Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863 -- Fiction; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction; War stories
Corbin Wood and his old grey horse were loved by their regiment. The
chaplain was not, physically, a strong man, and his ways were those of a
scholar, but the regiment found them lovable. Pluto the horse was very
wise, very old, very strong and gentle. Upon the march he was of use to
many beside his master. The regiment had grown accustomed to the sight
of the chaplain walking through dust or mud at the bridle of the grey,
saying now and then a word in a sober and cheerful fashion to the
half-sick or wholly weary private seated in his saddle. He was forever
giving some one a lift along the road. Certain things that have had
small place in the armies of the world were commonplaces in the
Confederate service. The man on horseback was a more fortunate, but not
a better man--not even a better born or educated man--than he on foot.
The long grey lines saw nothing strange in a dismounted officer giving a
cast of the road to a comrade in the ranks. So, to-day, the chaplain's
horse was rather for everybody than for the chaplain himself. An old
college mate slipping stiffly to earth after five inestimable minutes,
remonstrated. "I'd like to see you riding, Corbin! Just give yourself a
lift, won't you? Look at Pluto looking at that rent in your shoe! You'll
never be a bishop if you go on this way."
The sleet fell and fell, and it was intensely cold. The wagons were
invisible. It was rumoured that they had taken another road. The country
was almost a wilderness. At long intervals the troops came upon a
lonely farmhouse, or a wayside cabin, a mill, a smithy. Loring sent
ahead a foraging party, with orders to purchase all supplies. Hardly
anything was gotten. Little had been made this year and little stored.
Moreover, latterly, the Yankees at Bath had taken all the stock and
poultry and corn--and without paying for it either. "Yes, sir, there are
Yankees at Bath. More'n you can shake a stick at!"
The foragers brought back the news. "There are Yankees at Bath--eight
miles away! Any number of them. Just as certain as it's sleeting, that's
where Old Jack's going!"
The news running along the column awoke a small flare of interest. But
it filled no empty stomachs, nor dissipated the numbing cold. The
momentary enthusiasm passed. "Eight miles! Have we got to go eight miles
to-day? We haven't made three miles since dawn. If George Washington,
Napoleon Bonaparte, and Julius Caesar were here they couldn't get this
army eight miles to-day!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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