with lee in virginia-第15章

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you　to　go　to　him　at　once；　for　lie　will　be　so　busy　soon　that；　there　is

no　saying　when　the　whole　troop　will　get　their　uniforms。〃



Upon　his　return　home　Vincent　related　to　his　mother　and　sisters　the

conversation　that　he　had　had　with　Major　Ashley。



〃Certainly　you　had　better　take　a　servant　with　you；〃　his　mother　said。　

〃I　suppose　when　you　are　riding　about；　you　will　have　to　clean　your

horse；　and　cook　your　dinner；　and　do　everything　for　yourself；　but

when　you　are　in　a　town　you　should　have　these　things　done　for　you。　

Who　would　you　like　to　take？



〃I　should　like　to　take　Dan；　mother；　if　you　have　no　objection。　　He　is

very　strong　and　active；　and　I　think　would　generally　be　able　to　keep

up　with　us；　besides；　I　know　he　would　always　stick　to　me。〃



〃You　shall　have　hun　certainly；　Vincent；　I　will　make　him　over

formally　to　you。〃



WITH　LEE　IN　VIRGINIA。

85





〃Thank　you；　mother；〃　Vincent　said　joyfully；　for　ho　had　often

wished　that　Dan　belonged　to　him；　as　he　would　then　be　able　to

prevent　any　interference　with　him　by　the　overseer　or　any　one　else；

and　could；　if　he　liked；　give　him　his　freedom…although　this　would；

he　knew；　be　of　very　doubtful　advantage　to　the　lad　as　long　as　he

remained　in　the　South。



The　next　morning　the　necessary　papers　were　drawn　up；　and　the

ownership　of　Dan　was　formally　transferred　to　Vincent。　　Dan　was

wild　with　delight　when　he　heard　that　Vincent　was　now　his　master；

and　that　he　was　to　accompany　him　to　the　war。　　It　had　been　known

two　days　before　that　Vincent　was　going；　and　it　seemed　quite

shocking　to　the　negroes　that　the　young　master　should　go　as　a

private　soldier；　and　have　to　do　everything　for　himself…〃just；〃　as

they　said；　〃like　de　poor　white　trash；〃　for　the　slaves　were　proud　to

belong　to　an　old　family；　and　looked　down　with　almost　contempt

upon　the　poorer　class　of　whites；　regarding　their　own　position　as

infinitely　superior。



Four　days　later　Vincent　received　an　official　letter　saying　that　the

corps　would　be　mustered　in　two　days'　time。　　The　next　day　was

spent　in　a　long　round　of　farewell　visits；　and　then　Vincent　mounted

Wildfire；　and；　with　Dan　trotting　behind；　rode　off　from　the

Orangery　amid　a　chorus　of　blessings　and　good　wishes　from　all　the

slaves　who　could　op　any　pretext　get　away　from　their　duties；　and

who　had　assembled　in　front　of　the　house　to　see　him　start。



The　place　of　meeting　for　the　regiment　was　at　Hanover

Courthouse…a　station　on　the　Richmond　and　Fredericksburg

Railway；　close　to　the　Pamunky　River；　about　eighteen　miles　from

the　city。



The　Orangery　was　a　mile　from　the　village　of　Gaines；　which　lay　to

the　northeast　of　Richmond；　and　was　some　twelve　miles　from

Hanover　Courthouse。



A　month　was　spent　in　drill；　and　at　the　end　of　that　time　the　corps

wore　able　to　execute　any　simple　maneuver。　　More　than　this　Major

Ashley　did　not　care　about　their　learning。　　The　work　in　which　they

were　about　to　engage　was　that　of　scouts　rather　than　that　of　regular

cavalry；　and　the　requirements　were　vigilance　and　attention　to

orders；　good　shooting　and　a　quick　eye。　　Off　duty　there　was　but

little　discipline。　　Almost　the　whole　of　the　men　were　in　a　good

position　in　life；　and　many　of　them　very　wealthy；　and　while　strict

discipline　and　obedience　were　expected　while　on　duty；　at　all　other

times　something　like　equality　existed　between　officers　and　men；

and　all　were　free　to　live　as　they　chose。



The　rations　served　out　were　simple　and　often　scanty；　for　at　　present

the　various　departments　were　not　properly　organized；　and　such

numbers　of　men　were　flocking　to　the　standards　that　the　authorities

were　at　their　wit's　end　to　provide　them　with　even　the　simplest

food。　　This　mattered　but　little；　however；　to　the　regiment；；　whose

members　were　all　ready　and　willing　to　pay　for　everything　they

wanted；　and　the　country　people　round　found　a　ready　market　for　all

their　chickens；　eggs；　fruit；　and　vegetables　at　Hanover　Courthouse；

for　here　there　were　also　several　infantry　regiments；　and　the

normally　quiet；　little　village　was　a　scene　of　bustle　and　confusion。



The　arms　of　the　cavalry　were　of　a　very　varied　description。　　Not；

more　than　a　dozen　had　swords；　the　rest　were　armed　with　rifles　or

shot…guns；　with　the　barrels　cut　short　to　enable　them　to　be　carried　as

carbines。　　Many　of　them　were　armed　with　revolvers；　and　some

carried　pistols　so　antiquated　that　they　might　have　been　used　in　the

revolutionary　war。　　A　certain　number　of　tents　had　been　issued　for

the　use　of　the　corps。　　These；　however；　were　altogether　insufficient

for　the　numbers；　and　most　of　the　men　preferred　to　sleep　in　shelters

composed　of　canvas；　carpets；　blankets；　Qr　any　other　material　that

came　to　hand；　or　in　arbors　constructed　of　the　boughs　of　trees；　for　it

was　now　April　and　warm　enough　to　sleep　in　the　open　air。



In　the　third　week　in　May　the　order　came　that　the　corps　was　to

march　at　once　for　Harper's　Ferry…an　important　position　at；　the　point

where　the　Shenandoah　River　runs　into　the　Potomac；　at；　the　mouth

of　the　Shenandoah　Valley。　The　order　was　received　with　the

greatest　satisfaction。　　The　Federal　forces　were　gathering　rapidly

upon　the　northern　banks　of　the　Potomac；　and　it　was　believed　that；

while　the　main　army　would　march　down　from　Washington　through

Manassas　Junction　direct　upon　Richmond；　another　would　enter　by

the　Shenandoah　Valley；　and；　crossing　the　Blue　Ridge　Mountains；

come　down　on　the　rear　of　the　Confederate　army；　facing　the　main

force　at；　Manassas。　　The　cavalry　marched　by　road；　while　the

infantry　were　despatched　by　rail　as　far　as　Manassas　Junction；

whence　they　marched　to　Harper's　Ferry。　　The　black　servants

accompanied　the　infantry。



The　cavalry　march　was　a　pleasant　one。　　At　every　village　through

which　they　passed　the　people　flocked　out；　with　offerings　of　milk

and　fruit。　　The　days　were　hot；　but　the　mornings　and　evenings

delightful；　and　as　the　troops　always　halted　in　the　shade　of　a　wood

for　three　or　four　hours　in　the　middle　of　the　day；　the　marches；

although　long　were　not　fatiguing。　　At　Harper's　Ferry　General

Johnston　had　just　superseded　Colonel　Jackson　in　command。　　The

force　there　consisted　of　11　battalions　of　infantry；　16　guns；　arid

after　Ashley's　force　arrived；　300　cavalry。　　Among　the　regiments

there　Vincent　found　many　friends；　and　learned　what　was　going　on。



He　learned　that　Colonel　Jackson　had　been　keeping　them　hard　at

work。　　Some　of　Vincent's　friends　had　been　at　the　Virginia　Military

Institute　at　Lexington；　where　Jackson　was　professor　of　natural

philosophy　and　instructor　of　artillery。



〃He　was　the　greatest　fun；〃　one　of　the　young　men　said；　〃the　stiffest

and　most　awkward…looking　fellow　in　the　institute。　　He　used　to

work　about　as　if　he　never　saw　anything　or　anybody。　　He　was

always　known　as　Old　Tom；　and　nobody　ever　saw　him　laugh。　　He

was　awfully　earnest　in　all　he　did；　and　strict；　I　can　tell　you；　about

everything。　There　was　no　humbugging　him。　　The　fellows　liked　him

because　he　was　really　so　earnest　about　everything；　and　always　just

and　fair。　　But　he　didn't　look　a　hit　like　a　soldier　except　as　to　his

stiffness；　and　when　the　fellows　who　had　been　at　Lexington　heard

that　he　was　in　command　here　they　did　not　think　he　would　have

made　much　hand　at　it；　but　I　tell　you；　be　did。　　You　never　saw　such　a

fellow　to　work。



〃Everything　had　to　be　done；　you　know。　　There　were　the　guns；　but

no　horses　and　no　harness。　　The　horses　had　to　be　got　somehow；　and

the　harness　manufactured　out　of　ropes；　and　you　can　imagine　the

confusion　of　nine　battalions　of　infantry；　all　recruits；　with　no　one　to

teach　them　except　a　score　or　two　of　old　army　and　militia　officers。　

Old　Tom　has　done　wonders；　I　can　tell　you。　　You　see；　be　is　so

fearfully　earnest　himself　every　one　else　has　got　to　be　earnest。　

There　has　been　no　playing　about　anything；　but　just　fifteen　hours'

hard　work　a　day。　　Fellows　grumbled　and　growled　and　said　it　was

absurd；　and　threatened　to　do　all　sorts　of　things。　　You　see；　they　had

all　come　out　to　fight　if　necessary；　but　hadn't　bargained　for　such

hard　work　as　this。



〃However；　Jackson　had　his　way；　and　I　don't　suppose　any　one　ever

told　him　the　men　thought　they　were　too　hard　worked。　　He　is　not　the

sort　of　man　one　would　care　about　remonstrating　with。　　I　don't

know　yet　whether　he　is　as　good　at　fighting　as　he　is　at　working　and

organizing；　but　I　rather　expect　a　fellow　who　is　so　earnest　about

everything　else　is　sure　to　be　earnest　about　fighting；　and　I　fancy　that　

when　he　once　gets　into　the　thick　of　it　he　will　go　through　with　it。　

He　had　such　a　reputation　as　an　oddity　at　Lexington　that　there　were

a　lot　of　remarks　when　lie　was　made　colonel　and　sent　here；　but

there　is　no　doubt　that　he　has　proved　himself　the　right　man　so　far；

and　although　his　men　may　grumble　they　believe　in　him。



〃My　regiment　is　in　his　brigade；　and　I　will　bet　any　money　that　we

have　our　share　of　fighting　　What　sort　of　man　is　Johnston？　　He　is　a

fine　fellow…a　soldier；　heart　and　soul。　You　could　tell　him　anywhere；

and　we　have　a　first…rate　fellow　in　command　of　the　cavalry　…Colonel

Stuart…a　splendid　dashing　fellow；　full　of　life　and　go。　　His　fellows

swear　by　him。　　I　quite　envy　you；　for　I　expect　you　will　astonish　the

Yankee　horsemen。　　They　are　no　great　riders　up　there；　you　know；

and　I　expect　the　first　time　you　meet　them　you　will　astonish　them。〃



Here　he　suddenly　stopped；　stood　at　attention；　and　saluted。



Vincent　at　once　did　the　same；　although；　had　he　not　been　set　the

example　by　his　friend；　lie　would　never　have　thought　of　doing　so　to

the　figure　who　passed。



〃Who　is　it？〃　he　asked；　as　his　companion　resumed　his　easy　attitude。



〃Why；　that's　Old　Tom。〃



〃What！　Colonel　Jackson！〃　Vincent　said　in　surprise。　〃Well；　he　is　an

odd…looking　fellow。〃



The　figure　that　had　passed　was　that　of　a　tall；　gaunt　luau；　leaning

awkwardly　forward　in　his　saddle。　　He　wore　an　old　gray　coat；　and

there　was　no　sign　of　rank；　nor　particle　of　gold　lace　upon　the

uniform。　　He　wore　on　his　head　a　faded　cadet　cap；　with　the　rim

coming　down　so　far　upon　his　nose　that　he　could　only　look

sideways　from　under　it。　He　seemed　to　pay　but　little　attention　to

what　was　going　on　around　him；　and　did　not　enter　into　conversation

with　any　of　the　officers　he　met。



The　brigade　commanded　by　Jackson　was　the　first　of　the　army　of

the　Shenandoah；　and　consisted　of　the　2d；　4th；　5th；　and　27th

Virginians；　to　which　was　shortly　afterward　added　the　33d。　　They

were　composed　of　men　of　all　ranks　and　ages；　among　them　being　a

great　number　of　lads　from　fifteen　and　upward；　for　every　school

had　been　deserted。　Every　boy　capable　of　carrying　a　musket　had

insisted　upon　joining；　and　among　them　were　a　whole　company　of

cadets　from　Lexington。　　The　regiments　selected　their　own　officers；

and　among　these　were　many　who　were　still　lads。　Many　of　the

regiments　had　no　accouterments；　and　were　without　uniforms；　and

numbers　carried　no　better　arms　than　a　double…barreled　shot…gun；

but　all　were　animated　with　the　same　spirit　of　enthusiasm　in　their

cau