with lee in virginia-第30章

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the　rivers。



This　line　was　some　thirty　miles　in　length；　and　would　require

25；000　men　to　guard　it；　but　Magruder　hoped　that　there　would　be

sufficient　warning　of　an　attack　to　enable　reinforcements　to　arrive

in　time　to　raise　his　own　command　of　about　10；000　men　to　that

strength。　　The　negroes　worked　cheerfully；　for　they　received　a

certain　amount　of　pay　from　the　State；　but　the　work　was　heavy　and

difficult；　and　different　altogether　to　that　which　they　were

accustomed　to　perform。　　The　batteries　by　the　sides　of　the　rivers

made　fair　progress；　but　the　advance　of　the　long　line　of　works

across　the　peninsula　was　but　slow。　　Vincent　had；　upon　receiving

his　appointment；　written　at　once　to　Major　Ashley；　sending　his

letter　by　Dan；　who　was　ordered　to　bring　back　Wildfire。　　Vincent

stated　that　had　he　consulted　his　personal　feeling　be　should　have

preferred　remaining　in　the　ranks　of　his　old　corps；　but　that　as　the

fighting　might　be　close　to　his　home；　and　there　was　no　saying　what

might　be　the　behavior　of　the　slave　population　in　the　event　of　a

Northern　invasion；　he　had；　for　the　sake　of　his　mother　and　sisters；

accepted　the　appointment；　but　as　soon　as　the　danger　was　over　he

hoped　to　rejoin　the　corps　and　serve　under　his　former　commander。



Dan；　on　his　return　with　Wildfire；　brought　a　letter　from　the　major

saying　that　although　he　should　have　been　glad　to　have　had　him

with　him；　he　quite　agreed　with　the　decision　at　which　he　had；　under

the　circumstances；　arrived。　Vincent　now　took　up　his　quarters　at　the

camp　formed　a　short　distance　from　the　city；　and　much　of　his　time

was　spent　in　riding　to　and　from　the　peninsula；　seeing　that　the

works　were　being　carried　out　according　to　the　plan　of　the　general；

and　reporting　upon　the　manner　in　which　the　contractors　for　the

supply　of　food　to　the　negroes　at　work　there　performed　their　duties。　

Sometimes　he　was　away　for　two　or　three　days　upon　this　work；　but

be　generally　managed　once　or　twice　a　week　to　get　home　for　a　few

hours。



The　inhabitants　of　Richmond　and　its　neighborhood　were　naturally

greatly　interested　in　the　progress　of　the　works　for　their　defense；

and　parties　were　often　organized　to　ride　or　drive　to　Yorktown；　or

to　the　batteries　on　the　James　River；　to　watch　the　progress　made。　

Upon　one　occasion　Vincent　accompanied　his　mother　and　sisters；

and　a　party　of　ladies　and　gentlemen　from　the　neighboring

plantations；　to　Drury's　Bluff；　where　an　entrenched　position　named

Fort　Darling　had　been　erected；　and　preparations　made　to　sink

vessels　across　the　river；　and　close　it　against　the　advance　of　the

enemy's　fleet　should　any　misfortune　happen　to　the　Merrimac。



Several　other　parties　had　been　made　up；　and　each　brought

provisions　with　them。　　General　Magruder　and　some　of　his　officers

received　them　upon　their　arrival；　and　conducted　them　over　the

works。　　After　this　the　whole　party　sat　down　to　a　picnic　meal　on　the

ground；　and　no　stranger　could　have　guessed　that　the　merry　party

formed　part　of　a　population　threatened　with　invasion　by　a　powerful

foe。　　There　were　speeches　and　toasts；　all　of　a　patriotic　character；

and　General　Magruder　raised　the　enthusiasm　to　the　highest　point

by　informing　them　that　in　a　few　days…the　exact　day　was　a　secret；

but　it　would　be　very　shortly…the　Merrimac；　or；　as　she　had　been

re…christened；　the　Virginia；　would　put　out　from　Norfolk　Harbor；

and　see　what　she　could　do　to　clear　Hampton　Roads　of　the　fleet　that

now　threatened　them。　As　they　were　riding　back　to　Richmond　the

general　said　to　Vincent：



〃I　will　tell　you　a　little　more　than　I　told　the　others；　Wingfield。　　I

believe　the　Merrimac　will　go　out　the　day　after　to…morrow。　　I　wish　I

could　get　away　myself　to　see　the　affair；　but；　unfortunately；　I　cannot

do　so。　　However；　if　you　like　to　be　present；　I　will　give　you　three

days'　leave；　as　you　have　been　working　very　hard　lately。　　You　can

start　early　to…morrow；　and　can　get　down　by　train　to　Norfolk　in　the

evening。　　I　should　advise　you　to　take　your　horse　with　you；　and　then

you　can　ride　in　the　morning　to　some　spot　from　which　you　will　get

a　fair　view　of　the　Roads；　and　be　able　to　see　what　is　going　on。〃



〃Thank　you　very　much；　sir；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃I　should　like　it

immensely。〃



The　next　day　Vincent　went　down　to　Norfolk。　　Arriving　there；　he

found　that　although　there　was　a　general　expectation　that　the

Merrimac　would　shortly　go　out　to　try　her　strength　with　the　enemy；

nothing　was　known　of　the　fact　that　the　next　morning　had　been

fixed　for　the　encounter；　the　secret　being　kept　to　the　last　lest　some

spy　or　adherent　of　the　North　might　take　the　news　to　the　fleet。　

After　putting　up　his　horse　Vincent　went　down　to　the　navy　yard；　off

which　the　Merrimac　was　lying。



This　ship　had　been　sunk　by　the　Federals　when　at　the

commencement　of　hostilities　they　had　evacuated　Norfolk。　Having

been　raised　by　the　Confederates；　the　ship　was　cut　down；　and　a　sort

of　roof　covered　with　iron　was　built　over　it；　so　that　the　vessel

presented　the　appearance　of　a　huge　sunken　house。　　A　ram　was

fixed　to　her　bow；　and　she　was　armed　with　ten　guns。　　Her

steam…power　was　very　insufficient　for　her　size；　and　she　could　only

move　through　the　water　at　the　rate　of　five　knots　an　hour。



〃She　is　an　ugly…looking　thing；〃　a　man　observed　to　Vincent　as　he

gazed　at　the　ship。



〃Frightfully　ugly；〃　Vincent　agreed。　　〃She　may　be　a　formidable

machine　in　the　way　of　fighting；　but　one　can　scarcely　call　her　a

ship。〃



〃She　is　a　floating…battery；　and　if　they　tried　their　best　to　turn　out　the

ugliest　thing　that　ever　floated　they　could　not　have　succeeded

better。　　She　is　just　like　a　Noah's　ark　sunk　down　to　the　eaves　of　her

roof。〃



〃Yes；　she　is　a　good　deal　like　that；〃　Vincent　agreed。　〃The　very　look

of　her　ought　to　be　enough　to　frighten　the　Federals；　even　if　she　did

nothing　else。〃



〃I　expect　it　will　not　be　long　before　she　gives　them　a　taste　of　her

quality；〃　the　man　said。　　〃She　has　got　her　coal　and　ammunition　on

board；　and　there's　nothing　to　prevent　her　going　out　this　evening　if

she　wants　to。〃



〃It　will　be　worth　seeing　when　she　does　go　out　to　fight　the

Northerners；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃It　will　be　a　new　experiment　in

warfare；　and；　if　she　turns　out　a　success；　I　suppose　all　the　navies　in

the　world　will　be　taking　to　cover　themselves　up　with　iron。〃



The　next　morning；　which　was　the　8th　of　March…a　date　forever

memorable　in　naval　annals…smoke　was　seen　pouring　out　from　the

funnels　of　the　Merrimac；　and　there　were　signs　of　activity　on　board

the　Patrick　Henry；　of　six　guns；　and　the　Jamestown；　Raleigh；

Beaufort；　and　Teazer；　little　craft　carrying　one　gun　each；　and　at

eleven　o'clock　they　all　moved　down　the　inlet　on　which　Norfolk　is

situated。　　The　news　that　the　Merrimac　was　going　out　to　attack　the

enemy　had　now　spread；　and　the　whole　population　of　Norfolk

turned　out　and　hastened　down　toward　the　month　of　tbe　inlet　on

horseback；　in　vehicles；　or　on　foot；　while　Vincent　rode　to　the

batteries　on　Sewell's　Point；　nearly　facing　Fort　Monroe。



He　left　his　horse　at　a　farmhouse　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the

battery；　for　Wildfire　was　always　restless　under　fire；　and　it　was

probable　that　the　batteries　would　take　a　share　in　the　affair。　　At　one

o'clock　some　of　the　small　Federal　lookout　launches　were　seen　to

be　at　work　signaling；　a　bustle　could　be　observed　prevailing　among

the　large　ships　over　by　the　fortress；　and　it　was　evident　that　the

Merrimac　was　visible　to　them　as　she　came　down　the　inlet。　　The

Cumberland　and　Congress　men…of…war　moved　out　in　that　direction；

and　the　Minnesota　and　the　St。　Lawrence；　which　were　at　anchor；　got

under　weigh；　assisted　by　steam…tugs。



The　Merrimac　and　the　fleet　of　little　gunboats　were　now　visible

from　the　battery；　advancing　against　the　Cumberland　and　Congress。　

The　former　opened　fire　upon　her　at　a　distance　of　a　mile　with　her

heavy　pivot　guns；　but　the　Merrimac；　without　replying；　continued

her　slow　and　steady　course　toward　them。　　She　first　approached　the

Congress；　and　as　she　did　so　a　puff　of　smoke　burst　from　the　forward

end