with lee in virginia-第63章

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That　evening　the　two　young　officers　started　for　the　front；　and　the

next　morning　the　Richmond　papers　came　oat　with　a　sensational

heading；　〃Alleged　Gross　Act　of　Treachery　and　Ingratitude　by　a

Confederate　Officer。〃



It　was　the　10th　of　December　when　Vincent　joined　the　army　at

Fredericksburg。　　He　reported　himself　to　General　Stuart；　who

received　him　with　great　cordiality。



〃You　are　just　in　time；　Wingfield；〃　he　said。　　〃I　believe　that　in

another　twenty…four　hours　the　battle　will　be　fought。　They　have　for

the　last　two　days　been　moving　about　in　front；　and　apparently　want

us　to　believe　that　they　intend　to　cross　somewhere　below　the　town；

but　all　the　news　we　get　from　our　spies　is　to　the　effect　that　these　are

only　feints　and　that　they　intend　to　throw　a　bridge　across　here。　　We

know；　anyhow；　they　have　got　two　trains　concealed　opposite；　near

the　river。　　Burnside　is　likely　to　find　it　a　hard　nut　to　crack。　　Of

course　they　are　superior　in　number　to　us；　as　they　always　are；　but　as

we　have　always　beat　them　well　on　level　ground　I　do　not　think　their

chances　of　getting　up　these　heights　are　by　any　means　hopeful。　

Then；　too；　their　change　of　commanders　is　against　them。　

McClellan　fought　a　drawn　battle　against　us　at　Antietam　and

showed　himself　a　really　able　general　in　the　operations　in　front　of

Richmond。　　The　army　have　confidence　in　him；　and　he　is　by　far　the

best　man　they　have　got　so　far；　but　the　fools　at　Washington　have

now　for　the　second　time　displaced　him　because　they　are　jealous　of

him。　　Burnside　has　shown　himself　a　good　man　in　minor

commands；　but　I　don't　think　he　is　equal　to　command　such　a　vast

army　as　this；　and　besides；　we　know　from　our　friends　at

Washington　that　he　has　protested　against　this　advance　across　the

river；　but　has　been　overruled。　　You　will　see　Fredericksburg　will

add　another　to　the　long　list　of　our　victories。〃



Vincent　shared　a　tent　with　another　officer　of　the　same　rank　in

General　Stuart's　staff。　　They　sat　chatting　till　late；　and　it　was　still

dark　when　they　were　suddenly　aroused　by　an　outbreak　of　musketry

down　at　the　river。



〃The　general　was　right；〃　Captain　Longmore；　Vincent's　companion；

exclaimed。　　〃They　are　evidently　throwing　a　bridge　across　the　river；

and　the　fire　we　hear　comes　from　two　regiments　of　Mississippians

who　are　posted　down　in　the　town　under　Barksdale。〃



It　was　but　the　work　of　a　minute　to　throw　on　their　clothes　and　hurry

out。　　The　night　was　dark　and　a　heavy　fog　hung　over　the　river。　　A

perfect　roar　of　musketry　came　up　from　the　valley。　　Drums　and

bugles　were　sounding　all　along　the　crest。　　At　the　same　moment

they　issued　out　General　Stuart　came　out　from　his　tent；　which　was

close　by。



〃Is　that　you；　Longmore？　Jump　on　your　horse　and　ride　down　to　the

town。　　Bring　back　news　of　what　is　going　on。〃



A　few　minutes　later　an　officer　rode　up。　　Some　wood　had　been

thrown　on　the　fire；　and　by　its　light　Vincent　recognized　Stonewall

Jackson。



〃Have　you　any　news　for　us？〃　he　asked。



〃Not　yet；　I　have　sent　an　officer　down　to　inquire。　　The　enemy　have

been　trying　to　bridge　the　river。



〃I　suppose　so；〃　Jackson　replied。　　〃I　have　ordered　one　of　my

brigades　to　come　to　the　head　of　the　bank　as　soon　as　they　can　be

formed　up；　to　help　Barksdale　if　need　be；　but　I　don't　want　to　take

them　down　into　the　town。　　It　is　commanded　by　all　the　hills　on　the

opposite　side；　and　we　know　they　have　brought　up　also　all　their

artillery　there。〃



In　a　few　minutes　Captain　Lougmore　returned。



〃The　enemy　have　thrown　two　pontoon　bridges　across；　one　above

and　one　below　the　old　railway　bridge。　　The　Mississippians　have

driven　them　back　once；　but　they　are　pushing　on　the　work　and　will

soon　get　it　finished；　but　General　Barksdale　bids　me　report　that

with　the　force　at　his　command　he　can　repulse　any　attempt　to

cross。〃



The　light　was　now　breaking　in　the　east；　but　the　roar　of　musketry

continued　under　the　canopy　of　fog。　　General　Lee；　Longstreet；　and

others　had　now　arrived　upon　the　spot；　and　Vincent　was　surprised

that　no　orders　were　issued　for　troops　to　reinforce　those　under

General　Barksdale。　Presently　the　sun　rose；　and　as　it　gained　in

power　the　fog　slowly　lifted；　and　it　was　seen　that　the　two　pontoon

bridges　were　complete；　but　the　fire　of　the　Mississippians　was　so

heavy　that　although　the　enemy　several　times　attempted　to　cross

they　recoiled　before　it。　　Suddenly　a　gun　was　fired　from　the

opposite　height；　and　at　the　signal　more　than　a　hundred　pieces　of

artillery　opened　fire　upon　the　town。　Many　of　the　inhabitants　had

left　as　soon　as　the　musketry　fire　began；　but　the　slopes　behind　it

soon　presented　a　sad　spectacle。　　Men；　women；　and　chihlren　poured

out　from　the　town；　bewildered　with　the　din　and　terrified　by　the

storm　of　shot　and　shell　that　crashed　into　it。　　Higher　and　higher　the

crowd　of　fugitives　made　their　way　until　they　reached　the　crest；

among　them　were　weeping　women　and　crying　children；　many　of

them　in　the　scantiest　attire　and　carrying　such　articles　of　dress　and

valuables　as　they　had　caught　up　when　startled　by　the　terrible　rain

of　missiles。　　In　a　very　few　minutes　smoke　began　to　rise　over　the

town；　followed　by　tongues　of　flame；　and　in　half　an　hour　the　place

was　on　fire　in　a　score　of　places。



All　day　the　bombardment　went　on　without　cessation　and

Fredericksburg　crumbled　into　ruins。　　Still；　in　spite　of　this　terrible

fire　the　Mississippians　clung　to　the　burning　town　amid　crashing

walls；　falling　chimneys；　and　shells　exploding　in　every　direction。　

As　night　fell　the　enemy　poured　across　the　bridges；　and　Barksdale；

contesting　every　foot　of　ground；　fell　back　through　the　burning　city

and　took　up　a　position　behind　a　stone　wall　in　its　rear。



Throughout　the　day　not　a　single　shot　had　been　fired　by　the

Confederate　artillery；　which　was　very　inferior　in　power　to　that　of

the　enemy。　　As　General　Lee　had　no　wish　finally　to　hinder　the

passage　of　the　Federals；　the　stubborn　resistance　of　Barksdale's

force　being　only　intended　to　give　him　time　to　concentrate　all　his

army　as　soon　as　he　knew　for　certain　the　point　at　which　the　enemy

was　going　to　cross；　and　he　did　not　wish；　therefore；　to　risk　the

destruction　of　any　of　his　batteries　by　calling　down　the　Federal　fire

upon　them。



During　the　day　the　troops　were　all　brought　up　into　position。　

Longstreet　was　on　the　left　and　Jackson　on　the　right；　while　the　guns；

forty…seven　in　number；　were　in　readiness　to　take　up　their　post　in

the　morning　on　the　slopes　in　front　of　them。　On　the　extreme　right

General　Stuart　was　posted　with　his　cavalry　and　horse　artillery。　　The

night　passed　quietly　and　by　daybreak　the　troops　were　all　drawn　up

in　their　positions。



As　soon　as　the　sun　rose　it　was　seen　that　during　the　night　the　enemy

had　thrown　more　bridges　across　and　that　the　greater　portion　of　the

army　was　already　over。　　They　were；　indeed；　already　in　movement

against　the　Confederate　position；　their　attack　being　directed

toward　the　portion　of　the　line　held　by　Jackson's　division。　　General

Stuart　gave　orders　to　Major　Pelham；　who　commanded　his　horse

artillery；　and　who　immediately　brought　up　the　guns　and　began　the

battle　by　opening　fire　on　the　flank　of　the　enemy。　　The　guns　of　the

Northern　batteries　at　once　replied；　and　for　some　hours　the　artillery

duel　continued；　the　Federal　guns　doing　heavy　execution。　　For　a

time　attacks　were　threatened　from　various　points；　but　about　ten

o'clock；　when　the　fog　lifted；　a　mass　of　some　55；000　troops

advanced　against　Jack　son。　　They　were　suffered　to　come　within

800　yards　before　a　gun　was　fired；　and　then　fourteen　guns　opened

upon　then　with　such　effect　that　they　fell　back　in　confusion。



At　one　o'clock　another　attempt　was　made；　covered　by　a

tremendous　fire　of　artillery。　　For　a　time　the　columns　of　attack　were

kept　at　bay　by　the　fire　of　the　Confederate　batteries；　but　they

advanced　with　great　resolution；　pushed　their　way　through　Jackson's

first　line；　and　forced　them　to　fall　back。　　Jackson　brought　up　his

second　line　and　drove　the　enemy　back　with　great　slaughter　un