Part 56 (1/2)
”By Ashland, Winston, Hanover, Cash Corner, Enon Church, Salem Church, Totopotomoy, Old Church,
”You observe that we are trotting.
”By Hamstead, Garlick, Tunstall Station, Talleyville, Forge Mill, Chickahominy, Sycamore, White Birch.
”Here we change gait.
”By Hopewell and Christian, Wilc.o.x and Westover, Turkey Bridge, Malvern Hill, Deep Bottom and b.a.l.l.s Four days, forty leagues, we rode round McClellan As Jeremiah paced round Jericho's walls.--”
”It wasn't Jeremiah, general! It was Joshua.”
”Is that so? I'll tell Sweeney. Anyhow, the walls fell.
”Halt! Advance! Firing! Engagement at Hanover.
Skirmish at Taliaferro's. Skirmish at Hawes.
Tragic was Totopotomoy, for there we lost Latane Hampden-like, n.o.ble, dead for his Cause.
”At Old Church broke up meeting. Faith! 'twas a pity But indigo azure was pulpit and pew!
Fitz Lee did the job. Sent his love to Fitz Porter.
Good Lord! Of Mac's Army the n.o.ble review!
”There isn't anything our horses can't do.
”Tunstall Station was all bubbly white with wagons.
We fired those trains, those stores, those sheltering sheds!
And then we burned three transports on Pamunkey And shook the troops at White House from their beds!
”Loud roars across our path the swollen Chickahominy 'Plunge in, Confeds! you were not born to drown.'
We danced past White Oak swamp, we danced past Fighting Joseph Hooker!
We rode round McClellan from his sole to his crown!
”There are strange, strange folk who like the Infantry!
Men have been found to love Artillery.
McClellan's quoted thus 'In every family There should exist a gunboat'--ah, but we, Whom all arms else do heap with calumny, Saying, 'Daily those d.a.m.ned centaurs put us up a tree!'
We insist upon the virtues of the Cavalry!
”Now, friends, I'm going! It was a beautiful raid! I always liked Little Mac. He's a gentleman, and he's got a fine army. Except for poor Latane we did not lose a man. But I left a general behind me.”
”A general? General who--”
Stuart gave his golden laugh. ”General Consternation.”
The sun slipped lower. Two hors.e.m.e.n came in by the Deep Run road and pa.s.sed rapidly eastward through the town. The afternoon was warm, but the foremost wore a great horseman's cloak. It made all outlines indefinite and hid any insignia of rank. There was a hat or cap, too, pulled low. It was dusty; he rode fast and in a cloud, and there came no recognition. Out of the town, on the Nine-Mile road, he showed the officer of the guard who stopped him a pa.s.s signed ”R. E. Lee” and entered the Confederate lines. ”General Lee's headquarters?” They were pointed out, an old house shaded by oaks. He rode hither, gave his horse to the courier with him, and spoke to the aide who appeared. ”Tell General Lee, some one from the Valley.”
The aide shot a quick glance, then opened a door to the left. ”General Lee will be at leisure presently. Will you wait here, sir?”
He from the Valley entered. It was a large, simply furnished room, with steel engravings on the walls,--the 1619 House of Burgesses, Spotswood on the Crest of the Blue Ridge with his Golden Horseshoe Knights, Patrick Henry in Old St. John's, Jefferson writing the Declaration of Independence, Was.h.i.+ngton receiving the Sword of Cornwallis. The windows were open to the afternoon breeze and the birds were singing in a rosebush outside. There were three men in the room. One having a large frame and a somewhat heavy face kept the chair beside the table with a kind of granite and stubborn air. He rested like a boulder on a mountain slope; marked with old scars, only waiting to be set in motion again to grind matters small. The second man, younger, slender, with a short red beard, leaned against the window, smelled the roses, and listened to the birds. The third, a man of forty, with a gentle manner and very honest and kindly eyes, studied the engravings. All three wore the stars of major-generals.