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Yankee…land　he　may　either　call　me　out　or　demand　a　court　of

inquiry。　　I　may　not　succeed　in　getting　a　verdict　from　twelve　white

men；　but　I　think　I　can　convince　every　one　of　our　own　class　that　the

fellow　did　it；　and　when　this　battle　that　is　expected　is　over　I　have

got　three　months'　leave；　and　I　will　move　heaven　and　earth　to　find

the　woman；　and　if　I　do；　Jackson　will　either　have　to　bolt　or　stand　a

trial；　with　the　prospect　of　ten　years'　imprisonment　if　he　is

convicted。　　In　either　case　we　are　not　likely　to　have　his　son　about

here　again；　and　if　he　did　venture　back　and　brought　an　action

against　me；　his　chance　of　getting　damages　would　be　a　small　one。〃



Another　half…hour's　ride　brought　them　to　the　Cedars。　They

dismounted　at　the　house；　and　fastening　their　horses　to　the　portico

knocked　at　the　door。　　It　was　opened　by　a　negro。



〃Tell　your　master；〃　Vincent　said；　〃that　Mr。　Wingfield　wishes　to

speak　to　him。〃



Andrew　Jackson　himself　came　to　the　door。



〃To　what　do　I　owe　the　very　great　pleasure　of　this　visit；　Mr。

Wingfield？〃　he　said　grimly。



〃I　have　come　to　ask　you　what　you　have　done　with　Dinah　Morris；

whom；　I　have　every　ground　for　believing；　you　have　caused　to　be

kidnaped　from　my　mother's　house。〃



〃This　is　a　serious　charge；　young　gentleman；〃　Andrew　Jackson　said；

〃and　one　that　I　shall　call　upon　you　to　justify　in　the　law…courts。　

Men　are　not　to　be　charged　with　criminal　actions　even　by　young

gentlemen　of　good　Virginian　families。〃



〃I　shall　be　quite　ready　to　meet　you　there；　Mr。　Jackson；　whenever

you　choose；　but　my　visit　here　is　rather　to　give　you　an　opportunity

of　escaping　the　consequences　that　will　follow　your　detection　as　the

author　of　the　crime；　for　I　warn　you　that　I　will　bring　the　crime　home

to　you；　whatever　it　costs　me　in　time　and　money。　　My　offer　is　this：

produce　the　woman　and　her　child；　and　not　only　shall　no

prosecution　take　place；　but　I　will　remain　silent　concerning　a　fact

which　affects　the　honor　of　your　son。〃



Andrew　Jackson's　face　had　been　perfectly　unmoved　during　this

conversation　until　he　heard　the　allusion　to　his　son。　　Then　his　face

changed　visibly。



〃I　know　nothing　concerning　which　you　can　attack　the　honor　of　my

son；　Mr。　Wingfield；〃　he　said；　with　an　effort　to　speak　as

unconcernedly　as　before。



〃My　charge　is　as　follows；〃　Vincent　said　quietly：　〃I　was　imprisoned

at　Elmira　with　a　number　of　other　officers；　among　them　your　son。　

Thinking　that　it　was　time　for　the　unpleasantness　that　had　been

existing　between　us　to　come　to　an　end；　I　offered　him　my　hand。　

This　he　accepted　and　we　became　friends。　　A　short　time　afterward　a

mode　of　escape　offered　itself　to　me；　and　I　proved　the　sincerity　of

my　feelings　toward　him　by　offering　to　him　and　another　officer　the

means　of　sharing　my　escape。　　This　they　accepted。　Once　outside　the

walls；　I　furnished　them　with　disguises　that　had　been　prepared　for

them；　assuming　myself　that　of　a　minister。　　We　then　separated；

going　in　different　directions；　I　myself　being　accompanied　by　my

negro　servant；　to　whose　fidelity　I　owed　our　escape。　　Two　days

afterward　an　anonymous　writer　communicated　to　the　police　the

fact　that　I　had　escaped　in　the　disguise　of　a　minister；　and　was

accompanied　by　my　black　servant。　　This　fact　was　only　known　to

the　negro；　myself；　and　the　two　officers。　　My　negro；　who　had

released　me；　was　certainly　not　my　betrayer；　the　other　officer　could

certainly　have　had　no　possible　motive　for　betraying　me。　　There

remains；　therefore；　only　your　son；　whose　hostility　to　me　was

notorious；　and　who　had　expressed　himself　with　bitterness　agsinst

me　on　many　occasions；　and　among　others　in　the　hearing　of　my

friend　Mr。　Furniss　here。　　Such　being　the　case；　it　is　my　intention　to

charge　him　before　the　military　authorities　with　this　act　of

treachery。　　But；　as　I　have　said；　I　am　willing　to　forego　this　and　to

keep　silence　as　to　your　conduct　with　reference　to　my　slave　Dinah

Morris；　if　you　will　restore　her　and　her　child　uninjured　to　the　house

from　which　you　caused　her　to　be　taken。〃



The　sallow　cheeks　of　the　old　planter　had　grown　a　shade　paler　as　he

listened　to　Vincent's　narrative；　but　he　now　burst　out　in　angry　tones：



〃Hew　dare　you；　sir；　bring　such　an　infamous　accusation　against　my

son…an　accusation；　like　that　against　myself；　wholly　unsupported　by

a　shred　of　evidence？　　Doubtless　your　negro　had　confided　to　some

of　his　associates　his　plans　for　assisting　you　to　escape　from　prison；

and　it　is　from　one　of　these　that　the　denunciation　has　come。　　Go；　sir；

report　where　you　will　what　lies　and　fables　you　have　invented；　but

be　assured　that　I　and　my　son　will　seek　our　compensation　for　such

gross　libels　in　the　courts。〃



〃Very　well；　sir；〃　Vincent　said；　as　be　prepared　to　mount　his　horse；

〃if　you　will　take　the　trouble　to　look　in　the　papers　to…morrow；　you

will　see　that　your　threats　of　action　for　libel　have　no　effect

whatever　upon　me。〃



〃The　man　is　as　hard　as　a　rock；　Wingfleld；〃　Furniss　said；　as　they

rode　off　together。　　〃He　wilted　a　little　when　you　were　telling　your

story；　but　the　moment　he　saw　you　had　no　definite　proofs　he　was；　as

I　expected　he　would　be；　ready　to　defy　you。　　What　shall　you　do

now？〃



〃I　shall　ride　back　into　Richmond　again　and　give　a　full　account　of

my　escape　from　the　jail；　and　state　that　I　firmly　believe　that　the

information　as　to　my　disguise　was　given　by　Jackson；　and　that　it

was　the　result　of　a　personal　hostility　which；　as　many　young　men　in

Richmond　are　well　aware；　has　existed　for　some　time　between　us。〃



〃Well；　you　must　do　as　you　like；　Wingfield；　but　I　think　it　will　be　a

risky　business。〃



〃It　may　be　so；〃　Vincent　said；　〃but　I　have　little　doubt　that　long

before　Jackson　is　exchanged　I；　shall　have　discovered　Dinah；　and

shall　prosecute　Jackson　for　theft　and　kidnaping；　in　which　case　the

young　man　will　hardly　venture　to　prosecute　me　or　indeed　to　show

his　face　in　this　part　of　the　country。〃



That　evening　the　two　young　officers　started　for　the　front；　and　the

next　morning　the　Richmond　papers　came　oat　with　a　sensational

heading；　〃Alleged　Gross　Act　of　Treachery　and　Ingratitude　by　a

Confederate　Officer。〃



It　was　the　10th　of　December　when　Vincent　joined　the　army　at

Fredericksburg。　　He　reported　himself　to　General　Stuart；　who

received　him　with　great　cordiality。



〃You　are　just　in　time；　Wingfield；〃　he　said。　　〃I　believe　that　in

another　twenty…four　hours　the　battle　will　be　fought。　They　have　for

the　last　two　days　been　moving　about　in　front；　and　apparently　want

us　to　believe　that　they　intend　to　cross　somewhere　below　the　town；

but　all　the　news　we　get　from　our　spies　is　to　the　effect　that　these　are

only　feints　and　that　they　intend　to　throw　a　bridge　across　here。　　We

know；　anyhow；　they　have　got　two　trains　concealed　opposite；　near

the　river。　　Burnside　is　likely　to　find　it　a　hard　nut　to　crack。　　Of

course　they　are　superior　in　number　to　us；　as　they　always　are；　but　as

we　have　always　beat　them　well　on　level　ground　I　do　not　think　their

chances　of　getting　up　these　heights　are　by　any　means　hopeful。　

Then；　too；　their　change　of　commanders　is　against　them。　

McClellan　fought　a　drawn　battle　against　us　at　Antietam　and

showed　himself　a　really　able　general　in　the　operations　in　front　of

Richmond。　　The　army　have　confidence　in　him；　and　he　is　by　far　the

best　man　they　have　got　so　far；　but　the　fools　at　Washington　have

now　for　the　second　time　displaced　him　because　they　are　jealous　of

him。　　Burnside　has　shown　himself　a　good　man　in　minor

commands；　but　I　don't　think　he　is　equal　to　command　such　a　vast

army　as　this；　and　besides；　we　know　from　our　friends　at

Washington　that　he　has　protested　against　this　advance　across　the

river；　but　has　been　overruled。　　You　will　see　Fredericksburg　will

add　another　to　the　long　list　of　our　victories。〃



Vincent　shared　a　tent　with　another　officer　of　the　same　rank　in

General　Stuart's　staff。　　They　sat　chatting　till　late；　and　it　was　still

dark　when　they　were　suddenly　aroused　by　an　outbreak　of　musketry

down　at　the　river。



〃The　general　was　right；〃　Captain　Longmore；　Vincent's　companion；

exclaimed。　　〃They　are　evidently　throwing　a　bridge　across　the　river；

and　the　fire　we　hear　comes　from　two　regiments　of　Mississippians

who　are　posted　down　in　the　town　under　Barksdale。〃



It　was　but　the　work　of　a　minute　to　throw　on　their　clothes　and　hurry

out。　　The　night　was　dark　and　a　heavy　fog　hung　over　the　river。　　A

perfect　roar　of　musketry　came　up　from　the　valley。　　Drums　and

bugles　were　sounding　all　along　the　crest。　　At　the　same　moment

they　issued　out　General　Stuart　came　out　from　his　tent；　which　was

close　by。



〃Is　that　you；　Longmore？　Jump　on　your　horse　and　ride　down　to　the

town。　　Bring　back　news　of　what　is　going　on。〃



A　few　minutes　later　an　officer　rode　up。　　Some　wood　had　been

thrown　on　the　fire；　and　by　its　light　Vincent　recognized　Stonewall

Jackson。



〃Have　you　any　news　for　us？〃　he　asked。



〃Not　yet；　I　have　sent　an　officer　down　to　inquire。　　The　enemy　have

been　trying　to　bridge　the　river。



〃I　suppose　so；〃　Jackson　replied。　　〃I　have　ordered　one　of　my

brigades　to　come　to　the　head　of　the　bank　as　soon　as　they　can　be

formed　up；　to　help　Barksdale　if　need　be；　but　I　don't　want　to　take

them　down　into　the　town。　　It　is　commanded　by　all　the　hills　on　the

opposite　side；　and　we　know　they　have　brought　up　also　all　their

artillery　there。〃



In　a　few　minutes　Captain　Lougmore　returned。



〃The　enemy　have　thrown　two　pontoon　bridges　across；　one　above

and　one　below　the　old　railway　bridge。　　The　Mississippians　have

driven　them　back　once；　but　they　are　pushing　on　the　work　and　will

soon　get　it　finished；　but　General　Barksdale　bids　me　report　that

with　the　force　at　his　command　he　can　repulse　any　attempt　to

cross。〃



The　light　was　now　breaking　in　the　east；　but　the　roar　of　musketry

continued　under　the　canopy　of　fog。　　General　Lee；　Longstreet；　and

others　had　now　arrived　upon　the　spot；　and　Vincent　was　surprised

that　no　orders　were　issued　for　troops　to　reinforce　those　under

General