with lee in virginia-第47章

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were　unanimously　of　opinion　that　a　second　assault　should　not　be

attempted。　After　remaining　for　some　hours　in　order　of　battle　they

fell　back　into　the　town　and　two　days　later　the　whole　army

recrossed　the　Rappahannook　River。　　The　loss　of　the　Confederates

was　1；800　men；　who　were　for　the　most　part　killed　or　wounded　by

the　enemy's　artillery；　while　the　Federal　loss　was　no　less　than

13；771。　General　Burnside　soon　afterward　resigned　his　command；

and　General　Hooker；　an　officer　of　the　same　politics　as　the

president　and　his　advisers；　was　appointed　to　succeed　him。



The　cavalry　had　not　been　called　upon　to　act　during　the　day；　and

Vincent's　duties　were　confined　to　carrying　orders　to　the

commanders　of　the　various　batteries　of　artillery　posted　in　that　part

of　the　field；　as　these　had　all　been　placed　under　General　Stuart's

orders。　　He　had　many　narrow　escapes　by　shot　and　fragments　of

shells；　but　passed　through　the　day　uninjured。



General　Lee　has　been　blamed　for　not　taking　advantage　of　his

victory　and　falling　upon　the　Federals　on　the　morning　after　the

battle；　but　although　such　an　assault　might　possibly　have　been

successful　he　was　conscious　of　his　immense　inferiority　in　force；

and　his　troops　would　have　been　compelled　to　have　advanced　to　the

attack　across　ground　completely　swept　by　the　fire　of　the

magnificently　served　Northern　artillery　posted　upon　their

commanding　heights。　　He　was　moreover　ignorant　of　the　full　extent

of　the　loss　he　had　inflicted　upon　the　enemy；　and　expected　a

renewed　attack　by　them。　　He　was　therefore；　doubtless；　unwilling　to

risk　the　results　of　the　victory　he　had　gained　and　of　the　victory　he

expected　to　gain　should　the　enemy　renew　their　attack；　by　a

movement　which　might　not　be　successful；　and　which　would　at　any

rate　have　cost　him　a　tremendous　loss　of　men；　and　men　were

already　becoming　scarce　in　the　Confederacy。



As　soon　as　the　enemy　had　fon　back　across　the　river　and　it　was

certain　that　there　was　little　chance　of　another　forward　movement

on　their　part　for　a　considerable　time；　Vincent　showed　to　General

Stuart　the　permit　he　had　received　to　return　home　until　the　spring

on　leave；　and　at　once　received　the　general's　permission　to　retire

from　the　staff　for　a　time。



He　had　not　been　accompanied　by　Dan　on　his　railway　journey　to　the

front；　having　left　him　behind　with　instructions　to　endeavor　by

every　means　to　find　some　clew　as　to　the　direction　in　which　Dinah

had　been　carried　off。　　He　telegraphed　on　his　way　home　the　news　of

his　coming；　and　found　Dan　at　the　station　waiting　for　him。



〃Well；　Dan；　have　you　obtained　any　news？〃　he　asked　as　soon　as　his

horse　had　been　removed　from　its　box；　and　he　had　mounted　and　at　a

foot…pace　left　the　station；　with　Dan　walking　beside　him。



〃No；　sah；　I　hab　done　my　best；　but　I　cannot　find　out　anyting。　　The

niggers　at　Jackson's　all　say　dat　no　strangers　hab　been　there　wid　do

old　man　for　a　long　time　before　de　day　dat　Dinah　was　carried　off。　　I

have　been　over　dar；　massa；　and　hab　talked　wid　the　hands　at　do

house。　　Dey　all　say　dat　no　one　been　dere　for　a　month。　　Me　sure　dat

doy　no　tell　a　lie　about　it；　because　doy　all　hate　Massa　Jackson　like

pison。　　Den　de　lawyer；　he　am　put　do　advertisement　you　told　him　in

the　papers：　Five　hundred　dollars　to　whoever　would　give

information　about　do　carrying　off　of　a　female　slave　from　Missy

Wingfiold；　or　dat　would　lead　to　de　discovery　of　her　hiding…place。　

But　no　answer　come。　　Me　heard　Missy　Wingfield　say　so　last

night。〃



〃That's　bad；　Dan；　but　I　hardly　expected　anything　better。　　I　felt　sure

the　old　fox　would　have　taken　every　precaution；　knowing　what　a

serious　business　it　would　be　for　him　if　it　were　found　out。　　Now　I

am　back　I　will　take　the　matter　up　myself；　and　we　will　see　what　we

can　do。　　I　wish　I　could　have　set　about　it　the　day　after　she　was

carried　away。　　It　is　more　than　a　fortnight　ago　now；　and　that　will

make　it　much　more　difficult　than　it　would　have　been　bad　it　been

begun　at　once。〃



〃Well；　Vincent；　so　you　have　come　back　to　us　undamaged　this

time；〃　his　mother　said　after　the　first　greeting。　〃We　wore　very

anxious　when　the　news　came　that　a　great　battle　had　been　fought

last　Friday；　but　when　we　heard　the　next　morning　the　enemy　had

been　repulsed　so　easily　we　wore　not　so　anxious；　although　it　was

not　until　this　morning　that　the　list　of　killed　and　wounded　was

published；　and　our　minds　set　at　rest〃



〃No；　mother；　it　was　a　tremendous　artillery　battle；　but　it　was　a　little

more　than　that…at　least　on　our　side。　　But　I　have　never　heard

anything　at　all　like　it　from　sunrise　to　sunset。　　But；　after　all；　an

artillery　fire　is　more　frightening　than　dangerous；　except　at

comparatively　close　quarters。　The　enemy　must　have　fired　at　least

fifty　shots　for　every　man　that　was　hit。　　I　counted　several　times；　and

there　wore　fully　a　hundred　shots　a　minute；　and　I　don't　think　it

lessened　much　the　whole　day。　　I　should　think　they　must　have　fired

two　or　three　hundred　rounds　at　least　from　each　gun。　　The　roar　was

incessant；　and　what　with　the　din　they　made；　and　the　replies　of　our

own　artillery；　and　the　bursting　of　shells；　and　the　rattle　of　musketry；

the　din　at　times　was　almost　bewildering。　　Wildfire　was　hit　with　a

piece　of　shell；　but　fortunately　it　was　not　a　very　large　one；　and　he　is

not　much　the　worse　for　it；　but　the　shock　knocked　him　off　his　legs；

of　course　I　went　down　with　him；　and　thought　for　a　moment　I　had

been　hit　myself　　No；　it　was　by　far　the　most　hollow　affair　we　have

had。　　The　enemy　fought　obstinately　enough；　but　without　the

slightest　spirit　or　dash；　and　only　once　did　they　get　up　anywhere

near　our　line；　and　then　they　wont　back　a　good　deal　quicker　than

they　came。〃



〃And　now　you　are　going　to　be　with　us　for　three　months；　Vincent？〃



I　hope　so；　mother；　at　least　if　they　do　not　advance　again。　　I　shall　be

here　off　and　on。　　I　mean　to　find　Dinah　Morris　if　it　is　possible；　and

if　I　can　obtain　the　slightest　clew　I　shall　follow　it　up　and　go

wherever　it　may　lead　me。〃



〃Well；　we　will　spare　you　for　that；　Vincent。　　As　you　know；　I　did

not　like　your　mixing　yourself　up　in　that　business　two　years　ago；　but

it　is　altogether　different　now。　　The　woman　was　very　willing　and

well　conducted；　and　I　had　got　to　be　really　fond　of　her。　　But　putting

that　aside；　it　is　intolerable　that　such　a　piece　of　insolence　as　the

stealing　of　one　of　our　slaves　should　go　unpunished。　　Therefore　if

you　do　find　any　clew　to　the　affair　we　will　not　grumble　at　your

following　it　up；　even　if　it　does　take　you　away　from　home　for　a

short　time。　　By　the　by；　we　had　letters　this　morning　from　a　certain

young　lady　in　Georgia　inclosing　her　photograph；　and　I　rather

fancy　there　is　one　for　you　somewhere。〃



〃Where　is　it；　mother？〃　Vincent　asked；　jumping　from　his　seat。



〃Let　me　think；〃　Mrs。　Wingfield　replied。　　〃Did　either　of　you　girls

put　it　away；　or　where　can　it　have　been　stowed？〃　The　girls　both

laughed。



〃Now；　Vincent；　what　offer　do　you　make　for　the　letter？　Well；　we

won't　tease　you；〃　Annie　went　on　as　Vincent　gave　an　impatient

exclamation。　　〃Another　time　we　might　do　so；　but　as　you　have　just

come　safely　back　to　us　I　don't　think　it　will　be　fair；　especially　as

this　is　the　very　first　letter。　Here　it　is　it〃　and　she　took　out　of　the

workbox　before　her　the　missive　Vincent　was　so　eager　to　receive。



CHAPTER　XVI。　THE　SEARCH　FOR　DINAH。



〃BY　THE　BY；　Vincent；〃　Mrs。　Wingfield　remarked　next　morning　at

breakfast；　〃I　have　parted　with　Pearson。〃



〃I　am　glad　to　hear　it；　mother。　　What！　did　you　discover　at　last　that

he　was　a　scamp？〃



〃Several　things　that　occurred　shook　my　confidence　in　him；

Vincent。　　The　accounts　were　not　at　all　satisfactory；　and　it　happened

quite　accidentally　that　when　I　was　talking　one　day　with　Mr。

Robertson；　who；　as　you　know；　is　a　great　speculator　in　tobacco；　I

said　that　I　should　grow　no　more　tobacco；　as　it　really　fetched

nothing。　　He　replied　that　it　would　be　a　pity　to　give　it　up；　for　so

little　was　now　cultivated　that　the　price　was　rising；　and　the

Orangery　tobacco　always　fetched　top　prices。　　'I　think　the　price　I

paid　for　your　crop　this　year　must　at　any　rate　have　paid　for　the　labor

that　is　to　say；　paid　for　the　keep　of　the　slaves　and　something　over。'　

He　then　mentioned　the　price　he　had　given；　which　was　certainly　a

good　deal　higher　than　I　had　imagined。　I　looked　to　my　accounts

next　morning；　and　found　that　Pearson　had　only　credited　me　with

one…third　of　the　amount　he　must　have　received；　so　I　at　once

dismissed　him。　　Indeed；　I　had　been　thinking　of　doing　so　some　little

time　before；　for　money　is　so　scarce　and　the　price　of　produce　so　low

that　I　felt　I　could　not　afford　to　pay　as　much　as　I　have　been　giving

him。〃



〃I　am　afraid　I　have　been　drawing　rather　heavily；　mother；〃　Vincent

put　in。



〃I　have　plenty　of　money；　Vincent。　　Since　your　father's　death　we

have　had　much　less　company　than　before；　and　I　have　not　spent　my

income。　　Besides；　I　have　a　considerable　sum　invested　in　house

property　and　other　securities。　　But　I　have；　of　course；　since　the　war

began　been　subscribing　toward　the　expenses　of　the　war　…　for　the

support　of　hospitals　and　so　on。　　I　thought　at　a　time　like　this　I　ought

to　keep　my　expenses　down　at　the　lowest　point；　and　to　give　the

balance　of　my　income　to　the　State。〃



〃How　did　Jonas　take　his　dismissal；　mother？〃



〃Not　very　pleasantly；〃　Mrs。　Wingfield　replied；　〃especially　when　I

told　him　that　I　had　discovered　he　was　robbing　me。　　However；　he

knew　better　than　to　say　much；　for　he　has　not　been　in　good　odor

about　here　for　some　time。　After　the　fighting　near　here　there　were

reports　that　he　had　been　in　communication　with　the　Yankees。　　He

spoke　to　me　about　it　at　the　time；　but　as　it　was　a　mere　matter　of

rumor；　originating；　no　doubt；　from　the　fact　that　he　was　a　Northern

man　by　birth；　I　paid　no　attention　to　them。〃



〃It　is　likely　enough　to　be　true；〃　Vincent　said。　〃I　always　distrusted

the　vehemence　with　which　he　took　the　Confederate　side。　　How

long　ago　did　this　happen？〃



〃It　is　about　a　month　since　I　dismissed　him。〃



〃So　lately　as　that！　　Then　I　should　not　be　at　all　surprised　if　he　had

some　hand　in　carrying　off　Dinah。　　I　know　he　was　in

communication　with　Jackson；　for　I　once　saw　them　together　in　the

street；　and　I　fancied　at　the　time　that　it　was　through　him　that

Jackson　learned　that　Dinah　was　here。　It　is　an　additional　clew　to

inquire　into；　anyhow。　　Do　you　know　what　has　become　of　him　since

he　left　you？〃



〃No；　I　have　heard　nothing　at　all　about　him；　Vincent；　from　the　day　I

gave　him　a　check　for　his　pay　in　this　room。　Farrell；　who　was　under

him；　is　now　in　charge　of　the　Orangery。　　He　may　possibly　know

something　of　his　movements。〃



〃I　think　Farrell　is　an　honest　fellow；〃　Vincent　said　〃He　was　always

about　doing　his　work　quietly　never　bullying　or　shouting　at　the

hands；　and　yet　seeing　that　they　did　their　work　properly。　　I　will　ride

out　and　see　him　at　once。〃



As　soon　as　breakfast　was　over　Vincent　started；　and　found　Farrell　in

the　fields　with　the　hands。