passages from an old volume of life-第8节
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A cottage of squared logs； filled in with plaster； and whitewashed。 A little yard before it； with a gate swinging。 The door of the cottage ajar；no one visible as yet。 I push open the door and enter。 An old woman； Margaret Kitzmuller her name proves to be； is the first person I see。
〃Captain H。 here？ 〃
〃Oh no； sir；left yesterday morning for Hagerstown；in a milk… cart。〃
The Kitzmuller is a beady…eyed； cheery…looking ancient woman； answers questions with a rising inflection； and gives a good account of the Captain； who got into the vehicle without assistance； and was in excellent spirits。 Of course he had struck for Hagerstown as the terminus of the Cumberland Valley Railroad； and was on his way to Philadelphia； via Chambersburg and Harrisburg； if he were not already in the hospitable home of Walnut Street； where his friends were expecting him。
I might follow on his track or return upon my own； the distance was the same to Philadelphia through Harrisburg as through Baltimore。 But it was very difficult； Mr。 Fay told me； to procure any kind of conveyance to Hagerstown； and； on the other hand； I had James Grayden and his wagon to carry me back to Frederick。 It was not likely that I should overtake the object of my pursuit with nearly thirty…six hours start； even if I could procure a conveyance that day。 In the mean time James was getting impatient to be on his return； according to the direction of his employers。 So I decided to go back with him。
But there was the great battle…field only about three miles from Keedysville； and it was impossible to go without seeing that。 James Grayden's directions were peremptory； but it was a case for the higher law。 I must make a good offer for an extra couple of hours； such as would satisfy the owners of the wagon； and enforce it by a personal motive。 I did this handsomely； and succeeded without difficulty。 To add brilliancy to my enterprise； I invited the Chaplain and the Philanthropist to take a free passage with me。
We followed the road through the village for a space； then turned off to the right； and wandered somewhat vaguely； for want of precise directions； over the hills。 Inquiring as we went； we forded a wide creek in which soldiers were washing their clothes； the name of which we did not then know； but which must have been the Antietam。 At one point we met a party； women among them； bringing off various trophies they had picked up on the battlefield。 Still wandering along； we were at last pointed to a hill in the distance； a part of the summit of which was covered with Indian corn。 There； we were told； some of the fiercest fighting of the day had been done。 The fences were taken down so as to make a passage across the fields； and the tracks worn within the last few days looked like old roads。 We passed a fresh grave under a tree near the road。 A board was nailed to the tree； bearing the name； as well as I could make it out； of Gardiner； of a New Hampshire regiment。
On coming near the brow of the hill； we met a party carrying picks and spades。 〃How many？ 〃Only one。〃 The dead were nearly all buried； then； in this region of the field of strife。 We stopped the wagon； and； getting out； began to look around us。 Hard by was a large pile of muskets； scores； if not hundreds； which had been picked up； and were guarded for the Government。 A long ridge of fresh gravel rose before us。 A board stuck up in front of it bore this inscription； the first part of which was； I believe； not correct： 〃The Rebel General Anderson and 80 Rebels are buried in this hole。〃 Other smaller ridges were marked with the number of dead lying under them。 The whole ground was strewed with fragments of clothing； haversacks； canteens； cap…boxes； bullets； cartridge…boxes； cartridges； scraps of paper； portions of bread and meat。 I saw two soldiers' caps that looked as though their owners had been shot through the head。 In several places I noticed dark red patches where a pool of blood had curdled and caked； as some poor fellow poured his life out on the sod。 I then wandered about in the cornfield。 It surprised me to notice； that； though there was every mark of hard fighting having taken place here； the Indian corn was not generally trodden down。 One of our cornfields is a kind of forest； and even when fighting； men avoid the tall stalks as if they were trees。 At the edge of this cornfield lay a gray horse； said to have belonged to a Rebel colonel； who was killed near the same place。 Not far off were two dead artillery horses in their harness。 Another had been attended to by a burying…party； who had thrown some earth over him but his last bed… clothes were too short； and his legs stuck out stark and stiff from beneath the gravel coverlet。 It was a great pity that we had no intelligent guide to explain to us the position of that portion of the two armies which fought over this ground。 There was a shallow trench before we came to the cornfield； too narrow for a road； as I should think； too elevated for a water…course； and which seemed to have been used as a rifle…pit。 At any rate； there had been hard fighting in and about it。 This and the cornfield may serve to identify the part of the ground we visited； if any who fought there should ever look over this paper。 The opposing tides of battle must have blended their waves at this point； for portions of gray uniform were mingled with the 〃garments rolled in blood〃 torn from our own dead and wounded soldiers。 I picked up a Rebel canteen； and one of our own；but there was something repulsive about the trodden and stained relics of the stale battle…field。 It was like the table of some hideous orgy left uncleared； and one turned away disgusted from its broken fragments and muddy heeltaps。 A bullet or two； a button； a brass plate from a soldier's belt； served well enough for mementos of my visit； with a letter which I picked up； directed to Richmond； Virginia； its seal unbroken。 〃N。 C。 Cleveland County。 E。 Wright to J。 Wright。〃 On the other side； 〃A few lines from W。 L。 Vaughn。〃 who has just been writing for the wife to her husband； and continues on his own account。 The postscript； 〃tell John that nancy's folks are all well and has a verry good Little Crop of corn a growing。〃 I wonder； if； by one of those strange chances of which I have seen so many； this number or leaf of the 〃Atlantic〃 will not sooner or later find its way to Cleveland County； North Carolina； and E。 Wright； widow of James Wright； and Nancy's folks； get from these sentences the last glimpse of husband and friend as he threw up his arms and fell in the bloody cornfield of Antietam？ I will keep this stained letter for them until peace comes back； if it comes in my time； and my pleasant North Carolina Rebel of the Middletown Hospital will； perhaps look these poor people up； and tell them where to send for it。
On the battle…field I parted with my two companions； the Chaplain and the Philanthropist。 They were going to the front； the one to find his regiment； the other to look for those who needed his assistance。 We exchanged cards and farewells； I mounted the wagon； the horses' heads were turned homewards； my two companions went their way； and I saw them no more。 On my way back； I fell into talk with James Grayden。 Born in England； Lancashire； in this country since be was four years old。 Had nothing to care for but an old mother； didn't know what he should do if he lost her。 Though so long in this country； he had all the simplicity and childlike lightheartedness which belong to the Old World's people。 He laughed at the smallest pleasantry； and showed his great white English teeth； he took a joke without retorting by an impertinence； he had a very limited curiosity about all that was going on； he had small store of information； he lived chiefly in his horses； it seemed to me。 His quiet animal nature acted as a pleasing anodyne to my recurring fits of anxiety； and I liked his frequent 〃'Deed I don't know； sir。〃 better than I have sometimes relished the large discourse of professors and other very wise men。
I have not much to say of the road which we were travelling for the second time。 Reaching Middletown； my first call was on the wounded Colonel and his lady。 She gave me a most touching account of all the suffering he had gone through with his shattered limb before he succeeded in finding a shelter； showing the terrible want of proper means of transportation of the wounded after the battle。 It occurred to me； while at this house； that I was more or less famished； and for the first time in my life I begged for a meal； which the kind family with whom the Colonel was staying most graciously furnished me。
After tea； there came in a stout army surgeon； a Highlander by birth； educated in Edinburgh； with whom I had pleasant； not unstimulating talk。 He had been brought very close to that immane and nefandous Burke…and…Hare business which made the blood of civilization run cold in the year 1828； and told me； in a very calm way； with an occasional pinch from the mull； to refresh his memory； some of the details of those frightful murders； never rivalled in horror until the wretch Dumollard； who kept a private cemetery for his victims； was dragged into the light of
