Altsheler, Joseph A. – Civil War 03. Chapter 13, 14
CHAPTER XIII. THE SULLEN RETREAT
Harry, like the rest of the army, slept soundly through the rest of the night and they rose to a brilliant first day of June. The scouts said that the whole force of Fremont was not far behind, while the army of Shields was marching on a parallel line east of the Massanuttons, and ready at the first chance to form a junction with Fremont.
Youth seeks youth and Harry and Dalton found a little time to talk with St. Clair and Langdon.
“We’ve broken their ring and passed through,” said Langdon, “but as sure as we live we’ll all be fighting again in a day. If the Yankees follow too hard Old Jack will turn and fight ’em. Now, why haven’t the Yankees got sense enough to let us alone and go home?”
“They’ll never do it,” said Dalton gravely. “We’ve got to recognize that fact. I’m never going to say another word about the Yankees not being willing to fight.”
“They’re too darned willing,” said Happy Tom. “That’s the trouble.”
“I woke up just about the dawn,” said Dalton. “Everybody was asleep, but the general, and I saw him praying.”
“Then it means fighting and lots of it,” said St. Clair. “I’m going to make the best use I can of this little bit of rest, as I don’t expect another chance for at least a month. Stonewall Jackson thinks that one hour a day for play keeps Jack from being a dull boy.”
“Just look at our colonels, will you?” said Happy Tom. “They’re believers in what Arthur says.”
Colonel Leonidas Talbot and Lieutenant-Colonel Hector St. Hilaire were sitting in a corner of a rail fence opposite each other, and their bent gray heads nearly touched. But their eyes were on a small board between them and now and then they moved carved figures back and forth.
“They’re playing chess,” whispered Happy Tom. “They found the board and set of men in the captured baggage, and this is their first chance to use them.”
“They can’t possibly finish a game,” said Harry.
“No,” said Tom, “they can’t, and it’s just as well. Why anybody wants to play chess is more than I can understand. I’d rather watch a four-mile race between two turtles. It’s a lot swifter and more thrilling.”
“It takes intelligence to play chess, Happy,” said St. Clair.
“And time, too,” rejoined Happy. “If a thing consumes a lifetime anyway, what’s the use of intelligence?”
A bugle sounded. The two colonels raised their gray heads and gave the chess men and the board to an orderly. The four boys returned to their horses, and in a few minutes Jackson’s army was once more on the march, the Acadian band near the head of the column playing as joyously as if it had never lost a member in battle. The mountains and the valley between were bathed in light once more. The heavy dark green foliage on the slopes of the Massanuttons rested the eye and the green fields of the valley were cheering.
“I don’t believe I’d ever forget this valley if I lived to be a thousand,” said Harry. “I’ve marched up and down it so much and every second of the time was so full of excitement.”
“Here’s one day of peace, or at least it looks so,” said Dalton.
But Jackson beckoned to Harry, bade him ride to the rear and report if there was any sign of the enemy. They had learned to obey quickly and Harry galloped back by the side of the marching army. Even now the men were irrepressible and he was saluted with the old familiar cries:
“Hey, Johnny Reb, come back! You’re going toward the Yankees, not away from ’em.”
“Let him go ahead, Bill. He’s goin’ to tell the Yankees to stop or he’ll hurt ’em.”
“That ain’t the way to ride a hoss, bub. Don’t set up so straight in the saddle.”
Harry paid no attention to this disregard of his dignity as an officer. He had long since become used to it, and, if they enjoyed it, he was glad to furnish the excuse. He reached the rear guard of scouts and skirmishers, and, turning his horse, kept with them for a while, but they saw nothing. Sherburne, with a detachment of the cavalry was there, and Ashby, who commanded all the horse, often appeared.