andersonville-第4节

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　　　　　cometh；　and　to　my　servant；　Do　this；　and　he　doeth　it。

Rather　〃airy〃　talk　that　for　a　man　who　nowadays　would　take　rank　with
Captains　of　infantry。

Three　hundred　of　us　responded　to　the　signal　of　〃boots　and　saddles；〃
buckled　on　three　hundred　more　or　less　trusty　sabers　and　revolvers；
saddled　three　hundred　more　or　less　gallant　steeds；　came　into　line　〃as
companies〃　with　the　automatic　listlessness　of　the　old　soldiers；　〃counted
off　by　fours〃　in　that　queer　gamut…running　style　that　makes　a　company　of
men　〃counting　off〃each　shouting　a　number　in　a　different　voice　from　his
neighborsound　like　running　the　scales　on　some　great　organ　badly　out　of
tune；　something　like　this：

One。　Two。　　Three。　　Four。　　One。　　Two。　　Three。　　Four。　　One。　　Two。　　Three。
Four。

Then；　as　the　bugle　sounded　〃Right　forward！　fours　right！〃　we　moved　off　at
a　walk　through　the　melancholy　mist　that　soaked　through　the　very　fiber　of
man　and　horse；　and　reduced　the　minds　of　both　to　a　condition　of　limp
indifference　as　to　things　past；　present　and　future。

Whither　we　were　going　we　knew　not；　nor　cared。　　Such　matters　had　long
since　ceased　to　excite　any　interest。　　A　cavalryman　soon　recognizes　as　the
least　astonishing　thing　in　his　existence　the　signal　to　〃Fall　in！〃　and
start　somewhere。　　He　feels　that　he　is　the　〃Poor　Joe〃　of　the　Armyunder
perpetual　orders　to　〃move　on。〃

Down　we　wound　over　the　road　that　zig…tagged　through　the　forts；　batteries
and　rifle…pits　covering　the　eastern　ascent　to　the　Flap…past　the　wonderful
Murrell　Springso…called　because　the　robber　chief　had　killed；　as　he
stooped　to　drink　of　its　crystal　waters；　a　rich　drover；　whom　he　was
pretending　to　pilot　through　the　mountainsdown　to　where　the　〃Virginia
road〃　turned　off　sharply　to　the　left　and　entered　Powell's　Valley。　　The
mist　had　become　a　chill；　dreary　rain；　through；　which　we　plodded　silently；
until　night　closed　in　around　us　some　ten　miles　from　the　Gap。　　As　we
halted　to　go　into　camp；　an　indignant　Virginian　resented　the　invasion　of
the　sacred　soil　by　firing　at　one　of　the　guards　moving　out　to　his　place。
The　guard　looked　at　the　fellow　contemptuously；　as　if　he　hated　to　waste
powder　on　a　man　who　had　no　better　sense　than　to　stay　out　in　such　a　rain；
when　he　could　go　in…doors；　and　the　bushwhacker　escaped；　without　even　a
return　shot。

Fires　were　built；　coffee　made；　horses　rubbed；　and　we　laid　down　with　feet
to　the　fire　to　get　what　sleep　we　could。

Before　morning　we　were　awakened　by　the　bitter　cold。　　It　had　cleared　off
during　the　night　and　turned　so　cold　that　everything　was　frozen　stiff。
This　was　better　than　the　rain；　at　all　events。　　A　good　fire　and　a　hot　cup
of　coffee　would　make　the　cold　quite　endurable。

At　daylight　the　bugle　sounded　〃Right　forward！　fours　right！〃　again；　and
the　300　of　us　resumed　our　onward　plod　over　the　rocky；　cedar…crowned
hills。

In　the　meantime；　other　things　were　taking　place　elsewhere。　　Our　esteemed
friends　of　the　Sixty…fourth　Virginia；　who　were　in　camp　at　the　little　town
of　Jonesville；　about　40　miles　from　the　Gap；　had　learned　of　our　starting
up　the　Valley　to　drive　them　out；　and　they　showed　that　warm　reciprocity
characteristic　of　the　Southern　soldier；　by　mounting　and　starting　down　the
Valley　to　drive　us　out。　　Nothing　could　be　more　harmonious；　it　will　be
perceived。　　Barring　the　trifling　divergence　of　yews　as　to　who　was　to
drive　and　who　be　driven；　there　was　perfect　accord　in　our　ideas。

Our　numbers　were　about　equal。　　If　I　were　to　say　that　they　considerably
outnumbered　us；　I　would　be　following　the　universal　precedent。
No　soldier…high　or　low…ever　admitted　engaging　an　equal　or　inferior　force
of　the　enemy。

About　9　o'clock　in　the　morningSundaythey　rode　through　the　streets　of
Jonesville　on　their　way　to　give　us　battle。　　It　was　here　that　most　of　the
members　of　the　Regiment　lived。　　Every　man；　woman　and　child　in　the　town
was　related　in　some　way　to　nearly　every　one　of　the　soldiers。

The　women　turned　out　to　wave　their　fathers；　husbands；　brothers　and　lovers
on　to　victory。　　The　old　men　gathered　to　give　parting　counsel　and
encouragement　to　their　sons　and　kindred。　　The　Sixty…fourth　rode　away　to
what　hope　told　them　would　be　a　glorious　victory。

At　noon　we　are　still　straggling　along　without　much　attempt　at　soldierly
order；　over　the　rough；　frozen　hill…sides。　　It　is　yet　bitterly　cold；　and
men　and　horses　draw　themselves　together；　as　if　to　expose　as　little
surface　as　possible　to　the　unkind　elements。　　Not　a　word　had　been　spoken
by　any　one　for　hours。

The　head　of　the　column　has　just　reached　the　top　of　the　hill；　and　the　rest
of　us　are　strung　along　for　a　quarter　of　a　mile　or　so　back。

Suddenly　a　few　shots　ring　out　upon　the　frosty　air　from　the　carbines　of
the　advance。　　The　general　apathy　is　instantly；　replaced　by　keen
attention；　and　the　boys　instinctively　range　themselves　into　foursthe
cavalry　unit　of　action。　　The　Major；　who　is　riding　about　the　middle　of　the
first　CompanyIdashes　to　the　front。　　A　glance　seems　to　satisfy　him；
for　he　turns　in　his　saddle　and　his　voice　rings　out：

〃Company　I！　　FOURS　LEFT　INTO　LINE！MARCH！！〃

The　Company　swings　around　on　the　hill…top　like　a　great；　jointed　toy
snake。　　As　the　fours　come　into　line　on　a　trot；　we　see　every　man　draw　his
saber　and　revolver。　　The　Company　raises　a　mighty　cheer　and　dashes
forward。

Company　K　presses　forward　to　the　ground　Company　I　has　just　left；　the
fours　sweep　around　into　line；　the　sabers　and　revolvers　come　out
spontaneously；　the　men　cheer　and　the　Company　flings　itself　forward。

All　this　time　we　of　Company　L　can　see　nothing　except　what　the　companies
ahead　of　us　are　doing。　　We　are　wrought　up　to　the　highest　pitch。　　As
Company　K　clears　its　ground；　we　press　forward　eagerly。　　Now　we　go　into
line　just　as　we　raise　the　hill；　and　as　my　four　comes　around；　I　catch　a
hurried　glimpse　through　a　rift　in　the　smoke　of　a　line　of　butternut　and
gray　clad　men　a　hundred　yards　or　so　away。　　Their　guns　are　at　their　faces；
and　I　see　the　smoke　and　fire　spurt　from　the　muzzles。　　At　the　same　instant
our　sabers　and　revolvers　are　drawn。　　We　shout　in　a　frenzy　of　excitement；
and　the　horses　spring　forward　as　if　shot　from　a　bow。

I　see　nothing　more　until　I　reach　the　place　where　the　Rebel　line　stood。
Then　I　find　it　is　gone。　　Looking　beyond　toward　the　bottom　of　the　hill；　I
see　the　woods　filled　with　Rebels；　flying　in　disorder　and　our　men　yelling
in　pursuit。　　This　is　the　portion　of　the　line　which　Companies　I　and　K
struck。　　Here　and　there　are　men　in　butternut　clothing；　prone　on　the
frozen　ground；　wounded　and　dying。　　I　have　just　time　to　notice　closely　one
middle…aged　man　lying　almost　under　my　horse's　feet。　　He　has　received　a
carbine　bullet　through　his　head　and　his　blood　colors　a　great　space　around
him。

One　brave　man；　riding　a　roan　horse；　attempts　to　rally　his　companions。
He　halts　on　a　little　knoll；　wheels　his　horse　to　face　us；　and　waves　his
hat　to　draw　his　companions　to　him。　　A　tall；　lank　fellow　in　the　next　four
to　mewho　goes　by　the　nickname　of　〃'Leven　Yards〃aims　his　carbine　at
him；　and；　without　checking　his　horse's　pace；　fires。　　The　heavy　Sharpe's
bullet　tears　a　gaping　hole　through　the　Rebel's　heart。　　He　drops　from　his
saddle；　his　life…blood　runs　down　in　little　rills　on　either　side　of　the
knoll；　and　his　riderless　horse　dashes　away　in　a　panic。

At　this　instant　comes　an　order　for　the　Company　to　break　up　into　fours　and
press　on　through　the　forest　in　pursuit。　　My　four　trots　off　to　the　road　at
the　right。　　A　Rebel　bugler；　who　hag　been　cut　off；　leaps　his　horse　into
the　road　in　front　of　us。　　We　all　fire　at　him　on　the　impulse　of　the
moment。　　He　falls　from　his　horse　with　a　bullet　through　his　back。　　Company
M；　which　has　remained　in　column　as　a　reserve；　is　now　thundering　up　close
behind　at　a　gallop。　　Its　seventy…five　powerful　horses　are　spurning　the
solid　earth　with　steel…clad　hoofs。　　The　man　will　be　ground　into　a
shapeless　mass　if　left　where　he　has　fallen。　　We　spring　from　our　horses
and　drag　him　into　a　fence　corner；　then　remount　and　join　in　the　pursuit。

This　happened　on　the　summit　of　Chestnut　Ridge；　fifteen　miles　from
Jonesville。

Late　in　the　afternoon　the　anxious　watchers　at　Jonesville　saw　a　single
fugitive　urging　his　well…nigh　spent　horse　down　the　slope　of　the　hill
toward　town。　　In　an　agony　of　anxiety　they　hurried　forward　to　meet　him　and
learn　his　news。

The　first　messenger　who　rushed　into　Job's　presence　to　announce　the
beginning　of　the　series　of　misfortunes　which　were　to　afflict　the　upright
man　of　Uz　is　a　type　of　all　the　cowards　who；　before　or　since　then；　have
been　the　first　to　speed　away　from　the　field　of　battle　to　spread　the　news
of　disaster。　　He　said：

　　　　　And　the　Sabeans　fell　upon　them；　and　took　them　away　；　yea；　they　have
　　　　　slain　the　servants　with　the　edge　of　the　sword；　and　I　only　am　escaped
　　　　　alone　to　tell　thee。

So　this　fleeing　Virginian　shouted　to　his　expectant　friends：

〃The　boys　are　all　cut　to　pieces；　I'm　the　only　one　that　got　away。〃

The　terrible　extent　of　his　words　was　belied　a　little　later；　by　the
appearance　on　the　distant　summit　of　the　hill　of　a　considerable　mob　of
fugitives；　flying　at　the　utmost　speed　of　their　nearly　exhausted　horses。
As　they　came　on　down　the　hill　as　almost　equally　disorganized　crowd　of
pursuers　appeared　on　the　summit；　yelling　in　voices　hoars