We both attacked it, and after a great deal of hard work, succeeded in uprooting it.

It was very lucky that we did, since it was the greatest help in preserving our lives through the three long months that we remained at Florence.
While we were arranging our stump so as to carry it to the best advantage, a vulgar-faced man, with fiery red hair, and wearing on his collar the yellow bars of a Lieutenant, approached.

This was Lieutenant Barrett, commandant of the interior of the prison, and a more inhuman wretch even than Captain Wirz, because he had a little more brains than the commandant at Andersonville, and this extra intellect was wholly devoted to cruelty.

As he came near he commanded, in loud, brutal tones: "Attention, Prisoners!" We all stood up and fell in in two ranks.

Said he: "By companies, right wheel, march!" This was simply preposterous.