with lee in virginia-第33章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



abandoned。　President　Lincoln　had　always　been　opposed　to　the

plan；　and　a　considerable　portion　of　the　army　was　moved　round　to

join　the　force　under　General　Pope；　which　was　now　to　march　upon

Richmond　from　the　north。



From　the　commencement　of　the　Federal　advance　to　the　time　when；

beaten　and　dispirited；　they　regained　the　James　River；　Vincent

Wingfield　had　seen　little　of　his　family。　The　Federal　lines　had　at

one　time　been　withina　mile　of　the　Orangery。　　The　slaves　had　some

days　before　been　all　sent　into　the　interior；　and　Mrs。　Wingfield　and

her　daughters　had　moved　into　Richmond；　where　they　joined　in　the

work；　to　which　the　whole　of　the　ladies　of　the　town　and

neighborhood　devoted　themselves；　of　attending　to　the　wounded；　of

whom；　while　the　fighting　was　going　on；　long　trains　arrived　every

day　at　the　city。



Vincent　himself　had　taken　no　active　part　in　the　fighting。

Magruder's　division　had　not　been　engaged　in　the　first　attack　upon

McClellan's　force；　and　although　it　had　taken　a　share　in　the

subsequent　severe　fighting；　Vincent　had　been　occupied　in　carrying

messages　from　the　general　to　the　leaders　of　the　other　divisions；　and

had　only　once　or　twice　come　under　the　storm　of　fire　to　which　the

Confederates　were　exposed　as　they　plunged　through　the　morasses

to　attack　the　enemy。　　As　soon　as　it　was　certain　that　the　attack　was

finally　abandoned；　and　that　McClellan's　troops　were　being

withdrawn　to　strengthen　Pope's　army；　Vincent　resigned　his

appointment　as　aide…de…camp；　and　was　appointed　to　the　7th

Virginian　Cavalry；　stationed　at　Orange；　where　it　was　facing　the

Federal　cavalry。　　Major　Ashley　had　fallen　while　protecting　the

passage　of　Jackson's　division　when　hard　pressed　by　one　of　the

Federal　armies　in　Western　Virginia。



No　action　in　the　war　had　been　more　brilliant　than　the　manner　in

which　Stonewall　Jackson　had　baffled　the　two　armies…each　greatly

superior　in　force　to　his　own…that　had　been　specially　appointed　to

destroy　him　if　possible；　or　at　any　rate　to　prevent　his　withdrawing

from　the　Shenandoah　Valley　and　marching　to　aid　in　the　defense　of

the　Confederate　capital。　　His　troops　had　marched　almost　day　and

night；　without　food；　and　depending　entirely　upon　such　supplies　as

they　could　obtain　from　the　scattered　farmhouses　they　passed。



Although　Richmond　was　for　the　present　safe；　the　prospect　of　the

Confederates　was　by　no　means　bright。　　New　Orleans　had　been

captured；　the　blockade　of　the　other　ports　was　now　so　strict　that　it

was　difficult　in　the　extreme　for　a　vessel　to　make　her　way　in　or　out；

and　the　Northerners　had　placed　flotillas　of　gunboats　on　the　rivers；

and　by　the　aid　of　these　were　gradually　making　their　way　into　the

heart　of　several　of　the　States。



〃Are　you　thinking　of　going　out　to　the　Orangery　again　soon；

mother？〃　Vincent　asked　on　the　evening　before　setting　out　on　the

march　north。



〃I　think　not；　Vincent。　　There　is　so　much　to　do　in　the　hospitals　here

that　I　cannot　leave。　　I　should　be　ashamed　to　be　living　in　luxury　at

the　Orangery　with　the　girls　while　other　women　are　giving　up　their

whole　time　nursing　the　wounded。　　Besides；　although　I　do　not

anticipate　that　after　the　way　they　have　been　hurled　back　the

Northerners　will　try　again　for　some　time；　now　they　are　in

possession　of　Harrison's　Landing　they　can　at　any　moment　advance。

Besides；　it　is　not　pleasant　being　obliged　to　turn　out　of　one's　house

and　leave　everything　to　their　mercy。　　I　wrote　yesterday　to　Pearson

to　bring　the　slaves　back　at　once　and　take　up　the　work；　and　I　shall

go　over　occasionally　to　see　that　everything　is　in　order；　but　at　any

rate　for　a　time　we　will　stop　here。〃



〃I　think　that　is　best；　mother。　　Certainly　I　should　feel　more

comfortable　knowing　that　you　are　all　at　Richmond　than　alone　out

there。〃



〃We　should　be　no　worse　off　than　thousands　of　ladies　all　over　the

State；　Vincent　　There　are　whole　districts　where　every　white

capable　of　using　a　gun　has　gone　to　the　war；　leaving　nothing　but

women　and　slaves　behind；　and　we　have　not　heard　of　a　single　case

in　which　there　has　been　trouble。〃



〃Certainly　there　is　no　chance　of　trouble　with　your　slaves；　mother；

but　in　some　of　the　other　plantations　it　may　not　be　so。　　At　any　rate

the　quiet　conduct　of　the　slaves　everywhere　is　the　very　best　answer

that　could　be　given　to　the　accusations　that　have　been　made　as　to

their　cruel　treatment。　　At　present　the　whole　of　the　property　of　the

slaveowners　throughout　the　Southern　States　is　at　their　mercy；　and

they　might　burn；　kill；　and　destroy；　and　yet　in　no　single　instance

have　they　risen　against　what　are　called　their　oppressors；　even　when

the　Federals　have　been　close　at　hand。



Please　keep　your　eye　on　Dinah；　mother。　　I　distrust；　that　fellow

Jackson　so　thoroughly　that　I　believe　him　capable　of　having　her

carried　off　and　smuggled　away　somewhere　down　south；　and　sold

there　if　he　saw　a　chance。　　I　wish；　instead　of　sending　her　to　the

Orangery；　you　would　keep　her　as　one　of　your　servants　here。〃



〃I　will　if　you　wish　it；　Vincent；　but　I　cannot　believe　for　a　moment

that　this　Jackson　or　any　one　else　would　venture　to　meddle　with　any

of　my　slaves。〃



〃Perhaps　not；　mother；　but　it　is　best　to　he　on　the　safe　side。　　Anyhow；

I　shall　be　glad　to　know　that　she　is　with　you。　　Young　Jackson　will

be　away；　for　I　know　he　is　in　one　of　Stuart's　troops　of　horse；　though

I　have　never　happened　to　run　against　him　since　the　war　began。〃



The　firing　had　hardly　ceased　before　Harrison's　Landing；　when

General　Jackson；　with　a　force　of　about　15；000　men；　composed　of

his　own　division；　now　commanded　by　General　Winder；　General

Ewell's　division；　and　a　portion　of　that　of　General　Hill；　started　for

the　Rapidan　to　check　General　Pope；　who；　plundering　and　wasting

the　country　as　he　advanced；　was　marching　south；　his　object　being

to　reach　Gordonsville；　where　he　would　cut　the　line　of　railway

connecting　Richmond　with　Western　Virginia。　　Vincent　was　glad

that　the　regiment　to　which　he　had　been　appointed　would　he　under

Jackson's　command；　and　that　he　would　be　campaigning　again　with

his　old　division；　which　consisted　largely　of　Virginian　troops　and

contained　so　many　of　his　old　friends。



With　Jackson；　too；　he　was　certain　to　be　engaged　in　stirring　service；

for　that　general　ever　kept　his　troops　upon　the　march；　striking　blows

where　least　expected；　and　traversing　such　an　extent　of　country　by

rapid　marches　that　he　and　his　division　seemed　to　the　enemy　to　be

almost　ubiquitous。



It　was　but　a　few　hours　after　he　received　his　appointment　that

Vincent　took　train　from　Richmond　to　Gordonsville；　Dan　being　in

the　horse…box　with　Wildfire　in　the　rear　of　the　train。　　His　regiment

was　encamped　a　mile　or　two　away；　and　he　at　once　rode　on　and

reported　himself　to　Colonel　Jones；　who　commanded　it。



〃I　am　glad　to　have　you　with　me；　sir；〃　the　colonel　said。　〃I　had　the

pleasure　of　knowing　your　father；　and　am　an　old　friend　of　your

mother's　family。　　As　you　were　in　Ashley's　horse　and　have　been

serving　on　Magruder's　staff；　you　are　well　up　in　your　duties；　and　it

is　a　comfort　to　me　that　the　vacancy　has　been　filled　up　by　one　who

knows　his　work　instead　of　a　raw　hand。　　We　have　had　a　brush　or

two　already　with　the　enemy；　but　at　present　we　are　watching　each

other；　waiting　on　both　sides　till　the　generals　have　got　their　infantry

to　the　front　in　readiness　for　an　advance　Jackson　is　waiting　for

Hill's　division　to　come　up；　and　I　believe　Pope　is　expecting　great

reinforcements　from　McClellan。〃



A　few　days　later　Colonel　Jones　was　ordered　to　take　charge　of　the

pickets　posted　on　the　Rapidan；　but　before　reaching　Orange　a

gentleman　rode　up　at　full　speed　and　informed　them　that　the　enemy

were　in　possession　of　that　town。　　Colonel　Jones　divided　his

regiment　into　two　parts；　and　with　one　charged　the　Federal　cavalry

in　the　main　street　of　Orange；　while　the　other　portion　of　the

regiment；　under　Major　Marshall；　attacked　them　on　the　flank。　　After

a　sharp　fight　the　enemy　were　driven　from　the　place；　but　they

brought　up　large　reinforcements；　and；　pouring　i