andersonville-第122章
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FRUITLESS WAITING FOR SHERMANWE LEAVE FLORENCEINTELLIGENCE OF THE
FALL OF WILMINGTON COMMUNICATED TO US BY A SLAVETHE TURPENTINE REGION
OF NORTH CAROLINAWE COME UPON A REBEL LINE OF BATTLEYANKEES AT BOTH
ENDS OF THE ROAD。
Things had gone on in the way described in the previous chapter until
past the middle of February。 For more than a week every waking hour was
spent in anxious expectancy of Shermanlistening for the far…off rattle
of his gunsstraining our ears to catch the sullen boom of his
artilleryscanning the distant woods to see the Rebels falling back in
hopeless confusion before the pursuit of his dashing advance。 Though we
became as impatient as those ancient sentinels who for ten long years
stood upon the Grecian hills to catch the first glimpse of the flames of
burning Troy； Sherman came not。 We afterwards learned that two
expeditions were sent down towards us from Cheraw； but they met with
unexpected resistance； and were turned back。
It was now plain to us that the Confederacy was tottering to its fall；
and we were only troubled by occasional misgivings that we might in some
way be caught and crushed under the toppling ruins。 It did not seem
possible that with the cruel tenacity with which the Rebels had clung to
us they would be willing to let us go free at last； but would be tempted
in the rage of their final defeat to commit some unparalleled atrocity
upon us。
One day all of us who were able to walk were made to fall in and march
over to the railroad； where we were loaded into boxcars。 The sick
except those who were manifestly dyingwere loaded into wagons and
hauled over。 The dying were left to their fate； without any companions
or nurses。
The train started off in a northeasterly direction； and as we went
through Florence the skies were crimson with great fires； burning in all
directions。 We were told these were cotton and military stores being
destroyed in anticipation of a visit from； a part of Sherman's forces。
When morning came we were still running in the same direction that we
started。 In the confusion of loading us upon the cars the previous
evening； I had been allowed to approach too near a Rebel officer's stock
of rations； and the result was his being the loser and myself the gainer
of a canteen filled with fairly good molasses。 Andrews and I had some
corn bread； and we； breakfasted sumptuously upon it and the molasses；
which was certainly none…the…less sweet from having been stolen。
Our meal over； we began reconnoitering； as much for employment as
anything else。 We were in the front end of a box car。 With a saw made
on the back of a case…knife we cut a hole through the boards big enough
to permit us to pass out； and perhaps escape。 We found that we were on
the foremost box car of the trainthe next vehicle to us being a
passenger coach； in which were the Rebel officers。 On the rear platform
of this car was seated one of their servantsa trusty old slave； well
dressed； for a negro； and as respectful as his class usually was。 Said I
to him：
〃Well； uncle； where are they taking us？〃
He replied：
〃Well； sah； I couldn't rightly say。〃
〃But you could guess； if you tried； couldn't you？〃
〃Yes sah。〃
He gave a quick look around to see if the door behind him was so securely
shut that he could not be overheard by the Rebels inside the car； his
dull； stolid face lighted up as a negro's always does in the excitement
of doing something cunning； and he said in a loud whisper：
〃Dey's a…gwine to take you to Wilmingtonef dey kin get you dar！〃
〃Can get us there！〃 said I in astonishment。 〃Is there anything to
prevent them taking us there？〃
The dark face filled with inexpressible meaning。 I asked：
〃It isn't possible that there are any Yankees down there to interfere；
is it？〃
The great eyes flamed up with intelligence to tell me that I guessed
aright； again he glanced nervously around to assure himself that no one
was eavesdropping； and then he said in a whisper； just loud enough to be
heard above the noise of the moving train：
〃De Yankees took Wilmington yesterday mawning。〃
The news startled me； but it was true； our troops having driven out the
Rebel troops； and entered Wilmington； on the preceding daythe 22d of
February； 1865； as I learned afterwards。 How this negro came to know
more of what was going on than his masters puzzled me much。 That he did
know more was beyond question； since if the Rebels in whose charge we
were had known of Wilmington's fall； they would not have gone to the
trouble of loading us upon the cars and hauling us one； hundred miles in
the direction of a City which had come into the hands of our men。
It has been asserted by many writers that the negros had some occult
means of diffusing important news among the mass of their people；
probably by relays of swift runners who traveled at night； going twenty…
five or thirty miles and back before morning。 Very astonishing stories
are told of things communicated in this way across the length or breadth
of the Confederacy。 It is said that our officers in the blockading fleet
in the Gulf heard from the negros in advance of the publication in the
Rebel papers of the issuance of the Proclamation of Emancipation； and of
several of our most important Victories。 The incident given above
prepares me to believe all that has been told of the perfection to which
the negros had brought their 〃grapevine telegraph；〃 as it was jocularly
termed。
The Rebels believed something of it； too。 In spite of their rigorous
patrol； an institution dating long before the war； and the severe
punishments visited upon negros found off their master's premises without
a pass； none of them entertained a doubt that the young negro men were in
the habit of making long； mysterious journeys at night； which had other
motives than love…making or chicken…stealing。 Occasionally a young man
would get caught fifty or seventy…five miles from his 〃quarters；〃 while
on some errand of his own； the nature of which no punishment could make
him divulge。 His master would be satisfied that he did not intend
running away； because he was likely going in the wrong direction； but
beyond this nothing could be ascertained。 It was a common belief among
overseers； when they saw an active； healthy young 〃buck〃 sleepy and
languid about his work； that he had spent the night on one of these
excursions。
The country we were running throughif such straining； toilsome progress
as our engine was making could be called runningwas a rich turpentine
district。 We passed by forests where all the trees were marked with long
scores through the bark； and extended up to a hight of twenty feet or
more。 Into these； the turpentine and rosin； running down； were caught；
and conveyed by negros to stills near by； where it was prepared for
market。 The stills were as rude as the mills we had seen in Eastern
Tennessee and Kentucky； and were as liable to fiery destruction as a
powder…house。 Every few miles a wide space of ground； burned clean of
trees and underbrush； and yet marked by a portion of the stones which had
formed the furnace； showed where a turpentine still； managed by careless
and ignorant blacks； had been licked up by the breath of flame。 They
never seemed to re…build on these spotswhether from superstition or
other reasons； I know not。
Occasionally we came to great piles of barrels of turpentine； rosin and
tar； some of which had laid there since the blockade had cut off
communication with the outer world。 Many of the barrels of rosin had
burst； and their contents melted in the heat of the sun； had run over the
ground like streams of lava； covering it to a depth of many inches。
At the enormous price rosin； tar and turpentine were commanding in the
markets of the world； each of these piles represented a superb fortune。
Any one of them； if lying upon the docks of New York； would have yielded
enough to make every one of us upon the train comfortable for life。
But a few months after the blockade was raised； and they sank to one…
thirtieth of their present value。
These terebinthine stores were the property of the plantation lords of
the lowlands of
