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portion　of　his　cavalry；　marched　against　it。　After　a　brief　contest　the

place　was　taken；　the　enemy　stationed　there　being　all　taken

prisoners。　　The　amount　of　arms　and　stores　captured　was

prodigious。　　Eight　pieces　of　artillery；　250　horses；　3　locomotives；

and　tens　of　thousands　of　barrels　of　beef；　pork；　and　flour；　with　an

enormous　quantity　of　public　stores　and　the　contents　of

innumerable　sutlers'　shops。



The　sight　of　this　vast　abundance　to　starving　men　was　tantalizing　in

the　extreme。　　It　was　impossible　to　carry　any　of　it　away　and　all　that

could　be　done　was　to　have　at　least　one　good　meal。　　The　troops

therefore　were　marched　in　and　each　helped　himself　to　as　much　as

he　could　consume；　and　the　ragged　and　barefooted　men　feasted

upon　tinned　salmon　and　lobsters；　champagne　and　dainties　of　every

description　forwarded　for　the　use　of　officers。　　Then　they　set　to

work　to　pile　the　enormous　mass　of　stores　together　and　to　set　it　on

fire。　　While　they　were　engaged　at　this　a　brigade　of　New　Jersey

troops　which　had　come　out　from　Washington　to　save　Manassas

was　attacked　and　utterly　routed。　　Ewell's　division　had　remained　at

Bristoe；　while　those　of　Hill　and　Jackson　moved　to　Manassas；　and

in　the　course　of　the　afternoon　Ewell　saw　the　whole　of　Pope's　army

marching　against　him。



He　held　them　in　check　for　some　hours；　and　thus　gave　the　troops　at

Manassas　time　to　destroy　completely　the　vast　accumulation　of

stores；　and　when　Stuart's　cavalry；　covering　the　retreat；　fell　back　at

nightfall　through　Manassas；　nothing　but　blackened　cinders

remained　where　the　Federal　depots　had　been　situated。　　The　blow　to

the　Northerners　was　as　heavy　as　it　was　unexpected。　　Pope　had　no

longer　either　provisions　for　his　men　or　forage　for　his　cattle；　and

there　was　nothing　left　for　him　but　to　force　his　way　past　Jackson

and　retire　upon　Washington。



Jackson　had　now　the　option　of　falling　back　and　allowing　the

enemy　to　pass；　or　of　withstanding　the　whole　Federal　army　with　his

own　little　force　until　Lee　came　up　to　the　rescue。　　He　chose　the

latter　course；　and　took　up　a　strong　position。　　The　sound　of　firing　at

Thoroughfare　Gap　was　audible；　and　he　knew　that　Longstreet's

division　of　Lee's　army　was　hotly　engaged　with　a　force　which；　now

that　it　was　too　late；　bad　been　sent　to　hold　the　gorge。　　It　was　nearly

sunset　before　Pope　brought　up　his　men　to　the　attack。　Jackson　did

not　stand　on　the　defensive；　but　rushed　down　and　attacked　the

enemy…whose　object　had　been　to　pass　the　position　and　press

on…with　such　vigor　that　at　nine　o'clock　they　fell　back。



An　hour　later　a　horseman　rode　up　with　the　news　that　Longstreet

had　passed　the　Gap　and　was　pressing　on　at　full　speed；　and　in　the

morning　his　forces　were　seen　approaching；　the　line　they　were

taking　bringing　them　up　at　an　angle　to　Jackson's　position。　　Thus

their　formation　as　they　arrived　was　that　of　an　open　V；　and　it　was

through　the　angle　of　this　V　that　Pope　had　to　force　his　way。　　Before

Longstreet　could　arrive；　however；　the　enemy　hurled　themselves

upon　Jackson；　and　for　hours　the　Confederates　held　their　own

against　the　vast　Federal　army；　Longstreet's　force　being　too　far　away

to　lend　them　a　hand。　　Ammunition　failed；　and　the　soldiers　fought

with　piles　of　stones；　but　night　fell　without　any　impression　being

made　upon　these　veterans。　　General　Lee　now　came　up　with

General　Hood's　division；　and　hurled　this　against　the　Federals　and

drove　them　back。　　In　the　evening　Longstreet's　force　took　up　the

position　General　Lee　had　assigned　to　it；　and　in　the　morning　all　the

Confederate　army　had　arrived；　and　the　battle　recommenced。



The　stuggle　was　long　and　terrible；　but　by　nightfall　every　attack　had

been　repulsed；　and　the　Confederates；　advancing　on　all　sides；　drove

the　Northerners；　a　broken　and　confused　crowd；　before　them；　the

darkness　alone　saving　them　from　utter　destruction。　　Had　there　been

but　one　hour　more　of　daylght　the　defeat　would　have　been　as

complete　as　was　that　in　the　battle　of　Bull　Run；　which　had　been

fought　on　precisely　the　same　ground。　　However；　under　cover　of　the

darkness　the　Federals　retreated　to　Centreville；　whence　they　were

driven　on　the　following　day。





In　the　tremendous　fighting　in　which　Jackson's　command　had　for

three　long　days　been　engaged；　the　cavalry　bore　a　comparatively

small　part。　　The　Federal　artillery　was　too　powerful　to　permit　the

employment　of　large　bodies　of　cavalry　and　although　from　time　to

time　charges　were　made　when　an　opportunity　seemed　to　offer

itself；　the　battle　was　fought　out　by　the　infantry　and　artillery。　　When

the　end　came　Jackson's　command　was　for　a　time　hors　de　combat。

During　the　long　two　days'　march　they　had　at　least　gathered　corn

and　apples　to　sustain　＇ife；　but　during　these　three　days'　fighting　they

had　had　no　food　whatever；　and　many　were　so　weak　that　they　could

no　longer　march。



They　had　done　all　that　was　possible　for　men　to　do；　had　for　two

days　withstood　the　attack　of　an　enemy　of　five　times　their　numbers；

and　had　on　the　final　day　borne　their　full　share　in　the　great　struggle；

but　now　the　greater　part　cou＇d　do　no　more；　thousands　of　men　were

unable　to　drag　themselves　a　step　further；　and　Lee's　army　was

reduced　in　strength　for　the　time　by　nearly　20；000　men。　　All　these

afterward　rejoined　it；　some　as　soon　as　they　recovered　limped　away

to　take　their　places　in　the　ranks　again；　others　made　their　way　to　the

depot　at　Warrenton；　where　Lee　had　ordered　that　all　unable　to

accompany　his　force　should　rendezvous　until　he　returned　and　they

were　able　to　rejoin　their　regiments。



Jackson　marched　away　and　laid　siege　to　Harper's　Ferry；　an

important　depot　garrisoned　by　11；000　men；　who　were　forced　to

surrender　just　as　McClellan　with　a　fresh　army；　100；000　strong；

which　was　pressing　forward　to　its　succor；　arrived　within　a　day's

march。　　As　soon　as　Jackson　had　taken　the　place　be　hurried　away

with　his　troops　to　join　Lee；　who　was　facing　the　enemy　at　the

Antictam　river。　Here　upon　the　fellowing　day　another　terrible　battle

was　fought；　the　Confederates；　though　but　39；000　strong；　repulsing

every　attack　by　the　Federals；　and　driving　them　with　terrible

slaughter　back　across　the　river。



Their　own　loss；　however；　had　been　very　heavy；　and　Lee；　knowing

that　he　could　expect　no　assistance；　while　the　enemy　were

constantly　receiving　reinforcements；　waited　for　a　day　to　collect　his

wounded；　bury　his　dead；　and　send　his　stores　and　artillery　to　the

rear；　and　then　retired　unpursued　across　the　Rappahannock。　　Thus

the　hard…fought　campaign　came　to　an　end。



Vincent　Wingfield　was　not　with　the　army　that　retired　across　the

Rappahannock。　　A　portion　of　the　cavalry　had　followed　the　broken

Federals　to　the　very　edge　of　the　stream；　and　just　as　they　reined　in

their　horses　a　round　shot　from　one　of　the　Federal　batteries　carried

away　his　cap；　and　he　fell　as　if　dead　from　his　horse。　　During　the

night　some　of　the　Northerners　crossed　the　stream　to　collect　and

bring　back　their　own　wounded　who　had　fallen　near　it；　and　coming

across　Vincent；　and　finding　that　he　still　breathed；　and　was

apparently　without　a　wound；　they　carried　him　back　with　them

across　the　river　as　a　prisoner。



Vincent　had　indeed　escaped　without　a　wound；　having　been　only

stunned　by　the　passage　of　the　shot　that　had　carried　away　his　cap；

and　missed　him　but　by　the　fraction　of　an　inch。　　He　had　begun　to

recover　consciousness　just　as　his　captors　caine　up；　and　the　action

of　carrying　him　completely　restored　him。　　That　he　had　fallen　into

the　hands　of　the　Northerners　he　was　well　aware；　but　he　was　unable

to　imagine　how　this；　had　happened。　　He　remembered　that　the

Confederates　had　been；　up　to　the　moment　when　he　fell；　completely

successful；　and　he　could　only　imagine　that　in　a　subsequent　attack

the　Federals　had　turned　the　tables　upon　them。



How　he　himself　had　fallen；　or　what　had　happened　to　him；　he　had

no　idea。　　Beyond　a　strange　feeling　of　numbness　in　the　head　he　was

conscious　of　no　injury；　and　he　could　only　imagine　that　his　horse

had　been　shot　under　him；　and　that　he　must　have　fallen　upon　his

head。　　The　thought　that　his　favorite　horse　was　killed　afflicted　him

almost　as　much　as　his　own　capture。　　As　soon　as　his　captors

perceived　that　their　prisoner's　consciousness　had　returned　they　at

once　reported　that　an　officer　of　Stuart's　cavalry　had　been　taken；

and　at　daybreak　next　morning　General　McClellan　on　rising　was

acquainted　with　the　fact；　and　Vincent　was　conducted　to　his　tent。



〃You　are　unwounded；　sir？〃　the　general　said　in　some　surprise。



〃I　am；　general；〃　Vincent　replied。　　〃I　do　not　know　how　it　happened；

but　I　believe　that　my　horse　must　have　been　shot　under　me；　and　that

I　must　have　been　thrown　and　stunned；　however；　I　remember

nothing　from　the　moment　when　I　heard　the　word　halt；　just　as　we

reached　the　side　of　the　stream；　to　that　when　I　found　myself　being

carried　here。〃



〃You　belong　to　the　cavalry？〃



Yes；　sir。〃



Was　Lee's　force　all　engaged　yesterday？〃



〃I　do　not　know；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃I　only　came　up　with　Jackson's

division　from　Harper's　Ferry　the　evening　before。〃



〃I　need　not　have　questioned　you；〃　McClellan　said。　　〃I　know　that

Lee's　whole　army；　100；000　strong；　opposed　me　yesterday。〃



Vincent　was　silent。　　He　was　glad　to　see　that　the　Federal　general；　as

usual；　enormously　overrated　the　strength　of　the　force　opposed　to

him。



〃I　hear　that　the　whole　of　the　garrison　of　Harper's　Ferry　were

released　on　parole　not　to　serve　again　during　the　war。　　If　you　are

ready　to　give　me　your　promise　to　the　same　effect　I　will　allow　you

to　return　to　your　friends；　if　not；　you　must　remain　a　prisoner　until

you　are　regularly　exchanged。〃



〃I　must　do　so；　then；　general；〃　Vincent　said　quietly。　　〃I　could　not

return　home　and　remain　inactive　while　every　man　in　the　South　is

fighting　for　the　defense　of　his　country；　so　I　will　take　my　chance　of

being　exchanged。〃



〃I　am　sorry　you　choose　that　alternative；〃　McClellan　said。　　〃I　hate　to

see　brave　men　imprisoned　if　only　for　a　day；　and　braver　men　than