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When all was ready we moved down upon the Big Tent； in as good order as
we could preserve while passing through the narrow tortuous paths between
the tents。 Key； Limber Jim； Ned Carigan； Goody； Tom Larkin； and Ned
Johnson led the advance with their companies。 The prison was as silent
as a graveyard。 As we approached； the Raiders massed themselves in a
strong； heavy line； with the center； against which our advance was
moving； held by the most redoubtable of their leaders。 How many there
were of them could not be told； as it was impossible to say where their
line ended and the mass of spectators began。 They could not themselves
tell； as the attitude of a large portion of the spectators would be
determined by which way the battle went。
Not a blow was struck until the lines came close together。 Then the
Raider center launched itself forward against ours； and grappled savagely
with the leading Regulators。 For an instantit seemed an hourthe
struggle was desperate。
Strong； fierce men clenched and strove to throttle each other； great
muscles strained almost to bursting； and blows with fist and club…dealt
with all the energy of mortal hatefell like hail。 One…perhaps two…
endless minutes the lines surgedthrobbedbackward and forward a step
or two； and then； as if by a concentration of mighty effort； our men
flung the Raider line back from itbrokenshattered。 The next instant
our leaders were striding through the mass like raging lions。 Carrigan；
Limber Jim； Larkin； Johnson and Goody each smote down a swath of men
before them； as they moved resistlessly forward。
We light weights had been sent around on the flanks to separate the
spectators from the combatants； strike the Raiders 'en revers；' and；
as far as possible； keep the crowd from reinforcing them。
In five minutes after the first blowwas struck the overthrow of the
Raiders was complete。 Resistance ceased； and they sought safety in
flight。
As the result became apparent to thewatchers on the opposite hillside；
they vented their pent…up excitement in a yell that made the very ground
tremble； and we answered them with a shout that expressed not only our
exultation over our victory； but our great relief from the intense strain
we had long borne。
We picked up a few prisoners on the battle field； and retired without
making any special effort to get any more then； as we knew； that they
could not escape us。
We were very tired； and very hungry。 The time for drawing rations had
arrived。 Wagons containing bread and mush had driven to the gates； but
Wirz would not allow these to be opened； lest in the excited condition of
the men an attempt might be made to carry them。 Key ordered operations
to cease； that Wirz might be re…assured and let the rations enter。
It was in vain。 Wirz was thoroughly scared。 The wagons stood out in the
hot sun until the mush fermented and soured； and had to be thrown away；
while we event rationless to bed； and rose the next day with more than
usually empty stomachs to goad us on to our work。
CHAPTER XXXVL
WHY THE REGULATORS WERE NOT ASSISTED BY THE ENTIRE CAMPPECULIARITIES OF
BOYS FROM DIFFERENT SECTIONSHUNTING THE RAIDERS DOWNEXPLOITS OF MY
LEFT…HANDED LIEUTENANTRUNNING THE GAUNTLET。
I may not have made it wholly clear to the reader why we did not have the
active assistance of the whole prison in the struggle with the Raiders。
There were many reasons for this。 First； the great bulk of the prisoners
were new comers； having been； at the farthest； but three or four weeks in
the Stockade。 They did not comprehend the situation of affairs as we
older prisoners did。 They did not understand that all the outragesor
very nearly allwere the work ofa relatively small crowd of graduates
from the metropolitan school of vice。 The activity and audacity of the
Raiders gave them the impression that at least half the able…bodied men
in the Stockade were engaged in these depredations。 This is always the
case。 A half dozen burglars or other active criminals in a town will
produce the impression that a large portion of the population are law
breakers。 We never estimated that the raiding N'Yaarkers； with their
spies and other accomplices； exceeded five hundred； but it would have
been difficult to convince a new prisoner that there were not thousands
of them。 Secondly； the prisoners were made up of small squads from every
regiment at the front along the whole line from the Mississippi to the
Atlantic。 These were strangers to and distrustful of all out side their
own little circles。 The Eastern men were especially so。 The
Pennsylvanians and New Yorkers each formed groups； and did not fraternize
readily with those outside their State lines。 The New Jerseyans held
aloof from all the rest； while the Massachusetts soldiers had very little
in Common with anybodyeven their fellow New Englanders。 The Michigan
men were modified New Englanders。 They had the same tricks of speech；
they said 〃I be〃 for 〃I am；〃 and 〃haag〃 for 〃hog；〃 〃Let me look at your
knife half a second；〃 or 〃Give me just a sup of that water；〃 where we
said simply 〃Lend me your knife；〃 or 〃hand me a drink。〃 They were less
reserved than the true Yankees； more disposed to be social； and； with all
their eccentricities； were as manly； honorable a set of fellows as it was
my fortune to meet with in the army。 I could ask no better comrades than
the boys of the Third Michigan Infantry； who belonged to the same
〃Ninety〃 with me。 The boys from Minnesota and Wisconsin were very much
like those from Michigan。 Those from Ohio； Indiana； Illinois； Iowa and
Kansas all seemed cut off the same piece。 To all intents and purposes
they might have come from the same County。 They spoke the same dialect；
read the same newspapers； had studied McGuffey's Readers； Mitchell's
Geography； and Ray's Arithmetics at school； admired the same great men；
and held generally the same opinions on any given subject。 It was never
difficult to get them to act in unisonthey did it spontaneously； while
it required an effort to bring about harmony of action with those from
other sections。 Had the Western boys in prison been thoroughly advised
of the nature of our enterprise； we could； doubtless； have commanded
their cordial assistance； but they were not； and there was no way in
which it could be done readily； until after the decisive blow was struck。
The work of arresting the leading Raiders went on actively all day on the
Fourth of July。 They made occasional shows of fierce resistance； but the
events of the day before had destroyed their prestige； broken their
confidence； and driven away from their； support very many who followed
their lead when they were considered all…powerful。 They scattered from
their； former haunts； and mingled with the crowds in other parts of the
prison； but were recognized； and reported to Key； who sent parties to
arrest them。 Several times they managed to collect enough adherents to
drive off the squads sent after them； but this only gave them a short
respite； for the squad would return reinforced； and make short work of
them。 Besides； the prisoners generally were beginning to understa