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if the artillery opened。
The day was broiling hot。 The sun shot his perpendicular rays down with
blistering fierceness； and the densely packed； motionless crowds made the
heat almost insupportable。
Key took up his position inside the square to direct matters。 With him
were Limber Jim； Dick McCullough； and one or two others。 Also； Ned
Johnson； Tom Larkin； Sergeant Goody； and three others who were to act as
hangmen。 Each of these six was provided with a white sack； such as the
Rebels brought in meal in。 Two Corporals of my company〃Stag〃 Harris
and Wat Paynewere appointed to pull the stays from under the platform
at the signal。
A little after noon the South Gate opened； and Wirz rode in； dressed in a
suit of white duck； and mounted on his white horsea conjunction which
had gained for him the appellation of 〃Death on a Pale Horse。〃 Behind
him walked the faithful old priest； wearing his Church's purple insignia
of the deepest sorrow； and reading the service for the condemned。 The
six doomed men followed； walking between double ranks of Rebel guards。
All came inside the hollow square and halted。 Wirz then said：
〃Brizners； I return to you dose men so Boot as I got dem。 You haf tried
dem yourselves； and found dem guiltyI haf had notting to do wit it。
I vash my hands of eferyting connected wit dem。 Do wit dem as you like；
and may Gott haf mercy on you and on dem。 Garts； about face！ Voryvarts；
march！〃
With this he marched out and left us。
For a moment the condemned looked stunned。 They seemed to comprehend for
the first time that it was really the determination of the Regulators to
hang them。 Before that they had evidently thought that the talk of
hanging was merely bluff。 One of them gasped out：
〃My God； men； you don't really mean to hang us up there！〃
Key answered grimly and laconically：
〃That seems to be about the size of it。〃
At this they burst out in a passionate storm of intercessions and
imprecations； which lasted for a minute or so； when it was stopped by one
of them saying imperatively：
〃All of you stop now； and let the priest talk for us。〃
At this the priest closed the book upon which he had kept his eyes bent
since his entrance； and facing the multitude on the North Side began a
plea for mercy。
The condemned faced in the； same direction； to read their fate in the
countenances of those whom he was addressing。 This movement brought
Curtisa low…statured； massively built manon the right of their line；
and about ten or fifteen steps from my company。
The whole camp had been as still as death since Wirz's exit。 The silence
seemed to become even more profound as the priest began his appeal。
For a minute every ear was strained to catch what he said。 Then； as the
nearest of the thousands comprehended what he was saying they raised a
shout of 〃No！ no！！ NO！！〃 〃Hang them！ hang them！〃 〃Don't let them go！
Never！〃
〃Hang the rascals！ hang the villains！〃
〃Hang；'em！ hang 'em！ hang 'em！〃
This was taken up all over the prison； and tens of thousands throats
yelled it in a fearful chorus。
Curtis turned from the crowd with desperation convulsing his features。
Tearing off the broad…brimmed hat which he wore； he flung it on the
ground with the exclamation！
〃By God； I'll die this way first！〃 and； drawing his head down and folding
his arms about it； he dashed forward for the center of my company； like a
great stone hurled from a catapult。
〃Egypt〃 and I saw where he was going to strike； and ran down the line to
help stop him。 As he came up we rained blows on his head with our clubs；
but so many of us struck at him at once that we broke each other's clubs
to pieces； and only knocked him on his knees。 He rose with an almost
superhuman effort； and plunged into the mass beyond。
The excitement almost became delirium。 For an instant I feared that
everything was gone to ruin。 〃Egypt〃 and I strained every energy to
restore our lines； before the break could be taken advantage of by the
others。 Our boys behaved splendidly； standing firm； and in a few seconds
the line was restored。
As Curtis broke through； Delaney； a brawny Irishman standing next to him；
started to follow。 He took one step。 At the same instant Limber Jim's
long legs took three great strides； and placed him directly in front of
Delaney。 Jim's right hand held an enormous bowie…knife； and as he raised
it above Delaney he hissed out：
〃If you dare move another step； you open you ； I'll open
you from one end to the other。
Delaney stopped。 This checked the others till our lines reformed。
When Wirz saw the commotion he was panic…stricken with fear that the
long…dreaded assault on the Stockade had begun。 He ran down from the
headquarter steps to the Captain of the battery； shrieking：
〃Fire！ fire！ fire！〃
The Captain； not being a fool； could see that the rush was not towards
the Stockade； but away from it； and he refrained from giving the order。
But the spectators who had gotten before the guns； heard Wirz's excited
yell； and remembering the consequences to themselves should the artillery
be discharged； became frenzied with fear； and screamed； and fell down
over and trampled upon each other in endeavoring to get away。 The guards
on that side of the Stockade ran down in a panic； and the ten thousand
prisoners immediately around us； expecting no less than that the next
instant we would be swept with grape and canister； stampeded
tumultuously。 There were quite a number of wells right around us； and
all of these were filled full of men that fell into them as the crowd
rushed away。 Many had legs and arms broken； and I have no doubt that
several were killed。
It was the stormiest five minutes that I ever saw。
While this was going on two of my company； belonging to the Fifth Iowa
Cavalry； were in hot pursuit of Curtis。 I had seen them start and
shouted to them to come back； as I feared they would be set upon by the
Raiders and murdered。 But the din was so overpowering that they could not
hear me； and doubtless would not have come back if they had heard。
Curtis ran diagonally down the hill； jumping over the tents and knocking
down the men who happened in his way。 Arriving at the swamp he plunged
in； sinking nearly to his hips in the fetid； filthy ooze。 He forged his
way through with terrible effort。 His pursuers followed his example； and
caught up to him just as he emerged on the other side。 They struck him
on the back of the head with their clubs； and knocked him down。
By this time order had been restored about us。 The guns remained silent；
and the crowd massed around us again。 From where we were we could see
the successful end of the chase after Curtis； and could see his captors
start back with him。 Their success was announced with a roar of applause
from the North Side。 Both captors and captured were greatly exhausted；
and they were coming back very slowly。 Key ordered the balance up on to
the scaffold。 They obeyed promptly。 The priest resumed his reading of
the service for the condemned。 The excitement seemed to make the doomed
ones exceedingly thirsty。 I never saw men drink such inordinate
qu