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though they failed； since they aroused new ideas and hopes； set the blood
into more rapid circulation； and toned up the mind and system both。
I had come away from Andersonville with considerable scurvy manifesting
itself in my gums and feet。 Soon these signs almost wholly disappeared。
We also got away from those murderous little brats of Reserves；
who guarded us at Andersonville； and shot men down as they would stone
apples out of a tree。 Our guards now were mostly； sailors； from the
Rebel fleet in the harborIrishmen； Englishmen and Scandinavians； as
free hearted and kindly as sailors always are。 I do not think they ever
fired a shot at one of us。 The only trouble we had was with that portion
of the guard drawn from the infantry of the garrison。 They had the same
rattlesnake venom of the Home Guard crowd wherever we met it； and shot us
down at the least provocation。 Fortunately they only formed a small part
of the sentinels。
Best of all； we escaped for a while from the upas…like shadow of Winder
and Wirz； in whose presence strong men sickened and died； as when near
some malign genii of an Eastern story。 The peasantry of Italy believed
firmly in the evil eye。 Did they ever know any such men as Winder and
his satellite； I could comprehend how much foundation they could have for
such a belief。
Lieutenant Davis had many faults； but there was no comparison between him
and the Andersonville commandant。 He was a typical young Southern man；
ignorant and bumptious as to the most common matters of school…boy
knowledge； inordinately vain of himself and his family； coarse in tastes
and thoughts； violent in his prejudices； but after all with some streaks
of honor and generosity that made the widest possible difference between
him and Wirz； who never had any。 As one of my chums said to me：
〃Wirz is the most even…tempered man I ever knew； he's always foaming
mad。〃
This was nearly the truth。 I never saw Wirz when he was not angry；
if not violently abusive； he was cynical and sardonic。 Never； in my
little experience with him did I detect a glint of kindly； generous
humanity； if he ever was moved by any sight of suffering its exhibition
in his face escaped my eye。 If he ever had even a wish to mitigate the
pain or hardship of any man the expression of such wish never fell on my
ear。 How a man could move daily through such misery as he encountered；
and never be moved by it except to scorn and mocking is beyond my limited
understanding。
Davis vapored a great deal； swearing big round oaths in the broadest of
Southern patois； he was perpetually threatening to：
〃Open on ye wid de ahtillery；〃 but the only death that I knew him to
directly cause or sanction was that I have described in the previous
chapter。 He would not put himself out of the way to annoy and oppress
prisoners； as Wirz would； but frequently showed even a disposition to
humor them in some little thing； when it could be done without danger or
trouble to himself。
By…and…by； however； he got an idea that there was some money to be made
out of the prisoners； and he set his wits to work in this direction。
One day； standing at the gate； he gave one of his peculiar yells that he
used to attract the attention of the camp with：
〃Wh…ah…ye！！〃
We all came to 〃attention；〃 and he announced：
〃Yesterday； while I wuz in the camps （a Rebel always says camps；） some of
you prisoners picked my pockets of seventy…five dollars in greenbacks。
Now； I give you notice that I'll not send in any moah rations till the
money's returned to me。〃
This was a very stupid method of extortion； since no one believed that he
had lost the money； and at all events he had no business to have the
greenbacks； as the Rebel laws imposed severe penalties upon any citizen；
and still more upon any soldier dealing with； or having in his possession
any of 〃the money of the enemy。〃 We did without rations until night；
when they were sent in。 There was a story that some of the boys in the
prison had contributed to make up part of the sum； and Davis took it and
was satisfied。 I do not know how true the story was。 At another time
some of the boys stole the bridle and halter off an old horse that was
driven in with a cart。 The things were worth； at a liberal estimate；
one dollar。 Davis cut off the rations of the whole six thousand of us
for one day for this。 We always imagined that the proceeds went into his
pocket。
A special exchange was arranged between our Navy Department and that of
the Rebels； by which all seamen and marines among us were exchanged。
Lists of these were sent to the different prisons and the men called for。
About three…fourths of them were dead； but many soldiers divining； the
situation of affairs； answered to the dead men's names； went away with
the squad and were exchanged。 Much of this was through the connivance of
the Rebel officers； who favored those who had ingratiated themselves with
them。 In many instances money was paid to secure this privilege； and I
have been informed on good authority that Jack Huckleby； of the Eighth
Tennessee； and Ira Beverly； of the One Hundredth Ohio； who kept the big
sutler shop on the North Side at Andersonville； paid Davis five hundred
dollars each to be allowed to go with the sailors。 As for Andrews and
me； we had no friends among the Rebels； nor money to bribe with； so we
stood no show。
The rations issued to us for some time after our arrival seemed riotous
luxury to what we had been getting at Andersonville。 Each of us received
daily a half…dozen rude and coarse imitations of our fondly…remembered
hard tack； and with these a small piece of meat or a few spoonfuls of
molasses； and a quart or so of vinegar； and several plugs of tobacco for
each hundred。〃 How exquisite was the taste of the crackers and molasses！
It was the first wheat bread I had eaten since my entry into Richmond
nine months beforeand molasses had been a stranger to me for years。
After the corn bread we had so long lived upon； this was manna。 It seems
that the Commissary at Savannah labored under the delusion that he must
issue to us the same rations as were served out to the Rebel soldiers and
sailors。 It was some little time before the fearful mistake came to the
knowledge of Winder。 I fancy that the news almost threw him into an
apoplectic fit。 Nothing； save his being ordered to the front； could have
caused him such poignant sorrow as the information that so much good food
had been worse than wasted in undoing his work by building up the bodies
of his hated enemies。
Without being told； we knew that he had been heard from when the tobacco；
vinegar and molasses failed to come in； and the crackers gave way to corn
meal。 Still this was a vast improvement on Andersonville； as the meal
was fine and sweet； and we each had a spoonful of salt issued to us
regularly。
I am quite sure that I cannot make the reader who has not had an
experience similar to ours comprehend the wonderful importance to us of
that spoonful of salt。 Whether or not the appetite for salt be； as some
scientists claim； a purely artificial want； one thing is certain； and
that is； that either