with lee in virginia-第51部分

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

that　no　orders　were　issued　for　troops　to　reinforce　those　under

General　Barksdale。　Presently　the　sun　rose；　and　as　it　gained　in

power　the　fog　slowly　lifted；　and　it　was　seen　that　the　two　pontoon

bridges　were　complete；　but　the　fire　of　the　Mississippians　was　so

heavy　that　although　the　enemy　several　times　attempted　to　cross

they　recoiled　before　it。　　Suddenly　a　gun　was　fired　from　the

opposite　height；　and　at　the　signal　more　than　a　hundred　pieces　of

artillery　opened　fire　upon　the　town。　Many　of　the　inhabitants　had

left　as　soon　as　the　musketry　fire　began；　but　the　slopes　behind　it

soon　presented　a　sad　spectacle。　　Men；　women；　and　chihlren　poured

out　from　the　town；　bewildered　with　the　din　and　terrified　by　the

storm　of　shot　and　shell　that　crashed　into　it。　　Higher　and　higher　the

crowd　of　fugitives　made　their　way　until　they　reached　the　crest；

among　them　were　weeping　women　and　crying　children；　many　of

them　in　the　scantiest　attire　and　carrying　such　articles　of　dress　and

valuables　as　they　had　caught　up　when　startled　by　the　terrible　rain

of　missiles。　　In　a　very　few　minutes　smoke　began　to　rise　over　the

town；　followed　by　tongues　of　flame；　and　in　half　an　hour　the　place

was　on　fire　in　a　score　of　places。



All　day　the　bombardment　went　on　without　cessation　and

Fredericksburg　crumbled　into　ruins。　　Still；　in　spite　of　this　terrible

fire　the　Mississippians　clung　to　the　burning　town　amid　crashing

walls；　falling　chimneys；　and　shells　exploding　in　every　direction。　

As　night　fell　the　enemy　poured　across　the　bridges；　and　Barksdale；

contesting　every　foot　of　ground；　fell　back　through　the　burning　city

and　took　up　a　position　behind　a　stone　wall　in　its　rear。



Throughout　the　day　not　a　single　shot　had　been　fired　by　the

Confederate　artillery；　which　was　very　inferior　in　power　to　that　of

the　enemy。　　As　General　Lee　had　no　wish　finally　to　hinder　the

passage　of　the　Federals；　the　stubborn　resistance　of　Barksdale's

force　being　only　intended　to　give　him　time　to　concentrate　all　his

army　as　soon　as　he　knew　for　certain　the　point　at　which　the　enemy

was　going　to　cross；　and　he　did　not　wish；　therefore；　to　risk　the

destruction　of　any　of　his　batteries　by　calling　down　the　Federal　fire

upon　them。



During　the　day　the　troops　were　all　brought　up　into　position。　

Longstreet　was　on　the　left　and　Jackson　on　the　right；　while　the　guns；

forty…seven　in　number；　were　in　readiness　to　take　up　their　post　in

the　morning　on　the　slopes　in　front　of　them。　On　the　extreme　right

General　Stuart　was　posted　with　his　cavalry　and　horse　artillery。　　The

night　passed　quietly　and　by　daybreak　the　troops　were　all　drawn　up

in　their　positions。



As　soon　as　the　sun　rose　it　was　seen　that　during　the　night　the　enemy

had　thrown　more　bridges　across　and　that　the　greater　portion　of　the

army　was　already　over。　　They　were；　indeed；　already　in　movement

against　the　Confederate　position；　their　attack　being　directed

toward　the　portion　of　the　line　held　by　Jackson's　division。　　General

Stuart　gave　orders　to　Major　Pelham；　who　commanded　his　horse

artillery；　and　who　immediately　brought　up　the　guns　and　began　the

battle　by　opening　fire　on　the　flank　of　the　enemy。　　The　guns　of　the

Northern　batteries　at　once　replied；　and　for　some　hours　the　artillery

duel　continued；　the　Federal　guns　doing　heavy　execution。　　For　a

time　attacks　were　threatened　from　various　points；　but　about　ten

o'clock；　when　the　fog　lifted；　a　mass　of　some　55；000　troops

advanced　against　Jack　son。　　They　were　suffered　to　come　within

800　yards　before　a　gun　was　fired；　and　then　fourteen　guns　opened

upon　then　with　such　effect　that　they　fell　back　in　confusion。



At　one　o'clock　another　attempt　was　made；　covered　by　a

tremendous　fire　of　artillery。　　For　a　time　the　columns　of　attack　were

kept　at　bay　by　the　fire　of　the　Confederate　batteries；　but　they

advanced　with　great　resolution；　pushed　their　way　through　Jackson's

first　line；　and　forced　them　to　fall　back。　　Jackson　brought　up　his

second　line　and　drove　the　enemy　back　with　great　slaughter　until

his　advance　was　checked　by　the　fire　of　the　Northern　artillery。



All　day　the　fight　went　on；　the　Federals　attempting　to　crush　the

Confederate　artillery　by　the　weight　of　their　fire　in　order　that　their

infantry　columns　might　again　advance。　But　although　outnumbered

by　more　than　two　to　one　the　Confederate　guns　were　worked　with

great　resolution；　and　the　day　passed　and　darkness　begun　to　fall

without　their　retiring　from　the　positions　they　had　taken　up。'　Just　at

sunset　General　Stuart　ordered　all　the　batteries　on　the　right　to

advance。　　This　they　did　and　opened　their　fire　on　the　Northern

infantry　with　such　effect　that　these　fell　back　to　the　position　near

the　town　that　they　had　occupied　in　the　morning。



On　the　left　an　equally　terrible　battle　had　raged　all　day；　but　here　the

Northern　troops　were　compelled　to　cross　open　ground　between　the

town　and　the　base　of　the　hill；　and　suffered　so　terribly　from　the　fire

that　they　never　succeeded　in　reaching　the　Confederate　front。　

Throughout　the　day　the　Confederates　held　their　position　with　such

ease　that　General　Lee　considered　the　affair　as　nothing　more　than　a

demonstration　of　force　to　feel　his　position；　and　expected　an　even

sterner　battle　on　the　following　day。　　Jackson's　first　and　second

lines；　composed　of　less　than　15；000　men；　had　repulsed　without

difficulty　the　divisions　of　Franklin　and　Hooker；　55；000　strong；

while　Longstreet　with　about　the　same　force　had　never　been　really

pressed　by　the　enemy；　although　on　that　side　they　had　a　force　of

over　50；000　men。



In　the　morning　the　Northern　army　was　seen　drawn　up　in　battle

array　as　if　to　advance　for　fresh　assault；　but　no　movement　was

made。　　General　Burnside　was　in　favor　of　a　fresh　attack；　but　the

generals　commanding　the　various　divisions　felt　that　their　troops；

after　the　repulse　the　day　before；　were　not　equal　to　the　work；　and

were　unanimously　of　opinion　that　a　second　assault　should　not　be

attempted。　After　remaining　for　some　hours　in　order　of　battle　they

fell　back　into　the　town　and　two　days　later　the　whole　army

recrossed　the　Rappahannook　River。　　The　loss　of　the　Confederates

was　1；800　men；　who　were　for　the　most　part　killed　or　wounded　by

the　enemy's　artillery；　while　the　Federal　loss　was　no　less　than

13；771。　General　Burnside　soon　afterward　resigned　his　command；

and　General　Hooker；　an　officer　of　the　same　politics　as　the

president　and　his　advisers；　was　appointed　to　succeed　him。



The　cavalry　had　not　been　called　upon　to　act　during　the　day；　and

Vincent's　duties　were　confined　to　carrying　orders　to　the

commanders　of　the　various　batteries　of　artillery　posted　in　that　part

of　the　field；　as　these　had　all　been　placed　under　General　Stuart's

orders。　　He　had　many　narrow　escapes　by　shot　and　fragments　of

shells；　but　passed　through　the　day　uninjured。



General　Lee　has　been　blamed　for　not　taking　advantage　of　his

victory　and　falling　upon　the　Federals　on　the　morning　after　the

battle；　but　although　such　an　assault　might　possibly　have　been

successful　he　was　conscious　of　his　immense　inferiority　in　force；

and　his　troops　would　have　been　compelled　to　have　advanced　to　the

attack　across　ground　completely　swept　by　the　fire　of　the

magnificently　served　Northern　artillery　posted　upon　their

commanding　heights。　　He　was　moreover　ignorant　of　the　full　extent

of　the　loss　he　had　inflicted　upon　the　enemy；　and　expected　a

renewed　attack　by　them。　　He　was　therefore；　doubtless；　unwilling　to

risk　the　results　of　the　victory　he　had　gained　and　of　the　victory　he

expected　to　gain　should　the　enemy　renew　their　attack；　by　a

movement　which　might　not　be　successful；　and　which　would　at　any

rate　have　cost　him　a　tremendous　loss　of　men；　and　men　were

already　becoming　scarce　in　the　Confederacy。



As　soon　as　the　enemy　had　fon　back　across　the　river　and　it　was

certain　that　there　was　little　chance　of　another　forward　movement

on　their　part　for　a　considerable　time；　Vincent　showed　to　General

Stuart　the　permit　he　had　received　to　return　home　until　the　spring

on　leave；　and　at　once　received　the　general's　permission　to　retire

from　the　staff　for　a　time。



He　had　not　been　accompanied　by　Dan　on　his　railway　journey　to　the

front；　having　left　him　behind　with　instructions　to　endeavor　by

every　means　to　find　some　clew　as　to　the　direction　in　which　Dinah

had　been　carried　off。　　He　telegraphed　on　his　way　home　the　news　of

his　coming；　and　found　Dan　at　the　station　waiting　for　him。



〃Well；　Dan；　have　you　obtained　any　news？〃　he　asked　as　soon　as　his

horse　had　been　removed　from　its　box；　and　he　had　mounted　and　at　a

foot…pace　left　the　station；　with　Dan　walking　beside　him。



〃No；　sah；　I　hab　done　my　best；　but　I　cannot　find　out　anyting。　　The

niggers　at　Jackson's　all　say　dat　no　strangers　hab　been　there　wid　do

old　man　for　a　long　time　before　de　day　dat　Dinah　was　carried　off。　　I

have　been　over　dar；　massa；　and　hab　talked　wid　the　hands　at　do

house。　　Dey　all　say　dat　no　one　been　dere　for　a　month。　　Me　sure　dat

doy　no　tell　a　lie　about　it；　because　doy　all　hate　Massa　Jackson　like

pison。　　Den　de　lawyer；　he　am　put　do　advertisement　you　told　him　in

the　papers：　Five　hundred　dollars　to　whoever　would　give

information　about　do　carrying　off　of　a　female　slave　from　Missy

Wingfiold；　or　dat　would　lead　to　de　discovery　of　her　hiding…place。　

But　no　answer　come。　　Me　heard　Missy　Wingfield　say　so　last

night。〃



〃That's　bad；　Dan；　but　I　hardly　expected　anything　better。　　I　felt　sure

the　old　fox　would　have　taken　every　precaution；　knowing　what　a

serious　business　it　would　be　for　him　if　it　were　found　out。　　Now　I

am　back　I　will　take　the　matter　up　myself；　and　we　will　see　what　we

can　do。　　I　wish　I　could　have　set　about　it　the　day　after　she　was

carried　away。　　It　is　more　than　a　fortnight　ago　now；　and　that　will

make　it　much　more　difficult　than　it　would　have　been　bad　it　been

begun　at　once。〃



〃Well；　Vincent；　so　you　have　come　back　to　us　undamaged　this

time；〃　his　mother　said　after　the　first　greeting