andersonville-第4部分

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up　the　Valley　to　drive　them　out；　and　they　showed　that　warm　reciprocity
characteristic　of　the　Southern　soldier；　by　mounting　and　starting　down　the
Valley　to　drive　us　out。　　Nothing　could　be　more　harmonious；　it　will　be
perceived。　　Barring　the　trifling　divergence　of　yews　as　to　who　was　to
drive　and　who　be　driven；　there　was　perfect　accord　in　our　ideas。

Our　numbers　were　about　equal。　　If　I　were　to　say　that　they　considerably
outnumbered　us；　I　would　be　following　the　universal　precedent。
No　soldier…high　or　low…ever　admitted　engaging　an　equal　or　inferior　force
of　the　enemy。

About　9　o'clock　in　the　morningSundaythey　rode　through　the　streets　of
Jonesville　on　their　way　to　give　us　battle。　　It　was　here　that　most　of　the
members　of　the　Regiment　lived。　　Every　man；　woman　and　child　in　the　town
was　related　in　some　way　to　nearly　every　one　of　the　soldiers。

The　women　turned　out　to　wave　their　fathers；　husbands；　brothers　and　lovers
on　to　victory。　　The　old　men　gathered　to　give　parting　counsel　and
encouragement　to　their　sons　and　kindred。　　The　Sixty…fourth　rode　away　to
what　hope　told　them　would　be　a　glorious　victory。

At　noon　we　are　still　straggling　along　without　much　attempt　at　soldierly
order；　over　the　rough；　frozen　hill…sides。　　It　is　yet　bitterly　cold；　and
men　and　horses　draw　themselves　together；　as　if　to　expose　as　little
surface　as　possible　to　the　unkind　elements。　　Not　a　word　had　been　spoken
by　any　one　for　hours。

The　head　of　the　column　has　just　reached　the　top　of　the　hill；　and　the　rest
of　us　are　strung　along　for　a　quarter　of　a　mile　or　so　back。

Suddenly　a　few　shots　ring　out　upon　the　frosty　air　from　the　carbines　of
the　advance。　　The　general　apathy　is　instantly；　replaced　by　keen
attention；　and　the　boys　instinctively　range　themselves　into　foursthe
cavalry　unit　of　action。　　The　Major；　who　is　riding　about　the　middle　of　the
first　CompanyIdashes　to　the　front。　　A　glance　seems　to　satisfy　him；
for　he　turns　in　his　saddle　and　his　voice　rings　out：

〃Company　I！　　FOURS　LEFT　INTO　LINE！MARCH！！〃

The　Company　swings　around　on　the　hill…top　like　a　great；　jointed　toy
snake。　　As　the　fours　come　into　line　on　a　trot；　we　see　every　man　draw　his
saber　and　revolver。　　The　Company　raises　a　mighty　cheer　and　dashes
forward。

Company　K　presses　forward　to　the　ground　Company　I　has　just　left；　the
fours　sweep　around　into　line；　the　sabers　and　revolvers　come　out
spontaneously；　the　men　cheer　and　the　Company　flings　itself　forward。

All　this　time　we　of　Company　L　can　see　nothing　except　what　the　companies
ahead　of　us　are　doing。　　We　are　wrought　up　to　the　highest　pitch。　　As
Company　K　clears　its　ground；　we　press　forward　eagerly。　　Now　we　go　into
line　just　as　we　raise　the　hill；　and　as　my　four　comes　around；　I　catch　a
hurried　glimpse　through　a　rift　in　the　smoke　of　a　line　of　butternut　and
gray　clad　men　a　hundred　yards　or　so　away。　　Their　guns　are　at　their　faces；
and　I　see　the　smoke　and　fire　spurt　from　the　muzzles。　　At　the　same　instant
our　sabers　and　revolvers　are　drawn。　　We　shout　in　a　frenzy　of　excitement；
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　not