with lee in virginia-第23节

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Confederate　horse　did　not　take　any　part　in　the　battle　of　Bull　Run。　

Had　they　been　aware　of　the　utter　stampede　of　the　Northern　troops；

they　could　safely　have　pressed　forward　in　hot　pursuit　as　far　as

Washington；　but　being　numerically　so　inferior　to　the　Federal

cavalry；　and　in　ignorance　that　the　Northern　infantry　had　become　a

mere　panic…stricken　mob；　it　would　have　been　imprudent　in　the

extreme　for　such　a　handful　of　cavalry　to　undertake　the　pursuit　of

an　army。



Many　of　the　Confederates　were　of　opinion　that　this　decisive

victory　would　be　the　end　of　the　war；　and　that　the　North；　seeing

that　the　South　was　able　as　well　as　willing　to　defend　the　position　it

had　taken　up；　would　abandon　the　idea　of　coercing　it　into

submission。　　This　hope　was　speedily　dissipated。　　The　North　was

indeed　alike　astonished　and　disappointed　at　the　defeat　of　their

army　by　a　greatly　inferior　force；　but　instead　of　abandoning　the

struggle；　they　set　to　work　to　retrieve　the　disaster；　and　to　place　in

the　field　a　force　which　would；　they　believed；　prove　irresistible。



Vincent　Wingfield　saw　but　little　of　the　battle　at　Bull　Run。　　As　they

were　impatiently　waiting　the　order　to　charge　while　the　desperate

conflict　between　Jackson's　brigade　and　the　enemy　was　at　its

fiercest；　a　shell　from　one　of　the　Federal　batteries　burst　a　few

yards　in　front　of　the　troop；　and　one　of　the　pieces　striking　Vincent

on　the　side　hurled　him　insensible　from　his　horse。　　He　was　at　once

lifted　and　carried　by　Dan　and　some　of　the　other　men…servants；　who

had　been　told　off　for　this　duty；　to　the　rear；　where　the　surgeons　were

busily　engaged　in　dressing　the　wounds　of　the　men　who　straggled

back　from　the　front。　While　the　conflict　lasted　those　unable　to　walk

lay　where　they　fell；　for　no　provision　had　at　present　been　made　for

ambulance　corps；　and　not　a　single　man　capable　of　firing　a　musket

could　be　spared　from　the　ranks。　　The　tears　were　flowing　copiously

down　Dan's　cheeks　as　he　stood　by　while　the　surgeons　examined

Vincent's　wound。



〃Is　he　dead；　sah？〃　he　sobbed　as　they　lifted　him　up　from　his

stooping　position。



〃Dead　。〃　the　surgeon　repeated。　　〃Can't　you　see　he　is　breathing；　and

did　you　not　hear　him　groan　when　I　examined　his　side？　　He　is　a

long　way　from　being　a　dead　man　yet。　Some　of　his　ribs　are　broken；

and　he　has　had　a　very　nasty　blow；　but　I　do　not　think　there　is　any

cause　for　anxiety　about　him。　　Pour　a　little　wine　down　his　throat；

and　sprinkle　his　face　with　water。　　Raise　his　head　and　put　a　coat

under　it；　and　when　he　opens　his　eyes　and　begins　to　recover；　don't

let　him　move。　　Then　you　can　cut　up　the　side　of　his　jacket　and　down

the　sleeve；　so　as　to　get　it　off　that　side　altogether。　　Cut　his　shirt

open；　and　bathe　the　wound　with　some　water　and　bit　of　rag　of　any

sort；　it　is　not　likely　to　bleed　much。　　When　it　has　stopped　bleeding

put　a　pad　of　linen　upon　it；　and　keep　it　wet。　　When　we　can　spare

time　we　will　bandage　it　properly。〃



But　it　was　not　until　late　at　night　that　the　time　could　be　spared　for

attending　to　Vincent；　for　the　surgeons　were　overwhelmed　with

work；　and　the　most　serious　cases　were；　as　far　as　possible；　first

attended　to。　　He　had　soon　recovered　consciousness。　　At　first　he

looked　with　a　feeling　of　bewilderment　at　Dan；　who　was　copiously

sprinkling　his　face　with　water；　sobbing　loudly　while　he　did　so。　　As

soon　as　the　negro　perceived　that　his　master　had　opened　his　eyes　he

gave　a　cry　of　delight。



〃Tank　de　Lord；　Marse　Vincent；　dis　child　tought　you　dead　and　gone

for　sure。〃



〃What's　the　matter；　Dan？　　What　has　happened？〃　Vincent　said；

trying　to　move；　and　then　stopping　suddenly　with　a　cry　of　pain。



〃You　knocked　off　your　horse；　sah；　wid　one　Qf　shells　Qf　dem

cussed　Yanks。〃



〃Am　I　badly　hurt；　Dan？〃



〃Berry　bad；　sah；　great　piece　of　flesh　pretty　nigh　as　big　as　my　hand

come　out　oh　your　side；　and　doctor　says　some　of　de　ribs　broken。　

But　de　doctor　not　seem　to　make　much　oh　it；　he　hard　sort　oh　man

dat。　　Say　you　get　all　right　again。　　No　time　to　tend　to　you　now。　

Hurry　away　just　as　if　you　some　poor　white　trash　instead　of　Massa

Wingfield　oh　do　Orangery。〃



Vincent　smiled　faintly。



〃It　doesn't　make　much　difference　what　a　man　is　in　a　surgeon's　eyes；

Dan；　the　question　is　how　badly　he　is　hurt；　and　what　can　be　done

for　him？　Well；　thank　God　it's　no　worse。　　Wildfire　was　not　hurt；　I

hope？〃



〃No；　sab；　he　is　standing　tied　up　by　dat　tree。　　Now；　sah；　do　doctor

say　me　cut　your　jacket　off　and　have　de　wound。〃



〃All　right；　Dan；　but　be　a　little　careful　with　the　water；　you　seem　to

be　pretty　near　drowning　me　as　it　is。　　Just　wipe　my　face　and　hair；

and　get　the　handkerchief　from　the　pocket　of　my　jacket；　and　open

the　shirt　collar　and　put　the　handkerchief　inside　round　my　neck。　

How　is　the　battle　going　on？　　The　roar　seems　louder　than　ever。〃



Dan　went　forward　to　the　crest　a　of　slight　rise　of　the　ground　whence

he　could　look　down　upon　the　field　of　battle；　and　made　haste　to

return。



〃Can't　see　berry　well；　sah；　too　much　smoke。　　But　dey　in　do　same

place　still。〃



〃Look　round；　Dan；　and　see　if　there　are　any　fresh　troops　coming

up。〃



〃Yes；　sah；　lot　of　men　coming　ober　de　hill　behind。〃



〃That's　all　right；　Dan。　　Now　you　can　see　about　this　bathing　my

side。〃



As　soon　as　the　battle　was　over　Major　Ashley　rode　up　to　where

Vincent　and　five　or　six　of　his　comrades　of　the　cavalry　were　lying

wounded。



〃How　are　you　getting　on；　lads？　Pretty　well　I　hope？〃　he　asked　the

surgeon　as　he　dismounted。



〃First　rate；　major；〃　one　of　the　men　answered。　　〃We　all　of　us　took　a

turn　as　soon　as　we　heard　that　the　Yanks　were　whipped。〃



〃Yes；　we　have　thrashed　them　handsomely；〃　the　major　said。　　〃Ah；

Wingfield；　I　am　glad　to　see　you　are　alive。　　I　thought　when　you　fell

it　was　all　over　with　you。〃



〃I　am　not　much　hurt；　sir；〃　Vincent　replied。　　〃A　flesh　wound　and

some　ribs　are　broken；　I　hear；　but　they　won't　be　long　mending　I

hope。〃



〃It's　a　nasty　wound　to　look　at；〃　the　major　said；　as　Dan　lifted　the

pad　of　wet　linen。　　〃But　with　youth　and　health　you　will　soon　get

round　it；　never　fear。〃



〃Ah；　my　poor　lad；　yours　is　a　worse　case；〃　he　said　as　he　bent　over　a

young　fellow　who　was　lying　a　few　paces　from　Vincent。



〃It's　all　up　with　me；　major；〃　he　replied　faintly；　〃the　doctor　said　he

could　do　nothing　for　me。　　But　I　don't　mind；　now　we　have　beaten

them。　　You　will　send　a　line　to　the　old　people；　major；　won't　you；

and　say　I　died　doing　my　duty？　I've　got　two　brothers；　and　I　expect

they　will　send　one　on　to　take　my　place。〃



〃I　will　write　to　them；　my　lad；〃　the　major　said；　〃and　tell　them　all

about　you。〃　　He　could　give　the　lad　no　false　hopes；　for　already　a

gray　shade　was　stealing　over　the　white　face；　and　the　end　was　close

at　hand；　in　a　few　minutes　he　ceased　to　breathe。



Late　in　the　evening　the　surgeons；　having　attended　to　more　urgent

cases；　came　round。　　Vincent's　wound　was　now　more　carefully

examined　than　before；　but　the　result　was　the　same。　　Three　of　the

ribs　were　badly　fractured；　but　there　was　no　serious　danger。



〃You　will　want　quiet　and　good　nursing　for　some　time；　my　lad；〃　the

principal　surgeon　said。　　〃There　will　be　a　train　of　wounded　going

off　for　Richmond　the　first　thing　in　the　morning；　and　you　shall　go

by　it。　　You　had　better　get　a　door；　lads；〃　he　said　to　some　of　the

troopers　who　had　come　across　from　the　spot　where　the　cavalry

were　bivouacked　to　see　how　their　comrades　were　getting　on；　〃and

carry　him　down　and　put　him　in　the　train。　One　has　just　been　sent

off；　and　another　will　be　made　up　at　once；　so　that　the　wounded　can

be　put　in　it　as　they　are　taken　down。　Now　I　will　bandage　the　wound；

and　it　will　not　want　any　more　attention　until　you　get　home。〃



A　wad　of　lint　was　placed　upon　the　wound　and　bandaged　tightly

round　the　body。



Remember　you　have　got　to　he　perfectly　quiet；　and　not　attempt　to

move　till　the　bones　have　knit。　　I　am　afraid　that　they　are　badly

fractured；　and　will　require　some　time　to　heal　up　again。〃



A　door　was　fetched　from　an　out…house　near；　and　Vincent　and　two

of　his　comrades；　who　were　also　ordered　to　be　sent　to　the　rear；　were

one　by　one　carried　down　to　the　nearest　point　on　the　railway；　where

a　train　stood　ready　to　receive　them；　and　they　were　then　laid　on　the

seats。



All　night　the　wounded　kept　arriving；　and　by　morning　the　train　was

packed　as　full　as　it　would　hold；　and　with　two　or　three　surgeons　in

charge　started　for　Richmond。　　Dan　was　permitted　to　accompany

the　train；　at　Vincent's　urgent　request；　in　the　character　of　doctor's

assistant；　and　he　went　about　distributing　water　to　the　wounded；　and

assisting　the　surgeons　in　moving　such　us　required　it。



It　was　night　before　the　train　reached　Richmond。　　A　number　of

people　were　at　the　station　to　receive　it；　for　as　soon　as　the　news　of

the　battle　had　been　received；　preparations　had　been　made　for　the

reception　of　the　wounded；　several　public　buildings　had　been

converted　into　hospitals；　and　numbers　of　the　citizens　had　come

forward　with　offers　to　take　one　or