with lee in virginia-第21章

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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Johnston　had　just　superseded　Colonel　Jackson　in　command。　　The

force　there　consisted　of　11　battalions　of　infantry；　16　guns；　arid

after　Ashley's　force　arrived；　300　cavalry。　　Among　the　regiments

there　Vincent　found　many　friends；　and　learned　what　was　going　on。



He　learned　that　Colonel　Jackson　had　been　keeping　them　hard　at

work。　　Some　of　Vincent's　friends　had　been　at　the　Virginia　Military

Institute　at　Lexington；　where　Jackson　was　professor　of　natural

philosophy　and　instructor　of　artillery。



〃He　was　the　greatest　fun；〃　one　of　the　young　men　said；　〃the　stiffest

and　most　awkward…looking　fellow　in　the　institute。　　He　used　to

work　about　as　if　he　never　saw　anything　or　anybody。　　He　was

always　known　as　Old　Tom；　and　nobody　ever　saw　him　laugh。　　He

was　awfully　earnest　in　all　he　did；　and　strict；　I　can　tell　you；　about

everything。　There　was　no　humbugging　him。　　The　fellows　liked　him

because　he　was　really　so　earnest　about　everything；　and　always　just

and　fair。　　But　he　didn't　look　a　hit　like　a　soldier　except　as　to　his

stiffness；　and　when　the　fellows　who　had　been　at　Lexington　heard

that　he　was　in　command　here　they　did　not　think　he　would　have

made　much　hand　at　it；　but　I　tell　you；　be　did。　　You　never　saw　such　a

fellow　to　work。



〃Everything　had　to　be　done；　you　know。　　There　were　the　guns；　but

no　horses　and　no　harness。　　The　horses　had　to　be　got　somehow；　and

the　harness　manufactured　out　of　ropes；　and　you　can　imagine　the

confusion　of　nine　battalions　of　infantry；　all　recruits；　with　no　one　to

teach　them　except　a　score　or　two　of　old　army　and　militia　officers。　

Old　Tom　has　done　wonders；　I　can　tell　you。　　You　see；　be　is　so

fearfully　earnest　himself　every　one　else　has　got　to　be　earnest。　

There　has　been　no　playing　about　anything；　but　just　fifteen　hours'

hard　work　a　day。　　Fellows　grumbled　and　growled　and　said　it　was

absurd；　and　threatened　to　do　all　sorts　of　things。　　You　see；　they　had

all　come　out　to　fight　if　necessary；　but　hadn't　bargained　for　such

hard　work　as　this。



〃However；　Jackson　had　his　way；　and　I　don't　suppose　any　one　ever

told　him　the　men　thought　they　were　too　hard　worked。　　He　is　not　the

sort　of　man　one　would　care　about　remonstrating　with。　　I　don't

know　yet　whether　he　is　as　good　at　fighting　as　he　is　at　working　and

organizing；　but　I　rather　expect　a　fellow　who　is　so　earnest　about

everything　else　is　sure　to　be　earnest　about　fighting；　and　I　fancy　that　

when　he　once　gets　into　the　thick　of　it　he　will　go　through　with　it。　

He　had　such　a　reputation　as　an　oddity　at　Lexington　that　there　were

a　lot　of　remarks　when　lie　was　made　colonel　and　sent　here；　but

there　is　no　doubt　that　he　has　proved　himself　the　right　man　so　far；

and　although　his　men　may　grumble　they　believe　in　him。



〃My　regiment　is　in　his　brigade；　and　I　will　bet　any　money　that　we

have　our　share　of　fighting　　What　sort　of　man　is　Johnston？　　He　is　a

fine　fellow…a　soldier；　heart　and　soul。　You　could　tell　him　anywhere；

and　we　have　a　first…rate　fellow　in　command　of　the　cavalry　…Colonel

Stuart…a　splendid　dashing　fellow；　full　of　life　and　go。　　His　fellows

swear　by　him。　　I　quite　envy　you；　for　I　expect　you　will　astonish　the

Yankee　horsemen。　　They　are　no　great　riders　up　there；　you　know；

and　I　expect　the　first　time　you　meet　them　you　will　astonish　them。〃



Here　he　suddenly　stopped；　stood　at　attention；　and　saluted。



Vincent　at　once　did　the　same；　although；　had　he　not　been　set　the

example　by　his　friend；　lie　would　never　have　thought　of　doing　so　to

the　figure　who　passed。



〃Who　is　it？〃　he　asked；　as　his　companion　resumed　his　easy　attitude。



〃Why；　that's　Old　Tom。〃



〃What！　Colonel　Jackson！〃　Vincent　said　in　surprise。　〃Well；　he　is　an

odd…looking　fellow。〃



The　figure　that　had　passed　was　that　of　a　tall；　gaunt　luau；　leaning

awkwardly　forward　in　his　saddle。　　He　wore　an　old　gray　coat；　and

there　was　no　sign　of　rank；　nor　particle　of　gold　lace　upon　the

uniform。　　He　wore　on　his　head　a　faded　cadet　cap；　with　the　rim

coming　down　so　far　upon　his　nose　that　he　could　only　look

sideways　from　under　it。　He　seemed　to　pay　but　little　attention　to

what　was　going　on　around　him；　and　did　not　enter　into　conversation

with　any　of　the　officers　he　met。



The　brigade　commanded　by　Jackson　was　the　first　of　the　army　of

the　Shenandoah；　and　consisted　of　the　2d；　4th；　5th；　and　27th

Virginians；　to　which　was　shortly　afterward　added　the　33d。　　They

were　composed　of　men　of　all　ranks　and　ages；　among　them　being　a

great　number　of　lads　from　fifteen　and　upward；　for　every　school

had　been　deserted。　Every　boy　capable　of　carrying　a　musket　had

insisted　upon　joining；　and　among　them　were　a　whole　company　of

cadets　from　Lexington。　　The　regiments　selected　their　own　officers；

and　among　these　were　many　who　were　still　lads。　Many　of　the

regiments　had　no　accouterments；　and　were　without　uniforms；　and

numbers　carried　no　better　arms　than　a　double…barreled　shot…gun；

but　all　were　animated　with　the　same　spirit　of　enthusiasm　in　their

cause；　and　a　determination　to　die　rather　than　to　allow　the　invaders

to　pass　on　through　the　fertile　valleys　of　their　native　＇and。



Of　all　these　valleys　that　of　Shenandoah　was　the　richest　and　most

beautiful。　　It　was　called　the　Garden　of　Virginia；　and　all　writers

agreed　in　their　praises　of　the　beauties　of　its　fields　and　forests；

mountains　and　rivers；　its　delicious　climate；　and　the　general

prosperity　which　prevailed　among　its　population。



It　was　a　pleasant　evening　that　Ashley's　horse　spent　at　Harper's

Ferry　on　the　day　they　marched　in。　　All　had　many　friends　among　the

other　Virginian　regiments；　and　their　camp…fires　were　the　center

toward　which　men　trooped　by　scores。　　The　rest　was　pleasant　after

their　hard　marches；　and；　although　ready　to　do　their　own　work

when　necessary；　they　appreciated　the　advantage　of　having　their

servants　again　with　them　to　groom　their　horses　and　cook　their

food。



The　negroes　were　not　less　glad　at　being　again　with　their　masters。　

Almost　all　were　men　who　had；　like　Dan；　been　brought　up　with

their　young　owners；　and　felt　for　them　a　strong　personal　attachment；

and；　if　it　had　been　allowed；　would　gladly　have　followed　them　in

the　field　of　battle；　and　fought　by　their　side　against　the　〃Yankees。〃　

Their　stay　at　Harper's　Ferry　was　to　be　a　short　one。　　Colonel　Stuart；

with　his　200　horse；　was　scouting　along　the　whole　bank　of　the

Potomac；　watching　every　movement　of　the　enemy；　and　Ashley's

horse　was　to　join　them　at　once。



It　was　not　difficult　for　even　young　soldiers　to　form　an　idea　of　the

general　nature　of　the　operations。　　They　bad　to　protect　the

Shenandoah　Valley；　to　guard　the　five　great　roads　by　which　the

enemy　would　advance　against　Winchester；　and　not　only　to　save　the

loyal　inhabitants　and　rich　resources　of　the　valley　from　falling　into

the　hands　of　the　Federals；　but　what　was　of　even　greater

importance；　to　prevent　the　latter　from　marching　across　the　Blue

Ridge　Mountains；　and　falling　upon　the　flank　of　the　main

Confederate　army　at　Manassas。



The　position　was　a　difficult　one；　for　while　〃the　grand　army〃　was

assembling　at　Alexandria　to　advance　against　Manassas　Junction；

McClellan　was　advancing　from　the　northwest　with　20；000　men；

and　Patterson　from　Pennsylvania　with　18；000。



In　the　morning　betore　parading　his　troop；　100　strong；　Ashley　called

them　together　and　told　them　that；　as　they　would　now　be　constantly

on　the　move　and　scattered　over　a　long　line；　it　was　impossible　that

they　could　take　their　servants　with　them。



〃I　should　never　have　allowed　them　to　be　brought；〃　be　said；　〃had　I

known　that　we　should　be　scouting　over　such　an　extensive　country；

at　the　same　time；　if　we　can　manage　to　take　a　few　on　it　would

certainly　add　to　our　comfort。　I　propose　that　we　choose　ten　by　lot　to

go　on　with　us。　They　must　be　servants　of　the　troop　and　not　of

individuals。　We　can　scatter　them　in　pairs　at　fire　points；　with

instructions　to　forage　as　well　as　they　can；　and　to　h