with lee in virginia-第63章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



success　have　you　had？〃



〃Here　is　a　rough　plan　of　the　works；　general。　　I　have　not　had　time　to

do　it　out　fairly；　but　it　shows　the　positions　of　all　their　principal

batteries；　with　a　rough　estimate　as　to　the　number　of　guns　that　each

is　intended　to　carry。〃



〃Excellent！〃　the　general　said；　glancing　over　the　plan。　〃This　will

give　us　exactly　the　information　we　want。　　We　must　set　to　with　our

counter…works　at　once。　　The　country　is　indeed　indebted　to　you；　sir。　

So　you　managed　to　cheat　the　Yankees　altogether？〃



〃I　should　have　cheated　them；　sir；　but　'unfortunately　I　came　across

an　old　acquaintance　who　denounced　me；　and　I　had　a　narrow　escape

of　being　shot。〃



〃Well；　Captain　Wingfield；　I　must　see　about　this　business；　and　give

orders　at　once。　　Will　you　come　and　breakfast　with　me　at　half…past

eight？　　Then　you　can　give　me　an　account　of　your　adventures。〃



Vincent　returned　to　his　quarters；　and　spent　the　next　two　hours　in

making　a　detailed　drawing　of　the　enemy's　positions　and　batteries；

and　then　at　half…past　eight　walked　over　to　General　Lee's　quarters。　

The　general　returned　in　a　few　minutes　with　General　Wade

Hampton　and　several　other　officers；　and　they　at　once　sat　down　to

breakfast。　　As　the　meal　was　proceeding　an　orderly　entered　with　a

telegram　for　the　general。　　General　Lee　glanced　through　it。



〃This；　gentlemen；　is　from　the　minister　of　war。　　I　acquainted　him　by

telegraph　this　morning　that　Captain　Wingfield；　who　had

volunteered　for　the　dangerous　service；　had　just　returned　from　the

Federal　lines　with　a　plan　of　the　positions　and　strength　of　all　the

works　that　they　are　erecting。　　I　said　that　I　trusted　that　such

distinguished　service　as　he　had　rendered　would　be　at　once

rewarded　with　promotion；　and　the　minister　telegraphs　to　me　now

that　he　baa　this　morning　signed　this　young　officer's　commission　as

major。　　I　heartily　congratulate　you；　sir；　on　your　well…earned　step。　

And　now；　as　I　see　you　have　finished　your　breakfast；　perhaps；　you

will　give　'us　an　account　of　your　proceedings。〃



Vincent　gave　a　detailed　account　of　his　adventures；　which　were

heard　with　surprise　and　interest。



〃That　was　a　narrow　escape；　indeed；〃　the　general　said；　as　he

finished。　　〃It　was　a　marvelous　thing　your　lighting　upon　this　negro；

whom　you　say　you　had　once　had　an　opportunity　of　serving；　just　at

that　moment；　and　although　you　do　not　tell　us　what　was　the　nature

of　the　service　you　had　rendered　him；　it　must　have　been　a　very

considerable　service　or　he　would　never　have　risked　his　life　in　that

way　to　save　yours。　　When　these　negroes　do　feel　attachment　for

their　masters　there　are　no　more　faithful　and　devoted　fellows。　Well；

in　your　case　certainly　a　good　action　has　met　with　its　reward；　if　it

had　not　been　for　him　there　could　be　no　question　that　your　doom

was　sealed。　　It　is　a　strange　thing　too　your　meeting　that　traitor。　　I

remember　reading　about　that　escape　of　yours　from　the　Yankee

prison。　　He　must　have　been　an　ungrateful　villain；　after　your　taking

him　with　you。〃



〃He　was　a　bad　fellow　altogether；　I　am　afraid；〃　Vincent　said；　〃and

the　quarrel　between　us　was　a　long…standing　one。〃



〃Whatever　your　quarrel　was；〃　the　general　said　hotly；　〃a　man　who

would　betray　even　an　enemy　to　death　in　that　way　is　a　villain。　

However；　he　has　gone　to　his　account；　and　the　country　can　forgive

his　treachery　to　her；　as　I　have　no　doubt　you　have　already　done　his

conduct　toward　your…self。〃



A　short　time　afterward　Vincent　had　leave　for　a　week；　as　things

were　quiet　at　Petersburg。



〃Mother；〃　he　said　on　the　morning　after　he　got　home9　〃I　fear　that

there　is　no　doubt　whatever　now　how　this　struggle　will　end。　　I　think

we　might　keep　Grant　at　bay　here；　but　Sherman　is　too　strong　for　us

down　in　Georgia。　We　are　already　cut　off　from　most　of　the

Southern　States；　and　in　time　Sherman　will　sweep　round　here；　and

then　it　will　be　all　over。　　You　see　it　yourself；　don't　you；　mother？〃



〃Yes；　I　am　afraid　it　cannot　continue　much　longer；　Vincent。　　Well；

of　course；　we　shall　fight　to　the　end。〃



〃I　am　not　talking　of　giving　up；　mother；　I　am　looking　forward　to　the

future。　　The　first　step　will　be　that　all　the　slaves　will　be　freed。　　Now；

it　seems　to　me　that　however　attached　they　may　be　to　their　masters

and　mistresses　tbey　will　lose　their　heads　over　this；　flock　into　the

towns；　and　nearly　starve　there；　or　else　take　up　little　patches　of　land

and　cultivate　them；　and　live　from　hand　to　mouth；　which　will　be

ruin　to　the　present　owners　as　well　as　to　them。　　Anyhow　for　a　time

all　will　be　confusion　and　disorder。　　Now；　my　idea　is　this；　if　you

give　all　your　slaves　their　freedom　at　once；　offer　them　patches　of

land　for　their　own　cultivation　and　employ　them　at　wages；　you　will

find　that　a　great　many　of　them　will　stop　with　you。　　There　is

nowhere　for　them　to　go　at　present　and　nothing　to　excite　them；　so

before　the　general　crash　comes　they　will　have　settled　down　quietly

to　work　here　in　their　new　positions；　and　will　not　be　likely　to　go

away



〃It　is　a　serious　step　to　take；　Vincent；〃　Mrs。　Wingfield　said；　after

thinking　the　matter　over　in　silence　for　some　time。　　〃You　do　not

think　there　is　any　probablity　of　the　ultimate　success　of　our　cause？〃



〃None；　mother；　I　do　not　think　there　is　even　a　possibility。　　One　by

one　the　Southern　States　have　been　wrested　from　the　Confederacy。　

Sherman's　march　will　completely　isolate　us。　　We　have　put　our　last

available　man　in　the　field；　and　tremendous　as　are　the　losses　of　the

enemy　they　are　able　to　fill　up　the　gaps　as　fast　as　they　are　made。　

No；　mother；　do　not　let　us　deceive　ourselves　on　that　head。　　The　end

must　come；　and　that　before　long。　　The　slaves　will　unquestionably

be　freed；　and　the　only　question　for　us　is　how　to　soften　the　blow。　

There　is　no　doubt　that　our　slaves；　both　at　the　Orangery　and　at　the

other　plantations；　are　contented　and　happy；　but　you　know　how

fickle　and　easily　led　the　negroes　are；　and　in　the　excitement　of

finding　them　selves　free　and　able　to　go　where　they　please；　you　may

be　sure　that　the　greater　number　will　wander　away。　　My　proposal　is；

that　we　should　at　once　mark　out　a　plot　of　land　for　each　family　and

tell　them　that　as　long　as　they　stay　here　it　is　theirs　rent…free；　they

will　be　paid　for　their　work　upon　the　estate；　three；　four；　or　five　days

a　week；　as　they　can　spare　time　from　their　own　plots。　　In　this　way

they　will　be　settled　down；　and　have　crops　upon　their　plots　of　land；

before　the　whole　black　population　is　upset　by　the　sudden　abolition

of　slavery。〃



〃But　supposing　they　won't　work　at　all；　even　for　wages；　Vincent？〃



〃I　should　not　give　them　the　option；　mother；　it　will　be　a　condition

of　their　having　their　plots　of　land　free　that　they　shall　work　at　least

three　days　a　week　for　wages。〃



〃I　will　think　over　what　you　say；　Vincent；　and　tell　you　my　decision

in　the　morning。　　I　certainly　think　your　plan　is　a　good　one。〃



The　next　morning　Mrs。　Wingfield　told　Vincent　that　she　had

decided　to　adopt　his　plan。　　He　at　once　held　a　long　consultation

with　the　overseer；　and　decided　which　fields　should　be　set　aside　for

the　allotments；　choosing　land　Close　to　the　negroes'　quarters　and

suitable　for　the　raising　of　vegetables　for　sale　in　the　town。



In　the　afternoon　Mrs　Wingfield　went　down　with　him。　The　bell　was

rung　and　the　whole　of　the　slaves　assembled。　Vincent　then　made

them　a　speech。　　He　began　by　reminding　them　of　the　kind　treatment

they　had　always　received；　and　of　the　good　feeling　that　had　existed

between　the　owners　of　the　Orangery　and　their　slaves。　　He　praised

them　for　their　good　conduct　since　the　beginning　of　the　troubles；

and　said　that　his　mother　and　himself　had　agreed　that　they　would

now　take　steps　to　reward　them；　and　to　strengthen　the　tie　between

them。　　They　would　all　be　granted　their　freedom　at　once；　and　a

large　plot　of　land　would　be　given　to　each　man；　as　much　as　he　and

his　family　could　cultivate　with　an　average　of　two　days　a　week

steady　labor。



Those　who　liked　would；　of　course；　be　at　liberty　to　leave；　but　he

hoped　that　none　of　them　would　avail　themselves　of　this　freedom；

for　nowhere　would　they　do　so　well　as　by　accepting　the　offer　he

made　them。　　All　who　accepted　the　offer　of　a　plot　of　land　rent…free

must　understand　that　it　was　granted　them　upon　the　condition　that

they　would　labor　upon　the　estate　for　at　least　three　days　a　week；

receiving　a　rate　of　pay　similar　to　that　earned　by　other　freed

negroes。　Of　course　they　would　be　at　liberty　to　work　four　or　five

days　a　week　if　they　chose；　but　at　least　they　must　work　three　days

and　any　one　failing　to　do　this　would　forfeit　his　plot　of　land。　　〃Three

days'　work；〃　he　said；　〃will　be　sufficient　to　provide　all　necessaries

for　yourselves　and　families　and　the　produce　of　your　land　you　can

sell；　and　will　so　be　able　to　lay　by　an　ample　sum　to　keep　yourselves

in　old　age。　I　have　already　plotted　out　the　land　and　you　shall　cast

lots　for　choice　of　the　plots。　　There　will　be　a　little　delay　before　all

your　papers　of　freedom　can　be　made　out；　but　the　arrangement　will

begin　from　to…day；　and　henceforth　you　will　be　paid　for　all　labor

done　on　the　estate。〃



Scarcely　a　word　was　spoken　when　Vincent　concluded。　The　news

was　too　surprising　to　the　negroes　for　them　to　be　able　to　understand

it　all　at　once。　　Dan　and　Tony；　to　whom　Vincent　had　already

explained　the　matter；　went　among　them；　and　they　gradually　took　in

the　whole　of　Vincent's　meaning。　　A　few　received　the　news　with

great　joy；　but　many　others　were　depressed　rather　than　rejoiced　at

the　responsibilities　of　their　new　positions。　　Hitherto　they　had　been

clothed　and　fed；　the　doctor　attended　them　in　sickness；　their　master

would　care　for　them　in　old　age。　　They　had　been　literally　without　a

care　for　the　morrow；　and　the　thought　that　in　future　they　would

have　to　think　of　all　these　things　for　themselves　almost　frightened

them。　　Several　of　the　older　men　went　up　to　Mrs。　Wingfield　and

positively　declined　to　accept　their　freedom。　　They　were　quite

contented　and　happy；　and　wanted　nothing　more。　　They　had　worked

on　the　plantation　since　they　had　been　children；　and　freedom

offered　them　no　temptations　whatever。



〃What　had　we　better　do；　Vincent？〃　Mrs。　Wingfield　asked。



〃I　think；　mother；　it　will　be　best　to　toll　them　that　all　who　wish　can

remain　upon　the　old　footing；　but　that　their　papers　will　be　made　out

and　if　at　any　time　they　wish　to　have　their　freedom　they　will　only

have　to　say　so。　　No　doubt　they　will　soon　become　accustomed　to　the

idea；　and　seeing　how　comfortable　the　others　are　with　their　pay　and

the　produce　of　their　gardens　they　will　soon　fall　in　with　the　rest。　　Of

course　it　will　decrease　the　income　from　the　estate；　but　not　so　much

as　you　would　think。　　They　will　be　paid　for　their　labor；　but　we　shall

have　neither　to　feed　nor　clothe　them；　and　I　think　we　shall　get　better

labor　than　we　do　now；　for　the　knowledge　that　those　who　do　not

work　steadily　will　lose　their　plots　of　land；　and　have　to　go　out　in　the

world　to　work；　their　places　being　filled　by　others；　will　keep　them