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firing of a musket； and the shriek of the man who was struck； attracted
my attention。 Looking towards the opposite end of the； pen I saw a guard
bringing his still smoking musket to a 〃recover arms；〃 and； not fifteen
feet from him； a prisoner lying on the ground in the agonies of death。
The latter had a pipe in his mouth when he was shot； and his teeth still
clenched its stem。 His legs and arms were drawn up convulsively； and he
was rocking backward and forward on his back。 The charge had struck him
just above the hip…bone。
The Rebel officer in command of the guard was sitting on his horse inside
the pen at the time； and rode forward to see what the matter was。
Lieutenant Davis； who had come with us from Andersonville； was also
sitting on a horse inside the prison； and he called out in his usual
harsh； disagreeable voice：
〃That's all right； Cunnel； the man's done just as I awdahed him to。〃
I found that lying around inside were a number of bits of plankeach
about five feet long； which had been sawed off by the carpenters engaged
in building the prison。 The ground being a bare common； was destitute of
all shelter； and the pieces looked as if they would be quite useful in
building a tent。 There may have been an order issued forbidding the
prisoners to touch them； but if so； I had not heard it； and I imagine the
first intimation to the prisoner just killed that the boards were not to
be taken was the bullet which penetrated his vitals。 Twenty…five cents
would be a liberal appraisement of the value of the lumber for which the
boy lost his life。
Half an hour afterward we thought we saw all the guards march out of the
front gate。 There was still another pile of these same kind of pieces of
board lying at the further side of the prison。 The crowd around me
noticed it； and we all made a rush for it。 In spite of my lame feet I
outstripped the rest； and was just in the act of stooping down to pick
the boards up when a loud yell from those behind startled me。 Glancing
to my left I saw a guard cocking his gun and bringing it up to shoot me。
With one frightened spring； as quick as a flash； and before he could
cover me； I landed fully a rod back in the crowd； and mixed with it。
The fellow tried hard to draw a bead on me； but I was too quick for him；
and he finally lowered his gun with an oath expressive of disappointment
in not being able to kill a Yankee。
Walking back to my place the full ludicrousness of the thing dawned upon
me so forcibly that I forgot all about my excitement and scare； and
laughed aloud。 Here； not an hour age I was murmuring because I could
find no way to die； I sighed for death as a bridegroom for the coming of
his bride； an yet； when a Rebel had pointed his gun at me； it had nearly
scared me out of a year's growth； and made me jump farther than I could
possibly do when my feet were well； and I was in good condition
otherwise。
CHAPTER II。
SAVANNAHDEVICES TO OBTAIN MATERIALS FOR A TENTTHEIR ULTIMATE SUCCESS
RESUMPTION OF TUNNELINGESCAPING BY WHOLESALE AND BEING RECAPTURED EN
MASSETHE OBSTACLES THAT LAY BETWEEN US AND OUR LINES。
Andrews and I did not let the fate of the boy who was killed； nor my own
narrow escape from losing the top of my head； deter us from farther
efforts to secure possession of those coveted boards。 My readers
remember the story of the boy who； digging vigorously at a hole； replied
to the remark of a passing traveler that there was probably no ground…hog
there； and； even if there was； 〃ground…hog was mighty poor eatin'； any
way；〃 with：
〃Mister； there's got to be a ground…hog there； our family's out o' meat！〃
That was what actuated us： we were out of material for a tent。 Our
solitary blanket had rotted and worn full of holes by its long double
duty； as bed…clothes and tent at Andersonville； and there was an
imperative call for a substitute。
Andrews and I flattered ourselves that when we matched our collective or
individual wits against those of a Johnny his defeat was pretty certain；
and with this cheerful estimate of our own powers to animate us； we set
to work to steal the boards from under the guard's nose。 The Johnny had
malice in his heart and buck…and…ball in his musket； but his eyes were
not sufficiently numerous to adequately discharge all the duties laid
upon him。 He had too many different things to watch at the same time。
I would approach a gap in the fence not yet closed as if I intended
making a dash through it for liberty； and when the Johnny had
concentrated all his attention on letting me have the contents of his gun
just as soon as he could have a reasonable excuse for doing so； Andrews
would pick u a couple of boards and slip away with them。 Then I would
fall back in pretended （and some real） alarm； andAndrew would come up
and draw his attention by a similar feint； while I made off with a couple
more pieces。 After a few hours c this strategy； we found ourselves the
possessors of some dozen planks； with which we made a lean…to； that
formed a tolerable shelter for our heads and the upper portion of our
bodies。 As the boards were not over five feet long； and the slope reduce
the sheltered space to about four…and…one…half feet； it left th lower
part of our naked feet and legs to project out…of…doors。 Andrews used to
lament very touchingly the sunburning his toe…nails were receiving。
He knew that his complexion was being ruined for life； and all the Balm
of a Thousand Flowers in the world would not restore his comely ankles to
that condition of pristine loveliness which would admit of their
introduction into good society again。 Another defect was that； like the
fun in a practical joke； it was all on one side； there was not enough of
it to go clear round。 It was very unpleasant； when a storm came up in a
direction different from that we had calculated upon； to be compelled to
get out in the midst of it； and build our house over to face the other
way。
Still we had a tent； and were that much better off than three…fourths of
our comrades who had no shelter at all。 We were owners of a brown stone
front on Fifth Avenue compared to the other fellows。
Our tent erected； we began a general survey of our new abiding place。
The ground was a sandy common in the outskirts of Savannah。 The sand was
covered with a light sod。 The Rebels； who knew nothing of our burrowing
propensities； had neglected to make the plank forming the walls of the
Prison project any distance below the surface of the ground； and had put
up no Dead Line around the inside； so that it looked as if everything was
arranged expressly to invite us to tunnel out。 We were not the boys to
neglect such an invitation。 By night about three thousand had been
received from Andersonville； and placed inside。 When morning came it
looked as if a colony of gigantic rats had been at work。 There was a
tunnel every ten or fifteen feet； and at least twelve hundred of us had
gone out through them during the night。 I never understood why all in
the pen did not follow our example； and leave the guards watching a
forsaken Prison。 There was nothing to prevent it。 An hour's industrious
work with a