"Lee has the choice of positions," the men said. "He has both flanksresting on the streams. He has the whole four bridges across the creekwell guarded; that is, all but one, and that's the point we have totake. We intend to call the attention of the Johnnies to our point ofattack, and throw our entire strength against the bridge that is leftunguarded, and then cross. They say Lee hasn't much over 40,000 men, butthey are a body we shall be proud to meet, and whip."
The artillery practice on both sides was sharp all day, but not muchexecution was done. At nearly five in the afternoon General Hookerscorps made, a dash across the upper bridge, and advancing through thewoods, fell upon General Hoods brigade, and a fierce skirmish followed,but the darkness brought it to {131}a close for that night, and botharmies rested, eager for the morning light, that they might rush at eachother again.
Before sunrise General McClellan hurried Mansfield's corps to Hookersaid, while Sumner was ready to follow.
The renewal of hostilities began early. As the sun rose, his beamslighted up the two armies, angry and threatening. General Hooker threwhis forces with vigor against General Jackson's, and pressed him so hardhe fell back. The batteries came promptly to the front, and raked theConfederates with shot the entire length of their line, breaking theirranks in wild haste.
Crowding and forcing them back, General Mansfield came to the Unionists'aid, when a shot struck him, and he fell dead, but his command kept on,and entering the woods, got their position and held it, against immenseodds. General Hooker here received a serious wound, and was carriedaway, just as General Sumner crossed the stream, drove the boys in graybefore him, and entrenched his men near the little church of Dunker.Here the fighting raged so madly, and the artillery fire was so heavy,that a historian relates that years after, when the trees were cut downand sent to a sawmill to be made into logs, the saws were torn to piecesby the quantity of metal that had pierced the trees, and been hiddenthere by the growth of the wood. But in spite of this vigorous fire, noirresolution was shown, and as fast as men were shot down at the guns,others were ready to take their places, with undismayed zeal.
A lull occurred, and as the sounds of firing seemed to die away, therewas great rejoicing, for to the Federal army a victory was apparentlyassured, when the hope was suddenly dispelled by the arrival of twodivisions of the enemy, who, with a loud yell, threw themselves intoa gap in Sumner's line, forcing him from his position, and across themeadows and cornfields, where he made a stand, but the foe retired againto its own position.
{132}
0140]
"Harry, see those regiments," Ralph said to a fellow soldier--"lookat the race. Which will come out ahead, I wonder? They are pretty wellmatched--both are fleet-footed."
It was a race, indeed. A New Hampshire regiment was marching parallelwith a Confederate regiment, and each were intent on reaching a certainhigh piece of ground. As they ran, the bullets whizzed {133}back andforth, from both sides, and these pleasantries were kept up.
"The Johnnies are ahead--no, they have fallen back a little. The NewHampshire boys are in the lead now. They've reached the ground. Hurrah!"shouted Harry, and in his excitement he threw up his cap, and caught iton the point of his bayonet. As soon as the winners gained the covetedpoint, they poured shot into their late rivals' ranks.
8141]
The artillery was heaviest near the church, and the dead lay so thickthat they could have formed a foot bridge the entire length of the line.
"Wonder why Porter and Burnside keep so still?" This question wasasked again and again. "See the rebs mowing down our men like ripegrass! Why don't they come to our assistance?"
"They are keeping their troops as reserves. The Confeds don't hold anyof their men back, but launch every one of them at us."
"That don't seem to me to be the right policy," said Ralph. "Butlook--Franklin has come up from Crampton's Gap just in the nick of time.He is very welcome, for there are fresh troops advancing, from the rightflank of the boys in gray." Franklin's opportune coming infused newhope, and the boys' {134}eyes brightened, cheery words went round, andmuskets were handled with a will.
"General Burnside's orders are to take that bridge. We've got to doit; it won't be very much work, and then we'll soon be over to see ourfriends on the other side."
"You think that's easy, do you? Wait and see. We're on low ground here,but the land over the other side is higher, and the road runs alongsidethe stream. Those fellows have their guns well placed, and can damage usbad."
The bridge they were expected to take, was of stone, and rather narrow.The first brigade to attempt to cross was General Crook's.
"Hark! he's gone the wrong way. The rebels are pouring shot into him.He'll be cut all to pieces."
The General had struck the wrong road, and was being subjected to aheavy fire. A Maryland regiment and a New Hampshire followed him on thedouble quick, but retreated, as they could not stand the fire!
"There is help for us now," said Ralph, "for they are bringing up someguns that will speak loud for our side."
Two heavy guns were soon thundering over the ground, and commandingthe boys in gray who were guarding the bridge? Their persuasive tonesopened the passage, and triumphantly the Union men crossed the bridge,and secured the position.
Four hours had been consumed, and thus General Lee improved his chanceto bring fresh troops to his aid, who drove Burnside from the heights,and retook a battery which he had captured.
The battle was over. When the rattle of musketry is heard, the smoke ofbattle, and the wild plunging of the frightened horses, and the shoutsand fierce onset of a maddened mass of human beings is felt, there is anexcitement, a fever in the blood that strengthens the arm, andhardens the muscles--thoughts of self are forgotten. But when thoseaccompaniments are missing--when the awful stillness of a desertedbattle-ground succeeds them, then the heart grows faint and cold.
{135}
0143]
Both {136}armies were glad to rest; both sides had been rent anddismembered. Many regiments in both lines had been slaughteredunmercifully. The victory belonged to McClellan, but the sorrow andanguish belonged to those who loved the fallen ones--to the friendsalike of the blue and the gray, in cottage and mansion, all over thisbroad land of ours.
8145]
Daily papers were a luxury, and the boys in the army were always gladto purchase them at a good round price. The newsboy is ubiquitous. Heis the product of the century, and will never be shelved as are so manyuseful things. Their cries were welcome to those men, who were anxiousto know what each day was bringing forth and when one galloped intocamp, two days after the battle of the Antietam with a bag heavilyfreighted with New York dailies, he was surrounded at once, and hisstock rapidly melted away.
"Good news!" flashed through the ranks as they eagerly devoured the newsof the battle of Iuka, with Rosecrans at the head.
"It was a daring attempt," Ralph read aloud to the eager group; "theaccount says that the Union forces attacked Price's men in a narrowfront, with ravines filled with undergrowth, where it was difficult tomaintaining a foothold, with but one battery, and with hosts against them,three to one. Yet they swept down the enemy, and fought till darknessovertook them, and in the night the Confederates beat a hasty retreat."
This {137}news cheered the hearts of the boys in blue, and while theywere giving vent to their joy in different ways, Ralph's heart wasfilled with a solemn thankfulness, for to him it seemed as if One abovesurely ruled their destinies.
CHAPTER XIII. OLD BILL DIES.
9147]
HE beautiful {138}autumn days grew shorter. Novembers blasts were keenlyfelt, even in that sunny clime, and the boys looked forward with dismayto a winter passed in inaction.
"Why, we'll have to fight to keep warm," jolly Fred Greene said to thecomrades gathered round.
Old Bill had been in hospital for many months. Ralph visited himoften, and the sick man's face would brighten, and his voice growstronger,'whenever the boy came to his b
edside. But he seemed tohave lost interest in everything pertaining to this life. Ralph triedearnestly to induce him to talk of the events passing around them, butwithout success.
One morning early in November, when he went to pay his usual visit, theboy said:
"Bill, this is my first experience as a soldier. But you have seenplenty of service before?"
The sick man shook his head slowly, but made no reply. Ralph waited afew moments, and began to think his question had not been consideredworthy of an answer, when Bill suddenly spoke:
"Yes, I have been out on the border fighting Indians, for years. How Idetest the redskins. They seldom come out and give a man a fair show,but they just go on the warpath, and then it's skulk and lie in ambush,and burn sleeping villages, massacring women and children. Their mode ofwarfare don't suit me." And the disdainful curl of the lip showed whathe thought of them. After a long pause, he resumed:
"Then I was in the Mexican War. I was quite a stripling then, and Ifought under General Phil Kearney. He was a fighter, {139}brave as alion, and when he lost his arm not a man under him but would rather ithad been his own arm shot away. He's one 01 General McClellan's mosttrusty officers. His experience is worth millions to younger men. HowI'd like to see noble Phil Kearney!"
"Why, Bill, didn't you know that he was killed at the battle ofGroveton, Va., in September?"
9148]
"Kearney killed--and I've been lying here, and knew nothing about it!It's too hard. Let's hear all you know, Ralph."
"I can only tell you what we heard. You know we wasn't there to seeit, but he was sent to Hooker's support, when the lat-ter's men chargedJackson with bayonets. They had an awful battle, but General Kearney hadbeen sent to their assistance too late, and he was forced back.Hooker almost broke the enemy's line, but fresh bodies of Confederateshastening up, changed the outlook, and so the Union boys were repulsed.At six in the afternoon General Pope ordered another attack, and Kearneycame up in fine style, seizing a railroad cut on the Warrenton turnpike{140}where Jackson was nicely entrenched, and holding it for awhile. Oneof the Confederate regiments who ran short of ammunition, hurled greatstones and fragments of the rocks at our men, killing many. GeneralKearney still maintained his position, but was overpowered by numbers,and driven out of the cut."
Ralph paused, but Bill's eyes were gleaming with excitement "Go on," hesaid, earnestly--"is that all?"
"The two armies rested till the next day, when a still fiercer attemptwas made to rout the rebels, but in spite of the most stubborn fighting,our army was withdrawn from the field, and fell back to Fairfax CourtHouse; but the next evening, September 1st, Stonewall Jackson madeanother attack upon General Popes flank, which was resisted hotly, andGeneral Kearney, with Hooker, Reno, McDowell and Stevens, were thereto help, but General Stevens fell dead at their fire, and as all theirammunition had been used up, his men retired at once. General Kearneystarted forward to reconnoiter, and was confronted by a Confederateband; he put spurs to his horse, hoping to escape, but they shot himdead."
Bill shook his head solemnly, and leaning back on his pillow, he closedhis eyes, as if he had fallen asleep. Glad to have awakened even soslight attention as he had succeeded in doing, the boy continued:
"Bill, we have a new commander now. The President has relieved GeneralMcClellan, and we are to have General Burnside. What do you think ofthat?"
A look of the old time came into Bill's face, as he answered:
"Yes, I have a new commander--one whose call will soon be heard!"
Ralph shuddered. He knew too well the meaning of Bills words.
"I mean our army commander, Bill; General McClellan has been relieved ofhis command, and General Burnside has been appointed in his place."
"General {141}McClellan--yes, he's too slow. It needs some one with alittle push. But it's all the same to me, now."
And that was all he said about the change. He lay on his cot, lookingintently at Ralph, and suddenly he broke out with--"I don't know whyI'm so fond of you, boy, unless it's 'cause you mind me of Eddie. He wasjust such a little plucky, fair-faced lad as you are, and I can't helpmixing you up with him."
Ralph wondered who Eddie was, but he waited patiently. Bill's eyesburned with a luster the boy had never seen there before. The sick man'sface was very thin. The brown tint that outdoor life always gives hadfaded, and the sharp features looked more pinched and wan from theirpallor. He went on in a weak and trembling voice:
"She was a beauty, and I was powerful fond of her. Her eyes were like ayoung fawn's, and her hair was brown as the chestnuts when they ripenin the sun. She liked Frank better nor me, and she told me so. Thenwhen they were married, I hated him bitterly. But when the little fellowcome, and they sent for me, somehow from the first time I took thelittle tot in my arms, and he smiled up into my face, all my anger diedout. After that I would have died sooner than harm his daddy. They werehappy with each other. But he died when the lad was ten or so, and leftthe poor wife alone. I didn't know how to comfort her, and she grievedcontinually. One day, when he was quite a lad, nearly sixteen, andneeded his mother most, they found her dead on her husband's grave. Ah,that is the way some women love!
"That nigh killed me, but I meant to be a good friend to the boy. Theytook even that comfort from me, for they carried him away down South tohis father's folks, and I never seed him again."
The man's face was fever-flushed now, and his words came almost in awhisper. He tossed uneasily from side to side.
"Ralph, my head bothers me--it aches so strangely. I wish--"
But {142}the wish was never told. A wild look came over his face, hiswords became incoherent. A delirium had seized him, and kindly as he wastended by the nurses and his comrades, he never regained his senses. Afew days of apparent suffering, and Bill Elliotts kindly heart ceased tobeat. The uncouth, rugged, but brave soldier had passed on to the GreatBeyond.
0151]
It was late in the afternoon of a raw November day, while the windsshrieked mournfully, when they carried him to a little valley in whichthey had dug a grave, into whose depth they lowered the body of a braveand true soldier, who never shirked a duty. The chaplain, a plain andtender, man, read impressively that beautiful Psalm:
_"Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.
"From {143}the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee, when my heart isoverwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
"For Thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.
"I will abide in Thy tabernacle forever. I will trust in the covert ofThy wings. Selah_."
In a clear and ringing voice he read the solemn burial service, and thecomrades of the dead soldier listened reverently. When he had concluded,some one suggested that they sing, and a clear, sweet voice brokeplaintively into that exquisite hymn,
```"_Abide with me, fast falls the eventide;
```The darkness deepens--Lord, with me abide; *
```When other helpers fail, and comforts flee,
```Help of the helpless, O abide with me._"
The voice suddenly broke into a passion of tears, and Ralph threwhimself on the grave, which was fast being filled up, and cried--"Bill,Bill, you were my best friend--I cannot let you go."
There were many looks of sympathy for the boy, but death was, after all,nothing but a passing incident to men who faced it every hour, and asRalph went back to his tent, his heart rebelled at the levity whichallowed the merry jest to pass around, as to whose turn it would benext.
To him it was a new experience. He had seen hundreds of men shot down inbattle, but no one had died whom he had cared for, and it came home tohim. He had become deeply attached to Bill, whose cheerful, off-handmanners had enlivened the homesick boy. He had lost his comrade, but hismemory was cherished, and he was missed for a long time.
0152]
CHAPTER XIV. FREDERICKSBURG.
9153]
T was {144}with many forebodings and some outspoken prophecies offailure that
many of the Union officers learned that they were to moveat once upon Fredericksburg.
"It looks to me like a mad freak to send us out to assault suchfortifications as are thrown up on the hills south and west of thetown. It isn't right for a soldier to grumble, but when he sees aman perpetrating a piece of folly, that is going to cause a needlesssacrifice of life, why, he can't help expressing himself as opposed tothe scheme."
The plaint of the captain found a ready echo in the hearts of his fellowofficers, but a soldier must obey instructions unquestioningly.
Early morning hours came, the camp was astir, and all preparations weremade for a speedy move upon the fortifications.
"Lee has thrown up forts for five miles will stand any attack thatGeneral Burnside can make. We are going to our death."
A two o'clock breakfast, eaten in haste in the fog of early morning, wasall that the men were allowed. The outlook was gloomy. The river mustbe crossed, but while Burnside was trying to lay pontoon bridges, theengineers were terribly harassed by the continuous fire of the rebelsharpshooters, who were using the houses skirting the river bank asplaces of refuge.
{145}
0154]
General Burnside determined to try the effect of shelling the town. Themen who were detailed to lay the pontoon bridges were falling at theirposts by the rifles in the hands of a Mississippi detachment which washidden securely in cellars, behind walls and fences, and in every cornerwhere it was possible to {146}conceal a man. Crack! crack! their rifleswere heard, and many a boy in blue was tumbled into the water witha bullet in his brain, to be carried away by the current. It was afruitless endeavor to keep on with the work, the loss of life was sogreat. The Federals had better luck at the lower bridges, being able todislodge the sharpshooters from their rifle-pits.