andersonville-第5章
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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
