按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
machine。 He knew nothing but to obey orders； and obeyed them under all
circumstances promptly； but with stony impassiveness。 With the command
to move forward into action； he moved forward without a word； and with
face as blank as a side of sole leather。 He went as far as ordered；
halted at the word； and retired at command as phlegmatically as he
advanced。 If he cared a straw whether he advanced or retreated； if it
mattered to the extent of a pinch of salt whether we whipped the Rebels
or they defeated us； he kept that feeling so deeply hidden in the
recesses of his sturdy bosom that no one ever suspected it。 In the
excitement of action the rest of the boys shouted； and swore； and
expressed their tense feelings in various ways； but Marriott might as
well have been a graven image； for all the expression that he suffered to
escape。 Doubtless； if the Captain had ordered him to shoot one of the
company through the heart； he would have executed the command according
to the manual of arms； brought his carbine to a 〃recover；〃 and at the
word marched back to his quarters without an inquiry as to the cause of
the proceedings。 He made no friends； and though his surliness repelled
us； he made few enemies。 Indeed； he was rather a favorite； since he was
a genuine character； his gruffness had no taint of selfish greed in it；
he minded his own business strictly； and wanted others to do the same。
When he first came into the company； it is true； he gained the enmity of
nearly everybody in it； but an incident occurred which turned the tide in
his favor。 Some annoying little depredations had been practiced on the
boys； and it needed but a word of suspicion to inflame all their minds
against the surly Englishman as the unknown perpetrator。 The feeling
intensified； until about half of the company were in a mood to kill the
Bugler outright。 As we were returning from stable duty one evening；
some little occurrence fanned the smoldering anger into a fierce blaze；
a couple of the smaller boys began an attack upon him； others hastened to
their assistance； and soon half the company were engaged in the assault。
He succeeded in disengaging himself from his assailants； and； squaring
himself off； said； defiantly：
〃Dom yer cowardly heyes； jest come hat me one hat a time； hand hI'll
wollop the 'ole gang uv ye's。〃
One of our Sergeants styled himself proudly 〃a Chicago rough；〃 and was as
vain of his pugilistic abilities as a small boy is of a father who plays
in the band。 We all hated him cordiallyeven more than we did Marriott。
He thought this was a good time to show off； and forcing his way through
the crowd； he said； vauntingly：
〃Just fall back and form a ring； boys； and see me polish off the…fool。〃
The ring was formed； with the Bugler and the Sergeant in the center。
Though the latter was the younger and stronger the first round showed him
that it would have profited him much more to have let Marriott's
challenge pass unheeded。 As a rule； it is as well to ignore all
invitations of this kind from Englishmen； and especially from those who；
like Marriott； have served a term in the army； for they are likely to be
so handy with their fists as to make the consequences of an acceptance
more lively than desirable。
So the Sergeant found。 〃Marriott；〃 as one of the spectators expressed
it； 〃went around him like a cooper around a barrel。〃 He planted his
blows just where he wished； to the intense delight of the boys； who
yelled enthusiastically whenever he got in 〃a hot one；〃 and their delight
at seeing the Sergeant drubbed so thoroughly and artistically； worked an
entire revolution in his favor。
Thenceforward we viewed his eccentricities with lenient eyes； and became
rather proud of his bull…dog stolidity and surliness。 The whole
battalion soon came to share this feeling； and everybody enjoyed hearing
his deep…toned growl； which mischievous boys would incite by some petty
annoyances deliberately designed for that purpose。 I will mention
incidentally； that after his encounter with the Sergeant no one ever
again volunteered to 〃polish〃 him off。
Andersonville did not improve either his temper or his communicativeness。
He seemed to want to get as far away from the rest of us as possible；
and took up his quarters in a remote corner of the Stockade； among utter
strangers。 Those of us who wandered up in his neighborhood occasionally；
to see how he was getting along； were received with such scant courtesy；
that we did not hasten to repeat the visit。 At length； after none of us
had seen him for weeks； we thought that comradeship demanded another
visit。 We found him in the last stages of scurvy and diarrhea。 Chunks
of uneaten corn bread lay by his head。 They were at least a week old。
The rations since then had evidently been stolen from the helpless man by
those around him。 The place where he lay was indescribably filthy； and
his body was swarming with vermin。 Some good Samaritan had filled his
little black oyster can with water； and placed it within his reach。
For a week； at least； he had not been able to rise from the ground；
he could barely reach for the water near him。 He gave us such a glare of
recognition as I remembered to have seen light up the fast…darkening eyes
of a savage old mastiff； that I and my boyish companions once found dying
in the woods of disease and hurts。 Had he been able he would have driven
us away； or at least assailed us with biting English epithets。 Thus he
had doubtless driven away all those who had attempted to help him。
We did what little we could； and staid with him until the next afternoon；
when he died。 We prepared his body； in the customary way： folded the
hands across his breast； tied the toes together； and carried it outside；
not forgetting each of us； to bring back a load of wood。
The scarcity of mechanics of all kinds in the Confederacy； and the urgent
needs of the people for many things which the war and the blockade
prevented their obtaining； led to continual inducements being offered to
the artizans among us to go outside and work at their trade。 Shoemakers
seemed most in demand； next to these blacksmiths； machinists； molders and
metal workers generally。 Not a week passed during my imprisonment that I
did not see a Rebel emissary of some kind about the prison seeking to
engage skilled workmen for some purpose or another。 While in Richmond
the managers of the Tredegar Iron Works were brazen and persistent in
their efforts to seduce what are termed 〃malleable iron workers；〃 to
enter their employ。 A boy who was master of any one of the commoner
trades had but to make his wishes known； and he would be allowed to go
out on parole to work。 I was a printer； and I think that at least a
dozen times I was approached by Rebel publishers with offers of a parole；
and work at good prices。 One from Columbia； S。 C。； offered me two
dollars and a half a 〃thousand〃 for composition。 As the highest price
for such work that I had received before enlisting was thirty cents a
thousand； this seemed a chance to accumulate u4told wealth。 Since a man
working in day time can set from thirty…five to fifty 〃thousand〃