could not
possibly attain； and without anything； like the friction that attended
their efforts。 I do not remember that any one was shot during our six
weeks' stay at Millena circumstance simply remarkable； since I do not
recall a single week passed anywhere else without at least one murder by
the guards。
One instance will illustrate the difference of his administration from
that of other prison commandants。 He came upon the grounds of our
division one morning； accompanied by a pleasant…faced； intelligent…
appearing lad of about fifteen or sixteen。 He said to us：
〃Gentlemen： （The only instance during our imprisonment when we received
so polite a designation。） This is my son； who will hereafter call your
roll。 He will treat you as gentlemen； and I know you will do the same to
him。〃
This understanding was observed to the letter on both sides。 Young Bowes
invariably spoke civilly to us； and we obeyed his orders with a prompt
cheerfulness that left him nothing to complain of。
The only charge I have to make against Bowes is made more in detail in
another chapter； and that is； that he took money from well prisoners for
giving them the first chance to go through on the Sick Exchange。
How culpable this was I must leave each reader to decide for himself。
I thought it very wrong at the time； but possibly my views might have
been colored highly by my not having any money wherewith to procure my
own inclusion in the happy lot of the exchanged。
Of one thing I am certain： that his acceptance of money to bias his
official action was not singular on his part。 I am convinced that every
commandant we had over usexcept Wirzwas habitually in the receipt of
bribes from prisoners。 I never heard that any one succeeded in bribing
Wirz； and this is the sole good thing I can say of that fellow。 Against
this it may be said； however； that he plundered the boys so effectually
on entering the prison as to leave them little of the wherewithal to
bribe anybody。
Davis was probably the most unscrupulous bribe…taker of the lot。
He actually received money for permitting prisoners to escape to our
lines； and got down to as low a figure as one hundred dollars for this
sort of service。 I never heard that any of the other commandants went
this far。
The rations issued to us were somewhat better than those of
Andersonville； as the meal was finer and better； though it was absurdedly
insufficient in quantity； and we received no salt。 On several occasions
fresh beef was dealt out to us； and each time the excitement created
among those who had not tasted fresh meat for weeks and months was
wonderful。 On the first occasion the meat was simply the heads of the
cattle killed for the use of the guards。 Several wagon loads of these
were brought in and distributed。 We broke them up so that every man got
a piece of the bone； which was boiled and reboiled； as long as a single
bubble of grease would rise to the surface of the water； every vestige of
meat was gnawed and scraped from the surface and then the bone was
charred until it crumbled； when it was eaten。 No one who has not
experienced it can imagine the inordinate hunger for animal food of those
who had eaten little else than corn bread for so long。 Our exhausted
bodies were perishing for lack of proper sustenance。 Nature indicated
fresh beef as the best medium to repair the great damage already done；
and our longing for it became beyond description。
CHAPTER LX
THE RAIDERS REAPPEAR ON THE SCENETHE ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE THOSE WHO
WERE CONCERNED IN THE EXECUTIONA COUPLE OF LIVELY FIGHTS； IN WHICH THE
RAIDERS ARE DEFEATEDHOLDING AN ELECTION。
Our old antagoniststhe Raiderswere present in strong force in Millen。
Like ourselves； they had imagined the departure from Andersonville was
for exchange； and their relations to the Rebels were such that they were
all given a chance to go with the first squads。 A number had been
allowed to go with the sailors on the Special Naval Exchange from
Savannah； in the place of sailors and marines who had died。 On the way
to Charleston a fight had taken place between them and the real sailors；
during which one of their numbera curly…headed Irishman named Dailey；
who was in such high favor with the Rebels that he was given the place of
driving the ration wagon that came in the North Side at Andersonville
was killed； and thrown under the wheels of the moving train； which passed
over him。
After things began to settle into shape at Millen； they seemed to believe
that they were in such ascendancy as to numbers and organization that
they could put into execution their schemes of vengeance against those of
us who had been active participants in the execution of their
confederates at Andersonville。
After some little preliminaries they settled upon Corporal 〃Wat〃 Payne；
of my company； as their first victim。 The reader will remember Payne as
one of the two Corporals who pulled the trigger to the scaffold at the
time of the execution。
Payne was a very good man physically； and was yet in fair condition。
The Raiders came up one day with their best manPete Donnellyand
provoked a fight； intending； in the course of it； to kill Payne。 We；
who knew Payee； felt reasonably confident of his ability to handle even
so redoubtable a pugilist as Donnelly； and we gathered together a little
squad of our friends to see fair play。
The fight began after the usual amount of bad talk on both sides； and we
were pleased to see our man slowly get the better of the New York plug…
ugly。 After several sharp rounds they closed； and still Payne was ahead；
but in an evil moment he spied a pine knot at his feet； which he thought
he could reach； and end the fight by cracking Donnelly's head with it。
Donnelly took instant advantage of the movement to get it； threw Payne
heavily； and fell upon him。 His crowd rushed in to finish our man by
clubbing him over the head。 We sailed in to prevent this； and after a
rattling exchange of blows all around； succeeded in getting Payne away。
The issue of the fight seemed rather against us； however； and the Raiders
were much emboldened。 Payne kept close to his crowd after that； and as
we had shown such an entire willingness to stand by him； the Raiders
with their accustomed prudence when real fighting was involveddid not
attempt to molest him farther； though they talked very savagely。
A few days after this Sergeant Goody and Corporal Ned Carrigan； both of
our battalion； came in。 I must ask the reader to again recall the fact
that Sergeant Goody was one of the six hangmen who put the meal…sacks
over the heads； and the ropes around the necks of the condemned。
Corporal Carrigan was the gigantic prize fighter； who was universally
acknowledged to be the best man physically among the whole thirty…four
thousand in Andersonville。 The Raiders knew that Goody had come in
before we of his own battalion did。 They resolved to kill him then and
there； and in broad daylight。 He had secured in some way a shelter tent；
and was inside of it fixing it up。 The Raider crowd； headed by Pete
Donnelly； and Dick Allen； went up to his tent and one of them called to
him：
〃Sergeant； come out； I want to see you。〃
Goody； supposing it was one of us； came crawling out on his hands and
knees。 As he did so their heavy clubs crashed down upon his head。
He was neither killed nor stunned； as they had reason to expect。
He succeeded in rising to his feet； and breaking through the crowd of
assassins。 He dashed down the side of the hill； hotly pursued by them。
Coming to the Creek； he leaped it in his excitement； but his pursuers
could not； and were checked。 One of our battalion boys； who saw and
comprehended the whole affair； ran over to us； shouting：
〃Turn out！ turn out； for God's sake！ the Raiders are killing Goody！〃
We snatched up our clubs and started after the Raiders； but before we
could reach them； Ned Carrigan； who also comprehended what the trouble
was； had run to the side of Goody； armed with a terrible looking club。
The sight of Ned； and the demonstration that he was thoroughly aroused；
was enough for the Raider crew； and they abandoned the field hastily。
We did not feel ourselves strong enough to follow them on to their own
dung hill； and try conclusions with them； but we determined to report the
matter to the Rebel Commandant； from whom we had reason to believe we
could expect assistance。 We were right。 He sent in