The Rock of Chickamauga by Joseph A. Altsheler (best love novels of all time txt) 📖
- Author: Joseph A. Altsheler
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Dick and Pennington laughed. Warner's fooling amused them and relieved
the painful tension of their minds.
"But, George," said Pennington, "suppose one of the bullets failed to
turn aside and killed you. What could we say then for you?"
"That it was a silly, ignorant bullet not knowing whence it came, or
where it was going. Ah, there's light in the darkness! Look across the
hill and see that shining flame!"
Dick rose and then the three walked to the brow of the hill, where
Colonel Winchester stood, using his glasses as well as he could in the
dusk.
"It's the pine forest on fire in places," he said. "The shells did it,
and it's been burning for some time, spreading until it has now come
into our own sight."
But they were detached fires, and they did not fuse into a general mass
at any time. Clumps of trees burnt steadily like vast torches and sent
up high flames. Bands of men from either side worked silently, removing
as many of the wounded as they could. It was a spontaneous movement, as
happened so often in this war, and Dick and his comrades took a part in
it.
North and South met in friendliness in the darkness or by the light of
the burning pines, and talked freely as they lifted up their wounded.
Dick asked often about Colonel Kenton, meeting at last some Kentuckians,
who told him that the colonel had gone through the day without a wound,
and was with Buckner. Then Dick asked if any Mississippians were along
the line.
"What do you want with 'em?" asked a long, lank man with a bilious
yellow face.
"I've got a friend among 'em. Woodville is his name, and he's about my
own age."
"I've heard of the Woodvilles. Big an' rich family in Missip. 'Roun'
Vicksburg and Jackson mostly. I'm from the Yazoo valley myself, an' if
I hear of the young fellow I'll send him down this way. But I can't stay
out long, 'cause it'll soon be time for me to have my chill. Comes every
other night reg'lar. But I'll be all right for battle to-morrow, when
we lick you Yankees out of the other boot, having licked you out of one
to-day."
"All right, old Yazoo," laughed Dick. "Go on and have your chill, but if
you see Woodville tell him Mason is waiting down here by the wood."
"I'll shorely do it, if the chill don't git me fust," said the yellow
Mississippian as he strolled away, and Dick knew that he would keep his
word.
The lad lingered at the spot where he had met the man, hoping that by
some lucky chance Woodville might come, and fortune gave him his wish. A
slender figure emerged from the dark, and a voice called softly:
"Is that you, Mason?"
"Nobody else," replied Dick gladly, stepping forward and offering his
hand, which young Woodville shook warmly. "I was hoping that I might
meet you, and I see, too, that you can't be hurt much, if at all."
"I haven't been touched. It's my lucky day, I suppose."
"Where's your uncle? I hope he's in some safe place, recovering from his
wound."
Victor Woodville laughed softly.
"Uncle Charles is recovering from his wound perhaps faster than you
hope," he said, "but he's not in a safe place. Far from it."
"I don't understand."
"His wound is so much better that he can walk, though with a hop, and
he's right here in the thick of this battle, leading his own Mississippi
regiment. His horse was killed under him early this morning, and he's
fought all day on foot, swearing in the strange and melodious fashion
that you know. It's hop! swear! hop! swear! in beautiful alternation!"
"Good old colonel!"
"That's what he is, and he's also one of the bravest men that ever
lived, if he is my uncle. His regiment did prodigies to-day and they'll
do greater prodigies to-morrow. The Woodvilles are well represented
here. My father is present, leading his regiment, and there are a dozen
Woodville cousins of mine whom you've never met."
"And I hope I won't meet 'em on this field. What about your aunt?"
"She's well, and in a safe place."
"I'm glad of that. Now, tell me, Victor, how did you happen to be
with Slade on that raid? Of course it's no business of mine, but I was
surprised."
"I don't mind answering. I suppose it was a taste for adventure, and a
desire to serve our cause. After I got up the bank and climbed into the
bushes, I looked back, and I think, Mason, that you may have saved me
from a bullet. I don't know, but I think so."
Dick said nothing, but despite the dusk Woodville read the truth in his
eyes.
"I shan't forget," said the young Mississippian as he moved away.
Dick turned back to his own group. They had noticed him talking to
the lad in gray, but they paid no attention, nor thought it anything
unusual. It was common enough in the great battles of the American civil
war, most of which lasted more than one day, for the opposing soldiers
to become friendly in the nights between.
"I think, sir," said Sergeant Whitley, "that we won't be able to get any
more of our wounded to-night. Now, pardon me for saying it, Lieutenant,
but we ought to have some rest, because when day comes there's going
to be the most awful attack you ever saw. Some of our spies say that
Longstreet and the last of the Virginians did not come until night or
nearly night and that Longstreet himself will lead the attack on us."
"Do you think, Sergeant, that it will be made first on our own corps?"
"I don't know, Mr. Mason. We've stood firmest, and them rebel generals
are no fools. They'll crash in where we've shown the most weakness."
The sergeant walked on, carrying the corner of a litter. Warner, who had
stood by, whispered to Dick:
"There goes a general, but he'll never have the title. He's got a
general's head on his shoulders, and he thinks and talks like a general,
but he hasn't any education, and men with much poorer brains go past
him. Let it be a lesson to you, Dick, my son. After this war, go to
school, and learn something."
"Good advice, George, and I'll take it," laughed Dick. "But he isn't so
badly off. I wonder if those fires in the pine forest are going to burn
all night?"
"Several of 'em will. The big one on our left will be blazing when
day comes, and I'm glad of it since no wounded are now in its way. The
night's cold. That's a sharp and searching wind, and the sight of flames
makes one feel warm even if they are far away."
It would not be long until day now, and the axes ceased to ring in the
forest. A long and formidable line of abattis had been made, but the men
were compelled to seek some rest. Despite the cold they suffered from a
burning thirst, and they could reach no water, not even the red
stream of the Chickamauga. Dick suffered like the rest, but he was
philosophical.
"I fancy that after sunrise we won't have time to think about water," he
said.
But Dick was not destined to sleep. He lay down for a while, and he saw
hundreds of others around him lying motionless as if dead. Warner and
Pennington were among them, but he could not close his own eyes. His
brain was still hot and excited, and to calm himself if possible he
walked along the slope until he saw a faint light in the valley behind
A tall figure, which he recognized as that of Colonel Winchester,was going toward the light.
Dick, being on such good terms with his colonel, would have followed
him, but when he came to the edge of the glade he drew back. General
Thomas was sitting on the huge, upthrust root of an oak, and he was
writing dispatches by the light of a flickering candle held by an aide.
Officers of high rank, one of whom Dick recognized as the young general,
Garfield, stood around him. Colonel Winchester joined the group, and
stood waiting in silence to receive orders, too, Dick supposed.
The lad withdrew hastily, but driven by an overmastering curiosity,
and knowing that he was doing no harm, he turned back and watched for a
little space beside a bush.
The flame of the candle wavered under the wind, and sometimes the light
shone full upon the face of Thomas. It was the same face that Dick had
first beheld when he carried the dispatches to him in Kentucky. He was
calm, inscrutable at this, the most desperate crisis the Union cause
ever knew in the west. Dick could not see that his hand trembled a
particle as he wrote, although lieutenant and general alike knew that
they would soon be attacked by a superior force, flushed with all the
high enthusiasm of victory. And lieutenant and general alike also knew
that their supreme commander, Rosecrans, was no genius like Lee or
Jackson, who could set numbers at naught, and choose time and place to
suit themselves. Only stubborn courage to fight and die could avail.
But Dick drew courage from the strong, thick figure sitting there so
impassively and apparently impervious to alarm. When he quit writing
and began to give verbal orders, he spoke in even tones, in which no
one could detect a trace of excitement. When the name, "The Rock of
Chickamauga," became general, Dick remembered that night and knew how
well it was deserved.
Thomas gave his last order and his generals went to their commands. Dick
slipped back to his regiment, and lay down, but again could not sleep.
He waited in painful anxiety for the day. He had never before been
in such a highly nervous state, not at Shiloh, nor Stone River, nor
anywhere else. In those battles the chances were with the Union, but
here they were against it. He recognized that once more, save for
Thomas, the North had been outgeneraled. The army of Rosecrans had
marched from Chattanooga directly upon the positions chosen by Bragg,
where he was awaiting them with superior numbers. And the Confederate
government in the East had been quick enough to seize the opportunity
and quick enough to send the stalwart fighter, Longstreet, and his corps
to help close down the trap.
He wondered with many a painful throbbing of the heart what the dawn
would bring, and, unable to keep still any longer, he rose and went to
the brow of the low hill, behind which they lay. Colonel Winchester was
there walking through the scrub and trying to pick out something in
the opposing forest with his glasses. The cold wind still blew from
the mountains, and there were three high but distant torches, where the
clumps of pines still burned.
"Restless, Dick?" said the Colonel. "Well, so am I."
"We have cause to be so, sir."
"So we have, my lad. We thought the danger to the Union had passed with
Vicksburg and Gettysburg, but the day so soon to come may shatter all
our hopes. They must have a hundred thousand men out there, and they've
chosen time and place. What's more, they've succeeded so far. I don't
hesitate to talk to you in this way, Dick, but you mustn't repeat what I
say."
"I shouldn't dream of doing so, sir."
"I know you would not, but General Thomas apprehends a tremendous and
terrible attack. Whatever happens, we have not long to wait for it. I
think I feel the touch of the dawn in the wind."
"It's coming, sir. I can see a faint tinge of gray in that cleft between
the hills toward the east."
"You have a good eye, Dick. I see it now, too. It's growing and
turning to the color of silver. But I think we'll have time to get our
breakfasts. General Thomas does not believe the first attack will be
made upon our wing."
The wind was freshening, as if it brought the dawn upon its edge.
The night had been uncommonly cold for the time of the year in that
latitude, and there was no sun yet to give warmth. But the men of Thomas
were being awakened, and, as no fires were allowed, cold food was served
to them.
"What's happened, Dick, while I was asleep?" asked Pennington.
"Nothing. The two armies are ready, and I think to-day will decide it."
"I hope so. Two days are enough for any battle."
Pennington's tone was jocular, but his words were not. His face was
grave as he regarded the opposing forest. He had the feeling of youth
that others might be killed, but not he. Nevertheless he was already
mourning many a good comrade who would be lost before the night came
again.
"There are
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