The Rock of Chickamauga, Joseph A. Altsheler [best book club books txt] 📗

wins. It's

very simple. The answer is in four letters, f-o-o-d, food. As we know

positively, Pemberton was able to provision Vicksburg for five or

six weeks. We can't break in and he can't break out. When his food

is exhausted, as it soon will be, he'll have to give up. The siege of

Vicksburg is over. I know everything, except the exact date."

 

Dick was inclined to believe that Warner was right, but he forgot about

his prediction, because a mail came down the river that afternoon, and

he received a letter from his mother, his beautiful young mother, who

often seemed just like an elder sister.

 

She was in Pendleton, she wrote, staying comfortably in their home. The

town was occupied by three companies of veteran Union troops who behaved

well. They were always glad to have a garrison of good soldiers whether

Federal or Confederate--sometimes it was one and sometimes the other.

But she thought the present Union force would remain quite a while, as

she did not look for the reappearance of the Southern army in Kentucky.

But if the town were left without troops she would go back to her

relatives in the Bluegrass, as Bill Skelly's band to the eastward in

the mountains was raiding and plundering and had become a great menace.

Guerillas were increasing in numbers in those doubtful regions.

 

"The regular troops will have to deal with those fellows later on," said

Dick.

 

"Dr. Russell has had a letter from Harry Kenton," continued Mrs. Mason.

"It was written from some point near the Pennsylvania line, and, while

Harry did not say so in his letter, I know that General Lee is expecting

a great victory in the North. Harry was not hurt at Chancellorsville,

but he says he does not see how he escaped, the fire of the cannon and

rifles being more awful than any that he had ever seen before. He was

present when General Jackson was mortally wounded, and he seems to have

been deeply affected by it. He writes that the Confederacy could better

have lost a hundred thousand men."

 

There was more in the letter, but it was strictly personal to Dick, and

it closed with her heartfelt prayer that God, who had led him safely so

far, would lead him safely through all.

 

After reading it several times he put it in a hidden pocket. Soldiers

did not receive many letters and they always treasured them. Ah, his

dear, beautiful young mother! How could anyone ever harm her! Yet the

thought of Skelly and his outlaws made him uneasy. He hoped that the

Union garrison would remain in Pendleton permanently.

 

His mind was soon compelled to turn back to the siege. They were digging

trenches and creeping closer and closer. Warner had made no mistake

in his mathematics. The army and the people in Vicksburg had begun to

suffer from a lack of food. They were down to half rations. They had

neither tea nor coffee, and medicines were exhausted. Many and many a

time they looked forth from their hills and prayed for Johnston, but he

could not come. Always the Union flag floated before them, and the ring

of steel so strong and broad was contracting inch by inch.

 

The Northern engineers ran mines under the Confederate works. They used

every device of ingenious minds to push the siege. Spies brought word

that all food would soon be gone in Vicksburg, and Grant, grim of

purpose, took another hitch in the steel belt about the hopeless town.

The hostile earthworks and trenches were now so near that the men could

hear one another talking. Sometimes in a lull of the firing they

would come out and exchange tobacco or news. It was impossible for the

officers to prevent it, and they really did not seek to do so, as the

men fought just as well when they returned to their works.

 

June now drew to a close and the great heats of July were at hand. Dick

was convinced that the defense of Vicksburg was drawing to a like close.

They had proof that some of the irregulars in Vicksburg had escaped

through the lines and he was convinced that Slade would be among them.

They were the rats and Vicksburg was the sinking ship.

 

They heard that Johnston had gathered together twenty-five thousand men

and was at last marching to the relief of the town. Dick believed that

Grant must have laughed one of his grimmest laughs. They knew that

Johnston's men were worn and half-starved, and had been harassed by

other Union troops. Johnston was skillful, but he would only be a lean

and hungry wolf attacking a grizzly bear. He was sure that all danger

from him had passed.

 

Now, as they closed in the Northern guns increased their fire. It seemed

to Dick that they could have blown away the whole plateau of Vicksburg

by this time. The storm of shells raked the town, and he was glad that

the people had been able to dig caves for refuge. Colonel Woodville must

be doing some of his greatest swearing now. Dick thought of him with

sympathy and friendliness.

 

"I don't think it can last much longer, Mr. Mason," said Sergeant Daniel

Whitley on the morning of the second of July. "Their guns don't answer

ours often and it means that they're out of ammunition, or almost.

Besides, you can stand shells and bullets easier than lack of food.

'Pears to me I can nearly feel 'em crumpling up before us."

 

Trumpets blew the next morning. All the firing ceased suddenly and the

three lads saw a Southern general with several officers of lower rank,

riding forward under a white flag. It was Bowen, who came out to meet

Grant.

 

Dick drew a deep, long breath. He knew that this was the end. So did his

comrades. A cheer started and swept part of the way along the lines, but

the officers quickly stopped it.

 

"Vicksburg is ours," said Dick.

 

"Looks like it," said Warner.

 

But Grant told Bowen that he would treat only with Pemberton, and after

delays General Pemberton came out. General Grant went forward to meet

him. The two stood alone under a tree within seventy yards of the

Confederate lines and talked.

 

Chance or fortune presented a startling coincidence. Almost at the very

moment that Grant and Pemberton met under the tree Pickett's men were

rising to their feet and preparing for the immortal but fatal charge at

Gettysburg. While the cannon had ceased suddenly at Vicksburg they were

thundering from many score mouths at Gettysburg. Fortune was launching

two thunderbolts upon the Confederacy at the same moment. They were to

strike upon fields a thousand miles apart, and the double blow was to be

mortal.

 

But Dick knew nothing of Gettysburg then, nor was he to know anything

until days afterward. He certainly had no thought of the East while he

watched the two generals under the tree. Dick's comrades were with him,

but so intense was their curiosity that none of them spoke. Thousands

of men were gazing with the same eagerness, and the Southern earthworks

were covered with the defenders.

 

It was one of the most dramatic scenes in Dick's life, the two men under

the tree, and the tens of thousands who watched. Nobody moved. It seemed

that they scarcely breathed. After the continuous roar of firing the

sudden silence was oppressive, and Dick felt the blood pounding in his

ears.

 

The heat was close and heavy. Black clouds were floating up in the west,

and lightning glimmered now and then on the horizon. Although the storm

threatened no one noticed. All eyes were still for Grant and Pemberton.

After a while each returned to his own command, and there was an

armistice until the next day, when the full surrender was made, and

Grant and his officers rode into Vicksburg. At the same time Lee was

gathering his men for the retreat into the South from the stricken field

of Gettysburg. It was the Fourth of July, the eighty-seventh anniversary

of the Declaration of Independence, and no one could have possibly

conceived a more striking celebration.

 

As soon as Dick was free for a little space he hurried to the ravine,

and, as before, found there the open door. He passed in without

hesitation.

 

The light as of old filtered into the room, and Colonel Woodville lay

just as before in bed with his great bald head upon the pillow. Miss

Woodville sat beside the bed, reading aloud from Addison. Dick's step

was light, but the colonel heard him and held up a finger. The lad

paused until Miss Woodville, finishing a long sentence, closed the

book. Then the colonel, raising a little the great white thatch of his

eyebrows, said:

 

"Young sir, you have returned again, and, personally, you are welcome,

but I do not conceive how you can stand the company you keep. My

daughter informs me that the Yankees are in Vicksburg, and I have no

reason to doubt the statement."

 

He paused, and Dick said:

 

"Yes, Colonel, it's true."

 

"I suppose we must endure it. I should have gone myself and have offered

my sword to General Grant, but this confounded leg of mine is still

weak."

 

"At least, sir, we come with something besides arms. May I bring you

rations?"

 

"You are generous, young man, and my daughter and I appreciate the

obvious nature of your errand here. Speaking for both of us, a little

food will not be unwelcome."

 

"Tell me first, what has become of your nephew. Has he escaped from the

city?"

 

"He slipped out nearly a week ago, and will join his father's regiment

in Bragg's command. That scoundrel, Slade, is gone too. Since the city

had to be surrendered I would gladly have made you a present of Slade,

but it's out of my power now."

 

Dick soon returned with ample food for them and helped them later, when

they moved to quarters outside in the shell-torn city. Dick saw that

they were comfortable, and then his mind turned toward Tennessee.

Detachments from Grant's army were to be sent to that of Rosecrans, who

was now heavily threatened by Bragg, and the Winchester regiment, which

really belonged with him, was sure to go.

 

The order to march soon came, and it was welcome. The regiment, or

rather what was left of it, promptly embarked upon one of the river

steamers and started northward.

 

As they stood on the deck and looked down at the yellow waters in which

Dick had swum on his trusty plank Warner said:

 

"I've news of importance. It arrived in a telegram to General Grant, and

I heard it just as we were coming on board."

 

"What is it?" asked Dick.

 

"General Lee was defeated in a great battle at a little place called

Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, and has retreated into Virginia."

 

"Gettysburg and Vicksburg!" exclaimed Dick. "The wheel has turned nearly

'round. The Confederacy is doomed now."

 

"I think so, too," said Warner.

CHAPTER XII. AN AFFAIR OF THE MOUNTAINS

 

Although they were on board one of the fastest steamers in the Union

service, Dick and his comrades had a long journey by river. But it

was not unpleasant. They enjoyed the rest and ease after the weeks of

fighting and service in the trenches before Vicksburg. The absence of

war and the roar of cannon and rifles was like a happy dream between

days of fighting. As they went northward on the great river it almost

seemed as if peace had returned.

 

Warner studied his algebra and two other books of mathematics which he

was lucky enough to find on board. Pennington slept a great deal of the

time.

 

"I learned it on the plains from the Indians," he said. "When they don't

have anything to do they sleep and gather strength for the hour of need.

I think the time is coming soon when they won't let me sleep at all, and

then I can draw on the great supply I have in stock."

 

"Likely enough it's near," said Dick dreamily. "They say Bragg has a

great army now, and you know that, while Rosecrans is slow he's pretty

sure. Thomas and McCook and the others