with lee in virginia-第55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！



up　the　gaps　were　far　inferior　troops　to　those　with　which　he　had

commenced　the　campaign。　　To　send　forward　such　men　against　the

fortifications　of　Petersburg　manned　by　Lee's　veteran　troops　was　to

court　defeat；　and　he　therefore　began　to　throw　up　works　for　a

regular　siege。



Fighting　went　on　incessantly　between　the　outposts；　but　only　one

great　attempt　was　made　during　the　early　months　of　the　siege　to

capture　the　Confederate　position。　　The　miners　drove　a　gallery

under　the　works；　and　then　drove　other　galleries　right　and　left　under

them。　　These　were　charged　with　eight　thousand　pounds　of　powder。　

When　all　was　ready；　masses　of　troops　were　brought　up　to　take

advantage　of　the　confusion　which　would　be　caused　by　the

explosion；　and　a　division　of　black　troops　were　to　lead　the　assault。　

At　a　quarter　to　five　in　the　morning　of　the　30th　of　July　the　great

mine　was　exploded；　blowing　two　guns；　a　battery；　and　its　defenders

into　the　air；　and　forming　a　huge　pit　two　hundred　feet　long　and　sixty

feet　wide。　　Lee　and　Beauregard　hurried　to　the　scene；　checked　the

panic　that　prevailed；　brought　up　troops；　and　before　the　great

Federal　columns　approached　the　breach　the　Confederates　were

ready　to　receive　them。　　The　assault　was　made　with　little　vigor；　the

approaches　to　the　breach　were　obstructed　by　abattis；　and　instead　of

rushing　forward　in　a　solid　mass　they　occupied　the　great　pit；　and

contented　themselves　with　firing　over　the　edge　of　the　crater；　where

regiments　and　divisions　were　huddled　together。　　But　the

Confederate　batteries　were　now　manned；　and　from　the　works　on

either　side　of　the　breach；　and　from　behind；　they　swept　the

approaches；　and　threw　shell　among　the　crowded　mass。　　The　black

division　was　now　brought　up；　and　entered　the　crater；　but　only

added　to　the　confusion；　　There　was　no　officer　of　sufficient

authority　among　the　crowded　mass　there　to　assume　the　supreme

command。　　No　assistance　could　be　sent　to　them；　for　the　arrival　of

fresh　troops　would　but　have　added　to　the　confusion。　　All　day　the

conflict　went　on；　the　Federals　lining　the　edge　of　the　crater；　and　

exchanging　a　heavy　musketry　fire　with　the　Confederate　infantry；

while　the　mass　below　suffered　terribly　from　the　artillery　fire。　

When　night　closed　the　survivors　of　the　great　column　that　had

marched　forward　in　the　morning；　confident　that　victory　was

assured　to　them；　and　that　the　explosion　would　lay　Petersburg　open

to　capture；　made　their　retreat；　the　Confederates；　however；　taking　a

considerable　number　of　prisoners。　　The　Federal　loss　in　killed；

wounded　and　captured　was　admitted　by　them　to　be　4；000；　the

Confederate　accounts　put　it　down　at　6；000。



After　this　terrible　repulse　it　was　a　long　time　before　Grant　again

renewed　active　operations；　hut　during　the　months　that　ensued　his

troops　suffered　very　heavily　from　the　effects　of　fever；　heightened

by　the　discouragement　they　felt　at　their　want　of　success；　and　at　the

tremendous　losses　they　had　suffered　since　they　entered　Virginia　on

their　forward　march　to　Richmond。



CHAPTER　VIII。　A　PERILOUS　UNDERTAKING。



VINCENT　WINGFIELD　had　had　an　arduous　time　of　it　with　his

squadron　of　cavalry。　　He　had　taken　part　in　the　desperate　charge

that　checked　the　advance　of　Sheridan's　great　column　of　cavalry

which　approached　within　three　miles　of　Richmond；　the　charge　that

had　cost　the　gallant　Stuart　his　life；　and　the　death　of　his　beloved

general　had　been　a　heavy　blow　for　him。　　Jackson　and　Stuart；　two　of

the　bravest　and　noblest　spirits　of　the　Confederate　army；　were　gone。　

Both　had　been　personally　dear　to　Vincent；　and　he　felt　how

grievous　was　their　loss　to　the　cause　for　which　he　was　fighting；　but

he　had　little　time　for　grief。　　The　enemy；　after　the　tremendous

battles　of　the　Wilderness；　swung　their　army　round　to　Cold　Harbor；

and　Vincent's　squadron　was　called　up　to　aid　Lee　in　his　struggle

there。　　Then　they　were　engaged　night　and　day　in　harassing　the

enemy　as　they　marched　down　to　take　up　their　new　base　at

Petersburg；　and　finally　received　orders　to　ride　round　at　full　speed

to　aid　in　the　defense　of　that　place。



They　had　arrived　in　the　middle　of　the　second　day's　fighting；　and

dismounting　his　men　Vincent　had　aided　the　hard…pressed

Confederates　in　holding　their　lines　till　Long…street's　division

arrived　to　their　assistance。　　A　short　time　before　the　terrible　disaster

that　befell　the　Federals　in　the　mine　they　exploded　under　the

Confederate　works；　he　was　with　General　Wade　Hampton；　who　had

succeeded　General　Stuart　in　the　command　of　the　cavalry；　when

General　Lee　rode　up。



〃They　are　erecting　siege　works　in　earnest；〃　General　Lee　said。　　〃I　do

not　think　that　we　shall　have　any　more　attacks　for　the　present。　　I

wish　I　knew　exactly　where　they　are　intending　to　place　their　heavy

batteries。　　If　I　did　we　should　know　where　to　strengthen　our

defenses；　and　plant　our　counter　batteries。　　It　is　very　important　to

find　this　out；　but　now　that　their　whole　army　has　settled　down　in

front　of　us；　and　Sheridan's　cavalry　are　scouring　the　woods；　we　shall

get　no　news；　for　the　farmers　will　no　longer　be　able　to　get　through

to　tell　us　what　is　going　on。



〃I　will　try　and　ride　round；　if　you　like；　general；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃By

making　a　long　detour　one　could　get　into　the　rear　of　their　lines　and

pass　as　a　farmer　going　into　camp　to　sell　his　goods。〃



〃It　would　be　a　very　dangerous　service；　sir；〃　General　Lee　said。　

〃You　know　what　the　consequence　would　be　if　you　were　caught？〃



〃I　know　the　consequence；〃　Vincent　said；　〃but　I　do　not　think；　sir；

that　the　risk　is　greater　than　one　runs　every　time　one　goes　into

battle。〃



〃Perhaps　not；〃　General　Lee　replied；　〃but　in　one　case　one　dies

fighting　for　one's　country　by　an　honorable　death；　in　the　other…〃　and

he　stopped。



〃In　the　other　one　is　shot　in　cold　blood；〃　Vincent　said　quietly。　　〃One

dies　for　one's　country　in　either　case；　sir；　and　it　does　not　much

matter；　so　far　as　I　can　see；　whether　cue　is　killed　in　battle　or　shot　in

cold　blood。　　As　long　as　one　is　doing　one's　duty；　one　death　is　surely

as　honorable　as　the　other。〃



〃That　is　true　enough；〃　General　Lee　said；　〃although　it　is　not　the　way

men　generally　view　the　matter。　　Still；　sir；　if　you　volunteer　for　the

work；　I　do　not　feel　justified　in　refusing　the　opportunity　of

acquiring　information　that　may　be　of　vital　consequence　to　us。　

When　will　you　start？〃



〃In　half　an　hour；　sir。　　I　shall　ride　back　to　Richmond；　obtain　a

disguise　there；　and　then　go　round　by　train　to　Burksville　Junction

and　then　ride　again　until　I　get　round　behind　their　lines。　　Will　you

give　me　an　order　for　my　horse　and　myself　to　he　taken？〃



〃Very　well；　sir；〃　General　Lee　said。　　〃So　be　it。　　May　God　he　with

you　on　your　way　and　bring　you　safely　back。〃



Vincent　rode　off　to　his　quarters。



〃Dan；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　going　away　on　special　duty　for　at　least　three

days。　　I　have　got　a　couple　of　letters　to　write；　and　shall　be　ready　to

start　in　half　an　hour。　　Give　the　horse　a　good　feed　and　have　him　at

the　door　again　by　that　time。〃



〃Am　I　to　go　with　you；　sah？〃



〃No；　Dan；　I　must　go　by　myself　this　time。〃



Dan　felt　anxious　as　he　went　out；　for　it　was　seldom　that　his　master

ever　went　away　without　telling　him　where　he　was　going；　and　he

felt　sure　that　the　service　was　one　of　unusual　danger；　nor　was　his

anxiety　lessened　when　at　the　appointed　time　Vincent　came　out　and

handed　him　two　letters。



〃You　are　to　keep　these　letters；　Dan；　until　I　return；　or　till　you　hear

that　something　has　happened　to　me。　　If　you　hear　that；　you　are　to

take　one　of　these　letters　to　my　mother；　and　take　the　other　yourself

to　Miss　Kingston。　Tell　her　before　you　give　it　her　what　has

happened　as　gently　as　you　can。　　As　for　yourself；　Dan；　you　had　your

letters　of　freedom　long　ago；　and　I　have　left　you　five　hundred

dollars；　so　that　you　can　get　a　cabin　and　patch　of　your　own；　and

settle　down　when　these　troubles　are　over。〃



〃Let　me　go　with　you；　master；〃　Dan　said；　with　the　tears　streaming

down　his　cheeks。　　〃I　would　rather　be　killed　with　you　a　hundred

times　than　get　on　without　you。〃



〃I　would　take　you　if　I　could；　Dan；　but　this　is　a　service　that　I　must

do　alone。　　Good…by；　my　boy；　let　us　hope　that　in　three　or　four　days

at　the　outside　I　shall　be　back　here　again　safe　and　sound。〃



He　wrung　Dan's　hand；　and　then　started　at　a　canter　and　kept　on　at

that　pace　until　he　reached　Richmond。　　A　train　with　stores　was

starting　for　the　south　in　a　few　minutes；　General　Lee's　order　enabled

Vincent　to　have　a　horse…box　attached　at　once；　and　he　was　soon

speeding　on　his　way。　He　alighted　at　Burksville　Junction；　and　there

purchased　some　rough　clothes　for　himself　and　some

country…fashioned　saddlery　for　his　horse。　　Then；　after　changing　his

clothes　at　an　inn　and　putting　the　fresh　saddlery　on　his　horse；　he

started。



It　was　getting　late　in　the　afternoon；　but　he　rode　on　by　unfrequented

roads；　stopping　occasionally　to　inquire　if　any　of　the　Federal

cavalry　had　been　seen　in　the　neighborhood；　and　at　last　stopped　for

the　night　at　a　little　village　inn。　　As　soon　as　it　was　daybreak　he

resumed　his　journey。　　He　had　purchased　at　Burksville　some

colored　calico　and　articles　of　female　clothing；　and　fastened　the

parcel　to　the　back　of　his　saddle。　　As　he　rode　forward　now　he　heard

constant　tales　of　the　passing　of　parties　of　the　enemy's　cavalry；　but

he　was　fortunate　enough　to　get　well　round　to　the　rear　of　the

Federal　lines　before　he　encountered　any　of　them。　　Then　he　came

suddenly　upon　a　troop。



〃Where　are　you　going　to；　and　where　have　you　come　from？〃



〃Our　farm　is　a　mile　away　from　Union　Grove；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　have

been　over　to　Sussex　Courthouse　to　buy　some　things　for　my

mother。〃



〃Let　me　see　what　you　have　got　there；〃　the　officer　said。　〃You　are

rebels　to　a　man　here；　and　there's　no　trusting　any　of　you。〃



Vincent　unfastened　the　parcel　and　opened　it。　The　officer　laughed。



〃Well；　we　won't　confiscate　them　as　contraband　of　war。〃



So　saying　he　set　spurs　to　his　horse　and　galloped　on　with　his　troop。　

Vincent　rode　on　to　Union　Grove；　and　then　taking　a　road　at　random

kept　on　till　he　reached　a　small　farmhouse。　　He　knocked　at　the　door；

and　a　woman　came　out。





〃Mother；〃　he　said；　〃can　you　put　me　up　for　a　couple　of　days？　I　am　a

stranger　here；　and　all　the　villages　are　full　of　soldiers。〃





The　woman　looked　at　him　doubtfully。



〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　she　asked　at　last。　　〃This　ain't　a　time　for

strangers；　besides　a　young　fellow　like　you　ought　to　be　ashamed　to

show　yourself　when　you　ought　to　be　over　there　with　Lee。　　My　boys

are　both　there　and　my　husband。　　You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of

yourself；　a　strong…looking　young　fellow　like　you；　to　be　riding　about

instead　of　fighting　the　Yankees。　　Go　along！　you　will　get　no　shelter

here。　　I　would　scorn　to　have　such　as　you　inside　my　doors。〃





〃Perhaps　I　have　been　fighting　there；〃　Vincent　said　significantly。　

〃But　one　can't　be　always　fighting；　and　there　are　other　things　to　do

sometimes。　　For　instance；　to　find　o