the red acorn-第49章

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isery　of　the　banner　thet　wuz　good　enough　for　ther　fathers；　by　trampin'　over　hit　all　night。　　But　we'll　show　hit　ter　'em　in　a　day　or　two　whar　they　won't　feel　like　cuttin'　pigeon…wings　over　hit。　　Ye　jes　stand　still　an'　see　the　salvation　o'　the　Lord。〃

〃I　hope　we　will；〃　said　Rachel；　her　horror　of　the　storm　that　was　about　to　break　giving　away　to　indignation　at　the　treatment　of　her　country's　flag。　　〃Shan't　we　go　on？　　My　long　ride　has　made　me　very　tired　and　very　hungry；　and　I　know　my　horse　is　the　same。〃

Shortly　after　crossing　the　river　they　passed　a　large　tent；　with　a　number　of　others　clustered　around　it。　　All　were　festooned　with　Rebel　flags；　and　brilliantly　lighted。　　A　band　came　up　in　front　of　the　principal　one　and　played　the　〃Bonnie　Blue　Flag。〃

〃Thet's　ole　Gineral　Bragg's　headquarters；〃　explained　Fortner。　　〃He's　the　king　bee　of　all　the　Rebels　in　these　heah　parts；　an'　they　think　he　kin　'bout　make　the　sun　stand　still　ef　he　wants　ter。〃

They　cantered　on　into　the　town；　and　going　more　slowly　through　the　great　public　square　and　the　more　crowded　streets；　came　at　last　to　a　modest　house；　standing　on　a　corner；　and　nearly　hidden　by　vines　and　shrubbery。

A　peculiar　knock　caused　the　door　to　open　quickly；　and　before　Rachel　was　hardly　aware　of　it；　she　was　standing　inside　a　comfortable　room；　so　well　lighted　that　her　eyes　took　some　little　time　to　get　used　to　such　a　change。

When　they　did　so　she　saw　that　she　was　in　the　presence　of　a　slender；　elderly　woman；　whose　face　charmed　her。

〃This　is　yer　Aunt　Debby　Brill；〃　said　Fortner；　dryly；　〃who　ye　came　so　fur　ter　see；　an'　who's　bin　'spectin'　ye　quite　anxiously。〃

〃Ye're　very　welcome；　my　dear；〃　said　Aunt　Debby；　after　a　moment's　inspection　which　seemed　to　be　entirely　satisfactory。　　〃Jest　lay　off　yer　things　thar　on　the　bed；　an'　come　out　ter　supper。　　I　know　ye're　sharp…set。　　A　ride　from　Nashville　sech　a　day　ez　this　is　mouty　good　for　the　appetite；　an'　we've　hed　supper　waitin'　ye。〃

Hastily　throwing　off　her　hat　and　gloves；　she　sat　down　with　the　rest；　to　a　homely　but　excellent　supper；　which　they　all　ate　in　silence。　During　the　meal　a　muscular；　well　knit　man　of　thirty　entered。

〃All　clar；　outside；　Bill？〃　asked　Fortenr。

〃All　clar；〃　replied　the　man。　　〃Everybody's　off　on　a　high　o'　some　kind。〃

Bill　sat　down　and　ate　with　the　rest；　until　he　satisfied　his　hunger；　and　then　rising　he　felt　along　the　hewed　logs　which　formed　the　walls；　until　he　found　a　splinter　to　serve　as　a　tooth…pick。　Using　this　for　a　minute　industriously；　he　threw　it　into　the　fire　and　asked：

〃Well？〃

〃Well；〃　answered　Fortner。　　〃I　reckon　hit's　ez　sartin　ez　anything　kin　well　be　thet　Wheeler's　and　Morgan's　cavalry　hez　been　sent　off　inter　Kentucky；　and　ez　thet's　what　Ole　rosy's　been　waitin'　fur；　now's　the　time　fur　him　ter　put　in　his　best　licks。　　Ye'd　better　start　afore　midnight　fur　Nashville。　　Ye'll　hev　this　news；　an'　alos　thet　thar's　been　no　change　in　the　location　o'　the　Rebels；　'cept　thet　Polk's　an'　Kirby　Smith's　corps　are　both　heah　at　Murfreesboro；　with　a　strong　brigade　at　Stewart's　creek；　an'　another　at　Lavergne。　　Ye'd　better　fallin　with　Boscall's　rijiment；　which'll　go　out　ter　Lavergne　to…night；　ter　relieve　one　o'　the　rijiments　thar。　　Ye'd　better　not　try　to　git　back　heah　ag'in　tell　arter　the　battle。　　Good　by。　　God　bless　ye。　　Miss；　ye'd　better　git　ter　bed　now；　ez　soon　ez　possible；　an'　rest　yerself　fur　what's　comin'。　　We'll　need　every　mite　an'　grain　of　our　strength。〃





Chapter　XIX。　　The　Battle　of　Stone　River。




O；　wherefore　come　ye　forth；　in　triumph　from　the　North；　　　With　your　hands　and　your　feet；　and　your　raiment　all　red？　And　wherefore　doth　your　rout；　send　forth　a　joyous　shout？　　　And　whence　be　the　grapes　of　the　wine…press　that　ye　tread？

O；　evil　was　the　root；　and　bitter　was　the　fruit；　　　And　crimson　was　the　juice　of　the　vintage　that　we　tred；　For　we　trampled　on　the　throng；　of　the　haughty　and　the　strong；　　　Who　sat　in　the　high　places　and　slew　the　saints　of　God。

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They　are　herethey　rush　onwe　are　brokenwe　are　gone　　Our　left　is　borne　before　them　like　stubble　in　the　blast。　　O；　Lord；　put　forth　thy　might！　　O；　Lord；　defend　the　right！　　　　Stand　back　to　back；　in　God's　name！　and　fight　it　to　the　last。

〃Battle　of　Naseby。〃*/


The　celebration　of　Christmas　in　the　camps　around　Nashville　was　abruptly　terminated　by　the　reception　of　orders　to　march　in　the　morning；　with　full　haversacks　and　cartridge…boxes。　　The　next　day　all　the　roads　leading　southward　became　as　rivers　flowing　armed　men。　Endless　streams　of　blue；　thickly　glinted　everywhere　with　bright　and　ominous　steel；　wound　around　the　hills；　poured　over　the　plains；　and　spread　out　into　angry　lakes　wherever　a　Rebel　outpost　checked　the　flow　for　a　few　minutes。

Four　thousand　troopers　under　the　heroic　Stanleythe　foam…crest　on　the　war…billowdashed　on　in　advance。　　Twelve　thousand　steadily…moving　infantry　under　the　luckless　McCook；　poured　down　the　Franklin　turnpike；　miles　away　to　the　right；　twelve　thousand　more　streamed　down　the　Murfreesboro　pike　on　the　left；　with　the　banner　of　the　over…weighted　Crittenden；　while　grand　old　Thomas；　he　whose　trumpets　never　sounded　forth　retreat；　but　always　called　to　victory；　moved　steadfast　as　a　glacier　in　the　center；　with　as　many　more；　a　sure　support　and　help　to　those　on　either　hand。

The　mighty　war…wave　rolling　up　the　broad　plateau　of　the　Cumberland　was　fifteen　miles　wide　now。　　It　would　be　less　than　a　third　of　that　when　it　gathered　itself　together　for　its　mortal　dash　upon　the　rocks　of　rebellion　at　Murfreesboro。

It　was　Friday　morning　that　the　wave　began　rolling　southward。　　All　day　Friday；　and　Saturday；　and　Sunday；　and　Monday　it　rolled　steadily　onward；　sweeping　before　it　the　enemy's　pickets　and　outposts　as　dry　sand　by　an　incoming　tide。　　Monday　evening　the　leading　divisions　stood　upon　the　ridge　where　Rachel　and　Fortner　had　stood；　and　looked　as　they　did　upon　the　lights　of　Murfreesboro；　two　miles　away。

〃Two　days　from　to…morrow　is　New　Year's；〃　said　Kent　Edwards。　　〃Dear　Festival　of　Egg…Nogg！　how　sweet　are　thy　memories。　　I　hope　the　Tennessee　hens　are　doing　their　duty　this　Winter；　so　that　we'll　have　no　trouble　finding　eggs　when　we　get　into　Murfreesboro　to…morrow。〃

〃We　are　likely　to　be　so　busy　tendering　the　compliments　of　the　season　to　Mr。　Bragg；〃　said　Harry；　lightly；　〃that　we　will　probably　have　but　little　time　to　make　calls　upon　the　lady…hens　who　keep　open　nests。〃

〃We　all　may　be　where　we'll　need　lots　o'　cold　water　more　than　anything　else；〃　said　Abe　grimly。

〃Well；〃　said　Kent　blithely；　〃if　I'm　to　be　made　a　sweet　little　angel　I　don't　know　any　day　that　I　would　rather　have　for　my　promotion　to　date　from。　　It　would　have　a　very　proper　look　to　put　in　the　full　year　here　on　earth；　and　start　in　with　the　new　one　in　a　world　of　superior　attractions。〃

〃Well；　I　declare；　if　here　isn't　Dr。　Denslow；〃　said　Harry；　delightedly；　as　he　recognized　a　horsemna；　who　rode　up　to　them。　　〃How　did　you　come　here？　　We　thought　you　were　permanently　stationed　at　the　grand　hospital。〃

〃So　I　was；〃　replied　the　Doctor。　　〃So　I　was；　at　least　so　far　as　general　orders　could　do　it。　　But　I　felt　that　I　could　not　be　away　from　my　boys　at　this　supreme　moment；　an　I　am　here；　though　the　irregular　way　in　which　I　detached　myself　from　my　post　may　require　explanation　at　a　court…martial。　　Anyhow；　it　is　a　grateful　relief　to　be　away　from　the　smell　of　chloride　of　lime；　and　get　a　breath　of　fresh　air　that　is　not　mingled　with　the　groans　of　a　ward…full　of　sick　men。　　It　looks；〃　he　continued；　with　a　comprehensive　glance　at　the　firmament　of　Rebel　camp…fires　that　made　Murfreesboro　seem　the　center　of　a　ruddy　Milky…way；　〃as　if　the　climax　is　at　last　at　hand。　Bragg；　like　the　worm；　will　at　last　turn；　and　after　a　year　of　footraces　we'll　have　a　fight　which　will　settle　who　is　the　superfluous　cat　in　this　alley。　　There　is　certainly　one　too　many。〃

〃The　sooner　it　comes　the　better；〃　said　Harry　firmly。　　〃It　has　to　be　sometime；　and　I'm　getting　very　anxious　for　an　end　to　this　eternal　marching　and　countermarching。〃

〃My　winsome　little　feet；〃　Kent　Edwards　put　in　plaintively；　〃are　knobby　as　a　burglar…proof　safe；　with　corns　and　bunions；　all　of　them　more　tender　than　a　maiden's　heart；　and　painful　as　a　mistake　in　a　poker　hand。　　They're　the　ripe　fruit　of　the　thousands　of