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broke out in the City； and soon extended its ravages to the prisoners；
quite a number dying from it。
Early in October they had been sent away from the City to their present
location； which was then a piece of forest land。 There was no stockade
or other enclosure about them； and one night they forced the guard…line；
about fifteen hundred escaping； under a pretty sharp fire from the
guards。 After getting out they scattered； each group taking a different
route； some seeking Beaufort； and other places along the seaboard； and
the rest trying to gain the mountains。 The whole State was thrown into
the greatest perturbation by the occurrence。 The papers magnified the
proportion of the outbreak； and lauded fulsomely the gallantry of the
guards in endeavoring to withstand the desperate assaults of the frenzied
Yankees。 The people were wrought up into the highest alarm as to
outrages and excesses that these flying desperados might be expected to
commit。 One would think that another Grecian horse； introduced into the
heart of the Confederate Troy； had let out its fatal band of armed men。
All good citizens were enjoined to turn out and assist in arresting the
runaways。 The vigilance of all patrolling was redoubled； and such was
the effectiveness of the measures taken that before a month nearly every
one of the fugitives had been retaken and sent back to Florence。 Few of
these complained of any special ill…treatment by their captors； while
many reported frequent acts of kindness； especially when their captors
belonged to the middle and upper classes。 The low…down classthe clay…
eaterson the other hand； almost always abused their prisoners； and
sometimes； it is pretty certain； murdered them in cold blood。
About this time Winder came on from Andersonville； and then everything
changed immediately to the complexion of that place。 He began the
erection of the Stockade； and made it very strong。 The Dead Line was
established； but instead of being a strip of plank upon the top of low
posts； as at Andersonville； it was simply a shallow trench； which was
sometimes plainly visible； and sometimes not。 The guards always resolved
matters of doubt against the prisoners； and fired on them when they
supposed them too near where the Dead Line ought to be。 Fifteen acres of
ground were enclosed by the palisades； of which five were taken up by the
creek and swamp； and three or four more by the Dead Line； main streets；
etc。； leaving about seven or eight for the actual use of the prisoners；
whose number swelled to fifteen thousand by the arrivals from
Andersonville。 This made the crowding together nearly as bad as at the
latter place； and for awhile the same fatal results followed。 The
mortality； and the sending away of several thousand on the sick exchange；
reduced the aggregate number at the time of our arrival to about eleven
thousand； which gave more room to all； but was still not one…twentieth of
the space which that number of men should have had。
No shelter； nor material for constructing any； was furnished。 The ground
was rather thickly wooded； and covered with undergrowth； when the
Stockade was built； and certainly no bit of soil was ever so thoroughly
cleared as this was。 The trees and brush were cut down and worked up
into hut building materials by the same slow and laborious process that I
have described as employed in building our huts at Millen。
Then the stumps were attacked for fuel； and with such persistent
thoroughness that after some weeks there was certainly not enough woody
material left in that whole fifteen acres of ground to kindle a small
kitchen fire。 The men would begin work on the stump of a good sized
tree； and chip and split it off painfully and slowly until they had
followed it to the extremity of the tap root ten or fifteen feet below
the surface。 The lateral roots would be followed with equal
determination； and trenches thirty feet long； and two or three feet deep
were dug with case…knives and half…canteens； to get a root as thick as
one's wrist。 The roots of shrubs and vines were followed up and gathered
with similar industry。 The cold weather and the scanty issues of wood
forced men to do this。
The huts constructed were as various as the materials and the tastes of
the builders。 Those who were fortunate enough to get plenty of timber
built such cabins as I have described at Millen。 Those who had less eked
out their materials in various ways。 Most frequently all that a squad of
three or four could get would be a few slender poles and some brush。
They would dig a hole in the ground two feet deep and large enough for
them all to lie in。 Then putting up a stick at each end and laying a
ridge pole across； they； would adjust the rest of their material so as to
form sloping sides capable of supporting earth enough to make a water…
tight roof。 The great majority were not so well off as these； and had
absolutely； nothing of which to build。 They had recourse to the clay of
the swamp； from which they fashioned rude sun…dried bricks； and made
adobe houses； shaped like a bee hive； which lasted very well until a hard
rain came； when they dissolved into red mire about the bodies of their
miserable inmates。
Remember that all these makeshifts were practiced within a half…a…mile of
an almost boundless forest； from which in a day's time the camp could
have been supplied with material enough to give every man a comfortable
hut。
CHAPTER LXIX。
BARRETT'S INSANE CRUELTYHOW HE PUNISHED THOSE ALLEGED TO BE ENGAGED IN
TUNNELINGTHE MISERY IN THE STOCKADEMEN'S LIMBS ROTTING OFF WITH DRY
GANGRENE。
Winder had found in Barrett even a better tool for his cruel purposes
than Wirz。 The two resembled each other in many respects。 Both were
absolutely destitute of any talent for commanding men； and could no more
handle even one thousand men properly than a cabin boy could navigate a
great ocean steamer。 Both were given to the same senseless fits of
insane rage； coming and going without apparent cause； during which they
fired revolvers and guns or threw clubs into crowds of prisoners； or
knocked down such as were within reach of their fists。 These exhibitions
were such as an overgrown child might be expected to make。 They did not
secure any result except to increase the prisoners' wonder that such ill…
tempered fools could be given any position of responsibility。
A short time previous to our entry Barrett thought he had reason to
suspect a tunnel。 He immediately announced that no more rations should
be issued until its whereabouts was revealed and the； ringleaders in the
attempt to escape delivered up to him。 The rations at that time were
very scanty； so that the first day they were cut off the sufferings were
fearful。 The boys thought he would surely relent the next day； but they
did not know their man。 He was not suffering any； why should he relax
his severity？ He strolled leisurely out from his dinner table； picking
his teeth with his penknife in the comfortable； self…satisfied way of a
coarse man who has just filled his stomach to his entire contentan
attitude and an air that was simply maddening to the f