The Sword of Antietam

, and nervous and hasty, as was natural at such a time, they opened a scattering f

d Jackson was at hand. Action followed quickly. The army stopped and began to seek a strong position in the wood. Cannon were drawn up, their mouths turned to the side on which the horsemen had appeared, and the

efully: "the night's no time for fighting. It's heathenish i

we are making to save our Union, the great republic! Think how the hateful old monarchies will sneer and rejoice if we fall, and here

nt outbreak, so unusual on the part of the reserve

hamed of himself, not because of what he had said, but because

hough I've never seen him before I know with mathematical certainty th

lt man in early middle years, surrounded by a brilliant staff, rode into a little glade in the

was said and done. In truth they did not seek to avoid hearing, nor did many of the you

poke as if they had won a victory-which would have been a fact had others done their duty-and ta

n confidence to defeat an able enemy. What had become of those gray horsemen in the bush? They had appeared once and they could appear again. He had believed tha

ner, "do you think you can se

or two figures, which no d

rt came, and then the crash of a heavy fire. The scouts and sentinels came running in, rep

had habituated them to danger. They were also too tired to become excited, and in addition, the

nd then came the deep thunder of cannon, sending round shot and shells among the Union troops. But the men in blue, harried beyond endurance, fought back fiercely. They shar

much resolution Jackson would not press an attack at night, when every kind of disaster might happen in the darkness. His own regiment had lain down

ves," whispered Warner, who

the little army that he left behind fighting with renewed energy and valor broke away from the Southern grasp and continued its march toward that court

in blue. They would have shouted with joy, but they were too tired. Besides, nearly t

cal overcame the mental in Dick. It was enough to eat and to rest and to feel secure. Thousands of friendly faces were around them, and they would not have to fight

h for anybody. The three lads, each with an arm under his head, slept side by side. At noon they were still sleeping, and Colonel Winchester, as he was passing, looked at the three, but longest

he day before now amounted to only one-fourth of the whole. McDowell, Sigel and many other generals joined Pope, who, with the strange faculty of always seeing his enemy too small, while McClellan always saw him too large, began to feed

rubbed his eyes and, remembering, knew that he had slept at least ten hours. He looked down at the relaxed figures of W

ragging him to a sitting position, "look at the sun! Do you r

ar also and dragged him up. Both Warn

"I could afford to lose several in such a pleasant manner. I suppose a lot of Stonewall

having taught school. You could talk all day to boys you

omes the sergeant, and I think from his lo

handkerchief tied neatly around his head covered up the small wound th

you're sure to know of it. We'd have known it ourselves, but we had an important e

name for sleep. There is no news of anything big happenin'. We've got a great army here, and Jackson remains near

we march again

ders. It was not for him to tel

hat we're likely to st

rals don't know what to do. Why is it that they always seem paralyzed when th

he presence of Sergeant Whitley, k

thers. He seems to have more of the lightning flash about him. What a pity su

y just sitting st

ant Whitley, "it seems to be just campin'. But I wish I knew which way

ls, as was common throughout the great war, became friendly with one another. Often they met in the woods and exchanged news and

iliar figure, also in command of a burial party, although it was in a gray uniform. His heart b

! Harry!"

enant in the Southern army turned in surprise at

s of each other. There was no display of emotion-they were of the stern Americ

n with Jackson, but I had no way of knowing

. I thought you

t to help. It seemed after the Seven Days tha

taff, I see him every day. He talks to me, and I talk to him. I tell you, Dick, it's a wonderful thing to serve such a genius. You can't beat him! His kind appears on

as he spoke of his hero, and Dick, l

t us now here in the east, but don't forget that we're winning in the west. And don't for

let time settle it. Here come some friends of mine whom I want

t the head of burial parties came near in the

, though I think he's honest in his folly. Dick, this is Arthur St. Cla

tween them. Dick liked the looks and manners of Ha

right every way, except the crack in your head that makes you a Yankee. I hope you won't get hurt in this unple

uth who could keep up the spi

said St. Clair. "If he'd only fight as well and fas

't win the war witho

sent upon it. He had learned that Harry still lived, and he had met him. He did not understand until then how dear his cousin was to him. They were more like brothers than cousins. It was like the affection their gre

found that Harry, actuated by the same motive at the same time, had also turned to make a like gesture. Each

lag of truce I met my cous

lucky fort

w glad I was until I came away. He says that we can neve

lf, nor is age any excepti

mean to d

lent that he seemed to rise from the earth, and Dick was startled. The man's face was uncommon. His features were of great strength, the eyes being singularly vivid and

an was examining him minutely with those searching ey

presently, "and you have a cousin, Harry Kenton, als

d at him i

s true," he said, "bu

cupation. Why should I be? I don't kill. I don't commit any violence. I'm a guide and educator. I and my kind are the eyes of an army. We show the generals where the enemy is, and we tell them his plans. An able and daring spy is wort

had not thought before how spies r

slight feeling of aversion. The boy left him, when they arrived at headqu

d he sent forth happy bulletins. Shepard and other scouts and spies reported a day or two later that Jackson's army was on the Rapid

ep thought of the times and of men, were more alarmed about Pope than he was about himself. They did not like those jubilant dispatches from "Headquarters in the Saddle." There was ominous news that Le

d. They would point to Henry Clay's famous chair in the lobby, and the whole place was thick wit

ne, to whom the others paid deference, was fat, heavy and of middle age, with a fat, heavy face and pouc

n one of the chairs against the wall. Dick's was an alien prese

p voice. "I take it from your uniform, your tan and

olitely. "I was at Shiloh, but soon afterward I

, you know what is g

s. I was at Cedar Run, which both we

showed a great inc

e were surprised by Jackson and that the rebel general has merel

k me these questions?" said

e. My name is John Watson, and I'm supplying vast

nd picked thoughtfully at a hole half way thr

sutler in General Pope's army," he s

ontractor's cheeks, but in

ies that are defective or short. A great war gives such people many opportunities, but I scorn them. I'll not deny that I seek a fair profit, but my chief object is to s

d Dick, wondering what th

if I may ask? My motive in asking

t from the west. We've been in only one battle in

g measured and weighed by a man of uncommon perceptions. Whatever m

ry. A man who feeds and clothes the soldiers well is a patriot, w

ick to say something, but the

erve. He needs friends at court, as they say. Now this colonel of yours, Colonel Winchester-I've observed both him and you, although I approached you as if I'd never heard of either of you

impulsive. Experience was teaching

entioning such a matter to the colonel, of whom you also speak, and

rs slightly, but made no ot

he said, "but it's a pity. If more food is thrown to the sparrows th

rd it as a study

mptly deny them. It's a bad thing for a boy to have his statements disputed by a man of years who can command wealth and other powerful influen

arded his point of view as right, and Dick, a boy of thought and resource, saw that it was not worth while to mak

he said. "You're a man of a

g the truth when he said that he was inclined to like him. Perhaps

nk that I will be hostile to you, but maybe some day I can p

e and his proposition, something winning had suddenly appeared in

be that we shall meet on the field, althou

r about him, but he finally decided that Watson's own advice to him to keep silent was best. He and Colonel Win

of some kind was gathering, either in front or on their flank. McClellan's army was now on the transports, leaving behind the Virginia that he had failed to c

l will tell us a word. We have to see a thing with our own eyes before we know it's there, but the people,

ho is sure to find

ho

oubt that he was gone on another of his dangerous missions. Meanwhile newspapers from New York and other great cities reflecte

ins was not sure. Instead of finding the enemy and assailing him with all their strength, they were w

aks and ridges. To one side lay a great forest, known as the Wilderness, destined, with the country near it, to become the greatest battlefield of the world. Here, the terrible

ombat was to be. He only knew that to-day it was the middle of August, the valleys were very hot, but it was shady and co

might be seen of the enemy, which at present was nothing. Their battlefield at Cedar Run had been reoccupied by Northern troops and Pope was

of Manassas which had been lost so hardly the year before. He remembered every hill and brook and curve of the

e of last year over again, but on a m

oops are becoming experienced and they've shown their mettle. Dick, here's a farmer gathering corn. Let's ask him some questions, but I'll wager

ke your bet

s, tall and spare, short whiskers growing under his chin. There was n

y," said

od-

to be work

t. Farm hands are

g is ha

er than some other kinds

t have you seen any

t ar

ee and Jackson,

rmy, mister. I don't know of

army. Can you tell us anythin

ast month when I went in to the court hou

ne under Lee

' rod agent an' mebbe he had patent medicines to sell, he didn't say, but he did tell me that

a month ago. They

ch more about it than I do, what

bout Lee and Jackson.

the likes o' me. You kin see my house over thar among the trees

army in a house. I want to know if you've seen the Southe

powerful good sleeper. When I sleep I don't hear nothin', of course, an' nothin' wakes me up. I just sleep on, sometimes dreamin' beautiful dreams. A million men wouldn't

gun to rise, but he checked it, seeing that it would be a mere foolish

the extreme ignorance you display concerning grea

leepy. I've heard tell there was a big war goin' on in the

if not a good pa

od

, in spite of th

kson," said Warner, "but the days of the rack and the thumb

ut we ought to find

pointed. The sunset was of uncommon beauty. The hot day was growing cool. Pleasant shadows were creeping up in the east. In the west a round mountain shouldered its black bul

looked beautiful against the red an

er there?" he said to

ntain and nothing more. Funny how all those peaks and ridges crop up sud

George and I wouldn't care much for your prairie country which jus

the clear rivers and creeks, but then the spell of it would take hold o

rmont that we could brag about, if w

eat spaces take hold of you. And there's the sky so high and so clear. W

, his nostrils dilating and his

m going out there to se

ne over there, but boys, west of the Platte River, when I was with my father and some other men I watched for three days a buffalo herd passing. The herd was going north an

d you be equally sure to have your bu

l be

ook at that long line of fires, boys. Aren't they cheering? A fine big army like ours ought to be

'll crush Lee and Jackson, and next summer you and I, George, will be out on

d once more in the Army of Virginia. McClellan had sent word to Pope that he would have plenty of soldiers to face the attack

ul omens in the flames. It was a beautiful night. The moon seemed large and near, and the sky was full of dancing stars. In the