with lee in virginia-第64章

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second　line　and　drove　the　enemy　back　with　great　slaughter　until

his　advance　was　checked　by　the　fire　of　the　Northern　artillery。



All　day　the　fight　went　on；　the　Federals　attempting　to　crush　the

Confederate　artillery　by　the　weight　of　their　fire　in　order　that　their

infantry　columns　might　again　advance。　But　although　outnumbered

by　more　than　two　to　one　the　Confederate　guns　were　worked　with

great　resolution；　and　the　day　passed　and　darkness　begun　to　fall

without　their　retiring　from　the　positions　they　had　taken　up。'　Just　at

sunset　General　Stuart　ordered　all　the　batteries　on　the　right　to

advance。　　This　they　did　and　opened　their　fire　on　the　Northern

infantry　with　such　effect　that　these　fell　back　to　the　position　near

the　town　that　they　had　occupied　in　the　morning。



On　the　left　an　equally　terrible　battle　had　raged　all　day；　but　here　the

Northern　troops　were　compelled　to　cross　open　ground　between　the

town　and　the　base　of　the　hill；　and　suffered　so　terribly　from　the　fire

that　they　never　succeeded　in　reaching　the　Confederate　front。　

Throughout　the　day　the　Confederates　held　their　position　with　such

ease　that　General　Lee　considered　the　affair　as　nothing　more　than　a

demonstration　of　force　to　feel　his　position；　and　expected　an　even

sterner　battle　on　the　following　day。　　Jackson's　first　and　second

lines；　composed　of　less　than　15；000　men；　had　repulsed　without

difficulty　the　divisions　of　Franklin　and　Hooker；　55；000　strong；

while　Longstreet　with　about　the　same　force　had　never　been　really

pressed　by　the　enemy；　although　on　that　side　they　had　a　force　of

over　50；000　men。



In　the　morning　the　Northern　army　was　seen　drawn　up　in　battle

array　as　if　to　advance　for　fresh　assault；　but　no　movement　was

made。　　General　Burnside　was　in　favor　of　a　fresh　attack；　but　the

generals　commanding　the　various　divisions　felt　that　their　troops；

after　the　repulse　the　day　before；　were　not　equal　to　the　work；　and

were　unanimously　of　opinion　that　a　second　assault　should　not　be

attempted。　After　remaining　for　some　hours　in　order　of　battle　they

fell　back　into　the　town　and　two　days　later　the　whole　army

recrossed　the　Rappahannook　River。　　The　loss　of　the　Confederates

was　1；800　men；　who　were　for　the　most　part　killed　or　wounded　by

the　enemy's　artillery；　while　the　Federal　loss　was　no　less　than

13；771。　General　Burnside　soon　afterward　resigned　his　command；

and　General　Hooker；　an　officer　of　the　same　politics　as　the

president　and　his　advisers；　was　appointed　to　succeed　him。



The　cavalry　had　not　been　called　upon　to　act　during　the　day；　and

Vincent's　duties　were　confined　to　carrying　orders　to　the

commanders　of　the　various　batteries　of　artillery　posted　in　that　part

of　the　field；　as　these　had　all　been　placed　under　General　Stuart's

orders。　　He　had　many　narrow　escapes　by　shot　and　fragments　of

shells；　but　passed　through　the　day　uninjured。



General　Lee　has　been　blamed　for　not　taking　advantage　of　his

victory　and　falling　upon　the　Federals　on　the　morning　after　the

battle；　but　although　such　an　assault　might　possibly　have　been

successful　he　was　conscious　of　his　immense　inferiority　in　force；

and　his　troops　would　have　been　compelled　to　have　advanced　to　the

attack　across　ground　completely　swept　by　the　fire　of　the

magnificently　served　Northern　artillery　posted　upon　their

commanding　heights。　　He　was　moreover　ignorant　of　the　full　extent

of　the　loss　he　had　inflicted　upon　the　enemy；　and　expected　a

renewed　attack　by　them。　　He　was　therefore；　doubtless；　unwilling　to

risk　the　results　of　the　victory　he　had　gained　and　of　the　victory　he

expected　to　gain　should　the　enemy　renew　their　attack；　by　a

movement　which　might　not　be　successful；　and　which　would　at　any

rate　have　cost　him　a　tremendous　loss　of　men；　and　men　were

already　becoming　scarce　in　the　Confederacy。



As　soon　as　the　enemy　had　fon　back　across　the　river　and　it　was

certain　that　there　was　little　chance　of　another　forward　movement

on　their　part　for　a　considerable　time；　Vincent　showed　to　General

Stuart　the　permit　he　had　received　to　return　home　until　the　spring

on　leave；　and　at　once　received　the　general's　permission　to　retire

from　the　staff　for　a　time。



He　had　not　been　accompanied　by　Dan　on　his　railway　journey　to　the

front；　having　left　him　behind　with　instructions　to　endeavor　by

every　means　to　find　some　clew　as　to　the　direction　in　which　Dinah

had　been　carried　off。　　He　telegraphed　on　his　way　home　the　news　of

his　coming；　and　found　Dan　at　the　station　waiting　for　him。



〃Well；　Dan；　have　you　obtained　any　news？〃　he　asked　as　soon　as　his

horse　had　been　removed　from　its　box；　and　he　had　mounted　and　at　a

foot…pace　left　the　station；　with　Dan　walking　beside　him。



〃No；　sah；　I　hab　done　my　best；　but　I　cannot　find　out　anyting。　　The

niggers　at　Jackson's　all　say　dat　no　strangers　hab　been　there　wid　do

old　man　for　a　long　time　before　de　day　dat　Dinah　was　carried　off。　　I

have　been　over　dar；　massa；　and　hab　talked　wid　the　hands　at　do

house。　　Dey　all　say　dat　no　one　been　dere　for　a　month。　　Me　sure　dat

doy　no　tell　a　lie　about　it；　because　doy　all　hate　Massa　Jackson　like

pison。　　Den　de　lawyer；　he　am　put　do　advertisement　you　told　him　in

the　papers：　Five　hundred　dollars　to　whoever　would　give

information　about　do　carrying　off　of　a　female　slave　from　Missy

Wingfiold；　or　dat　would　lead　to　de　discovery　of　her　hiding…place。　

But　no　answer　come。　　Me　heard　Missy　Wingfield　say　so　last

night。〃



〃That's　bad；　Dan；　but　I　hardly　expected　anything　better。　　I　felt　sure

the　old　fox　would　have　taken　every　precaution；　knowing　what　a

serious　business　it　would　be　for　him　if　it　were　found　out。　　Now　I

am　back　I　will　take　the　matter　up　myself；　and　we　will　see　what　we

can　do。　　I　wish　I　could　have　set　about　it　the　day　after　she　was

carried　away。　　It　is　more　than　a　fortnight　ago　now；　and　that　will

make　it　much　more　difficult　than　it　would　have　been　bad　it　been

begun　at　once。〃



〃Well；　Vincent；　so　you　have　come　back　to　us　undamaged　this

time；〃　his　mother　said　after　the　first　greeting。　〃We　wore　very

anxious　when　the　news　came　that　a　great　battle　had　been　fought

last　Friday；　but　when　we　heard　the　next　morning　the　enemy　had

been　repulsed　so　easily　we　wore　not　so　anxious；　although　it　was

not　until　this　morning　that　the　list　of　killed　and　wounded　was

published；　and　our　minds　set　at　rest〃



〃No；　mother；　it　was　a　tremendous　artillery　battle；　but　it　was　a　little

more　than　that…at　least　on　our　side。　　But　I　have　never　heard

anything　at　all　like　it　from　sunrise　to　sunset。　　But；　after　all；　an

artillery　fire　is　more　frightening　than　dangerous；　except　at

comparatively　close　quarters。　The　enemy　must　have　fired　at　least

fifty　shots　for　every　man　that　was　hit。　　I　counted　several　times；　and

there　wore　fully　a　hundred　shots　a　minute；　and　I　don't　think　it

lessened　much　the　whole　day。　　I　should　think　they　must　have　fired

two　or　three　hundred　rounds　at　least　from　each　gun。　　The　roar　was

incessant；　and　what　with　the　din　they　made；　and　the　replies　of　our

own　artillery；　and　the　bursting　of　shells；　and　the　rattle　of　musketry；

the　din　at　times　was　almost　bewildering。　　Wildfire　was　hit　with　a

piece　of　shell；　but　fortunately　it　was　not　a　very　large　one；　and　he　is

not　much　the　worse　for　it；　but　the　shock　knocked　him　off　his　legs；

of　course　I　went　down　with　him；　and　thought　for　a　moment　I　had

been　hit　myself　　No；　it　was　by　far　the　most　hollow　affair　we　have

had。　　The　enemy　fought　obstinately　enough；　but　without　the

slightest　spirit　or　dash；　and　only　once　did　they　get　up　anywhere

near　our　line；　and　then　they　wont　back　a　good　deal　quicker　than

they　came。〃



〃And　now　you　are　going　to　be　with　us　for　three　months；　Vincent？〃



I　hope　so；　mother；　at　least　if　they　do　not　advance　again。　　I　shall　be

here　off　and　on。　　I　mean　to　find　Dinah　Morris　if　it　is　possible；　and

if　I　can　obtain　the　slightest　clew　I　shall　follow　it　up　and　go

wherever　it　may　lead　me。〃



〃Well；　we　will　spare　you　for　that；　Vincent。　　As　you　know；　I　did

not　like　your　mixing　yourself　up　in　that　business　two