with lee in virginia-第18部分

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！



you　had　brought　a　thousand　men　instead　of　a　hundred。　　I　am

heartily　glad　to　see　you　all；　gentlemen；〃　be　said　to　the　troop。　　〃I　am

afraid　just　at　first　that　the　brightness　of　your　gray　jackets　will　put

my　men　rather　to　shame；　but　we　shall　soon　get　rid　of　that。　　But

dismount　your　men；　Ashley；　there　is　plenty　for　them　and　their

horses　to　do　without　wasting　time　in　parade　work。　　There　is　very

little　of　that　here；　I　can　tell　you。　　I　have　not　seen　a　score　of　my　men

together　for　the　last　month。〃



Vincent　gazed　with　admiration　at　the　young　leader；　whose　name

was　soon　to　be　celebrated　throughout　America　and　Europe。　　The

young　Virginian…for　he　was　not　yet　twenty…eight　years　old…was　the

beau　ideal　of　a　cavalry　officer。　　He　was　singularly　handsome；　and

possessed　great　personal　strength　and　a　constitution　which　enabled

him　to　bear　all　hardships。　　He　possessed　unfailing　good　spirits；　and

had　a　joke　and　laugh　for　all　he　met；　and　while　on　the　march　at　the

head　of　his　regiment　he　was　always　ready　to　lift　up　his　voice　and

lead　the　songs　with　which　the　men　made　the　woods　resound。



He　seemed　to　live　in　his　saddle；　and　was　present　at　all　hours　of　the

night　and　day　along　the　line　he　guarded　seeing　that　the　men　were

watchful　and　on　the　alert；　instructing　the　outposts　in　their　duty；　and

infusing　his　own　spirit　and　vigilance　among　them。　　He　had　been

educated　at　West　Point；　and　had　seen　much　service　with　the

cavalry　against　the　Indians　in　the　West。　　Such　was　the　man　who

was　to　become　the　most　famous　cavalry　leader　of　his　time。　So　far

he　had　not　come　in　contact　with　the　enemy；　and　his　duties　were

confined　to　obtaining　information　regarding　their　strength　and

intentions；　to　watching　every　road　by　which　they　could　advance；

and　to　seeing　that　none　passed　north　to　carry　information　to　the

enemy　as　to　the　Confederate　strength　and　positions；　for　even　in　the

Shenandoah　Valley　there　were　some　whose　sympathies　were　with

the　Federals。



These　were　principally　Northern　men　settled　as　traders　in　the

towns；　and　it　was　important　to　prevent　them　from　sending　any

news　to　the　enemy。　　So　well　did　Stuart's　cavalry　perform　this

service；　and　so　general　was　the　hostility　of　the　population　against

the　North；　that　throughout　the　whole　of　the　war　in　Virginia　it　was

very　seldom　that　the　Northern　generals　could　obtain　any

trustworthy　information　as　to　the　movements　and　strength　of　the

Confederates；　while　the　latter　were　perfectly　informed　of　every

detail　connected　with　the　intentions　of　the　invaders。



The　next　morning　Ashley's　troop　took　up　their　share　of　the　work　at

the　front。　　They　were　broken　up　into　parties　of　ten；　each　of　which

was　stationed　at　a　village　near　the　river；　five　men　being　on　duty

night　and　day。　　As　it　happened　that　none　of　the　other　men　in　his

squad　had　a　servant　at　the　front；　Vincent　was　able　without

difficulty　te　have　Dan　assigned　to　his　party。　　A　house　in　the　village

was　placed　at　their　disposal；　and　here　the　five　off　duty　slept　and

took　their　meals　while　the　others　were　in　the　saddle。　　Dan　was

quite　in　his　element；　and　turned　out　an　excellent　cook；　and　was

soon　a　general　favorite　among　the　mess。



CHAPTER　VI。　BULL　RUN。



THE　NEXT　fortnight　passed　by　without　adventure。　Hard　as　the

work　was；　Vincent　enjoyed　it　thoroughly。　When　on　duty　by　day　he

was　constantly　on　the　move；　riding　through　the　forest；　following

country　lanes；　questioning　every　one　he　came　across；　and　as　the

men　always　worked　in　pairs；　there　was　no　feeling　of　loneliness。　

Sometimes　Ashley　would　draw　together　a　score　of　troopers；　and

crossing　the　river　in　a　ferryboat；　would　ride　twenty　miles　north；

and；　dashing　into　quiet　villages；　astonish　the　inhabitants　by　the

sight　of　the　Confederate　uniform。　　Then　the　villagers　would　be

questioned　as　to　the　news　that　had　reached　them　of　the　movement

of　the　troops；　the　post　office　would　be　seized　and　the　letters

broken　open；　any　useful　…information　contained　in　them　being

noted。　　But　in　general　questions　were　readily　answered；　for　a

considerable　portion　of　the　people　of　Maryland　were　strongly　in

favor　of　the　South；　and　were　only　prevented　from　joining　it　by　the

strong　force　that　held　possession　of　Baltimore；　and　by　the　constant

movement　of　Federal　armies　through　the　State。　　Vincent　was　often

employed　in　carrying　despatches　from　Major　Ashley　to　Stuart；

being　selected　for　that　duty　as　being　the　best　mounted　man　in　the

troop。　　The　direction　was　always　a　vague　one。　　〃Take　this　letter　to

Colonel　Stuart；　wherever　lie　may　be；〃　and　however　early　he

started；　Vincent　thought　himself　fortunate　if　he　carried　out　his

mission　before　sunset；　for　Stuart's　front　covered　over　fifty　miles　of

ground；　and　there　was　no　saying　where　he　might　be。　　Sometimes

after　riding　thirty　or　forty　miles；　and　getting　occasional　news　that

Stuart　had　passed　through　ahead　of　him；　he　would　learn　from　some

outpost　that　the　colonel　had　been　there　but　ten　minutes　before；　and

had　ridden　off　before　he　came；　and　then　Vincent　had　to　turn　his

horse　and　gallop　back　again；　seldom　succeeding　in　over…taking　his

active　commander　until　the　latter　had　halted　for　his　supper　at　one

or　other　of　the　villages　where　his　men　were　stationed。　　Sometimes

by　good　luck　he　came　upon　him　earlier；　and　then；　after　reading　the

despatch；　Stuart　would；　if　he　were　riding　in　the　direction　where

Ashley's　command　lay；　bid　him　ride　on　with　him；　and　would　chat

with　him　on　terms　of　friendly　intimacy　about　people　they　both

knew　at　Richmond；　or　as　to　the　details　of　his　work；　and　sometimes

they　would　sit　down　together　under　the　shade　of　some　trees；　take

out　the　contents　of　their　haversacks；　and　share　their　dinners。



This　is　the　second　time　I　have　had　the　best　of　this；〃　the　colonel

laughed　one　day；　〃my　beef　is　as　bard　as　leather；　and　this　cold

chicken　of　yours　is　as　plump　and　tender　as　one　could　wish　to　eat。〃



〃I　have　my　own　boy；　colonel；　who　looks　after　the　ten　of　us

stationed　at　Elmside；　and　I　fancy　that　in　the　matter　of　cold　rations

he　gives　me　an　undue　preference。　　He　always　hands　me　my

haversack　when　I　mount　with　a　grin；　and　I　quite　understand　that　it

is　better　I　should　ask　no　questions　as　to　its　contents。〃



〃Yen　are　a　lucky　fellow；〃　Stuart　said。　　〃My　own　servant　is　a　good

man；　and　would　do　anything　for　me；　but　my　irregular　hours　are　too

much　for　him。　　He　never　knows　when　to　expect　me；　and　as　he

often　finds　that　when　I　do　return　I　have　made　a　meal　an　hour

before　at　one　of　the　outposts；　and　do　not　want　the　food　he　has　for

hours　been　carefully　keeping　hot　for　me；　it　drives　him　almost　to

despair；　and　I　have　sometimes　been　obliged　to　eat　rather　than

disappoint　him。　　But　he　certainly　has　not　a　genius　for　cooking；　and

were　it　not　that　this　riding　gives　one　the　appetite　of　a　hunter；　I

should　often　have　a　good　deal　of　difficulty　in　devouring　the　meat

he　puts　into　my　haversack。〃



But　the　enemy　were　now　really　advancing；　and　on　the　12th　of　June

a　trooper　rode　in　from　the　extreme　left；　and　handed　to　Vincent　a

despatch　from　Colonel　Stuart。



〃My　orders　were；〃　he　said；　〃that；　if　you　were　here；　you　were　to

carry　this　on　at　all　speed　to　General　Johnston。　　If　not；　some　one

else　was　to　take　it　on。〃



〃Any　news？〃　Vincent　asked；　as　aided　by　Dan　he　rapidly　saddled

Wildfire。



〃Yes；〃　the　soldier　said；　〃2；000　of　the　enemy　have　advanced　up　the

Western　side　and　have　occupied　Romney；　and　they　say　that　all

Patterson's　force　is　on　the　move。〃



〃So　much　the　better；〃　Vincent　replied；　as　he　jumped　into　the

saddle。　　〃　We　have　been　doing　nothing　long　enough；　and　the

sooner　it　comes　the　better。〃



It　was　a　fifty…mile　ride；　but　it　was　done　in　five　hours；　and　at　the

end　of　that　time　Vincent　dismounted　in　front　of　General　Johnston's

quarters。





〃Is　the　general　in？〃　he　asked　the　sentry　at　the　door。





〃No；　he　is　not　in；　but　here　he　comes；〃　the　soldier　replied；　and　two

minutes　later　the　general；　accompanied　by　three　or　four　officers；

rode　up。



Vincent　saluted；　and　handed　him　the　despatch。　　The　general

opened　it　and　glanced　at　the　contents。



〃The　storm　is　going　to　burst　at　last；　gentlemen；〃　he　said　to　the

officers。　　〃Stuart　writes　me　that　2；000　men；　supposed　to　be　the

advance　of　McClellan's　army；　are　at　Romney；　and　that　he　hears

Patterson　is　also　advancing　from　Chambersburg　on　Williamsport。　

His　despatch　is　dated　this　morning　at　nine　o'clock。　　He　writes　from

near　Cumberland。　　No　time　has　been　lost；　for　that　is　eighty　miles

away；　and　it　is　but　five　o'clock　now。　　How　far　have　you　brought

this　despatch；　sir？〃



〃I　have　brought　it　from　Elmside；　general；　twenty　miles　on　the　other

side　of　Bath。　　A　trooper　brought　it　in　just　at　midday；　with　orders

for　me　to　carry　it　on　at　once。〃



〃That　is　good　work；〃　the　general　said。　　〃You　have　ridden　over　fifty

miles　in　five　hours。　　You　must　be　well　mounted；　sir。〃



〃I　do　not　think　there　is　a　better　horse　in　the　State；〃　Vincent　said；

patting　Wildfire's　neck。



The　general　called　an　orderly。



〃Let　this　man　picket　his　horse　with　those　of　the　staff；〃　he　said；　〃and

see　that　it　has　forage　at　once。　　Take　the　man　to　the　orderly's

quarters；　and　see　that　he　is　well　cared　for。〃



Vincent　saluted；　and；　leading　Wildfire；　followed　the　orderly。　

When　he　had　had　a　meal；　he　strolled　out　to　see　what　was　going　on。　

Evidently　some　movement　was　in　contemplation。　　Officers　were

riding　up　or　dashing　off　from　the　general's　headquarters。　　Two　or

three　regiments　were　seen　marching　down　from　the　plateau　on

which　they　were　encamped　into　the　town。　　Bells　rang　and　drums

beat；　and　presently　long　trains　of　railway　wagons；　heavily　laden；

began　to　make　their　way　across　the　bridge。　　Until　next　morning　the

movement　continued　unceasingly；　by　that　time　all　the　military

stores　and　public　property；　together　with　as　much　private　property

belonging　to　inhabitants　who　had　decided　to　forsake　their　homes

for　a　time　rather　than　to　remain　there　when　the　town　was　occupi