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all　come　out　to　fight　if　necessary；　but　hadn't　bargained　for　such

hard　work　as　this。



〃However；　Jackson　had　his　way；　and　I　don't　suppose　any　one　ever

told　him　the　men　thought　they　were　too　hard　worked。　　He　is　not　the

sort　of　man　one　would　care　about　remonstrating　with。　　I　don't

know　yet　whether　he　is　as　good　at　fighting　as　he　is　at　working　and

organizing；　but　I　rather　expect　a　fellow　who　is　so　earnest　about

everything　else　is　sure　to　be　earnest　about　fighting；　and　I　fancy　that　

when　he　once　gets　into　the　thick　of　it　he　will　go　through　with　it。　

He　had　such　a　reputation　as　an　oddity　at　Lexington　that　there　were

a　lot　of　remarks　when　lie　was　made　colonel　and　sent　here；　but

there　is　no　doubt　that　he　has　proved　himself　the　right　man　so　far；

and　although　his　men　may　grumble　they　believe　in　him。



〃My　regiment　is　in　his　brigade；　and　I　will　bet　any　money　that　we

have　our　share　of　fighting　　What　sort　of　man　is　Johnston？　　He　is　a

fine　fellow…a　soldier；　heart　and　soul。　You　could　tell　him　anywhere；

and　we　have　a　first…rate　fellow　in　command　of　the　cavalry　…Colonel

Stuart…a　splendid　dashing　fellow；　full　of　life　and　go。　　His　fellows

swear　by　him。　　I　quite　envy　you；　for　I　expect　you　will　astonish　the

Yankee　horsemen。　　They　are　no　great　riders　up　there；　you　know；

and　I　expect　the　first　time　you　meet　them　you　will　astonish　them。〃



Here　he　suddenly　stopped；　stood　at　attention；　and　saluted。



Vincent　at　once　did　the　same；　although；　had　he　not　been　set　the

example　by　his　friend；　lie　would　never　have　thought　of　doing　so　to

the　figure　who　passed。



〃Who　is　it？〃　he　asked；　as　his　companion　resumed　his　easy　attitude。



〃Why；　that's　Old　Tom。〃



〃What！　Colonel　Jackson！〃　Vincent　said　in　surprise。　〃Well；　he　is　an

odd…looking　fellow。〃



The　figure　that　had　passed　was　that　of　a　tall；　gaunt　luau；　leaning

awkwardly　forward　in　his　saddle。　　He　wore　an　old　gray　coat；　and

there　was　no　sign　of　rank；　nor　particle　of　gold　lace　upon　the

uniform。　　He　wore　on　his　head　a　faded　cadet　cap；　with　the　rim

coming　down　so　far　upon　his　nose　that　he　could　only　look

sideways　from　under　it。　He　seemed　to　pay　but　little　attention　to

what　was　going　on　around　him；　and　did　not　enter　into　conversation

with　any　of　the　officers　he　met。



The　brigade　commanded　by　Jackson　was　the　first　of　the　army　of

the　Shenandoah；　and　consisted　of　the　2d；　4th；　5th；　and　27th

Virginians；　to　which　was　shortly　afterward　added　the　33d。　　They

were　composed　of　men　of　all　ranks　and　ages；　among　them　being　a

great　number　of　lads　from　fifteen　and　upward；　for　every　school

had　been　deserted。　Every　boy　capable　of　carrying　a　musket　had

insisted　upon　joining；　and　among　them　were　a　whole　company　of

cadets　from　Lexington。　　The　regiments　selected　their　own　officers；

and　among　these　were　many　who　were　still　lads。　Many　of　the

regiments　had　no　accouterments；　and　were　without　uniforms；　and

numbers　carried　no　better　arms　than　a　double…barreled　shot…gun；

but　all　were　animated　with　the　same　spirit　of　enthusiasm　in　their

cause；　and　a　determination　to　die　rather　than　to　allow　the　invaders

to　pass　on　through　the　fertile　valleys　of　their　native　＇and。



Of　all　these　valleys　that　of　Shenandoah　was　the　richest　and　most

beautiful。　　It　was　called　the　Garden　of　Virginia；　and　all　writers

agreed　in　their　praises　of　the　beauties　of　its　fields　and　forests；

mountains　and　rivers；　its　delicious　climate；　and　the　general

prosperity　which　prevailed　among　its　population。



It　was　a　pleasant　evening　that　Ashley's　horse　spent　at　Harper's

Ferry　on　the　day　they　marched　in。　　All　had　many　friends　among　the

other　Virginian　regiments；　and　their　camp…fires　were　the　center

toward　which　men　trooped　by　scores。　　The　rest　was　pleasant　after

their　hard　marches；　and；　although　ready　to　do　their　own　work

when　necessary；　they　appreciated　the　advantage　of　having　their

servants　again　with　them　to　groom　their　horses　and　cook　their

food。



The　negroes　were　not　less　glad　at　being　again　with　their　masters。　

Almost　all　were　men　who　had；　like　Dan；　been　brought　up　with

their　young　owners；　and　felt　for　them　a　strong　personal　attachment；

and；　if　it　had　been　allowed；　would　gladly　have　followed　them　in

the　field　of　battle；　and　fought　by　their　side　against　the　〃Yankees。〃　

Their　stay　at　Harper's　Ferry　was　to　be　a　short　one。　　Colonel　Stuart；

with　his　200　horse；　was　scouting　along　the　whole　bank　of　the

Potomac；　watching　every　movement　of　the　enemy；　and　Ashley's

horse　was　to　join　them　at　once。



It　was　not　difficult　for　even　young　soldiers　to　form　an　idea　of　the

general　nature　of　the　operations。　　They　bad　to　protect　the

Shenandoah　Valley；　to　guard　the　five　great　roads　by　which　the

enemy　would　advance　against　Winchester；　and　not　only　to　save　the

loyal　inhabitants　and　rich　resources　of　the　valley　from　falling　into

the　hands　of　the　Federals；　but　what　was　of　even　greater

importance；　to　prevent　the　latter　from　marching　across　the　Blue

Ridge　Mountains；　and　falling　upon　the　flank　of　the　main

Confederate　army　at　Manassas。



The　position　was　a　difficult　one；　for　while　〃the　grand　army〃　was

assembling　at　Alexandria　to　advance　against　Manassas　Junction；

McClellan　was　advancing　from　the　northwest　with　20；000　men；

and　Patterson　from　Pennsylvania　with　18；000。



In　the　morning　betore　parading　his　troop；　100　strong；　Ashley　called

them　together　and　told　them　that；　as　they　would　now　be　constantly

on　the　move　and　scattered　over　a　long　line；　it　was　impossible　that

they　could　take　their　servants　with　them。



〃I　should　never　have　allowed　them　to　be　brought；〃　be　said；　〃had　I

known　that　we　should　be　scouting　over　such　an　extensive　country；

at　the　same　time；　if　we　can　manage　to　take　a　few　on　it　would

certainly　add　to　our　comfort。　I　propose　that　we　choose　ten　by　lot　to

go　on　with　us。　They　must　be　servants　of　the　troop　and　not　of

individuals。　We　can　scatter　them　in　pairs　at　fire　points；　with

instructions　to　forage　as　well　as　they　can；　and　to　have　things　in

readiness　to　cook　for　whoever　may　come　in　off　duty　or　may　for　the

time　be　posted　there。　　Henceforth　every　man　must　groom　and　see

to　his　own　horse；　but　I　see　no　reason；　military　or　otherwise；　why

we　shouldn't　get　our　food　cooked　for　us；　and　it　will　be　just　as　well；

as　long　as　we　can；　to　have　a　few　bundles　of　straw　for　us　to　lie　on

instead　of　sleeping　on　the　ground。



〃Another　ten　men　we　can　also　choose　by　lot　to　go　to　Winchester；

which　is；　I　imagine；　the　point　we　shall　move　to　if　the　enemy

advance；　as　I　fancy　they　will；　from　the　other　side　of　the

Shenandoah　Valley。　　The　rest　must　be　sent　home。〃



Each　man　accordingly　wrote　his　name　on　a　piece　of　paper；　and

placed　them　in　a　haversack。　　Then　were　then　drawn　out；　and　their

servants　were　to　accompany　the　troop　at　once。　　The　servants　of　the

next　ten　were　to　proceed　by　train　to　Winchester；　while　the　slaves

of　all　whose　names　remained　in　the　bag　were　to　be　sent　home　at

once；　provided　with　passes　permitting　them　to　travel。　　To　Vincent's

satisfaction　his　name　was　one　of　the　first　ten　drawn；　and　Dan　was

therefore　to　go　forward。　　The　greater　part　of　the　men　evaded　the

obligation　to　send　their　servants　back　to　Richmond　by　despatching

them　to　friends　who　had　estates　in　the　Shenandoah　Valley；　with

letters　asking　them　to　keep　the　men　for　them　until　the　troop

happened　to　come　into　their　neighborhood。



At　six　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　troop　mounted　and　rode　to　Bath；

thirty　miles　away。　　It　was　here　that　Stuart　bad　his　headquarters；

whence　lie　sent　out　his　patrols　up　and　down　the　Potomac；　between

Harper's　Ferry　on　the　east　and　Cumberland　on　the　west。　　Stuart　was

away　when　they　arrived；　but　he　rode　in　a　few　hours　afterward。



〃Ah！　Ashley；　I　am　　glad　you　have　arrived；〃　he　said；　as　he　rode　up　to

the　troop；　who　had　hastily　mounted　as　he　was　seen　approaching。　

〃There　is　plenty　for　you　to　do；　I　can　tell　yen；　and　I　only　wish　that

you　had　brought　a　thousand　men　instead　of　a　hundred。　　I　am

heartily　glad　to　see　you　all；　gentlemen；〃　be　said　to　the　troop。　　〃I　am

afraid　just　at　first　that　the　brightness　of　your　gray　jackets　will　put

my　men　rather　to　shame；　but　we　shall　soon　get　rid　of　that。　　But

dismount　your　men；　Ashley；　there　is　plenty　for　them　and　their

horses　to　do　without　wasting　time　in　parade　work。　　There　is　very

little　of　that　here；　I　can　tell　you。　　I　have　not　seen　a　score　of　my　men

together　for　the　last　month。〃



Vincent　gazed　with　admiration　at　the　young　leader；　whose　name

was　soon　to　be　celebrated　throughout　America　and　Europe。　　The

young　Virginian…for　he　was　not　yet　twenty…eight　years　old…was　the

beau　ideal　of　a　cavalry　officer。　　He　was　singularly　handsome；　and

possessed　great　personal　strength　and　a　constitution　which　enabled

him　to　bear　all　hardships。　　He　possessed　unfailing　good　spirits；　and

had　a　joke　and　laugh　for　all　he　met；　and　while　on　the　march　at　the

head　of　his　regiment　he　was　always　ready　to　lift　up　his　voice　and

lead　the　songs　with　which　the　men　made　the　woods　res