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！
of healthy； clean； well…clothed men were as continually coming in from
the front； so that a large portion of those inside looked in fairly good
condition。 Put now no new prisoners had come in for months； the money
which made such a show about the sutler shops of Andersonville had been
spent； and there was in every face the same look of ghastly emaciation；
the same shrunken muscles and feeble limbs； the same lack…luster eyes and
hopeless countenances。
One of the commonest of sights was to see men whose hands and feet were
simply rotting off。 The nights were frequently so cold that ice a
quarter of an inch thick formed on the water。 The naked frames of
starving men were poorly calculated to withstand this frosty rigor； and
thousands had their extremities so badly frozen as to destroy the life in
those parts； and induce a rotting of the tissues by a dry gangrene。
The rotted flesh frequently remained in its place for a long time
a loathsome but painless mass； that gradually sloughed off； leaving the
sinews that passed through it to stand out like shining； white cords。
While this was in some respects less terrible than the hospital gangrene
at Andersonville； it was more generally diffused； and dreadful to the
last degree。 The Rebel Surgeons at Florence did not follow the habit of
those at Andersonville； and try to check the disease by wholesale
amputation； but simply let it run its course； and thousands finally
carried their putrefied limbs through our lines； when the Confederacy
broke up in the Spring； to be treated by our Surgeons。
I had been in prison but a little while when a voice called out from a
hole in the ground； as I was passing：
〃S…a…y； Sergeant！ Won't you please take these shears and cut my toes
off？〃
〃What？〃 said I； in amazement； stopping in front of the dugout。
〃Just take these shears； won't you； and cut my toes off？〃 answered the
inmate； an Indiana infantrymanholding up a pair of dull shears in his
hand； and elevating a foot for me to look at。
I examined the latter carefully。 All the flesh of the toes； except
little pads at the ends； had rotted off； leaving the bones as clean as if
scraped。 The little tendons still remained； and held the bones to their
places； but this seemed to hurt the rest of the feet and annoy the man。
〃You'd better let one of the Rebel doctors see this；〃 I said； after
finishing my survey； 〃before you conclude to have them off。 May be they
can be saved。〃
〃No； dd if I'm going to have any of them Rebel butchers fooling
around me。 I'd die first； and then I wouldn't；〃 was the reply。 〃You can
do it better than they can。 It's just a little snip。 Just try it。〃
〃I don't like to；〃 I replied。 〃I might lame you for life； and make you
lots of trouble。〃
〃O； bother！ what business is that of yours？ They're my toes； and I want
'em off。 They hurt me so I can't sleep。 Come； now； take the shears and
cut 'em off。〃
I yielded； and taking the shears； snipped one tendon after another； close
to the feet； and in a few seconds had the whole ten toes lying in a heap
at the bottom of the dug…out。 I picked them up and handed them to their
owner； who gazed at them； complacently； and remarked：
〃Well； I'm darned glad they're off。 I won't be bothered with corns any
more； I flatter myself。〃
CHAPTER LXX
HOUSE AND CLOTHESEFFORTS TO ERECT A SUITABLE RESIDENCEDIFFICULTIES
ATTENDING THISVARIETIES OF FLORENTINE ARCHITECTUREWAITING FOR DEAD
MEN'S CLOTHESCRAVING FOR TOBACCO。
We were put into the old squads to fill the places of those who had
recently died； being assigned to these vacancies according to the
initials of our surnames； the same rolls being used that we had signed as
paroles。 This separated Andrews and me； for the 〃A's〃 were taken to fill
up the first hundreds of the First Thousand； while the 〃M's；〃 to which I
belonged； went into the next Thousand。
I was put into the Second Hundred of the Second Thousand； and its
Sergeant dying shortly after； I was given his place； and commanded the
hundred； drew its rations； made out its rolls； and looked out for its
sick during the rest of our stay there。
Andrews and I got together again； and began fixing up what little we
could to protect ourselves against the weather。 Cold as this was we
decided that it was safer to endure it and risk frost…biting every night
than to build one of the mud…walled and mud…covered holes that so many；
lived in。 These were much warmer than lying out on the frozen ground；
but we believed that they were very unhealthy； and that no one lived long
who inhabited them。
So we set about repairing our faithful old blanketnow full of great
holes。 We watched the dead men to get pieces of cloth from their
garments to make patches； which we sewed on with yarn raveled from other
fragments of woolen cloth。 Some of our company； whom we found in the
prison； donated us the three sticks necessary to make tent…poles
wonderful generosity when the preciousness of firewood is remembered。
We hoisted our blanket upon these； built a wall of mud bricks at one end；
and in it a little fireplace to economize our scanty fuel to the last
degree； and were once more at home； and much better off than most of our
neighbors。
One of these； the proprietor of a hole in the ground covered with an arch
of adobe bricks； had absolutely no bed…clothes except a couple of short
pieces of boardand very little other clothing。 He dug a trench in the
bottom of what was by courtesy called his tent； sufficiently large to
contain his body below his neck。 At nightfall he would crawl into this；
put his two bits of board so that they joined over his breast； and then
say： 〃Now； boys； cover me over；〃 whereupon his friends would cover him up
with dry sand from the sides of his domicile； in which he would slumber
quietly till morning； when he would rise； shake the sand from his
garments； and declare that he felt as well refreshed as if he had slept
on a spring mattress。
There has been much talk of earth baths of late years in scientific and
medical circles。 I have been sorry that our Florence comrade if he still
livesdid not contribute the results of his experience。
The pinching cold cured me of my repugnance to wearing dead men's
clothes； or rather it made my nakedness so painful that I was glad to
cover it as best I could； and I began foraging among the corpses for
garments。 For awhile my efforts to set myself up in the mortuary second…
hand clothing business were not all successful。 I found that dying men
with good clothes were as carefully watched over by sets of fellows who
constituted themselves their residuary legatees as if they were men of
fortune dying in the midst of a circle of expectant nephews and nieces。
Before one was fairly cold his clothes would be appropriated and divided；
and I have seen many sharp fights between contesting claimants。
I soon perceived that my best chance was to get up very early in the
morning； and do my hunting。 The nights were so cold that many could not
sleep； and they would walk up and down the streets； trying to keep warm
by exercise。 Towards morning； becoming exhausted； they would lie down on
the ground almost anywhere； and die。 I have frequently seen so many as
fifty of these。 My first 〃find〃 of any importance was a young
Pennsylvania Zouave； who was lying dead near the bridge that crossed the
Creek。 His clothes were all badly worn； except his baggy； dark trousers；
which were nearly new。 I removed these； scraped out from each of the
dozens of great folds in the legs about a half pint of lice； and drew the
garments over my own half…frozen limbs； the first real covering those
members had had for four or five months。 The pantaloons only came down
about half…way between my knees and feet； but still they were wonderfully
comfortable to what I had beenor rather not beenwearing。 I had
picked up a pair of boot bottoms； which answered me for shoes； and now I
began a hunt for socks。 This took several morning expeditions； but on
one of them I was rewarded with finding a corpse with a good brown one
army makeand a few days later I got another； a good； thick genuine one；
knit at home； of blue yarn； by some patient； careful housewife。 Almost
the next morning I had the good fortune to find a dead man with a warm；
whole； infantry dress…coat； a most serviceable garment。 As I still had
for a shirt the blouse Andrews had given me at Millen； I now considered
my wardrobe complete； and left the rest of the clothes to those who were
more needy than I。
Those who used tobacco seemed to suffer more from a deprivation of the
weed than from lack of food。 There were no sacrifices they would not
make to obtain it； and it was no uncommon thing for boys to trade off
half their rations for a chew of 〃navy plug。〃 As long as one had
anythingespecially buttonsto trade； tobacco could be procured from
the guards； who were plentifully supplied with it。 When means of barter
were gone； chewers frequently became so desperate as to beg the guards to
throw them a bit of the precious nicotine。 Shortly after our arrival at
Florence； a prisoner on the East Side approached one of the Reserves with
the re