the red acorn-第48节

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！


　it。　　While　she　sat　for　a　minute　there　she　heard　some　cocks；　at　a　neighboring　farm…house；　crow　the　turn　of　night。

〃It　is　midnight；〃　she　said　feverishly；　〃and　I　have　only　begun　the　journey。　　Now　let　every　nerve　and　muscle　do　its　utmost。〃

She　rode　along　the　fence　until　she　came　to　an　opening　which　led　into　what　appeared　in　the　darkness　to　be　another　cotton　field；　but　proved　to　be　a　worn…out　one；　long　ago　abandoned　to　the　rank…growing　briars；　which　clung　to　and　tore　her　skirts；　and　seamed　the　mare's　delicate　skin　with　bleeding　furrows。　　The　flinching　brute　pressed　onward；　in　response　to　her　mistress's　encouragement；　but　the　progress　was　grievously　slow。

Presently　Rachel　began　to　see　moving　figures　a　little　way　ahead　of　her；　and　hear　voices　in　command。　　She　eralized　that　she　was　approaching　the　forces　moving　to　the　attack　on　the　Union　right。　There　was　something　grotesque；　weird；　even　frightful　in　the　sounds　and　the　aspect　of　the　moving　masses　and　figures；　but　she　at　last　made　out　that　they　were　batteries；　regiments　and　mounted　men。　　She　decided　that　her　best　course　was　to　mingle　with　and　move　along　with　them；　until　she　could　get　a　chance　to　ride　away　in　advance。　　For　hours　that　seemed　weeks　she　remained　entangled　in　the　slow…moving　mass；　whose　bewildering　vagaries　of　motion　were　as　trying　to　the　endurance　of　her　steed　as　they　were　exasperating　to　her　own　impatience。　Occasionally　she　caught　glimpses　of　the　Union　camp…fires　in　the　distance；　that；　low　and　smoldering；　told　of　the　waning　night；　and　she　would　look　anxiously　over　her　left　shoulder　for　a　hint　of　the　coming　of　the　dreaded　dawn。　　Her　mare　terrified　her　with　symptoms　of　giving　out。

At　last　she　saw　an　unmistakable　silvery　break　in　the　eastern　clouds。　　Half…frantic　she　broke　suddenly　out　of　the　throng　by　an　abrupt　turn　to　the　right；　and　lashing　her　mare　savagely；　galloped　where　a　graying　in　the　dense　darkness　showed　an　opening　between　two　cedar　thickets；　that　led　to　the　picket…fires；　half　a　mile　away。　The　mare's　hoofs　beat　sonorously　on　the　level　limestone　floor；　which　there　frequently　rises　through　the　shallow　soil　and　starves　out　the　cedar。

〃Halt！　　Go　back；〃　commanded　a　hoarse　voice　in　front　of　her；　which　was　accompanied　with　the　clicking　of　a　gunlock。　　〃Ye　can't　pass　heah。〃

〃Lemme　pass；　Mister；〃　she　pleaded。　　〃I'm　on'y　a　gal；　with　medicine　fur　my　mammy；　an'　I'm　powerful　anxious　ter　git　home。〃

〃No；　ye　can't　git　out　heah。　　Orders　are　strict；　besides；　ef　ye　did　the　Yankees　'd　cotch　ye。　　They're　jest　out　thar。〃

She　became　aware　that　there　were　heavy　lines　of　men　lying　near；　and　fearing　to　say　another　word；　she　turned　and　rode　away　to　the　left。　　She　became　entagled　with　a　cavalry　company　moving　toward　the　extreme　Union　right；　and　riding　with　it　several　hundred　yards；　turned　off　into　a　convenient　grove　just　as　the　light　began　to　be　sufficient　to　distinguish　her　from　a　trooper。　　She　was　now；　she　was　sure；　outside　of　the　Rebel　lines；　but　she　had　gone　far　to　the　south；　where　the　two　lines　were　wide　apart。　　The　Union　fifes　and　drums；　now　sounding　what　seemed　an　unsuspicous　and　cheerful　reveille；　were　apparently　at　least　a　mile　away。　　It　was　growing　lighter　rapidly；　and　every　passing　moment　was　fraught　with　the　weightiest　urgency。　She　concentrated　all　her　energies　for　a　supreme　effort；　and　lashed　her　mare　forward　over　the　muddy　cotton…field。　　The　beast's　hoofs　sank　in　the　loose　red　loam；　as　if　it　were　quicksand；　and　her　pace　was　maddeningly　slow。　　At　last　Rachel　came　in　sight　of　a　Union　camp　at　the　edge　of　a　cedar　thicket。　　The　arms　were　stacked；　the　men　were　cooking　breakfast；　and　a　battery　of　cannon　standing　near　had　no　horses　attached。

Rachel　beat　the　poor　mare's　flanks　furiously；　and　shouted。

〃Turn　out！　　The　Rebels　are　coming！　　The　Rebels　are　coming！〃

Her　warning　came　too　late。　　Too　late；　also；　came　that　of　the　pickets；　who　were　firing　their　guns　and　rushing　back　to　camp　before　an　awful　wave　of　men　that　had　rolled　out　of　the　cedars　on　the　other　side　of　the　cotton　field。

A　hundred　boisterous　drums　were　now　making　the　thickets　ring　with　the　〃long　roll。〃　　Rachel　saw　the　men　in　front　of　her　leave　their　coffee…making；　rush　to　the　musket　stacks　and　take　their　places　in　line。　　In　another　minute　they　were　ordered　forward　to　the　fence　in　front　of　them；　upon　which　they　rested　their　muskets。　　Rachel　rode　through　their　line　and　turned　around　to　look。　　The　broad　cotton　field　was　covered　with　solid　masses　of　Rebels；　rushing　forward　with　their　peculiar　fierce　yell。

〃Fire！〃　shouted　the　Colonel　in　front　of　her。　　The　six　field…pieces　to　her　right　split　her　ears　with　their　crash。　　A　thousand　muskets　blazed　out　a　fire　that　withered　the　first　line　of　the　advancing　foe。　　Another　crash；　and　the　Rebels　had　answered　with　musketry　and　artillery；　that　tore　the　cedars　around　her；　sent　the　fencerails　flying　into　the　air；　and　covered　the　ground　with　blue…coats。　　Her　faithful　mare　shied；　caught　her　hoof　in　a　crack　in　the　limestone；　and　fell　with　a　broken　leg。

So　began　that　terrible　Wednesday；　December　31；　1862。

Bragg's　plan　of　battle　was　very　simple。　　Rosencrans　had　stretched　out　a　long　thin　wing　through　the　cedars　to　the　right　of　the　pike。　At　the　pike　it　was　very　strong；　but　two　miles　away　it　degenerated　into　scattered　regiments；　unskilfully　disposed。　　Bragg　threw　against　these　three　or　four　to　one；　with　all　the　fury　of　the　Southern　soldier　in　the　onset。　　The　line　was　crumbled；　and　before　noon　crushed　back　to　the　pike。

Rachel　disengaged　herself　from　her　fallen　steed；　and　leaning　against　a　sapling；　watched　the　awful　collision。　　She　forgot　the　great　danger　in　the　fascination　of　the　terrible　spectacle。　　She　thought　she　had　seen　men　scale　the　whole　gamut　of　passion；　but　their　wildest　excesses　were　tame　and　frothy　beside　this　ecstacy　of　rage　in　the　fury　of　battle。　　The　rustic　Southerners　whom　she　had　seen　at　ball…play；　the　simple…hearted　Northerners　whom　she　had　alarmed　at　their　coffee…making；　were　now　transformed　into　furies　mad　with　the　delirium　of　slaughter；　and　heedless　of　their　own　lives　in　the　frenzy　of　taking　those　of　others。

〃You　had　better　run　back；　young　woman；〃　said　some　one　touching　her　elbow。　　〃The　whole　line's　going　to　fall　back。　　We're　flanked。〃

A　disorderly　stream　of　men；　fragments　of　the　shattered　right；　caught　her　in　its　rush；　and　she　was　borne　back　to　the　open　fields　lying　along　the　pike。　　There；　as　when　a　turbulent　river　empties　into　a　bay；　the　force　of　the　current　subsided；　and　she　was　dropped　like　silt。　　The　cowardly　ones；　hatless　and　weaponless；　ran　off　toward　the　pike；　but　the　greater　portion　halted；　formed　in　line；　called　for　their　comrades　to　join　them；　and　sent　for　more　cartridges。

Almost　dropping　with　fatigue；　Rachel　made　her　way　to　a　pile　of　cracker…boxes　by　an　Osage…orange　hedge；　on　a　knoll；　and　sat　down。　Some　fragments　of　hard…bread；　dropped　on　the　trampled　sod　while　rations　were　being　issued；　lay　around。　　She　was　so　hungry　that　she　picked　up　one　or　two　that　were　hardly　soiled；　and　nibbled　them。

The　dreadful　clamor　of　battle　grew　louder　continually。　　The　musketry　had　swollen　into　a　sullen　roar；　with　the　artillery　pulsating　high　above　it。　　Crashing　vollies　of　hundreds　of　muskets　fired　at　once；　told　of　new　regiments　joining　in　the　struggle。　　Rebel　brigades　raised　piercing　treble　yells　as　they　charged　across　the　open　fields　against　the　Union　positions。　　The　latter　responded　with　deep…lunged　cheers；　as　they　hurled　their　assailants　back。　　Clouds　of　slowly　curling　smoke　rose　above　thickets　filled　with　maddened　men；　firing　into　one　another's　breasts。　　Swarms　of　rabbits　and　flocks　of　birds　dashed　out　in　terror　from　the　dark　coverts　in　which　they　had　hitherto　found　security。

No　gallantry　could　avail　against　such　overwhelming　numbers　as　assailed　the　Union　right。　　The　stream　of　disorganized　men　flowing　back　from　the　thickets　became　wider　and　swifter　every　minute；　every　minute；　too；　the　din　of　the　conflict　came　closer；　every　minute　the　tide　of　battle　rolled　on　to　regiments　lying　nearer　the　pike。

A　Surgeon　with　a　squad　of　stretcher…bearers　came　up　to　where　Rachel　was　sitting。

〃Pull　down　some　of　those　boxes；　and　fix　a　place　to　lay　the　Colonel　till　we　can　make　other　arrangements；〃　said　a　familiar　voice。　　Rachel　looked　up；　and　with　some　difficulty　reconciled　a　grimy…faced　man　in　torn　clothes　with　the　trim　Hospital　Surgeon　she　had　known。

〃Can　that　be　you；　Dr。　Denslow？〃　she　said。

He　had　equal　difficulty　in　recognizing　her。

〃Is　it　possible　that　it　is　you；　Miss　Bond？〃　he　said　in　amazement；　after　she　had　spoken　to　him　again。　　〃Yes；　this　is　I；　or　as　much　as　is　left　of　me。　　And　here；〃　and　his　voice　trembled；　〃is　about　all　that　is　left　of　the　regiment。　　The　rest　are　lying　about　the　roots　of　those　accursed　cedars；　a　full　mile　from　here。〃

〃And　Harry　Glenwhere　is　he？〃　she　said；　rising　hurriedly　from　the　boxes　and　passing　along　the　line　of　stretchers；　scanning　each　face。

A　new　pain　appeared　in　the　Doctor's　face；　as　he　watched　her。

〃You'll　not　find　him　there；〃　he　said。　　〃The　last　I　saw　of　him　he　was　forming　a　handful　of　the　regiment　that　were　still　on　their　feet；　to　retake　cannon　which　the　Rebels　had　captured。　　I　was　starting　off　with　the　Colonel　here；　when　they　dashed　away。〃

〃Come；〃　he　said；　after　making　some　temporary　provisions　for　t