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of corn meal a day； and a piece of wood about the size of an ordinary
stick for a cooking stove to cook it with。 Then let such weather prevail
as we ordinarily have in the North in Novemberfreezing cold rains； with
frequent days and nights when the ice forms as thick as a pane of glass。
How long does he think men could live through that？ He will probably say
that a week； or at most a fortnight； would see the last and strongest of
these ten thousand lying dead in the frozen mire where he wallowed。 He
will be astonished to learn that probably not more than four or five
thousand of those who underwent this in Florence died there。 How many
died after releasein Washington； on the vessels coming to Annapolis； in
hospital and camp at Annapolis； or after they reached home； none but the
Recording Angel can tell。 All that I know is we left a trail of dead
behind us； wherever we moved； so long as I was with the doleful caravan。
Looking back； after these lapse of years； the most salient characteristic
seems to be the ease with which men died。 There； was little of the
violence of dissolution so common at Andersonville。 The machinery of
life in all of us； was running slowly and feebly； it would simply grow
still slower and feebler in some； and then stop without a jar； without a
sensation to manifest it。 Nightly one of two or three comrades sleeping
together would die。 The survivors would not know it until they tried to
get him to 〃spoon〃 over； when they would find him rigid and motionless。
As they could not spare even so little heat as was still contained in his
body； they would not remove this； but lie up the closer to it until
morning。 Such a thing as a boy making an outcry when he discovered his
comrade dead； or manifesting any； desire to get away from the corpse； was
unknown。
I remember one who； as Charles II。 said of himself； was
〃an unconscionable long time in dying。〃 His name was Bickford； he
belonged to the Twenty…First Ohio Volunteer Infantry； lived； I think；
near Findlay； O。； and was in my hundred。 His partner and he were both in
a very bad condition； and I was not surprised； on making my rounds； one
morning； to find them apparently quite dead。 I called help； and took his
partner away to the gate。 When we picked up Bickford we found he still
lived； and had strength enough to gasp out：
〃You fellers had better let me alone。〃 We laid him back to die； as we
supposed； in an hour or so。
When the Rebel Surgeon came in on his rounds； I showed him Bickford；
lying there with his eyes closed； and limbs motionless。 The Surgeon
said：
〃O； that man's dead； why don't you have him taken out？〃
I replied： 〃 No； he isn't。 Just see。〃 Stooping； I shook the boy
sharply； and said：
〃Bickford！ Bickford！！ How do you feel？〃
The eyes did not unclose； but the lips opened slowly； and said with a
painful effort：
〃F…i…r…s…t R…a…t…e！〃
This scene was repeated every morning for over a week。 Every day the
Rebel Surgeon would insist that the man should betaken out； and every
morning Bickford would gasp out with troublesome exertion that he felt：
〃F…i…r…s…t R…a…t…e！〃
It ended one morning by his inability； to make his usual answer； and then
he was carried out to join the two score others being loaded into the
wagon。
CHAPTER LXXIV。
NEW YEAR'S DAYDEATH OF JOHN H。 WINDERHE DIES ON HIS WAY TO A DINNER
SOMETHING AS TO CHARACTER AND CAREERONE OF THE WORST MEN THAT EVER
LIVED。
On New Year's Day we were startled by the information that our old…time
enemyGeneral John H。 Winderwas dead。 It seemed that the Rebel Sutler
of the Post had prepared in his tent a grand New Year's dinner to which
all the officers were invited。 Just as Winder bent his head to enter the
tent he fell； and expired shortly after。 The boys said it was a clear
case of Death by Visitation of the Devil； and it was always insisted that
his last words were：
〃My faith is in Christ； I expect to be saved。 Be sure and cut down the
prisoners' rations。〃
Thus passed away the chief evil genius of the Prisoners…of…War。 American
history has no other character approaching his in vileness。 I doubt if
the history of the world can show another man； so insignificant in
abilities and position； at whose door can be laid such a terrible load of
human misery。 There have been many great conquerors and warriors who
have
Waded through slaughter to a throne；
And shut the gates of mercy on mankind；
but they were great men； with great objects； with grand plans to carry
out； whose benefits they thought would be more than an equivalent for the
suffering they caused。 The misery they inflicted was not the motive of
their schemes； but an unpleasant incident； and usually the sufferers were
men of other races and religions； for whom sympathy had been dulled by
long antagonism。
But Winder was an obscure； dull old manthe commonplace descendant of a
pseudo…aristocrat whose cowardly incompetence had once cost us the loss
of our National Capital。 More prudent than his runaway father； he held
himself aloof from the field； his father had lost reputation and almost
his commission； by coming into contact with the enemy； he would take no
such foolish risks； and he did not。 When false expectations of the
ultimate triumph of Secession led him to cast his lot with the Southern
Confederacy； he did not solicit a command in the field； but took up his
quarters in Richmond； to become a sort of Informer…General； High…
Inquisitor and Chief Eavesdropper for his intimate friend； Jefferson
Davis。 He pried and spied around into every man's bedroom and family
circle； to discover traces of Union sentiment。 The wildest tales malice
and vindictiveness could concoct found welcome reception in his ears。
He was only too willing to believe； that he might find excuse for
harrying and persecuting。 He arrested； insulted； imprisoned； banished；
and shot people； until the patience even of the citizens of Richmond gave
way； and pressure was brought upon Jefferson Davis to secure the
suppression of his satellite。 For a long while Davis resisted； but at
last yielded； and transferred Winder to the office of Commissary General
of Prisoners。 The delight of the Richmond people was great。 One of the
papers expressed it in an article； the key note of which was：
〃Thank God that Richmond is at last rid of old Winder。 God have mercy
upon those to whom he has been sent。〃
Remorseless and cruel as his conduct of the office of Provost Marshal
General was； it gave little hint of the extent to which he would go in
that of Commissary General of Prisoners。 Before； he was restrained
somewhat by public opinion and the laws of the land。 These no longer
deterred him。 From the time he assumed command of all the Prisons east
of the Mississippisome time in the Fall of 1863until death removed
him； January 1； 1865certainly not less than twenty…five thousand
incarcerated men died in the most horrible manner that the mind can
conceive。 He cannot be accused of exaggeration； when； surveying the
thousands of new graves at Andersonville； he could say with a quiet
chuckle that he was 〃doing more to