按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃What air you'uns puttin' ouah niggahs in the field to fight we'uns foh？〃
Then the whole car…load shouted back at him at once：
〃What are you'uns putting blood…hounds on our trails to hunt us down；
for？〃
Old Man（savagely）； 〃Waal； ye don't think ye kin ever lick us； leastways
sich fellers as ye air？〃
Myself〃Well； we warmed it to you pretty lively until you caught us。
There were none of us but what were doing about as good work as any stock
you fellows could turn out。 No Rebels in our neighborhood had much to
brag on。 We are not a drop in the bucket； either。 There's millions more
better men than we are where we came from； and they are all determined to
stamp out your miserable Confederacy。 You've got to come to it； sooner
or later； you must knock under； sure as white blossoms make little
apples。 You'd better make up your mind to it。〃
Old Man〃No； sah； nevah。 Ye nevah kin conquer us！ We're the bravest
people and the best fighters on airth。 Ye nevah kin whip any people
that's a fightin' fur their liberty an' their right； an' ye nevah can
whip the South； sah； any way。 We'll fight ye until all the men air
killed； and then the wimmen'll fight ye； sah。〃
Myself〃Well； you may think so； or you may not。 From the way our boys
are snatching the Confederacy's real estate away； it begins to look as if
you'd not have enough to fight anybody on pretty soon。 What's the
meaning of all this fortifying？〃
Old Man〃Why； don't you know？ Our folks are fixin' up a place foh Bill
Sherman to butt his brains out gain'。〃
〃Bill Sherman！〃 we all shouted in surprise： 〃Why he ain't within two
hundred miles of this place； is he？'
Old Man〃Yes； but he is； tho。' He thinks he's played a sharp Yankee
trick on Hood。 He found out he couldn't lick him in a squar' fight；
nohow； he'd tried that on too often； so he just sneaked 'round behind
him； and made a break for the center of the State； where he thought there
was lots of good stealin' to be done。 But we'll show him。 We'll soon
hev him just whar we want him； an' we'll learn him how to go traipesin'
'round the country； stealin' nigahs； burnin' cotton； an' runnin' off
folkses' beef critters。 He sees now the scrape he's got into； an' he's
tryin' to get to the coast； whar the gun…boats'll help 'im out。 But
he'll nevah git thar； sah； no sah； nevah。 He's mouty nigh the end of his
rope； sah； and we'll purty' soon hev him jist whar you fellows air； sah。〃
Myself〃Well； if you fellows intended stopping him； why didn't you do it
up about Atlanta？ What did you let him come clear through the State；
burning and stealing； as you say？ It was money in your pockets to head
him off as soon as possible。〃
Old Man〃Oh； we didn't set nothing afore him up thar except Joe Brown's
Pets； these sorry little Reserves； they're powerful little account； no
stand…up to'em at all； they'd break their necks runnin' away ef ye so
much as bust a cap near to 'em。〃
Our guards； who belonged to these Reserves； instantly felt that the
conversation had progressed farther than was profitable and one of them
spoke up roughly：
〃See heah； old man； you must go off； I can't hev ye talkin' to these
prisoners； hits a；gin my awdahs。 Go 'way now！〃
The old fellow moved off； but as he did he flung this Parthian arrow：
〃When Sherman gits down deep； he'll find somethin' different from the
little snots of Reserves he ran over up about Milledgeville； he'll find
he's got to fight real soldiers。〃
We could not help enjoying the rage of the guards； over the low estimate
placed upon the fighting ability of themselves and comrades； and as they
raved； around about what they would do if they were only given an
opportunity to go into a line of battle against Sherman； we added fuel to
the flames of their anger by confiding to each other that we always 〃knew
that little Brats whose highest ambition was to murder a defenseless
prisoner； could be nothing else than cowards end skulkers in the field。〃
〃Yaassonnies；〃 said Charlie Burroughs； of the Third Michigan； in that
nasal Yankee drawl； that he always assumed； when he wanted to say
anything very cutting； 〃youtrundlebedsoldierswho've neverseen
arealwildYankeedon'tknowhowdifferenttheyarefromthe
kindthatarestarveddown… to tameness。 They'rejestas
differentas… alion inamenagerieisfromhisbrotherinthe
woodswhohasaniggerevery dayfor…dinner。 Youfellowswill
gointoacircustentandthrowtobaccoquids inthefaceof
the lioninthecagewhenyouhaven'tspunk enoughtolook a
woodchuckintheeyeifyoumethimalone。 It'slotso'fun
to youtoshootdownasickandstarving…manintheStockade；
butwhenyouseeaYank withaguninhishandyourlivers
getsowhitethatchalkwouldmakeablackmarkon'em。〃
A little later； a paper； which some one had gotten hold of； in some
mysterious manner； was secretly passed to me。 I read it as I could find
opportunity； and communicated its contents to the rest of the boys。
The most important of these was a flaming proclamation by Governor Joe
Brown； setting forth that General Sherman was now traversing the State；
committing all sorts of depredations； that he had prepared the way for
his own destruction； and the Governor called upon all good citizens to
rise en masse； and assist in crushing the audacious invader。 Bridges
must be burned before and behind him； roads obstructed； and every inch of
soil resolutely disputed。
We enjoyed this。 It showed that the Rebels were terribly alarmed； and we
began to feel some of that confidence that 〃Sherman will come out all
right；〃 which so marvelously animated all under his command。
CHAPTER LXVII。
OFF TO CHARLESTONPASSING THROUGH THE RICE SWAMPSTWO EXTREMES OF
SOCIETYENTRY INTO CHARLESTONLEISURELY WARFARESHELLING THE CITY AT
REGULAR INTERVALSWE CAMP IN A MASS OF RUINSDEPARTURE FOR FLORENCE。
The train started in a few minutes after the close of the conversation
with the old Georgian； and we soon came to and crossed the Savannah River
into South Carolina。 The river was wide and apparently deep； the tide
was setting back in a swift； muddy current； the crazy old bridge creaked
and shook； and the grinding axles shrieked in the dry journals； as we
pulled across。 It looked very much at times as if we were to all crash
down into the turbid floodand we did not care very much if we did； if
we were not going to be exchanged。
The road lay through the tide swamp region of South Carolina； a peculiar
and interesting country。 Though swamps and fens stretched in all
directions as far as the eye could reach； the landscape was more grateful
to the eye than the famine…stricken； pine…barrens of Georgia； which had
become wearisome to the sight。 The soil where it appeared； was rich；
vegetation was luxuriant； great clumps of laurel showed glossy richness
in the greenness of its verdure； that reminded us of the fresh color of
the vegetation of our Northern homes； so different from the parched and
impoverished look of Georgian foliage。 Immense flocks of wild fowl
fluttered around us； the Georgian woods were almost destitute of living
creatures； the evergreen live…oak； with its queer festoons of Spanish
moss； and the ugly and useless palmettos gave novelty and interest to the
view。
The rice swamps through which we were passing were the princely
possessions of the few nabobs who before the war stood at the head of
South Carolina aristocracythey were South Carolina； in fact； as
absolutely as Louis XIV。 was France。 In their handsbut a few score in
numberwas concentrated about all there was of South Carolina education；
wealth； culture； and breeding。 They represented a pinchbeck imitation of
that regime in France which was happily swept out of existence by the
Revolution； and the destruction of which more than compensated for every
drop of blood shed in those terrible days。 Like the provincial 'grandes
seigneurs' of Louis XVI's reign； they were gay； dissipated and turbulent；
〃accomplished〃 in the superficial acquirements that made the 〃gentleman〃
one hundred years ago； but are grotesquely out of place in this sensible；
solid age； which demands that a man shall be of use； and not merely for
show。 They ran horses and fought cocks； dawdled through society when
young； and intrigued in politics the rest of their lives； with frequent
spice…work of duels。 Esteeming personal courage as a supreme human
virtue； and never wearying of prating their devotion to the highest
standard of intrepidity； they never produced a General who was even
mediocre； nor did any one ever hear of a South Carolina regiment gaining
distinction。 Regarding politics and the art of government as； equally
with arms； their natural vocations； they have never given the Nation a
statesman； and their greatest politicians achieved eminence by advocating
ideas which only attracted attention by their balefulness。
Still further resembling the French 'grandes seigneurs' of the eighteenth
century； they rolled in wealth wrung from the laborer by reducing the
rewards of his toil to the last fraction that would support his life and
strength。 The rice culture was immensely profitable； because they had
found the secret for raising it more cheaply than even the pauper laborer
of the of world could。 The