The Shades of the Wilderness: A Story of Lee's Great StandAltsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander)
History
The Shades of the Wilderness: A Story of Lee's Great Stand
Altsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander)
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Juvenile fiction
He urged his horse to increased speed, and pressed on toward the head
of the column. The rain ceased and cool puffs of wind came out of the
east. Then the blackness there turned to gray, which soon deepened into
silver. Through the silver veil shot a bolt of red fire, and the sun
came over the hills.
Although the green world had been touched with brown by the hot sun of
July it looked fresh and beautiful to Harry. The brown in the morning
sunlight was a rosy red, and the winds of dawn were charged with life.
His horse, too, felt the change and it was easy now to force him into a
gallop toward a fire on a low hill, which Harry felt sure had been
built to cook breakfast for their great commander.
As he approached he saw Lee and his generals standing before the blaze,
some eating, and others drinking. An orderly, near by, held the
commander's famous horse, Traveller, and two or three horses belonging
to the other generals were trying to find a little grass between the
stony outcrops of the hills. Harry felt an overwhelming curiosity, but
he kept it in restraint, dismounting at a little distance, and
approaching on foot.
He could not observe much change in the general's appearance. His
handsome gray suit was as neat as ever, and the three stars, the only
marks of his rank that he wore, shone untarnished upon his collar. The
dignified and cheerful manner that marked him before Gettysburg marked
him also afterward. To Harry, so young and so thoroughly charged with
the emotions of his time and section, he was a figure to be approached
with veneration.
He saw the stalwart and bearded Longstreet and other generals whom he
knew, among them the brilliant Stuart in his brilliant plumage, but
rather quiet and subdued in manner now, since he had not come to
Gettysburg as soon as he was needed. Harry hung back a little, fearing
lest he might be regarded as thrusting himself into a company so much
his superior in rank, but Lee saw him and beckoned to him.
"I sent you back toward Gettysburg to report on our withdrawal,
Lieutenant Kenton," he said.
"Yes, sir. I returned all the way to the field. The last of our
troops should be leaving there just about now. The Northern army had
made no preparation for immediate pursuit."
"Your report agrees with all the others that I have received. How long
have you been without sleep?"
"I don't know, sir," he said at last. "I can't remember. Maybe it has
been two or three days."
Stuart, who held a cup of coffee in his hand, laughed. "The times have
been such that there are generals as well as lieutenants," he said,
"who can't remember when they've slept."
"You're exhausted, my lad," said Lee gravely and kindly, "and there's
nothing more you can do for us just now. Take some breakfast with us,
and then you must sleep in one of the wagons. An orderly will look
after your horse."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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