Andersonville Page #2

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and the Chickamauga and Antietam.

- Dick Potter.

- Yes.

- Dick Potter. My God.

- Oh, my God, is that you?

Oh, my God!

- Dick Potter. Dickie!

- There's no food in here.

- Somebody stole my uniform off my back.

- You look fine there, Dick.

- Thank you, Tucker.

- We thought you were killed.

- We thought they got you at Antietam.

- I weren't killed.

They shot me in both my legs,

but I survived.

- I'll be damned!

- You're surprised to see me, huh, Josie?

- When are we going fishing again?

- We're going.

- The best fisherman in New Bedford.

- Yeah, yeah. That's saying a lot.

- God, I can't believe it.

- It's good to see you boys.

Listen, we gotta stay away from these

Raiders. Let's head up over here.

- Why doesn't somebody stop them?

- They run the place, sarge.

What do you mean, they run

the place? What about the Rebs?

- Why don't they stop them?

- Stop them? Hell, they trade with them.

Whiskey, food, rations.

Whatever they need, guards give them.

The 7th Vermont was in here. Took

their coats, shoes, blankets, rations.

- Jesus.

- Cold nights. Didn't have a chance.

- They didn't last a week.

- And they're on our side?

Bounty jumpers. Crawled out of the

sewers in New York for the money.

Most of them thought they'd run

off before they'd see any fighting.

So I ask you again.

Where is my bridle and halter?

What? You don't care?

No rations today unless the goddamn

thief returns what he stole from me.

If you are digging tunnels...

...you will suffer the consequences.

Tunnels are useless!

Even if you are outside, I give any

two men a 12-hour start...

...and then track you with the dogs.

And you will suffer the consequences.

But why bother anyway?

I know absolutely

there are talks going on...

...this moment for exchange.

Any day now, all of you

will be paroled in quick order.

So we understand each other.

No bridle! No halter!

No rations!

You go on about your own business,

now, you know what's good for you.

They're gonna starve us to death

over his bridle!

Wirz is a goddamn liar!

- Give us anything.

- We've been through the mill already.

You boys didn't hear anything about

any prisoner exchange, did you?

- No.

- No?

Damn Wirz tells that to all the new

boys so they don't try and run off.

- Dick.

- Dick?

- Dick, you all right?

- You haven't eaten today?

No, I didn't eat yesterday either.

Somebody stole a bridle,

and Wirz is punishing the whole camp.

Here.

- What is that, salt pork?

- Yeah.

Oh, my God. I ain't seen salt pork

since I been here.

Rebs gave it to us before

they put us on the train.

- I don't want it if the Rebs...

- Dick. Come on.

- Go ahead.

- Eat.

God bless you.

Wow.

- Have this here onion, Dick.

- An onion?

I forgot what an onion tastes like.

Anybody got anything else?

- Yeah.

- Good?

It's a meal fit for a king!

I feel much better, thanks.

God bless you. You boys wanna take

a walk around, see your new home?

- Yeah.

- Think so.

- Sure.

- All right. Help me up.

Caught these boys trying to escape.

- How long they been in that thing?

- Since the day they caught them.

Is there a surgeon around here? The

sergeant took a bullet in the shoulder.

- I can take you down to sick hall.

- I'm fine, Dick.

It won't do you much good.

I'm gonna show you where

we ain't going fishing, Josiah.

They built this place downstream from

their tents, horses, dogs, everything...

...so they do whatever they do in the

water, even before it gets down to us.

You're seeing a tenth of what

we do to it, once it gets down here.

They do everything in there. That's

why this place has such a stink to it.

Don't worry. You won't notice

it after a couple months.

There's some boys digging a tunnel

to get out.

- Dick, they got kids watching us here?

- Yeah, the Rebs are running out of men.

They're robbing the cradle

and the grave to guard us.

Hey.

Ethan, don't do it.

It's a trick.

You know you can't trust the Reb.

- Hey, Johnny.

- Ethan.

- You got something to eat?

- Yeah, I got something to eat.

- What you got?

- I got two ears of corn.

I'll give you a dollar for them.

A Yankee greenback for both ears.

You come over here.

- Not me. I'm not coming over there.

- Why not?

Because it's the deadline.

You'll shoot me if I do.

- Who says he will?

- You want something or not?

- Ethan, come on.

- Yeah, I want two ears of corn.

Then step across.

Won't last long if you don't.

Don't trust him, he's a Reb.

Don't trust him.

- Is he playing a game with him?

- Do what you want, Yank.

This isn't a game. These kiddies,

they scare me worse than the soldiers.

They get a 30-day furlough

if they shoot one of us.

You better hurry. Going fast.

All right.

All right.

Here I come.

Hey, wait. Wait!

- He warned him. He warned him.

- I warned him.

You know the rules.

You all know the rules.

I warned him, lieutenant.

What do they do, Dick?

Shoot you for fun in here?

- Charge!

- Forward.

- Spread out.

- One, two, three.

Ready.

Hold the ranks.

About face.

Forward march!

- Captain? Capt. Wirz.

- Yes, sir.

- Good morning.

- Good morning.

I'm Col. Chandler. This is my aide,

Lt. Dahlgren.

The Department of War has detailed us

to inspect all our prison camps.

We'll try not to create a fuss,

so we may be here some time.

Of course. If there is anything

I can do for...

No, no, you just go on

about your duties.

Should I need to speak with you...

...l'll know where to find you.

Good morning.

Good morning to you, sir.

I feel like I gained 5 pounds of hair

and 10 pounds of bugs.

Well, you could use

a little bit more there, Dick.

Tunnel, tunnel, tunnel!

Where?

Over here.

You, come over here!

Yeah, you, get up! Get up, Yank!

Found the lowa tunnel. Headed this way.

Oh, well, then.

All right, move along, move along.

Come on, now.

- It's just a well. It's just a well!

- 184th Pennsylvania.

Gleason's men.

It's just a well, I tell you.

You gotta believe me.

- Shut up.

- I didn't do anything wrong.

- Hurry it up.

- No!

Dick, are those the fellas you say

are digging the tunnel?

You're my sarge...

...but there's some questions

in here that you just can't ask, sir.

Please go tell the sergeant I'd be

very grateful for a private word with him.

Tell him we mean no harm

and he can trust us. Go on, now.

Yes, sir.

Sgt. Gleason, I don't wanna do

anything against the grain here...

...but I've got some very good men

who'll do anything they can...

...to get out of this place.

So if there's any way we can help you...

...we'd be much obliged.

Call your men.

- Boys.

- Let's go.

- What's your name, sergeant?

- Jimmy McSpadden.

Bring him in.

All right, find a spot.

Benson, watch the door.

Yes, sergeant.

I told Sgt. Gleason we'd help with

the digging and be glad for the chance.

You men, you got any tools?

Got any tools for digging, men?

Knives, forks, spoons, pans, plates.

- Whatever.

- All that works.

- Dig them out, boys.

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