with lee in virginia-第37章

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

defeated。　　Onward　the　force　pushed；　pressing　on　through　fields　and

lanes　without　a　single　halt；　until　at　night；　hungry　and　weary　but　full

of　spirit；　they　marched　into　the　little　town　of　Salem；　twenty　miles

from　their　starting…place。　　They　had　neither　wagons　nor　provisions

with　them；　and　had　nothing　to　eat　but　some　ears　of　corn　and　green

apples　plucked　on　the　road。



It　was　midnight　when　they　reached　Salem；　and　the　inhabitants

turned　out　in　blank　amazement　at　the　sight　of　Confederate　troops

in　that　region；　and　　welcomed　the　weary　soldiers　with　the　warmest

manifestations。　　At　daylight　they　were　again　upon　the　march；　with

Stuart's　cavalry；　as　before；　out　upon　each　flank。　　Thoroughfare　Gap

was　reached；　and　found　undefended；　and　after　thirty　miles'

marching　the　exhausted　troops　reached　the　neighborhood　of

Manassas。　　The　men　were　faint　from　want　of　food；　and　many　of

them　limped　along　barefooted；　but　they　were　full　of　enthusiasm。



Just　at　sunset；　Stuart；　riding　on　ahead；　captured　Bristoe；　a　station

on　the　Orange　and　Alexandria　Railroad　four　miles　from　Manassas。　

As　they　reached　it　a　train　came　along　at　full　speed。　　It　was　fired　at；

but　did　not　stop；　and　got　safely　through　to　Manassas。　　Two　trains

that　followed　were　captured；　but　by　this　time　the　alarm　bad　spread；

and　no　more　trains　arrived。　　Jackson　had　gained　his　point。　　He　had

placed　himself　on　the　line　of　communication　of　the　enemy；　but　his

position　was　a　dangerous　one　indeed。　　Lee；　who　was　following

him；　was　still　far　away。　　An　army　was　marching　from

Fredericksburg　against　him；　another　would　be　despatched　from

Washington　as　soon　as　the　news　of　his　presence　was　known；　and

Pope　might　turn　and　crush　him　before　Lee　could　arrive　to　his

assistance。



Worn　out　as　the　troops　were；　it　was　necessary　at　once　to　gain

possession　of　Manassas；　and　the　21st　North　Carolina　and　21st

Georgia　volunteered　for　the　service；　and；　joined　by　Stuart　with　a

portion　of　his　cavalry；　marched　against　it。　After　a　brief　contest　the

place　was　taken；　the　enemy　stationed　there　being　all　taken

prisoners。　　The　amount　of　arms　and　stores　captured　was

prodigious。　　Eight　pieces　of　artillery；　250　horses；　3　locomotives；

and　tens　of　thousands　of　barrels　of　beef；　pork；　and　flour；　with　an

enormous　quantity　of　public　stores　and　the　contents　of

innumerable　sutlers'　shops。



The　sight　of　this　vast　abundance　to　starving　men　was　tantalizing　in

the　extreme。　　It　was　impossible　to　carry　any　of　it　away　and　all　that

could　be　done　was　to　have　at　least　one　good　meal。　　The　troops

therefore　were　marched　in　and　each　helped　himself　to　as　much　as

he　could　consume；　and　the　ragged　and　barefooted　men　feasted

upon　tinned　salmon　and　lobsters；　champagne　and　dainties　of　every

description　forwarded　for　the　use　of　officers。　　Then　they　set　to

work　to　pile　the　enormous　mass　of　stores　together　and　to　set　it　on

fire。　　While　they　were　engaged　at　this　a　brigade　of　New　Jersey

troops　which　had　come　out　from　Washington　to　save　Manassas

was　attacked　and　utterly　routed。　　Ewell's　division　had　remained　at

Bristoe；　while　those　of　Hill　and　Jackson　moved　to　Manassas；　and

in　the　course　of　the　afternoon　Ewell　saw　the　whole　of　Pope's　army

marching　against　him。



He　held　them　in　check　for　some　hours；　and　thus　gave　the　troops　at

Manassas　time　to　destroy　completely　the　vast　accumulation　of

stores；　and　when　Stuart's　cavalry；　covering　the　retreat；　fell　back　at

nightfall　through　Manassas；　nothing　but　blackened　cinders

remained　where　the　Federal　depots　had　been　situated。　　The　blow　to

the　Northerners　was　as　heavy　as　it　was　unexpected。　　Pope　had　no

longer　either　provisions　for　his　men　or　forage　for　his　cattle；　and

there　was　nothing　left　for　him　but　to　force　his　way　past　Jackson

and　retire　upon　Washington。



Jackson　had　now　the　option　of　falling　back　and　allowing　the

enemy　to　pass；　or　of　withstanding　the　whole　Federal　army　with　his

own　little　force　until　Lee　came　up　to　the　rescue。　　He　chose　the

latter　course；　and　took　up　a　strong　position。　　The　sound　of　firing　at

Thoroughfare　Gap　was　audible；　and　he　knew　that　Longstreet's

division　of　Lee's　army　was　hotly　engaged　with　a　force　which；　now

that　it　was　too　late；　bad　been　sent　to　hold　the　gorge。　　It　was　nearly

sunset　before　Pope　brought　up　his　men　to　the　attack。　Jackson　did

not　stand　on　the　defensive；　but　rushed　down　and　attacked　the

enemy…whose　object　had　been　to　pass　the　position　and　press

on…with　such　vigor　that　at　nine　o'clock　they　fell　back。



An　hour　later　a　horseman　rode　up　with　the　news　that　Longstreet

had　passed　the　Gap　and　was　pressing　on　at　full　speed；　and　in　the

morning　his　forces　were　seen　approaching；　the　line　they　were

taking　bringing　them　up　at　an　angle　to　Jackson's　position。　　Thus

their　formation　as　they　arrived　was　that　of　an　open　V；　and　it　was

through　the　angle　of　this　V　that　Pope　had　to　force　his　way。　　Before

Longstreet　could　arrive；　however；　the　enemy　hurled　themselves

upon　Jackson；　and　for　hours　the　Confederates　held　their　own

against　the　vast　Federal　army；　Longstreet's　force　being　too　far　away

to　lend　them　a　hand。　　Ammunition　failed；　and　the　soldiers　fought

with　piles　of　stones；　but　night　fell　without　any　impression　being

made　upon　these　veterans。　　General　Lee　now　came　up　with

General　Hood's　division；　and　hurled　this　against　the　Federals　and

drove　them　back。　　In　the　evening　Longstreet's　force　took　up　the

position　General　Lee　had　assigned　to　it；　and　in　the　morning　all　the

Confederate　army　had　arrived；　and　the　battle　recommenced。



The　stuggle　was　long　and　terrible；　but　by　nightfall　every　attack　had

been　repulsed；　and　the　Confederates；　advancing　on　all　sides；　drove

the　Northerners；　a　broken　and　confused　crowd；　before　them；　the

darkness　alone　saving　them　from　utter　destruction。　　Had　there　been

but　one　hour　more　of　daylght　the　defeat　would　have　been　as

complete　as　was　that　in　the　battle　of　Bull　Run；　which　had　been

fought　on　precisely　the　same　ground。　　However；　under　cover　of　the

darkness　the　Federals　retreated　to　Centreville；　whence　they　were

driven　on　the　following　day。





In　the　tremendous　fighting　in　which　Jackson's　command　had　for

three　long　days　been　engaged；　the　cavalry　bore　a　comparatively

small　part。　　The　Federal　artillery　was　too　powerful　to　permit　the

employment　of　large　bodies　of　cavalry　and　although　from　time　to

time　charges　were　made　when　an　opportunity　seemed　to　offer

itself；　the　battle　was　fought　out　by　the　infantry　and　artillery。　　When

the　end　came　Jackson's　command　was　for　a　time　hors　de　combat。

During　the　long　two　days'　march　they　had　at　least　gathered　corn

and　apples　to　sustain　＇ife；　but　during　these　three　days'　fighting　they

had　had　no　food　whatever；　and　many　were　so　weak　that　they　could

no　longer　march。



They　had　done　all　that　was　possible　for　men　to　do；　had　for　two

days　withstood　the　attack　of　an　enemy　of　five　times　their　numbers；

and　had　on　the　final　day　borne　their　full　share　in　the　great　struggle；

but　now　the　greater　part　cou＇d　do　no　more；　thousands　of　men　were

unable　to　drag　themselves　a　step　further；　and　Lee's　army　was

reduced　in　strength　for　the　time　by　nearly　20；000　men。　　All　these

afterward　rejoined　it；　some　as　soon　as　they　recovered　limped　away

to　take　their　places　in　the　ranks　again；　others　made　their　way　to　the

depot　at　Warrenton；　where　Lee　had　ordered　that　all　unable　to

accompany　his　force　should　rendezvous　until　he　returned　and　they

were　able　to　rejoin　their　regiments。



Jackson　marched　away　and　laid　siege　to　Harper's　Ferry；　an

important　depot　garrisoned　by　11；000　men；　who　were　forced　to

surrender　just　as　McClellan　with　a　fresh　army；　100；000　strong；

which　was　pressing　forward　to　its　succor；　arrived　within　a　day's

march。　　As　soon　as　Jackson　had　taken　the　place　be　hurried　away

with　his　troops　to　join　Lee；　who　was　facing　the　enemy　at　the

Antictam　river。　Here　upon　the　fellowing　day　another　terrible　battle

was　fought；　the　Confederates；