andersonville-第48章
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yell； and remembering the consequences to themselves should the artillery
be discharged； became frenzied with fear； and screamed； and fell down
over and trampled upon each other in endeavoring to get away。 The guards
on that side of the Stockade ran down in a panic； and the ten thousand
prisoners immediately around us； expecting no less than that the next
instant we would be swept with grape and canister； stampeded
tumultuously。 There were quite a number of wells right around us； and
all of these were filled full of men that fell into them as the crowd
rushed away。 Many had legs and arms broken； and I have no doubt that
several were killed。
It was the stormiest five minutes that I ever saw。
While this was going on two of my company； belonging to the Fifth Iowa
Cavalry； were in hot pursuit of Curtis。 I had seen them start and
shouted to them to come back； as I feared they would be set upon by the
Raiders and murdered。 But the din was so overpowering that they could not
hear me； and doubtless would not have come back if they had heard。
Curtis ran diagonally down the hill； jumping over the tents and knocking
down the men who happened in his way。 Arriving at the swamp he plunged
in； sinking nearly to his hips in the fetid； filthy ooze。 He forged his
way through with terrible effort。 His pursuers followed his example； and
caught up to him just as he emerged on the other side。 They struck him
on the back of the head with their clubs； and knocked him down。
By this time order had been restored about us。 The guns remained silent；
and the crowd massed around us again。 From where we were we could see
the successful end of the chase after Curtis； and could see his captors
start back with him。 Their success was announced with a roar of applause
from the North Side。 Both captors and captured were greatly exhausted；
and they were coming back very slowly。 Key ordered the balance up on to
the scaffold。 They obeyed promptly。 The priest resumed his reading of
the service for the condemned。 The excitement seemed to make the doomed
ones exceedingly thirsty。 I never saw men drink such inordinate
quantities of water。 They called for it continually； gulped down a quart
or more at a time； and kept two men going nearly all the time carrying it
to them。
When Curtis finally arrived； he sat on the ground for a minute or so； to
rest； and then； reeking with filth； slowly and painfully climbed the
steps。 Delaney seemed to think he was suffering as much from fright as
anything else； and said to him：
〃Come on up； now； show yourself a man； and die game。〃
Again the priest resumed his reading； but it had no interest to Delaney；
who kept calling out directions to Pete Donelly； who was standing in the
crowd； as to dispositions to be made of certain bits of stolen property：
to give a watch to this one； a ring to another； and so on。 Once the
priest stopped and said：
〃My son； let the things of this earth go； and turn your attention toward
those of heaven。〃
Delaney paid no attention to this admonition。 The whole six then began
delivering farewell messages to those in the crowd。 Key pulled a watch
from his pocket and said：
〃Two minutes more to talk。〃
Delaney said cheerfully：
〃Well； good by； b'ys； if I've hurted any of y ez； I hope ye'll forgive
me。 Shpake up； now； any of yez that I've hurted； and say yell forgive
me。〃
We called upon Marion Friend； whose throat Delaney had tried to cut three
weeks before while robbing him of forty dollars； to come forward； but
Friend was not in a forgiving mood； and refused with an oath。
Key said：
〃Time's up！〃 put the watch back in his pocket and raised his hand like an
officer commanding a gun。 Harris and Payne laid hold of the ropes to the
supports of the planks。 Each of the six hangmen tied a condemned man's
hands； pulled a meal sack down over his head； placed the noose around his
neck； drew it up tolerably close； and sprang to the ground。 The priest
began praying aloud。
Key dropped his hand。 Payne and Harris snatched the supports out with a
single jerk。 The planks fell with a clatter。 Five of the bodies swung
around dizzily in the air。 The sixth that of 〃Mosby；〃 a large； powerful；
raw…boned man； one of the worst in the lot； and who； among other crimes；
had killed Limber Jim's brother…broke the rope； and fell with a thud to
the ground。 Some of the men ran forward； examined the body； and decided
that he still lived。 The rope was cut off his neck； the meal sack
removed； and water thrown in his face until consciousness returned。
At the first instant he thought he was in eternity。 He gasped out：
〃Where am I？ Am I in the other world？〃
Limber Jim muttered that they would soon show him where he was； and went
on grimly fixing up the scaffold anew。 〃Mosby〃 soon realized what had
happened； and the unrelenting purpose of the Regulator Chiefs。 Then he
began to beg piteously for his life； saying：
〃O for God's sake； do not put me up there again！ God has spared my life
once。 He meant that you should be merciful to me。〃
Limber Jim deigned him no reply。 When the scaffold was rearranged； and a
stout rope had replaced the broken one； he pulled the meal sack once more
over 〃Mosby's〃 head； who never ceased his pleadings。 Then picking up the
large man as if he were a baby； he carried him to the scaffold and handed
him up to Tom Larkin； who fitted the noose around his neck and sprang
down。 The supports had not been set with the same delicacy as at first；
and Limber Jim had to set his heel and wrench desperately at them before
he could force them out。 Then 〃Mosby〃 passed away without a struggle。
After hanging till life was extinct； the bodies were cut down； the meal…
sacks pulled off their faces； and the Regulators formal two parallel
lines； through which all the prisoners passed and took a look at the
bodies。 Pete Donnelly and Dick Allen knelt down and wiped the froth off
Delaney's lips； and swore vengeance against those who had done him to
death。
CHAPTER XXXVIII。
AFTER THE EXECUTIONFORMATION OF A POLICE FORCEITS FIRST CHIEF
〃SPANKING〃 AN OFFENDER。
After the executions Key； knowing that he； and all those prominently
connected with the hanging； would be in hourly danger of assassination if
they remained inside； secured details as nurses and ward…masters in the
hospital； and went outside。 In this crowd were Key； Ned Carrigan； Limber
Jim； Dick McCullough； the six hangmen； the two Corporals who pulled the
props from under the scaffold； and perhaps some others whom I do not now
remember。
In the meanwhile provision had been made for the future maintenance of
order in the prison by the organization of a regular police force； which
in time came to number twelve hundred men。 These were divided into
companies； under appropriate officers。 Guards were detailed for certain
locations； patrols passed through the camp in all directions continually；
and signals with whistles could summon sufficient assistance to suppress
any disturbance； or carry out any orders from the chief。
The chieftainship was first held by Key； but when he went outside he
appointed Sergeant A。 R。 Hill； of the One Hundredth O。 V。 I。 now a
resident of Wauseon； Ohio；his successor。 Hill was one of the
notabilities of that immense throng。 A great； broad…shouldered； giant；
in the prime of his manhoodthe beginning of his thirtieth yearhe was
as good…natured as big； and as mild…mannered as brave。 He spoke slowly；
softly； and with a slightly rustic twang； that was very tempting to a
certain class of sharps to take him up for a 〃luberly greeny。〃 The man
who did so usually repented his error in sack…cloth and ashes。
Hill first came into prominence as the victor in the most stubbornly
contested fight in the prison history of Belle Isle。 When the squad of
the One Hundredth Ohiocaptured at Limestone Station； East Tennessee； in
September；1863arrived on Belle Isle； a certain Jack Oliver； of the
Nineteenth Indiana； was the undisputed fistic monarch of the Island。
He did not bear his blushing honors modestly； few of a right arm that
indefinite locality known as 〃 the middle of next week；〃 is some
