Stand ready for the sacrifice.”
[CHAPTER XVI.]
The Rebel Reveille—A Horrid Dinner—A Reinforcement of Little Rebels—The Darkie’s Explanation—An Exciting Trial—Hope of Release—Retribution—My Old Chains doing good Service.
The dawn came at last, bringing with it the reveille of the rebel drums, and the yelling of rebel guards. Our rations, however, took a longer time to reach us, for it was not until about eleven o’clock that the negro brought us a mess of the stereotyped greens and corn-bread. A glance into the pan showed us that the maggots had received heavy reinforcements; but so, also, had our hunger gained strength, and we were glad to receive even the repulsive maggots and spoiled-bread, and thank God we fared so well. I could not forbear questioning the negro concerning this outrageous food, and from him I received the following explanation:
The jailor had some time before purchased a lot of meat at a lower figure than it could now be bought for, for the reason that a portion of it was tainted. The worst of this meat had been thrown aside into a large box used for holding soap-grease.
“He tole me, sah,” said the negro, “to go to dat box and get dat meat, an’ when I tole him it stink like de debbil, he swore de tallest kind o’ swore dat I lied, an’ fur me to go git it, as it wus plenty good ’nuff for dem d——d Yankees. I’se sorry, sah, but I had to do as massa tole me.”
We were satisfied with the poor slave’s explanation, and shutting our eyes, demolished our horrid dinner to the last atom, and were still as hungry as ever, for the quantity of the food was as meagre as its quality. As yet I had received no reply to the letter I had sent out by the hands of the negro, to whom I have previously referred. Days and nights passed successively in monotonous misery, and still I beheld the face of no friend save that One which beamed down from above, and supported me in all my trials. Whenever we got the opportunity, we used to question the negroes as to their opinions and ideas concerning the war and slavery. In so doing, we assumed a great risk, as a white man who is caught conversing with the slaves, receives the most rigorous treatment. One day I asked the slave, who brought us our scanty supply of loathsome food, what he thought of the war.
“God bless you, sah,” he answered, in the same whispering tones of caution as I myself had used, “I knows all ’bout it, an’ all us niggas knows all ’bout it. Why I couldn’t tell you half what we knows an’ what we says ’mong ourselves, sah!”