The National tribune., 1900-01-18
First Day in the Andersonville stockade.
Copyrighted, 1S99 by the publishers of The NATIONAL
TRIBUNE.

Capt. Wirz had addressed as "Sergt Smith
carried his head on one side, in peculiar
way, and was for that reason known as
"Wry-necked Smith" among the prisoners.
He did not seem necessarily bad or cruel
man. Neither was he a particularly good
or humane one. He was simply an ordi-
nary-minded young fellow, without marked
propensities in any direction, and obeyed
such orders as he got without comment,
and apparently without opinion. At least,
he never expressed any one way or the
other. He put himself at the right of the
line and commanded:
Attention. Right face-Forward-File
left-March!"
The men tramped down the hill and
past the breastworks, in which ST noticed
were piles of little iron balls, to each OF
which was attached stick, having paste
board wings like the feathers of an arrow,
only very much larger
What in the worlds them things?" he
asked wonderingly.
Them? Them's hand-grenades to
| throw at the prisoners if they make rush,
answered an old Regular, who was tramp
ing along behind. I'VE used to have
was in the artillery. They're awful things
at close range if they go off,"
I'D like to git chance to throw some o
them myself into that fort up there" said
81. looking at the heavy bastions around
Wirz's headquarters, where the cannoneers,
|
prisoners We're put in the stockade, were
standing to their guns, with lanyards in
hand, ready for rush when the gates were
opened. Il used to be lightnin' on throw
in stones, and / think could land them
things in great shape up there among them
artillerymen. I'd like to try q few just
| for luck"
"Mebbe we1l have chance II them
fellers inside are ready for a break, as they
orter be" said Shorty hopefully.
| There were two gates to the prison, one
on the northern side Of the creek and the
other on the southern. Both of these were
made double by square projection of about
IS feet from the main stockade, and COM
posed, likeit, Of squared pine logs set firmly
in the ground. Heavy gates OF solid
plank opened into these. The prisoners
were taken inside these smaller Enclosures.
or wagons with rations driven in. The
outer gates were then securely closed, and
then the gates leading into the prison were
opened. This effectually precluded any
rush of those confined when the gates We're
opened: One. of Sis hopes died when he
saw this arrangement
The prisoners were marched directly
under the threatening guns OF the fort into
the inclosure around the South Gate, and
then the outer gates were closed.
"Yo'uns stay right hyah till I want
paper in his hand Il want now these
hyah II men at this end o. the line. Yo'-
uns come with me-"
He opened, the wicket Of the large gate
into the prison and put them through,
counting them as he did so, the IL men
detachment made vacant by those who
had died the day before. He continued
this process until he came to where ST and
| Shorty were, and counted off them and
Alf Russell, Monty Scruggs, Gid Mackall,
and Harry, Joslyn into a squad, leaving
a,,Ix - - fD,-%
next. Their faces blanched at the idea
of being separated from their companions.
"Corpl Elliott, you're goin' to lose me, !"
lamented Pete.
Sergeant" said ST, chose two boys
belong to our company. Can't you take
Can't do HIT" said Serg't Smith de-
cisively. Need just six ter fill up the
! Thirteenth Detachment. Go ahead. thar"
Visible tears welled up in Pete's eyes.
| 20. what will we do if You lose us in this
awful place." he walled. We'll die, sure"
Sergeant" pleaded Shorty, "fix it so
that little boy kin go with us. have to
| take care o him"
Can't do hit tell you. Only need six
! for the Thirteenth. But you'll all be to-
| gethcr. Don't fear that. You'll find
yourselves close enough in thar, / tell
| yo'uns."
Sergeant" said ST, you're a soldier,
and YOU understand these things. Them
| boys belong to our mess, and we don't
want to be separated. You know about
! that"
| The appeal TO the Sergeant's soldier.
ship softened him little. He looked at
his list, and then at 81 and Shorty, his eyes
resting on the buttons on their biOuSeS.
| BY some mistake what We're known as
staff buttons" had been sewed on the
blousess which Co, Q had drawn. These
| not only had the figure of the eagle very
elegantly stamped, but had bright fiat
rim. and We're dearly priced by the rebels,
who were always very eager TO get Yankee
| buttons" and more especially the kind
prescribed for the staff.
"Ie' me see," said he, looking at his list
| again. How many air thar of yo'uns?"
Eight" answered 81.
Il need jest eight ter fill up the Fo 'ieenth
Detachment. If you'll give me them air
buttons on yer coat I'll let yo'uns fall back,
an put yo uns all together in the Fo o'teenth."
1t struck Si as a funny proposition. He
had not yet learned of the universal hunger
of the rebels for buttons, coming from the
inability of the Southern Confederacy to
produce anything but clumsy, intolerably
heavy specimens of these indispensable
adjIIncts to mems clothing. But he had
never valued those that adorned the front
Of his blouse very highly, and without any
more words, he whipped out his knife. cut
his buttons off and handed them, to the
Sergeant. ,.,
want 1fem AIR llilie ones on l1lf cuIlS,
too" said Smith. They're the hardest ter
git of any.
you're ii regler Yankee at drivin' bar
gain" said 81, beginning to understand.
But You kin have em too"
The Sergeant disappeared through the
wicket with the six others he had taken in
stead. and on his return led ST, Shorty, |
and the sthers through the wicket, and a
little ways into the prison, when he turned
TO the right. and then up into the extreme
southwestern corner.
where is the Sergeant of the Fo'teenth |
Detachment?" he inquired.
Here | am." answered tall, thin, but |
quite broad-s -shouldcred youth. clad in a |
shirt and pantaloons made Of coarse white |
bagging. He arose from chunk of wood |
on which he was seated, while a comrade |
was laboriorsly cutting off his mop of |
shaggy black hair, with pair of very dull |
scissors.
Sergeant" said Wry-necked Smith. |
"I've done brllng eight men ter take the |
places o. them what died yesterday. Hyah |
they'uns is. You'll draw rations for
they'uns ter-day."
With that Smith turned on his heel and |
disappeared In the crowd
We'll, boys" said the Sergeant of the |
Detachment, as he turned to seat himself |
for continuance of the hair cutting, make |
yourselves at home around here as best |
you can. | can't say that Pm glad to see |
YOU. Glad amt no name for this place. |
You can sit down anywhere that there's |
room. Them boys as died laid mostes |
up near the dead-line there, but their placly
have bin taken by the others who was |