andersonville-第4章

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and　the　horses　spring　forward　as　if　shot　from　a　bow。

I　see　nothing　more　until　I　reach　the　place　where　the　Rebel　line　stood。
Then　I　find　it　is　gone。　　Looking　beyond　toward　the　bottom　of　the　hill；　I
see　the　woods　filled　with　Rebels；　flying　in　disorder　and　our　men　yelling
in　pursuit。　　This　is　the　portion　of　the　line　which　Companies　I　and　K
struck。　　Here　and　there　are　men　in　butternut　clothing；　prone　on　the
frozen　ground；　wounded　and　dying。　　I　have　just　time　to　notice　closely　one
middle…aged　man　lying　almost　under　my　horse's　feet。　　He　has　received　a
carbine　bullet　through　his　head　and　his　blood　colors　a　great　space　around
him。

One　brave　man；　riding　a　roan　horse；　attempts　to　rally　his　companions。
He　halts　on　a　little　knoll；　wheels　his　horse　to　face　us；　and　waves　his
hat　to　draw　his　companions　to　him。　　A　tall；　lank　fellow　in　the　next　four
to　mewho　goes　by　the　nickname　of　〃'Leven　Yards〃aims　his　carbine　at
him；　and；　without　checking　his　horse's　pace；　fires。　　The　heavy　Sharpe's
bullet　tears　a　gaping　hole　through　the　Rebel's　heart。　　He　drops　from　his
saddle；　his　life…blood　runs　down　in　little　rills　on　either　side　of　the
knoll；　and　his　riderless　horse　dashes　away　in　a　panic。

At　this　instant　comes　an　order　for　the　Company　to　break　up　into　fours　and
press　on　through　the　forest　in　pursuit。　　My　four　trots　off　to　the　road　at
the　right。　　A　Rebel　bugler；　who　hag　been　cut　off；　leaps　his　horse　into
the　road　in　front　of　us。　　We　all　fire　at　him　on　the　impulse　of　the
moment。　　He　falls　from　his　horse　with　a　bullet　through　his　back。　　Company
M；　which　has　remained　in　column　as　a　reserve；　is　now　thundering　up　close
behind　at　a　gallop。　　Its　seventy…five　powerful　horses　are　spurning　the
solid　earth　with　steel…clad　hoofs。　　The　man　will　be　ground　into　a
shapeless　mass　if　left　where　he　has　fallen。　　We　spring　from　our　horses
and　drag　him　into　a　fence　corner；　then　remount　and　join　in　the　pursuit。

This　happened　on　the　summit　of　Chestnut　Ridge；　fifteen　miles　from
Jonesville。

Late　in　the　afternoon　the　anxious　watchers　at　Jonesville　saw　a　single
fugitive　urging　his　well…nigh　spent　horse　down　the　slope　of　the　hill
toward　town。　　In　an　agony　of　anxiety　they　hurried　forward　to　meet　him　and
learn　his　news。

The　first　messenger　who　rushed　into　Job's　presence　to　announce　the
beginning　of　the　series　of　misfortunes　which　were　to　afflict　the　upright
man　of　Uz　is　a　type　of　all　the　cowards　who；　before　or　since　then；　have
been　the　first　to　speed　away　from　the　field　of　battle　to　spread　the　news
of　disaster。　　He　said：

　　　　　And　the　Sabeans　fell　upon　them；　and　took　them　away　；　yea；　they　have
　　　　　slain　the　servants　with　the　edge　of　the　sword；　and　I　only　am　escaped
　　　　　alone　to　tell　thee。

So　this　fleeing　Virginian　shouted　to　his　expectant　friends：

〃The　boys　are　all　cut　to　pieces；　I'm　the　only　one　that　got　away。〃

The　terrible　extent　of　his　words　was　belied　a　little　later；　by　the
appearance　on　the　distant　summit　of　the　hill　of　a　considerable　mob　of
fugitives；　flying　at　the　utmost　speed　of　their　nearly　exhausted　horses。
As　they　came　on　down　the　hill　as　almost　equally　disorganized　crowd　of
pursuers　appeared　on　the　summit；　yelling　in　voices　hoarse　with　continued
shouting；　and　pouring　an　incessant　fire　of　carbine　and　revolver　bullets
upon　the　hapless　men　of　the　Sixty…fourth　Virginia。

The　two　masses　of　men　swept　on　through　the　town。　　Beyond　it；　the　road
branched　in　several　directions；　the　pursued　scattered　on　each　of　these；
and　the　worn…out　pursuers　gave　up　the　chase。

Returning　to　Jonesville；　we　took　an　account　of　stock；　and　found　that　we
were　〃ahead〃　one　hundred　and　fifteen　prisoners；　nearly　that　many　horses；
and　a　considerable　quantity　of　small　arms。　　How　many　of　the　enemy　had
been　killed　and　wounded　could　not　be　told；　as　they　were　scattered　over
the　whole　fifteen　miles　between　where　the　fight　occurred　and　the　pursuit
ended。　　Our　loss　was　trifling。

Comparing　notes　around　the　camp…fires　in　the　evening；　we　found　that　our
success　had　been　owing　to　the　Major's　instinct；　his　grasp　of　the
situation；　and　the　soldierly　way　in　which　he　took　advantage　of　it。　　When
he　reached　the　summit　of　the　hill　he　found　the　Rebel　line　nearly　formed
and　ready　for　action。　　A　moment's　hesitation　might　have　been　fatal　to　us。
At　his　command　Company　I　went　into　line　with　the　thought…like　celerity　of
trained　cavalry；　and　instantly　dashed　through　the　right　of　the　Rebel
line。　　Company　K　followed　and　plunged　through　the　Rebel　center；　and　when
we　of　Company　L　arrived　on　the　ground；　and　charged　the　left；　the　last
vestige　of　resistance　was　swept　away。　　The　whole　affair　did　not　probably
occupy　more　than　fifteen　minutes。

This　was　the　way　Powell's　Valley　was　opened　to　our　foragers。




CHAPTER　III。

LIVING　OFF　THE　ENEMYREVELING　IN　THE　FATNESS　OF　THE　COUNTRYSOLDIERLY
PURVEYING　AND　CAMP　COOKERYSUSCEPTIBLE　TEAMSTERS　AND　THEIR　TENDENCY　TO
FLIGHTINESSMAKING　SOLDIER'S　BED。

For　weeks　we　rode　up　and　downhither　and　thitheralong　the　length　of
the　narrow；　granite…walled　Valley；　between　mountains　so　lofty　that　the
sun　labored　slowly　over　them　in　the　morning；　occupying　half　the　forenoon
in　getting　to　where　his　rays　would　reach　the　stream　that　ran　through　the
Valley's　center。　　Perpetual　shadow　reigned　on　the　northern　and　western
faces　of　these　towering　Nightsnot　enough　warmth　and　sunshine　reaching
them　in　the　cold　months　to　check　the　growth　of　the　ever…lengthening
icicles　hanging　from　the　jutting　cliffs；　or　melt　the　arabesque　frost…
forms　with　which　the　many　dashing　cascades　decorated　the　adjacent　rocks
and　shrubbery。　　Occasionally　we　would　see　where　some　little　stream　ran
down　over　the　face　of　the　bare；　black　rocks　for　many　hundred　feet；　and
then　its　course　would　be　a　long　band　of　sheeny　white；　like　a　great　rich；
spotless　scarf　of　satin；　festooning　the　war…grimed　walls　of　some　old
castle。

Our　duty　now　was　to　break　up　any　nuclei　of　concentration　that　the　Rebels
might　attempt　to　form；　and　to　guard　our　foragersthat　is；　the　teamsters
and　employee　of　the　Quartermaster's　Departmentwho　were　loading　grain
into　wagons　and　hauling　it　away。

This　last　was　an　arduous　task。　　There　is　no　man　in　the　world　that　needs
as　much　protection　as　an　Army　teamster。　　He　is　worse　in　this　respect　than
a　New　England　manufacturer；　or　an　old　maid　on　her　travels。　　He　is　given
to　sudden　fears　and　causeless　panics。　　Very　innocent　cedars　have　a
fashion　of　assuming　in　his　eyes　the　appearance　of　desperate　Rebels　armed
with　murderous　guns；　and　there　is　no　telling　what　moment　a　rock　may　take
such　a　form　as　to　freeze　his　young　blood；　and　make　each　particular　hair
stand　on　end　like　quills　upon　the　fretful　porcupine。　　One　has　to　be
particular　about　snapping　caps　in　his　neighborhood；　and　give　to　him
careful　warning　before　discharging　a　carbine　to　clean　it。　　His　first
impulse；　when　anything　occurs　to　jar　upon　his　delicate　nerves；　is　to　cut
his　wheel…mule　loose　and　retire　with　the　precipitation　of　a　man　having　an
appointment　to　keep　and　being　behind　time。　　There　is　no　man　who　can　get
as　much　speed　out　of　a　mule　as　a　teamster　falling　back　from　the
neighborhood　of　heavy　firing。

This　nervous　tremor　was　not　peculiar　to　the　engineers　of　our
transportation　department。　　It　was　noticeable　in　the　gentry　who　carted
the　scanty　provisions　of　the　Rebels。　　One　of　Wheeler's　cavalrymen　told　me
that　the　brigade　to　which　he　belonged　was　one　evening　ordered　to　move　at
daybreak。　　The　night　was　rainy；　and　it　was　thought　best　to　discharge　the
guns　and　reload　before　starting。　　Unfortunately；　it　was　neglected　to
inform　the　teamsters　of　this；　and　at　the　first　discharge　they　varnished
from　the　scene　with　such　energy　that　it　was　over　a　week　before　the
brigade　succeeded　in　getting　them　back　again。

Why　association　with　the　mule　should　thus　demoralize　a　man；　has　always
been　a　puzzle　to　me；　for　while　the　mule；　as　Col。　Ingersoll　has　remarked；
is　an　animal　without　pride　of　ancestry　or　hope　of　posterity；　he　is　still
not　a　coward　by　any　means。　　It　is　beyond　dispute　that　a　full…grown　and
active　lioness　once　attacked　a　mule　in　the　grounds　of　the　Cincinnati
Zoological　Garden；　and　was　ignominiously　beaten；　receiving　injuries　from
which　she　died　shortly　afterward。

The　apparition　of　a　badly…scared　teamster　urging　one　of　his　wheel　mules
at　break…neck　speed　over　the　rough　ground；　yelling　for　protection　against
〃them　Johnnies；〃　who　had　appeared　on　some　hilltop　in　sight　of　where　he
was　gathering　corn；　was　an　almost　hourly　occurrence。　　Of　course　the　squad
dispatched　to　his　assistance　found　nobody。

Still；　there　were　plenty　of　Rebels　in　the　country；　and　they　hung　around
our　front；　exchanging　shots　with　us　at　long　taw；　and　occasionally
treating　us　to　a　volley　at　close　range；　from　some　favorable　point。
But　we　had　the　decided　advantage　of　them　at　this　game。　　Our　Sharpe's
carbines　were　much　superior　in　every　way　to　their　Enfields。　　They　would
shoot　much　farther；　and　a　great　deal　more　rapidly；　so　that　the　Virginians
were　not　long　in　discovering　that　they　were　losing　more　than　they　gained
in　this　useless　warfare。

Once　they　played　a　sharp　practical　joke　upon　us。　　Copper　River　is　a　deep；
exceedingly　rapid　mountain　stream；　with　a　very　slippery　rocky　bottom。
The　Rebels　blockaded　a　ford　in　such　a　way　that　it　was　almost　impossible
for　a　horse　to　keep　his　feet。　　Then　they　tolled　us　off　in　pursuit　of　a
small　party　to　this　ford。　　When　we　came　to　it　there　was　a　light　line　of
skirmishers　on　the　opposite　bank；　who　popped　away　at　us　industriously。
Our　boys　formed　in　line；　gave　the　customary；　cheer；　and　dashed　in　to
carry　the　ford　at　a　charge。　　As　they　did　so　at　least　one…half　of　the
horses　went　down　as　if　they　were　shot；　and　rolled　over　their　riders　in
the　swift　running；　ice…cold　waters。　　The　Rebels　yelled　a　triumphant
laugh；　as　they　galloped　away；　and　the　laugh　was　re…echoed　by　our　fellows；
who　were　as　quick　to　see　the　joke　as　the　other　side。　　We　tried　to　get
even　with　them　by　a　sharp　chase；　but　we　gave　it　up　after　a　few　miles；
without　having　taken　any　prisoners。

But；　after　all；　there　was　much　to　make　our　sojourn　in　the　Valley
endurable。　　Though　we　did　not　wear　fine　linen；　we　fared　sumptuouslyfor
soldiersevery　day。　　The　cavalryman　is　always　charged　by　the　infantry
and　artillery　with　having　a　finer　and　surer　scent　for　the　good　things　in
the　country　than　any　other　man　in　the　service。　　He　is　believed　to　have　an
instinct　that　will　unfailingly　lead　him；　in　the　dankest　night；　to　the
roosting　place　of　the　most　desirable　poultry；　and　after　he　has　camped　in
a　neighborhood　for　awhile　it　would　require　a　close　chemical　analysis　to
find　a　trace　of　ham。

We　did　our　best　to　sustain　the　reputation　of　our　arm　of　the　service。
We　found　the　most　delicious　hams　packed　away　in　the　ash…houses。
They　were　small；　and　had　that；　exquisite　nutty　flavor；　peculiar　to　mast…
fed　bacon。　　Then　there　was　an　abundance　of　the　delightful　little　apple
known　as　〃romanites。〃　　There　were　turnips；　pumpkins；　cabbages；　potatoes；
and　the　usual　products　of　the　field　in　plenty；　even　profusion。　　The　corn
in　the　fields　furnished　an　ample　supply　of　breadstuff。　　We　carried　it　to
and　ground　it　in　the　quaintest；　rudest　little　mills　that　can　be　imagined
outside　of　the　primitive　affairs　by　which　the　women　o