The sameness of life in camp soon wearied, and Ralph longed forsomething more stirring. When the bugle call rang out, every man sprangup, and, after a hasty ablution, at a second call they made a chargeupon their breakfast with vehemence, and tin cups and plates rattled ina most discordant fashion. Then the drill began; first with musket andrifle, and then with the bayonet. A bayonet charge was a fierce reminderof the real thing. When men meet the enemy with fixed bayonets, adreadful slaughter may always be counted on. This drilling was kept upat intervals, all through the day; first in squads and companies, andthen the entire regiment would take part in the use of these weapons,and the various evolutions that the drill-master taught.
Ralph was very anxious to become proficient in their use, and while manyof the older men grumbled at this work, he kept on, learning at eachrepetition something more of their actual value.
"You'll have to know all about this," said Lieutenant Hopkins to them,or you'll be in a nice hole when you're caught out in the field. "Wedon't know how soon we may be sent to the front, and then there won't bemuch time for this sort of practice. It'll be march and fight then."
Way down in his heart this quiet stripling, hitherto jealously guardedfrom a knowledge of the world by a fond mother and sisters, had his owndreams of fame burning brightly and steadily. What if he could plan orassist in some grand sortie, and be mentioned {034}in the dispatchesas "the gallant private of Company K---- Mass. Volunteers, whose valorturned the tide and carried the day?" Then probably he would be summonedbefore the commanding officer, and honors would be thrust upon him.Perhaps, if he kept on, he might be a general! What would the dear onesat home say then? The picture was too brilliant; his head fairly grewdizzy at the prospect.
"I'll tell you," he said to a comrade, "we are in no danger of starvinghere in camp, at any rate, if we don't have much variety."
"That's so. What's the matter with pork, beans, soup, bread, molasses(here he made a wry face), rice and hard tack? If we get enoughof these, we'll pull through all right," his companion respondedcheerfully.
"And we sleep as sound as kittens in our wooden bunks, with plenty ofstraw for a bed, and our big army blankets over us," continued Ralph.
"The pillows might be a little softer," said Harvey Phillips. "Overcoatsdoubled up ain't quite as easy shook up as feathers."
"No, but our captain tells me that we are living in clover just atpresent. Wait till we go into a battle. Perhaps we'll come out withoutany heads, then we won't need any pillows," laughed Ralph.
"That's true. Your easy times are right here just now," said a "vet,"who had been in many a battle in the far West with the red men, and had"smelt powder" to his heart's content. "War looks very pretty on paper,with the big fellows at Washington moving the men like they're at achessboard, but wait till the guns speak up on the field, and men tomen are hurled against each other, to fight like demons. The real thingain't so romantic, let me tell you youngsters."
"You can't frighten us," said Harvey. "We are no three months' men. Weenlisted for the war and we propose to see the war out."
"Boys, I tell you war aren't no pastime. It means work, and hardest kindof work, at that. It's a great thing to organize an army, and keep itsvarious parts in trim. We don't usually {035}go out to fight the enemywith only a flask of powder, and a knapsack filled with soda crackers.There are men and horses and ammunition to carry along."
"Who takes care of all these matters?" asked Ralph.
0043]
"The quartermaster. He looks after the rations, the ammunition, infact, all the supplies--blankets for the men, medicines for the sick andtransportation for the baggage. He is usually a captain or a lieutenant.The government appoints him."
"Does he fight?"
"Oh, no. He's got no time for that. He has to look after the fellows whodo the fighting. The quartermasters have excitement and danger enough,however, in protecting their stores They ain't like the sutlers."
{036}
0044]
"What is a sutler?"
"He's a chap that gets permission from the government to carry thingsto sell to the soldiers. He furnishes them at his own expense, and thentrades and sells them to the boys."
"Is he a soldier?"
"Not much. You don't see him in the battlefield. He takes good care notto interfere in any skirmishes going on. Somehow, the smell of powderdon't agree with him."
"Then he goes to war to make money?"
"That's {037}just what he does. He oftener loses it, though, and thenhis friends don't cry nor take up a collection for him. Still, he'sgenerally a good sort of a fellow. He's obliging and always willing totrust a man. Often the boys help themselves to his goods without hisleave, and then he's out that much. He has his ups and downs like therest of us."
0045]
CHAPTER II. ORDERED TO WASHINGTON.
9046]
AMP life {038}was pleasant, aside from the perpetual drilling, marchingand countermarching. Friends had access to the boys at stated times,little gifts and pledges were exchanged, and the time passed swiftly.One day there was great excitement. Coffee was swallowed hastily,knapsacks were packed in a hurry, arms were brightened up, ammunitionwas dealt out, and the word ran through the camp--"We are ordered toreport at Washington."
"Now I shall know something of what is going on. Poor mother, she willgrieve over her absent boy, and fancy me in a thousand dangers. But Iwill write to her often, that will cheer her up."
And he did. Many a line he scribbled on his knee with a bit of pencil ora blackened stick, telling her of his safety and health. These short butwelcome missives were read over and over, and fondly kissed, the dearlittle messengers of love and hope.
The war cloud was growing darker. The government arsenal at Harper'sFerry had been burned by Lieutenant Jones, who knew it would lessenits value to the Southern forces, who were marching upon the town. Thelatter, however, saved considerable of the government property, and nextseized the bridge at Point of Rocks, thus circumventing General Butler,who was near Baltimore. They also took possession of several trains,which they side-tracked into Strasburg, a measure which helped theConfederate train service in Virginia very perceptibly.
The ride of the boys in blue to Washington lay through the mountainsof West Virginia, where nature revels in grand surprises. Many a littlecabin perched far up the hillside was the home {039}of those who hadshed tears when old John Brown was led forth to die. Poor and scantythough their daily fare was, they were loyal and true, and the spirit ofdefiance to the old flag found no echoes in their breasts.
0047]
To Ralph the scenery appealed with deep solemnity. He was born in theWest, where the green seas of the prairies seemed to know {040}no limit.To him hills and valleys, with their somber shadows, were objects ofawe. He noted the beautiful homes of wealth and taste as he was whirledswiftly by on the train. He saw the black faces of slaves working ingarden or field, and heard their voices as they talked.
0048]
"Fore de Lawd!" he heard a grizzled old darkey say, as they drew into asmall station for water, "pears like dey look jess like de white folksdo down here!"
"You 'spected dey had horns, didn't you? Well, I knowed better. I'sebeen Norf wid Massa too many times to take in dat _idee_."
Washington, the capital of the nation, was reached. As they {041}steamedinto the depot, and began to unload, Ralph, for the first time sinceleaving home, felt lonely. He saw throngs of people, but all was strangeand new to him, and his heart sank. The city was full of soldierswaiting for orders, so full that it was a puzzle where to quarter them.
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The Government buildings were full to overflowing, they"bunked" every-where, and wild pranks these boys played, their loveof fun leading them into many a mad frolic. The city was too small fortheir mischievous natures, and it was no uncommon thing to make a tripinto the surrounding territory, bent on extorting all the sport theymight out of what most of them regarded as a sort of a gala time. "B
utwe are ready whenever we are called upon," was their unanimous cry.The shooting of Colonel Ellsworth at Alexandria, because he tore downa secession flag, so short a time previous, and his prompt avenging, asyou remember, had roused them to a sense of the hostility which was feltby those who sought to divide the North and South. Then the attack ofthe mob of Baltimore upon the Sixth Massachusetts, {042}while beingtransported from one depot to another, was another proof that theirbrothers of the South had trampled friendly feelings beneath their feet,and that the fires of sectional jealousy were burning fiercely.
0050]
Their journey lay through a hostile State, and sober faces succeeded thejokes and laughter of the past few weeks. The South was plainly up inarms, and that "rebellion," which the whole North at first thought butthe task of a few weeks to crush, began to assume the appearance andproportions of a long and cruel conflict.
General Butler was in command of the military department of Virginia.
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"Wonder {043}if that means fight?" soliloquized Ralph. "The lads sayhe is a smart lawyer, but I don't know as that proves him to be a goodfighter."
Ralph wrote often to that dear mother who was praying for her boy. "Wemove to the front to-morrow," so his letter ran. "I know how fond youare of your boy. I am going to do my duty, I believe. But is it not anawful thought that it is no foreign foe we shall meet, but our ownpeople?--that is the sting in it to me."
8051]
The night before the battle the boys slept as calmly as if they were athome. At dawn they were called to march, and after an attack upon theirrations, they began the advance into Virginia. Raw and undisciplined,they did not accept the gravity of the situation. They marched along,light-hearted and gay, enjoying the change from quiet camp life with allthe zest of school boys. Many of them fell out of the ranks and pickedthe luscious berries growing thickly by the wayside, while otherswastefully tossed out the water in their {044}canteens and filled themwith fresh every time they came to one of the springs which abounded inthat beautiful and fertile region.
"This isn't hard work," Ralph thought. "We are having more fun thanever."
A halt had been called for a few moments' rest. A few rods from the roada dark stream ran slowly by, whose depths no one knew. A swim in itscool waters was proposed at any hazard, and, quickly disrobing, some ofthe younger ones plunged in, and were having a merry time, when the rollof the drum was heard and the marching was resumed. Here was a fix! Thearmy began to move, and a dozen soldiers were still in the stream, whosnatched up the first garments they saw and hastened to dress. In theirconfusion they had almost to a man seized the wrong clothes, and the fitof some of them was ludicrous. But changes were quickly made, and aftermuch good-natured "chaffing" they fell into line, and were as sedate andsoldierlike as any "vet" among them.
The cry, "On to Richmond!" sounded throughout the land.
Officers and soldiers had been massed near Washington long enough,and the people, as well as the boys in blue, were impatient tor someresults, now that an army had been called into being. The soldiers pinedfor action; the people were anxious to know what would be the outcome.
"Who commands the Southerners?" Ralph asked old "Bill" Elliott, asoldier who had taken quite a fancy to the boy, and was ready to answerhis questions at all times.
"Beauregard, the same chap who opened fire on Fort Sumter."
"And what does he propose doing now?"
"Well, as I am not in his confidence, I can't just tell you, but I 'lowwe're not going to be in the dark long, neither are we likely to be thegainers by any move he makes if he can help it. He's got some thirtythousand men with him, and we'll have a lively time soon, you bet."
"The {045}men want a brush, I think, from what they say. They'rebecoming tired of waiting."
0053]
"And so does the country; but they don't know how much easier it isto talk war than to be in it. What does the man who stays at home knowabout the dangers and trials of a soldier's life? How is he capable ofjudging whether it is time to fight or where it is best to strike,or how many odds a general of an army has against him? We'll have warenough before long--they needn't fear." {046}
0054]
"Well, {047}I suppose we'll some of us be in it soon, and who knows howmany of us will come out?"
0055]
"Why, boy, you're not showing the white feather, I hope!' and Billpeered anxiously into the lad's troubled face.
"No, {048}sir, I am not, but I can't help thinking of my poor mother,and, besides, you know I am going to fight her people. My mother is aVirginian."
"Is that so? I know, then, she must feel bad have you in our army. Ican't blame her, nuther.
"But she's loyal to our flag, Bill," the boy hastened to add. "It wouldbreak her heart, though, if anything should happen to me."
"Cheer up! You'll get through all right. I can feel it in my bones."
Ralph laughed. "Why, of course I shall. It seems to me this war won't bea very long one."
"Perhaps not--you can't tell. But McClellan taught the Johnnies a lessonat the 'races' the other day."
"The 'races?'" Ralph's eyes opened wide.
"Yes, the 'Philippi races,'" Bill went on. "The Confeds ran so fast fromour boys at that battle that they dubbed their retreat the 'Philippiraces,' in honor of the speed they showed. He has been made a general,and given the Ohio troops to command. He crossed the Ohio with fourregiments and banged after the enemy. He found it hard work, for theysay Colonel Porterfield burned all the bridges. He wasn't long inputting them in order, though, and getting over some big reinforcements.He routed them at Philippi and at Rich Mountain. Government ought toremember him, I tell you."
And it did, for "Little Mac," as he was called, was madecommander-in-chief of the Army of the Potomac. {049}
{050}
CHAPTER III. RALPH'S FIRST BATTLE.
9057]
T Washington all sorts of rumors were plenty. It was generally known,however, that General Beauregard was making for Bull Run, where thestream presented a natural barrier. General McDowell left Washingtonwith a force, whose accompaniments of civilians, following the marchingcolumns on foot, reporters, congressmen and idle sight-seers incarriages, was a motley and curious sight. Everyone declared this to bethe battle which was to close out the rebellion, and all were jubilantat the prospect.
On the army pressed under the brave McDowell, who was planning toexecute a flank movement upon the Confederates' left. A two hours'engagement routed the Rebels, who fled before the Union charge.
The victory seemed to the Federal troops an easy one, but GeneralsJohnston and Beauregard took the field in person, and, planting theirartillery in a piece of woods, they held the open plateau across whichthe Federals were advancing, wholly at their mercy. General McDowellcould see nothing of this, owing to the shape of the ground, only bymounting to the top of the Henry House, where they took their stand, andwhere the attack was resumed in the afternoon.
The men on both sides were raw troops; they had not become the machinesthat after fighting made them. This was to most of them their firstencounter, and as shot and shell flew rapidly by them, as the Union menadvanced over the open ground upon the enemy, who were concealedwithin the woods, only to be picked off, one by one, by the Confederatesharpshooters, who took the gunners at their batteries, they becamedisheartened.
0058]
0059]
The {052} fight in the forenoon had exhausted them, and they wereunprepared for the work still to be done.
The battle was fierce; men were falling like hail, in all the agoniesof death. Here a drummer boy was lying face downward, his stiff handclutching the stick whose strokes would never wake the echoes again.There an officer, his uniform dyed with blood, lay prostrate on theground, his horse half across his stiffening body, while at every turnthe wounded were huddled together, in the positions in which they fell.
0060]
Ralph's heart turned sick, as he saw the brave fell
ows who manned thebatteries tumbling over each other, many of them shot through the heart,as the Confederates, tempted by their success, stole nearer to the guns.
Captain Griffin, who made the sad mistake of thinking the troops werehis own men coming to his aid, permitted the nearer approach of theConfederates. He discovered his error when a volley of musketry tooknearly every gunner and stretched Lieutenant Ramsay low in death, as therebels rushed in and seized the guns.
{053}
0061]
The {054}fighting went pluckily on; both sides were in deadly earnest.The batteries seemed to be the coveted prize, and they were taken andretaken, first by one army, and then the other.
Worn and harassed, in the confusion that ensued, regiments and companiesbecame mixed, and thousands of men lost track of their companies andwandered about, not knowing where they belonged.
In the dense smoke that covered the battle ground, Ralph became lost,and, making a short turn, found a clump of trees with a thick growthof underbrush. He heard voices, and threw himself flat upon the ground,determined not to be taken prisoner.
"Wonder what General Beauregard's next move will be?" The tones were lowand even.
"Well, Lieutenant, we cannot know at present, but it is certain we havetaught the Yanks a lesson this day. They'll never forget Johnston'sbrigade. They were so sure of whipping us. It was a hot battle, andthree or four times I thought we had lost. Those fellows fight well, butthey're no match for the South. What's the matter over there? See, ourmen are retreating. Don't they know we've won the day?"