The third day after Port Gibson the ——th Virginia came again to its old camp above the river, just without the town. Here, the next morning, Edward Cary received an order to report to his colonel. He found the latter at Headquarters and saluted—the colonel being an old schoolmate and hopelessly in love with his sister Unity. “Cary,” said the colonel, “we’re poorer than the Ragged Mountains, but apparently we are considered highly presentable, a real crack command, dandies and so forth! The War Department wants a word-of-mouth description of Mississippi conditions. In short, there’s an embassy going to Richmond. The general came down and asked if my uniform was whole and if I could muster two or three men in decent apparel. Said I thought I could, and that there was a patch, but I didn’t think it would show. I am going to take you as my orderly. The train for Jackson leaves at midday.” “Yes, sir. It is ten now. May I have the two hours?” “Yes. I’ll take you on now. Tell your captain.” Outside he heard the news of the battle of Chancellorsville. “It was a victory!” said the men, sore from Port Gibson. “A big victory! We’re having them straight along in Virginia.” “It ain’t a victory to have Stonewall Jackson wounded.” “Telegram said he’d get well. Old Jack isn’t going to leave us. God! We’d miss him awful!” Edward and Désirée had one hour together. They spent it in the garden, sitting beneath a flowering tree. “How soon are you coming back? Oh, how soon are you coming back?” “As soon as we may. It must be soon, for the fighting will begin now. Port Gibson was but the opening gun.” “We have been making the cave for this house larger. A siege....” “I do not believe that we should pen ourselves up here. Grant can bring, if needed, a hundred thousand men. He is a dogged, earnest man. I think that we should concentrate as rapidly as possible and move from behind these walls. The odds are not much greater than they were in the Valley, or during the Seven Days.” “We have not General Jackson and General Lee.” “No, but the Government should give General Johnston free hand. He is the third.” “Oh, War!—When will it end and how?” “When we have fought to a stand-still. There is a Trojan feel to it all.... How beautiful you are!—fighter of floods, keeper of home! warrior and sufferer more than I am warrior and sufferer! I do not know how to say good-bye.” He had in Virginia three days. There was no time nor leave for Greenwood. His father was upon the Rappahannock, but in Richmond he saw Fauquier Cary. He had in Richmond two days.