with lee in virginia-第31节

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upon　by　slaves；　and　their　only　exercise　had　been　riding。　　For

months　now　they　had　almost　lived　in　the　saddle；　had　slept　in　the

open　air；　and　had　thought　themselves　lucky　if　they　could　obtain　a

sufficient　meal　of　the　roughest　food　to　satisfy　their　hunger　once　a

day。　　In　this　respect；　however；　the　cavalry　were　better　off　than　their

comrades　of　the　infantry；　for　scouting　as　they　did　in　small　parties

over　a　wide　extent　of　country；　they　were　sure　of　a　meal　and　a

hearty　welcome　whenever　they　could　spare　time　to　stop　for　half　an

hour　at　the　house　of　a　farmer。



〃It's　a　glorious　life；　Wingfield！　When　we　chatted　over　the　future　at

school　we　never　dreamed　of　such　a　life　as　this；　though　some　of　us

did　talk　of　entering　the　army；　but　even　then　an　occasional　skirmish

with　Indians　was　the　limit　of　our　ideas。〃



〃Yes；　it　is　a　glorious　life！〃　Vincent　agreed。　　〃I　cannot　imagine

anything　more　exciting。　　Of　course；　there　is　the　risk　of　being　shot；

but　somehow　one　never　seems　to　think　of　that。　　There　is　always

something　to　do　and　to　think　about；　from　the　time　one　starts　on　a

scout　at　daybreak　to　that　when　one　lies　down　at　night　one's　senses

are　on　the　stretch。　　Besides；　we　are　fighting　in　defense　of　our

country　and　not　merely　as　a　profession；　though　I　don't　suppose；

after　all；　that　makes　much　difference　when　one　is　once　in　for　it。　

As　far　as　I　have　read　all　soldiers　enjoy　campaigning；　and　it　does

not　seem　to　make　any　difference　to　them　who　are　the　foe　or　what

they　are　fighting　about。　　But　I　should　like　to　feel　a　little　more　sure

that　we　shall　win　in　the　long　run。〃



There　was　a　chorus　of　indignant　protests　against　there　being　any

possible　doubts　as　to　the　issue。



〃Why；　we　have　thrashed　them　every　time　we　have　met　them；

Wingfield。〃



〃That　is　all　very　well；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃Here　in　Virginia　we　have

held　our　own；　and　more　than　held　it。　　We　have　beat　back　Scott　and

McClellan；　and　now　we　have　thrashed　Pope；　and　Stonewall

Jackson　has　won　a　dozen　battles　in　Western　Virginia。　　But　you

must　remember　that　in　other　parts　they　are　gradually　closing　in；　all

the　ports　not　already　taken　are　closely　blockaded；　they　are　pushing

all　along　the　lines　of　the　great　rivers；　and　worst　of　all；　they　can　fill

up　their　vacancies　with　Irishmen　and　Germans；　and　as　fast　as　one

army　disappears　another　takes　its　place。　　I　believe　we　shall　heat

them　again　and　again；　and　shall　prove；　as　we　have　proved　before；

that　one　Southerner　fighting　for　home　and　liberty　is　more　than　a

match　for　two　hired　Germans　or　Irishmen；　even　with　a　good　large

sprinkling　of　Yankees　among　them。　　But　in　the　long　run　I　am　not

sure　that　we　shall　win；　for　they　can　go　on　putting　big　armies　into

the　field；　while　some　day　we　must　get　used　up。



〃Of　course　it　is　possible　that　we　may　some　day　capture

Washington；　and　that　the　North　may　get　weary　of　the　tremendous

drain　of　money　and　men　caused　by　their　attempt　to　conquer　us。　　I

hope　it　may　be　so；　for　I　should　like　to　think　that　we　should　win　in

the　long　run。　　I　never　feel　any　doubt　about　our　winning　a　battle

when　we　begin。　My　only　fear　is　that　we　may　get　used　up　before　the

North　are　tired　of　it。



〃I　did　not　expect　to　hear　you　talk　so；　Wingfield；　for　you　always

seem　to　he　in　capital　spirits。〃



〃I　am　in　capital　spirits；〃　Vincent　replied；　〃and　ready　to　fight　again

and　again；　and　always　confident　we　shall　lick　the　Yankees；　the　fact

that　I　have　a　doubt　whether　in　the　long　run　we　shall　outlast　them

does　not　interfere　in　the　slightest　degree　with　my　comfort　at

present。　　I　am　very　sorry　though　that　this　fellow　Pope　is　carrying　on

the　war　so　brutally　instead　of　in　the　manner　in　which　General

McClellan　and　the　other　commanders　have　waged　it。　　His

proclamation　that　the　army　must　subsist　upon　the　country　it　passes

through　gives　a　direct　invitation　to　the　soldiers　to　pillage；　and　his

order　that　all　farmers　who　refuse　to　take　the　oath　to　the　Union　are

to　be　driven　from　their　homes　and　sent　down　south　means　ruin　to

all　the　peaceful　inhabitants；　for　there　is　scarcely　a　man　in　this　part

of　Virginia　who　is　not　heartily　with　us。〃



〃I　hear；〃　one　of　the　other　officers　said；　〃that　a　prisoner　who　was

captured　this　morning　says　that　Pope　already　sees　that　he　has　made

a　mistake；　and　that　he　yesterday　issued　a　fresh　order　saying　that　the

proclamation　was　not　meant　to　authorize　pillage。　　He　finds　that　the

inhabitants　who　before；　whatever　their　private　sentiments　were；

maintained　a　sort　of　neutrality；　are　now　hostile；　that　they　drive　off

their　cattle　into　the　woods；　and　even　set　fire　to　their　stacks；　to

prevent　anything　from　being　carried　off　by　the　Yanks；　and　his

troops　find　the　roads　broken　up　and　bridges　destroyed　and　all　sorts

of　difficulties　thrown　in　their　way。〃



〃It　does　not　always　pay…even　in　war…to　be　brutal。　　I　am　glad　to　see

he　has　found　out　his　mistake　so　soon；〃　another　officer　said。　

〃McClellan　waged　war　like　a　gentleman；　and　if　blackguards　are　to

be　allowed　to　carry　fire　and　sword　through　the　land　they　will　soon

find　it　is　a　game　that　two　can　play　at；　and　matters　will　become

horribly　embittered〃



〃We　shall　never　do　that；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃Our　generals　are　all

gentlemen；　and　Lee　and　Jackson　and　many　others　are　true

Christians　as　well　as　true　soldiers；　and　I　am　sure　they　will　never

countenance　that　on　our　side　whatever　the　Northerners　may　do。　

We　are　ready　to　fight　the　hordes　of　Yankees　and　Germans　and

Irishmen　as　often　as　they　advance　against　us；　but　I　am　sure　that

none　of　us　would　fire　a　homestead　or　ill…treat　defenseless　men　and

women。　It　is　a　scandal　that　such　brutalities　are　committed　by　the

ruffians　who　call　themselves　Southerners。　　The　guerrillas　in

Missouri　and　Tennessee　are　equally　bad　whether　on　our　side　or　the

other；　and　if　I　were　the　president　I　would　send　down　a　couple　of

regiments；　and　hunt　down　the　fellows　who　bring　dishonor　on　our

cause。　　If　the　South　cannot　free　herself　without　the　aid　of　ruffians

of　this　kind　she　had　better　lay　down　her　arms　at　once。〃



〃Bravo；　Wingfield！　　spoken　like　a　knight　of　chivalry！〃　one　of　the

others　laughed。　　〃But　many　of　these　bands　have　done　good

nevertheless。　　They　have　kept　the　enemy　busy　there；　and　occupied

the　attention　of　a　very　large　force　who　might　otherwise　have　been

in　the　woods　yonder　with　Pope。　　I　agree　with　you；　it　would　be

better　if　the　whole　thing　were　fought　out　with　large　armies；　but

there　is　a　good　deal　to　be　said　for　these　hands　you　are　so　severe

upon。　They　are　composed　of　men　who　have　been　made　desperate

by　seeing　their　farms　harried　and　their　buildings　burned　by　the

enemy。　　They　have　been　denounced　as　traitors　by　their　neighbors

on　the　other　side；　and　if　they　retaliate　I　don't　know　that　they　are　to

be　altogether　blamed。　　I　know　that　if　my　place　at　home　were

burned　down　and　my　people　insulted　and　ill…treated　I　should　be

inclined　to　set　off　to　avenge　it。；'



〃So　would　I；〃　Vincent　agreed；　〃but　it　should　be　upon　those　who　did

the　wrong；　not　upon　innocent　people。〃



〃That　is　all　very　well；　but　if　the　other　side　destroy　your　people's

farms；　it　is　only　by　showing　them　that　two　can　play　at　the　game

that　you　can　make　them　observe　the　laws　of　war。　　I　grant　it　would

be　very　much　better　that　no　such　thing　should　take　place；　but　if　the

Northerners　begin　this　sort　of　work　they　may　be　sure　that　there　will

be　retaliation　Anyhow；　I　am　glad　that　I　am　an　officer　in　the　7th

Virginians　and　not　a　guerrilla　leader　in　Missouri。　　Well；　all　this

talking　is　dry　work。　　Has　no　one　got　a　full　canteen？〃



〃I　have；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃Dan　managed　to　buy　a　gallon　of　rum　at　a

farmhouse　yesterday。　　I　think　the　farmer　was　afraid　that　the　enemy

might　be　paying　him　a　visit　before　many　days；　and　thought　it　best

to　get　rid　of　his　spirits。　Anyhow；　Dan　got　the　keg　at　ordinary　city

prices；　as　well　as　that　couple　of　fine　turkeys　he　is　just　bringing

along　for　our　supper。　　So　you　had　better　each　get　your　ration　of

bread　and　fall　to。〃



There　was　a　cheer　as　Dan　placed　the　turkeys　down　in　the　center　of

the　group；　and　soon　the　whole　party；　using　their　bread　as　plates；

fell　to　upon　them；　and　afterward　joined　in　many　a　merry　song；

while　Dan　handed　round　the　jar　of　spirits。



CHAPTER　IX。　A　PRISONER。



THE　PARTY　round　the　fire　were　just　about　to　disperse　when　the

captain　of　Vincent's　troop　approached。　　He　took　the　horn　of　spirits

and　water　that　Vincent　held　up　to　him　and　tossed　it　off。



〃That　is　a　stirrup…cup；　Wingfield。〃



〃What！　are　we　for　duty；　captain？〃　Vincent　asked　as　he　rose　to　his

feet。



〃Yes；　our　troop　and　Harper's　are　to　muster。　　Get　the　men　together

quietly。　　I　think　it　is　a　serious　business；　each　of　the　regiments

furnish　other　troops；　and　I　believe　Stuart　himself　takes　the

command。〃



〃That　sounds　like　work；　indeed；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃I　will　get　the

troop　together；　sir。〃



〃There　are　to　be　no　trumpet　calls；　Wingfleld；　we　are　to　get　off　as

quietly　as　possible。〃



Most　of　the　men　were　alread