Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863 -- Fiction; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction; War stories
The pipe dropped from the 65th's hand. It sat sorry and pleased. Private
Edwin Horsemanden went on without interruption and finished with eclat.
The chief musician cleared his throat. "The Glee Club of Company H will
now--"
The Glee Club of Company H was a large and popular organization. It took
the stage amid applause. The leader bowed. "Gentlemen, we thank you.
Gentlemen, you have just listened to a beautiful novelty--a pretty
little foreign song bird brought by the trade-wind, an English
nightingale singing in Virginian forests.--Gentlemen, the Glee Club of
Company H will give you what by now is devil a bit of a novelty--what
promises to be as old as the hills before we have done with it--what our
grandchildren's grandchildren may sing with pride--what to the end of
time will carry with it a breath of our armies. Gentlemen, the Glee Club
of Company H gives you the Marseillaise of the South. _Attention!_"
"Way down South in the land of cotton,
'Simmon seed and sandy bottom--"
The 65th rose to its feet. Its neighbour to the right was the 2d
Virginia, encamped in a great open field; to the left the 5th, occupying
a grove of oaks. These regiments were busied with their own genial hour,
but when the loudly sung air streamed across from the 65th they
suspended their work in hand. They also sung "Dixie." Thence it was
taken up by the 4th and the 33d, and then it spread to Burk and
Fulkerson. The batteries held the top of Rude's Hill, up among the night
wind and the stars. The artillerymen took the air from the infantry.
Headquarters was situated on the green bank of the Shenandoah. Staff and
couriers and orderlies hummed or sang. Stonewall Jackson came to the
door of his tent and stood, looking out. All Rude's Hill throbbed to
"Dixie."
On went the programme. "Marco Bozzaris" was well spoken. A blacksmith
and a mule driver wrestled for a prize. "Marmion Quitting the Douglas's
Hall" was followed by "Lula, Lula, Lula is Gone," and "Lula" by
"Lorena," and "Lorena" by a fencing match. The Thespians played
capitally an act from "The Rivals," and a man who had seen Macready gave
Hamlet's Soliloquy. Then they sang a song lately written by James
Randall and already very popular,--
"I hear the distant thunder hum,
Maryland!
The Old Line bugle, fife and drum--"
An orderly from headquarters found Richard Cleave. "General Jackson
wishes to see you, sir."
The general's tent was not large. There were a table and two stools, on
one of which sat Jackson in his characteristic position, large feet
accurately paralleled. On the table, beside the candle, lay three
books--the Bible, a dictionary, and "Napoleon's Maxims." Jackson was
writing, his hand travelling slowly across a sheet of dim blue, lined,
official paper. The door flap of the tent was fastened back. Cleave,
standing in the opening, saluted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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