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matter to the Rebel Commandant； from whom we had reason to believe we
could expect assistance。 We were right。 He sent in a squad of guards；
arrested Dick Allen； Pete Donnelly； and several other ringleaders； took
them out and put them in the stocks in such a manner that they were
compelled to lie upon their stomachs。 A shallow tin vessel containing
water was placed under their faces to furnish them drink。
They staid there a day and night； and when released； joined the Rebel
Army； entering the artillery company that manned the guns in the fort
covering the prison。 I used to imagine with what zeal they would send us
over； a round of shell or grape if they could get anything like an
excuse。
This gave us good riddanceof our dangerous enemies； and we had little
further trouble with any of them。
The depression in the temperature made me very sensible of the
deficiencies in my wardrobe。 Unshod feet； a shirt like a fishing net；
and pantaloons as well ventilated as a paling fence might do very well
for the broiling sun at Andersonville and Savannah； but now； with the
thermometer nightly dipping a little nearer the frost line； it became
unpleasantly evident that as garments their office was purely
perfunctory； one might say ornamental simply； if he wanted to be very
sarcastic。 They were worn solely to afford convenient quarters for
multitudes of lice； and in deference to the prejudice which has existed
since the Fall of Man against our mingling with our fellow creatures in
the attire provided us by Nature。 Had I read Darwin then I should have
expected that my long exposure to the weather would start a fine suit of
fur； in the effort of Nature to adapt； me to my； environment。 But no
more indications of this appeared than if I had been a hairless dog of
Mexico； suddenly transplanted to more northern latitudes。 Providence did
not seem to be in the tempering…the…wind…to…the…shorn…lamb business； as
far as I was concerned。 I still retained an almost unconquerable
prejudice against stripping the dead to secure clothes； and so unless
exchange or death came speedily； I was in a bad fix。
One morning about day break； Andrews； who had started to go to another
part of the camp； came slipping back in a state of gleeful excitement。
At first I thought he either had found a tunnel or had heard some good
news about exchange。 It was neither。 He opened his jacket and handed me
an infantry man's blouse； which he had found in the main street； where it
had dropped out of some fellow's bundle。 We did not make any extra
exertion to find the owner。 Andrews was in sore need of clothes himself；
but my necessities were so much greater that the generous fellow thought
of my wants first。 We examined the garment with as much interest as ever
a belle bestowed on a new dress from Worth's。 It was in fair
preservation； but the owner had cut the buttons off to trade to the
guard； doubtless for a few sticks of wood； or a spoonful of salt。
We supplied the place of these with little wooden pins； and I donned the
garment as a shirt and coat and vest； too； for that matter。 The best
suit I ever put on never gave me a hundredth part the satisfaction that
this did。 Shortly after； I managed to subdue my aversion so far as to
take a good shoe which a one…legged dead man had no farther use for； and
a little later a comrade gave me for the other foot a boot bottom from
which he had cut the top to make a bucket。
。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。
The day of the Presidential election of 1864 approached。 The Rebels were
naturally very much interested in the result； as they believed that the
election of McClellan meant compromise and cessation of hostilities；
while the re…election of Lincoln meant prosecution of the War to the
bitter end。 The toadying Raiders； who were perpetually hanging around
the gate to get a chance to insinuate themselves into the favor of the
Rebel officers； persuaded them that we were all so bitterly hostile to
our Government for not exchanging us that if we were allowed to vote we
would cast an overwhelming majority in favor of McClellan。
The Rebels thought that this might perhaps be used to advantage as
political capital for their friends in the North。 They gave orders that
we might； if we chose； hold an election on the same day of the
Presidential election。 They sent in some ballot boxes； and we elected
Judges of the Election。
About noon of that day Captain Bowes； and a crowd of tightbooted； broad…
hatted Rebel officers； strutted in with the peculiar 〃Ef…yer…don't…
b'lieveI'm…a…butcher…jest…smell…o'…mebutes〃 swagger characteristic of
the class。 They had come in to see us all voting for McClellan。
Instead； they found the polls surrounded with ticket pedlers shouting：
〃Walk right up here now； and get your Unconditional…Union…Abraham…Lincoln
…tickets！〃
〃Here's your straight…haired prosecution…of…the…war ticket。〃
〃Vote the Lincoln ticket； vote to whip the Rebels； and make peace with
them when they've laid down their arms。〃
〃Don't vote a McClellan ticket and gratify Rebels； everywhere；〃 etc。
The Rebel officers did not find the scene what their fancy painted it；
and turning around they strutted out。
When the votes came to be counted out there were over seven thousand for
Lincoln； and not half that many hundred for McClellan。 The latter got
very few votes outside the Raider crowd。 The same day a similar election
was held in Florence； with like result。 Of course this did not indicate
that there was any such a preponderance of Republicans among us。
It meant simply that the Democratic boys； little as they might have liked
Lincoln； would have voted for him a hundred times rather than do anything
to please the Rebels。
I never heard that the Rebels sent the result North。
CHAPTER LXI
THE REBELS FORMALLY PROPOSE TO US TO DESERT TO THEMCONTUMELIOUS
TREATMENT OF THE PROPOSITIONTHEIR RAGEAN EXCITING TIMEAN OUTBREAK
THREATENEDDIFFICULTIES ATTENDING DESERTION TO THE REBELS。
One day in November； some little time after the occurrences narrated in
the last chapter； orders came in to make out rolls of all those who were
born outside of the United States； and whose terms of service had
expired。
We held a little council among ourselves as to the meaning of this； and
concluded that some partial exchange had been agreed on； and the Rebels
were going to send back the class of boys whom they thought would be of
least value to the Government。 Acting on this conclusion the great
majority of us enrolled ourselves as foreigners； and as having served out
our terms。 I made out the roll of my hundred； and managed to give every
man a foreign nativity。 Those whose names would bear it were assigned to
England； Ireland； Scotland France and Germany； and the balance were
distributed through Canada and the West Indies。 After finishing the roll
and sending it out； I did not wonder that the Rebels believed the battles
for the Union were fought by foreign mercenaries。 The other rolls were
made out in the same way； and I do not suppose that they showed five
hundred native Americans in the Stockade。
The next day after sending out the rolls； there came an order that all
those whose names appeared thereon should fall in。 We did so； promptly；
and as nearly every man in camp was included； we fell in as for other
purposes； by hundreds and thousands。 We were then marched outside； and
massed around a stump on which stood a Rebel officer； evidently waiting
to make us a speech。 We awaited his remarks with the greatest
impatience； but He did not begin until the last division had marched out
and came to a parade rest close to the stump。
It was the same old story：
〃Prisoners； you can no longer have any doubt that your Government has
cruelly abandoned you； it makes no efforts to release you； and refuses
all our offers of exchange。 We are anxious to get our men back； and have
made every effort to do so； but it refuses to meet us on any reasonable
grounds。 Your Secretary of War has said that the Government can get
along very well without you； and General Halleck has said that you were
nothing but a set of blackberry pickers and coffee boilers anyhow。
〃You've already endured much more than it could expect of you； you served
it faithfully during the term you enlisted for； and now； when it is
through with you； it throws you aside to starve and die。 You also can
have no doubt that the Southern Confederacy is certain to succeed in
securing its independence。 It will do this in a few months。 It now
offers you an opportunity to join its service； and if you serve it
faithfully to the end； you will receive the same rewards as the rest of
its soldiers。 You will be taken out of here； be well clothed and fed；
given a good bounty； and； at the conclusion of the War receive a land
warrant for a nice farm。 If you〃
But we had heard enough。 The Sergeant of our divisiona man with a
stentorian voice sprang out and shouted：
〃Attention； first Division！〃
We Sergeants of hundreds repeated the command down the line。 Shouted he：
〃First Division； about〃
Said we：
〃First Hundred； about〃
〃Second Hundred； abou