with lee in virginia-第20章

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told　me　the　horse　was　the　most　savage　brute　he　ever　saw。　　I

suppose　you　did　not　keep　it　many　days？〃



〃I　have　got　it　still；　and　mean　to　ride　it　with　you。　　The　horse　was　not

really　savage。　　It　was　hot…tempered；　and　had；　I　think；　been　badly

treated　by　its　first　owner。　　Who…ever　it　had　belonged　to；　I　found　no

difficulty　with　it；。　　It　only　wanted　kindness　and　a　little　patience；

and　as　soon　as　it　found　that　it　could　not　get　rid　of　me；　and　that　I

had　no　intention　of　ill…treating　it；；　it　settled　down　quietly；　after

running　away　a　few　times　and　giving　me　some　little　trouble　at

starting。　　And　now　1　would　not　change　it　for　any　horse　in　the

State。〃



〃You　must　he　a　first…rate　rider；〃　Major　Ashley　said；　〃to　be　able　to

tame　Wildfire。　　I　never　saw　the　horse；　for　I　was　away　when　Peters

had　her；　but；　from　his　description　it　was　a　perfect　savage。〃



〃Are　we　allowed　to　bring　a　servant　with　us〃　Vincent　asked。



〃Yes；　if　you　like。　　I　know　that　a　good　many　are　going　to　do　so；　but

you　must　not　make　up　your　mind　that　you　will　get　much　benefit

from　one。　　We　shall　move　rapidly；　and　each　man　must；　shift　for

himself；　but　at　the　same　time　we　shall　of　course　often　be

stationary；　and　then　servants　will　be　useful。　　At　any　rate　I　can　see

no　objection　to　men　having　them。　　We　must　be　prepared　to　rough　it

to　any　extent　when　it　is　necessary；　but　I　see　no　reason　why　at　other

times　a　man　should　not；　make　himself　comfortable。　　I　expect　the

order　to…morrow　or　next；　day　to　begin　formally　to　enroll

volunteers。　　As　I　have　now　put　down　your　name　there　will　be　no

occasion　for　you　to　come　in　then。　　You　will　receive　a

communication　telling　you　when　to　report　yourself。



〃I　shall　not　trouble　much　about　uniform　at　first。　　High　boots　and

breeches；　a　thick　felt　hat　that　will　turn　the　edge　of　a　sword；　and　a

loose　coat…jacket　of　dark…gray　cloth。　That　is　the　name　of　the　tailor

who　has　got　the　pattern；　and　will　make　them。　　So　I　should　advise

you　to　go　to　him　at　once；　for　lie　will　be　so　busy　soon　that；　there　is

no　saying　when　the　whole　troop　will　get　their　uniforms。〃



Upon　his　return　home　Vincent　related　to　his　mother　and　sisters　the

conversation　that　he　had　had　with　Major　Ashley。



〃Certainly　you　had　better　take　a　servant　with　you；〃　his　mother　said。　

〃I　suppose　when　you　are　riding　about；　you　will　have　to　clean　your

horse；　and　cook　your　dinner；　and　do　everything　for　yourself；　but

when　you　are　in　a　town　you　should　have　these　things　done　for　you。　

Who　would　you　like　to　take？



〃I　should　like　to　take　Dan；　mother；　if　you　have　no　objection。　　He　is

very　strong　and　active；　and　I　think　would　generally　be　able　to　keep

up　with　us；　besides；　I　know　he　would　always　stick　to　me。〃



〃You　shall　have　hun　certainly；　Vincent；　I　will　make　him　over

formally　to　you。〃



WITH　LEE　IN　VIRGINIA。

85





〃Thank　you；　mother；〃　Vincent　said　joyfully；　for　ho　had　often

wished　that　Dan　belonged　to　him；　as　he　would　then　be　able　to

prevent　any　interference　with　him　by　the　overseer　or　any　one　else；

and　could；　if　he　liked；　give　him　his　freedom…although　this　would；

he　knew；　be　of　very　doubtful　advantage　to　the　lad　as　long　as　he

remained　in　the　South。



The　next　morning　the　necessary　papers　were　drawn　up；　and　the

ownership　of　Dan　was　formally　transferred　to　Vincent。　　Dan　was

wild　with　delight　when　he　heard　that　Vincent　was　now　his　master；

and　that　he　was　to　accompany　him　to　the　war。　　It　had　been　known

two　days　before　that　Vincent　was　going；　and　it　seemed　quite

shocking　to　the　negroes　that　the　young　master　should　go　as　a

private　soldier；　and　have　to　do　everything　for　himself…〃just；〃　as

they　said；　〃like　de　poor　white　trash；〃　for　the　slaves　were　proud　to

belong　to　an　old　family；　and　looked　down　with　almost　contempt

upon　the　poorer　class　of　whites；　regarding　their　own　position　as

infinitely　superior。



Four　days　later　Vincent　received　an　official　letter　saying　that　the

corps　would　be　mustered　in　two　days'　time。　　The　next　day　was

spent　in　a　long　round　of　farewell　visits；　and　then　Vincent　mounted

Wildfire；　and；　with　Dan　trotting　behind；　rode　off　from　the

Orangery　amid　a　chorus　of　blessings　and　good　wishes　from　all　the

slaves　who　could　op　any　pretext　get　away　from　their　duties；　and

who　had　assembled　in　front　of　the　house　to　see　him　start。



The　place　of　meeting　for　the　regiment　was　at　Hanover

Courthouse…a　station　on　the　Richmond　and　Fredericksburg

Railway；　close　to　the　Pamunky　River；　about　eighteen　miles　from

the　city。



The　Orangery　was　a　mile　from　the　village　of　Gaines；　which　lay　to

the　northeast　of　Richmond；　and　was　some　twelve　miles　from

Hanover　Courthouse。



A　month　was　spent　in　drill；　and　at　the　end　of　that　time　the　corps

wore　able　to　execute　any　simple　maneuver。　　More　than　this　Major

Ashley　did　not　care　about　their　learning。　　The　work　in　which　they

were　about　to　engage　was　that　of　scouts　rather　than　that　of　regular

cavalry；　and　the　requirements　were　vigilance　and　attention　to

orders；　good　shooting　and　a　quick　eye。　　Off　duty　there　was　but

little　discipline。　　Almost　the　whole　of　the　men　were　in　a　good

position　in　life；　and　many　of　them　very　wealthy；　and　while　strict

discipline　and　obedience　were　expected　while　on　duty；　at　all　other

times　something　like　equality　existed　between　officers　and　men；

and　all　were　free　to　live　as　they　chose。



The　rations　served　out　were　simple　and　often　scanty；　for　at　　present

the　various　departments　were　not　properly　organized；　and　such

numbers　of　men　were　flocking　to　the　standards　that　the　authorities

were　at　their　wit's　end　to　provide　them　with　even　the　simplest

food。　　This　mattered　but　little；　however；　to　the　regiment；；　whose

members　were　all　ready　and　willing　to　pay　for　everything　they

wanted；　and　the　country　people　round　found　a　ready　market　for　all

their　chickens；　eggs；　fruit；　and　vegetables　at　Hanover　Courthouse；

for　here　there　were　also　several　infantry　regiments；　and　the

normally　quiet；　little　village　was　a　scene　of　bustle　and　confusion。



The　arms　of　the　cavalry　were　of　a　very　varied　description。　　Not；

more　than　a　dozen　had　swords；　the　rest　were　armed　with　rifles　or

shot…guns；　with　the　barrels　cut　short　to　enable　them　to　be　carried　as

carbines。　　Many　of　them　were　armed　with　revolvers；　and　some

carried　pistols　so　antiquated　that　they　might　have　been　used　in　the

revolutionary　war。　　A　certain　number　of　tents　had　been　issued　for

the　use　of　the　corps。　　These；　however；　were　altogether　insufficient

for　the　numbers；　and　most　of　the　men　preferred　to　sleep　in　shelters

composed　of　canvas；　carpets；　blankets；　Qr　any　other　material　that

came　to　hand；　or　in　arbors　constructed　of　the　boughs　of　trees；　for　it

was　now　April　and　warm　enough　to　sleep　in　the　open　air。



In　the　third　week　in　May　the　order　came　that　the　corps　was　to

march　at　once　for　Harper's　Ferry…an　important　position　at；　the　point

where　the　Shenandoah　River　runs　into　the　Potomac；　at；　the　mouth

of　the　Shenandoah　Valley。　The　order　was　received　with　the

greatest　satisfaction。　　The　Federal　forces　were　gathering　rapidly

upon　the　northern　banks　of　the　Potomac；　and　it　was　believed　that；

while　the　main　army　would　march　down　from　Washington　through

Manassas　Junction　direct　upon　Richmond；　another　would　enter　by

the　Shenandoah　Valley；　and；　crossing　the　Blue　Ridge　Mountains；

come　down　on　the　rear　of　the　Confederate　army；　facing　the　main

force　at；　Manassas。　　The　cavalry　marched　by　road；　while　the

infantry　were　despatched　by　rail　as　far　as　Manassas　Junction；

whence　they　marched　to　Harper's　Ferry。　　The　black　servants

accompanied　the　infantry。



The　cavalry　march　was　a　pleasant　one。　　At　every　village　through

which　they　passed　the　people　flocked　out；　with　offerings　of　milk

and　fruit。　　The　days　were　hot；　but　the　mornings　and　evenings

delightful；　and　as　the　troops　always　halted　in　the　shade　of　a　wood

for　three　or　four　hours　in　the　middle　of　the　day；　the　marches；

although　long　were　not　fatiguing。　　At　Harper's　Ferry　General

Johnston　had　just