hero tales from american history-第19部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


ion　on　the　earth。　But　we　recognize　gladly　that；　South　as　well　as　North；　when　the　fight　was　once　on；　the　leaders　of　the　armies；　and　the　soldiers　whom　they　led；　displayed　the　same　qualities　of　daring　and　steadfast　courage；　of　disinterested　loyalty　and　enthusiasm；　and　of　high　devotion　to　an　ideal。

The　greatest　general　of　the　South　was　Lee；　and　his　greatest　lieutenant　was　Jackson。　Both　were　Virginians；　and　both　were　strongly　opposed　to　disunion。　Lee　went　so　far　as　to　deny　the　right　of　secession；　while　Jackson　insisted　that　the　South　ought　to　try　to　get　its　rights　inside　the　Union；　and　not　outside。　But　when　Virginia　joined　the　Southern　Confederacy；　and　the　war　had　actually　begun；　both　men　cast　their　lot　with　the　South。

It　is　often　said　that　the　Civil　War　was　in　one　sense　a　repetition　of　the　old　struggle　between　the　Puritan　and　the　Cavalier；　but　Puritan　and　Cavalier　types　were　common　to　the　two　armies。　In　dash　and　light…hearted　daring；　Custer　and　Kearney　stood　as　conspicuous　as　Stuart　and　Morgan；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　no　Northern　general　approached　the　Roundhead　typethe　type　of　the　stern；　religious　warriors　who　fought　under　Cromwellso　closely　as　Stonewall　Jackson。　He　was　a　man　of　intense　religious　conviction；　who　carried　into　every　thought　and　deed　of　his　daily　life　the　precepts　of　the　faith　he　cherished。　He　was　a　tender　and　loving　husband　and　father；　kindhearted　and　gentle　to　all　with　whom　he　was　brought　in　contact；　yet　in　the　times　that　tried　men's　souls；　he　proved　not　only　a　commander　of　genius；　but　a　fighter　of　iron　will　and　temper；　who　joyed　in　the　battle；　and　always　showed　at　his　best　when　the　danger　was　greatest。　The　vein　of　fanaticism　that　ran　through　his　character　helped　to　render　him　a　terrible　opponent。　He　knew　no　such　word　as　falter；　and　when　he　had　once　put　his　hand　to　a　piece　of　work；　he　did　it　thoroughly　and　with　all　his　heart。　It　was　quite　in　keeping　with　his　character　that　this　gentle；　high…minded；　and　religious　man　should；　early　in　the　contest；　have　proposed　to　hoist　the　black　flag；　neither　take　nor　give　quarter；　and　make　the　war　one　of　extermination。　No　such　policy　was　practical　in　the　nineteenth　century　and　in　the　American　Republic；　but　it　would　have　seemed　quite　natural　and　proper　to　Jackson's　ancestors；　the　grim　Scotch…Irish；　who　defended　Londonderry　against　the　forces　of　the　Stuart　king；　or　to　their　forefathers；　the　Covenanters　of　Scotland；　and　the　Puritans　who　in　England　rejoiced　at　the　beheading　of　King　Charles　I。

In　the　first　battle　in　which　Jackson　took　part；　the　confused　struggle　at　Bull　Run；　he　gained　his　name　of　Stonewall　from　the　firmness　with　which　he　kept　his　men　to　their　work　and　repulsed　the　attack　of　the　Union　troops。　From　that　time　until　his　death；　less　than　two　years　afterward；　his　career　was　one　of　brilliant　and　almost　uninterrupted　success；　whether　serving　with　an　independent　command　in　the　Valley；　or　acting　under　Lee　as　his　right　arm　in　the　pitched　battles　with　McClellan；　Pope；　and　Burnside。　Few　generals　as　great　as　Lee　have　ever　had　as　great　a　lieutenant　as　Jackson。　He　was　a　master　of　strategy　and　tactics；　fearless　of　responsibility；　able　to　instil　into　his　men。　his　own　intense　ardor　in　battle；　and　so　quick　in　his　movements；　so　ready　to　march　as　well　as　fight；　that　his　troops　were　known　to　the　rest　of　the　army　as　the　〃foot　cavalry。〃

In　the　spring　of　1863　Hooker　had　command　of　the　Army　of　the　Potomac。　Like　McClellan；　he　was　able　to　perfect　the　discipline　of　his　forces　and　to　organize　them；　and　as　a　division　commander　he　was　better　than　McClellan；　but　he　failed　even　more　signally　when　given　a　great　independent　command。　He　had　under　him　120；000　men　when；　toward　the　end　of　April；　he　prepared　to　attack　Lee's　army；　which　was　but　half　as　strong。

The　Union　army　lay　opposite　Fredericksburg；　looking　at　the　fortified　heights　where　they　had　received　so　bloody　a　repulse　at　the　beginning　of　the　winter。　Hooker　decided　to　distract　the　attention　of　the　Confederates　by　letting　a　small　portion　of　his　force；　under　General　Sedgwick；　attack　Fredericksburg；　while　he　himself　took　the　bulk　of　the　army　across　the　river　to　the　right　hand　so　as　to　crush　Lee　by　an　assault　on　his　flank。　All　went　well　at　the　beginning；　and　on　the　first　of　May　Hooker　found　himself　at　Chancellorsville；　face…to…face　with　the　bulk　of　Lee's　forces；　and　Sedgwick；　crossing　the　river　and　charging　with　the　utmost　determination；　had　driven　out　of　Fredericksburg　the　Confederate　division　of　Early；　but　when　Hooker　found　himself　in　front　of　Lee　he　hesitated；　faltered　instead　of　pushing　on；　and　allowed　the　consummate　general　to　whom　he　was　opposed　to　take　the　initiative。

Lee　fully　realized　his　danger；　and　saw　that　his　only　chance　was；　first　to　beat　back　Hooker；　and　then　to　turn　and　overwhelm　Sedgwick；　who　was　in　his　rear。　He　consulted　with　Jackson；　and　Jackson　begged　to　be　allowed　to　make　one　of　his　favorite　flank　attacks　upon　the　Union　army；　attacks　which　could　have　been　successfully　delivered　only　by　a　skilled　and　resolute　general；　and　by　troops　equally　able　to　march　and　to　fight。　Lee　consented；　and　Jackson　at　once　made　off。　The　country　was　thickly　covered　with　a　forest　of　rather　small　growth；　for　it　was　a　wild　region；　in　which　there　was　still　plenty　of　game。　Shielded　by　the　forest；　Jackson　marched　his　gray　columns　rapidly　to　the　left　along　the　narrow　country　roads　until　he　was　square　on　the　flank　of　the　Union　right　wing；　which　was　held　by　the　Eleventh　Corps；　under　Howard。　The　Union　scouts　got　track　of　the　movement　and　reported　it　at　headquarters；　but　the　Union　generals　thought　the　Confederates　were　retreating；　and　when　finally　the　scouts　brought　word　to　Howard　that　he　was　menaced　by　a　flank　attack　he　paid　no　heed　to　the　information；　and　actually　let　his　whole　corps　be　surprised　in　broad　daylight。　Yet　all　the　while　the　battle　was　going　on　elsewhere；　and　Berdan's　sharpshooters　had　surrounded　and　captured　a　Georgia　regiment；　from　which　information　was　received　showing　definitely　that　Jackson　was　not　retreating；　and　must　be　preparing　to　strike　a　heavy　blow。

The　Eleventh　Corps　had　not　the　slightest　idea　that　it　was　about　to　be　assailed。　The　men　were　not　even　in　line。　Many　of　them　had　stacked　their　muskets　and　were　lounging　about；　some　playing　cards；　others　cooking　supper；　intermingled　with　the　pack…mules　and　beef　cattle。　While　they　were　thus　utterly　unprepared　Jackson's　gray…clad　veterans　pushed　straight　through　the　forest　and　rushed　fiercely　to　the　attack。　The　first　notice　the　troops　of　the　Eleventh　Corps　received　did　not　come　from　the　pickets；　but　from　the　deer；　rabbits　and　foxes　which；　fleeing　from　their　coverts　at　the　approach　of　the　Confederates；　suddenly　came　running　over　and　into　the　Union　lines。　In　another　minute　the　frightened　pickets　came　tumbling　back；　and　right　behind　them　came　the　long　files　of　charging；　yelling　Confederates；　With　one　fierce　rush　Jackson's　men　swept　over　the　Union　lines；　and　at　a　blow　the　Eleventh　Corps　became　a　horde　of　panicstruck　fugitives。　Some　of　the　regiments　resisted　for　a　few　moments；　and　then　they　too　were　carried　away　in　the　flight。

For　a　while　it　seemed　as　if　the　whole　army　would　be　swept　off；　but　Hooker　and　his　subordinates　exerted　every　effort　to　restore　order。　It　was　imperative　to　gain　time　so　that　the　untouched　portions　of　the　army　could　form　across　the　line　of　the　Confederate　advance。

Keenan's　regiment　of　Pennsylvania　cavalry；　but　four　hundred　sabers　strong；　was　accordingly　sent　full　against　the　front　of　the　ten　thousand　victorious　Confederates。

Keenan　himself　fell；　pierced　by　bayonets；　and　the　charge　was　repulsed　at　once；　but　a　few　priceless　moments　had　been　saved；　and　Pleasanton　had　been　given　time　to　post　twenty…two　guns；　loaded　with　double　canister；　where　they　would　bear　upon　the　enemy。

The　Confederates　advanced　in　a　dense　mass；　yelling　and　cheering；　and　the　discharge　of　the　guns　fairly　blew　them　back　across　the　work's　they　had　just　taken。　Again　they　charged；　and　again　were　driven　back；　and　when　the　battle　once　more　began　the　Union　reinforcements　had　arrived。

It　was　about　this　time　that　Jackson　himself　was　mortally　wounded。　He　had　been　leading　and　urging　on　the　advance　of　his　men；　cheering　them　with　voice　and　gesture；　his　pale　face　flushed　with　joy　and　excitement；　while　from　time　to　time　as　he　sat　on　his　horse　he　took　off　his　hat　and；　looking　upward；　thanked　heaven　for　the　victory　it　had　vouchsafed　him。　As　darkness　drew　near　he　was　in　the　front；　where　friend　and　foe　were　mingled　in　almost　inextricable　confusion。　He　and　his　staff　were　fired　at；　at　close　range；　by　the　Union　troops；　and；　as　they　turned；　were　fired　at　again；　through　a　mistake；　by　the　Confederates　behind　them。　Jackson　fell；　struck　in　several　places。　He　was　put　in　a　litter　and　carried　back；　but　he　never　lost　consciousness；　and　when　one　of　his　generals　complained　of　the　terrible　effect　of　the　Union　cannonade　he　answered：

〃You　must　hold　your　ground。〃

For　several　days　he　lingered；　hearing　how　Lee　beat　Hooker；　in　detail；　and　forced　him　back　across　the　river。　Then　the　old　Puritan　died。　At　the　end　his　mind　wandered；　and　he　thought　he　was　again　commanding　in　battle；　and　his　last　words　were。

〃Let　us　cross　over　the　river　and　rest　in　the　shade。〃

Thus　perished　Stonewall　Jackson；　one　of　the　ablest　of　soldiers　and　one　of　the　most　upright　of　men；　in　the　last　of　his　many　triumphs。



THE　CHARGE　AT　GETTYSBURG

　For　the　Lord　　On　the　whirlwind　is　abroad；　In　the　earthquake　he　has　spoken；　　He　has　smitten　with　his　thunder　　The　iron　walls　asunder；　And　the　gates　of　brass　are　broken！　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Whittier

With　bray　of　the　trumpet；　　And　roll　of　the　drum；　And　keen　ring　of　bugle　　The　cavalry　come：　Sharp　clank　the　steel　scabbards；　　The　bridle…chains　ring；　And　foam　from　red　nostrils　　The　wild　chargers　fling！

Tramp；　tramp　o'er　the　greensward　　That　quivers　below；　Scarce　held　by　the　curb　bit　　The　fierce　horses　go！　And　the　grim…visaged　colonel；　　With　ear…rending　shout；　Peals　forth　to　the　squadrons　　The　order；　〃Trot　Out〃！　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Francis　A。　Durivage。


THE　CHARGE　AT　GETTYSBURG

The　battle　of　Chancellorsville　marked　the　zenith　of　Confederate　good　fortune。　Immediately　afterward；　in　June；　1863；　Lee　led　the　victorious　army　of　Northern　Virginia　into　Pennsylvania。　The　South　was　now　the　invader；　not　the　invaded；　and　its　hear