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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
us like the top of a great letter 'A。' The night of the 11th of May it
rained very hard； and then came a fog so thick that you couldn't see the
length of a company。 Hancock thought he'd take advantage of this。
We were all turned out very quietly about four o'clock in the morning。
Not a bit of noise was allowed。 We even had to take off our canteens and
tin cups； that they might not rattle against our bayonets。 The ground
was so wet that our footsteps couldn't be heard。 It was one of those
deathly； still movements； when you think your heart is making as much
noise as a bass drum。
〃The Johnnies didn't seem to have the faintest suspicion of what was
coming； though they ought； because we would have expected such an attack
from them if we hadn't made it ourselves。 Their pickets were out just a
little ways from their works； and we were almost on to them before they
discovered us。 They fired and ran back。 At this we raised a yell and
dashed forward at a charge。 As we poured over the works； the Rebels came
double…quicking up to defend them。 We flanked Johnson's Division
quicker'n you could say 'Jack Robinson；' and had four thousand of 'em in
our grip just as nice as you please。 We sent them to the rear under
guard； and started for the next line of Rebel works about a half a mile
away。 But we had now waked up the whole of Lee's army； and they all came
straight for us； like packs of mad wolves。 Ewell struck us in the
center； Longstreet let drive at our left flank； and Hill tackled our
right。 We fell back to the works we had taken； Warren and Wright came up
to help us； and we had it hot and heavy for the rest of the day and part
of the night。 The Johnnies seemed so mad over what we'd done that they
were half crazy。 They charged us five times； coming up every time just
as if they were going to lift us right out of the works with the bayonet。
About midnight； after they'd lost over ten thousand men； they seemed to
understand that we had pre…empted that piece of real estate； and didn't
propose to allow anybody to jump our claim； so they fell back sullen like
to their main works。 When they came on the last charge； our Brigadier
walked behind each of our regiments and said：
〃Boys； we'll send 'em back this time for keeps。 Give it to 'em by the
acre； and when they begin to waver； we'll all jump over the works and go
for them with the bayonet。'
〃We did it just that way。 We poured such a fire on them that the bullets
knocked up the ground in front just like you have seen the deep dust in a
road in the middle of Summer fly up when the first great big drops of a
rain storm strike it。 But they came on； yelling and swearing； officers
in front waving swords； and shoutingall that business； you know。 When
they got to about one hundred yards from us； they did not seem to be
coming so fast； and there was a good deal of confusion among them。 The
brigade bugle sounded
〃Stop firing。〃
〃We all ceased instantly。 The rebels looked up in astonishment。 Our
General sang out：
〃Fix bayonets！' but we knew what was coming； and were already executing
the order。 You can imagine the crash that ran down the line； as every
fellow snatched his bayonet out and slapped it on the muzzle of his gun。
Then the General's voice rang out like a bugle：
〃Ready！ FORWARD！ CHARGE！'
〃We cheered till everything seemed to split； and jumped over the works；
almost every man at the same minute。 The Johnnies seemed to have been
puzzled at the stoppage of our fire。 When we all came sailing over the
works； with guns brought right； down where they meant business； they were
so astonished for a minute that they stood stock still； not knowing
whether to come for us； or run。 We did not allow them long to debate；
but went right towards them on the double quick； with the bayonets
looking awful savage and hungry。 It was too much for Mr。 Johnny Reb's
nerves。 They all seemed to about face' at once； and they lit out of
there as if they had been sent for in a hurry。 We chased after 'em as
fast as we could； and picked up just lots of 'em。 Finally it began to be
real funny。 A Johnny's wind would begin to give out he'd fall behind his
comrades； he'd hear us yell and think that we were right behind him；
ready to sink a bayonet through him'； he'd turn around； throw up his
hands； and sing out：
〃I surrender； mister！ I surrender！' and find that we were a hundred feet
off； and would have to have a bayonet as long as one of McClellan's
general orders to touch him。
〃Well； my company was the left of our regiment； and our regiment was the
left of the brigade； and we swung out ahead of all the rest of the boys。
In our excitement of chasing the Johnnies； we didn't see that we had
passed an angle of their works。 About thirty of us had become separated
from the company and were chasing a squad of about seventy…five or one
hundred。 We had got up so close to them that we hollered：
〃Halt there； now； or we'll blow your heads off。〃
〃They turned round with I halt yourselves； you Yankee
〃We looked around at this； and saw that we were not one hundred feet away
from the angle of the works； which were filled with Rebels waiting for
our fellows to get to where they could have a good flank fire upon them。
There was nothing to do but to throw down our guns and surrender； and we
had hardly gone inside of the works； until the Johnnies opened on our
brigade and drove it back。 This ended the battle at Spottsylvania Court
House。〃
Second Boy （irrelevantly。） 〃Some day the underpinning will fly out from
under the South； and let it sink right into the middle kittle o' hell。〃
First Boy （savagely。） 〃I only wish the whole Southern Confederacy was
hanging over hell by a single string； and I had a knife。〃
CHAPTER XLIV。
REBEL MUSICSINGULAR LACK OF THE CREATIVE POWER AMONG THE SOUTHERNERS
CONTRAST WITH SIMILAR PEOPLE ELSEWHERETHEIR FAVORITE MUSIC； AND WHERE
IT WAS BORROWED FROMA FIFER WITH ONE TUNE。
I have before mentioned as among the things that grew upon one with
increasing acquaintance with the Rebels on their native heath； was
astonishment at their lack of mechanical ski1l and at their inability to
grapple with numbers and the simpler processes of arithmetic。 Another
characteristic of the same nature was their wonderful lack of musical
ability； or of any kind of tuneful creativeness。
Elsewhere； all over the world； people living under similar conditions to
the Southerners are exceedingly musical； and we owe the great majority of
the sweetest compositions which delight the ear and subdue the senses to
unlettered song…makers of the Swiss mountains； the Tyrolese valleys； the
Bavarian Highlands； and the minstrels of Scotland； Ireland and Wales。
The music of English…speaking people is very largely made up of these
contributions from the folk…songs of dwellers in the wilder and more
mountainous parts of the British Isles。 One rarely goes far out of the
way in attributing to this source any air that he may hear that
captivates him with its seductive opulence of harmony。 Exquisite
melodies； limpid and unstrained as the carol of a bird in Spring…time；
and as plaintive as the cooing of a turtle…dove seems as natural products
of the Scottish Highlands as the gorse which blazons on their hillsides
in August。 Debarred from expressing their aspirations as people of
broader culture doin painting； in sculpture； in poetry and prose； these
mountaineers make song the flexible and ready instrument for the
communication of every emotion that sweeps across their souls。
Love； hatred； grief； revenge； anger； and especially war seems to tune
their minds to harmony； and awake the voice of song in them hearts。 The
battles which the Scotch and Irish fought to replace the luckless Stuarts
upon the British thronethe bloody rebellions of 1715 and 1745； left a
rich legacy of sweet song； the outpouring of loving； passionate loyalty
to a wretched cause； songs which are today esteemed and sung wherever the
English language is spoken； by people who have long since forgotten what
burning feelings gave birth to their favorite melodies。
For a century the bones of both the Pretenders have moldered in alien
soil； the names of James Edward； and Charles Edward； which were once
trumpet blasts to rouse armed men； mean as little to the multitude of
today as those of the Saxon Ethelbert； and Danish Hardicanute； yet the
world goes on singingand will probably as long as the English language
is spoken〃Wha'll be King but Charlie？〃 〃When Jamie Come Hame；〃 〃Over
the Water to Charlie；〃 〃Charlie is my Darling；〃 〃The Bonny Blue Bonnets
are Over the Border；〃 〃Saddle Your Steeds and Awa；〃 and a myriad others
whose infinite tenderness and melody no modern composer can equal。
Yet these same Scotch and Irish； the same Jacobite English； transplanted
on account of their chronic rebelliousness to the mountains of Virginia；
the Carolinas； and Georgia； seem to have lost their tunefulness； as some
fine singing birds do when carried from their native shores。
The descendants of those who drew swords for James and Charles at Preston
Pans and Culloden dwell to…day in the dales and valleys of the
A