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after this at Florence。 The sick exchange was still going on。 I have
before spoken of the Rebel passion for bright gilt buttons。 It used to
be a proverbial comment upon the small treasons that were of daily
occurrence on both sides； that you could buy the soul of a mean man in
our crowd for a pint of corn meal； and the soul of a Rebel guard for a
half dozen brass buttons。 A boy of the Fifth…fourth Ohio； whose home was
at or near Lima； O。； wore a blue vest； with the gilt； bright…trimmed
buttons of a staff officer。 The Rebel Surgeon who was examining the sick
for exchange saw the buttons and admired them very much。 The boy stepped
back； borrowed a knife from a comrade； cut the buttons off； and handed
them to the Doctor。
〃All right； sir；〃 said he as his itching palm closed over the coveted
ornaments； 〃you can pass；〃 and pass he did to home and friends。
Captain Bowes's merchandizing in the matter of exchange was as open as
the issuing of rations。 His agent in conducting the bargaining was a
Raidera New York gambler and stool…pigeonwhom we called 〃Mattie。〃
He dealt quite fairly； for several times when the exchange was
interrupted； Bowes sent the money back to those who had paid him；
and received it again when the exchange was renewed。
Had it been possible to buy our way out for five cents each Andrews and I
would have had to stay back； since we had not had that much money for
months； and all our friends were in an equally bad plight。 Like almost
everybody else we had spent the few dollars we happened to have on
entering prison； in a week or so； and since then we had been entirely
penniless。
There was no hope left for us but to try to pass the Surgeons as
desperately sick； and we expended our energies in simulating this
condition。 Rheumatism was our forte； and I flatter myself we got up two
cases that were apparently bad enough to serve as illustrations for a
patent medicine advertisement。 But it would not do。 Bad as we made our
condition appear； there were so many more who were infinitely worse；
that we stood no show in the competitive examination。 I doubt if we
would have been given an average of 〃50〃 in a report。 We had to stand
back； and see about one quarter of our number march out and away home。
We could not complain at thismuch as we wanted to go ourselves；
since there could be no question that these poor fellows deserved the
precedence。 We did grumble savagely； however； at Captain Bowes's
venality； in selling out chances to moneyed men； since these were
invariably those who were best prepared to withstand the hardships of
imprisonment； as they were mostly new men； and all had good clothes and
blankets。 We did not blame the men； however； since it was not in human
nature to resist an opportunity to get awayat any cost…from that
accursed place。 〃All that a man hath he will give for his life；〃 and I
think that if I had owned the City of New York in fee simple； I would
have given it away willingly； rather than stand in prison another month。
The sutlers； to whom I have alluded above； had accumulated sufficient to
supply themselves with all the necessaries and some of the comforts of
life； during any probable term of imprisonment； and still have a snug
amount left； but they； would rather give it all up and return to service
with their regiments in the field； than take the chances of any longer
continuance in prison。
I can only surmise how much Bowes realized out of the prisoners by his
venality； but I feel sure that it could not have been less than three
thousand dollars； and I would not be astonished to learn that it was ten
thousand dollars in green。
CHAPTER LXIV
ANOTHER REMOVALSHERMAN'S ADVANCE SCARES THE REBELS INTO RUNNING US AWAY
FROM MILLENWE ARE TAKEN TO SAVANNAH； AND THENCE DOWN THE ATLANTIC &
GULF ROAD TO BLACKSHEAR
One night； toward the last of November； there was a general alarm around
the prison。 A gun was fired from the Fort； the long…roll was beaten in
the various camps of the guards； and the regiments answered by getting
under arms in haste； and forming near the prison gates。
The reason for this； which we did not learn until weeks later； was that
Sherman； who had cut loose from Atlanta and started on his famous March
to the Sea； had taken such a course as rendered it probable that Millen
was one of his objective points。 It was； therefore； necessary that we
should be hurried away with all possible speed。 As we had had no news
from Sherman since the end of the Atlanta campaign； and were ignorant of
his having begun his great raid； we were at an utter loss to account for
the commotion among our keepers。
About 3 o'clock in the morning the Rebel Sergeants； who called the roll；
came in and ordered us to turn out immediately and get ready to move。
The morning was one of the most cheerless I ever knew。 A cold rain
poured relentlessly down upon us half…naked； shivering wretches； as we
groped around in the darkness for our pitiful little belongings of rags
and cooking utensils； and huddled together in groups； urged on
continually by the curses and abuse of the Rebel officers sent in to get
us ready to move。
Though roused at 3 o'clock； the cars were not ready to receive us till
nearly noon。 In the meantime we stood in ranksnumb； trembling； and
heart…sick。 The guards around us crouched over fires； and shielded
themselves as best they could with blankets and bits of tent cloth。
We had nothing to build fires with； and were not allowed to approach
those of the guards。
Around us everywhere was the dull； cold； gray； hopeless desolation of the
approach of minter。 The hard； wiry grass that thinly covered the once
and sand； the occasional stunted weeds； and the sparse foliage of the
gnarled and dwarfish undergrowth； all were parched brown and sere by the
fiery heat of the long Summer； and now rattled drearily under the
pitiless； cold rain； streaming from lowering clouds that seemed to have
floated down to us from the cheerless summit of some great iceberg； the
tall； naked pines moaned and shivered； dead； sapless leaves fell wearily
to the sodden earth； like withered hopes drifting down to deepen some
Slough of Despond。
Scores of our crowd found this the culmination of their misery。 They
laid down upon the ground and yielded to death as s welcome relief；
and we left them lying there unburied when we moved to the cars。
As we passed through the Rebel camp at dawn； on our way to the cars；
Andrews and I noticed a nest of four large； bright； new tin pansa rare
thing in the Confederacy at that time。 We managed to snatch them without
the guard's attention being attracted； and in an instant had them wrapped
up in our blanket。 But the blanket was full of holes； and in spite of
all our efforts； it would slip at the most inconvenient times； so as to
show a broad glare of the bright metal； just when it seemed it could not
help attracting the attention of the guards or their officers。 A dozen
times at least we were on the imminent brink of detection； but we finally
got our treasures safely to the cars； and sat down upon them。
The cars were open flats。 The rain still beat down unre