with lee in virginia-第25章

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brought　up　large　reinforcements；　and；　pouring　in　a　heavy　fire；

attacked　the　town　on　both　sides；　and　the　Confederates　had　to　fall

hack。　　But　they　made　another　stand　a　little　way　out　of　the　town；

and　drove　back　the　Federal　cavalry　who　were　pressing　them。



Although　the　fight　had　been　but　a　short　one　the　losses　in　the

cavalry　ranks　had　been　serious。　　Colonel　Jones；　while　charging　at

the　head　of　his　men；　had　received　a　saber…wound；　and　Major

Marshall　was　taken　prisoner。



Five　days　later；　on　the　7th　of　August；　Jackson　received　certain

intelligence　that　General　Burnside；　with　a　considerable　portion　of

McClellan's　force；　had　embarked；　and　was　on　the　way　to　join　Pope。　

He　determined　to　strike　a　blow　at　once；　and　marched　with　his

entire　force　from　Gordonsville　for　Barnett　Ford　on　the　Rapidan。



At　daybreak　next　morning　the　cavalry　crossed　the　river　and

attacked　and　routed　a　body　of　Federal　cavalry　on　the　road　to

Culpepper　Courthouse。　On　the　following　day　Jackson　came　up

with　his　infantry　to　a　point　about　eight　miles　from　Culpepper；

where　Pope's　army；　32；000　strong；　were　stationed　upon　the　crest　of

a　hill。　　General　Ewell's　division；　which　was　the　only　one　then　up；　at

once　advanced；　and；　after　a　severe　artillery　fight；　gained　a　point　on

a　hill　where　his　guns　could　command　the　enemy's　position。



Jackson's　division　now　came　up；　and　as　it　was　moving　into

position　General　Winder　was　killed　by　a　shell。　　For　some　hours

Jackson　did　not　attempt　to　advance；　as　Hill's　division　had　not

come　up。　　Encouraged　by　this　delay；　the　enemy　at　five　o'clock　in

the　afternoon　took　the　offensive　and　advanced　through　some

cornfields　lying　between　the　two　armies　and　attacked　Ewell's

division　on　the　Confederate　right；　while　shortly　afterward　they　fell

with　overwhelming　strength　on　Jackson's　left；　and；　attacking　it　in

front；　flank；　and　rear；　drove　it　back；　and　pressed　upon　it　with　such

force　that　the　day　appeared　lost。



At　this　moment　Jackson　himself　rode　down　among　the　confused

and　wavering　troops；　and　by　his　voice　and　example　rallied　them。　

At　the　same　moment　the　old　Stonewall　Brigade　came　up　at　a　run

and　poured　their　fire　into　the　advancing　enemy。　　Jackson　led　the

troops　he　had　rallied　forward。　　The　Stonewall　Brigade　fell　upon　the

enemy's　flank　and　drove　them　back　with　terrible　slaughter。　　Other

brigades　came　up；　and　there　was　a　general　charge　along　the　whole

Confederate　line；　and　the　Federals　were　driven　back　a　mile　beyond

the　position　they　had　occupied　at　the　commencement　of　the　fight

to　the　shelter　of　some　thick　woods。　　Four　hundred　prisoners　were

taken　and　over　5；000　small　…arms。



The　battle　was　known　as　Cedar　Run；　and　it　completely　checked

Pope's　advance　upon　Richmond。　　The　troops　were　too　much

exhausted　to　follow　up　their　victory；　but　Jackson　urged　them　to

press　forward。　　They　moved　a　mile　and　a　half　in　advance；　and　then

found　themselves　so　strongly　opposed　that　Jackson；　believing　that

the　enemy　must　have　received　reinforcements；　halted　his　men。　

Colonel　Jones　was　sent　forward　to　reconnoiter；　and　discovered　that

a　large　force　had　joined　the　enemy。



For　two　days　Jackson　remained　on　the　field　he　had　won；　his　troops

had　been　busy　in　burying　the　dead；　in　collecting　the　wounded　and

sending　them　to　the　rear；　and　in　gathering　the　arms　thrown　away

by　the　enemy　in　their　flight。　Being　assured　that　the　enemy　were

now　too　strong　to　be　attacked　by　the　force　under　his　command；

Jackson　fell　back　to　Orange　Courthouse。　　There　was　now　a　few

days'　delay；　while　masses　of　troops　were　on　both　sides　moving

toward　the　new　field　of　action。　　McClellan　marched　his　troops

across　the　James　Peninsula　from　Harrison's　Landing　to　Yorktown；

and　there　the　greater　portion　were　embarked　in　transports　and

taken　up　the　Rappahannock　to　Aquia　Creek；　landed　there；　and

marched　to　Fredericksburg。



Lee；　instead　of　attacking　McClellan　on　his　march　across　the

peninsula；　determined　to　take　his　army　north　at　once　to　join

Jackson　and　attack　Pope　before　he　was　joined　by　McClellan's

army。　　But　Pope；　although　already　largely　reinforced；　retired

hastily　and　took　up　a　new　position　so　strongly　fortified　that　ho

could　not　he　attacked。　　General　Stuart　had　come　up　with　Lee；　and

was　in　command　of　all　the　cavalry。



〃We　shall　see　some　work　now；〃　was　the　remark　round　the　fires　of

the　7th　Virginian　Cavalry。　　Hitherto；　although　they　had　been

several　times　engaged　with　the　Federals；　they　had　been　forced　to

remain　for　the　most　part　inactive　owing　to　the　vast　superiority　in

force　of　the　enemy's　cavalry；　but　now　that　Stuart　had　come　up　they

felt　certain　that；　whatever　the　disparity　of　numbers；　there　would

soon　he　some　dashing　work　to　be　done。



Except　when　upon　actual　duty　the　strict　lines　of　military　discipline

were　much　relaxed　among　the　cavalry；　the　troopers　being　almost

all　the　sons　of　farmers　and　planters　and　of　equal　social　rank　with

their　officers；　many　of　whom　were　their　personal　friends　or

relatives。　　Several　of　Vincent's　schoolfellows　were　in　the　ranks；

two　or　three　of　them　were　fellow　officers；　and　these　often　gathered

together　round　a　camp　fire　and　chatted　over　old　schooldays　and

mutual　friends。



Many　of　these　had　already　fallen；　for　the　Virginian　regiments　of

Stonewall　Jackson's　brigade　had　been　terribly　thinned；　but　the　loss

of　so　many　friends　and　the　knowledge　that　their　own　turn　might

come　next　did　not　suffice　to　lessen　the　high　spirits　of　the　young

fellows。　　The　hard　work；　the　rough　life；　the　exposure　and　hardship；

had　braced　and　invigorated　them　all；　and　they　were　attaining　a　far

more　vigorous　manhood　than　they　would　ever　have　possessed　had

they　grown　lip　in　the　somewhat　sluggish　and　enervating　life　led　by

young　planters。



Many　of　these　young　men　had；　until　the　campaign　began；　never

done　half　an　hour's　hard　work　in　their　lives。　They　had　been　waited

upon　by　slaves；　and　their　only　exercise　had　been　riding。　　For

months　now　they　had　almost　lived　in　the　saddle；　had　slept　in　the

open　air；　and　had　thought　themselves　lucky　if　they　could　obtain　a

sufficient　meal　of　the　roughest　food　to　satisfy　their　hunger　once　a

day。　　In　this　respect；　however；　the　cavalry　were　better　off　than　their

comrades　of　the　infantry；　for　scouting　as　they　did　in　small　parties

over　a　wide　extent　of　country；　they　were　sure　of　a　meal　and　a

hearty　welcome　whenever　they　could　spare　time　to　stop　for　half　an

hour　at　the　house　of　a　farmer。



〃It's　a　glorious　life；　Wingfield！　When　we　chatted　over　the　future　at

school　we　never　dreamed　of　such　a　life　as　this；　though　some　of　us

did　talk　of　entering　the　army；　but　even　then　an　occasional　skirmish

with　Indians　was　the　limit　of　our　ideas。〃



〃Yes；　it　is　a　glorious　life！〃　Vincent　agreed。　　〃I　cannot　imagine

anything　more　exciting。　　Of　course；　there　is　the　risk　of　being　shot；

but　somehow　one　never　seems　to　think　of　that。　　There　is　always

something　to　do　and　to　think　about；　from　the　time　one　starts　on　a

scout　at　daybreak　to　that　when　one　lies　down　at　night　one's　senses

are　on　the　stretch。　　Besides；　we　are　fighting　in　defense　of　our

country　and　not　merely　as　a　profession；　though　I　don't　suppose；

after　all；　that　makes　much　difference　when　one　is　once　in　for　it。　

As　far　as　I　have　read　all　soldiers　enjoy　campaigning；　and　it　does

not　seem　to　make　any　difference　to　them　who　are　the　foe　or　what

they　are　fighting　about。　　But　I　should　like　to　feel　a　little　more　sure

that　we　shall　win　in　the　long　run。〃



There　was　a　chorus　of　indignant　protests　against　there　being　any

possible　doubts　as　to　the　issue。



〃Why；　we　have　thrashed　them　every　time　we　have　met　them；

Wingfield。〃



〃That　is　all　very　well；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃Here　in　Virginia　we　have

held　our　own；　and　more　than　held　it。　　We　have　beat　back　Scott　and

McClellan；　and　now　we　have　thrashed　Pope；　and　Stonewall

Jackson　has　won　a　dozen　battles　in　Western　Virginia。　　But　you

must　remember　that　in　other　parts　they　are　gradually　closing　in；　all

the　ports　not　already　taken　are　closely　blockaded；　they　are　pushing

all　along　the　lines　of　the　great　rivers；　and　worst　of　all；　they　can　fill

up　their　vacancies　with　Irishmen　and　Germans；　and　as　fast　as　one

army　disappears　another　takes　its　place。　　I　believe　we　shall　heat

them　again　and　again；　and　shall　prove；　as　we　have　proved　before；

that　one　Southerner　fighting　for　home　and　liberty　is　more　than　a

match　for　two　hired　Germans　or　Irishmen；　even　with　a　good　large

sprinkling　of　Yankees　among　them。　　But　in　the　long　run　I　am　not

sure　that　we　shall　win；　for　they　can　go　on　putting　big　armies　into

the　field；　while　some　day　we　must　get　used　up。



〃Of　course　it　is　possible　that　we　may　some　day　capture

Washington；　and　that　the　North　may　get　weary　of　the　tremendous

drain　of　money　and　men　caused　by　their　attempt　to　conquer　us。　　I

hope　it　may　be　so；　for　I　should　like　to　think　that　we　should　win　in

the　long　run。　　I　never　feel　any　doubt　about　our　winning　a　battle

when　we　begin。　My　only　fear　is　that　we　may　get　used　up　before　the

North　are　tired　of　it。



〃I　did　not　expect　to　hear　you　talk　so；　Wingfield；　for　you　always

seem　to　he　in　capital　spirits。〃



〃I　am　in　capital　spirits；〃　Vincent　replied；　〃and　ready　to　fight　again

and　again；　and　always　confident　we　shall　lick　the　Yankees；　the　fact

that　I　have　a　doubt　whether　in　the　long　run　we　shall　outlast　them

does　not　interfere　in　the　slightest　degree　with　my　comfort　at

present。　　I　am　very　sorry　though　that　this　fellow　Pope　is　carrying　on

the　war　so　brutally　instead　of　in　the　manner　in　which　General

McClellan　and　the　other　commanders　have　waged　it。　　His

proclamation　that　the　army　must　subsist　upon　the　country　it　passes

through　gives　a　direct　invitation　to　the　soldiers　to　pillage；　and　his

order　that　all　farmers　who　refuse　to　take　the　oath　to　the　Union　are

to　be　driven　from　their　homes　and　sent　down　south　means　ruin　to

all　the　peaceful　inhabitants；　for　there　is　scarcely　a　man　in　this　part

of　Virginia　who　is　not　heartily　with　us。〃



〃I　hear；〃　one　of　the　other　officers　said；　〃that　a　prisoner　who　was

captured　this　morning　says　that　Pope　already　sees　that　he　has　made

a　mistake；　and　that　he　yesterday　issued　a　fresh　order　saying　that　the

proclamation　was　not　meant　to　authorize　pillage。　　He　finds　that　the

inhabitants　who　before；　whatever　their　private　sentiments　were；

maintained　a　sort　of　neutrality；　are　now　hostile；　that　they　drive　off

their　cattle　into　the　woods；　and　even　set　fire　to　their　stacks；　to

prevent　anything　from　being　carried　off　by　the　Yanks；　and　his

troops　find　the　roads　broken　up　and　bridges　destroyed　and　all　sorts

of　difficulties　thrown　in　their　way。〃



〃It　does　not　always　pay…even　in　war…to　be　brutal。　　I　am　glad　to　see

he　has　found　out　his　mistake　so　soon；〃　another　officer　said。　

〃McClellan　waged　war　like　a　gentleman；　and　if　blackguards　are　to

be　allowed　to　carry　fire　and　sword　through　the　land　they　will　soon

find　it　is　a　game　that　two　can　play　at；　and　matters