with lee in virginia-第36章

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brigade　with　two　regiments　each　side　of　us；　so　it　is　likely　enough

this　is　the　gathering　place。　　Yes；　I　can　hear　the　tramping　of　horses。〃



〃And　I　felt　a　spot　of　rain；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃It　has　been　lightning　for

some　time。　　I　fear　we　are　in　for　a　wet　ride。〃



The　contingent　from　the　other　regiments　soon　arrived；　and　just　as

the　last　came　up　General　Stuart　himself　appeared　and　took　his

place　at　the　head　of　the　party；　now　some　500　strong。　　Short　as　the

time　had　been　since　Vincent　felt　the　first　drop；　the　rain　was　now

coming　down　in　torrents。　　One　by　one　the　bright　flames　of　the　fires

died　down；　and　the　darkness　became　so　intense　that　Vincent　could

scarcely　see　the　officer　on　his　right　hand。



〃I　hope　the　man　who　rode　up　with　the　general；　and　is　no　doubt　to

be　our　guide；　knows　the　country　well。　　It　is　no　joke　finding　our　way

through　a　forest　on　such　a　night　as　this。〃



〃I　believe　Stuart's　got　eyes　like　a　cat；〃　the　officer　said。　〃Sometimes

on　a　dark　night　he　has　come　galloping　up　to　a　post　where　I　was　in

command；　when　one　could　scarcely　see　one's　hand　before　one。　　It

never　seems　to　make　any　difference　to　him；　day　or　night　he　rides

about　at　a　gallop。〃



〃He　trusts　his　horse；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃That's　the　only　way　in　the

dark。　　They　can　see　a　lot　better　than　we　can；　and　if　men　would　but

let　them　go　their　own　way　instead　of　trying　to　guide　them　they

would　seldom　run　against　anything。　　The　only　thing　is　to　lie　well

down　on　the　horse's　neck；　otherwise　one　might　get　swept　out　of　the

saddle　by　a　bough。　　It's　a　question　of　nerve；　　I　think　not　many　of　us

would　do　as　Stuart　does；　and　trust　himself　entirely　to　his　horse's

instinct。〃



The　word　was　now　passed　down　the　line　that　perfect　silence　was　to

be　observed；　and　that　they　were　to　move　forward　in　column；　the

ranks　closing　up　as　much　as　possible　so　as　not　to　lose　touch　of

each　other。　　With　heads　bent　down；　and　blankets　wrapped　round

them　as　cloaks；　the　cavalry　rode　off　through　the　pouring　rain。　　The

thunder　was　clashing　overhead；　and　the　flashes　of　the　lightning

enabled　them　to　keep　their　places　in　close　column。　　They　went　at　a

rapid　trot；　and　even　those　who　were　ready　to　charge　a　body　of　the

enemy；　however　numerous；　without　a　moment's　hesitation；

experienced　a　feeling　of　nervousness　as　they　rode　on　in　the

darkness　through　the　thick　forest　on　their　unknown　errand。　　That

they　were　going　northward　they　knew；　and　knew　also；　after　a　short

time；　that　they　must　be　entering　the　lines　of　the　enemy。　　They　saw

no　signs　of　watch…fires；　for　these　would　long　since　have　been

quenched　by　the　downpour。　　After　half　an　hour's　brisk　riding　all

knew　by　the　sharp　sound　of　the　beat　of　the　horses'　hoofs　that　they

had　left　the　soft　track　through　the　forest　and　were　now　upon　a

regular　road。



〃Thank　goodness　for　that！〃　Vincent　said　in　a　low　tone　to　his　next

neighbor。　　〃I　don't　mind　a　brush　with　the　enemy；　but　I　own　I　don't

like　the　idea　that　at　any　moment　my　brains　may　be　knocked　out　by

the　branch　of　a　tree。〃



〃I　quite　agree　with　you；〃　the　other　replied；　〃and　I　fancy　every　man

felt　the　same。〃



There　was　no　doubt　as　to　this。　　Hitherto　no　sound　had　been　heard

save　the　jingling　of　accouterments　and　the　dull　heavy　sound　of　the

horses'　tread；　but　now　there　could　be　heard　mingled　with　these　the

buzz　of　voices；　and　occasionally　a　low　laugh。　　They　were　so

accustomed　to　wet　that　the　soaking　scarce　inconvenienced　them。　

They　were　out　of　the　forest　now；　and　felt　sure　of　their　guide；　and

as　to　the　enemy；　they　only　longed　to　discover　them。



For　another　hour　the　rapid　advance　continued；　and　all　felt　sure　that

they　must　now　have　penetrated　through　the　enemy's　lines　and　be

well　in　his　rear。　　At　last　they　heard　a　challenge　of　sentry。　　Then

Stuart's　voice　shouted；　〃Charge！〃　and　at　full　gallop　they　rode　into

the　village　at　Catlet's　Station　on　the　Orange　and　Alexandria

railroad；　where　General　Pope　had　his　headquarters。　　　Another

minute　and　they　were　in　the　midst　of　the　enemy's　camp；　where　the

wildest　confusion　reigned。　　The　Federal　officers　rushed　from　their

teats　and　made　off　in　the　darkness；　but　the　soldiers；　who　were

lying　on　the　line　of　railroad；　leaped　to　their　feet　and　opened　a

heavy　fire　upon　their　invisible　foes。　　Against　this　the　cavalry；

broken　up　in　the　camp；　with　its　tents；　its　animals；　and　its　piles　of

baggage；　could　do　little；　for　it　was　impossible　to　form　them　up　in

the　broken　and　unknown　ground。



The　quarters　of　Pope　were　soon　discovered；　he　himself　had

escaped；　leaving　his　coat　and　hat　behind。　　Many　of　his　officers

were　captured；　and　in　his　quarters　were　found　a　box　of　official

papers　which　were　invaluable；　as　among　them　were　copies　of　his

letters　asking　for　reinforcements；　lists　giving　the　strength　and

position　of　his　troops；　and　other　particulars　of　the　greatest　value　to

the　Confederates。　No　time　was　lost；　as　the　firing　would　set　the

whole　Federal　army　on　the　alert；　and　they　might　find　their　retreat

cut　off。　　Therefore　placing　their　prisoners　in　the　center；　and　taking

the　box　of　papers　with　them；　the　cavalry　were　called　off　from　the

camp；　and　without　delay　started　on　their　return　ride。



They　did　not　take　the　road　by　which　they　had　come；　but　made　a

long　detour；　and　just　as　daylight　was　breaking　re…entered　the

Confederate　lines　without　having　encountered　a　foe　from　the　time

of　their　leaving　Catlet's　Station。　Short　as　their　stay　in　the　camp　had

been；　few　of　the　men　bad　returned　empty　handed。　　The　Northern

army　was　supplied　with　an　abundance　of　excellent　food　of　all

descriptions；　forming　the　strongest　possible　contrast　to　the

insufficient　ratious　upon　which　the　Confederate　troops　existed；　and

the　troopers　had　helped　themselves　to　whatever　they　could　lay

hands　upon　in　the　darkness　and　confusion。



Some　rode　in　with　a　ham　slung　on　each　side　of　their　saddle；　others

had　secured　a　bottle　or　two　of　wine　or　spirits。　Some　had　been

fortunate　enough　to　lay　hands　on　sonic　tins　of　coffee　or　a　canister

of　tea；　luxuries　which　for　months　had　been　unknown　to　them　save

when　they　were　captured　from　the　enemy。　　The　only　article

captured　of　no　possible　utility　was　General　Pope's　coat；　which　was

sent　to　Richmond；　where　it　was　hung　up　for　public　inspection；　a

wag　sticking　up　a　paper　beside　it；　〃This　is　the　coat　in　which

General　Pope　was　going　to　ride　in　triumph　into　Richmond。　The

coat　is　here；　but　the　general　has　not　yet　arrived。〃



Tile　Confederates　had　lost　but　two　or　three　men　from　the　fire　of

the　Federal　infantry；　and　they　were　in　high　spirits　at　the　success　of

their　raid。　　No　sooner　had　General　Lee　informed　himself　of　the

contents　of　the　papers　and　the　position　of　the　enemy's　forces　than

he　determined　to　strike　a　heavy　blow　at　him；　and　General　Jackson；

who　had　been　sharply　engaged　with　the　enemy　near　Warrenton；

was　ordered　to　make　a　long　detour；　to　cross　the　Blue　Ridge

mountains　through　Thoroughfare　Gap；　to　fall　upon　Pope's　rear　and

cut　his　communications　with　Washington；　and　if　possible　to

destroy　the　vast　depot　of　stores　collected　at　Manassas。



The　cavalry；　under　Stuart；　were　to　accompany　him。　The　march

would　he　a　tremendous　one；　the　danger　of　thus　venturing　into　the

heart　of　the　enemy's　country　immense；　but　the　results　of　such　an

expedition　would；　if　successful；　be　great；　for　Lee　himself　was　to

advance　with　his　army　on　Pope's　flank；　and　there　was　therefore　a

possibility　of　the　utter　defeat　of　that　general　before　he　could　be

joined　by　the　army　marching　to　reinforce　him　from

Fredericksburg。



It　was　on　Monday　the　25th　of　August　that　Jackson　started　on　his

march；　ascending　the　banks　of　the　Rappahannock；　and　crossed　the

river　at　a　ford；　dragging　his　artillery　with　difficulty　up　the　narrow

and　rocky　road　beyond。　　There　was　not　a　moment　to　be　lost；　for　if

the　news　reached　the　enemy　the　gorge　known　as　Thoroughfare　Gap

would　be　occupied；　and　the　whole　object　of　the　movement　be

defeated。　　Onward　the　force　pushed；　pressing　on　through　fields