Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-04-16

| OdyS 1OE WOuuuIDS one.
Whether this is true or not do not
know. I only know that it was so
generally understood among the
prisoners.
Warren Lee Goss relates this Incl
dent among others which came under
his personal observation:
GA poor one-legged cripple placed
one hand on the dead line to support
him>Wh1le he got his crutch, which
had fallen from his feeble grasp to
the ground. In this position he was
shot through the lungs and lay
writhing in torments during most of
the forenoon, until at last death came
to his relief. None dared approach
him to relieve his suffer- ngs through
fear of the same fate. The guard
Oaded his musket after he had per-
formed this dastardly act, and grin
ming with satisfaction viewed the
body of the dying man for nearly an
hour with apparent pleasure, occa-
s1onally raising his gun to threaten
any one who, from curiosity or pity,
dared to approach the poor fellow"
Scarcely day passed but we heard
the crack of rife and knew that
there was "another man shot for
crossing the dead line.''
Returning again to the allotted spot
and finding my pard, Martin E. Guild,
of Coventry, we began to look about
for material to erect a shade of my
half blanket. Not pole, nor stake,
nor stick nor splinter of wood of any
kind was to be found. Everything
that could be utilized for firewood
had been gathered up long ago and
used for cooking rations. The stumps,
what few there were not already dug
up by the roots, were "claimed' by |
those who were going to dig them up,
and no part Of one could be purchased |
for love or money. There was neith-
er tree, nor bush, nor shrub to keep |
off any weather at all, and a storm
was brewing. We heard it sing in the
wind as the huge black cloud shut
out the sun and lowered over us
'lke foul lombard that would shed
its liquor" We pulled the half blan-
ket over our heads while for half an
hour the rain fell in pailfuls, drench-
ing us through and through, after
which the sun came out hot again.
Our arrival at Andersonville was
too late in the day for rations, conse
quently we were to wait in anticipa-
tion of that luxury till the next day.
Notwithstanding our surroundings,
however, we were thankful for small
tavors, and one was that we were to
be allowed that night to lie down at
+ull length upon the ground, instead
of being coiled up and jackknifed to-
gether in those close box cars .
The last cars that we occupied had
'een used, previously, for the trans
oortation of shelled corn, and some of
his had been left on the bottom and
n the cracks, which was gathered up
md saved. Some of the boys had
ew kernels of this left which they
low ate, raw of course, as other cattle
would. Those less fortunate did as
hey had often done before,-went
Without.
The small quantities and irregularity
7ith which our food had been issued
ad begun to tell seriously upon many
t US and as we looked in each
theirs faces, and thought OF better
ays, we realized how soon ga good
eg will fall; a straight back will
toop; black beard will turn white;
fair face will wither; full eye wax
ollow," and that an empty stomach
reates not only big vacuum, but a
hid kind Of insanity. 50
At dark we found an unclaimed
pace, spread our blankets and pre-
ared to court familiarity with what
'uly seemed to be Deaths half
rother, sleep. Hardly had we
ourselves upon the ground,
hen nearly starved maniac, start
lg from the east side, passed us like
beckoning ghost in the moonlight
1ade, to the west side, then across
le creek to the south side, shouting
L the while in a hoarse, sepulchral
DICE, "Fresh beef! fresh beef! Give
J more fresh beef!" Before morning
, had crossed the dead line and was
lot and killed.
Ever and anon through the hideous
ght the clarion voices of the guard
terrupted our dreams of home, as In
ey rang out the hour. ssNine O'Clock.
lst No. 1, and all is well!' ssNine
clock, past No. 2, and all is well!''
Id SO on once an hour from the
irty five or more different posts. to
'metimeS one of the guards with NC