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each； two or three times a week。 The red pepper I used to warm up our
bread and mush； and give some different taste to the corn meal； which had
now become so loathsome to us。 The peanut oil served to give a hint of
the animal food we hungered for。 It was greasy； and as we did not have
any meat for three months； even this flimsy substitute was inexpressibly
grateful to palate and stomach。 But one morning the Hospital Steward
made a mistake； and gave me castor oil instead； and the consequences were
unpleasant。
A more agreeable remembrance is that of two small apples； about the size
of walnuts； given me by a boy named Henry Clay Montague Porter； of the
Sixteenth Connecticut。 He had relatives living in North Carolina； who
sent him a small packs of eatables； out of which； in the fulness of his
generous heart he gave me this shareenough to make me always remember
him with kindness。
Speaking of eatables reminds me of an incident。 Joe Darling； of the
First Maine； our Chief of Police； had a sister living at Augusta； Ga。；
who occasionally came to Florence with basket of food and other
necessaries for her brother。 On one of these journeys； while sitting in
Colonel Iverson's tent； waiting for her brother to be brought out of
prison； she picked out of her basket a nicely browned doughnut and handed
it to the guard pacing in front of the tent； with：
〃Here； guard； wouldn't you like a genuine Yankee doughnut？〃
The guard…a lank； loose…jointed Georgia crackerwho in all his life seen
very little more inviting food than the his hominy and molasses； upon
which he had been raised； took the cake； turned it over and inspected it
curiously for some time without apparently getting the least idea of what
it was for； and then handed it back to the donor； saying：
〃Really； mum； I don't believe I've got any use for it〃
CHAPTER LXXII
DULL WINTER DAYSTOO WEAK AND TOO STUPID To AMUSE OURSELVESATTEMPTS OF
THE REBELS TO RECRUIT US INTO THEIR ARMYTHE CLASS OF MEN THEY OBTAINED
VENGEANCE ON 〃THE GALVANIZED〃A SINGULAR EXPERIENCERARE GLIMPSES
OF FUNINABILITY OF THE REBELS TO COUNT。
The Rebels continued their efforts to induce prisoners to enlist in their
army； and with much better success than at any previous time。 Many men
had become so desperate that they were reckless as to what they did。
Home； relatives； friends； happinessall they had remembered or looked
forward to； all that had nerved them up to endure the present and brave
the futurenow seemed separated from them forever by a yawning and
impassable chasm。 For many weeks no new prisoners had come in to rouse
their drooping courage with news of the progress of our arms towards
final victory； or refresh their remembrances of home； and the
gladsomeness of 〃God's Country。〃 Before them they saw nothing but weeks
of slow and painful progress towards bitter death。 The other alternative
was enlistment in the Rebel army。
Another class went out and joined； with no other intention than to escape
at the first opportunity。 They justified their bad faith to the Rebels
by recalling the numberless instances of the Rebels' bad faith to us；
and usually closed their arguments in defense of their course with：
〃No oath administered by a Rebel can have any binding obligation。 These
men are outlaws who have not only broken their oaths to the Government；
but who have deserted from its service； and turned its arms against it。
They are perjurers and traitors； and in addition； the oath they
administer to us is under compulsion and for that reason is of no
account。〃
Still another class； mostly made up from the old Raider crowd； enlisted
from natural depravity。 They went out more than for anything else
because their hearts were prone to evil and they did that which was wrong
in preference to what was right。 By far the largest portion of those the
Rebels obtained were of this class； and a more worthless crowd of
soldiers has not been seen since Falstaff mustered his famous recruits。
After all； however； the number who deserted their flag was astonishingly
small； considering all the circumstances。 The official report says three
hundred and twenty…six； but I imaging this is under the truth； since
quite a number were turned back in after their utter uselessness had been
demonstrated。 I suppose that five hundred 〃galvanized；〃 as we termed it；
but this was very few when the hopelessness of exchange； the despair of
life； and the wretchedness of the condition of the eleven or twelve
thousand inside the Stockade is remembered。
The motives actuating men to desert were not closely analyzed by us；
but we held all who did so as despicable scoundrels； too vile to be
adequately described in words。 It was not safe for a man to announce his
intention of 〃galvanizing；〃 for he incurred much danger of being beaten
until he was physically unable to reach the gate。 Those who went over to
the enemy had to use great discretion in letting the Rebel officer； know
so much of their wishes as would secure their being taker outside。 Men
were frequently knocked down and dragged away while telling the officers
they wanted to go out。
On one occasion one hundred or more of the raider crowd who had
galvanized； were stopped for a few hours in some little Town； on their
way to the front。 They lost no time in stealing everything they could
lay their hands upon； and the disgusted Rebel commander ordered them to
be returned to the Stockade。 They came in in the evening； all well
rigged out in Rebel uniforms； and carrying blankets。 We chose to
consider their good clothes and equipments an aggravation of their
offense and an insult to ourselves。 We had at that time quite a squad of
negro soldiers inside with us。 Among them was a gigantic fellow with a
fist like a wooden beetle。 Some of the white boys resolved to use these
to wreak the camp's displeasure on the Galvanized。 The plan was carried
out capitally。 The big darky； followed by a crowd of smaller and nimbler
〃shades；〃 would approach one of the leaders among them with：
〃Is you a Galvanized？〃
The surly reply would be；
〃Yes； you black 。 What the business is that of yours？〃
At that instant the bony fist of the darky； descending like a pile…
driver； would catch the recreant under the ear； and lift him about a rod。
As he fell； the smaller darkies would pounce upon him； and in an instant
despoil him of his blanket and perhaps the larger portion of his warm
clothing。 The operation was repeated with a dozen or more。 The whole
camp enjoyed it as rare fun； and it was the only time that I saw nearly
every body at Florence laugh。
A few prisoners were brought in in December； who had been taken in
Foster's attempt to cut the Charleston & Savannah Railroad at Pocataligo。
Among them we were astonished to find Charley Hirsch； a member of Company
I's of our battalion。 He had had a strange experience。 He was
originally a member of a Texas regiment and was captured at Arkansas
Post。 He then took the oath of allegiance and enlisted with us。 While
we were at Savannah he approached a guard one day to trade for tobacco。
The moment he spoke to the man he recognized him a