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diff --git a/14595-h/14595-h.htm b/14595-h/14595-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..eb25112 --- /dev/null +++ b/14595-h/14595-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7877 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta name="generator" content= +"HTML Tidy for Mac OS X (vers 1st August 2004), see www.w3.org" /> +<meta http-equiv="content-type" content= +"text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> +<title>The Soldier Boy; or, Tom Somers in the Army, by Oliver +Optic.</title> + +<style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[*/ + <!-- + body {font-family:Georgia,serif;margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%;} + p {text-align: justify;} + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {text-align: center;font-variant:small-caps;} + pre {font-family:Courier,monospaced;font-size: 0.8em;} + sup {font-size:0.7em;} + hr {width: 50%;} + hr.full {width: 100%;} + hr.short {width:25%;} + + ul {list-style-type:none;margin-left:1em;text-indent:-1em;} + .returnTOC {text-align:right;font-size:.7em;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem p {margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem p.i2 {margin-left: 1em;} + .poem p.i4 {margin-left: 2em;} + .poem p.i6 {margin-left: 3em;} + .cen {text-align:center;} + .rgt {text-align:right;} + span.sidenote {position: absolute; right: 1%; left: 87%; font-size: .7em;text-align:left;text-indent:0em;} + sup{font-size:.7em;} + span.sc {font-variant:small-caps;} + .quote {text-align:justify;text-indent:0em;margin-left:10%;margin-right:10%;} + a:link {color:blue; text-decoration:none} + a:visited {color:blue; text-decoration:none} + a:hover {color:red} + --> +/*]]>*/ +</style> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 14595 ***</div> + +<h1>The Soldier Boy</h1> +<h3>or</h3> +<h2>Tom Somers in the Army</h2> +<h3>A Story of the Great Rebellion</h3> +<h4>by</h4> +<h2>Oliver Optic</h2> +<h4>Author of “Rich And Humble,” “All +Aboard,” “Little By Little,” Etc., Etc.</h4> +<h5>New York<br /> +Hurst & Company<br /> +Publishers</h5> +<hr /> +<p class="cen"><span class="sc">to</span><br /> +<span style="font-size:125%;">William Lee, Esq.</span></p> +<p class="cen"><span class="sc">this book<br /> +is respectfully dedicated<br /> +by his friend</span></p> +<p class="cen">William T. Adams.</p> +<hr /> +<h2>PREFACE.</h2> +<p>This volume is not altogether a military romance, though it +contains the adventures of one of those noble-hearted and patriotic +young men who went forth from homes of plenty and happiness to +fight the battles of our imperilled country. The incidents of the +story may be stirring and exciting; yet they are not only within +the bounds of probability, but have been more than paralleled in +the experience of hundreds of the gallant soldiers of the loyal +army.</p> +<p>The work is not intended to approach the dignity of a history, +though the writer has carefully consulted the +“authorities,” both loyal and rebel, and has taken down +the living words of enthusiastic participants in the stirring +scenes described in this volume. He has not attempted to give a +full picture of any battle, or other army operation, but simply of +those movements in which the hero took a part. The book is a +narrative of personal adventure, delineating the birth and growth +of a pure patriotism in the soul of the hero, and describing the +perils and privations, the battles and marches which he shared with +thousands of brave men in the army of the Potomac.</p> +<p>The author has endeavored to paint a picture of the true +soldier, one who loves his country, and fights for her because he +loves her; but, at the same time, one who is true to himself and +his God, while he is faithful to his patriotic impulses.</p> +<p>The work has been a pleasure to me in its preparation, and I +hope it will not disappoint the reasonable expectation of those +partial friends whose smile is my joy, whose frown is my grief. +But, more than all, I trust this humble volume will have some small +influence in kindling and cherishing that genuine patriotism which +must ever be the salvation of our land, the foundation of our +national prosperity and happiness.</p> +<p>WILLIAM T. ADAMS.<br /> +DORCHESTER, Feb. 22, 1864.</p> +<hr class="full" /> +<h2><a id="Contents" name="Contents">CONTENTS.</a></h2> +<h3>CHAPTER</h3> +<ol style= +"list-style-type:upper-roman;margin-left:15%;font-variant:small-caps;"> +<li><a href="#Ch_1">The Battle of Pinchbrook</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_2">The Somers Family</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_3">Taming a Traitor</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_4">The Committee come out, and Tom goes +in</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_5">The Attic Chamber</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_6">The Way is Prepared</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_7">A Midnight Adventure</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_8">Signing the Papers</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_9">The Departure</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_10">Company K</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_11">In Washington</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_12">On to Richmond</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_13">The Battle of Bull Run</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_14">After the Battle</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_15">Tom a Prisoner</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_16">A Perplexing Question</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_17">Dinner and Danger</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_18">The Rebel Soldier</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_19">Through the Gap</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_20">Down the Shenandoah</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_21">The Problem of Rations</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_22">The Picket Guard</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_23">The End of the Voyage</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_24">Budd’s Ferry</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_25">In the Hospital</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_26">Tom is Sentimental</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_27">The Confederate Deserter</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_28">On the Peninsula</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_29">The Battle of Williamsburg</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_30">More of the Battle</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_31">Glory and Victory</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_32">“Honorable Mention”</a></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_33">Lieutenant Somers and Others</a></li> +</ol> +<hr class="full" /> +<h2>The Soldier Boy;</h2> +<h4>or,</h4> +<h2>Tom Somers in the Army.</h2> +<hr /> +<h3><a id="Ch_1" name="Ch_1">Chapter I.</a></h3> +<h2>The Battle of Pinchbrook.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>“Fort Sumter has surrendered, mother!” shouted +Thomas Somers, as he rushed into the room where his mother was +quietly reading her Bible.</p> +<p>It was Sunday, and the exciting news had been circulated about +the usually quiet village of Pinchbrook Harbor. Men’s lips +were compressed, and their teeth shut tight together. They were +indignant, for traitors had fired upon the flag of the United +States. Men, women, and children were roused by the indignity +offered to the national emblem. The cannon balls that struck the +walls of Sumter seemed at the same time to strike the souls of the +whole population of the North, and never was there such a great +awakening since the Pilgrim Fathers first planted their feet upon +the rock of Plymouth.</p> +<p>“Fort Sumter has surrendered!” shouted the indignant +young patriot again, as his mother looked up from the blessed +volume.</p> +<p>“You don’t say so!” exclaimed Mrs. Somers, as +she closed the Bible, and removed her spectacles.</p> +<p>“Yes, mother. The infernal rebels hammered away at the +fort for two days, and at last we had to give in.”</p> +<p>“There’ll be terrible times afore long,” +replied the old lady, shaking her head with prophetic +earnestness.</p> +<p>“The President has called for seventy-five thousand +volunteers, and I tell you there’ll be music before +long!” continued the youth, so excited that he paced the room +with rapid strides.</p> +<p>“What’s the matter, Thomas?” asked a feeble +old gentleman, entering the room at this moment.</p> +<p>“Fort Sumter has surrendered, gran’ther,” +repeated Thomas, at the top of his lungs, for the aged man was +quite deaf; “and the President has called for seventy-five +thousand men to go down and fight the traitors.”</p> +<p>“Sho!” exclaimed the old man, halting, and gazing +with earnestness into the face of the boy.</p> +<p>“It’s a fact, gran’ther.”</p> +<p>“Well, I’m too old to go,” muttered +gran’ther Greene; “but I wa’n’t +older’n you are when I shouldered my firelock in 1812. +I’m too old and stiff to go now.”</p> +<p>“How old were you, gran’ther, when you went to the +war?” asked Thomas, with more moderation than he had +exhibited before.</p> +<p>“Only sixteen, Thomas; but I was as tall as I am +now,” replied the patriarch, dropping slowly and cautiously +into the old-fashioned high-back chair, by the side of the cooking +stove.</p> +<p>“Well, I’m sixteen, and I mean to go.”</p> +<p>“You, Thomas! You are crazy! You shan’t do any thing +of the kind,” interposed Mrs. Somers. “There’s +men enough to go to the war, without such boys as you +are.”</p> +<p>“You ain’t quite stout enough to make a soldier, +Thomas. You ain’t so big as I was, when I went off to York +state,” added gran’ther Greene.</p> +<p>“I should like to go any how,” said Thomas, as he +seated himself in a corner of the room, and began to think thoughts +big enough for a full-grown man.</p> +<p>“Fort Sumter has surrendered,” shouted John Somers, +rushing into the house as much excited as his brother had been.</p> +<p>“We’ve heard all about it, John,” replied his +mother.</p> +<p>“The President has called for seventy-five thousand men, +and in my opinion the rebels will get an awful licking before they +are a fortnight older. I should like to go and help do +it.”</p> +<p>The exciting news was discussed among the members of the Somers +family, as it was in thousands of other families, on that eventful +Sunday. Thomas and John could think of nothing, speak of nothing, +but Fort Sumter, and the terrible castigation which the rebels +would receive from the insulted and outraged North. They were loyal +even to enthusiasm; and when they retired to their chamber at +night, they ventured to express to each other their desire to join +the great army which was to avenge the insult offered to the flag +of the Union.</p> +<p>They were twin brothers, sixteen years of age; but they both +thought they were old enough and strong enough to be soldiers. +Their mother, however, had promptly disapproved of such +suggestions, and they had not deemed it prudent to discuss the idea +in her presence.</p> +<p>On Monday, the excitement instead of subsiding, was fanned to a +fever heat; Pinchbrook Harbor was in a glow of patriotism. Men +neglected their usual occupations, and talked of the affairs of the +nation. Every person who could procure a flag hung it out at his +window, or hoisted it in his yard, or on his house. The governor +had called out a portion of the state militia, and already the +tramp of armed men was heard in the neighboring city of Boston.</p> +<p>Thomas Somers was employed in a store in the village, and during +the forenoon he mechanically performed the duties of his position; +but he could think of nothing but the exciting topic of the day. +His blood was boiling with indignation against those who had +trailed our hallowed flag in the dust. He wanted to do something to +redeem the honor of his country—something to wipe out the +traitors who had dared to conspire against her peace. On his way +home to dinner, he met Fred Pemberton, who lived only a short +distance from his own house.</p> +<p>“What do you think now, Fred?” said Thomas.</p> +<p>“What do I think? I think just as I always did—the +North is wrong, and the South is right,” replied Fred.</p> +<p>“Who fired upon Fort Sumter? That’s the +question,” said Thomas, his eyes flashing with +indignation.</p> +<p>“Why didn’t they give up the fort, then?”</p> +<p>“Give up the fort! Shall the United States cave in before +the little State of South Carolina. Not by a two chalks!”</p> +<p>“I think the North has been teasing and vexing the South +till the Southerns can’t stand it any longer. There’ll +be war now.”</p> +<p>“I hope there will! By gracious, I hope so!”</p> +<p>“I hope the South will beat!”</p> +<p>“Do you? Do you, Fred Pemberton?” demanded Tom, so +excited he could not stand still.</p> +<p>“Yes, I do. The South has the rights of it. If we had let +their niggers alone, there wouldn’t have been any +trouble.”</p> +<p>“You are as blind as a bat, Fred. Don’t you see this +isn’t a quarrel between the North and the South, but between +the government and the rebels?”</p> +<p>“I don’t see it. If the North had let the South +alone, there wouldn’t have been any fuss. I hope the North +will get whipped, and I know she will.”</p> +<p>“Fred, you are a traitor to your country!”</p> +<p>“No, I’m not!”</p> +<p>“Yes, you are; and if I had my way, I’d ride you on +a rail out of town.”</p> +<p>“No, you wouldn’t.”</p> +<p>“Yes, I would. I always thought you were a decent fellow; +but you are a dirty, low-lived traitor.”</p> +<p>“Better be careful what you say, Tom Somers!” +retorted the young secessionist, angrily.</p> +<p>“A fellow that won’t stand by his country +ain’t fit to live. You are an out-and-out traitor.”</p> +<p>“Don’t call me that again, Tom Somers,” +replied Fred, doubling up his fist.</p> +<p>“I say you are a traitor.”</p> +<p>“Take that, then.”</p> +<p>Tom did take it, and it was a pretty hard blow on the side of +his head. Perhaps it was fortunate for our young patriot that an +opportunity was thus afforded him to evaporate some of his +enthusiasm in the cause of his country, for there is no knowing +what might have been the consequence if it had remained longer pent +up in his soul. Of course, he struck back; and a contest, on a +small scale, between the loyalty of the North and the treason of +the South commenced. How long it might have continued, or what +might have been the result, cannot now be considered; for the +approach of a chaise interrupted the battle, and the forces of +secession were reënforced by a full-grown man.</p> +<p>The gentleman stepped out of his chaise with his whip in his +hand, and proceeded to lay it about the legs and body of the +representative of the Union side. This was more than Tom Somers +could stand, and he retreated in good order from the spot, till he +had placed himself out of the reach of the whip.</p> +<p>“What do you mean, you young scoundrel?” demanded +the gentleman who had interfered.</p> +<p>Tom looked at him, and discovered that it was Squire Pemberton, +the father of his late opponent.</p> +<p>“He hit me first,” said Tom.</p> +<p>“He called me a traitor,” added Fred. “I +won’t be called a traitor by him, or any other +fellow.”</p> +<p>“What do you mean by calling my son a traitor, you +villain?”</p> +<p>“I meant just what I said. He is a traitor. He said he +hoped the South would beat.”</p> +<p>“Suppose he did. I hope so too,” added Squire +Pemberton.</p> +<p>The squire thought, evidently, that this ought to settle the +question. If he hoped so, that was enough.</p> +<p>“Then you are a traitor, too. That’s all I’ve +got to say,” replied Tom, boldly.</p> +<p>“You scoundrel! How dare you use such a word to me!” +roared the squire, as he moved towards the blunt-spoken little +patriot.</p> +<p>For strategic reasons, Tom deemed it prudent to fall back; but +as he did so, he picked up a couple of good-sized stones.</p> +<p>“I said you were a traitor, and I say so again,” +said Tom.</p> +<p>“Two can play at that game,” added Fred, as he +picked up a stone and threw it at Tom.</p> +<p>The Union force returned the fire with the most determined +energy, until one of the missiles struck the horse attached to the +chaise. The animal, evidently having no sympathy with either party +in this miniature contest, and without considering how much damage +he might do the rebel cause, started off at a furious pace when the +stone struck him. He dashed down the hill at a fearful rate, and +bounded away over the plain that led to the Harbor.</p> +<p>Squire Pemberton and his son had more interest in the fate of +the runaway horse than they had in the issue of the contest, and +both started at the top of their speed in pursuit. But they might +as well have chased a flash of lightning, or a locomotive going at +the rate of fifty miles an hour.</p> +<p>Tom Somers came down from the bank which he had ascended to +secure a good position. He had done rather more than he intended to +do; but on the whole he did not much regret it. He watched the +course of the spirited animal, as he dashed madly on to +destruction. The career of the horse was short; for in the act of +turning a corner, half a mile from the spot where Tom stood, he +upset the chaise, and was himself thrown down, and, being entangled +in the harness, was unable to rise before a stout man had him by +the head.</p> +<p>“I wish that chaise had been the southern +confederacy,” said Tom to himself, philosophically, when he +saw the catastrophe in the distance. “Well, it served you +right, old Secesh; and I’ll bet there ain’t many folks +in Pinchbrook Harbor that will be willing to comfort the +mourners.”</p> +<p>With this consoling assurance, Tom continued on his way home. At +dinner, he gave the family a faithful account of the +transaction.</p> +<p>“You didn’t do right, Thomas,” said his +mother.</p> +<p>“He hit me first.”</p> +<p>“You called him a traitor.”</p> +<p>“He is a traitor, and so is his father.”</p> +<p>“I declare, the boys are as full of fight as an egg is of +meat,” added gran’ther Greene.</p> +<p>“You haven’t seen the last of it yet, Thomas,” +said the prudent mother.</p> +<p>“No matter, Tom; I’ll stand by you,” added +John.</p> +<p>After dinner, the two boys walked down to the Harbor +together.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_2" name="Ch_2">Chapter II.</a></h3> +<h2>The Somers Family.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>The town of Pinchbrook is not a great distance from Boston, with +which it is connected by railroad. If any of our young readers are +of a geographical turn of mind, and are disposed to ascertain the +exact locality of the place, we will save them any unnecessary +trouble, for it is not laid down on any map with which we are +familiar. We live in times of war, and probably our young friends +have already learned the meaning of “military +necessity.” Our story is essentially a military story, and +there are certain military secrets connected with it which might be +traced out if we should inform our inquisitive readers exactly +where Pinchbrook is situated.</p> +<p>Squire Pemberton, we doubt not, is very anxious to find out +certain persons connected with some irregular proceedings in and +around his house on the evening of Monday, April 16th. Fidelity to +the truth of history compels us to narrate these proceedings in our +humble volume; but we should exceedingly regret thereby to get any +of our friends into a scrape by informing the squire that they were +active participants in the scenes of that eventful night, or to say +any thing which would enable him, a lawyer, to trace out the +authors of the mischief through these pages. Therefore we cannot +say where Pinchbrook is, or even give a hint which would enable our +readers to fix definitely its locality.</p> +<p>Pinchbrook is a town of about three thousand inhabitants, +engaged, as the school books would say, in agriculture, +manufactures, commerce, and the fisheries, which, rendered into +still plainer English, means that some of the people are farmers; +that wooden pails, mackerel kegs, boots and shoes, are made; that +the inhabitants buy groceries, and sell fish, kegs, pails, and +similar wares; and that there are about twenty vessels owned in the +place, the principal part of which are fishermen.</p> +<p>We have not the agricultural and commercial statistics of the +place at hand; but the larger territorial part of the town was +devoted to the farming interest, and was rather sparsely populated, +while the principal village, called Pinchbrook Harbor, was more +densely peopled, contained two stores, four churches, one wharf, a +blacksmith shop, and several shoe and bucket manufactories.</p> +<p>We are willing to acknowledge that Pinchbrook is rather a +singular name. The antiquarians have not yet had an opportunity to +determine its origin; but our private opinion is that the word is a +corruption of <em>Punch</em>-brook. Perhaps, at some remote period +in the history of the town, before the Sons of Temperance obtained +a foothold in the place, a villainous mixture, known to topers +under the general appellation of “punch,” may have been +largely consumed by the Pinchbrookers. Though not a very aged +person ourself, we have heard allusions to festive occasions where, +metaphorically, the punch was said to “flow in +streams.” Possibly, from “streams” came +“brooks,”—hence, +“Punchbrook,”—which, under the strange mutations +of time, has become “Pinchbrook.” But we are not +learned in these matters, and we hope that nothing we have said +will bias the minds of antiquarians, and prevent them from devoting +that attention to the origin of the word which its importance +demands.</p> +<p>The Somers family, which we have already partially introduced, +occupied a small cottage not quite a mile from Pinchbrook Harbor. +Captain Somers, the head of the family, had been, and was still, +for aught his wife and children knew, master of the schooner +Gazelle. To purchase this vessel, he had heavily mortgaged his +house and lands in Pinchbrook to Squire Pemberton. But his voyages +had not been uniformly successful, though the captain believed that +his earthly possessions, after discharging all his liabilities, +would amount to about five thousand dollars.</p> +<p>The mortgage note would become due in June, and Captain Somers +had been making a strong effort to realize upon his property, so as +to enable him to pay off the obligation at maturity. Captain Somers +had a brother who was familiarly known in the family as uncle +Wyman. He had spent his life, from the age of eighteen, in the +South, and at the time of which we write, he was a merchant in +Norfolk.</p> +<p>Captain Somers and his brother had been interested together in +certain mercantile transactions, and uncle Wyman being the business +man, had the proceeds of these ventures in his own hands.</p> +<p>On the 10th of April, only two days before the bombardment of +Fort Sumter, Captain Somers had sailed in the Gazelle, with an +assorted cargo, for Norfolk. Before leaving home he had assured his +wife that he should not return without effecting a settlement with +Wyman, who had postponed it so many times, that the honest sailor +began to fear his brother did not mean to deal justly with him. +Nothing had been heard of the Gazelle since her departure from +Boston.</p> +<p>Uncle Wyman was known to be a northern man with southern +principles, while his brother, though not in the habit of saying +much about politics, was fully committed on the side of the +government, and was willing to sustain the President in the use of +all the coercion that might be necessary to enforce obedience to +the laws. The threatening aspect of affairs at the South had made +Captain Somers more than ever anxious to have his accounts +adjusted, as all his earthly possessions, except the schooner, were +in the hands of his brother; and the fact that uncle Wyman was so +strong an advocate of Southern rights, had caused him to make the +declaration that he would not return without a settlement.</p> +<p>The financial affairs of the Somers family, therefore, were not +in a very prosperous condition, and the solvency of the house +depended entirely upon the adjustment with uncle Wyman. The +mortgage note which Squire Pemberton held would be due in June, and +as the creditor was not an indulgent man, there was a prospect that +even the little cottage and the little farm might be wrested from +them.</p> +<p>The family at home consisted of Mrs. Somers and three children. +The two oldest daughters were married to two honest, hard-working +fishermen at the Harbor. Thomas and John were twins, sixteen years +of age. The former had a place in one of the stores at the village, +and the latter occasionally went a fishing trip with his +brothers-in-law. Both of the boys had been brought up to work, and +there was need enough now that they should contribute what they +could to the support of the family. The youngest child, Jane, was +but eleven years of age, and went to school. Mrs. Somers’s +brother, a feeble old man, a soldier in the war of 1812, and a +pensioner of the government, had been a member of the family for +twenty years; and was familiarly known in town as +“Gran’ther Green.”</p> +<p>Having thus made our readers acquainted with Pinchbrook and the +Somers family, we are prepared to continue our story.</p> +<p>Thomas and John walked down to the Harbor together after dinner. +The latter had listened with interest and approbation to his +brother’s account of the “Battle of Pinchbrook,” +as he facetiously called it; and perhaps he thought Thomas might +need his assistance before he reached the store, for Fred and his +father would not probably be willing to let the matter rest where +they had left it.</p> +<p>We are sorry not to be able to approve all the acts of the hero +of this volume; but John, without asking our opinion, fully +indorsed the action of his brother.</p> +<p>“Fred is a traitor, and so is his father,” said he, +as they passed out at the front gate of the little cottage.</p> +<p>“That’s so, Jack; and it made my blood boil to hear +them talk,” replied Thomas. “And I couldn’t help +calling things by their right names.”</p> +<p>“Bully for you, Tom!” added John, as he turned +round, and glanced at the house to assure himself they were out of +the hearing of their mother. “Between you and me, Tom, there +will be music in Pinchbrook to-night.”</p> +<p>He lowered his voice, and spoke in tones big with mystery and +heavy with importance.</p> +<p>“What do you mean?” asked Thomas, his interest +excited by the words and manner of his brother.</p> +<p>“There is fun ahead.”</p> +<p>“Tell me what it’s all about.”</p> +<p>“You won’t say a word—will you?”</p> +<p>“Of course I won’t.”</p> +<p>“Not to mother, I mean, most of all.”</p> +<p>“Certainly not.”</p> +<p>“Squire Pemberton has been talking too loud for his own +good.”</p> +<p>“I know that; he was in the store this forenoon, and Jeff +Davis himself is no bigger traitor than he is.”</p> +<p>“Some of the people are going to make him a call +to-night.”</p> +<p>“What for?”</p> +<p>“What do you suppose? Can’t you see through a +millstone, Tom, when there is a hole in it?”</p> +<p>“I don’t know what you mean.”</p> +<p>“You can come with us if you like, and then you will know +all about it,” added John, mysteriously.</p> +<p>“But what are you going to do?”</p> +<p>“We are going to make him hoist the American flag on his +house, or hang it out of his window.”</p> +<p>“Well, suppose he won’t.”</p> +<p>“Then we’ll hang him where the flag ought to be. +We’ll pull the house down over his head.”</p> +<p>“I’m with you, Jack,” replied Thomas, with +enthusiasm.</p> +<p>“We won’t have a traitor in Pinchbrook. If we +can’t cure him, we’ll ride him on a rail out of the +town.”</p> +<p>“I don’t know as you and I ought to get into this +scrape,” added Thomas, thoughtfully.</p> +<p>“Why not?”</p> +<p>“You know the squire has a mortgage on our house, and he +may get ugly.”</p> +<p>“Let him, if he likes. I’m not going to tolerate a +traitor because he has a mortgage on my father’s house. +Besides, that is a fair business transaction; the squire gets his +interest.”</p> +<p>“Mother is afraid of him, as she is of the evil +spirit.”</p> +<p>“Women are always timid,” said John, sagely.</p> +<p>“By George! there comes the very man himself!” +exclaimed Thomas, as he discovered a horse and chaise slowly +approaching.</p> +<p>“So it is; that old chaise looks rather the worse for the +wear. It looks as though it had been through the wars.”</p> +<p>The vehicle did bear very evident marks of hard usage. One of +the shafts was broken, the dasher wrenched off, and the top stove +in. The horse was covered with mud, and limped badly from the +effects of his fall. The broken shaft and the harness were now +plentifully adorned with ropes and old straps. In fact, the +catastrophe had utterly ruined all claim which the chaise ever +might have had to be considered a “hahnsome +kerridge.”</p> +<p>“There’ll be fun nearer home, I reckon,” said +John, as he obtained his first view of the sour visage of the +squire.</p> +<p>“Can’t help it,” added Thomas.</p> +<p>“Keep a stiff upper lip, Tom.”</p> +<p>“I intend to do so.”</p> +<p>“Don’t say a word about to-night, Tom.”</p> +<p>“Of course not.”</p> +<p>When the chaise had approached near enough to enable the squire +to recognize the author of his misfortunes, he stopped the horse, +and got out of the vehicle, with the whip in his hand.</p> +<p>“Now, you young scoundrel, I will teach you to insult me +and my son, and destroy my property. Stay in the chaise, Fred, and +hold the horse,” he added to his son.</p> +<p>But there was not much need of holding the horse now, for he was +too lame to run fast or far. Thomas and John came to a halt; and if +the squire had been a prudent man, he might have seen by the flash +of their eyes, that he was about to engage in an unsafe +operation.</p> +<p>“I am going to horsewhip you within an inch of your life, +you villain, you!” roared the squire, brandishing the +whip.</p> +<p>“No, you are not,” replied Thomas, coolly.</p> +<p>“If you drop the weight of that lash on my brother, +I’ll smash your head,” added John.</p> +<p>The squire paused, and glanced at the wiry form of the young +sailor. Better thoughts, or at least wiser ones, came to his +aid.</p> +<p>“I can bring you to your senses in another way,” +said he, dropping his whip, and getting into the chaise again. +“You will hear from me before the week is out.”</p> +<p>“Let him go; don’t say a word, Tom,” added +John.</p> +<p>“He will prosecute me, I suppose he means by +that.”</p> +<p>“Let him prosecute and be hanged! I’ll bet by +to-morrow morning he will think better of it. At any rate, he will +find out what the people of Pinchbrook think of him.”</p> +<p>The boys resumed their walk, and soon reached the store, where +they found the group of idlers, that always frequent shops in the +country, busily engaged in discussing the affair in which Thomas +had been the principal actor. As the boys entered, the hero of the +Pinchbrook Battle was saluted with a volley of applause, and his +conduct fully approved and commended, for a copperhead in that day +was an abomination to the people.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_3" name="Ch_3">Chapter III.</a></h3> +<h2>Taming a Traitor.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>With the exception of Squire Pemberton, Pinchbrook was a +thoroughly loyal town; and the people felt that it was a scandal +and a disgrace to have even a single traitor within its border. The +squire took no pains to conceal his treasonable sentiments, though +the whole town was in a blaze of patriotic excitement. On the +contrary, he had gone out of his way, and taken a great deal of +pains, to condemn the government and the people of the North.</p> +<p>Squire Pemberton was a wealthy man, and he had always been a +person of great influence in the place. He had occupied all the +principal official positions in town and county. He had come to +regard himself, as his townsmen were for the most part willing to +regard him, as the social and political oracle of the place. What +he thought in town meeting was generally the sense of his +fellow-citizens, and when he expressed himself in words, his word +was law.</p> +<p>When, on Sunday morning, with Fort Sumter in ruins, with the +national flag trodden under the feet of traitors, with the +government insulted and threatened, Squire Pemberton ventured to +speak in tones of condemnation of the free North, the people of +Pinchbrook listened coldly, at first, to the sayings of their +oracle; and when he began to abuse the loyal spirit of the North, +some ventured to dissent from him. The oracle was not in the habit +of having men dissent, and it made him angry. His treason became +more treasonable, his condemnation more bitter. Plain, honest men, +to whatever party they might have belonged, were disgusted with the +great man of Pinchbrook; and some of them ventured to express their +disapprobation of his course in very decided terms. Some were +disposed to be indulgent because the Squire had a sister in Georgia +who had married a planter. But there was not found a single person, +outside of his own family, who was mean enough to uphold him in his +treacherous denunciation of the government.</p> +<p>The squire was too self-sufficient and opinionated to be +influenced by the advice of friends or the warning of those who had +suddenly become his enemies. He had so often carried the town to +his own views, that, perhaps, he expected to manufacture a public +sentiment in Pinchbrook that would place the town on the side of +the rebels. All day Sunday, and all day Monday, he rode about the +Harbor preaching treason. He tried to convince the people that the +South had all the right, and the North all the wrong; but he had +never found them so obstinate and incredulous before.</p> +<p>Towards night one of the ministers ventured to suggest to him +that he was sowing the wind, and would reap the whirlwind. The good +man even hinted that he had roused a storm of indignation in the +town which he might find it difficult to allay.</p> +<p>The squire laughed at the minister, and told him he was not +afraid of any thing. He intended to speak his honest sentiments, as +every citizen had a right to do; and he would like to see any man, +or any body of men, who would dare to meddle with him.</p> +<p>“I am afraid you will see them, Squire Pemberton,” +added the minister.</p> +<p>“Let them come where they please and when they +please.”</p> +<p>“What will you do? What is your single arm against scores +of strong men?”</p> +<p>“Nothing, perhaps, but I don’t fear them. I am true +to my convictions; why need I fear?”</p> +<p>“I think your convictions, as you call them, are deluding +you. Do you think Benedict Arnold’s convictions, if he had +any, would have saved his neck from the halter?”</p> +<p>“Do you mean to compare me to Benedict Arnold, +sir?”</p> +<p>“I came to you, as a friend, to warn you of impending +danger; and, as your friend, I am compelled to say that I +don’t see much difference between your position and that of +Benedict Arnold.”</p> +<p>“Do you mean to insult me?”</p> +<p>“Not at all, sir. I was only expressing my honest +conviction. Instead of placing yourself on the side of your +government, on the side of law and order, you are going about +Pinchbrook Harbor denouncing the legitimate government of your +country, and pleading the cause of rebels and traitors.”</p> +<p>“Am I not at liberty to say what I please of the +government?”</p> +<p>“In ordinary times, you are. Just now, the country is in a +state of war, and he who is not for the flag is against it. You may +criticize the government as its friend, but not as its foe. When +armed men conspire against the peace of the land, he who pleads +their cause is a traitor—nay, sir, don’t be angry; +these are my convictions.”</p> +<p>“Political parsons have been the ruin of the +country,” sneered the squire. “That is my +conviction.”</p> +<p>“Squire Pemberton, I beg you not to be rash. If you must +cherish these pernicious views, I entreat you, keep them to +yourself. You may think what you please, but the utterance of +treason makes a traitor.”</p> +<p>“I shall proclaim my views from the housetop,” +replied the squire, angrily, as he abruptly turned away from the +minister.</p> +<p>The squire continued obdurate to the last. Neither the +persuasions of his friends nor the threats of his enemies had any +effect in silencing his tongue; and as late as sundown on that day +of the Great Awakening he was pouring treachery and treason into +the ears of a neighbor who happened to pass his house. Half an hour +later in the day, there was a great gathering of men and boys at +the bridge on the outskirts of the village. They were singing Hail +Columbia and the Star-spangled Banner. Thomas and John Somers were +there.</p> +<p>Presently the assemblage began to move up the road which led to +Squire Pemberton’s house, singing patriotic songs as they +marched. It was a multitude of persons for Pinchbrook; and no doubt +the obnoxious oracle thought so when he saw the sea of heads that +surrounded his dwelling. If this was a mob, it was certainly a very +orderly mob, for the crowd thus far had done nothing worse than to +sing the national airs.</p> +<p>The arrangements had all been made before the multitude started +from the place of rendezvous. Three gentlemen, the principal of +whom was Captain Barney, had been appointed a committee to wait +upon the squire, and politely request him to display the American +flag on his premises.</p> +<p>In the road, in front of the house, a large fire had been +kindled, which threw a broad, bright glare on the house and the +surrounding grounds. It was as light as day in the vicinity when +the committee walked up to the front door of the house and rang the +bell. The squire answered the summons himself.</p> +<p>“Squire Pemberton,” said Captain Barney, “your +fellow-citizens, about two hundred in number, have called upon you +with a simple and reasonable request.”</p> +<p>“What is it?” demanded the squire.</p> +<p>“That you hoist the Stars and Stripes on your +house.”</p> +<p>“I won’t do it!” roared the victim, as he +slammed the door in the faces of the committee.</p> +<p>“That is insolence,” said Captain Barney, quietly. +“We will go in.”</p> +<p>The captain led the way; but the door had been locked upon them. +The shoulders of three stout men pressed against it, and the bolt +yielded.</p> +<p>“What do you mean, you villains?” thundered the +squire, as he confronted the committee in the entry.</p> +<p>“You were so impolite as to close the door in our faces +before we had finished our story,” replied the immovable old +sea captain.</p> +<p>“How dare you break in my door?” growled the +squire.</p> +<p>“We shall do worse than that, squire, if you don’t +treat us respectfully.”</p> +<p>“A man’s house is his castle,” added the +squire, a little more moderately.</p> +<p>“That’s very good law, but there isn’t a house +in Pinchbrook that is big enough or strong enough to shield a +traitor from the indignation of his fellow-citizens. We do not +purpose to harm you or your property, if you behave like a +reasonable man.”</p> +<p>“You shall suffer for this outrage,” gasped the +squire, whose rage was increased by the cool and civil manner of +Captain Barney.</p> +<p>“When you closed the door in my face, I had intimated that +your fellow-citizens wish you to display the national +flag.”</p> +<p>“I refuse to do it, sir.”</p> +<p>“Consider, squire, what you say. The people have made up +their minds not to tolerate a traitor within the corporate limits +of the town of Pinchbrook.”</p> +<p>“I am no traitor.”</p> +<p>“That is precisely what we wish you to demonstrate to your +fellow-citizens assembled outside to witness an exhibition of your +patriotism.”</p> +<p>“I will not do it on compulsion.”</p> +<p>“Then, sir, we shall be obliged to resort to disagreeable +measures.”</p> +<p>“What do you mean by that, sir?” asked the squire, +who was evidently alarmed by the threat. “Do you mean to +proceed to violence?”</p> +<p>“We do, Squire Pemberton,” answered Captain Barney, +decidedly.</p> +<p>“O my country!” sighed the victim, “has it +come to this? The laws will no longer protect her +citizens.”</p> +<p>“That’s very fine, sir. Do you expect the laws to +protect you while you are aiding and abetting those who are trying +to destroy them? Is there any law to protect a traitor in his +treason? But we waste time, Squire Pemberton. Will you display the +American flag?”</p> +<p>“Suppose I refuse?”</p> +<p>“We will pull your house down over your head. We will give +you a coat of tar and feathers, and remove you beyond the limits of +the town. If you ever come back, we will hang you to the nearest +tree.”</p> +<p>“Good Heaven! Is it possible that my fellow-citizens are +assassins—incendiaries!”</p> +<p>“Your answer, squire.”</p> +<p>“For mercy’s sake, husband, do what they ask,” +interposed his wife, who had been an anxious listener in the +adjoining room.</p> +<p>“I must do it,” groaned the squire, speaking the +truth almost for the first time in forty-eight hours. “Alas! +where is our boasted liberty of speech!”</p> +<p>“Fudge! squire,” replied Captain Barney, +contemptuously. “If your friend Jeff Davis should come to +Massachusetts to-morrow, to preach a crusade against the North, and +to raise an army to destroy the free institutions of the country, I +suppose you think it would be an outrage upon free speech to put +him down. We don’t think so. Up with the flag, +squire.”</p> +<p>“Fred, you may hang the flag out at the front window up +stairs,” said the squire to his son.</p> +<p>“All right, squire. Now a few words more, and we bid you +good night. You may <em>think</em> what you please, but if you +utter another word of treason in Pinchbrook during the term of your +natural life, the party outside will carry out the rest of the +programme.”</p> +<p>By this time Fred Pemberton had fastened the flag to one of his +mother’s clothes poles, and suspended it out of the window +over the porch. It was hailed with three tremendous cheers by the +multitude who were in waiting to discipline the squire, and +exorcise the evil spirit of treason and secession.</p> +<p>The work of the evening was finished, not wholly to the +satisfaction, perhaps, of a portion of the younger members of the +assemblage, who would gladly have joined in the work of pillage and +destruction, but much to the gratification of the older and +steadier portion of the crowd, who were averse to violent +proceedings.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_4" name="Ch_4">Chapter IV.</a></h3> +<h2>The Committee come out, and Tom goes in.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>While the committee which the loyal citizens of Pinchbrook had +appointed to conduct their case with Squire Pemberton were in the +house, engaged in bringing the traitor to terms, the younger +members of the assemblage were very impatient to know how matters +were progressing. Thomas Somers was particularly anxious to have +the affair brought to a crisis. In vain he and a few other of the +young loyalists attempted to obtain a view of the interior of the +house, where the exciting interview was in progress.</p> +<p>Captain Barney, on shore as well as at sea, was a thorough +disciplinarian. Of course, he was aware that his proceedings were +technically illegal; that in forcing himself into the house of the +squire he was breaking the law of the land; but it seemed to him to +be one of those cases where prompt action was necessary, and the +law was too tardy to be of any service. He was, however, determined +that the business should be done with as little violence as +possible, and he had instructed the citizens at the bridge to do no +needless injury to the property or the feelings of the squire or +his family.</p> +<p>When he entered the house, he had stationed three men at the +door to prevent any of the people from following him. He had also +directed them not to enter the yard or grounds of the house until +he gave the signal. These directions proved a great hardship to the +boys in the crowd, and they were completely disgusted when they saw +the flag thrown loose from the front window.</p> +<p>The mansion of Squire Pemberton was an old-fashioned dwelling, +about a hundred feet from the road. In front of it was a green +lawn, adorned with several large buttonwood trees. There was no +fence to enclose what was called the front yard. The crowd was +assembled on this lawn, and agreeably to the directions of the +leader, or chairman of the committee, none of them passed into the +yard in the rear and at the end of the house, which was separated +from the lawn by a picket fence.</p> +<p>Boys are instinctively curious to know what is going on, and the +“living room” of the squire, in which the exciting +conversation was taking place, was in the rear of the house. The +windows on the front were dark and uncommunicative. The boys were +restless and impatient; if there was to be any fun, they wanted to +see it. Thomas was as impatient as his fellows, and being more +enterprising than the others, he determined, while obeying the +instructions of Captain Barney in the spirit, to disobey them in +the letter.</p> +<p>He had been a sufferer to the extent of two great wales on the +calves of his legs by the treason of the squire, and no doubt he +thought he ought to be regarded as an exception to those who were +called on to observe the instructions of the chairman of the +committee. Leaving the group of inquiring minds near the front door +of the house, he walked down the driveway till he came to a rail +fence, through which he crawled, and entered the field adjoining +the garden of the squire. His fellow-citizens, men and boys, were +too intently watching the house to heed him, and no one noticed his +enterprising movement.</p> +<p>From the field, he entered the garden, and made his way to the +rear of the house. But even here, he was doomed to disappointment, +for Mrs. Pemberton had drawn her curtains. Our hero was not, +however, to be utterly defeated, and as the curtains had not been +fitted by an accomplished upholsterer, there were openings on +either side, through which he might command a full view of the +interior of the room.</p> +<p>Thomas proceeded slowly and cautiously to obtain a position +which would enable him to gratify his curiosity, and witness the +humiliation of the haughty squire. Beneath the window which, he had +chosen to look through, there was a cellar door, from which a pile +of seaweed, placed upon it to keep the frost out of the cellar, had +just been removed. The adventurous inquirer crept up the slippery +boards, and gained the coveted position. He could not only see the +committee and the squire, but he could hear all they said. He was +perfectly delighted with the manner in which the captain put the +question to the squire; and when the latter ordered Fred to hang +out the flag, he was a little disposed to imitate the masculine +occupants of the hen-house, a short distance from his perch; but +Tom, as we have before intimated, had a very tolerable idea of the +principles of strategy, and had the self-possession to hold his +tongue, and permit the triumphant scene within to pass without a +crow or a cheer.</p> +<p>The battle had been fought and the victory won; and though Tom +felt that he was one of the victors, he deemed it prudent, for +strategical reasons, to commence a retreat. The cellar doors, as we +have before hinted, were very slippery, having been thoroughly +soaked with moisture while covered with the seaweed. When the hero +of this unauthorized reconnoissance wheeled about to commence his +retreat, his feet incontinently slipped up upon the inclined +surface of the doors, and he came down heavily upon the rotten +boards. This, in itself, would have been but an inconsiderable +disaster, and he might still have withdrawn from the inconvenient +locality, if circumstances had not conspired against him, as +circumstances sometimes will, when they ought to be conciliatory +and accommodating. The force with which Tom fell upon the decayed +boards was too much for them, and the unlucky adventurer became +another victim to the treachery of rotten wood, which has hurled so +many thousands from time into eternity.</p> +<p>But Tom was not hurled so far as that on the present occasion, +though for all practical purposes, for the succeeding half hour, he +might as well have been a hundred fathoms under water, or beneath +the wreck of a twenty-ton locomotive at the bottom of the river. +That cellar door was a bad place to fall through, which may be +accounted for on the supposition that it was not made to fall +through. In his downward progress, Tom had unluckily struck his +head against the side of the house; and when he landed at the +bottom of the stairs, he was utterly oblivious to all distinctions +between treason and loyalty. Tom was not killed, I need not inform +the ingenious reader, or this would otherwise have been the last +chapter of the story; but the poor fellow did not know whether he +was dead or alive.</p> +<p>In fact, he had not sense enough left to consider the question +at all; for there he lay, in the gloom of the traitor’s dark +cellar, silent and motionless—a solemn warning to all our +young readers of the folly and wickedness of indulging an illegal +and sinful curiosity. It may seem cruel and inhuman in us to +forsake poor Tom in this sad plight; but we must, nevertheless, go +up stairs, in order that the sufferer may be duly and properly +relieved in due and proper season.</p> +<p>When the committee of three, appointed by the indignant +loyalists of Pinchbrook, had completed their mission in the house +of the squire, like sensible men they proposed to leave; and they +so expressed themselves, through their spokesman, to the unwilling +host. They put their hats on, and moved into the front entry, +whither they were followed by the discomfited traitor. They had +scarcely left the room before a tremendous crash greeted the ears +of that portion of the family which remained in the apartment. This +was the precise moment at which poor Tom Somers found himself on +the bottom of the cellar; or, to be entirely accurate, when he lost +himself on the bottom of the cellar.</p> +<p>Mrs. Pemberton heard the crash, and she very naturally concluded +that the hour of retribution had actually come; that the terrible +mob had commenced the work of destruction. To her +“fear-amazed” mind it seemed as though the whole side +of the house had fallen in, and, for a moment, she confidently +expected the chimneys would presently go by the board, and the roof +come thundering down upon the devoted heads of her outraged family. +Perhaps, at that terrible moment, she wished her husband had been +like other women’s husbands, a true and loyal man, cheering +the old flag, and hurling harmless anathemas at the graceless +rebels.</p> +<p>But the chimney did not go by the board, nor the roof come +thundering down upon her head. There was not even a sound of +destruction to be heard, and the sides of the house seemed to be +firm and decided in their intention to maintain their perpendicular +position. A few minutes later, when the committee announced to the +multitude the success of their undertaking, and Fred had displayed +the flag from the window, peal upon peal of stunning huzzas saluted +her ears, and the awful peril of the preceding moments appeared to +be averted. The squire, having closed and barricaded the broken +door as well as he could, returned to the room, with curses deep +and bitter upon his lips. He was not in the habit of swearing, but +the magnitude of the occasion seemed to justify the innovation, and +he swore hugely, roundly, awfully. He paced the room, ground his +teeth, and stamped upon the floor.</p> +<p>“Father, did you hear that terrible racket just +now?” asked Mrs. Pemberton. “I thought the side of the +house had fallen in.”</p> +<p>“What racket?” demanded the squire, pausing in his +excited walk.</p> +<p>“I am sure they have broken something.”</p> +<p>“It sounded as though it was down cellar,” added +Susan, the daughter.</p> +<p>“What was it?” asked the father.</p> +<p>“I don’t know. It sounded like breaking boards. Do +go down cellar, and find out what it was.”</p> +<p>“The scoundrels!” roared the squire, as he rushed up +and down the room again with the fury of a madman. +“I’ll teach them to break into my house!”</p> +<p>“Be calm, father,” interposed Mrs. Pemberton, who, +like most New England mothers, called her husband by the title +which belonged exclusively to the children.</p> +<p>“Calm? How can I be calm? Don’t you hear the +ruffians shout and yell?”</p> +<p>“They are only cheering the flag.”</p> +<p>The squire muttered a malediction upon the flag, which would +probably have procured for him a coat of tar and feathers, if the +mob had heard it. Mrs. Pemberton was silent, for she had never seen +her husband so moved before. She permitted him to pace the room in +his frenzy till his anger had, in some measure, subsided.</p> +<p>“I wish you would go down cellar and find out what that +noise was,” said Mrs. Pemberton, as soon as she dared to +speak again. “Perhaps some of them are down there now. Who +knows but they will set the house afire.”</p> +<p>Squire Pemberton was startled by this suggestion, and, seizing +the lamp, he rushed down cellar to prevent so dire a calamity.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_5" name="Ch_5">Chapter V.</a></h3> +<h2>The Attic Chamber.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>Squire Pemberton rushed down cellar. He was very much excited, +and forgot that he had been troubled with the rheumatism during the +preceding winter. When he opened the cellar door, he was +considerably relieved to find that no brilliant light saluted his +expectant gaze. It was as cold and dark in the cellar as it had +been when he sorted over the last of his Warren Russets, a few days +before.</p> +<p>It was certain, therefore, that the house was not on fire; and, +invigorated by this thought, he descended the stairs. A strong +current of fresh, cold air extinguished the light he carried. As +this was contrary to his usual experience when he went down cellar +in the evening after an apple or a mug of cider, it assured him +that there was a screw loose somewhere. Returning to the room +above, he procured a lantern, and proceeded to the cellar again to +renew his investigations.</p> +<p>The squire felt the cold blast of the April air, and immediately +made his way to the cellar door, holding the lantern up as high as +his head, to ascertain the nature of the mischief which the +fanatical abolitionists had perpetrated. He saw that the cellar +door was broken through. The rotten boards lay upon the steps, and +with another malediction upon the mob, he placed the lantern upon a +barrel, and proceeded to repair the damage. As he stepped forward, +he stumbled against the body of the enterprising hero of this +volume, who lay as calm and still as a sleeping child.</p> +<p>The squire started back, not a little alarmed at the sight of +the motionless body. He felt as though a terrible retribution had +fallen upon somebody, who had been killed in the act of attempting +to destroy his property. Seizing his lantern, he retreated to the +cellar stairs by which he had descended, and stood there for a +moment, his tongue paralyzed, and his knees smiting each other, in +the agony of terror.</p> +<p>We do not know what he was afraid of, but we suppose that +instinctive dread which some people manifest in the presence of +death, had completely overcome him. Certainly there was nothing to +be afraid of, for a dead man is not half so likely to do a person +an injury as a living one. But in a few minutes Squire Pemberton in +some measure recovered his self-possession.</p> +<p>“There is a dead man down here!” he called up the +staircase, in quaking tones.</p> +<p>“Mercy on us!” exclaimed Mrs. Pemberton. “Who +is he?”</p> +<p>“I don’t know,” replied the squire.</p> +<p>“Look and see who it is, father,” added Mrs. +Pemberton. “Perhaps he isn’t dead.”</p> +<p>“Stone dead,” persisted the squire. “He fell +into the cellar and broke his neck.”</p> +<p>“Go and see who it is—will you?”</p> +<p>“Well, you come down and hold the light,” said the +squire, who was not quite willing to say that he was scared out of +his wits.</p> +<p>Mrs. Pemberton descended the stairs, followed by Susan and Fred, +who had just returned from the front window, where he had exhibited +the flag, which the crowd outside were still cheering.</p> +<p>“Who can it be?” continued the old lady, as she +slowly and cautiously walked forward to the scene of the +catastrophe.</p> +<p>“I don’t know,” replied the squire, in whom +the presence of his family had spurred up a semblance of courage; +for if a man ever is brave, it is in the presence of his wife and +children. “If it is one of the ruffians who came here to +destroy my house, I am glad he has lost his life in the attempt. It +is a righteous retribution upon him for his wickedness.”</p> +<p>Mrs. Pemberton took the lantern, and the squire, still excited +and terrified, bent over the prostrate form of the young marauder. +The victim lay upon his face, and the squire had to turn him over +to obtain a view of his countenance.</p> +<p>“I declare it is one of the Somers boys!” exclaimed +Mrs. Pemberton, as her husband brought the face of Thomas to her +view.</p> +<p>“The young villain!” ejaculated the squire. +“It is lucky he was killed, or the house would have been in +flames before this time. He is a desperate young +scoundrel.”</p> +<p>“But he isn’t dead, father!” said Mrs. +Pemberton, as she knelt upon the cold ground, and felt the pulse of +the insensible boy. “He is only stunned.”</p> +<p>“I am sorry for it. If it had killed him, it would have +served him right,” added the squire, who had suddenly become +as bold as a lion—as bold as two lions.</p> +<p>“Come, father, let’s carry him up stairs, and put +him to bed.”</p> +<p>“Do you think I am going to do anything for this young +scoundrel!” exclaimed the squire, indignantly. “Why, he +stoned Fred and me to-day, and stoned the horse, and made him run +away and break the chaise all to pieces.”</p> +<p>“But we mustn’t leave him here in this situation. He +may die.”</p> +<p>“Let him die.”</p> +<p>“But what will folks say?”</p> +<p>The more humane wife evidently understood the weak point of the +squire, for nothing but slavery and the Southern Confederacy could +have induced him to set at defiance the public sentiment of +Pinchbrook.</p> +<p>“Well, carry him up stairs then; but he never will get out +of my house till he has been severely punished for his +crimes.”</p> +<p>The squire and Fred took hold of the senseless form of poor Tom, +and carried it up stairs, where it was placed upon the sofa in the +sitting room. Mrs. Pemberton had the reputation of being “an +excellent hand in sickness,” and she immediately applied +herself to the duty of restoring the sufferer to consciousness.</p> +<p>“Don’t you think you had better go after the doctor, +father?” asked the good woman. “Some of his bones may +be broken, or he may be injured inwardly.”</p> +<p>“I shall not go for any doctor,” snarled the squire. +“Do you think I will trust myself out doors while that +howling mob is hanging round the house?”</p> +<p>“Fred can go,” suggested Susan.</p> +<p>“He can, but he shall not,” growled the squire, +throwing himself into his arm chair in the corner, with an +appearance of indifference and unconcern, which were far from +representing the actual state of his mind.</p> +<p>Mrs. Pemberton said no more, but she and Susan went to work upon +the sufferer with camphor and hartshorn in good earnest, and in a +short time they had the satisfaction of seeing him open his eyes. +They continued the treatment for some time longer, with the most +satisfactory result, till Tom astonished them by jumping off the +sofa, and standing up in the middle of the room. He rubbed his +forehead, hunched up his left shoulder, and felt of his shins.</p> +<p>“Are you hurt, Thomas?” asked Mrs. Pemberton, with +more of tenderness in her tones than the squire deemed proper for +the occasion.</p> +<p>“No, marm, I guess not,” replied Tom. “My +shoulder feels a little stiff, and I think I barked one of my +shins; but I shall be as good as new by to-morrow.”</p> +<p>But there was an ugly bump on the side of his head, which he had +not yet discovered, but which Susan pointed out to him. He +acknowledged the bump, but declared it was only a little sore and +would be all right by the next day.</p> +<p>“I feel pretty well,” continued Tom, “and I +guess I’ll go home now.”</p> +<p>“I think you won’t, young man,” interposed +Squire Pemberton.</p> +<p>Tom looked at him, and for the first time since he had come to +himself, he remembered in what manner he had received his injuries. +He immediately came to the conclusion that he had got into a bad +scrape. He was in the house of, and in the presence of, his great +enemy. The events of the day passed in rapid succession through his +mind, and he could not help thinking that he was destined to be the +first victim in Pinchbrook to the war spirit which had just been +awakened all over the country.</p> +<p>The squire thought he would not go home, which was as much as to +say he would not let him go home. Tom’s wits were a little +confused, after the hard knock he had received upon the head, and +all he could do was to stand and look at the oracle of Pinchbrook, +and wait for further developments.</p> +<p>“Young man,” said the squire, sternly, and in tones +that were intended to make a deep impression upon the mind of the +young man, “your time has come.”</p> +<p>The squire paused, and looked at the culprit to ascertain the +effect of the startling announcement; but Tom seemed to be +perfectly cool, and was not annihilated by the suggestive remark of +the great man of Pinchbrook.</p> +<p>“You have become a midnight marauder,” added the +squire, poetically.</p> +<p>“It isn’t seven o’clock yet,” said Tom +pointing to the great wooden clock in the corner of the room.</p> +<p>“You joined a mob to pillage and destroy the property of a +peaceable citizen. You broke in—”</p> +<p>“No, sir; the cellar door broke in,” interposed the +culprit.</p> +<p>“You broke into my house to set it afire!” continued +the squire, in a rage.</p> +<p>“No, sir, I did not. I only went round there to see the +fun,” replied Tom, pointing to the rear of the house; +“and the cellar door broke down and let me in. I did not mean +to do you or your house any harm; and I didn’t do any, except +breaking the cellar door, and I will have that mended.”</p> +<p>“Don’t tell me, you young villain! You meant to burn +my house.”</p> +<p>“No, I didn’t mean any thing of the kind,” +replied Tom, stoutly. “I was going off when the door broke +down. The boards were rotten, and I should think a man like you +ought to have better cellar doors than those are.”</p> +<p>The squire didn’t relish this criticism, especially from +the source whence it came. There was a want of humility on the part +of the culprit which the magnate of Pinchbrook thought would be +exceedingly becoming in a young man in his situation. The absence +of it made him more angry than before. He stormed and hurled +denunciations at the offender; he rehearsed the mischief he had +done during the day, and alluded in strong terms to that which he +intended to perpetrate in the “dead watches of the +night”—which was the poetical rendering of half-past +six in the evening; for the squire was fond of effective +phrases.</p> +<p>Tom ventured to hint that a man who would not stand by his +country when her flag was insulted and “trailed in the +dust”—Tom had read the daily papers—ought to be +brought to his senses by such expedients as his fellow-citizens +might suggest. Of course this remark only increased the +squire’s wrath, and he proceeded to pronounce sentence upon +the unlucky youth, which was that he should be taken to the +finished room in the attic, and confined there under bolts and bars +till the inquisitor should further declare and execute his +intentions.</p> +<p>Mrs. Pemberton and Susan remonstrated against this sentence, +prudently suggesting the consequences which might result from +detaining the boy. But the squire declared he should not go till he +had at least horsewhipped him; and if there was any justice left in +the land, he would send him to the county jail in the morning.</p> +<p>Tom wanted to resist the execution of his sentence, but he was +still weak from the effects of his fall, and he could not expect to +vanquish both the squire and his son; so, with an earnest protest, +he permitted himself to be led to the attic chamber. The squire +thrust him into the room, and after carefully securing the door, +left our hero to meditate upon the reverse of fortune which had +overtaken him.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_6" name="Ch_6">Chapter VI.</a></h3> +<h2>The Way is Prepared.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>“Where do you suppose Thomas is?” said Mrs. Somers, +as she glanced at the clock, which indicated half-past nine.</p> +<p>“I don’t know,” replied John. “He +can’t be a great ways off. I saw him in front of the +squire’s house when the committee went in.”</p> +<p>“The boy’s gone down to the Harbor again with the +rest of the folks, talking about the war,” added +gran’ther Greene, as he rose from his chair, and hobbled into +his chamber adjoining the kitchen.</p> +<p>At ten o’clock, the mother began to be a little uneasy; +and at eleven, even John had some fears that all was not well with +his brother. Neither of them was able to suggest anything that +could possibly have happened to the absentee. There had been no +battle fought, and so nobody could have been killed. There had been +no violence used in the transactions of the evening further than +breaking in the front door of Squire Pemberton, so that it was not +easy to believe that any accident had happened to him.</p> +<p>John had given a glowing account of the proceedings at the house +of the squire and the family had been much interested and excited +by the stirring narrative. His mother was perfectly satisfied, as +no one had been injured, and hoped the great man of Pinchbrook +would be brought to his senses. All these topics had been fully +discussed during the evening. John had informed his mother that +Captain Benson, who had formerly commanded the Pinchbrook Riflemen, +intended to raise a company for the war. He mentioned the names of +half a dozen young men who had expressed their desire to join. The +family had suggested that this and that man would go, and thus the +long evening passed away.</p> +<p>“I don’t see what has become of Thomas,” said +Mrs. Somers, when the clock struck eleven, as she rose from her +chair and looked out of the window.</p> +<p>“Well, I don’t see, either,” replied John. +“I don’t believe there is anything going on at this +time of night.”</p> +<p>“I hope nothing has happened to him,” continued the +anxious mother, as she went to the door and looked out, hoping, +perhaps, to discover him in the gloom of the night, or to hear his +familiar step.</p> +<p>“What could have happened to him?” asked John, who +did not believe his brother was fool enough to fall overboard, or +permit any serious accident to happen to him.</p> +<p>“I don’t know. I can’t see what has got the +boy. He always comes home before nine o’clock. Have you heard +him say anything that will give you an idea where he is?”</p> +<p>“He hasn’t said anything to me.”</p> +<p>“Try, and see if you can’t think of +something,” persisted the anxious mother.</p> +<p>“He hasn’t talked of anything but the war since +yesterday morning.”</p> +<p>“What did he say?”</p> +<p>“I don’t know, now,” answered John, musing. +“He said he should like to join the army, and go down and +fight the rebels.”</p> +<p>Mrs. Somers had heard as much from him, but she had given no +particular attention to his remarks on this subject, for they +seemed wild and visionary. John’s words, under the present +circumstances, appeared to be full of importance; and taking her +stocking, she seated herself before the stove, and resumed her +knitting. She was silent now, for her heart was heavy with the +premonitions of impending trouble.</p> +<p>“I will take a walk down to the Harbor, mother, and see if +I can find anything of him. There may be something going on there +that I don’t know about. He may be at the store, talking +about the war with Captain Barney and the rest of the +folks.”</p> +<p>Mrs. Somers offered no objection to this plan, and John put on +his cap, and left the house. The poor mother brooded upon her +trouble for another hour, and with every new moment, the trouble +seemed more real. The clock struck twelve before John returned; and +more than once during his absence, as she plied her needles, she +had wiped away a tear that hung among the furrows of her care-worn +cheek. She had been thinking of her husband, as well as of her son. +He was, or soon would be, in the midst of the traitors, and she +trembled for him. Uncle Wyman was a secessionist; and, beyond this, +she had not much confidence in his integrity, and if Captain Somers +came home at all, his property would all be swept away, and he +would be a beggar.</p> +<p>The events of that day were not calculated to conciliate Squire +Pemberton towards them, and the farm and the cottage would pass +away from them. All these things had been considered and +reconsidered by the devoted mother. Poverty and want seemed to +stare her in the face; and to add to all these troubles, Thomas did +not come home, and, as fond mothers will, she anticipated the +worst.</p> +<p>John entered the kitchen, and carelessly flung his cap upon the +table. Mrs. Somers looked at him, and waited patiently to hear any +intelligence he might bring. But John threw himself into a chair, +looking more gloomy than before he left the house. He did not +speak, and therefore he had no good news to tell.</p> +<p>“You didn’t see anything of him—did +you?” asked Mrs. Somers; but it was a useless question, for +she had already interpreted the meaning of his downcast looks.</p> +<p>“No, mother; there isn’t a man, woman, or child +stirring in the village; and I didn’t see a light in a single +house.”</p> +<p>“What do you suppose can have become of him?”</p> +<p>“I’m sure I don’t know. Tom is old enough and +smart enough to take care of himself.”</p> +<p>“It’s very strange.”</p> +<p>“So it is. I haven’t any idea what has become of +him.”</p> +<p>“Did you look around Squire Pemberton’s house, where +he was seen last?”</p> +<p>“I looked about on both sides of the road, going and +coming from the Harbor. I whistled all the way, and if he had been +any where round, he would have whistled back, as he always +does.”</p> +<p>“What do you <em>suppose</em> has become of him?” +demanded the poor mother, worried beyond expression at the +mysterious disappearance of her son.</p> +<p>“I can’t tell, mother.”</p> +<p>“Don’t you think we had better call up the +neighbors, and have something done about it?”</p> +<p>“I don’t know,” replied John, hardly less +anxious than his mother.</p> +<p>“I don’t suppose they would be able to find him if +we did,” added Mrs. Somers, wiping away the tears from her +face.</p> +<p>“I can’t think anything has happened to him, mother. +If he had been on the water, or anything of that kind, I should +feel worse about it.”</p> +<p>“If I only knew where he was, I shouldn’t feel so +bad about it,” said she; and her position, certainly, was a +reasonable one.</p> +<p>“What’s the matter, sister?” called +gran’ther Greene, from his chamber. “Hasn’t that +boy got home yet?”</p> +<p>“No, he hasn’t come yet, and I am worried to death +about him,” replied Mrs. Somers, opening the door of her +brother’s room.</p> +<p>“What o’clock is it?”</p> +<p>“After twelve. Thomas never stayed out so late in his life +before. What do you suppose has become of him?”</p> +<p>“Law sake! I haven’t the leastest idea,” +answered the old man. “Thomas is a smart boy, and knows +enough to keep out of trouble.”</p> +<p>“That’s what I say,” added John, who had +unlimited confidence in his brother’s ability to take care of +himself.</p> +<p>“I’ll tell you what <em>I</em> think, John,” +said Mrs. Somers, throwing herself into her chair with an air of +desperation.</p> +<p>But she did not tell John what she thought: on the contrary, she +sat rocking herself in silence, as though her thought was too big +and too momentous for utterance.</p> +<p>“Well, what do you think, mother?” asked John, when +he had waited a reasonable time for her to express her opinion on +the exciting topic.</p> +<p>Mrs. Somers rocked herself more violently than before, and made +no reply.</p> +<p>“What were you going to say?”</p> +<p>“I think the boy has gone off to Boston, and gone into the +army,” replied she, desperately, as though she had fully made +up her mind to commit herself to this belief.</p> +<p>“Do you think so, mother?”</p> +<p>“I feel almost sure of it.”</p> +<p>“I don’t think so, mother. Tom wouldn’t have +gone off without saying something to me about it.”</p> +<p>“If he wouldn’t say it to me, he wouldn’t be +likely to say it to you, John. It don’t look a bit like +Thomas to go off and leave his mother in this way,” moaned +the poor woman, wiping away a deluge of tears that now poured from +her eyes.</p> +<p>“I don’t believe he has done any such thing, +mother,” protested John.</p> +<p>“I feel almost certain about it, now. If the boy wanted to +go, and couldn’t stay at home, he ought to have told me +so.”</p> +<p>“He did say he wanted to go.”</p> +<p>“I didn’t think he really meant it. I want my boys +to love their country, and be ready to fight for it. Much as I +should hate to part with them, if they are needed, they may go; but +I don’t like to have them run away and leave me in this mean +way. I shouldn’t feel half so bad if I knew Thomas was in the +army now, as I do to think he ran away from home, just as though he +had done some mean thing. I am willing he should go, and he +wouldn’t be a son of mine if he wasn’t ready to go and +fight for his country, and die for her too, if there was any need +of it. I didn’t think Thomas would serve me in this +way.”</p> +<p>“I don’t believe he has.”</p> +<p>“I know he’s gone. I like his spunk, but if he had +only come to me and said he <em>must</em> go, I wouldn’t have +said a word; but to go off without bidding us good +by—it’s too bad, and I didn’t think Thomas would +do such a thing.”</p> +<p>Mrs. Somers rose from her chair, and paced the room in the +highest state of agitation and excitement. The rockers were not +adequate to the duty required of them, and nothing less than the +whole floor of the kitchen was sufficient for the proper venting of +her emotion.</p> +<p>“Do you mean to say, mother, that you would have given him +leave to go, even if he had teased you for a month?” asked +John.</p> +<p>“Certainly I should,” replied his mother, stopping +short in the middle of the floor. “I’m ready and +willing to have my boys fight for their country, but I don’t +want them to sneak off as though they had been robbing a hen-roost, +and without even saying good by to me.”</p> +<p>“If Tom were here, do you mean to say you would let him +go?” demanded John, earnestly.</p> +<p>“Certainly I do; I mean so. But I don’t think there +is any need of boys like him going, when there are men enough to do +the fighting.”</p> +<p>“You told Tom he shouldn’t go.”</p> +<p>“Well, I didn’t think he really meant it. If he +had—What’s that, John?” asked she, suddenly, as a +noise at the window attracted her attention.</p> +<p>“Only the cat, mother.”</p> +<p>“If Thomas or you had asked me in earnest, and there was +need of your going, I wouldn’t have kept either of you at +home. I would go to the poorhouse first. My father and my brother +both fought for their country, and my sons shall when their country +wants them.”</p> +<p>“Then you are willing Tom should go?”</p> +<p>“I am, but not to have him sneak off like a +sheep-stealer.”</p> +<p>“Three cheers for you, mother!” shouted Thomas, as +he threw up the window at which he had been standing for some ten +minutes listening to this interesting conversation.</p> +<p>“Where have you been, Thomas?” exclaimed the +delighted mother.</p> +<p>“Open the door, Jack, and let me in, and I will tell you +all about it,” replied the absentee.</p> +<p>“Come in; the door isn’t locked,” said +John.</p> +<p>He came in; and what he had to tell will interest the reader as +well as his mother and his brother.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_7" name="Ch_7">Chapter VII.</a></h3> +<h2>A Midnight Adventure.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>Tom Somers was an enterprising young man, as our readers have +already discovered; and when the door of the finished room in the +attic of Squire Pemberton’s house was fastened upon him, he +was not at all disposed to submit to the fate which appeared to be +in store for him. The idea of becoming a victim to the +squire’s malice was not to be entertained, and he threw +himself upon the bed to devise some means by which he might make +his escape.</p> +<p>The prospect was not encouraging, for there was only one window +in the chamber, and the distance to the ground was suggestive of +broken limbs, if not of a broken neck. Tom had read the Life of +Baron Trenck, and of Stephen Burroughs, but the experience of +neither of these worthies seemed to be available on the present +occasion.</p> +<p>As the family had not yet retired, it would not be safe to +commence operations for some hours. The stale, commonplace method +of tying the sheets and blankets together, and thus forming a rope +by which he could descend to the ground, occurred to him; but he +had not much confidence in the project. He lay quietly on the bed +till he heard the clocks on the churches at the Harbor strike +twelve. It was time then, if ever, for the family to be asleep, and +he decided to attempt an escape by another means which had been +suggested to him. If it failed, he could then resort to the +old-fashioned way of going down on the rope made of sheets and +blankets.</p> +<p>The apartment in which Tom was confined was not what people in +the country call an “upright chamber.” The sides of the +room were about four feet in height; and a section of the apartment +would have formed one half of an irregular octagon. In each side of +the chamber there was a small door, opening into the space near the +eaves of the house, which was used to store old trunks, old boxes, +the disused spinning-wheel, and other lumber of this description. +Tom had been in the attic before, and he remembered these doors, +through one of which he now proposed to make his escape.</p> +<p>When the clock struck twelve, he cautiously rose from the bed, +and pulled off his boots, which a proper respect for his host or +the bed had not prompted him to do before. The house was old, and +the floors had a tendency to creak beneath his tread. With the +utmost care, he crawled on his hands and knees to one of the doors +of the lumber hole, which he succeeded in opening without much +noise.</p> +<p>Making his way in among the old boxes, trunks, and +spinning-wheels, he was fully embarked in his difficult venture. +The dust which he stirred up in his progress produced an almost +irresistible desire to sneeze, which Lord Dundreary might have been +happy to indulge, but which might have been fatal to the execution +of Tom Somers’s purpose. He rubbed his nose, and held his +handkerchief over the intractable member, and succeeded in +overcoming its dangerous tendency. His movements were necessarily +very slow, for he was in constant dread lest some antiquated relic +of the past should tumble over, and thus disturb the slumbers of +the family who occupied the chambers below.</p> +<p>But in spite of the perils and difficulties that environed his +path, there was something exciting and exhilarating in the +undertaking. It was a real adventure, and, as such, Tom enjoyed it. +As he worked his way through the labyrinth of antiquities, he could +not but picture to himself the surprise and chagrin of Squire +Pemberton, when he should come up to the attic chamber to wreak his +vengeance upon him. He could see the magnate of Pinchbrook start, +compress his lips and clinch his fists, when he found the bird had +flown.</p> +<p>“Better not crow till I get out of the woods,” said +he to himself, while his imagination was still busy upon the +agreeable picture.</p> +<p>After a series of trials and difficulties which our space does +not permit us to describe in full, Tom emerged from the repository +of antiquities, and stood in the open space in front of the +finished chamber. With one boot in each hand, he felt his way to +the stairs, and descended to the entry over the front door. All +obstacles now seemed to be overcome, for he had nothing to do but +go down stairs and walk out.</p> +<p>It often happens, amid the uncertainties of this unstable world, +that we encounter the greatest trials and difficulties precisely +where we expect to find none. As Tom walked along the entry, with +one hand on the rail that protected the staircase to guide him, he +struck his foot against the pole upon which Fred Pemberton had +suspended the flag out of the window. It was very careless of the +squire, when he took the flag in, to leave the stick in that unsafe +position, for one of his own family might have stumbled against it, +and broken a leg or an arm, or possibly a neck; and if it might +have been a “cause of offence” to one of the +Pembertons, it certainly laid a grievous burden upon the shoulders +of poor Tom Somers.</p> +<p>When the pole fell, it made a tremendous racket, as all poles +will when they fall just at the moment when they ought to stand up, +and be decent and orderly. This catastrophe had the effect to +quicken the steps of the young man. He reached the stairs, and had +commenced a rapid descent, when the door of the squire’s +room, which was on the lower floor, opened, and Tom found himself +flanked in that direction.</p> +<p>“Who’s there? What’s that?” demanded the +squire, in hurried, nervous tones.</p> +<p>Tom was so impolite as to make no reply to these pressing +interrogatories, but quickly retreated in the direction from which +he had come.</p> +<p>“Wife, light the lamp, quick,” said the squire, in +the hall below.</p> +<p>Just then a door opened on the other side of the entry where Tom +stood, and he caught a faint glimpse of a figure robed in white. +Though it was the solemn hour of midnight, and Tom, I am sorry to +say, had read the Three Spaniards, and Mysteries of Udolpho, he +rejected the suggestion that the “sheeted form” might +be a ghost.</p> +<p>“Who’s there?” called the squire again.</p> +<p>A romantic little scream from the figure in white assured Tom +that Miss Susan was the enemy immediately on his front. Then he +caught the glimmer of the light below, which Mrs. Pemberton had +procured, and the race seemed to be up. Concealment was no longer +practicable, and he seized upon the happy suggestion that the +window opening upon the portico over the front door was available +as a means of egress.</p> +<p>Springing to the window, he raised it with a prompt and vigorous +hand, and before the squire could ascend the stairs, he was upon +the roof of the portico. Throwing his boots down, he grasped the +gutter, and “hung off.” He was now on <em>terra +firma</em>, and all his trials appeared to have reached a happy +termination; but here again he was doomed to disappointment.</p> +<p>“Bow, wow, wow-er, woo, row!” barked and growled the +squire’s big bull dog, when he came to realize that some +unusual occurrences were transpiring.</p> +<p>The animal was a savage brute, and was kept chained in the barn +during the day, and turned loose when the squire made his last +visit to the cattle about nine in the evening. Tom was thoroughly +alarmed when this new enemy confronted him; but fortunately he had +the self-possession to stand his ground, and not attempt to run +away, otherwise the dog would probably have torn him in pieces.</p> +<p>“Come here, Tige! Poor fellow! Come here! He’s a +good fellow! Don’t you know me, Tige?” said Tom, whose +only hope seemed to be in conciliation and compromise.</p> +<p>If Tige knew him, he appeared to be very unwilling to +acknowledge the acquaintance under the present suspicious +circumstances, and at this unseemly hour. The brute barked, +snarled, howled, and growled, and manifested as strong an +indisposition to compromise as a South Carolina fire-eater. He +placed himself in front of the hero of the night’s adventure, +as resolute and as intractable as though he had known all the facts +in the case, and intended to carry out to the letter the wishes of +his master.</p> +<p>Tom slowly retreated towards the garden fence, the dog still +following him up. He had tried coaxing and conciliation, and they +had failed. As he cautiously backed from the house, his feet struck +against a heavy cart stake, which seemed to suggest his next +resort. He was well aware that any quick movement on his part would +cause the dog to spring upon him. Placing his toe under the stake, +he raised it with his foot, till he could reach it with his hand, +keeping his gaze fixed upon the eyes of the dog, which glared like +fiery orbs in the gloom of the hour.</p> +<p>Tige saw the stick, and he appeared to have a wholesome respect +for it—a sentiment inspired by sundry beatings, intended to +cure a love of mutton on the hoof, or beef on the shelf. The brute +retreated a few paces; but at this moment Squire Pemberton appeared +at the front door, with a lantern in his hand. He understood the +“situation” at a glance.</p> +<p>“Take him, Tige! Stu’ boy!” shouted the +squire.</p> +<p>The dog snarled an encouraging reply to this suggestion, and +moved up towards the fugitive. Tom’s courage was equal to the +occasion, and he levelled a blow at the head of the bull dog, +which, if it had hit him fairly, must have smashed in his skull. As +it was, the blow was a heavy one, and Tige retreated; but the +shouts of the squire rallied him, and he rushed forward to the +onslaught again.</p> +<p>Tom, as we have before had occasion to suggest, was a master of +strategy, and instead of another stroke at the head of his savage +foe, with only one chance in ten of hitting the mark he commenced +swinging it vigorously to the right and left, as a mower does his +scythe. His object was to hit the legs of the dog—a plan +which was not entirely original with him, for he had seen it +adopted with signal success by a fisherman at the Harbor. The +consequence of this change of tactics was soon apparent, for Tige +got a rap on the fore leg, which caused him to yelp with pain, and +retire from the field. While the dog moved off in good order in one +direction, Tom effected an equally admirable retreat in the other +direction.</p> +<p>On reaching the road, he pulled on his boots, which he had +picked up after the discomfiture of his canine antagonist. Squire +Pemberton still stood at the door trying to bring Tige to a sense +of his duty in the trying emergency; but the brute had more regard +for his own shins than he had for the mandate of his master, and +the victor was permitted to bear away his laurels without further +opposition.</p> +<p>When he reached his father’s house, supposing the front +door was locked, he went to the kitchen window, where he had heard +the patriotic remarks of his mother. Tom told his story in +substance as we have related it.</p> +<p>“Do you mean what you have said, mother?” inquired +he, when he had finished his narrative.</p> +<p>Mrs. Somers bit her lip in silence for a moment.</p> +<p>“Certainly I do, Thomas,” said she, desperately.</p> +<p>It was half-past one when the boys retired, but it was another +hour before Tom’s excited brain would permit him to sleep. +His head was full of a big thought.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_8" name="Ch_8">Chapter VIII.</a></h3> +<h2>Signing the Papers.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>Thomas went to sleep at last, and, worn out by the fatigue and +excitement of the day, he slept long and soundly. His mother did +not call him till eight o’clock, and it was nine before he +reached the store of his employer, where the recital of the +adventure of the preceding night proved to be a sufficient excuse +for his non-appearance at the usual hour.</p> +<p>In the course of the week Captain Benson had procured the +necessary authority to raise a company for three years or for the +war. When he exhibited his papers, he found twenty persons ready to +put down their names. A recruiting office was opened at the store, +and every day added to the list of brave and self-denying men who +were ready to go forward and fight the battles of liberty and +union. The excitement in Pinchbrook was fanned by the news which +each day brought of the zeal and madness of the traitors.</p> +<p>Thomas had made up his mind, even before his mother had been +surprised into giving her consent, that he should go to the war. At +the first opportunity, therefore, he wrote his name upon the paper, +very much to the astonishment of Captain Benson and his +employer.</p> +<p>“How old are you, Tom?” asked the captain.</p> +<p>“I’m in my seventeenth year,” replied the +soldier boy.</p> +<p>“You are not old enough.”</p> +<p>“I’m three months older than Sam Thompson; and you +didn’t even ask him how old he was.”</p> +<p>“He is larger and heavier than you are!”</p> +<p>“I can’t help that. I’m older than he is, and +I think I can do as much in the way of fighting as he +can.”</p> +<p>“I don’t doubt that,” added the captain, +laughing. “Your affair with Squire Pemberton shows that you +have pluck enough for anything. I should be very glad to have you +go; but what does your father say?”</p> +<p>“He hasn’t said anything. He isn’t at home. He +went away before Sumter was fired upon by the rebels.”</p> +<p>“True—I remember. What does your mother +say?”</p> +<p>“O, she is willing.”</p> +<p>“Are you sure, Tom?”</p> +<p>“Of course, I am. Suppose you write something by which she +can give her consent, and she will sign it.”</p> +<p>Captain Benson drew up the document, and when Tom went home to +dinner, he presented it to his mother for her signature.</p> +<p>“I hope you won’t back out, mother,” said he, +as she put on her spectacles, and proceeded to ascertain the +contents of the document.</p> +<p>“Back out of what, Thomas?”</p> +<p>“I’ve signed the muster roll, and I belong to +Captain Benson’s company now.”</p> +<p>“You!” exclaimed Mrs. Somers, lowering the paper, +and gazing earnestly into the face of the young man, to discover +whether he was in earnest.</p> +<p>“Yes, mother; you said you were willing, and I have signed +the papers; but Captain Benson wants your consent in writing, so +that there shall be no mistake about it.”</p> +<p>The mother read the paper in silence and sadness, for the +thought of having her noble boy exposed to the perils of the camp +and the march, the skirmish and the battle, was terrible, and +nothing but the most exalted patriotism could induce a mother to +give a son to his country.</p> +<p>“I don’t want to sign this paper, Thomas,” +said she, when she had finished reading it.</p> +<p>“Have you forgot what you said the other night, +mother?”</p> +<p>“No, I haven’t forgot it, and I feel now just as I +did then. If there is any real need of your going, I am willing you +should go.”</p> +<p>“Need? Of course there is need of soldiers. The President +wasn’t joking when he called for seventy-five thousand +men.”</p> +<p>“But there are enough to go without you.”</p> +<p>“That’s just what everybody might say, and then +there wouldn’t be anybody to go.”</p> +<p>“But you are young, and not very strong.”</p> +<p>“I’m old enough, and strong enough. When I can get a +day to myself, I don’t think it’s any great hardship to +carry father’s heavy fowling-piece from sunrise to sunset; +and I guess I can stand it to carry a musket as long as any of +them.”</p> +<p>“You are only a boy.”</p> +<p>“I shall be a man soon enough.”</p> +<p>“When you have gone, John will want to go too.”</p> +<p>“No, mother, I don’t want to go into the +army,” said John, with a sly wink at his brother. “I +shall never be a soldier if I can help it.”</p> +<p>“What am I going to do, if you all go off and leave +me?” added Mrs. Somers, trying hard to keep down a tear which +was struggling for birth in her fountain of sorrows.</p> +<p>“I don’t think you will want for anything, mother. +I’m sure I wouldn’t leave you, if I thought you would. +I don’t get but two dollars and a half a week in the store, +and I shall have eleven dollars a month in the army, and it +won’t cost me any thing for board or clothes. I will send +every dollar I get home to you.”</p> +<p>“You are a good boy, Thomas,” replied Mrs. Somers, +unable any longer to restrain the tear.</p> +<p>“I know you and John both will do every thing you can for +me. If your father was only at home, I should feel different about +it.”</p> +<p>“He would believe in my fighting for my country, if he +were here.”</p> +<p>“I know he would,” said Mrs. Somers, as she took the +pen which Thomas handed her, and seated herself at the table. +“If you are determined to go, I suppose you will go, whether +I am willing or not.”</p> +<p>“No, mother, I will not,” added Thomas, decidedly. +“I shouldn’t have signed the muster roll if you +hadn’t said you were willing. And if you say now that you +won’t consent, I will take my name off the paper.”</p> +<p>“But you want to go—don’t you?”</p> +<p>“I do; there’s no mistake about that: but I +won’t go if you are not willing.”</p> +<p>Mrs. Somers wrote her name upon the paper. It was a slow and +difficult operation to her, and during the time she was thus +occupied, the rest of the family watched her in silent anxiety. +Perhaps, if she had not committed herself on the eventful night +when she fully believed that Thomas had run away and joined the +army, she might have offered more and stronger objections than she +now urged. But there was a vein of patriotism in her nature, which +she had inherited from her father, who had fought at Bunker Hill, +Brandywine, and Germantown, and which had been exemplified in the +life of her brother; and this, more than any other consideration, +induced her to sign the paper.</p> +<p>Thousands of loving and devoted mothers have given their sons to +their country in the same holy enthusiasm that inspired her. She +was not a solitary instance of this noble sacrifice, and if both +her sons had been men, instead of boys, she would not have +interposed a single objection to their departure upon a mission so +glorious as that to which Thomas had now devoted himself.</p> +<p>“There’s my name, Thomas,” said his mother, as +she took off her spectacles. “I’ve done it, and you +have my free consent. You’ve always been a good boy, and I +hope you will always be a good soldier.”</p> +<p>“I shall always try to do my duty, mother; and if ever I +turn my back to a rebel, I hope you’ll disown me.”</p> +<p>“Good, Tom!” exclaimed John, who had been deeply +interested in the event of the hour.</p> +<p>“Well, Thomas, I’d rather face two rebels than that +bull dog you fit with t’other night,” added +gran’ther Greene. “You are as bold as a lion, +Thomas.”</p> +<p>“Do you think I can stand it, gran’ther?” +added Tom, with a smile.</p> +<p>“Stand it? Well, Thomas, it’s a hard life to be a +soldier, and I know something about it. When we marched +from—”</p> +<p>“Dinner’s ready,” interposed Mrs. Somers, for +gran’ther Greene had marched that march so many times that +every member of the family knew it by heart.</p> +<p>“There’s one good thing about it, Tom,” said +John: “you have got a first-rate captain.”</p> +<p>“I’m thankful you are going with Captain Benson, for +if there ever was a Christian in Pinchbrook, he is the man,” +added Mrs. Somers.</p> +<p>“And all the company will be your own friends and +neighbors,” said gran’ther Greene; “and +that’s something, I can tell you. I know something about this +business. When we marched from—”</p> +<p>“Have some more beans, brother?” asked Mrs. Somers. +“You will be among your friends, Thomas, as gran’ther +says.”</p> +<p>“That’s a great thing, I can tell you,” added +the veteran. “Soldiers should stick together like brothers, +and feel that they are fighting for each other, as well as for the +country. Then, when you’re sick, you want friends. When we +marched from Sackett’s Harbor, there was a young +feller—”</p> +<p>“Have some more tea, brother?”</p> +<p>“Part of a cup, Nancy,” replied the old man, who +never took offence even when the choicest stories of his military +experience were nipped in the bud.</p> +<p>After dinner, Thomas hastened back to the store. That day seemed +to him like an epoch in his existence, as indeed it was. He felt +that he belonged to his country now, and that the honor of that old +flag, which had been insulted by traitors, was committed to his +keeping. He was taking up the work where his grandfather had left +it. He was going forth to fight for his country, and the thought +inspired him with a noble and generous enthusiasm, before which all +the aspirations of his youth vanished.</p> +<p>As he passed the house of Squire Pemberton, he bestowed a +pitying reflection upon the old traitor; but his mind was so full +of the great event which was dawning upon him, that he did not even +think of the exciting incidents which had occurred there. He had +neither seen nor heard any thing of the squire since he had escaped +from the attic chamber.</p> +<p>Just beyond the squire’s house he met Captain Barney, who +was riding up to the town hall.</p> +<p>“What’s this I hear of you, Tom?” demanded the +captain, as he reined in his horse. “They say you have joined +the company.”</p> +<p>“Yes, sir. I have.”</p> +<p>“Bravo! my boy. Good on your head! You ought to go out as +a brigadier general. What does your mother say?”</p> +<p>“I have her written consent in my pocket.”</p> +<p>“All right. God bless you, my boy!” said the old +salt, as he started his horse.</p> +<p>“Thank you, sir. There’s only one thing that +troubles me.”</p> +<p>“Eh? What’s that, my boy?” demanded Captain +Barney as he reined up the horse again.</p> +<p>“I suppose you have heard of my scrape at Squire +Pemberton’s the other night.”</p> +<p>“Yes; and shiver my timbers if I didn’t want to +keelhaul the old traitor when I heard of it.”</p> +<p>“I don’t care anything about the scrape, sir; only +I’m afraid the squire will bother my mother when I’m +gone,” said Thomas, with some diffidence.</p> +<p>“If he does, he’ll settle the matter with Jack +Barney,” replied the captain, decidedly.</p> +<p>“My father may never come back, you know, and if he does +he will be a beggar. He owes the squire a note, which will be due +in June.”</p> +<p>“I’ll pay it myself!” roared Captain Barney. +“Go and fight for your country, Tom, like a man. I’ll +call and see your mother once a week, or every day in the week, if +you say so. She shall not want for any thing as long as I have a +shot in the locker.”</p> +<p>“Thank you, Captain Barney; thank you, sir.”</p> +<p>“I’ll take care of your mother, my lad, and +I’ll take care of the squire. He shall not foreclose that +mortgage, Tom. Don’t bother your head about any of those +things. You’re a good boy, Tom, and I’ll keep every +thing all right at home.”</p> +<p>“Thank you, sir,” repeated the soldier boy, as +Captain Barney started his horse again.</p> +<p>The captain was a retired shipmaster, of ample means, and Tom +knew that he was not only able, but willing, to do all he had +promised. His heart was lighter; a load had been removed from his +mind.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_9" name="Ch_9">Chapter IX.</a></h3> +<h2>The Departure.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>At the time of which we write, recruiting officers were not very +particular in regard to the age of those whom they received into +the volunteer army. If the young man seemed to have the requisite +physical qualifications, it was of little consequence what his age +was; and Tom Somers was tall enough and stout enough to make a very +good soldier.</p> +<p>Captain Benson examined the certificate brought to him by the +young recruit, not, however, because it was deemed a necessary +legal form, but because he was acquainted with his father and +mother, and would not willingly have done any thing to displease +them. The matter, therefore, was disposed of to the satisfaction of +all the parties concerned, and Tom actually commenced his career as +a soldier boy. He immediately resigned his situation in the store, +for the company now numbered forty men, not half a dozen of whom +had any knowledge whatever of military drill.</p> +<p>As the volunteers of the Pinchbrook company could ill afford to +lose the time devoted to drill before they should be mustered into +the service of the United States, the town voted to pay each man +fifteen dollars a month for three months. This generous and +patriotic action of the town rejoiced the heart of Tom Somers, for +his mother actually needed the pittance he had earned at the store. +Mrs. Somers had heard nothing from her husband; but the destruction +of the Gosport Navy Yard, and the seizure of several northern +vessels in the harbor of Norfolk, left her little to hope for in +that direction. Suddenly an impregnable wall seemed to rise up +between the North and the South, and she not only feared that +Captain Somers had lost all his worldly possessions, but that he +would hardly be able to escape himself from the fiery furnace of +secession and treason.</p> +<p>To her, therefore, the future looked dark and forbidding. She +foresaw that she and her family would be subjected to the pressure +of want, or at least be dependent upon the kindness of friends for +support. She had freely stated her fears to her children, and fully +exhibited the insufficiency of the family resources. The vote of +the town was a perfect godsend to Tom, and a fat legacy from a rich +relative would not have kindled a stronger feeling of gratitude in +his soul.</p> +<p>For the next five weeks, Tom was employed forenoon, afternoon, +and evening, in the drill, and he soon made himself proficient. The +company was recruited nearly up to its maximum number, and was then +attached to the —th regiment, which had just been formed and +ordered to Fort Warren.</p> +<p>On the 27th day of May, the company, escorted by the patriotic +citizens of Pinchbrook, marched to Boston, and Tom took a sorrowful +farewell of his mother, his brother and sisters, and a score of +anxious friends.</p> +<p>“Now don’t let the rebels hit you in the backbone, +Thomas,” said gran’ther Green, as he shook the hand of +the soldier boy.</p> +<p>“No, gran’ther; if I can’t fight, I +won’t run away,” replied Tom.</p> +<p>“You’ve got good blood in your veins, my boy: +don’t disgrace it. I don’t know as you’ll ever +see me again, but God bless you, Thomas;” and the old man +turned away to hide the tears which began to course down his +wrinkled cheek.</p> +<p>“Be a good boy, Thomas,” added his mother.</p> +<p>“I will, mother.”</p> +<p>“And remember what I’ve been telling you. I’m +not half so much afraid of your being killed by a bullet, as I am +of your being ruined by bad men.”</p> +<p>“You needn’t fear any thing of that kind, +mother.”</p> +<p>“I shall pray that you may be saved from your friends as +well as from your enemies. We shall see you again before you go +off, I hope.”</p> +<p>“Yes, mother; we shall not be sent south yet.”</p> +<p>“Don’t forget to read your Testament, Thomas,” +said Mrs. Somers.</p> +<p>“I won’t, mother,” replied the soldier boy, as +he again shook hands with all the members of the family, kissed his +mother and his sisters, and hitching up his knapsack, took his +place in the ranks.</p> +<p>His heart seemed to be clear up in his throat. During the tender +scene he had just passed through, he had manfully resisted his +inclination to weep, but he could no longer restrain the tears. +Suddenly they came like a flood bursting the gates that confined +it, and he choked and sobbed like a little girl. He leaned upon his +musket, covering his face with his arm.</p> +<p>“It’s a hard case,” said private Hapgood, who +stood next to him in the ranks.</p> +<p>“I didn’t think it would take me down like +this,” sobbed Tom.</p> +<p>“Don’t blubber, Tom. Let’s go off game,” +added Ben Lethbridge, who stood on the other side of him.</p> +<p>“I can’t help it, Ben.”</p> +<p>“Yes, you can—dry up! Soldiers don’t cry, +Tom.”</p> +<p>“Yes, they do, my boy,” said Hapgood, who was a +little old man, nearly ten years beyond the period of exemption +from military duty. “I don’t blame Tom for crying, and, +in my opinion, he’ll fight all the better for it.”</p> +<p>“Perhaps he will, old un; but I don’t think much of +a soldier that blubbers like a baby. I hope he won’t run away +when he sees the rebels coming,” sneered Ben.</p> +<p>“If he does, he’ll have a chance to see how thick +the heels of your boots are,” answered the old man.</p> +<p>“What do you mean by that, old un?” demanded +Ben.</p> +<p>“Attention—company! Shoulder—arms! +Forward—march!” said the captain; and the discussion +was prevented from proceeding any further.</p> +<p>The band, which was at the head of the citizens’ column, +struck up an inspiring march, and Tom dried his tears. The escort +moved off, followed by the company. They passed the little cottage +of Captain Somers, and Tom saw the whole family except John, who +was in the escort, standing at the front gate. The old soldier +swung his hat, Tom’s sisters and his mother waved their +handkerchiefs; but when they saw the soldier boy, they had to use +them for another purpose. Tom felt another upward pressure in the +region of the throat; but this time he choked down his rising +emotions, and saved himself from the ridicule of his more callous +companion on the left.</p> +<p>In violation of military discipline, he turned his head to take +one last, fond look at the home he was leaving behind. It might be +the last time he should ever gaze on that loved spot, now a +thousand times more dear than ever before. Never had he realized +the meaning of home; never before had he felt how closely his +heart’s tendrils were entwined about that hallowed place. +Again, in spite of his firmness and fortitude, and in spite of the +sneers of Ben Lethbridge, he felt the hot tears sliding down his +cheek.</p> +<p>When he reached the brow of the hill which would soon hide the +little cottage from his view, perhaps forever, he gazed behind him +again, to take his last look at the familiar spot. His mother and +sister still stood at the front gate watching the receding column +in which the son and the brother was marching away to peril and +perhaps death.</p> +<p>“God bless my mother! God bless them all!” were the +involuntary ejaculations of the soldier boy, as he turned away from +the hallowed scene.</p> +<p>But the memory of that blessed place, sanctified by the presence +of those loving and devoted ones, was shrined in the temple of his +heart, ever to go with him in camp and march, in the perils of +battle and siege, to keep him true to his God, true to himself, and +true to those whom he had left behind him. That last look at home +and those that make it home, like the last fond gaze we bestow on +the loved and the lost, was treasured up in the garner of the +heart’s choicest memories, to be recalled in the solemn +stillness of the midnight vigil, amid the horrors of the +battle-field when the angry strife of arms had ceased, and in the +gloom of the soldier’s sick bed when no mother’s hand +was near to lave the fevered brow.</p> +<p>The moment when he obtained his last view of the home of his +childhood seemed like the most eventful period of his existence. +His heart grew big in his bosom, and yet not big enough to contain +all he felt. He wept again, and his tears seemed to come from +deeper down than his eyes. He did not hear the inspiring strains of +the band, or the cheers that greeted the company as they went forth +to do and die for their country’s imperilled cause.</p> +<p>“Blubbering again, Tom?” sneered Ben Lethbridge. +“I thought you was more of a man than that, Tom +Somers.”</p> +<p>“I can’t help it, Ben,” replied Tom, vainly +struggling to subdue his emotions.</p> +<p>“Better go back, then. We don’t want a great baby in +the ranks.”</p> +<p>“It’s nateral, Ben,” said old Hapgood. +“He’ll get over it when he sees the rebels.”</p> +<p>“Don’t believe he will. I didn’t think you +were such a great calf, Tom.”</p> +<p>“Shet up, now, Ben,” interposed Hapgood. +“I’ll bet my life he’ll stand fire as well as you +will. I’ve been about in the world some, and I reckon +I’ve as good an idee of this business as you have. +Tom’s got a heart under his ribs.”</p> +<p>“I’ll bet he runs away at the first fire.”</p> +<p>“I’ll bet he won’t.”</p> +<p>“I know I won’t!” exclaimed Tom, with energy, +as he drew his coat sleeve across his eyes.</p> +<p>“It isn’t the cock that crows the loudest that will +fight the best,” added the old man. “I’ll bet Tom +will be able to tell you the latest news from the front, where the +battle’s the hottest. I fit my way up to the city of Mexico +long er old Scott, and I’ve heard boys crow afore +today.”</p> +<p>“Look here, old un! If you mean to call me a coward, why +don’t you say so, right up and down?” growled Ben.</p> +<p>“Time’ll tell, my boy. You don’t know what +gunpowder smells like yet. If you’d been with the fust +Pennsylvany, where I was, you’d a-known sunthin about war. +Now, shet up, Ben; and don’t you worry Tom any +more.”</p> +<p>But Tom was no longer in a condition to be worried. Though still +sad at the thought of the home and friends he had left behind, he +had reduced his emotions to proper subjection, and before the +column reached Boston, he had even regained his wonted +cheerfulness. The procession halted upon the wharf, where the +company was to embark on a steamer for Fort Warren. As the boat +which was to convey them to the fort had not yet arrived, the men +were permitted to mingle with their friends on the wharf, and, of +course, Tom immediately sought out his brother. He found him +engaged in a spirited conversation with Captain Benson.</p> +<p>“What is it, Jack?” asked the soldier boy.</p> +<p>“I want to join this company, and the captain won’t +let me,” replied John.</p> +<p>“You, Jack!”</p> +<p>“Yes, I.”</p> +<p>“Did mother say so?”</p> +<p>“No, but she won’t care.”</p> +<p>“Did you ask her?”</p> +<p>“No; I didn’t think of going till after I started +from home.”</p> +<p>“Don’t think of it, Jack. It would be an awful blow +to mother to have both of us go.”</p> +<p>For half an hour Tom argued the matter with John; but the +military enthusiasm of the latter had been so aroused by the march +and its attendant circumstances, that he could not restrain his +inclination.</p> +<p>“If I don’t join this company, I shall some +other,” said John.</p> +<p>“I shall have to go home again, if you do; for I +won’t have mother left alone. We haven’t been mustered +in yet. Besides, I thought you wanted to go into the +navy.”</p> +<p>“I do; but I’m bound to go somehow,” replied +John.</p> +<p>But what neither Tom nor Captain Benson could do, was +accomplished by Captain Barney, who declared John should go home +with him if he had to take him by the collar. The ardent young +patriot yielded as gracefully as he could to this persuasion.</p> +<p>The steamer having arrived, the soldiers shook hands with their +friends again, went on board, and, amid the hearty cheers of the +citizens of Pinchbrook, were borne down the bay.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_10" name="Ch_10">Chapter X.</a></h3> +<h2>Company K.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>Tom Somers felt that he was now a soldier indeed. While the +company remained in Pinchbrook, he had slept every night in his own +bed, and taken his meals in the kitchen of the little cottage. He +fully realized that he had bade a long farewell to all the comforts +and luxuries of home. That day, for the first time, he was to +partake of soldiers’ fare, and that night, for the first +time, he was to sleep upon a soldier’s bed. These thoughts +did not make him repine, for before he signed the muster roll, he +had carefully considered, with the best information he could +obtain, what hardships and privations he would be called to endure. +He had made up his mind to bear all things without a murmur for the +blessed land of his birth, which now called upon her sons to defend +her from the parricidal blow of the traitor.</p> +<p>Tom had not only made up his mind to bear all these things, but +to bear them patiently and cheerfully. He had a little theory of +his own, that rather more than half of the discomforts of this +mortal life exist only in the imagination. If he only +<em>thought</em> that every thing was all right, it went a great +way towards making it all right—a very comforting and +satisfactory philosophy, which reduced the thermometer from ninety +down to seventy degrees on a hot day in summer, and raised it from +ten to forty degrees on a cold day in winter; which filled his +stomach when it was empty, alleviated the toothache or the +headache, and changed snarling babies into new-fledged angels. I +commend Tom’s philosophy to the attention and imitation of +all my young friends, assured that nothing will keep them so happy +and comfortable as a cheerful and contented disposition.</p> +<p>“Tom Somers,” said a voice near him, cutting short +the consoling meditation in which he was engaged.</p> +<p>His name was pronounced in a low and cautious tone, but the +voice sounded familiar to him, and he turned to ascertain who had +addressed him. He did not discover any person who appeared to be +the owner of the voice, and was leaving the position he had taken +on the forward deck of the steamer, when his name was repeated, in +the same low and cautious tone.</p> +<p>“Who is it? Where are you?” said Tom, looking all +about him, among the groups of soldiers who were gathered on +various parts of the deck, discussing the present and the +future.</p> +<p>“Here, Tom,” replied the voice, which sounded more +familiar every time he heard it.</p> +<p>He turned his eye in the direction from which the sound +proceeded, and there, coiled up behind a heap of barrels and boxes, +and concealed by a sail-cloth which had been thrown over the goods +to protect them from an expected shower, he discovered Fred +Pemberton.</p> +<p>“What in the name of creation are you doing there, +Fred?” exclaimed Tom, laughing at the ludicrous attitude of +the embryo secessionist.</p> +<p>“Hush! Don’t say a word, Tom. Sit down here where I +can talk with you,” added Fred.</p> +<p>“What are you doing here?”</p> +<p>“I’ll tell if you will keep quiet a moment. Is the +company full?”</p> +<p>“What company?”</p> +<p>“Captain Benson’s, of course.”</p> +<p>“No.”</p> +<p>“I want to join.”</p> +<p>“You!” ejaculated Tom.</p> +<p>“Come, come, Tom, no blackguarding now. You and I used to +be good friends.”</p> +<p>“I’ve nothing against you, Fred—that is, if +you’re not a traitor.”</p> +<p>“I want to join the company.”</p> +<p>“Is your father willing?”</p> +<p>“Of course he isn’t; but that needn’t make any +difference.”</p> +<p>“But you don’t believe in our cause, Fred. We +don’t want a traitor in the ranks.”</p> +<p>“Hang the cause! I want to go with the company.”</p> +<p>“Hang the cause? Well, I reckon that’s a good +recommendation.”</p> +<p>“I’m all right on that.”</p> +<p>“Are you willing to take the oath of allegiance, and swear +to sustain the flag of your country?”</p> +<p>“Of course I am. I only followed the old man’s lead; +but I have got enough of it. Do you think Captain Benson will take +me into the company?”</p> +<p>“Perhaps he will.”</p> +<p>“Ask him—will you? You needn’t say I’m +here, you know.”</p> +<p>“But what will your father say?”</p> +<p>“I don’t care what he says.”</p> +<p>Tom thought, if Fred didn’t care, he needn’t, and +going aft, he found the captain, and proposed to him the +question.</p> +<p>“Take him—yes. We’ll teach him loyalty and +patriotism, and before his time is out, we will make him an +abolitionist,” replied Captain Benson. “What will his +father say?”</p> +<p>“His father doesn’t know anything about it. Fred ran +away, and followed the company into the city.”</p> +<p>“Squire Pemberton is a traitor, and I believe the army +will be the best school in the world for his son,” added the +captain. “It will be better for him to be with us than to be +at home. If it was the son of any other man in Pinchbrook, I +wouldn’t take him without the consent of his father; as it +is, I feel perfectly justified in accepting him.”</p> +<p>Tom hastened to the forward deck to report the success of his +mission. The result was, that Fred came out of his hiding-place, +and exhibited himself to the astonished members of the Pinchbrook +company. When he announced his intention to go to the war, and, +with a pardonable flourish, his desire to serve his country, he was +saluted with a volley of cheers. Captain Benson soon appeared on +the forward deck, and the name of the new recruit was placed on the +enlistment paper.</p> +<p>Fred was seventeen years of age, and was taller and stouter than +Tom Somers. No questions were asked in regard to his age or his +physical ability to endure the hardships of a campaign.</p> +<p>The steamer arrived at Fort Warren, and the company landed. +After waiting a short time on the wharf, the color company of the +—th regiment, to which they were attached, came down and +escorted them to the parade ground within the fort. It was a +desolate and gloomy-looking place to Tom, who had always lived +among green fields, and the beautiful surroundings of a New England +rural district.</p> +<p>If the fort itself looked dreary, how much more so were the +casemates in which the company was quartered! But Tom’s +philosophy was proof against the unpleasant impression, and his +joke was as loud and hearty as that of any of his companions. The +men were divided off into messes, and they had an abundance of work +to do in bringing up the company’s luggage, and making their +new habitation as comfortable and pleasant as the circumstances +would permit.</p> +<p>The next day the Pinchbrook boys were designated as Company K, +and placed in the regimental line. The limits of this volume do not +permit me to detail the every-day life of the soldier boy while at +Fort Warren, however interesting and instructive it might be to our +friends. A large portion of the forenoon was devoted to squad and +company drill, and of the afternoon to battalion drill. The +colonel, though a very diminutive man in stature, was an enthusiast +in military matters, and had the reputation of being one of the +most thorough and skilful officers in the state. Tom Somers, who, +since he joined the company, had felt ashamed of himself because he +was no bigger, became quite reconciled to his low corporeal estate +when he found that the colonel of the regiment was no taller and no +heavier than himself. And when he heard the high praise bestowed +upon the colonel’s military skill and martial energy, he came +to the conclusion that it does not require a big man to make a good +soldier. With a feeling of satisfaction he recalled the fact that +Napoleon Bonaparte, when he commanded the army of Italy, was +scarcely a bigger man than the colonel or himself.</p> +<p>The colonel was a strict disciplinarian, and he soon diffused +his energy throughout the regiment. It made rapid progress in its +military education. Tom was deeply interested in the details of his +new profession, and used his best endeavors to do his duty promptly +and faithfully. This was not the case with all the boys in the +company from Pinchbrook, and I am sorry to say that some of them, +including the brave and chivalric Ben Lethbridge, had to sit upon +the stool of repentance in the guard room on several occasions.</p> +<p>Fred Pemberton was clothed in the uniform of the United States +volunteers, and we must do him the justice to say that he performed +his duty to the entire satisfaction of his officers. Fred was a +good fellow, and barring his treason, which he had derived from his +father, was highly esteemed by those who knew him. The only stain +that had ever rested upon his character was removed, and he and Tom +were as good friends as ever they had been. His motive in joining +the army, however, could not be applauded. He thought all his +friends were going off to the South upon a kind of frolic, spiced +with a little of peril and hardship to make it the more exciting, +and he did not like the idea of being left behind. To the sentiment +of patriotism, as developed in the soul of Tom Somers and many of +his companions, he was an entire stranger. He was going to the war +to participate in the adventures of the —th regiment, rather +than to fight for the flag which had been insulted and dishonored +by treason.</p> +<p>Every day the steamers brought crowds of visitors to the fort to +see their friends in the regiments quartered there, or to witness +the drills and parades which were constantly succeeding each other. +Among them came many of the people of Pinchbrook, and Tom was +delighted by a visit from his whole family. His mother found him so +comfortable and contented that she returned with half the heavy +burden on her soul removed.</p> +<p>While the Pinchbrook boys were generally rejoiced to see their +friends from home, there was one in the company who was in constant +dread lest he should recognize a too familiar face in the crowds +which the steamers daily poured into the fort. Fred Pemberton did +not wish to see his nearest friends; but after he had been in the +company some ten days, just as the boys had been dismissed from the +forenoon drill, he discovered at a distance the patriarchal form of +his father.</p> +<p>“My pipe’s out, Tom,” said Fred, as he rushed +into the casemate where a group of his companions were resting from +the fatigues of the morning.</p> +<p>“What’s the matter now, Fred?”</p> +<p>“The old man has just come into the fort.”</p> +<p>“Has he?”</p> +<p>“Yes—what shall I do?”</p> +<p>“Keep a stiff upper lip, Fred, and we will put you through +all right,” said Sergeant Porter.</p> +<p>“What shall I do?” demanded Fred, who, whatever his +views in regard to the justice or injustice of coercion, did not +wish to be taken from the company.</p> +<p>“Come with me,” said the sergeant, as he led the way +into an adjoining casemate. “No; nobody else will +come,” added he, motioning back other members of the mess who +was disposed to follow.</p> +<p>In the casemate to which Sergeant Porter conducted Fred, there +was a pile of boxes, in which the muskets of one of the regiments +had been packed. The fugitive from his father’s anxious +search was directed to get into one of these boxes, from which the +sergeant removed the gun rests. He obeyed; his confederate put on +the lid so as to permit him to receive a plentiful supply of air, +and other boxes were placed upon that containing the runaway.</p> +<p>Squire Pemberton presented himself before Captain Benson, and +demanded his son. Fred was sent for, but could not be found. +Sergeant Porter kept out of the way, and not another man in the +company knew anything about him. The boys were very willing to +assist the indignant father in his search, but all their efforts +were unavailing. The squire examined every casemate, and every nook +and corner upon the island, but without effect.</p> +<p>“I want my son, sir,” said the squire, angrily, to +the captain. “I require you to produce him.”</p> +<p>“I don’t know where he is,” replied Captain +Benson.</p> +<p>“You have concealed him, sir.”</p> +<p>“I have not.”</p> +<p>The squire appealed to the colonel, but obtained no +satisfaction, and was obliged to leave without accomplishing his +purpose. As soon as he had gone, Fred appeared, and the boys +laughed for a week over the affair.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_11" name="Ch_11">Chapter XI.</a></h3> +<h2>In Washington.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>On the 17th of June, the regiment left Port Warren, and after +being conveyed by steamer to Boston, marched to Camp Cameron. Here +the “little colonel” displayed his energy and military +skill to much greater advantage than when within the narrow +confines of the fort. The men were not only carefully and +persistently drilled, but they were educated, as far as the +circumstances would permit, for the arduous duties of a +campaign.</p> +<p>Tom Somers had already begun to feel a soldier’s pride in +his new situation; and though he found that being a soldier boy was +not always the easiest and the pleasantest thing in the world, he +bore his trials with philosophical patience and fortitude, and made +the most of whatever joys the circumstances placed within his +reach.</p> +<p>Others grumbled, but he did not. He declared that he had +enlisted for the war, and meant to take things as they came. It was +not exactly agreeable to stand on guard for two hours, on a cold, +rainy night; but grumbling would not make it any the more +agreeable, and only made the grumbler discontented and unhappy. It +did not look like “the pomp and circumstance of war,” +and no doubt most of the boys in the Pinchbrook company would have +been better satisfied in their own houses in “the village by +the sea.” But most of these men had left their happy homes +under the inspiration of the highest and truest motives. They were +going forth to fight the battles of their imperilled country, and +this reflection filled them with a heroism which the petty trials +and discomforts of the camp could not impair.</p> +<p>While the regiment was at Camp Cameron, the state colors and a +standard, procured by the liberality of its friends, were +presented; and the patriotic speeches delivered on this occasion +made a deep impression upon the mind and heart of the soldier boy. +To him they were real—perhaps more real than to those who +uttered the burning words. He was in a situation to feel the full +force of the great sacrifice which the soldier makes for his +country. He devoted himself, heart and soul, to the cause; and what +was but an idle sentiment in the mind of the flowery speech-makers, +was truth and soberness to him who was to meet the foe at the +cannon’s mouth and at the bayonet’s point.</p> +<p>“We are off on the 29th,” said old Hapgood, one +evening, as he entered the barrack where Tom was writing a letter +to his mother.</p> +<p>“Good! I am glad to hear it. I was just telling my mother +that I hoped we should not have to stay much longer in this +place,” replied Tom.</p> +<p>“I think we are having an easy time of it here,” +added the veteran. “When you find out what hunger and fatigue +mean, you will learn to be contented with such a place as +this.”</p> +<p>“I’m contented enough; but I want to get into the +field, and have something done.”</p> +<p>“Time enough, my boy. I used to feel just so, Tom, when I +went to Mexico; but after a while I got so I didn’t care what +we did or where we went.”</p> +<p>Tom added a postscript to his letter, informing his mother of +the time fixed for the departure of the regiment. The intelligence +in this instance proved to be correct, for on the appointed day the +little colonel marched his command into the city, where it was duly +embarked on the cars for New York. It was a day of excitement, for +the streets of the city were thronged with people, whose cheers and +applause were the benison with which the regiment went forth to do +and to die for the nation. Tom was delighted with this warm +reception, but more by meeting his mother and his brother and +sisters at the station. It was a joyous and yet a sad meeting. Mrs. +Somers wept; and what mother would not weep to see her son go forth +to encounter the perils of the battle-field, and the greater perils +of the camp?</p> +<p>It was a sad parting; and many a mother’s heart was torn +with anguish on that day, when she pressed her noble boy to her +bosom, for the last time, as she gave him to his country. Cold, +stern men, who had never wept before, wept then—the flesh +that was in their stony hearts yielded its unwilling tribute to +nature and affection.</p> +<p>“All aboard!” shouted the officers, when the train +was ready to depart.</p> +<p>“God bless you, my boy!” sobbed Mrs. Somers, as she +kissed her son. “Be good and true, and don’t forget to +read your Testament.”</p> +<p>“Good by, mother,” was all that Tom could say, as he +grasped his musket, which John had been holding for him, and rushed +into the car.</p> +<p>The train moved off amid the cheers of the thousands who had +gathered to witness their departure. At this moment, more than ever +before, the soldier boy realized what he had done when he entered +the service. He listened to the shouts of the multitude, but he was +sad and silent. He sank into his seat, and gave himself up to the +anguish of the hour. On and on dashed the train, and his thoughts +still dwelt upon the home and the mother he had left behind +him.</p> +<p>Our readers can better imagine than we can describe the feelings +of the soldier boy during that long night. The regiment arrived in +New York at half-past ten in the forenoon of the following day, and +was escorted up Broadway by the Sons of Massachusetts. At the Park, +it was warmly welcomed by the President of the Sons, and as the +little colonel was a better soldier than a speech-maker, the +response was made by the surgeon. By this time, Tom was able to +enter into the spirit of the occasion, and the flattering ovation +bestowed upon the regiment was a source of personal pride and +satisfaction. The little colonel’s command was declared to be +the best drilled and most soldierly body of men which had yet +departed for the battle-fields of the republic.</p> +<p>The great city was full of wonders to the soldier boy, and +during the few hours he remained there, he was in a constant whirl +of excitement. If the mission before him had been less grand and +sublime, he could have wished to spend a few days in exploring the +wonders of the great metropolis; but the stupendous events that +loomed up in the future, prophetic even to the inexperienced eye of +youth, engrossed all his thoughts. He partook of the bountiful +collation in the Park, and was content to march on to scenes more +thrilling and exciting than the tumult of the busy city.</p> +<p>The regiment took a steamer, at half-past four for +Elizabethport, and thence proceeded by railroad to Washington, by +the way of Harrisburg. Some portions of the journey were performed +under the most trying circumstances. The men were crowded, like +sheep, into unsuitable cars, so that not only were they subjected +to many needless discomforts, but their very lives were endangered. +On the way, two men were crowded out of a car, and, for a time, +were supposed to have been killed.</p> +<p>On the 2d of July, they arrived at Washington, and Tom had an +opportunity to see the “city of magnificent distances,” +of which he had heard so much. The regiment marched from the +station, through Pennsylvania Avenue, to their camp ground in the +rear of the White House. They were received with enthusiasm by the +people, but the miserable uniforms with which they had been +supplied, now faded and dilapidated, with the finishing touch of +destruction given to them by the perilous journey they had made, +gave the politicians their first lesson on the worthlessness of +“shoddy.”</p> +<p>The regiment entered the grounds of the White House, and as it +passed up the avenue, President Lincoln appeared in front of his +mansion. The boys greeted him with a volley of stunning cheers, +which the President acknowledged by a series of bows, which were +not half so ungraceful as one might have expected after reading the +descriptions of him contained in the newspapers.</p> +<p>To Tom Somers the President was a great institution, and he +could scarcely believe that he was looking upon the chief +magistrate of this great nation. He was filled with boyish wonder +and astonishment; but, after all, he was forced to admit that the +President, though a tall specimen of humanity, looked very much +like the rest of mankind—to borrow a phrase from one of his +illustrious predecessors.</p> +<p>Tom was too tired to wonder long at the grandeur of the Capitol, +and the simple magnificence of the President. The tents were +pitched, and the weary men were allowed a season of rest. In a +couple of days, however, our soldier boy was “as good as +new.”</p> +<p>“Come, Tom, it is about time for you too see something of +the city,” said Ben Lethbridge, one afternoon, after the +regiment had become fairly settled in its new quarters.</p> +<p>“I should like to take a tramp. There are lots of +congressmen here, and I should like to know what they look +like,” replied Tom. “I haven’t been outside the +lines since we came here.”</p> +<p>“I have; and I’m going again! Fred and I mean to +have a good time to-day. Will you go?”</p> +<p>“Have you got a pass?”</p> +<p>“A pass! What a stupid! What do you want of a pass? You +can’t get one. They won’t give any.”</p> +<p>“Then we can’t go, of course.”</p> +<p>“Bah! What a great calf you are! Don’t you want to +cry again?”</p> +<p>“Ben, you needn’t say cry to me again as long as you +live,” added Tom. “If you do, I’ll give you +something to cry for.”</p> +<p>Tom did not like the style of remark which the other had +adopted. He was angry, and, as he spoke, his fist involuntarily +clinched, and his eye looked fierce and determined.</p> +<p>“Come, come, Tom; don’t bristle up so. If you are a +man, just show that you are, and come along with us.”</p> +<p>“I say, Ben, I want to know who’s a baby or a calf, +you or I, before we go, I won’t stand any more of your +lip.”</p> +<p>“Will you go with us?” demanded Ben, who was rather +disposed to dodge the issue.</p> +<p>“What do you mean by calling me a calf and a baby? And +this isn’t the first time you’ve done it.”</p> +<p>“Don’t you know that every man in the regiment has +been all over the city, and without any pass? When I ask you to go, +you begin to talk about a pass.”</p> +<p>“I choose to obey orders,” replied Tom.</p> +<p>“O, you daresn’t go with us.”</p> +<p>“Come along!” said Tom, who had not yet learned to +bear the taunts of his companion.</p> +<p>“Get your pail.”</p> +<p>Tom got his pail, and was immediately joined by Fred and Ben, +each of whom was also supplied with a pail. There was no water to +be had within the camp ground, and the men were obliged to bring it +in pails from the hydrants in the street. A pail, therefore, was +quite as good as a written document to enable them to pass the +guard.</p> +<p>The party thus provided had no difficulty in passing the +sentinels. At a convenient place outside the line, they concealed +the pails, and, for three hours, roamed at will over the city.</p> +<p>“Now, Tom, you wanted to see the congressmen?” said +Ben, after they had “done” the city pretty +thoroughly.</p> +<p>“Yes, but I have seen them at the Capitol.”</p> +<p>“But don’t you want to get nearer to them, and hear +them talk?”</p> +<p>“Well, I should like to.”</p> +<p>“Come with us, then.”</p> +<p>Ben led the way down the avenue, and entered a building not far +from the railroad station. After passing through a long, narrow +entry, they ascended a flight of stairs, at the head of which the +conductor gave two raps. The door was opened by a negro, and they +were invited to enter. At a table in the middle of the room was +seated a foppish-looking man who held in his hand a silver box. As +he turned it, Tom saw that it contained a pack of cards.</p> +<p>“Where are your congressmen?” asked the soldier boy, +whose eyes had been opened by the appearance of the cards.</p> +<p>“They will be here pretty soon,” replied Ben.</p> +<p>The foppish man looked at his watch, and declared they would +come in the course of five or ten minutes. He then took the cards +out of the box, and, after shuffling them, returned them to their +place. Fred placed a “quarter” on the table; the +gambler put another by its side, and drew out a card from the +silver case. Tom did not understand the game; but his companion put +the quarters in his pocket.</p> +<p>“See that, Tom!” said he. “Got any +money?”</p> +<p>“If I have I shall keep it.”</p> +<p>“Put down a quarter, and make another.”</p> +<p>“No, sir! I’m no gambler!” replied Tom, with +emphasis.</p> +<p>“Quite respectable, I assure you,” added the +blackleg at the table.</p> +<p>“I’m going,” said Tom, decidedly.</p> +<p>“Baby!” sneered Ben. “Afraid to +play!”</p> +<p>“I <em>won’t</em> play! I’m going.”</p> +<p>The negro opened the door, and he passed out. Contrary to his +expectation, he was followed by Fred and Ben.</p> +<p>“Baby is afraid of cards!” sneered Ben, as they +passed through the long entry.</p> +<p>“Afraid of cards, but not afraid of you,” replied +Tom, as he planted a heavy blow between the eyes of his +companion.</p> +<p>Ben Lethbridge returned the blow, and it cost him another, and +there was a prospect of quite a lively skirmish in the entry; but +Fred Pemberton interposed his good offices, and effected a +compromise, which, like most of the political compromises, was only +the postponement of the conflict.</p> +<p>“I told you not to call me ‘baby,’ +again,” said Tom, as they passed out of the building. +“I will convince you before I am done that I’m not a +baby.”</p> +<p>Ben found it convenient to offer no reply to this plain +statement of facts, and the three soldiers made their way back to +the camp, and, having obtained their pails and filled them with +water at the hydrants, they passed the guard without a +question.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_12" name="Ch_12">Chapter XII.</a></h3> +<h2>On to Richmond.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>It so happened that Ben Lethbridge, probably satisfied that it +was not the fist of a baby which had partially blackened both of +his eyes, and produced a heavy pain under his left ear, did not +demand the satisfaction which was needed to heal his wounded honor. +The matter was duly discussed in the tent of Tom’s mess; but +our soldier boy, while he professed to be entirely satisfied, was +willing to meet Ben at such time and place as he desired, and +finish up the affair.</p> +<p>The other party was magnanimous, and declared that he too was +satisfied; and old Hapgood thought they had better proceed no +further with the affair, for both of them might be arrested for +disorderly conduct.</p> +<p>“I am satisfied, Ben; but if you ever call me a baby or a +calf again, it will all have to be settled over again,” said +Tom, as he laid aside his musket, which he had been cleaning during +the conversation.</p> +<p>“I don’t want to quarrel with you, Tom,” +replied Ben, “but I wish you would be a little more like the +rest of the fellows.”</p> +<p>“What do you mean by that? I am like the rest of the +fellows.”</p> +<p>“You wouldn’t play cards.”</p> +<p>“Yes, I will play cards, but I won’t gamble; and +there isn’t many fellows in the company that will.”</p> +<p>“That’s so,” added Hapgood. “I know all +about that business. When I went to Mexico, I lost my money as fast +as I got it, playing cards. Don’t gamble, boys.”</p> +<p>“I won’t, for one,” said Tom, with +emphasis.</p> +<p>“Are you going to set up for a soldier-saint, too?” +sneered Ben, turning to the old man.</p> +<p>“I’m no saint, but I’ve larned better than to +gamble.”</p> +<p>“I think you’d better stop drinking too,” +added Ben.</p> +<p>“Come, Ben, you are meaner than dirt,” said Tom, +indignantly.</p> +<p>Old Hapgood was a confirmed toper. The people in Pinchbrook said +he was a good man, but, they used to add, with a shrug of the +shoulders, “pity he drinks.” It was a sad pity, but he +seemed to have no power over his appetite. The allusion of Ben to +his besetting sin was cruel and mortifying, for the old man had +certainly tried to reform, and since the regiment left Boston, he +had not tasted the intoxicating cup. He had declared before the +mess that he had stopped drinking; so his resolution was known to +all his companions, though none of them had much confidence in his +ability to carry it out.</p> +<p>“I didn’t speak to you, Tom Somers,” said Ben, +sharply.</p> +<p>“You said a mean thing in my presence.”</p> +<p>“By and by we shall be having a prayer meeting in our tent +every night.”</p> +<p>“If you are invited I hope you will come,” added +Tom, “for if prayers will do any body any good, they +won’t hurt you.”</p> +<p>“If you will take care of yourself, and let me alone, +it’s all I ask of you.”</p> +<p>“I’m agreed.”</p> +<p>This was about the last of the skirmishing between Tom and Ben. +The latter was a little disposed to be bully; and from the time the +company left Pinchbrook, he had been in the habit of calling Tom a +baby, and other opprobrious terms, till the subject of his sneers +could endure them no longer. Tom had come to the conclusion that he +could obtain respectful treatment only by the course he had +adopted. Perhaps, if he had possessed the requisite patience, he +might have attained the same result by a less repulsive and more +noble policy.</p> +<p>The regiment remained in Washington about a fortnight. The +capital was no longer considered to be in danger. A large body of +troops had been massed in and around the city, and the +rebels’ boast that they would soon capture Washington was no +longer heeded. Fear and anxiety had given place to hope and +expectation. “On to Richmond!” was the cry sounded by +the newspapers, and repeated by the people. The army of +newly-fledged soldiers was burning with eagerness to be led against +the rebels. “On to Richmond!” shouted citizens and +soldiers, statesmen and politicians. Some cursed and some +deprecated the cautious slowness of the old general who had never +been defeated.</p> +<p>“On to Richmond!” cried the boys in Tom’s +regiment, and none more earnestly than he.</p> +<p>“Don’t hurry old Scott. He knows what he is about. I +know something about this business, for I’ve seen old Scott +where the bullets flew thicker’n snow flakes at +Christmas,” was the oft-repeated reply of Hapgood, the +veteran of Company K.</p> +<p>The movement which had been so long desired and expected was +made at last, and the regiment struck its tents, and proceeded over +Long Bridge into Virginia. The first camp was at Shuter’s +Hill, near Alexandria.</p> +<p>“Now we are in for it,” said Tom Somers, when the +mess gathered in their tent after the camp was formed. “I +hope we shall not remain here long.”</p> +<p>“Don’t be in a hurry, my brave boy,” said old +Hapgood. “We may stop here a month.”</p> +<p>“I hope not.”</p> +<p>“Don’t hope anything about it, Tom. Take things as +they come.”</p> +<p>But the impatience of the soldier boy was soon relieved; for at +daylight on the morning of the 16th of July, the regiment was +routed out, the tents were struck, and at nine o’clock they +took up the line of march to the southward. It was “on to +Richmond,” in earnest, now, and merrily marched the men, who +little knew what trials and sufferings, what scenes of blood and +death, lay in their path.</p> +<p>The little colonel’s command had been put in +Franklin’s brigade, which formed a part of +Heintzelman’s division; but little did Tom or his +fellow-soldiers know of anything but their own regiment. The +“sacred soil” of Virginia seemed to be covered with +Federal soldiers, and whichever way he turned, columns of troops +might be seen, all obedient to the one grand impulse of the loyal +nation—“On to Richmond.”</p> +<p>The great wagons, gun carriages, and caissons rolling slowly +along, the rattling drums, with here and there the inspiring +strains of a band, the general officers, with their staffs, were +full of interest and excitement to the soldier boy; and though the +business before him was stern and terrible, yet it seemed like some +great pageant, moving grandly along to celebrate, rather than win, +a glorious triumph.</p> +<p>The novelty of the movement, however, soon wore away, and it +required only a few hours to convince the inexperienced soldiers in +our regiment that it was no idle pageant in which they were +engaged. The short intervals of rest which were occasionally +allowed were moments to be appreciated. All day long they toiled +upon their weary way, praying for the night to come, with its +coveted hours of repose. The night did come, but it brought no rest +to the weary and footsore soldiers.</p> +<p>Tom was terribly fatigued. His knapsack, which had been light +upon his buoyant frame in the morning, now seemed to weigh two +hundred pounds, while his musket had grown proportionally heavy. +Hour after hour, in the darkness of that gloomy night, he trudged +on, keeping his place in the ranks with a resolution which neither +the long hours nor the weary miles could break down.</p> +<p>“I can’t stand this much longer,” whined Ben +Lethbridge. “I shall drop pretty soon, and die by the +roadside.”</p> +<p>“No, you won’t,” added Hapgood. “Stick +to it a little while longer; never say die.”</p> +<p>“I can’t stand it.”</p> +<p>“Yes, you can. Only think you can, and you can,” +added the veteran.</p> +<p>“What do they think we are made of? We can’t march +all day and all night. I wish I was at home.”</p> +<p>“I wish I hadn’t come,” said Fred +Pemberton.</p> +<p>“Cheer up! cheer up, boys. Stick to it a little +longer,” said the veteran.</p> +<p>It was three o’clock the next morning before they were +permitted to halt, when the boys rolled themselves up in their +blankets, and dropped upon the ground. It was positive enjoyment to +Tom, and he felt happy; for rest was happiness when the body was +all worn out. A thought of the cottage and of his mother crossed +his mind, and he dropped asleep to dream of the joys of home.</p> +<p>Short and sweet was that blessed time of rest; for at four +o’clock, after only one brief hour of repose, the regiment +was turned out again, and resumed its weary march to the southward. +But that short interval of rest was a fountain of strength to Tom, +and without a murmur he took his place by the side of his grumbling +companions. Ben and Fred were disgusted with the army, and wanted +to go back; but that was impossible.</p> +<p>Again, for weary hours, they toiled upon the march. They passed +Fairfax, and encamped near the railroad station, where a full +night’s rest was allowed them. By the advice of Hapgood, Tom +went to a brook, and washed his aching feet in cold water. The +veteran campaigner gave him other useful hints, which were of great +service to him. That night he had as good reason to bless the +memory of the man who invented sleep as ever Sancho Panza had, and +every hour was fully improved.</p> +<p>At six o’clock, the next morning, the regiment marched +again. Tom’s legs were stiff, but he felt so much better than +on the preceding day, that he began to think that he could stand +any thing. In the early part of the afternoon his ears were saluted +by a new sound—one which enabled him more fully than before +to realize the nature of the mission upon which he had been sent. +It was the roar of cannon. On that day was fought the battle of +Blackburn’s Ford; and when the regiment reached its +halting-place at Centreville, the story of the fight was told by +enthusiastic lips. Massachusetts men had stood firm and resolute +before the artillery and musketry of the rebels, and every man who +heard the story was proud that he hailed from the Old Bay State, +and panted for the time when he might show himself worthy of his +origin, and true to the traditions of the past.</p> +<p>The regiment lay in camp the two following days, and the men had +an opportunity to recover in some measure from the fatigues of +their first severe march. Visions of glory and victory were +beginning to dawn upon them. They had listened to the cannon of the +enemy, and they knew that the rebels were not many miles distant in +front of them. A few days, perhaps a few hours, would elapse before +the terrible conflict would commence. Some of those manly forms +must soon sleep in the soldier’s grave; some of those beating +hearts must soon cease to beat forever; but still the brave and the +true longed for the hour that would enable them to “strike +home” for the nation’s salvation.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_13" name="Ch_13">Chapter XIII.</a></h3> +<h2>The Battle of Bull Run.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>“Tumble out! Tumble out!” shouted the sergeant, who +was in the mess with the soldiers we have introduced. +“Reveille! Don’t you hear it?”</p> +<p>“But it isn’t morning,” growled Ben +Lethbridge.</p> +<p>“I haven’t been asleep more than an hour or +two,” snarled Fred Pemberton.</p> +<p>“Shut up your heads, and turn out!” said the +sergeant.</p> +<p>It was the morning of the eventful twenty-first of July, and it +was only two o’clock when the regiment was roused from its +slumbers; but there was no great hardship in this fact, for most of +the men had been sleeping the greater portion of the time during +the preceding two days. Tom Somers was ready to take his place in +the line in a few moments.</p> +<p>“Come, fellows, hurry up,” said he to his tardy +companions. “The time has come, and, I tell you, +there’ll be music before many hours.”</p> +<p>“Where are we going, Tom? Have you any idea?” asked +Fred.</p> +<p>“Going down to Manassas Junction, I suppose. That’s +where the rebels are.”</p> +<p>“Do you suppose we shall get into a fight?” asked +Ben.</p> +<p>“I don’t know; I hope so.”</p> +<p>“So do I,” returned Ben, faintly; “but I +don’t like to be broke of my rest in this way.”</p> +<p>Tom, full of excited anticipations in regard to the events of +the day, laughed heartily at this reply, and left the tent. The +regiment was formed in line, but there were two vacancies in the +section to which he belonged. Fred and Ben had answered to their +names at roll call. On some pretence they had asked permission to +leave the line for a few moments, and that was the last that had +been seen of them.</p> +<p>“Where do you suppose they are?” said Tom to +Hapgood.</p> +<p>“I don’t know. I hain’t got much confidence in +Ben’s pluck, and I shouldn’t wonder if he had run +away.”</p> +<p>“But that is desertion.”</p> +<p>“That’s just what you may call it; and I’ve +seen men shot for it.”</p> +<p>The regiment remained in line several hours before the order +came to move. At daylight, while the men were still standing in the +road, four soldiers, attended by a staff officer, conducted the two +missing men of Company K into the presence of the regiment.</p> +<p>“These men say they belong to your regiment,” said +the officer, saluting the little colonel.</p> +<p>Captain Benson immediately claimed them, and Fred and Ben were +ordered into the ranks.</p> +<p>“Cowards—are you?” said the captain. +“You shall take your places in the ranks, and at the right +time we will settle this case.”</p> +<p>“I enlisted without my father’s consent, and you +can’t hold me if I don’t choose to stay,” replied +Fred Pemberton.</p> +<p>“Next time you must ask your father before you come. It is +too late to repent now.”</p> +<p>“I’m going home.”</p> +<p>“No, you’re not. Sergeant, if either of those men +attempt to leave the ranks again, shoot them!” said the +captain.</p> +<p>Fred and Ben took their places in the ranks amid the laughter +and jeers of the company.</p> +<p>“Who’s the baby now?” said Bob Dornton.</p> +<p>“You have disgraced the company,” added old Hapgood. +“I didn’t think you would run away before the battle +commenced.”</p> +<p>“I shall keep both eyes on you, my boys, and if you skulk +again, I’ll obey orders—by the Lord Harry, I +will!” said the sergeant, as he glanced at the lock of his +musket. “Company K isn’t going to be laughed at for +your cowardice.”</p> +<p>At six o’clock the order came for the brigade to march. It +now consisted of only three regiments, for the time of one, +composed of three months’ men, had expired while at +Centreville; and though requested and importuned to remain a few +days longer, they basely withdrew, even while they were on the very +verge of the battlefield. This regiment left, and carried with it +the scorn and contempt of the loyal and true men, who were as ready +to fight the battles of their country on one day as on another.</p> +<p>The men knew they were going to battle now, for the enemy was +only a few miles distant. The soldier boy’s heart was full of +hope. He knew not what a battle was; he could form no adequate +conception of the terrible scene which was soon to open upon his +view. He prayed and trusted that he might be able to do his duty +with courage and fidelity. To say that he had no doubts and fears +would be to say that he was not human.</p> +<p>As the brigade toiled slowly along, he tried to picture the +scene which was before him, and thus make himself familiar with its +terrors before he was actually called to confront them. He +endeavored to imagine the sounds of screaming shells and whistling +bullets, that the reality, when it came, might not appall him. He +thought of his companions dropping dead around him, of his friends +mangled by bayonets and cannon shot; he painted the most terrible +picture of a battle which his imagination could conjure up, hoping +in this manner to be prepared for the worst.</p> +<p>The day was hot, and the sun poured down his scorching rays upon +the devoted soldiers as they pursued their weary march. They were +fatigued by continued exertion, and some of the weary ones, when +the sun approached the meridian, began to hope the great battle +would not take place on that day. Tom Somers, nearly worn out by +the tedious march, and half famished after the scanty breakfast of +hard bread he had eaten before daylight, began to feel that he was +in no condition to face the storm of bullets which he had been +imagining.</p> +<p>No orders came to halt at noon, though the crowded roads several +times secured them a welcome rest: but on marched the weary +soldiers, till the roar of cannon broke upon their ears; and as +they moved farther on, the rattling volleys of musketry were heard, +denoting that the battle had already commenced. These notes of +strife were full of inspiration to the loyal and patriotic in the +columns. A new life was breathed into them. They were enthusiastic +in the good cause, and their souls immediately became so big that +what had been body before seemed to become spirit now. They forgot +their empty stomachs and their weary limbs. The music of battle, +wild and terrible as it was to these untutored soldiers, charmed +away the weariness of the body, and, to the quickstep of thundering +cannon and crashing musketry, they pressed on with elastic tread to +the horrors before them.</p> +<p>Tom felt that he had suddenly and miraculously been made over +anew. He could not explain the reason, but his legs had ceased to +ache, his feet to be sore, and his musket and his knapsack were +deprived of their superfluous weight.</p> +<p>“God be with me in this battle!” he exclaimed to +himself a dozen times. “God give me strength and +courage!”</p> +<p>Animated by his trust in Him who will always sustain those who +confide in him, the soldier boy pressed on, determined not to +disgrace the name he bore. The terrible sounds became more and more +distinct as the regiment advanced, and in about two hours after the +battle had opened, the brigade arrived at the field of operations. +One regiment was immediately detached and sent off in one +direction, while the other two were ordered to support a battery on +a hill, from which it was belching forth a furious storm of shells +upon the rebels.</p> +<p>The little colonel’s sword gleamed in the air, as he gave +the order to march on the double-quick to the position assigned to +him.</p> +<p>“Now, Tom, steady, and think of nothing but God and your +country,” said old Hapgood, as the regiment commenced its +rapid march. “I know something about this business, and I can +tell you we shall have hot work before we get through with +it.”</p> +<p>“Where are the rebels? I don’t see any,” asked +Tom, who found that his ideas of the manner in which a battle is +fought were very much at fault.</p> +<p>“You will see them very soon. They are in their +breastworks. There! Look down there!” exclaimed the veteran +as the regiment reached a spot which commanded a full view of the +battle.</p> +<p>Tom looked upon the fearful scene. The roar of the artillery and +the crash of the small arms were absolutely stunning. He saw men +fall, and lie motionless on the ground, where they were trampled +upon by the horses, and crushed beneath the wheels of cannon and +caisson. But the cry was, that the army of the Union had won the +field, and it inspired him with new zeal and new courage.</p> +<p>Scarcely had the remnant of the brigade reached the right of the +battery, before they were ordered to charge down the valley, by +Colonel Franklin, the acting brigadier. They were executing the +command with a dash and vigor that would have been creditable to +veterans, when they were ordered to cross the ravine, and support +the Eire Zouaves. The movement was made, and Tom soon found himself +in the thickest of the fight. Shot and shell were flying in every +direction, and the bullets hissed like hailstones around him.</p> +<p>In spite of all his preparations for this awful scene, his heart +rose up into his throat. His eyes were blinded by the volumes of +rolling smoke, and his mind confused by the rapid succession of +incidents that were transpiring around him. The pictures he had +painted were sunlight and golden compared with the dread reality. +Dead and dying men strewed the ground in every direction. Wounded +horses were careering on a mad course of destruction, trampling the +wounded and the dead beneath their feet. The hoarse shouts of the +officers were heard above the roar of battle. The scene mocked all +the attempts which the soldier boy had made to imagine its +horrors.</p> +<p>In front of the regiment were the famous Eire Zouaves, no longer +guided and controlled by the master genius of Ellsworth. They +fought like tigers, furiously, madly; but all discipline had ceased +among them, and they rushed wildly to the right and the left, +totally heedless of their officers. They fought like demons, and as +Tom saw them shoot down, hew down, or bayonet the hapless rebels +who came within their reach, it seemed to him as though they had +lost their humanity, and been transformed into fiends.</p> +<p>As soon as the regiment reached its position, the order was +given to fire. Tom found this a happy relief; and when he had +discharged his musket a few times, all thoughts of the horrors of +the scene forsook him. He no longer saw the dead and the dying; he +no longer heard the appalling roar of battle. He had become a part +of the scene, instead of an idle spectator. He was sending the bolt +of death into the midst of the enemies of his country.</p> +<p>“Bravo! Good boy, Tom,” said old Hapgood, who seemed +to be as much at ease as when he had counselled patience and +resignation in the quiet of the tent. “Don’t fire too +high, Tom.”</p> +<p>“I’ve got the idea,” replied the soldier boy. +“I begin to feel quite at home.”</p> +<p>“O, you’ll do; and I knew you would from the +first.”</p> +<p>The shouts of victory which had sounded over the field were full +of inspiration to the men; but at the moment when the laurels +seemed to be resting securely upon our banners, the rebel line +moved forward with irresistible fury. Tom, at one instant, as he +cast his eye along the line, found himself flanked on either side +by his comrades; at the next there was a wild, indescribable tramp +and roar, and he found himself alone. The regiment was scattered in +every direction, and he did not see a single man whom he knew. +There was a moving mass of Federal soldiers all around him. The +Zouaves had been forced back, and the cry of victory had given +place to the ominous sounds which betokened a defeat, if not a +rout.</p> +<p>The rebels had been reënforced, and had hurled their fresh +legions upon our exhausted troops, who could no longer roll back +the masses that crowded upon them. The day was lost.</p> +<p>Tom, bewildered by this sudden and disastrous result, moved back +with the crowds around him. Men had ceased to be brave and firm; +they were fleeing in mortal terror before the victorious battalions +that surged against them.</p> +<p>“It’s all up with us, my lad,” said a panting +Zouave. “Run for your life. Come along with me.”</p> +<p>Tom followed the Zouave towards the woods, the storm of bullets +still raining destruction around them.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_14" name="Ch_14">Chapter XIV.</a></h3> +<h2>After the Battle.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>Tom Somers floated with the tide of humanity that was setting +away from the scene of disaster and defeat. The panic that +prevailed was even more fearful than the battle, for wounded and +dying men were mercilessly trodden down by the feet of the horses, +and run over by the wheels of the cannon and the baggage wagons. +Though the battle was ended, the rebels still poured storms of shot +and shell into the retreating, panic-stricken host.</p> +<p>Tom did not know where to go, for there were panic and death on +all sides of him. The soldiers were flying in every direction, some +of them into the very arms of their remorseless enemies. But the +woods seemed to promise the most secure retreat from the fury of +the Black Horse Cavalry, which was now sweeping over the +battle-field. The Zouave ran in this direction, and our soldier boy +followed him. Now that the excitement of the conflict was over, the +enthusiasm which had buoyed him up began to subside. The day was +lost; all hopes of glory had fled; and a total defeat and rout were +not calculated to add much strength to his over-tasked limbs.</p> +<p>He was nearly used up, and it was hard work to run—very +hard work; and nothing but the instinct of self-preservation +enabled him to keep the tall and wiry form of the Zouave in sight. +They reached the ravine, where the water was about three feet deep. +The shot, and shell, and bullets still fell in showers around them, +and occasionally one of the luckless fugitives was struck down. +They crossed the stream, and continued on their flight. An officer +on horseback dashed by them, and bade them run with all their +might, or they would be taken.</p> +<p>“For Heaven’s sake, get me some water!” said a +rebel, who was wounded in the leg, to a Zouave, who passed near +him.</p> +<p>“You are a rebel, but I will do that for you,” +replied the Zouave; and he gave him a canteen filled with +water.</p> +<p>The rebel drank a long, deep draught, and then levelled his +musket at the head of his Samaritan enemy and fired. This +transaction had occupied but a moment, and Tom saw the whole. His +blood froze with horror at the unparalleled atrocity of the act. +The Zouave, whom Tom had followed, uttered a terrible oath, and +snatching the musket from the hands of the soldier boy, he rushed +upon the soulless miscreant, and transfixed him upon the bayonet. +Uttering fierce curses all the time, he plunged the bayonet again +and again into the vitals of the rebel, till life was extinct.</p> +<p>“Boy, I used to be human once,” said the Zouave, +when he had executed this summary justice upon the rebel; +“but I’m not human now. I’m all devil.”</p> +<p>“What a wretch that rebel was!” exclaimed Tom, who +seemed to breathe freer now that retribution had overtaken the +viper.</p> +<p>“A wretch! Haven’t you got any bigger word than +that, boy? He was a fiend! But we mustn’t stop +here.”</p> +<p>“I thought the rebels were human.”</p> +<p>“Human? That isn’t the first time to-day I’ve +seen such a thing as that done. Come along, my boy; come +along.”</p> +<p>Tom followed the Zouave again; but he was too much exhausted to +run any farther. Even the terrors of the Black Horse Cavalry could +not inspire him with strength and courage to continue his flight at +any swifter pace than a walk.</p> +<p>“I can go no farther,” said he, at last.</p> +<p>“Yes, you can; pull up! pull up! You will be taken if you +stop here.”</p> +<p>“I can’t help it. I can go no farther. I am used +up.”</p> +<p>“Pull up, pull up, my boy!”</p> +<p>“I can’t.”</p> +<p>“But I don’t want to leave you here. They’ll +murder you—cut your throat, like a dog.”</p> +<p>“I will hide myself in the bushes till I get a little more +strength.”</p> +<p>“Try it a little longer. You are too good a fellow to be +butchered like a calf,” added the generous Zouave.</p> +<p>But it was no use to plead with him, for exhausted nature +refused to support him, and he dropped upon the ground like a +log.</p> +<p>“Poor fellow! I would carry you in my arms if I +could.”</p> +<p>“Save yourself if you can,” replied Tom, +faintly.</p> +<p>The kind-hearted fireman was sorry to leave him, but he knew +that one who wore his uniform could expect no mercy from the +rebels. They had been too terrible upon the battle-field to receive +any consideration from those whom they had so severely punished. He +was, therefore, unwilling to trust himself to the tender mercies of +the cavalry, who were sweeping the fields to pick up prisoners; and +after asking Tom’s name and regiment, he reluctantly left +him.</p> +<p>Tom had eaten nothing since daylight in the morning, which, +added to the long march, and the intense excitement of his first +battle-field, had apparently reduced him to the last extremity. +Then, for the first time, he realized what it was to be a soldier. +Then he thought of his happy home—of his devoted mother. What +must she not suffer when the telegraph should flash over the wires +the intelligence of the terrible disaster which had overtaken the +Union army! It would be many days, if not weeks or months, before +she could know whether he was dead or alive. What anguish must she +not endure!</p> +<p>He had but a moment for thoughts like these before he heard the +sweep of the rebel cavalry, as they dashed down the road through +the woods. He must not remain where he was, or the record of his +earthly career would soon be closed. On his hands and knees he +crawled away from the road, and rolled himself up behind a rotten +log, just in season to escape the observation of the cavalrymen as +they rode by the spot.</p> +<p>Here and there in the woods were the extended forms of Federals +and rebels, who had dragged their wounded bodies away from the +scene of mortal strife to breathe their last in this holy sanctuary +of nature, or to escape from the death-dealing shot, and the +mangling wheels that rumbled over the dead and the dying. Close by +the soldier boy’s retreat lay one who was moaning piteously +for water. Tom had filled his canteen at a brook on the way, and he +crawled up to the sufferer to lave his dying thirst. On reaching +the wounded man, he found that he was a rebel, and the fate of the +Zouave who had done a similar kindness only a short time before +presented itself to his mind.</p> +<p>“Water! Water! For the love of God, give me a drop of +water,” moaned the dying soldier.</p> +<p>Tom thought of the Zouave again, and had almost steeled his +heart against the piteous cry. He turned away.</p> +<p>“Water! Water! If you are a Christian give me some +water,” groaned the sufferer.</p> +<p>Our soldier boy could no longer resist the appeal. He felt that +he could not be loved on earth or forgiven in heaven if he denied +the petition of the dying rebel; but before he granted it, he +assured himself that the sufferer had no dangerous weapon in his +possession. The man was deadly pale; one of his arms hung useless +by his side; and he was covered with blood. He was a +terrible-looking object, and Tom felt sick and faint as he gazed +upon him.</p> +<p>Placing his canteen at the lips of the poor wretch, he bade him +drink. His frame quivered as he clutched the canteen with his +remaining hand. The death damp was on his forehead; but his eye +lighted up with new lustre as he drank the grateful beverage.</p> +<p>“God bless you! God bless you!” exclaimed he as he +removed the canteen from his lips. “You are a Yankee,” +he added, as he fixed his glazing eyes upon Tom’s uniform. +“Are you wounded?”</p> +<p>“No; I am worn out. I have eaten nothing since daylight, +and not much then. I am used up.”</p> +<p>“Put your hand in my haversack. There is something +there,” gasped the dying man.</p> +<p>Tom bent over him to comply with the invitation; but, with a +thrill of horror, he started back, as he listened to the +death-rattle in the throat of the rebel, and saw his eyes fixed and +lustreless in death. It was an awful scene to the inexperienced +youth. Though he had seen hundreds fall in the battle of that day, +death had not seemed so ghastly and horrible to him as now, when he +stood face to face with the grim monster. For a few moments he +forgot his own toil-worn limbs, his craving hunger, and his aching +head.</p> +<p>He gazed upon the silent form before him, which had ceased to +suffer, and he felt thankful that he had been able to mitigate even +a single pang of the dying rebel. But not long could he gaze, +awe-struck, at the ghastly spectacle before him, for he had a life +to save. The words of the sufferer—his last +words—offering him the contents of his haversack recurred to +him; but Tom’s sensibilities recoiled at the thought of +eating bread taken from the body of a dead man, and he turned +away.</p> +<p>“Why shouldn’t I take it?” said he to himself. +“It may save my life. With rest and food, I may escape. Pooh! +I’ll not be a fool!”</p> +<p>Bending over the dead man, he resolutely cut the haversack from +his body, and then returned to the log whose friendly shelter had +screened him from the eyes of the rebel horsemen. Seating himself +upon the ground, he commenced exploring the haversack. It contained +two “ash-cakes,” a slice of bacon, and a small bottle. +Tom’s eyes glowed with delight as he gazed upon this rich +feast, and, without waiting to say grace or consider the +circumstances under which he obtained the materials for his feast, +he began to eat. Ash-cake was a new institution to him. It was an +Indian cake baked in the ashes, probably at the camp-fires of the +rebels at Manassas. It tasted very much like his mother’s +johnny-cake, only he missed the fresh butter with which he had been +wont to cover the article at home.</p> +<p>The soldier boy ate the bacon, and ate both of the cakes, though +each of the latter was about the size of a saucer. It was a large +meal, even for a growing boy; but every mouthful seemed to put a +new sinew into his frame. While he was eating, he drew the cork +from the bottle. It contained whiskey. Tom had heard that there was +virtue in whiskey; that it was invigorating to a tired man, and he +was tempted, under these extremely trying circumstances, to +experiment upon the beverage. He would certainly have been +excusable if he had done so; but our hero had a kind of horror of +the article, which would not let him even taste it. He was afraid +that he should acquire a habit which would go with him through +life, and make him what Hapgood and others whom he knew +were—a torment to themselves, and a nuisance to their +fellow-beings. Putting the cork in the bottle, he threw it upon the +ground.</p> +<p>With his renewed strength came renewed hope; but he did not deem +it prudent to wander about the woods at present: therefore he threw +himself on the ground under the protecting log to obtain the repose +he so much needed.</p> +<p>He thought of home, and wondered whether he should ever see the +cottage of his parents again; and while he was thinking, overcome +by the excitement and fatigue of the day, he dropped asleep. It was +strange that he could do so, consciously environed by so many +perils; but he had in a measure become callous to danger, and he +slept long and deep.</p> +<p>When he awoke, it was dark and silent around him. The roar of +battle had ceased, and the calm of death seemed to have settled +upon the scene of strife. Tom’s bones still ached; but he was +wonderfully refreshed by the nap he had taken. He had no idea of +the time, and could not tell whether he had slept one hour or six. +He was strong enough to walk now, and the first consideration was +to escape from the vicinity of the rebel camps; but he had no +conception of where he was, or what direction would lead him to the +Federal lines.</p> +<p>A kind Providence had watched over him thus far; had spared his +life in the fury of battle; had fed him in the wilderness, like +Elijah of old; and restored his wasted strength. He could only +trust to Providence for guidance, and, using his best judgment in +choosing the direction, he entered upon the difficult task of +finding his way out of the woods. He had walked an hour or more, +when, suddenly, three men sprung up in the path before him.</p> +<p>“Halt! Who comes there?” demanded one of them.</p> +<p>“Friend!” replied Tom; though he had a great many +doubts in regard to the truth of his assertion.</p> +<p>“Advance, friend, and give the countersign!”</p> +<p>But the soldier boy had no countersign to give. He had fallen +upon a rebel picket post, and was made a prisoner.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_15" name="Ch_15">Chapter XV.</a></h3> +<h2>Tom a Prisoner.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>Tom could not exactly understand how he happened to be made a +prisoner. He had certainly moved with extreme caution, and he +wondered that he had not received some intimation of the presence +of the enemy before it was too late to retreat. But, as we have +before hinted, Tom was a philosopher; and he did not despair even +under the present reverse of circumstances, though he was greatly +disconcerted.</p> +<p>“Who are you?” demanded one of the rebel soldiers, +when they had duly possessed his body, which, however, was not a +very chivalrous adventure, for the prisoner was unarmed, his gun +having been thrown away by the friendly Zouave, after he had so +terribly avenged his murdered companion.</p> +<p>“I’m a soldier,” replied Tom, greatly +perplexed by the trials of his difficult situation.</p> +<p>As yet he did not know whether he had fallen into the hands of +friend or foe, for the night was cloudy and dark, and he could not +see what uniform the pickets wore.</p> +<p>“What do you belong to?” demanded the spokesman of +the picket trio.</p> +<p>“I belong to the army,” answered Tom, with admirable +simplicity.</p> +<p>Our soldier boy, as the reader already knows, had been well +“brought up.” He had been taught to tell the truth at +all times; and he did so on the present occasion, very much to the +confusion, no doubt, of the rebel soldiers, who had not been +brought up under the droppings of the sanctuary in a New England +village.</p> +<p>“B’long to the army—do you?” repeated +Secesh, who must have thought Tom a very candid person.</p> +<p>“Yes, sir, I belong to the army,” added the +prisoner.</p> +<p>“I s’pose you won’t mind telling us what army +you belong to, ’cause it mought make a difference in our +calculations,” added the spokesman.</p> +<p>Tom did not know but that it might make some difference in his +calculations, and for this reason he was exceedingly unwilling to +commit himself before he ascertained upon which side his +questioners belonged.</p> +<p>“Can you tell me where I am?” asked Tom, resolved to +use a little strategy in obtaining the desired information.</p> +<p>“May be I can,” replied the picket.</p> +<p>“Will you do so?”</p> +<p>“Sartin, stranger—you are in the woods,” added +Secesh; whereat his companions indulged in a wholesome chuckle, +which assured Tom that they were human, and his hopes rose +accordingly.</p> +<p>“Thank you,” replied Tom, with infinite good +nature.</p> +<p>“You say you belong to the army, and I say you are in the +woods,” said the soldier, repeating the double postulate, so +that the essence of the joke should by no possibility fail to +penetrate the cerebellum of his auditor.</p> +<p>Tom was perfectly willing to acknowledge that he was in the +woods, both actually and metaphorically, and he was very much +disturbed to know how he should get out of the woods—a +problem which has puzzled wiser heads than his, even in less +perplexing emergencies. He was fearful that, if he declared himself +to be a Union soldier, he should share the fate of others whom he +had seen coolly bayoneted on that eventful day.</p> +<p>“Now, stranger, s’pose you tell me what army you +b’long to; then I can tell you where you are,” +continued the soldier.</p> +<p>“What do you belong to?” asked Tom, though he did +not put the question very confidently.</p> +<p>“I belong to the army;” and the two other pickets +honored the reply with another chuckle. “You can’t fool +old Alabammy.”</p> +<p>There was no further need of fooling “Old Alabammy,” +for the worthy old gentleman, symbolically represented by the rebel +soldier, had kindly done it himself; and Tom then realized that he +was in the hands of the enemy. It is true, the balance of the +picket trio laughed heartily at the unfortunate slip of the tongue +made by their companion, but Tom was in no condition to relish the +joke, or he might perhaps have insinuated himself into the good +graces of the jolly Secesh by repeating Pat’s mysterious +problem—“Tell me how many cheeses there are in the bag, +and I’ll give ye the whole five;” for, though this is +an old joke in the civilized parts of the world, it is not at all +probable that it had been perpetrated in the benighted regions of +Secessia.</p> +<p>The announcement of the fact that he was in the hands of the +foe, as we have before intimated, left Tom in no condition to give +or take a joke. His heart was suddenly deprived of some portion of +its ordinary gravity, and rose up to the vicinity of his throat. He +drew sundry deep and long breaths, indicative of his alarm; for +though Tom was a brave boy,—as these pages have already +demonstrated,—he had a terrible idea of the tender mercies of +the rebels. His first impulse was to break away from his captors, +and run the risk of being overtaken by a trio of musket balls; for +death from the quick action of a bullet seemed preferable to the +fate which his fears conjured up if he should be taken by the +bloodthirsty rebels. But the chances were too decidedly against +him, and he reluctantly brought his mind to the condition of +philosophical submission.</p> +<p>“Well, stranger, which army do you b’long to?” +said the spokesman of the picket trio, when he had fully recovered +his self-possession.</p> +<p>“I belong to the United States army,” replied Tom, +desperately.</p> +<p>“That means the Yankee army, I s’pose.”</p> +<p>“Yes, sir; you call it by that name.”</p> +<p>“Then you are my prisoner.”</p> +<p>“I surrender because I can’t help myself.”</p> +<p>“Hev you nary toothpick or bone-cracker in your +pockets?”</p> +<p>“Any what?” replied Tom, whose dictionary seemed to +be at fault.</p> +<p>“Nary pistol, knife, or any thing of that sort?”</p> +<p>“Nothing but my jackknife.”</p> +<p>“Any plunder?”</p> +<p>“We piled up our knapsacks and haversacks before we went +into the fight. Here is my canteen half full of water; I gave the +other half to one of your soldiers, when he was dying of his +wounds.”</p> +<p>“Did ye?”</p> +<p>“Now will you be kind enough to tell me where I +am?”</p> +<p>“You are inside the lines of our army, about three miles +below Centreville,” replied one of the pickets.</p> +<p>“What time is it?”</p> +<p>“Nigh upon nine o’clock, I should say. One of you +fellers must take this prisoner to headquarters,” he +continued, speaking to his companions.</p> +<p>Tom was very agreeably surprised to find that his captors did +not propose to hang, shoot, or bayonet him; and the Southern +Confederacy rose a few degrees in his estimation. Certainly the men +who had taken him were not fiends, and he began to hope that his +situation as a prisoner would not be so terrible as his fancy had +pictured it.</p> +<p>One of the men was deputed to conduct him to the officer of the +guard; and he walked along by the side of the soldier through the +woods, in the direction from which he had just come.</p> +<p>“Can you tell me how the battle went at last?” asked +Tom, as they pursued their way through the forest.</p> +<p>“We whipped you all to pieces. Your army hasn’t done +running yet. We shall take Washington to-morrow, and Jeff Davis +will be in the White House before the week is out.”</p> +<p>“Have you taken many prisoners?” asked Tom, who +could not dispute the position of the rebel soldier.</p> +<p>“About fifty thousand, I b’lieve,” replied +Secesh, with refreshing confidence.</p> +<p>Tom indulged in a low whistle, but his companion could not tell +whether it was an expression of regret or incredulity. If they had +stood on an equality, Tom would probably have suggested that the +figures should be interpreted “over the left”—an +idiosyncrasy in language which he had imported from Pinchbrook, but +which may not be wholly unintelligible to our young readers.</p> +<p>From his conductor he obtained some particulars of the battle +and its result, which were afterwards more fully set forth in +General Beauregard’s official report, and which would have +read better on the pages of Sinbad the Sailor than in the folios of +a military despatch. But the Secesh soldier’s “facts +and figures” were comforting to Tom, who still had a stronger +interest in the condition of the good cause, after the heavy blow +it had received, than he had in his own individual welfare. Like +too heavy a dose of poison, the magnitude of the stories refuted +and defeated them. The soldier boy listened in respectful silence, +but he was utterly incredulous. It was even possible that the Union +army had won a victory, after all, though he was not very sanguine +on this point.</p> +<p>He was ultimately conducted to the headquarters of the regiment +to which his captors belonged, and then turned into a lot with +about twenty others, who were strongly guarded. Tom joined his +companions in misery, most of whom, worn out by the fatigues of the +day, were sleeping soundly upon the ground. Only two or three of +them were awake; but these were strangers to him, and he was unable +to obtain any information from them concerning any of his friends +in the regiment.</p> +<p>It began to rain shortly after Tom joined his fellow-prisoners; +but there was no shelter for them. They had neither blankets nor +great coats, yet this did not seem to disturb them. Our soldier boy +threw himself upon the ground, but the nap he had taken under the +side of the log set his eyes wide open for a time. He could only +think of home, his mother and sisters, and John, by this time +snugly coiled away in the bed where he had been wont to dream of +the glories of war. He had cast his fears to the winds when he +found that his captors did not intend to butcher him, and he could +not help thinking that his situation might have been worse.</p> +<p>Those with whom he had spoken told him they had eaten nothing +since morning; and in this respect he was far better off than his +companions were. The only thing that troubled him was the thought +of the anguish which his mother must suffer, when she heard of the +battle. When the regiment should be gathered together again, he +would be reported as “missing,” and this would be a +terrible word to her, for it meant killed, wounded, or a prisoner. +If he could only assure her that he still lived and was uninjured, +he would have been happy—happy in spite of the drenching +rain—happy in spite of the prospective dungeon, and the +hardships to which he might be subjected. He felt that he had +faithfully performed his duty. When he began to be drowsy, he +settled himself in the most comfortable place he could find on the +ground, and thanked God that he had been spared his life through +the perils of that awful day, and more fervently that he had been +enabled to do his duty like a good soldier; and then, with the +Giver of all Good, the Fountain of all Mercy, in his heart, he fell +asleep.</p> +<p>He slept several hours, and waked up to find himself as +thoroughly soaked as though he had just come out of the river. +There was no help for it, and it was no use to grumble. After +walking to and fro for half an hour, he lay down again, and, +between sleeping and waking, finished the night; uncomfortably, it +is true, and yet without any positive suffering. There were +hundreds, if not thousands, who were enduring the agony of fearful +wounds through that long night; who were lying alone and uncared +for where they had fallen in the deadly strife; who were dying +every hour, away from their homes and friends, and with no kind +hand to minister to their necessities, with no sweet voice of a +loved one to smooth their passage down to the dark, cold grave.</p> +<p>Tom thought of these, for he had seen them in his path, and he +felt that he had no cause to complain—that he ought to be +cheerful and happy. At the dawn of the day he and his +fellow-prisoners were marched to Sudley Church, where they were to +be confined until they could be sent to Richmond. Here Tom found a +captain belonging to his regiment; but neither could give any +information to the other in regard to their friends.</p> +<p>“I shall not stay here long,” said the captain, in a +whisper, when they had become better acquainted. “I intend to +leave to-night.”</p> +<p>“Can’t I go with you?” asked Tom.</p> +<p>“You can go, but we had better not go together.”</p> +<p>Tom thought for a while, and determined upon an attempt to +escape. During the day, he carefully examined the premises, and +decided upon his mode of operations.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_16" name="Ch_16">Chapter XVI.</a></h3> +<h2>A Perplexing Question.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>Tom Somers, who had had some experience, in a small way, in the +kind of business now before him, was filled with hope when he had +adopted his plan. He was a resolute and energetic young man, and to +resolve upon any thing was almost equivalent to doing it. There +were a great many difficulties in the way of success, it is true; +but, nothing daunted by these, he determined to persevere. The +church in which the prisoners were confined was carefully guarded +on the exterior, and the sentinels carried loaded muskets in their +hands—so that the affair before him was more hazardous and +trying than that of escaping from the attic chamber of Squire +Pemberton’s house in Pinchbrook.</p> +<p>If he succeeded in making his way out of the church and eluding +the guard which surrounded it, even then his trials would only have +commenced; for there were many miles of hostile country between him +and Washington, whither he supposed the Federal army had been +driven. The captain who intended to escape at the same time gave +him some information which would be of service to him in finding +his way to the Potomac. He charged him particularly to follow the +railroad, which would conduct him to Alexandria, in the vicinity of +which he would probably find the regiment.</p> +<p>At dark the prisoners disposed of themselves as well as they +could for the night. Tom saw the captain go through all the forms +of preparing for a comfortable lodging, and he did the same +himself. For hours he lay ruminating upon his purpose. When it was +midnight, he thought it was time for him to commence the +enterprise. He worked himself along on the floor till he reached +the principal entrance. The door was open, as it had been all day, +to enable the guards to obtain an occasional view of the +prisoners.</p> +<p>The sentinels were evidently in no condition to discharge their +duties with fidelity, for they had been marching and fighting for +two or three days, and were nearly exhausted. Leaning against the +door, Tom discovered a musket, which the careless guard had left +there. On the floor in the entry lay two rebel soldiers. They had +stretched themselves across the threshold of the door, so that no +one could pass in or out of the church without stepping over +them.</p> +<p>Tom carefully rose from his recumbent posture, and took +possession of the musket. Then, with the utmost prudence, he +stepped over the bodies of the sleeping soldiers; but with all his +circumspection, he could not prevent one of his shoes from +squeaking a little, and it required only a particle of noise to +rouse the guard.</p> +<p>“Who goes there?” demanded one of them, springing to +his feet.</p> +<p>“Is this the way you do your duty?” replied Tom, as +sternly as though he had been a brigadier general.</p> +<p>“Who are you?” said the soldier, apparently +impressed by the words and the tones of him who reproved his +neglect.</p> +<p>“Who am I, you sleepy scum! I’ll let you know who I +am in about ten minutes,” added Tom, as he passed out at the +front door of the church.</p> +<p>“Give me back my gun—won’t you?” pleaded +the confused sentinel.</p> +<p>“I’ll give it back to you at the court-martial which +will sit on your case to-morrow.”</p> +<p>“Who goes there?” challenged one of the sentinels on +the outside.</p> +<p>“Who goes there!” added Tom, in a sneering tone. +“Have you waked up? Where were you five minutes ago, when I +passed this post? There won’t be a prisoner left here by +morning. The long roll wouldn’t wake up such a stupid set of +fellows.”</p> +<p>“Stop, sir!” said the astonished sentinel. +“You can’t pass this line.”</p> +<p>“Can’t I, you stupid fool? I have passed it while +you were asleep.”</p> +<p>“I haven’t been asleep.”</p> +<p>“Where have you been, then?” demanded Tom with +terrible energy.</p> +<p>“Been here, sir.”</p> +<p>“I’ll court-martial the whole of you!”</p> +<p>“Stop, sir, or I’ll fire at you!” added the +soldier, as Tom moved on.</p> +<p>“Fire at me! Fire, if you dare, and I’ll rid the +army of one unfaithful man on the spot!” said the soldier +boy, as he raised the musket to his shoulder.</p> +<p>“Don’t fire, you fool!” interposed one of the +men whom Tom had roused from his slumbers in the entry. +“Don’t you see he is an officer?”</p> +<p>“I’ll teach you how to perform your duty!” +added Tom, as he walked away.</p> +<p>The soldier, governed by the advice of his companion, offered no +further objection to the departure of Tom; and he moved off as +coolly as though he had just been regularly relieved from guard +duty. He had walked but a short distance before he discovered the +camp of a regiment or brigade, which, of course, it was necessary +for him to avoid. Leaving the road, he jumped over the fence into a +field—his first object being to place a respectful distance +between himself and the enemy.</p> +<p>The scene through which he had just passed, though he had +preserved the appearance of coolness and self-possession, had been +exceedingly trying to his nerves; and when the moment of pressing +danger had passed, he found his heart up in his throat, and his +strength almost wasted by the excitement. He felt as one feels when +he has just escaped a peril which menaced him with instant death. +It was singular that the soldier had not fired, but the fact that +he did not convinced Tom that there is an amazing power in +impudence.</p> +<p>For half an hour, he pursued his way with haste and diligence, +but without knowing where he was going—whether he was moving +toward Richmond or Washington. As the musket which he had taken +from the church was not only an encumbrance, but might betray him, +he threw it away, though, thinking some means of defence might be +useful, he retained the bayonet, and thrust it in his belt. Thus +relieved of his burden, he walked till he came to a road. As there +was no appearance of an enemy in any direction, he followed this +road for some time, and finally it brought him to the object of his +search—the railroad.</p> +<p>But then came up the most perplexing question he had yet been +called upon to decide. To that railroad, as to all others, there +were, unfortunately, two ends—one of which lay within the +Federal lines, and the other within the rebel lines. If Tom had +been an astronomer, which he was not, the night was too cloudy to +enable him to consult the stars; besides, some railroads are so +abominably crooked that the heavenly orbs would hardly have been +safe pilots. He did not know which was north, nor which was south, +and to go the wrong way would be to jump out of the frying pan into +the fire.</p> +<p>Tom sat down by the side of the road, and tried to settle the +difficult question; but the more he thought, the more perplexed he +became—which shows the folly of attempting to reason when +there are no premises to reason from. He was, no doubt, an +excellent logician; but bricks cannot be made without straw.</p> +<p>“Which way shall I go?” said Tom to himself, as he +stood up and peered first one way and then the other through the +gloom of the night.</p> +<p>But he could not see Washington in one direction, nor Richmond +in the other, and he had not a single landmark to guide him in +coming to a decision.</p> +<p>“I’ll toss up!” exclaimed he, desperately, as +he took off his cap and threw it up into the air. “Right side +up, this way—wrong side, that way; and may the fates or the +angels turn it in the proper way.”</p> +<p>He stooped down to pick up the cap, and ascertain which way it +had come down. It came down right side up, and Tom immediately +started off in the direction indicated. Although he had no +confidence in the arbitrament of the cap, he felt relieved to find +the question disposed of even in this doubtful manner.</p> +<p>He kept both eyes wide open as he advanced, for if he had taken +the wrong way a few miles of travel would bring him to the main +camp of the rebels in the vicinity of Manassas Junction. He pursued +his lonely journey for some time without impediment, and without +discovering any camp, either large or small. He gathered new +confidence as he proceeded. After he had walked two or three hours +upon the railroad, he thought it was about time for Fairfax station +to heave in sight, if he had chosen the right way—or for the +rebel camps to appear if he had chosen the wrong way. With the +first place he was familiar, as his regiment had encamped a short +distance from it.</p> +<p>He was sorely perplexed by the non-appearance of either of these +expected points. The country began to look wilder and less familiar +as he proceeded. The region before him looked rugged and +mountainous, and the dark outlines of several lofty peaks touched +the sky in front of him. But with the feeling that every step he +advanced placed a wider space between him and his captors at Sudley +church, he continued on his way till the gray streaks of daylight +appeared behind him.</p> +<p>This phenomenon promised to afford him a gleam of intelligence +upon which to found a correct solution of his course. Tom knew +that, in the ordinary course of events, the sun ought to rise in +the east and set in the west. If he was going to the north, the sun +would rise on his right hand—if to the south, on his left +hand. The streaks of light grew more and more distinct, and the +clouds having rolled away, he satisfied himself where the sun would +appear. Contrary to both wings of his theory, the place was neither +on his right nor his left, for it was exactly behind him. But his +position might be upon a bend of the railroad whose direction did +not correspond with the general course of the road. For half an +hour longer, therefore, he pursued his way, carefully noting every +curve, until he was fully convinced that his course was nearer west +than north. The sun rose precisely as had been laid down in the +programme, and precisely where he expected it would rise.</p> +<p>It was clear enough that he was not moving to the south; and, +satisfied that he was in no danger of stumbling upon Richmond, his +courage increased, and he plodded on till he discovered a small +village—or what would be called such in Virginia—though +it contained only a few houses. As he still wore the uniform of the +United States army, he did not deem it prudent to pass through this +village; besides, he was terribly perplexed to know what station it +could be, and what had become of Fairfax. Though he must have +passed through the country before, it did not look natural to +him.</p> +<p>Leaving the railroad, he took to the fields, intending to pass +round the village, or conceal himself in the woods till he could go +through it in safety. After walking diligently for so many hours, +Tom was reminded that he had a stomach. His rations on the +preceding day had not been very bountiful, and he was positively +hungry. The organ which had reminded him of its existence was +beginning to be imperative in its demands, and a new problem was +presented for solution—one which had not before received the +attention which it deserved.</p> +<p>In the fields and forest he found a few berries; but all he +could find made but a slight impression upon the neglected organ. +If Tom was a philosopher, in his humble way, he was reasonable +enough to admit that a man could not live without eating. At this +point, therefore, the question of rations became a serious and +solemn problem; and the longer it remained unsolved the more +difficult and harassing it became.</p> +<p>After he had rested all the forenoon in a secluded spot, without +interruption from man or beast, he decided to settle this question +of rations once for all. If impudence had enabled him to pass a +line of rebel sentries, it ought to furnish him with a dinner. +Leaving his hiding place, he walked till he discovered a small +house, at which he determined to apply for something to eat.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_17" name="Ch_17">Chapter XVII.</a></h3> +<h2>Dinner and Danger.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>The house at which Tom applied for food evidently did not belong +to one of the “first families,” or, if it did, the +owner’s fortunes had become sadly dilapidated. It was built +of rough boards, with a huge stone chimney, which was erected on +the outside of the structure. The humblest fisherman in Pinchbrook +Harbor would have thought himself poorly accommodated in such a +rough and rickety mansion.</p> +<p>If Tom’s case had not been growing desperate, he would not +have run the risk of showing himself to any person on the +“sacred soil” who was “to the manor born;” +but his stomach was becoming more and more imperative in its +demands, and he knocked at the front door with many misgivings, +especially as his exchequer contained less than a dollar of clear +cash.</p> +<p>The inmates were either very deaf or very much indisposed to see +visitors; and Tom, after he had knocked three times, began to think +he had not run any great risk in coming to this house. As nobody +replied to his summons, he took the liberty to open the door and +enter. The establishment was even more primitive in its interior +than its exterior, and the soldier boy could not help contrasting +it with the neat houses of the poor in his native town.</p> +<p>The front door opened into a large room without the formality of +an entry or hall. In one corner of the apartment stood a bed. At +one side was a large fireplace, in which half a dozen sticks of +green wood were hissing and sizzling in a vain attempt to make the +contents of an iron pot, which hung over them, reach the boiling +point. No person was to be seen or heard on the premises, though +the fire and the pot were suggestive of humanity at no great +distance from the spot.</p> +<p>A door on the back side of the room was open, and Tom looked out +in search of the occupants of the house. In the garden he +discovered the whole family, consisting of a man and his wife, a +girl of twelve, and a boy of ten. The man was digging in the +garden, and the rest of the troupe seemed to be superintending the +operation. The head of the family was altogether the most +interesting person to Tom, for he must either shake hands or fight +with him. He did not look like a giant in intellect, and he +certainly was not a giant in stature. With the bayonet still in his +belt, Tom was not afraid of him.</p> +<p>“How are you, people?” said Tom, as he walked +towards the family, who with one accord suspended all operations, +and gave their whole attention to the stranger.</p> +<p>“How are ye, yourself?” replied the man, rather +gruffly.</p> +<p>“Do you keep a hotel?” demanded Tom, who concealed +the anxiety of his heart under a broad grin.</p> +<p>“I reckon I don’t. What do you want here?”</p> +<p>“I want something to eat,” replied Tom, proceeding +to business with commendable straight-forwardness.</p> +<p>“We hain’t got nothin’ here,” said the +man, sourly. “That ain’t what ye come fur, +nuther.”</p> +<p>“Must have something to eat. I’m not very +particular, but I must have something.”</p> +<p>“You can’t hev it ’bout yere, no how. That +ain’t what ye come fur, nuther.”</p> +<p>“If you know what I came for better than I do, suppose you +tell me what it is,” added Tom, who was a little mystified by +the manner of the man.</p> +<p>“You air one of them soger fellers, and you want me to +’list; but I tell yer, ye can’t do nothin’ of the +sort. I’ll be dog derned if I’ll go.”</p> +<p>“I don’t want you to go,” protested Tom. +“I’m half starved and all I want is something to +eat.”</p> +<p>“Yer don’t reelly mean so.”</p> +<p>“Yes, I do.”</p> +<p>“Where d’yer come from?”</p> +<p>“From down below here. Have you seen any soldiers pass +through this place?”</p> +<p>“I reckon I hev; but they hain’t seen me; and I +reckon they won’t see me very soon;” and the man +chuckled at his own cleverness in keeping clear of recruiting +officers.</p> +<p>“I don’t want you, and if you will give me something +to eat, you will get rid of me very quick.”</p> +<p>“Betsey, you kin feed the feller, if yer like, and +I’ll go over and see whar the hogs is.”</p> +<p>The man dropped his shovel, and began to move off towards the +woods, probably to see whether Tom would attempt to detain him. At +the same time “Betsey” led the way into the house, and +the visitor paid no further attention to the master.</p> +<p>“We hain’t got much to eat in the house,” said +the woman, as they entered the room. “There’s some +biled pork and pertaters in the pot, and we’ve got some +bread, sech as ’tis.”</p> +<p>“It will do me very well. I’m hungry, and can eat +any thing,” replied Tom.</p> +<p>The woman placed a tin plate on the table, and dished up the +contents of the kettle on the fire. She added some cold hoe cake to +the dinner, and Tom thought it was a feast fit for a king. He took +a seat at the table, and made himself entirely at home. The food +was coarse, but it was good, and the hungry soldier boy did ample +justice to the viands. The boy and girl who had followed him into +the house, stood, one on each side of him, watching him in +speechless astonishment.</p> +<p>“Where did yer come from?” asked the woman, when Tom +had about half finished his dinner.</p> +<p>“From down below,” replied Tom, rather +indefinitely.</p> +<p>“Don’t b’long in these yere parts, I +reckon?”</p> +<p>“No, marm.”</p> +<p>“Where are ye gwine?”</p> +<p>“Going to join my regiment.”</p> +<p>“Where is yer rigiment?”</p> +<p>“That’s more than I know, marm.”</p> +<p>“How long yer been travelling?” persisted the woman, +who was perhaps afraid that the guest would eat up the whole of the +family’s dinner, if she did not make some kind of a feint to +attract his attention.</p> +<p>“Only a few days, marm.”</p> +<p>“Kin yer till me what all thet noise was about day +’fore yesterday?”</p> +<p>“Yes, marm; it was a big battle.”</p> +<p>“Gracious me! Yer don’t say so! Whar was +it?”</p> +<p>“Down below Centreville.”</p> +<p>“Which beat?”</p> +<p>“The Confederates drove the Yankees off the field,” +answered Tom, suspending business long enough to glance at the +woman, and see how the intelligence was received.</p> +<p>“Yer don’t! Then they won’t want my old +man.”</p> +<p>Tom was unable to determine whether his hostess was Union or +“Secesh” from her words or her looks. He could not +inform her whether they would want her old man or not. When he had +eaten all he could, he proposed like an honest youth to pay for +what he had eaten; but Betsey had the true idea of southern +hospitality, and refused to receive money for the food eaten +beneath her roof. She had a loaf of coarse bread, however, in which +she permitted Tom to invest the sum of six cents.</p> +<p>“I am very much obliged to you, marm; and I shall be glad +to do as much for you, any time,” said Tom, as he went +towards the front door.</p> +<p>As he was about to open it, his ears were startled by an +imperative knock on the outside. He stepped back to one of the two +windows on the front of the house, where he discovered an officer +and two “grayback” soldiers. The ghost of his +grandmother would not have been half so appalling a sight, and he +retreated to the back door with a very undignified haste.</p> +<p>“Gracious me!” exclaimed the lady of the house. +“Who kin thet be?”</p> +<p>“An officer and two soldiers,” replied Tom, +hastily.</p> +<p>“Then they are arter my old man!” said she, dropping +into the only chair the room contained.</p> +<p>“Don’t say I’m here, marm, and I’ll help +your husband, if they catch him. Tell them he has gone off to be +absent a week.”</p> +<p>“He’d be absent more’n thet if he knowed them +fellers was arter him.”</p> +<p>The woman moved towards the front door, and Tom through the back +door; but as he was about to pass into the garden, he caught a +glimpse of one of the graybacks in the rear of the house. For a +moment his case seemed to be hopeless; but he retreated into the +room again, just as the woman opened the front door to admit the +officer. He could not escape from the house, and his only resource +was to secure a hiding place within its walls. There were only two +which seemed to be available; one of these was the bed, and the +other the chimney. If any search was made, of course the soldiers +would explore the bed first; and the chimney seemed the most +practicable.</p> +<p>There was no time for consideration, for the woman had already +opened the door, and was answering the questions of the Confederate +officer; so Tom sprang into the fireplace, and, by the aid of the +projecting stones, climbed up to a secure position. The chimney was +large enough to accommodate half a dozen boys of Tom’s size. +The fire had gone out, and though the stones were rather warm in +the fireplace, he was not uncomfortable.</p> +<p>The fears of the lady of the house proved to be well grounded +this time, for the party had actually come in search of her +“old man;” and what was more, the officer announced his +intention not to leave without him.</p> +<p>“He’s gone away fur a week, and he won’t be +hum before the fust of August, no how,” said the woman +resolutely, and adopting Tom’s suggestion to the letter.</p> +<p>“All nonsense, woman! He is about here, somewhere, and we +will find him.”</p> +<p>“You may, if you kin.”</p> +<p>The officer then went out at the back door, as Tom judged by his +footsteps, and the woman asked one of the children what had become +of the other soldier man. The boy said he was up chimney. She then +told them not to tell the officer where he was.</p> +<p>“What shell I do?” said she, placing herself before +the fireplace.</p> +<p>“Don’t be alarmed. He will keep out of their +way,” replied Tom.</p> +<p>“But the officer man said he was gwine to stay ’bout +yere till he gits hum,” moaned the poor woman.</p> +<p>“He will not do any such thing. Your husband has the woods +before him, and he won’t let them catch him.”</p> +<p>“Deary me! I’m ’feared they will.”</p> +<p>“Where are they now?”</p> +<p>“They’re gone out to look for him.”</p> +<p>The officer and his men returned in a few moments, having +satisfied themselves that the proprietor of the place was not on +the premises.</p> +<p>“Now we’ll search the house,” said the +officer; and Tom heard them walking about in the room.</p> +<p>Of course the militia man could not be found, and the officer +used some very unbecoming language to express his disapprobation of +the skulker, as he called him.</p> +<p>“Woman, if you don’t tell me where your husband is, +I’ll have you arrested,” said he, angrily.</p> +<p>“I don’t know myself. He’s gone off over the +mountains to git some things. Thet’s all I know about it, and +if yer want to arrest me, yer kin.”</p> +<p>But the officer concluded that she would be a poor substitute +for an able bodied man, and he compromised the matter by leaving +one of the privates, instructing him not to let the woman or the +children leave the house, and to remain till the skulker +returned.</p> +<p>This was not very pleasant information for Tom who perceived +that he was likely to be shut up in the chimney for the rest of the +day, and perhaps be smoked or roasted out at supper time. Climbing +up to the top of his prison house, he looked over, and saw the +officer and one private disappear in the woods which lay between +the house and the railroad. Looking over the other way, he saw the +coveted recruit approaching the house from beyond the garden.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_18" name="Ch_18">Chapter XVIII.</a></h3> +<h2>The Rebel Soldier.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>Tom Somers was not very well satisfied with his situation, for +the soldier who had been left in possession of the house was armed +with a musket, and the prospect of escaping before night was not +very flattering. The patriarch of the family, who had such a horror +of recruiting officers, was approaching, and in a few moments there +would be an exciting scene in the vicinity.</p> +<p>Independent of his promise made to the woman to help her +husband, if she would not betray him, Tom deemed it his duty to +prevent the so-called Confederate States of America from obtaining +even a single additional recruit for the armies of rebellion and +treason. Without having any personal feeling in the matter, +therefore, he was disposed to do all he could to assist his host in +“avoiding the draft.” What would have been treason in +New England was loyalty in Virginia.</p> +<p>The unfortunate subject of the Virginia militia law was +unconsciously approaching the trap which had been set for him. He +had, no doubt, come to the conclusion, by this time, that the +hungry soldier boy was not a recruiting officer, or even the +corporal of a guard sent to apprehend him, and he was returning +with confidence to partake of his noonday meal. Tom, from his perch +at the top of the chimney, watched him as he ambled along over the +rough path with his eyes fixed upon the ground. There was something +rather exciting in the situation of affairs, and he soon found +himself deeply interested in the issue.</p> +<p>The unhappy citizen owing service to the Confederate States +climbed over the zigzag fence that enclosed his garden, and +continued to approach the rude dwelling which the law had defined +to be his castle. Tom did not dare to speak in tones loud enough to +be heard by the innocent victim of the officer’s conspiracy, +for they would have betrayed his presence to the enemy. Sitting +upon the top stones of the chimney, he gesticulated violently, +hoping to attract his attention; but the man did not look up, and +consequently could not see the signals.</p> +<p>He had approached within ten rods of the back door of the house, +when Tom, fearing his footsteps might attract the attention of the +soldier, ventured to give a low whistle. As this was not heeded, he +repeated the signal when the man was within two or three rods of +the house; but even this was not noticed, and throwing his head +forward, so that the sound of his voice should not descend the +chimney, he spoke.</p> +<p>“Halloo!” said he.</p> +<p>The man suddenly stopped, and looked up. Tom made signals with +his hands for him to leave; but this mute language appeared not to +be intelligible to him.</p> +<p>“Consarn yer picter, what are yer doin’ up +thar?” said the proprietor of the castle, in tones which +seemed to Tom as loud as the roar of the cannon at Bull Run.</p> +<p>“Hush! Hush!” replied Tom, gesticulating with all +his might, and using all his ingenuity to invent signs that would +convey to the militiaman the idea that he was in imminent +danger.</p> +<p>“You be scotched!” snarled the man. “What are +yer doin’? What ails yer?”</p> +<p>“They are after you!” added Tom, in a hoarse +whisper.</p> +<p>The fellow most provokingly refused to hear him, and Tom thought +his skull was amazingly thick, and his perceptions amazingly +blunt.</p> +<p>“Now you come down from thar,” said he, as he picked +up a couple of stones. “You act like a monkey, and I +s’pose yer be one. Now make tracks down that +chimley.”</p> +<p>But instead of doing this, Tom retreated into his shell, as a +snail does when the moment of peril arrives. The soldier in the +house was not deaf; and if he had been, he could hardly have helped +hearing the stentorian tones of his victim. Instead of going out +the back door, like a sensible man, he passed out at the front +door, and in a moment more Tom heard his voice just beneath +him.</p> +<p>“Halt!” shouted the soldier, as he brought his +musket to his shoulder. “Your name is Joe Burnap.”</p> +<p>“That’s my name, but I don’t want +nothin’ o’ you,” replied the embarrassed +militiaman, as he dropped the stones with which he had intended to +assault Tom’s citadel.</p> +<p>“I want something of you,” replied the soldier. +“You must go with me. Advance, and give yourself +up.”</p> +<p>“What fur?” asked poor Joe.</p> +<p>“We want you for the army. You are an enrolled militiaman. +You must go with me.”</p> +<p>“Ill be dog derned if I do,” answered Joe Burnap, +desperately.</p> +<p>“If you attempt to run away, I’ll shoot you. You +shall go with me, dead or alive, and hang me if I care much +which.”</p> +<p>Joe evidently did care. He did not want to go with the soldier; +his southern blood had not been fired by the wrongs of his country; +and he was equally averse to being shot in cold blood by this +minion of the Confederacy. His position was exceedingly +embarrassing, for he could neither run, fight, nor compromise. +While matters were in this interesting and critical condition, Tom +ventured to raise his head over the top of the chimney to obtain a +better view of the belligerents. Joe stood where he had last seen +him, and the soldier was standing within three feet of the foot of +the chimney.</p> +<p>“What ye going to do, Joe Burnap?” demanded the +latter, after waiting a reasonable time for the other to make up +his mind.</p> +<p>“What am I gwine to do?” repeated Joe, vacantly, as +he glanced to the right and the left, apparently in the hope of +obtaining some suggestion that would enable him to decide the +momentous question.</p> +<p>“You needn’t look round, Joe; you’ve got to +come or be shot. Just take your choice between the two, and +don’t waste my time.”</p> +<p>“I s’pose I can’t help myself,” replied +Joe. “I’ll tell ye what I’ll do. I want to fix up +things about hum a little, and I’ll jine ye down to the Gap +to-morrow.”</p> +<p>“No you don’t, Joe Burnap!” said the soldier, +shaking his head.</p> +<p>“Then I’ll jine ye to-night,” suggested the +strategist.</p> +<p>“My orders are not to return without you, and I shall obey +them.”</p> +<p>Mrs. Burnap, who had followed the soldier out of the house, +stood behind him wringing her hands in an agony of grief. She +protested with all a woman’s eloquence against the +proceedings of the soldier; but her tears and her homely rhetoric +were equally unavailing. While the parties were confronting each +other, the soldier dropped his piece, and listened to the arguments +of Joe and his wife. When he turned for a moment to listen to the +appeals of the woman, her husband improved the opportunity to +commence a retreat. He moved off steadily for a few paces, when the +enemy discovered the retrograde march, and again brought the gun to +his shoulder.</p> +<p>“None of that, Joe,” said the soldier, sternly. +“Now march back again, or I’ll shoot you;” and +Tom heard the click of the hammer as he cocked the piece. +“I’ve fooled long enough with you, and we’ll end +this business here. Come here, at once, or I’ll put a bullet +through your head.”</p> +<p>“Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot! For mercy’s +sake don’t shoot,” cried Mrs. Burnap.</p> +<p>“I’ll give him one minute to obey the order; if he +don’t do it then, I’ll fire. That’s all +I’ve got to say.”</p> +<p>Tom saw by the soldier’s manner that he intended to +execute his threat. He saw him brace up his nerves, and otherwise +prepare himself for the bloody deed. But Tom did not think that Joe +had the stubbornness or the courage, whichever it might be called, +to run the risk of dodging the bullet. He foresaw, too, that, if +Joe gave himself up, his hiding place would be exposed, and the +soldier would have two prisoners to conduct back to his officer, +instead of one. It was therefore high time for him to do something +for his own protection, if not for that of his host.</p> +<p>The necessity of defending himself, or of doing something to +cover his retreat in an emergency, had been anticipated by Tom, and +he had made such preparations as the circumstances would admit. His +first suggestion was to dart his bayonet down at the rebel soldier, +as he had seen the fishermen of Pinchbrook harpoon a horse +mackerel; but the chances of hitting the mark were too uncertain to +permit him to risk the loss of his only weapon, and he rejected the +plan. He adopted the method, however, in a modified, form, deciding +to use the material of which the chimney was constructed, instead +of the bayonet. The stones being laid in clay instead of mortar, +were easily detached from the structure, and he had one in his +hands ready for operations.</p> +<p>“Come here, Joe Burnap, or you are a dead man,” +repeated the soldier, who evidently had some scruples about +depriving the infant Confederacy of an able-bodied recruit.</p> +<p>Tom Somers, being unembarrassed by any such scruples, lifted +himself up from his hiding place, and hurled the stone upon the +soldier, fully expecting to hit him on the head, and dash out his +brains. The best laid calculations often miscarry, and Tom’s +did in part, for the missile, instead of striking the soldier upon +the head, hit him on the right arm. The musket was discharged, +either by the blow or by the act of its owner, and fell out of his +hands upon the ground.</p> +<p>Now, a stone as big as a man’s head, does not fall from +the height of fifteen feet upon any vulnerable part of the human +frame without inflicting some injury; and in strict conformity with +this doctrine of probabilities, the stone which Tom hurled down +upon the rebel, and which struck him upon the right arm, entirely +disabled that useful member. The hero of this achievement was +satisfied with the result, though it had not realized his +anticipations. Concluding that the time had arrived for an +effective charge, he leaped out of the chimney upon the roof of the +house, descended to the eaves, and then jumped down upon the +ground.</p> +<p>The soldier, in panic and pain, had not yet recovered from the +surprise occasioned by this sudden and unexpected onslaught. Tom +rushed up to him, and secured the musket before he had time to +regain his self-possession.</p> +<p>“Who are you?” demanded the soldier, holding up the +injured arm with his left hand.</p> +<p>“Your most obedient servant,” replied Tom, +facetiously, as he placed himself in the attitude of “charge +bayonets.” “Have you any dangerous weapons about your +person?”</p> +<p>“Yes, I have,” replied the soldier, resolutely, as +he retreated a few steps, and attempted to thrust his left hand +into the breast pocket of his coat.</p> +<p>“Hands down!” exclaimed Tom, pricking his arm with +the bayonet attached to the musket. “Here, Joe +Burnap!”</p> +<p>“What d’ yer want?” replied the proprietor of +the house, who was as completely “demoralized” by the +scene as the rebel soldier himself.</p> +<p>“Put your hand into this man’s pocket, and take out +his pistol. If he resists, I’ll punch him with this,” +added Tom, demonstrating the movement by a few vigorous thrusts +with the bayonet.</p> +<p>With some hesitation Joe took a revolver from the pocket of the +soldier, and handed it to Tom.</p> +<p>“Examine all his pockets. Take out everything he has in +them,” added Tom, cocking the revolver, and pointing it at +the head of the prisoner.</p> +<p>Joe took from the pockets of the rebel a quantity of pistol +cartridges, a knife, some letters, and a wallet.</p> +<p>“Who’s this fur?” asked Joe, as he proceeded +to open the wallet, and take therefrom a roll of Confederate +“shin-plasters.”</p> +<p>“Give it back to him.”</p> +<p>“But this is money.”</p> +<p>“Money!” sneered Tom. “A northern beggar +wouldn’t thank you for all he could carry of it. Give it back +to him, and every thing else except the cartridges.”</p> +<p>Joe reluctantly restored the wallet, the letters, and the knife, +to the pockets from which he had taken them. Tom then directed him +to secure the cartridge box of the soldier.</p> +<p>“You are my prisoner,” said Tom; “but I +believe in treating prisoners well. You may go into the house, and +if your arm is much hurt, Mrs. Burnap may do what she can to help +you.”</p> +<p>The prisoner sullenly attended the woman into the house, and Tom +followed as far as the front door.</p> +<p>“Now, what am I gwine to do?” said Joe. +“You’ve got me into a right smart scrape.”</p> +<p>“I thought I had got you out of one,” replied Tom. +“Do you intend to remain here?”</p> +<p>“Sartin not, now. I must clear.”</p> +<p>“So must I; and we have no time to spare. Get what you can +to eat, and come along.”</p> +<p>In ten minutes more, Tom and Joe Burnap were travelling towards +the mountains.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_19" name="Ch_19">Chapter XIX.</a></h3> +<h2>Through the Gap.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>Joe Burnap was perfectly familiar with the country, and Tom +readily accepted him as a guide; and, as they had a common object +in view, neither had good cause for mistrusting the other. They +walked, without stopping to rest, till the sun set behind the +mountains towards which they were travelling.</p> +<p>“I reckon we needn’t hurry now,” said Joe, as +he seated himself on a rock.</p> +<p>“I don’t think there is any danger of their catching +us,” replied Tom, as he seated himself beside his +fellow-traveller. “Can you tell me where we are?”</p> +<p>“I reckon I can. There ain’t a foot of land in these +yere parts that I hain’t had my foot on. I’ve toted +plunder of all sorts through these woods more’n ten thousand +times.”</p> +<p>“Well, where are we?” asked Tom, whose doubts in +regard to the locality had not yet been solved.</p> +<p>In the pressure of more exciting matters, he had not attempted +to explain why he did not come to Fairfax station while following +the railroad.</p> +<p>“If we keep on a little while longer, I reckon we shall +come to Thoroughfare Gap,” answered Joe.</p> +<p>“But where do you live? What town is your house in?” +asked Tom, who had never heard of Thoroughfare Gap before.</p> +<p>“Haymarket is the nearest town to my house.”</p> +<p>“What railroad is that over there?” asked Tom, who +was no nearer the solution of the question than he had been in the +beginning.</p> +<p>“That’s the Manassas Gap Railroad, I reckon,” +replied Joe, who seemed to be astonished at the ignorance of his +companion.</p> +<p>“Just so,” added Tom, who now, for the first time, +comprehended where he was.</p> +<p>When he left Sudley church, he walked at random till he came to +the railroad; but he had struck the Manassas Gap Railroad instead +of the main line, and it had led him away from the great body of +the rebels, though it also conducted him away from Washington, +where he desired to go. He was perplexed at the discovery, and at +once began to debate the question whether it was advisable for him +to proceed any farther in this direction.</p> +<p>“I suppose you are a Union man—ain’t +you?” said Tom, after he had considered his situation for +some time.</p> +<p>Instead of answering this question, Joe Burnap raised his eyes +from the ground, and fixed his gaze intently upon Tom. He stared at +him for a moment in doubt and silence, and then resumed his former +attitude.</p> +<p>“You don’t want to fight for the south,” added +Tom; “so I suppose you don’t believe in the Southern +Confederacy.”</p> +<p>“I don’t want to fight for nuther of +’em,” replied Joe, after a moment of further +consideration. “If they’ll only let me alone, I +don’t keer which beats.”</p> +<p>His position was certainly an independent one, and he appeared +to be entirely impartial. The newspapers on either side would not +have disturbed him. Patriotism—love of country—had not +found a resting place in his soul. Tom had not, from the beginning, +entertained a very high respect for the man; but now he despised +him, and thought that a rebel was a gentleman compared with such a +character. How a man could live in the United States, and not feel +an interest in the stirring events which were transpiring around +him, was beyond his comprehension. In one word, he so thoroughly +despised Joe Burnap, that he resolved, at the first convenient +opportunity, to get rid of him, for he did not feel safe in the +company of such a person.</p> +<p>“Now which side do you fight fur?” asked Joe, after +a long period of silence.</p> +<p>“For the Union side,” replied Tom, promptly.</p> +<p>“What are yer doin’ here, then?”</p> +<p>“I was in the battle below, and was taken prisoner, got +away, and I want to get to Washington.”</p> +<p>“I reckon this ain’t the way to git thar,” +added Joe.</p> +<p>“I doubt whether I can get there any other way.”</p> +<p>Just then, Tom would have given all the money he had in the +world, and all that the government owed him, for a good map of +Virginia—or even for a knowledge of geography which would +have enabled him to find his way by the safest route to Washington. +But he had been a diligent scholar in school, and had faithfully +improved the limited opportunities which had been afforded him. His +mind could recall the map of Virginia which he had studied in +school, but the picture was too faint to be of much practical +benefit to him.</p> +<p>He had treasured up some information, derived from the +newspapers, in regard to the Manassas Gap Railroad. He knew that it +passed through the Blue Ridge, at the western base of which flowed +the Shenandoah River: this emptied into the Potomac, which would +certainly conduct him to Washington. In following these two rivers, +he should have to describe nearly a circle, which was not an +encouraging fact to a boy on foot, with no resources, and in an +enemy’s country.</p> +<p>If he returned by the way he came, the country was filled with +rebel soldiers, and he could hardly expect to pass through their +lines without being captured. Difficult and dangerous as the route +by the Shenandoah appeared, he decided to adopt it.</p> +<p>Joe Burnap proposed that they should have supper and opened the +bag which he had filled with such eatables as he could hastily +procure on leaving home. They ate a hearty meal, and then resumed +their walk for another hour.</p> +<p>“I reckon we’d better stop here,” said Joe. +“The Gap’s only half a mile from here, and it’s +too arly in the night to go through thar yet. Thar’s too many +soldiers goin’ that way.”</p> +<p>“What time will you go through?” asked Tom.</p> +<p>“Not afore midnight.”</p> +<p>“Then I’ll turn in and take a nap. I didn’t +sleep any last night.”</p> +<p>“I’m agreed,” replied Joe, who seemed to be +indifferent to every thing while he could keep out of the rebel +army.</p> +<p>Tom coiled up his body in the softest place he could find, and +went to sleep. Exhausted by fatigue and the want of rest, he did +not wake for many hours. He came to his senses with a start, and +jumped upon his feet. For a moment, he could not think where he +was; but then came the recollection that he was in the country of +his enemies—a wanderer and a fugitive.</p> +<p>He looked about him in search of his travelling companion; but +the fact that he could not see him in the night was no argument +that he was not near him. He supposed Joe had chosen a place to +sleep in the vicinity, and thinking he might not wake in season to +pass through the Gap before daylight, he commenced a search for +him. He beat about the place for half an hour, calling his +companion by name; but he could not see him, and no sound responded +to the call but the echoes of his own voice.</p> +<p>The independent Virginia farmer had anticipated Tom’s +intention to part company with him, and, by this time, perhaps, had +passed through the Gap. The soldier boy was not quite ready to +dispense with the services of his guide, inasmuch as he did not +even know where the Gap was, or in what direction he must travel to +reach it. While he was debating his prospects, an enterprising +rooster, in the distance, sounded his morning call. This assured +him that he must be near some travelled road, and, taking the +direction from the fowl, he resumed his journey.</p> +<p>A short walk brought him out of the woods, and, in the gray +light of the dawn, he discovered a house. As he did not care to +make any new acquaintances, he avoided the house, and continued his +travels till he arrived at a road. As it was too early in the +morning for people to be stirring, he ventured to follow the +highway, and soon perceived an opening in the mountains, which he +doubted not was the Gap.</p> +<p>At sunrise he arrived at another house, which suddenly came into +view as he rounded a bend in the road. Near it were several negroes +engaged in various occupations. As he passed the house, the negroes +all suspended operations, and stared at him till he was out of +sight. He soon reached the Gap; but he had advanced only a short +distance before he discovered a battery of light artillery +stationed on a kind of bluff, and whose guns commanded the +approaches in every direction.</p> +<p>Deeming it prudent to reconnoitre before he proceeded any +farther, he also ascertained that the Gap was picketed by rebel +infantry. Of course it was impossible to pass through under these +circumstances, and he again took to the woods. The scanty supply of +food which he had purchased from Mrs. Burnap was now produced, and +he made an economical breakfast. Finding a secluded place, he +stretched himself upon the ground, and went to sleep. Though he +slept till the sun had passed the meridian, the day was a very long +one.</p> +<p>When it was fairly dark, he resolved to attempt the passage of +the Gap, for he was so tired of inaction that peril and hardship +seemed preferable to doing nothing. Returning to the road, he +pursued his way with due diligence through the narrowing defile of +the mountains, till he suddenly came upon a sentinel, who +challenged him. Before he started from his hiding place, Tom had +carefully loaded the revolver which he had taken from the rebel +soldier; and, as he walked along, he carried the weapon in his +hand, ready for any emergency that might require its use.</p> +<p>The guard questioned him, and Tom replied that he had fought in +the battle down below, and had a furlough to go home and see his +father, who was very sick.</p> +<p>“Where’s your furlough?” demanded the +soldier.</p> +<p>“In my pocket.”</p> +<p>“Let me see it.”</p> +<p>“Here it is,” replied Tom, producing an old letter +which he happened to have in his pocket.</p> +<p>The sentinel took the paper, unfolded it, and turned it over two +or three times. It was too dark for him to read it if he had been +able to do so, for all the rebel soldiers are not gifted in this +way.</p> +<p>“I reckon this won’t do,” he added, after +patiently considering the matter. “Just you tote this paper +up to the corporal thar, and if he says it’s all right, you +kin go on.”</p> +<p>“But I can’t stop to do all that. Here’s my +pass, and I want to go on. My father may die before I get +home.”</p> +<p>“What regiment do you b’long to?” asked the +guard, who evidently did not wish to disoblige a fellow-soldier +unnecessarily.</p> +<p>“The Second Virginia,” replied Tom, at a +venture.</p> +<p>“Where does your father live?” continued the +sentinel.</p> +<p>“Just beyond the Gap, if he’s living at +all.”</p> +<p>“What town?”</p> +<p>Tom was nonplussed, for he did not know the name of a single +place on the route before him; and, of course, he did not dare to +answer the question.</p> +<p>“About five or six miles from here,” he +answered.</p> +<p>“Is it Salem or White Plains?” demanded the soldier, +whose cunning was inferior to his honesty.</p> +<p>“White Plains,” added Tom, promptly accepting the +suggestion.</p> +<p>“What’s the matter with your father?”</p> +<p>“I don’t know; he was taken suddenly.”</p> +<p>“Pears like your uniform ain’t exactly our +sort,” added the soldier.</p> +<p>“Mine was all used up, and I got one on the +battle-field.”</p> +<p>“I wouldn’t do that. It’s mean to rob a dead +man of his clothes.”</p> +<p>“Couldn’t help it—I was almost naked,” +replied Tom, who perfectly agreed with the rebel on this point.</p> +<p>“You kin go on, Old Virginny,” said the soldier, +whose kindly sympathy for Tom and his sick father was highly +commendable.</p> +<p>The soldier boy thanked the sentinel for his permission, of +which he immediately availed himself. Tom did not yet realize the +force of the maxim that “all is fair in war,” and his +conscience gave a momentary twinge as he thought of the deception +he had practised upon the honest and kind-hearted rebel. He was +very thankful that he had not been compelled to put a bullet +through his head; but perhaps he was more thankful that the man had +not been obliged to do him a similar favor.</p> +<p>The fugitive walked, with an occasional rest, till daylight the +next morning. He went through three or four small villages. After +passing through the Gap, he had taken the railroad, as less likely +to lead him through the more thickly settled parts of the country. +Before him the mountains of the Blue Ridge rose like an impassable +wall, and when the day dawned he was approaching Manassas Gap. He +had walked twenty-five miles during the night, and prudence, as +well as fatigue, required him to seek a place of rest.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_20" name="Ch_20">Chapter XX.</a></h3> +<h2>Down the Shenandoah.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>In that wild mountain region, Tom had no difficulty in finding a +secluded spot, where there was no probability that he would be +molested. He had been in a state of constant excitement during the +night, for the country was full of soldiers. The mountaineers of +Virginia were rushing to the standard of rebellion. They were a +wild, rude set of men, and they made the night hideous with their +debauchery. Tom succeeded in keeping out of the way of the +straggling parties which were roaming here and there; but he was +filled with dread and anxiety lest he should, at the next moment, +stumble upon a camp, or a squad of these marauders.</p> +<p>The nook in the mountains which he had chosen as his resting +place was a cleft in the rocks, concealed by the overhanging +branches of trees. Here he made his bed, as the sun rose, and, worn +out with fatigue and anxiety, he dropped asleep.</p> +<p>When he awoke, the sun was near the meridian. He rose and walked +out a short distance from his lodging place, and listened for any +sounds which might indicate the presence of an enemy. All was +still; silence deep and profound reigned through the solitudes of +the mountains. Tom returned to his place of concealment, and after +eating the remainder of the food he had brought with him, he +stretched himself upon the ground, and went to sleep again. He had +nothing else to do, and he needed all the rest he could obtain. It +was fortunate for him that he had self-possession enough to +sleep—to banish his nervous doubts and fears, and thus secure +the repose which was indispensable to the success of his arduous +enterprise.</p> +<p>It was after sundown when he finished his second nap. He had +slept nearly all day,—at least ten hours,—and he was +entirely refreshed and restored. He was rather stiff in some of his +limbs when he got up; but he knew this would wear off after a +little exercise. He had no supper with which to brace himself for +the night’s work; so he took a drink from the mountain +stream, and made his way back to the railroad. But it was too early +then to commence the passage of the Gap, and he sat for a couple of +hours by the side of the road, before he ventured to resume his +journey.</p> +<p>While he was passing through the narrow gorge in the mountains, +he met several persons, on foot and on horseback; but as he was +armed with a pistol, he did not turn out for them; but when a party +of soldiers approached, he sought a hiding place by the side of the +road until they were out of hearing. When he had passed through the +Gap, he came to a road crossing the track, and after debating the +question thoroughly, he decided to abandon the railroad, and +pursued his course by the common highway towards the North.</p> +<p>Continuing his journey diligently for a time longer, he came to +another road, branching off to the left from the one he had chosen, +which required further consideration. But his conclusion was +satisfactory, and he continued on the same road, which soon brought +him to a more thickly settled country than that through which he +had been travelling.</p> +<p>By this time Tom’s stomach began to be rebellious again, +and the question of rations began to assume a serious aspect. He +was not suffering for food, but it was so much more comfortable to +travel upon a full stomach than an empty one, that he could not +pass a dwelling house without thinking of the contents of the +cellar and closets. It was perfectly proper to forage on the enemy; +but he could not eat raw chicken and geese, or the problem of +rations would have been effectually settled by a demonstration on +the hen-coops of the Shenandoah valley.</p> +<p>He came to a halt before a large mansion, which had the +appearance of belonging to a wealthy person. Its larder and kitchen +cupboards, he doubted not, were plentifully supplied with the +luxuries of the season; and Tom thought he might as well obtain his +provisions now, as wait till he was driven to desperation by +hunger. He entered the front gate of the great house, and stepped +upon the veranda in front of it. The windows reached down to the +floor. He tried one of them, and found that it was not fastened. He +carefully raised the sash and entered.</p> +<p>Tom was determined to put himself upon his impudence on the +present occasion; but he satisfied himself that his revolver was in +condition for instant use before he proceeded any farther. Passing +from the front room to an apartment in the rear, he found a lamp +and matches, and concluded that he would have some light on the +subject, which was duly obtained. Leaving this room, he entered +another, which proved to be the kitchen. A patient search revealed +to him the lurking place of a cold roast chicken, some fried bacon, +bread, and crackers.</p> +<p>Placing these things on the table, he seated himself to partake +of the feast which the forethought of the occupants had provided +for him. Tom began to be entirely at home, for having thrown +himself on his impudence now; he did not permit any doubts or fears +to disturb him; but the handle of his pistol protruded from between +the buttons of his coat. He ate till he had satisfied himself, when +he happened to think that the coffee pot he had seen in the closet +might contain some cold coffee; and he brought it out. He was not +disappointed, and even found sugar and milk. He poured out a bowl +of the beverage, and, having prepared it to his taste, was about to +conclude the feast in this genteel style, when he heard footsteps +in the adjoining entry.</p> +<p>Tom determined not to be cheated out of his coffee, and instead +of putting himself in a flurry, he took the bowl in one hand and +the pistol in the other. The door opened, and a negro timidly +entered the room.</p> +<p>“Well, sar!” said the servant, as he edged along the +side of the room. “Hem! Well, sar!”</p> +<p>Tom took no notice of him, but continued to drink his coffee as +coolly as though he had been in his mother’s cottage at +Pinchbrook.</p> +<p>“Hem! Well, sar!” repeated the negro, who evidently +wished to have the interloper take some notice of him.</p> +<p>But the soldier boy refused to descend from his dignity or his +impudence. He finished the bowl of coffee as deliberately as though +the darkey had been somewhere else.</p> +<p>“Well, sar! Who’s you, sar?”</p> +<p>“Eh, Blackee?”</p> +<p>“Who’s you, sar?”</p> +<p>“Good chicken! Good bread! Good bacon!” added Tom. +“Are the folks at home, Blackee?”</p> +<p>“No, sar; nobody but de women folks, sar. Who’s you, +sar?”</p> +<p>“It don’t make much difference who I am. +Where’s your master?”</p> +<p>“Gone to Richmond, sar. He’s member ob +Congress.”</p> +<p>“Then he’s in poor business, Blackee,” said +Tom, as he took out his handkerchief, and proceeded to transfer the +remnants of his supper to its capacious folds.</p> +<p>“Better luff dem tings alone, sar.”</p> +<p>But Tom refused to “luff dem alone,” and when he had +placed them on the handkerchief, he made a bundle of them.</p> +<p>“Golly, sar! I’ll tell my missus what’s gwine +on down here,” added the servant, as he moved towards the +door.</p> +<p>“See here, Blackee,” interposed Tom, pointing his +pistol at the negro; “if you move, I’ll put one of +these balls through your skull.”</p> +<p>“De Lud sabe us, massa! Don’t shoot dis nigger, +massa.”</p> +<p>“Hold your tongue then, and mind what I say.”</p> +<p>“Yes, massa,” whined the darkey, in the most abject +tones.</p> +<p>“Now come with me, Blackee, and if you open your mouth, +one of these pills shall go down your throat.”</p> +<p>Tom flourished his pistol before the negro, and led the way to +the window by which he had entered the house. Passing out upon the +veranda, he cautiously conducted the terrified servant to the road; +and when they had gone a short distance, he halted.</p> +<p>“Now, Blackee, what town is this?” demanded Tom.</p> +<p>“Leeds Manor, sar,” replied the trembling negro.</p> +<p>“How far is it to the Shenandoah River?”</p> +<p>“Only two or tree miles, massa. Now let dis chile go home +again.”</p> +<p>“Not yet.”</p> +<p>“Hab mercy on dis nigger dis time, and sabe +him.”</p> +<p>“I won’t hurt you, if you behave +yourself.”</p> +<p>Tom questioned him for some time in regard to the river, and the +towns upon its banks; and when he had obtained all the information +in regard to the valley which the servant possessed, he resumed his +journey, driving the negro before him.</p> +<p>“Spare dis chile, massa, for de sake ob de wife and +chil’n,” pleaded the unwilling guide.</p> +<p>“I tell you I won’t hurt you if you behave +yourself,” replied Tom. “You’ll have the whole +place down upon me in half an hour, if I let you go now.”</p> +<p>“No, massa; dis nigger won’t say one word +’bout you, nor de tings you took from de house—not one +word, massa. Spare dis chile, and luff him go home.”</p> +<p>But Tom compelled him to walk before him till they came to the +river. The place was called Seaburn’s Ford.</p> +<p>“Now, Blackee, if anybody wants me, tell them I’ve +gone to Winchester,” said Tom, when he had ordered his escort +to halt.</p> +<p>“No, massa, I won’t say one word,” replied the +servant.</p> +<p>“If you do, I’ll shoot you the very next time I see +you—depend upon that. You can go now.”</p> +<p>The negro was not slow to avail himself of this privilege, and +ran off, evidently expecting a bullet from the revolver would +overtake him before he had gone far, for he glanced fearfully over +his shoulder, begging his captor not to shoot him.</p> +<p>Tom stood upon the bank of the Shenandoah. The negro had told +him that he was about thirty miles from Harper’s Ferry, which +he knew was in possession of General Patterson’s forces. +Attached to a tree on the shore was a small flat-bottomed boat, +which attracted the attention of the soldier boy. Tom was +accustomed to boats, and the sight of this one suggested a change +of programme, for it would be much easier to float down the stream, +than to walk the thirty miles. This was a point which needed no +argument; and unfastening the painter of the boat, he jumped in, +and pushed off. Seating himself in the stern, with the paddle in +his hand, he kept her head with the current, and swept down the +rapid stream like a dreamy youth just starting upon the voyage of +life.</p> +<p>Like the pilgrim on the sea of time, Tom was not familiar with +the navigation of the Shenandoah, and he had neither chart nor +compass to assist him. The current was very swift, and once in a +while the bateau bumped upon a concealed rock, or bar of sand. +Fortunately no serious accident occurred to him, though he found +that the labor of managing the boat was scarcely less than that of +walking.</p> +<p>There was one consolation about it; he was in no danger of +missing the road, and he was not bothered by Confederate soldiers +or inquisitive civilians. His light bark rushed on its way down the +stream, without attracting the notice of any of the inhabitants, if +any were abroad at that unseemly hour of the night. The +difficulties of the navigation were overcome with more or less +labor, and when the day dawned, Tom made up his mind that he had +done a good night’s work; and choosing a secluded nook by the +side of the river, he hauled up his boat, intending to wait for the +return of darkness.</p> +<p>The place he had chosen appeared to be far from any habitation, +and he ate his breakfast in a very hopeful frame of mind. Though he +was not very tired or very sleepy, yet for the want of something +better to do, he felt compelled to go to sleep, hoping, as on the +previous day, to dispose of the weary hours in this agreeable +manner. His pastime, however, was soon interrupted by loud shouts +and the tramp of men, not far from the spot where he lay. A hurried +examination of the surroundings assured him that he had chosen a +resting place near one of the fords of the river, over which a +rebel regiment was then passing.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_21" name="Ch_21">Chapter XXI.</a></h3> +<h2>The Problem of Rations.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>The ford over which the rebel regiment was passing was only a +few rods distant from the place where Tom had concealed himself and +his boat. When he discovered the soldiers, he was thrilled with +terror; and, fully believing that his hour had come, he dropped +upon the ground, to wait, in trembling anxiety, the passage of the +troops. It was a regiment of Virginia mountaineers, clothed in the +most fantastic style with hunting-shirts and coon-skin caps. They +yelled and howled like so many wildcats.</p> +<p>From his hiding place on the bank of the stream, he obtained a +good view of the men, as they waded across the river. He was +fearful that some of them might stray from the ranks, and stumble +upon his place of refuge; but a kind Providence put it into their +heads to mind their own business, and Tom gathered hope as the +yells of the mountaineers grew indistinct in the distance.</p> +<p>“This is no place for me,” said Tom to himself, when +the sounds had died away in the direction of the Blue Ridge. +“A whole army of them may camp near that ford, and drive me +out of my hiding place.”</p> +<p>Jumping into the bateau again, he waited till he was satisfied +no carriage or body of troops was in the vicinity; and then plying +the paddle with the utmost vigor, he passed the ford. But then he +found that the public highway ran along the banks of the river, +which exposed him to increased risk of being seen. A couple of +vehicles passed along the road while he was in this exposed +situation; but as the occupants of them seemed to take no notice of +him, he congratulated himself upon his escape, for presently the +boat was beneath the shadows of the great trees. Finding a suitable +place, he again hauled up, and concealed himself and the +bateau.</p> +<p>As all danger seemed to have passed, Tom composed his nerves, +ate his dinner, and went to sleep as usual; but his rest was not so +tranquil as he had enjoyed in the solitudes of the mountains. +Visions of rebel soldiers haunted his dreams, and more than once he +started up, and gazed wildly around him; but these were only +visions, and there was something more real to disturb his +slumbers.</p> +<p>“Hi! Who are you?” exclaimed a wildcat soldier, who +had penetrated the thicket without disturbing the sleeper.</p> +<p>Tom started up, and sprang to his feet. One of the tall +mountaineers, whom he had seen crossing the ford, stood before him; +and the reality was even more appalling than the vision.</p> +<p>“Who mought you be?” demanded the tall soldier, with +a good-natured grin upon his greasy face.</p> +<p>“Faith! I believe I’ve been asleep!” said Tom, +rubbing his eyes, and looking as innocent as a young lamb.</p> +<p>“You may bet your life on thet, my boy,” replied the +rebel, laughing. “Hi! Jarvey!” added he, apparently +addressing a companion at no great distance from the spot.</p> +<p>Heavy footsteps announced the approach of Jarvey, who soon +joined them. He was not less than six feet three inches in height, +and, with two such customers as these, Tom had no hope except in +successful strategy. He had no doubt they had obtained information +of him from the persons in the vehicles, and had come to secure +him. He fully expected to be marched off to the rebel regiment, +which could not be far off.</p> +<p>“Who is he, Sid?” asked Jarvey, when he reached the +spot.</p> +<p>“Dunno. Say, who are ye, stranger?”</p> +<p>“Who am I? Tom Somers, of course. Do you belong to that +regiment that stopped over yonder last night?” asked Tom, +with a proper degree of enthusiasm. “Don’t you know +me?”</p> +<p>“Well, we don’t.”</p> +<p>“Didn’t you see me over there? That’s a bully +regiment of yours. I’d like to join it.”</p> +<p>“Would you, though, sonny?” said Sid, laughing till +his mouth opened wide enough for a railroad train to pass in.</p> +<p>“Wouldn’t I, though!” replied Tom. “If +there’s any big fighting done, I’ll bet your boys do +it.”</p> +<p>“Bet your life on thet,” added Jarvey. “But +why don’t you jine a regiment?”</p> +<p>“Don’t want to join any regiment that comes along. I +want to go into a fighting regiment, like yours.”</p> +<p>“Well, sonny, you ain’t big enough to jine +ours,” said Sid, as he compassionately eyed the young +man’s diminutive proportions.</p> +<p>“The old man wouldn’t let me go in when I wanted to, +and I’m bound not to go in any of your fancy regiments. I +want to fight when I go.”</p> +<p>“You’ll do, sonny. Now, what ye doing +here?”</p> +<p>“I came out a-fishing, but I got tired, and went to +sleep.”</p> +<p>“Where’s your fish-line?”</p> +<p>“In the boat.”</p> +<p>“What ye got in that handkerchief?”</p> +<p>“My dinner,” replied Tom. “Won’t you +take a bite?”</p> +<p>“What ye got?”</p> +<p>“A piece of cold chicken and some bread.”</p> +<p>“We don’t mind it now, sonny. Hev you seen any men +with this gear on in these yere parts?” asked Jarvey, as he +pointed to his uniform.</p> +<p>“Yes, <em>sir</em>,” replied Tom, vigorously.</p> +<p>“Whar d’ye see ’em, sonny?”</p> +<p>“They crossed the ford, just above, only a little while +ago.”</p> +<p>“How many?”</p> +<p>“Two,” replied Tom, with promptness.</p> +<p>“Where’s the other?” asked Jarvey, turning to +his companion.</p> +<p>“He’s in these yere woods, somewhar. We’ll +fotch ’em before night. You say the two men crossed the +ford—did ye, sonny?”</p> +<p>“Yes, half an hour ago. What is the matter with +them?”</p> +<p>“They’re mean trash, and want to run off. Now, +sonny, ’spose you put us over the river in your +boat.”</p> +<p>“Yes, <em>sir</em>!” replied Tom, readily.</p> +<p>The two wildcats got into the bateau, nearly swamping it by +their great weight, and Tom soon landed them on the other side of +the river.</p> +<p>“Thank’e, sonny,” said Jarvey, as they jumped +on shore. “If you were only four foot higher, we’d like +to take you into our regiment. You’ll make a right smart +chance of a soldier one of these yere days. Good by, +sonny.”</p> +<p>“Good by,” answered Tom, as he drew a long breath, +indicative of his satisfaction at being so well rid of his +passengers.</p> +<p>He had fully persuaded himself that he should be carried off a +prisoner to this wildcat regiment, and he could hardly believe his +senses when he found himself again safely floating down the rapid +tide of the Shenandoah. His impudence and his self-possession had +saved him; but it was a mystery to him that his uniform, or the +absence of his fish-line, or the answers he gave, had not betrayed +him. The mountaineers had probably not yet seen a United States +uniform, or they would, at least, have questioned him about his +dress.</p> +<p>Tom ran down the river a short distance farther before he +ventured to stop again, for he could not hope to meet with many +rebel soldiers who were so innocent and inexperienced as these +wildcats of the mountains had been. When the darkness favored his +movements, he again embarked upon his voyage. Twice during the +night his boat got aground, and once he was pitched into the river +by striking upon a rock; but he escaped these and other perils of +the navigation with nothing worse than a thorough ducking, which +was by no means a new experience to the soldier boy. In the +morning, well satisfied with his night’s work, he laid up for +the day in the safest place he could find.</p> +<p>On the second day of his voyage down the river, the old problem +of rations again presented itself for consideration, for the ham +and chicken he had procured at Leed’s Manor were all gone. +There were plenty of houses on the banks of the river, but Tom had +hoped to complete his cruise without the necessity of again +exposing himself to the peril of being captured while foraging for +the commissary department. But the question was as imperative as it +had been several times before, and twelve hours fasting gave him +only a faint hint of what his necessities might compel him to +endure in twenty-four or forty-eight hours. He did not consider it +wise to postpone the settlement of the problem till he was actually +suffering for the want of food.</p> +<p>On the third night of his voyage, therefore, he hauled up the +bateau at a convenient place, and started off upon a foraging +expedition, intending to visit some farmer’s kitchen, and +help himself, as he had done on a former occasion. Of course, Tom +had no idea where he was; but he hoped and believed that he should +soon reach Harper’s Ferry.</p> +<p>After making his way through the woods for half a mile, he came +to a public road, which he followed till it brought him to a house. +It was evidently the abode of a thrifty farmer, for near it were +half a dozen negro houses. As the dwelling had no long windows in +front, Tom was obliged to approach the place by a flank and rear +movement; but the back door was locked. He tried the windows, and +they were fastened. While he was reconnoitring the premises, he +heard heavy footsteps within. Returning to the door, he knocked +vigorously for admission.</p> +<p>“Who’s thar?” said a man, as he threw the door +wide open.</p> +<p>“A stranger, who wants something to eat,” replied +Tom, boldly.</p> +<p>“Who are ye?”</p> +<p>“My name is Tom Somers,” added the soldier boy, as +he stepped into the house. “Can you tell me whether the +Seventh Georgia Regiment is down this way?”</p> +<p>“I reckon ’tis; least wise I don’t know. +There’s three rigiments about five mile below +yere.”</p> +<p>“I was told my regiment was down this way, and I’m +trying to find it. I’m half starved. Will you give me +something to eat?”</p> +<p>“Sartin, stranger; I’ll do thet.”</p> +<p>The man, who was evidently the proprietor of the house, brought +up the remnant of a boiled ham, a loaf of white bread, some butter, +and a pitcher of milk. Tom ate till he was satisfied. The farmer, +in deference to his amazing appetite probably, suspended his +questions till the guest began to show some signs of satiety, when +he pressed him again as vigorously as though he had been born and +brought up among the hills of New England.</p> +<p>“Where d’ye come from?” said he.</p> +<p>“From Manassas. I lost my regiment in the fight; and the +next day I heard they had been toted over this way, and I put after +them right smart,” answered Tom, adopting as much of the +Georgia vernacular as his knowledge would permit.</p> +<p>“Walk all the way?”</p> +<p>“No; I came in the keers most of the way.”</p> +<p>“But you don’t wear our colors,” added the +farmer, glancing at Tom’s clothes.</p> +<p>“My clothes were all worn out, and I helped myself to the +best suit I could find on the field.”</p> +<p>“What regiment did ye say ye b’longed to?” +queried the man, eying the uniform again.</p> +<p>“To the Seventh Georgia. Perhaps you can tell me where I +shall find it.”</p> +<p>“I can’t; but I reckon there’s somebody here +that can. I’ll call him.”</p> +<p>Tom was not at all particular about obtaining this information. +There was evidently some military man in the house, who would +expose him if he remained any longer.</p> +<p>“Who is it, father?” asked a person who had probably +heard a part of the conversation we have narrated; for the voice +proceeded from a bed-room adjoining the apartment in which Tom had +eaten his supper.</p> +<p>“A soldier b’longing to the Seventh Georgia,” +answered the farmer. “That’s my son; he’s a +captain in the cavalry, and he’ll know all about it. He can +tell you where yer regiment is,” added he, turning to Tom, +who was edging towards the door.</p> +<p>“I’m very much obliged to you for my supper,” +said the fugitive, nervously. “I reckon I’ll be moving +along.”</p> +<p>“Wait half a second, and my son will tell you just where +to find your regiment.”</p> +<p>“The Seventh Georgia?” said the captain of cavalry, +entering the room at this moment with nothing but his pants on. +“There’s no such regiment up here, and hasn’t +been. I reckon you’re a deserter.”</p> +<p>“No, <em>sir!</em> I scorn the charge,” replied Tom, +with becoming indignation. “I never desert my +colors.”</p> +<p>“I suppose not,” added the officer, glancing at his +uniform; “but your colors desert you.”</p> +<p>Tom failed to appreciate the wit of the reply, and backed off +towards the door, with one hand upon the stock of his revolver.</p> +<p>“Hold on to him, father; don’t let him go,” +said the officer, as he rushed back into his chamber, evidently for +his pistols or his sabre.</p> +<p>“Hands off, or you are a dead man;” cried Tom, as he +pointed his revolver at the head of the farmer.</p> +<p>In another instant, the captain of cavalry reappeared with a +pistol in each hand. A stunning report resounded through the house, +and Tom heard a bullet whistle by his head.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_22" name="Ch_22">Chapter XXII.</a></h3> +<h2>The Picket Guard.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>It was sufficiently obvious to Tom that, on the present +occasion, the suspicions of his host were awakened. It is possible +that, if he had depended upon his impudence, he might have +succeeded in deceiving the Confederate officer; but his evident +intention to retire from the contest before an investigation could +be had, proved him, in the estimation of the captain, to be either +a spy or a deserter, and shooting him was preferable to losing +him.</p> +<p>The officer fired quick, and with little attention to the +important matter of a steady aim; and Tom had to thank his stars +for the hasty shot, for, though it went within a few inches of his +head, “a miss was as good as a mile,” and the brains of +our hero remained intact and complete. But he was not willing to be +the subject of any further experiments of this description, and +without waiting further to express his gratitude to the host for +the bountiful supper he had eaten, he threw open the door, and +dashed off at the top of his speed.</p> +<p>The revolver he carried was a very good implement with which to +bully a negro, or an unarmed farmer; but Tom had more confidence in +his legs than in his skill as a marksman, and before the captain +could transfer the second pistol from his left to his right hand, +he had passed out of the house, and was concealed from his pursuers +by the gloom of the night. He felt that he had had a narrow escape, +and he was not disposed to trifle with destiny by loitering in the +vicinity of the house.</p> +<p>He had not proceeded far before he heard a hue and cry behind +him; and if the captain of cavalry had not stopped to put on his +boots, it is more than possible that our humble volume might have +contained a chapter or two upon prison life in Richmond. +Undoubtedly it was quite proper for the officer to put on his boots +before he went out; a decent regard for his individual sanitary +condition, and a reasonable horror of ague and rheumatism, would +have induced him to do it, even at the risk of losing a Federal +prisoner, or a rebel deserter, as the case might be. At any rate, +if Tom had known the cause of the delay, he would freely have +forgiven him for wasting his time in healthful precautions.</p> +<p>The fugitive retraced his steps to the river by the same route +he had taken in approaching the hospitable roof of the farmer. As +nearly as he could judge by the sounds that reached him from the +distance, the officer and his father were gathering up a force to +hunt down the fugitive. Tom jumped into the bateau, and pushed off. +Keeping under the shadow of the bank of the river, he plied his +paddle vigorously, and by the time his pursuers arrived at the +river, he was a couple of miles from the spot. He could hear a +shout occasionally in the deep silence of the night, but with the +distance between him and the enemy, he felt entirely secure. The +danger had passed, and he floated leisurely on his voyage, buoyant +as his light bark, and hopeful as the dream of youth.</p> +<p>Hour after hour, in the gloom of the solemn night, he was borne +by the swift tide towards the lines of the loyal army. The day was +dawning, and he was on the lookout for a suitable place to conceal +himself, until the friendly shades of night should again favor his +movements. After the experience of the former night near the ford, +he was very cautious in the selection of a hiding place. It is not +always safe to be fastidious; for while Tom was rejecting one +location, and waiting for another to appear, the river bore him +into a tract of very open country, which was less favorable than +that through which he had just been passing.</p> +<p>The prospect began to make him nervous; and while he was +bitterly regretting that he had not moored the boat before, he was +startled to hear a sharp, commanding voice on the bank at his +left.</p> +<p>“Who comes there? Halt!”</p> +<p>Tom looked up, and discovered a grayback, standing on the shore, +very deliberately pointing his musket at him.</p> +<p>“Who comes there?” demanded the picket; for at this +point were stationed the outposts of the rebel force in the +Shenandoah valley.</p> +<p>“Friend!” replied Tom.</p> +<p>“Halt, then!”</p> +<p>“I would, if I could,” answered Tom, as hastily as +possible.</p> +<p>“Halt, or I’ll fire!”</p> +<p>“I tell you I can’t halt,” replied Tom, using +his paddle vigorously, as though he was trying to urge the bateau +to the shore. “Don’t fire! For mercy’s sake, +don’t fire.”</p> +<p>Tom appeared to be intensely frightened at the situation in +which he was placed, and redoubled his efforts apparently to gain +the bank of the stream; but the more he seemed to paddle one way, +the more the boat went the other way. However much Tom appeared to +be terrified by the peril that menaced him, it must be confessed +that he was not wholly unmoved.</p> +<p>“Stop your boat, quick!” said the soldier, who had +partially dropped his musket from its menacing position.</p> +<p>“I can’t stop it,” responded Tom, apparently +in an agony of terror. “I would go ashore if I +could.”</p> +<p>“What’s the matter?”</p> +<p>“The water runs so swift, I can’t stop her; been +trying this two hours.”</p> +<p>“You will be inside the Yankee lines in half an hour if +you don’t fetch to,” shouted the picket.</p> +<p>“Gracious!” exclaimed Tom, redoubling his +efforts.</p> +<p>But it was useless to struggle with the furious current, and Tom +threw himself into the bottom of the boat, as if in utter +desperation. If Niagara Falls, with their thundering roar and +fearful abyss, had been before him, his agony could not have been +more intense, as judged from the shore.</p> +<p>By this time, the sentinel on the bank had been joined by his +two companions, and the three men forming the picket post stood +gazing at him, as he abandoned himself to the awful fate of being +captured by the blood-thirsty Yankees, to whose lines the +relentless current of the Shenandoah was bearing him.</p> +<p>When Tom was first challenged by the grayback, the boat had been +some twenty rods above him; and it had now passed the spot where he +stood, but the rebels were still near enough to converse with him. +Tom heard one of them ask another who he was. Of course neither of +them knew who he was, or where he came from.</p> +<p>“Try again!” shouted one of the pickets. “The +Yankees will have you in a few minutes.”</p> +<p>Tom did make another ineffectual effort to check the progress of +the bateau, and again abandoned the attempt in despair. The rebels +followed him on the bank, encouraging him with words of cheer, and +with dire prophecies of his fate if he fell into the hands of the +cruel Yankees.</p> +<p>“Can’t you help me?” pleaded Tom, in accents +of despair. “Throw me a rope! Do something for me.”</p> +<p>Now, this was a suggestion that had not before occurred to the +picket guard, and Tom would have been infinitely wiser if he had +not put the idea of assisting him into their dull brains; for it is +not at all probable that they would have thought of such a thing +themselves, for the south, especially the poor white trash, are not +largely endowed with inventive genius.</p> +<p>“Save me! Save me!” cried Tom, as he saw the rebels +engaged in a hasty consultation, the result of which was, that two +of them started off upon the run in a direction at right angles +with the stream.</p> +<p>“Try again! Stick to it!” shouted the picket left on +the shore.</p> +<p>“I can’t do any more; I’m all tired +out,” replied Tom, throwing himself for the fourth time in +the bottom of the boat, the very picture of despair.</p> +<p>The picture was very much exaggerated and over-drawn; but as +long as the bullet from the rebel’s musket did not come his +way, Tom was satisfied with his acting, and hopeful for the future. +The man on the shore, full of sympathy for the distressed and +exhausted voyager, walked and ran so as to keep up with the +refractory barge, which seemed to be spitefully hurling its +agonized passenger into the Federal lines, where death and dungeons +lurked at every corner.</p> +<p>While this exciting drama was in progress, the stream bore Tom +to a sharp bend in the river, where the current set in close to the +shore. His attentive guardian on the bank ran ahead, and stationed +himself at this point, ready to afford any assistance to the +disconsolate navigator which the circumstances might permit.</p> +<p>“Now’s your chance!” shouted he. “Gosh +all whittaker! put in now, and do your pootiest!”</p> +<p>Tom adopted this friendly advice, and “put in” with +all his might; but the more he “put in,” the more he +put out—from the shore, whither the inauspicious eddies were +sweeping him. If Tom had not been born in Pinchbrook, and had a +home by the sea, where boating is an appreciated accomplishment, he +would probably have been borne into the arms of the expectant +rebel, or received in his vitals the ounce of cold lead which that +gentleman’s musket contained. As it was, he had the skill to +do what he seemed not to be doing. Mr. Johnny Reb evidently did not +suspect that Tom was “playing ’possum,” as the +Tennessee sharpshooters would have expressed it. The +voyager’s efforts appeared to be made in good faith; and +certainly he applied himself with a degree of zeal and energy which +ought to have overcome the inertia of a small gunboat.</p> +<p>The bateau approached the point not more than a rod from the +waiting arms of the sympathizing grayback. As it passed, he waded a +short distance into the water, and stretched forth his musket to +the unhappy voyager. Tom threw down his paddle, and sprang with +desperate energy to obtain a hold upon the gun. He even succeeded +in grasping the end of the bayonet. For a moment he pulled so hard +that it was doubtful whether the bateau would be hauled ashore, or +Secesh drawn into the deep water.</p> +<p>“Hold on tight, my boy! Pull for your life!” shouted +the soldier, highly excited by the probable success of his +philanthropic efforts.</p> +<p>“Save me! Save me!” groaned Tom, as he tugged, or +seemed to do so, at the bayonet.</p> +<p>Then, while the united exertions of the saver and the saved, in +anticipation, were on the very point of being successful, the +polished steel of the bayonet unaccountably slipped through the +fingers of Tom, and the bateau was borne off towards the opposite +shore.</p> +<p>“Save me! Save me,” cried Tom again, in tones more +piteous than ever.</p> +<p>“What d’ye let go fur?” said the grayback, +indignantly, as his musket, which he had held by the tip end of the +stock, dropped into the water, when Tom let go of the bayonet.</p> +<p>The soldier indulged in a volley of peculiarly southern oaths, +with which we cannot disfigure our page, even in deference to the +necessity of painting a correct picture of the scene we have +described. Tom had a vein of humor in his composition, which has +already displayed itself in some of the rough experiences of his +career; and when he saw the rebel soldier deprived of all power to +make war upon him, either offensive or defensive, he could not +resist the temptation to celebrate the signal strategical victory +he had obtained over the picket guard. This triumphal demonstration +was not very dignified, nor, under the circumstances, very prudent +or sensible. It consisted in placing the thumb of his right hand +upon the end of his nose, while he wiggled the four remaining +digital appendages of the same member in the most aggravating +manner, whistling Yankee Doodle as an accompaniment to the +movement.</p> +<p>If Secesh did not understand the case before, he did now; and +fishing up his musket, he emptied the water out of the barrel, and +attempted to fire it. Luckily for Tom, the gun would not go off, +and he swept on his way jubilant and joyous.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_23" name="Ch_23">Chapter XXIII.</a></h3> +<h2>The End of the Voyage.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>Tom Somers’s voyage down the Shenandoah was, in many +respects, a type of human life. He experienced the various +reverses, the trials and hardships, which attend all sojourners +here below. He triumphed over all obstacles, and when he had +completely outwitted the grayback who had labored so diligently to +save him from his impending fate, he was at the zenith of +prosperity. He had vanquished the last impediment, and the lines of +the Union army—the haven of peace to him—were only a +short distance from the scene of his victory.</p> +<p>Prosperity makes men arrogant and reckless, and I am sorry to +say that it had the same effect upon Tom Somers. If he had been +content modestly to enjoy the victory he had achieved, it would +have been wiser and safer for him; but when Fortune was kind to +him, he mocked her, and she turned against him.</p> +<p>When he had passed out of the reach of the rebel soldier, whose +musket had been rendered useless for the time being, Tom believed +that he was safe, and that he had fairly escaped from the last +peril that menaced him on the voyage. But he was mistaken; for as +the current swept the bateau around the bend of the river, he +discovered, to his astonishment and chagrin, the two secesh +soldiers, who had left the picket post some time before, standing +at convenient distances from each other and from the shore, in the +water, ready to rescue him from the fate before him. The place they +had chosen was evidently a ford of the river, where they intended +to check the boat in its mad career down the stream. They were +painfully persistent in their kind intentions to save him from the +horrible Yankees, and Tom wished they had been less humane and less +enthusiastic in his cause.</p> +<p>As soon as Tom perceived this trap, he regretted his imprudence +in betraying himself to the soldier from whom he had just escaped. +His sorrow was not diminished, when, a few minutes later, he heard +the shouts of the third soldier, who, by hard running across the +fields, had reached the ford before him.</p> +<p>“Shoot him! Shoot him! He’s a Yankee!” +bellowed the grayback on the shore.</p> +<p>Tom was appalled at these words, and wondered how the soldier +could have found out that he was a Yankee; but when he recalled the +fact that he had entertained him with Yankee Doodle at their last +meeting, the mystery became less formidable.</p> +<p>“Shoot him! He’s a Yankee!” shouted Secesh on +the bank of the stream.</p> +<p>“We’ve left our guns on shore,” replied Secesh +in the water.</p> +<p>“I’m very much obliged to you for that,” said +Tom to himself, as he grasped his paddle, and set the boat over +towards the right bank of the river.</p> +<p>No doubt the rebels in the water, when they saw with what +facility the boatman moved the bateau in the swift tide, as +compared with his futile efforts farther up the stream, were fully +satisfied of the truth of their companion’s assertion. Tom +decided to run the gauntlet between the right bank and the soldier +nearest to that shore. He paddled the bateau with all his vigor, +until he had obtained the desired position.</p> +<p>The graybacks in the water, realizing that they were engaged on +an errand of peace and humanity, had left their muskets on shore. +They were, therefore, comparatively harmless; but the one on shore +had reached the ford, and picking up one of the muskets of his +companions, without threat or warning, fired. It was lucky for Tom +that he was not a Tennessee sharpshooter, nor a Texas ranger, for +the shot passed harmlessly over him. The soldier dropped the gun, +and picked up the other, which he instantly discharged, and with +better aim than before, for the ball struck the bateau, though not +within four feet of where Tom stood.</p> +<p>“Don’t waste your powder, if you can’t shoot +better than that,” shouted one of the soldiers in the water. +“You’ll hit us next.”</p> +<p>“Stop him, then! Stop him!” replied the grayback on +the shore. “Kill him if you can.”</p> +<p>Tom was paddling with all his might to pass the ford before the +soldier nearest to him should reach a position in which he could +intercept the boat. The rebel was an enterprising fellow, and the +soldier boy’s chances were growing amazingly small. Secesh +had actually reached a place where he could make a dash at the +boat. There he stood with a long bowie-knife between his teeth, and +with both hands outstretched, ready to seize upon the unfortunate +bark. He looked grim and ferocious, and Tom saw that he was +thoroughly in earnest.</p> +<p>It was a trying situation for a boy of Tom’s years, and he +would fain have dodged the issue. That bowie-knife had a wicked +look, though it was mild and tame compared with the savage eye of +the rebel who held it. As it was a case of life and death, the +fugitive braced himself up to meet the shock. Taking his position +in the stern of the boat, he held the paddle in his left hand, +while his right firmly grasped his revolver. It was either +“kill or be killed,” and Tom was not so sentimental as +to choose the latter rather than the former, especially as his +intended victim was a secessionist and a rebel.</p> +<p>“Keep off, or you are a dead man,” shouted Tom, as +he flourished his pistol so that his assailant could obtain a fair +view of its calibre, and in the hope that the fellow would be +willing to adopt a politician’s expedient, and compromise the +matter by retiring out of range.</p> +<p>“Tew kin play at that game. This yere tooth-pick will wipe +you out,” coolly replied the fellow, as he made a spring at +the boat.</p> +<p>“Stand off!” screamed Tom, as he raised the pistol, +and fired.</p> +<p>It was a short range, and Tom would have been inexcusable if he +had missed his aim. The rebel struck his chest with his right hand, +and the bowie knife dropped from his teeth; but with his left hand +he had grasped the gunwale of the boat, and as he sunk down in the +shallow water, he pulled the bateau over on one side till the water +poured in, and threatened to swamp her. Fortunately the wounded man +relaxed his hold, the boat righted, and Tom commenced paddling +again with all his strength and skill.</p> +<p>The other soldier in the water, as soon as he discovered where +Tom intended to pass, hastened over to assist his associate. The +shouts of their companion on shore had fully fired their southern +hearts, and both of them were ten times as zealous to kill or +capture a Yankee, as they had been to save a Virginian. When the +wounded man clutched the boat, the other was not more than ten feet +from him, but farther down the stream. His associate fell, and he +sprang forward to engage in the affray.</p> +<p>“Stand off, or you are a dead man!” yelled Tom, with +emphasis, as he plied his paddle with renewed energy, for he saw +that the man could not reach him.</p> +<p>The bateau passed them both, and Tom began to breathe easier. +The second rebel, finding he could not capture or kill the detested +Yankee, went to the assistance of his companion. The soldier boy +suspended his exertions, for the danger seemed to be over, and +gazed with interest upon the scene which was transpiring in the +water just above him. He was anxious to know whether he had killed +the rebel or not. There was something awful in the circumstances, +for the soldier boy’s sensibilities were too acute to permit +him to take a human life, though it was that of an enemy, without +producing a deep impression upon his mind. Perhaps, in the great +battle in which he had been a participant, he had killed several +rebels; if he had done so, he had not seen them fall. This was the +first man he had consciously killed or wounded, and the fact was +solemn, if not appalling, to the young soldier.</p> +<p>As the rebel raised his companion from the water he seemed to be +dead, and Tom was forced to the conclusion that he had killed him. +He had done the deed in self-defence, and in the strict line of +duty. He could not be blamed even by his enemies for the act. He +felt no exultation, and hoped from the bottom of his heart that the +man was prepared to meet his Maker, into whose presence he had been +so suddenly summoned.</p> +<p>Tom had heard the boys in Pinchbrook talk lightly about killing +rebels, and he had talked so himself; but the reality was not so +pleasant as it had seemed at a distance. He was sorry for the poor +fellow, and wished he had not been obliged to kill him. It was +terrible to him, even in battle, to take a human life, to slay a +being created in the image of God, and for whom Christ lived and +died.</p> +<p>While he was indulging in these sad reflections, he heard a +bullet whistle near his head. The Secesh soldier on the shore had +loaded up his companions’ muskets, and was doing his best to +bring down the lucky fugitive. His last shot was not a bad one, and +Tom could not help thinking, if the grayback should hit him, that +he would not waste any fine feelings over him. He did not like the +sound of those whizzing bullets, and as he had never boasted of his +courage, he did not scorn to adopt precautionary measures. The +water was three inches deep in the bottom of the bateau; but Tom +deemed it prudent to lie down there until the current should bear +him out of the reach of the rebel bullets.</p> +<p>He maintained this recumbent posture for half an hour or more, +listening to the balls that frequently whistled over his head. Once +he ventured to raise his head, and discovered, not one man, but a +dozen, on the shore, which accounted for the rapid firing he heard. +When he looked up again, his bateau had passed round a bend, and he +was no longer exposed to the fire of the enemy.</p> +<p>From his heart Tom thanked God for his escape. He was +religiously grateful for the aid which Providence had rendered him, +and when he thought how near he had stood to the brink of +destruction, he realized how narrow the span between the Here and +the Hereafter. And the moral of his reflections was, that if he +stood so near to the open gate of death, he ought always to live +wisely and well, and ever be prepared to pass the portals which +separate time from eternity.</p> +<p>Tom’s thoughts were sad and heavy. He could not banish +from his mind the face of the rebel, as he raised his hand to his +breast, where he had received his mortal wound. That countenance, +full of hate and revenge, haunted him for weeks afterwards, in the +solitude of his tent, and on his midnight vigils as a sentinel.</p> +<p>As he sat in the boat, thinking of the events of the morning, +and listening to the mournful rippling of the waters, which, to his +subdued soul, sounded like the requiem of his victim, he was +challenged from the shore again.</p> +<p>“Who comes there!”</p> +<p>Tom jumped up, and saw a sentinel on the bank pointing his gun +at him. He surveyed the form with anxious interest; but this time +he had nothing to fear, for the soldier wore the blue uniform of +the United States army.</p> +<p>“Friend,” replied he, as he grasped his paddle.</p> +<p>“Come ashore, or I’ll put a bullet through +you,” added the sentinel.</p> +<p>“Don’t do it!” said Tom, with energy. +“Can’t you see the colors I wear.”</p> +<p>“Come ashore, then.”</p> +<p>“I will.”</p> +<p>The soldier boy worked his paddle with vigor and skill, and it +was astonishing to observe with what better success than when +invited to land by the grayback up the river. The guard assisted +him in landing and securing his boat.</p> +<p>“Who are you?” demanded he, as he gazed at +Tom’s wet and soiled garments.</p> +<p>“I was taken prisoner at Bull Run, and came back on my own +hook.”</p> +<p>“Perhaps you were, but you can’t pass these +lines,” said the soldier.</p> +<p>Tom was sent to the Federal camp, and passed from one officer to +another, till he was finally introduced to General Banks, at +Harper’s Ferry. He was questioned in regard to his own +adventures, the country he had passed through, and the troops of +the enemy he had seen. When, to use his own expression, he had been +“pumped dry,” he was permitted to rest a few days, and +then forwarded to his regiment.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_24" name="Ch_24">Chapter XXIV.</a></h3> +<h2>Budd’s Ferry.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>Though Tom Somers had been absent from the regiment only a +fortnight, it seemed to him as though a year had elapsed since the +day of the battle when he had stood shoulder to shoulder with his +townsmen and friends. He had been ordered to report to the provost +marshal at Washington, where he learned that his regiment was at +Bladensburg, about six miles from the city. Being provided with the +necessary pass and “transportation,” he soon reached +the camp.</p> +<p>“Tom Somers! Tom Somers!” shouted several of his +comrades, as soon as they recognized him.</p> +<p>“Three cheers for Tom Somers!” shouted Bob +Dornton.</p> +<p>The soldier boy was a favorite in the company, and his return +was sufficient to justify such a proceeding. The cheers, therefore, +were given with tremendous enthusiasm.</p> +<p>“Tom, I’m glad to see you!” said old Hapgood, +with extended hand, while his eyes filled with tears. “I was +afeared we should never see you again.”</p> +<p>The fugitive shook hands with every member of the company who +was present. His reception was in the highest degree gratifying to +him, and he was determined always to merit the good will of his +companions in arms.</p> +<p>“Now, fellows, tell us what the news is,” said Tom, +as he seated himself on a camp stool before the tent of his +mess.</p> +<p>“There are letters for you, Tom, in the hands of the +orderly,” added one of his friends. “I suppose you have +got a bigger story to tell than any of us, but you shall have a +chance to read your letters first.”</p> +<p>These precious missives from the loved ones at home were given +to him, and the soldier boy opened them with fear and trembling, +lest he should find in them some bad news; but his mother and all +the family were well. One of them was written since the battle, and +it was evidently penned with deep solicitude for his fate, of which +nothing had been heard.</p> +<p>Hapgood, who sat by him while he read his letters, assured him +that his mother must know, by this time, that he was not killed, +for all the men had written to their friends since the battle. The +captain who had escaped from Sudley church had reported him alive +and well, but he had no information in regard to his escape.</p> +<p>“We are all well, and every thing goes on about the same +as usual in Pinchbrook,” wrote one of his older sisters. +“John is so bent upon going to sea in the navy, that it is as +much as mother can do to keep him at home. He says the country +wants him, and he wants to go; and what’s more, he must go. +We haven’t heard a word from father since he left home; but +Captain Barney read in the paper that his vessel had been sunk in +the harbor of Norfolk to block up the channel. We can only hope +that he is safe, and pray that God will have him in his holy +keeping.</p> +<p>“Squire Pemberton was dreadful mad because his son went +into the army. He don’t say a word about politics +now.”</p> +<p>In a letter from John, he learned that Captain Barney had +advanced the money to pay the interest on the note, and that Squire +Pemberton had not said a word about foreclosing the mortgage. His +brother added that he was determined to go into the navy, even if +he had to run away. He could get good wages, and he thought it was +a pity that he should not do his share towards supporting the +family.</p> +<p>Tom finished his letters, and was rejoiced to find that his +friends at home were all well and happy; and in a few days more, a +letter from him would gladden their hearts with the intelligence of +his safe return to the regiment.</p> +<p>“All well—ain’t they?” asked Hapgood, as +Tom folded up the letters and put them in his pocket; and the +veteran could not fail to see, from the happy expression of his +countenance, that their contents were satisfactory.</p> +<p>“All well,” replied Tom. “Where is Fred +Pemberton? I haven’t seen him yet.”</p> +<p>“In the hospital: he’s sick, or thinks he is,” +answered Hapgood. “Ben Lethbridge is in the guard house. He +attempted to run away while we were coming over from Shuter’s +Hill.”</p> +<p>“Who were killed, and who were wounded? I haven’t +heard a word about the affair, you know,” asked Tom.</p> +<p>“Sergeant Bradford was wounded and taken prisoner. +Sergeant Brown was hit by a shell, but not hurt much. The second +lieutenant was wounded in the foot, and—”</p> +<p>A loud laugh from the men interrupted the statement.</p> +<p>“What are you laughing at?” demanded Tom.</p> +<p>“He resigned,” added Bob Dornton, chuckling.</p> +<p>“You said he was wounded?”</p> +<p>“I didn’t say so; the lieutenant said so himself, +and hobbled about with a big cane for a week; but as soon as his +resignation was accepted, he threw away his stick, and walked as +well as ever he could.”</p> +<p>The boys all laughed heartily, and seemed to enjoy the joke +prodigiously. Tom thought it was a remarkable cure, though the +remedy was one which no decent man would be willing to adopt.</p> +<p>“How’s Captain Benson?”</p> +<p>“He’s better; he felt awful bad because he +wasn’t in that battle. The colonel has gone home, sick. He +has more pluck than body. He was sun-struck, and dropped off his +horse, like a dead man, on the field. It’s a great pity he +hasn’t twice or three times as much body; if he had, +he’d make a first-rate officer.”</p> +<p>It was now Tom’s turn to relate his adventures; and he +modestly told his story. His auditors were deeply interested in his +narrative, and when he had finished, it was unanimously voted that +Tom was a “trump;” which I suppose means nothing more +than that he was a smart fellow—a position which no one who +has read his adventures will be disposed to controvert.</p> +<p>A long period of comparative inactivity for the regiment +followed the battle of Bull Run. General McClellan had been called +from the scene of his brilliant operations in Western Virginia, to +command the army of the Potomac, and he was engaged in the arduous +task of organizing the vast body of loyal troops that rushed +forward to sustain the government in this dark hour of peril.</p> +<p>While at Bladensburg the —th regiment with three others +were formed into a brigade, the command of which was given to +Hooker—a name then unknown beyond the circle of his own +friends.</p> +<p>About the first of November the brigade was sent to Budd’s +Ferry, thirty miles below Washington, on the Potomac, to watch the +rebels in that vicinity. The enemy had, by this time, closed the +river against the passage of vessels to the capital, by erecting +batteries at various places, the principal of which were at +Evansport, Shipping Point, and Cockpit Point. Budd’s Ferry +was a position in the vicinity of these works, and the brigade was +employed in picketing the river, to prevent the enemy on the other +side from approaching, and also to arrest the operations of the +viler traitors on this side, who were attempting to send supplies +to the rebels.</p> +<p>It was not a very exciting life to which the boys of our +regiment were introduced on their arrival at Budd’s Ferry, +though the rebel batteries at Shipping Point made a great deal of +noise and smoke at times. As the season advanced the weather began +to grow colder, and the soldiers were called to a new experience in +military life; but as they were gradually inured to the diminishing +temperature, the hardship was less severe than those who gather +around their northern fireside may be disposed to imagine. Tom +continued to be a philosopher, which was better than an extra +blanket; and he got along very well.</p> +<p>It was a dark, cold, and windy night, in December, when Tom +found himself doing picket duty near the mouth of Chickamoxon +Creek. Nobody supposed that any rebel sympathizer would be mad +enough to attempt the passage of the river on such a night as that, +for the Potomac looked alive with the angry waves that beat upon +its broad bosom. Hapgood and Fred Pemberton were with him, and the +party did the best they could to keep themselves comfortable, and +at the same time discharge the duty assigned to them.</p> +<p>“Here, lads,” said old Hapgood, who, closely muffled +in his great-coat, was walking up and down the bank of the creek to +keep the blood warm in his veins.</p> +<p>“What is it, Hapgood?” demanded Fred, who was coiled +up on the lee side of a tree, to protect him from the cold blast +that swept down the creek.</p> +<p>“Hush!” said Hapgood. “Don’t make a +noise; there’s a boat coming. Down! down! Don’t let +them see you.”</p> +<p>Tom and Fred crawled upon the ground to the verge of the creek, +and placed themselves by the side of the veteran.</p> +<p>“I don’t see any boat,” said Tom.</p> +<p>“I can see her plain enough, with my old eyes. Look up the +creek.”</p> +<p>“Ay, ay! I see her.”</p> +<p>“So do I,” added Fred. “What shall we +do?”</p> +<p>“Stop her, of course.” replied Tom.</p> +<p>“That’s easy enough said, but not so easily done. We +had better send word up to the battery, and let them open upon +her,” suggested Fred.</p> +<p>“Open upon the man in the moon!” replied Tom, +contemptuously. “Don’t you see she is under sail, and +driving down like sixty? We must board her!”</p> +<p>Tom spoke in an emphatic whisper, and pointed to a small boat, +which lay upon the shore. The craft approaching was a small +schooner apparently about five tons burden. The secessionists of +Baltimore or elsewhere had chosen this dark and tempestuous night +to send over a mail and such supplies as could not be obtained, for +love or money, on the other side of the Potomac. Of course, they +expected to run the risk of a few shots from the Union pickets on +the river; but on such a night, and in such a sea, there was very +little danger of their hitting the mark.</p> +<p>Up the creek the water was comparatively smooth; but the little +schooner was driving furiously down the stream, with the wind on +her quarter, and the chances of making a safe and profitable run to +the rebel line, those on board, no doubt, believed were all in +their favor.</p> +<p>“We have no time to lose,” said Hapgood, with +energy, as he pushed off the boat, which lay upon the beach. +“Tumble in lively, and be sure your guns are in good +order.”</p> +<p>“Mine is all right,” added Tom, as he examined the +cap on his musket, and then jumped into the boat.</p> +<p>“So is mine,” said Fred; “but I don’t +much like this business. Do you know how many men there are in the +schooner?”</p> +<p>“Don’t know, and don’t care,” replied +Tom.</p> +<p>“Of course they are armed. They have revolvers, I’ll +bet my month’s pay.”</p> +<p>“If you don’t want to go, stay on shore,” +answered Hapgood, petulantly. “But don’t make a noise +about it.”</p> +<p>“Of course I’ll go, but I think we are getting into +a bad scrape.”</p> +<p>Tom and Hapgood held a hurried consultation, which ended in the +former’s taking a position in the bow of the boat, while the +other two took their places at the oars. The muskets were laid +across the thwarts, and the rowers pulled out to the middle of the +creek, just in season to intercept the schooner. Of course they +were seen by the men on board of her, who attempted to avoid +them.</p> +<p>“Hallo!” said Tom, in a kind of confidential tone. +“On board the schooner there! Are you going over?”</p> +<p>“Yes. What do you want?” answered one of the men on +board the vessel.</p> +<p>“We want to get over, and are afraid to go in this boat. +Won’t you take us over?”</p> +<p>“Who are you?”</p> +<p>“Friends. We’ve got a mail bag.”</p> +<p>“Where did you get it?”</p> +<p>“In Washington.”</p> +<p>By this time, the schooner had luffed up into the wind, and Tom +directed his companions to pull again. In a moment the boat was +alongside the schooner, and the soldier boy was about to jump upon +her half-deck, when the rebel crew, very naturally, ordered him to +wait till they had satisfied themselves in regard to his secession +proclivities.</p> +<p>There were five men in the schooner, all of whom were seated +near the stern. Tom did not heed the protest of the traitors, but +sprang on board the schooner, followed by his companions.</p> +<p>“Now, tell us who you are before you come any +farther,” said one of the men.</p> +<p>“Massachusetts soldiers! Surrender, or you are a dead +man,” replied Tom, pointing his gun.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_25" name="Ch_25">Chapter XXV.</a></h3> +<h2>In the Hospital.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>The night was very dark, so that the rebels in the boat could +not distinguish the uniform of those who had applied for a passage +on the schooner. Perhaps Tom Somers’s experience in the Blue +Ridge and on the Shenandoah had improved his strategic ability, so +that his words and his manner seemed plausible. But as strategy and +cunning always owe their success to the comparative stupidity of +the victims, Tom and his companions gained the half-deck of the +schooner more by the palpable blundering of her crew than through +the brilliancy of their own scheme.</p> +<p>Tom did not stop, in the midst of the exciting enterprise, to +determine the particular reason of his success, as we, his humble +biographer, have done. He was on the enemy’s ground, and +confronting the enemy’s forces, and logic was as much out of +place as rebellion in a free republican country. He was closely +followed by Hapgood, and at a later period by Fred Pemberton. The +nerves of the latter were not remarkably steady, and as he stepped +on board the schooner, he neglected to take the painter with him; +and the consequence was, that the boat went adrift. It is good +generalship to keep the line of retreat open; and Fred’s +neglect had deprived them of all means of retiring from the scene +of action. The only alternative was to fight their way through, and +find safety in success.</p> +<p>To Tom’s reply, that the party were Massachusetts +soldiers, the rebel who had acted as spokesman for the crew, +uttered a volley of oaths, expressive of his indignation and +disgust at the sudden check which had been given to their +prosperous voyage.</p> +<p>“Surrender!” repeated Tom, in energetic tones.</p> +<p>Two of the rebels at the stern discharged their pistols in +answer to the summons—a piece of impudence which our +Massachusetts soldiers could not tolerate; and they returned the +fire. The secessionists evidently carried revolvers; and a turn of +the barrel enabled them to fire a second volley, which the soldiers +were unable to do, for they had no time to load their guns.</p> +<p>“O!” groaned Fred, as he sunk down upon the +half-deck. “I’m hit.”</p> +<p>“We can’t stand this, Hapgood,” said Tom, +fiercely, as he leaped into the midst of the party in the standing +room. “Let’s give them the bayonet.”</p> +<p>“Give it to ’em, Tom!” replied the veteran, as +he placed himself by the side of his young companion.</p> +<p>“Will you surrender?” demanded Tom, as he thrust +vigorously with his bayonet.</p> +<p>“We surrender,” replied one of the men; but it was +not the one who had spoken before, for he had dropped off his seat +upon the bottom of the boat.</p> +<p>“Give up your pistols, then,” added Hapgood. +“You look out for the boat, Tom, and I will take care of +these fellows.”</p> +<p>Tom sprang to the position which had been occupied by the +spokesman of the party, and grasping the foresheet and the tiller +of the boat, he soon brought her up to the wind. Seating himself in +the stern, he assumed the management of the schooner, while Hapgood +busied himself in taking the pistols from the hands of the rebels, +and exploring their pockets, in search of other dangerous +weapons.</p> +<p>“How are you, Fred?” shouted Tom, when the pressing +business of the moment had been disposed of. “Are you much +hurt?”</p> +<p>“I’m afraid my time’s most up,” replied +he, faintly.</p> +<p>“Where are you hit?”</p> +<p>“In the face; the ball went through my head, I +suppose,” he added, in tones that were hardly audible, in the +warring of the December blast.</p> +<p>“Keep up a good heart, Fred, and we will soon be ashore. +Have you got an easy place?”</p> +<p>“No, the water dashes over me.”</p> +<p>“Can’t you move him aft, Hapgood?”</p> +<p>“Pretty soon; when I get these fellows fixed,” +replied the veteran, who had cut the rope nearest to his hands, and +was securing the arms of the prisoners behind them.</p> +<p>“There is no fear of them now. We have got two revolvers +apiece, and we can have it all our own way, if they show +fight.”</p> +<p>But Hapgood had bound the rebels by this time, and with tender +care he lifted his wounded companion down into the standing room, +and made him as comfortable as the circumstances would permit.</p> +<p>“Now, where are we, Hapgood?” asked Tom, who had +been vainly peering ahead to discover some familiar object by which +to steer. I can’t see the first thing.”</p> +<p>“I don’t know where we are,” replied Hapgood. +“I never was much of a sailor, and I leave the navigating all +to you.”</p> +<p>“I can navigate well enough, if I knew where we +were,” added Tom, who had thus far been utterly unable to +ascertain the “ship’s position.”</p> +<p>During the brief struggle for the possession of the schooner, +she had drifted some distance, which had caused the new commander +to lose his bearings. The shore they had just left had disappeared, +as though it had been swallowed up by an earthquake. No lights were +allowed on shore, where they could be seen from the river, for they +afforded so many targets to the artillerymen in the rebel +batteries. The more Tom tried to discover a familiar object to +steer by, the more it seemed as though the land and everything else +had been cut adrift, and emigrated to foreign parts. Those who have +been in a boat in a very dark night, or in a dense fog, will be +able to appreciate the bewilderment of the skipper of the captured +schooner.</p> +<p>“Look out, Tom, that you don’t run us into some of +those rebel batteries,” said Hapgood, after he had watched +the rapid progress of the boat for a few moments. “A shot +from a thirty-two pounder would be a pill we couldn’t +swallow.”</p> +<p>“No danger of that, Hapgood,” answered Tom, +confidently.</p> +<p>“I don’t know about that, my boy,” answered +the veteran, in a tone heavy with dire anxiety.</p> +<p>“I know it. The schooner was running with the wind on her +starboard quarter when we boarded her. We are now close-hauled, and +of course we can’t make the shore on the other side while we +are on this tack.”</p> +<p>Well, I don’t know much about it, Tom, but if you say its +all right, I’m satisfied; that’ all. I’d trust +you just as far as I would General McClennon, and you know we all +b’lieve in him.”</p> +<p>“What are you going to do with us?” asked one of the +rebels, who began to exhibit some interest in the fate of the +schooner.</p> +<p>“I suppose you will find good quarters in Fort +McHenry,” replied Tom. “Where do you belong?”</p> +<p>“In Baltimore.”</p> +<p>“What are you doing here, then?”</p> +<p>“We go in for the South.”</p> +<p>“Go in, then!” added Tom, laughing.</p> +<p>“You’ll fetch up where all the rest of ’em +do,” said Hapgood.</p> +<p>“How’s that fellow that was hit?” asked Tom, +pointing to the rebel who lay in the middle of the standing +room.</p> +<p>“I guess it’s all right with him,” replied +Hapgood, bending over the silent form. “No; he isn’t +dead.”</p> +<p>“I have it!” shouted Tom, suddenly crowding the helm +hard-a-lee.</p> +<p>“What, Tom?”</p> +<p>“I see where we are. We are running up the river. I see +the land on the weather bow.”</p> +<p>The schooner was put about, and after running with the wind +amidships for ten or fifteen minutes, Tom discovered the outline of +Mrs. Budd’s house, which was directly under the guns of the +Union battery.</p> +<p>“Stand by the fore halliards, Hapgood,” said Tom, as +the boat came about again. “Let go!”</p> +<p>The foresail came down, and Tom sprang upon the pier, as the +schooner came up under its lee. In a moment the boat was made fast. +By this time the pickets appeared.</p> +<p>“Who comes there?” demanded the soldier.</p> +<p>“Friends!” replied Tom.</p> +<p>“Advance, friend, and give the countersign.”</p> +<p>“Little Mac,” whispered the soldier boy in the ear +of the sentinel.</p> +<p>“Who are you?”</p> +<p>“Co. K.” answered Tom.</p> +<p>“What’s the row? The long roll was beat just now, +and the whole regiment is in line. What was that firing?”</p> +<p>“We have captured this boat, and five prisoners, one of +them wounded, if not dead.”</p> +<p>“Bully for you,” replied the picket.</p> +<p>They were soon joined by a squad of men, and Fred Pemberton and +the wounded rebel were conveyed to the hospital, while the four +prisoners were conducted to a secure place. Hapgood and Tom then +hastened to the parade, where the regiment was drawn up, and +reported the events which had just transpired. It was unanimously +voted by officers and privates that the picket guard had done +“a big thing,” and they were warmly and generously +commended for their skill and bravery.</p> +<p>Hapgood and Tom requested permission to go to the hospital and +see their companion. They found that the surgeon had already +dressed his wound.</p> +<p>“Will he die?” asked Tom, full of solicitude for his +friend.</p> +<p>“Die! no; it’s a mere scratch. The ball ploughed +into his cheek a little way,” replied the surgeon. “It +isn’t a bad wound. He was more scared than hurt.”</p> +<p>“I am glad it is no worse,” said Captain Benson, +who, with fatherly solicitude for his men, had come to the hospital +as soon as the company was dismissed. “But what ails you, +Tom? You look pale.”</p> +<p>“Nothing, captain.”</p> +<p>“Are you sure?”</p> +<p>“I don’t think I am badly hurt. I believe one of +those pistol balls grazed my side; but I hardly felt it.”</p> +<p>“Let me see,” said the surgeon.</p> +<p>The doctor opened Tom’s coat, and his gray shirt was found +to be saturated with blood.</p> +<p>“That’s a worse wound than Pemberton’s. +Didn’t you know it, Tom?”</p> +<p>“Well, of course I knew it; but I didn’t think it +was any thing,” replied Tom, apologetically. “I knew it +wouldn’t do to drop down, or we should all be in Dixie in +half an hour.”</p> +<p>“You are my man for the present,” said the doctor, +as he proceeded to a further examination of the wound.</p> +<p>Tom was hit in the side by one of the pistol bullets. As I have +not the surgeon’s report of the case, I cannot give a minute +description of it; but he comforted Hapgood and the captain with +the assurance that, though severe, it was not a dangerous +wound.</p> +<p>“Tom Somers, there’s a sergeant’s warrant in +Company K for one of you three men,” said Captain Benson, +when the patient was comfortably settled upon his camp bed. +“The colonel told me to give him the name of the most +deserving man in my company.”</p> +<p>“Give it to Tom,” said Hapgood, promptly. “He +led off in this matter, and ef’t hadn’t been for him, +we should all have been on t’other side of the river, and +p’raps on t’other side of Jordan, afore this time. And +then, to think that the poor fellow stood by, and handled the boat +like a commodore, when the life-blood was runnin’ out of him +all the time! It belongs to Tom.”</p> +<p>“Give it to Tom,” added Fred, who lay near the +patient.</p> +<p>“No, Captain Benson,” interposed Tom, faintly. +“Hapgood is an old soldier, and deserves it more than I do. +Give it to him, and I shall be better satisfied than if you give it +to me.”</p> +<p>“Tom Somers!” exclaimed old Hapgood, a flood of +tears sliding down his furrowed cheeks, “I won’t stand +nothin’ of the sort! I’d jump into the river and drownd +myself before I’d take it, after what you’ve +done.”</p> +<p>“You are both worthy of it,” added Captain +Benson.</p> +<p>“Please give it to Hapgood,” pleaded Tom. “He +first proposed going out after the little schooner.”</p> +<p>“Give it to Tom, cap’n. It’ll help heal his +wound,” said Hapgood.</p> +<p>“No; it would do me more good to have you receive +it,” protested Tom.</p> +<p>“Well, here, I can’t have this battle fought in the +hospital,” interposed the surgeon. “They are good +friends, captain, and whichever one you give it to, the other will +be suited. You had better settle the case at +head-quarters.”</p> +<p>“If you please, Captain Benson, I would like to have +Hapgood stay with me to-night, if he can be spared.”</p> +<p>The veteran was promptly detailed for hospital duty, and the +captain returned to his quarters to decide the momentous question +in regard to the sergeant’s warrant.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_26" name="Ch_26">Chapter XXVI.</a></h3> +<h2>Tom is Sentimental.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>The little schooner which the picket guard had captured was +loaded with valuable supplies for the rebels, which of course were +confiscated without ceremony. The mail bag which was on board +contained a great many letters from traitors in Baltimore, some of +whom were exposed by the capture of their treasonable +correspondence.</p> +<p>Tom’s wound proved to be more serious than even the +surgeon had anticipated; but the best care which it was possible to +give in a military hospital was bestowed upon him. Old Hapgood, in +recognition of his services on that eventful night, was permitted +to be near the patient as much as the interests of the service +would permit; and the old man was happy when seated by the rude +couch of the soldier boy, ministering to his necessities, or +cheering him with bright hopes of the future. A strong friendship +had grown up between them, for Tom’s kind heart and brave +conduct produced a deep impression upon the old man.</p> +<p>“Here, Tom,” said Captain Benson, as he approached +the sufferer, a few days after he entered the hospital, and laid a +paper upon the bed. “Here’s a prescription which the +colonel says you must take.”</p> +<p>“What is it?” asked Tom, with a faint smile.</p> +<p>“A sergeant’s warrant.”</p> +<p>“Glory, glory, hallelujah, as we go marching on!” +exclaimed old Hapgood, jumping up like a youth of sixteen, and +swinging his cap above his head.</p> +<p>“Shut up, there!” shouted the hospital steward. +“Don’t you know any better than to make such a racket +in this place?”</p> +<p>“I beg pardon, Jameson. I forgot where I was,” +apologized the veteran. “The news was so good I +couldn’t help it. Our Tom is a sergeant now!”</p> +<p>“Not yet, Hapgood,” replied Tom, feebly. “I +can’t accept it, Captain Benson; it belongs to Hapgood, sir, +and I shall feel a great deal better if you put his name in place +of mine.”</p> +<p>“Don’t do it, cap’n!” interposed the old +man, vehemently. “Tom shall be a brigadier general if the war +lasts one year more. I should feel like a whipped kitten if that +warrant was altered.”</p> +<p>“The matter has been fully and fairly considered at +head-quarters, and there is no such thing as altering the decision +now; so, Tom, you can put the stripes on your arm just as soon as +you please.”</p> +<p>Hapgood insisted, the surgeon insisted, and the captain +insisted; and Tom was too sick to hold way with them in an +argument, and his name was placed upon the roster of the company as +a sergeant. He was proud of the distinction which had been +conferred upon him, though he thought Hapgood, as an older and +abler soldier, was better entitled to the honor than himself.</p> +<p>It was six weeks before Tom was able to enter upon the actual +enjoyment of the well-merited promotion which he had won by his +gallantry; but when he appeared before the company with the chevron +of the sergeant upon his arm, he was lustily cheered by his +comrades, and it was evident that the appointment was a very +popular one. Not even the grumblers, of whom there is a full quota +in every regiment, deemed it prudent to growl at the decision of +the officers. If any one ventured to suggest that he was too young +to be placed over older and stronger men, his friends replied, that +men in the army were measured by bravery and skill, not by +years.</p> +<p>If my young readers wish to know why Tom’s appointment was +so well received by his companions in arms, I can only reply, that +he had not only been brave and cheerful in the midst of peril and +hardship, but he was kind and obliging to his comrades. He had +always been willing to help those that needed help, to sympathize +with those in trouble, and generally to do all he could to render +those around him happy.</p> +<p>Above all these considerations, Tom was a young man of high +principle. He had obeyed his mother’s parting injunction, +often repeated in the letters which came to him from home, and had +faithfully “read his Testament.” Without being a +hypocrite or a canting saint, Tom carried about with him the true +elements of Christian character.</p> +<p>Tom had fought a greater battle than that in which he had been +engaged at Bull Run a hundred times, in resisting the temptations +which beset him from within and without. True to God and true to +himself, he had won the victory. Though his lot was cast in the +midst of men who swore, gambled, and drank liquor, he had shunned +these vices, and loved the sinner while he hated the sin. Such a +person could not fail to win the respect of his companions. Though +he had been jeered at and insulted for being sober, honest, and +pious, he had fought down and lived down all these vilifiers, and +won their esteem.</p> +<p>It must be acknowledged that Tom’s piety was of the robust +type. He would not allow any man to insult him; and after the +chastisement he had given Ben Lethbridge, not even those who were +strong enough to whip him were disposed to trespass upon his rights +and dignity. Perhaps Tom’s creed needed a little revising; +but he lived under martial law, which does not take cognizance of +insults and revilings. He was willing to be smitten on the one +cheek, and on the other also, for the good of his country, or even +his friends, but not to be wantonly insulted.</p> +<p>The influence of Tom’s principles was not confined to +himself, for “a little leaven leaveneth the whole +lump.” This was particularly true of Hapgood, who, more +through Tom’s preaching and practice than from any strength +in his own character, had steadily maintained his purpose to +abstain from intoxicating drinks, though occasional opportunities +were presented for the indulgence of his darling vice. Tom and he +read the Testament and other good books which were sent to the +regiment, and both profited by them.</p> +<p>When the soldier boy was discharged from the hospital, the +surgeon gave him a pair of woolen socks, from a case of them which +had been sent by the friends of the soldier in Boston and its +vicinity. He was very much in need of them, and from the depths of +his heart he blessed the ladies who had done this good work. He +unrolled the socks, and proceeded to pull one of them on. It was as +good a fit as though his mother had knit it on purpose for him.</p> +<p>“God bless the lady that knit these socks!” +exclaimed Tom, as he began to draw on the other.</p> +<p>“Amen!” replied Hapgood, who was watching the +operation in full sympathy with his protege.</p> +<p>“Eh! what’s this?” added Tom, for his foot had +met with an obstruction in its passage down the leg.</p> +<p>He pulled off the sock, and thrusting his hand into it, took +therefrom a letter enclosed in an envelope.</p> +<p>“See that, uncle?” said he, exhibiting the +prize.</p> +<p>“What is it, Tom? Open it quick,” replied +Hapgood.</p> +<p>The soldier boy broke the envelope, and took from it a note +enclosing a photograph. Tom looked at the picture with a feeling of +pleasure, which would have caused the original of the miniature, +the author of the note, and the author of the socks, to blush up to +her eyes if she had beheld the expression of admiration which +glowed upon the handsome, manly face of the young sergeant.</p> +<p>“By all that’s lovely, isn’t she a +beauty!” exclaimed Tom, rapturously, as he glanced from the +picture to Hapgood, who was looking over his shoulder.</p> +<p>“She’s hahnsome, and no mistake,” replied the +veteran, with a grim smile.</p> +<p>“Well, she is!” added Tom, whose eyes were riveted +to the photograph.</p> +<p>“Well, why don’t you read the letter, Tom?” +demanded the old soldier, after the young man had gazed with +blushing cheek upon the sweet face of the author of his socks for +full five minutes.</p> +<p>“I guess I will,” said Tom; but he did not; for the +picture seemed to be glory and beauty enough to satisfy him for the +present.</p> +<p>“Read the letter, Tom!” shouted the veteran, after +he had waited as long as the nature of the case seemed to +require.</p> +<p>The soldier boy carefully placed the photograph in the envelope, +and unfolded the letter. It was written in a beautiful hand, which +looked as soft and delicate as the fair fingers which had penned +the lines. He glanced at it as a whole, admired the penmanship, and +the fairy-like symmetry that make up the <em>tout-ensemble</em> of +the page, and was about to dissolve into another rhapsody, when +Hapgood, who was not half so sentimental as the sergeant, became +impatient to know the contents of the missive. Tom read it aloud to +the stoical veteran; and though we cannot clothe its sweet words in +the fairy chirography which transported our hero, and made the +letter a dream of bliss to him, we shall venture to present it to +our curious readers, stiffened and hardened into the dull, cold +forms of the printer’s art.</p> +<blockquote> +<p>No.——, RUTLAND STREET, BOSTON, <em>Nov.</em> 5, +1861.</p> +<p>MY DEAR SOLDIER:—</p> +<p>This is the first pair of socks I ever knit; and I send them to +you with my blessing upon the brave defenders of my country. I hope +they will keep your feet warm, and thus keep your heart warm +towards God and our blessed land.</p> +<p>Grandma says I am a silly girl, and I suppose I am; but if you +feel half as much interest in me as I do in the person who will +wear the first pair of socks I ever knit, you will wish to know how +I look; therefore I send you my photograph.</p> +<p>I very much desire to know whether my work has done any good; +whether my socks are ever worn in a battle; and most of all, I +desire to know how the noble fellow looks that wears them. +Therefore I beg you to answer my letter, and also to send me your +photograph, if you can conveniently.</p> +<p>Now, my dear soldier, be brave and true, and, above all, do not +run away from the rebels with my socks on your feet. You may +retreat when your officers order you to retire; but if you are a +coward, and find yourself compelled to run away, please pull them +off before you do so, for I should die with mortification if I +thought I had knit a pair of socks for a Union soldier to run away +in.</p> +<p class="rgt">Truly yours, for our flag and our country.<br /> +LILIAN ASHFORD.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>“Well, if that gal ain’t a trump, then there +ain’t no snakes in Virginny!” exclaimed Hapgood. +“She’s got the true grit, and no mistake.”</p> +<p>“That’s so,” replied the recipient of the +gift, thoughtfully, as he bent down, and began to pull off the sock +which encased his left foot.</p> +<p>“What are you doing?” demanded Hapgood, surprised at +this new movement of his companion.</p> +<p>“I can’t wear these socks yet, uncle,” replied +he.</p> +<p>“Why not?”</p> +<p>Don’t she say she wants them worn in a battle?”</p> +<p>“Tom, you are a little fool!” added the veteran, +petulantly. “Are you going with cold feet just to please a +silly gal, whose head is as full of moonshine as an egg is of meat. +Put on the socks, and keep your feet warm. If you don’t, +I’ll write to her, and tell what a fool you are.”</p> +<p>Tom did put them on, but he could not help feeling that uncle +Hapgood, as he was familiarly called in the camp, did not +understand and appreciate his sentiments. The socks seemed to be +too precious to be worn in the vulgar mud of Maryland. To him there +was something ethereal about them, and it looked a little like +profanation to put any thing emanating from the fairy fingers of +the original of that photograph, and the author of that letter, +upon his feet.</p> +<p>“Now you act like a sensible fellow, as you are, +Tom,” said Hapgood, as the sergeant put on his army +brogans.</p> +<p>“Well, uncle, one thing is certain: I never will run away +from the rebels with these socks on,” added Tom, with a rich +glow of enthusiasm.</p> +<p>“If Gen’l McClennon don’t stir his stumps +pretty soon, you’ll wear ’em out afore you git a chance +to run away.”</p> +<p>Tom, almost for the first time since he had been in the army, +wanted to be alone. With those socks on, it seemed just as though +he was walking the streets of the New Jerusalem, with heaven and +stacks of silver-fringed and golden-tinged clouds beneath his feet, +buried up to the eyes in floods of liquid moonshine.</p> +<p>If “grandma” really thought that Lilian Ashford was +a silly girl, and if Lilian really supposed so herself, it must be +added, in justification of her conduct, that she had given the +soldier boy a new incentive to do his duty nobly, and kindled in +his soul a holy aspiration to serve God and his country with +renewed zeal and fidelity.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_27" name="Ch_27">Chapter XXVII.</a></h3> +<h2>The Confederate Deserter.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>While Tom was in the hospital, he received a letter from his +sister, informing him that his brother John had actually entered +the navy, and with his mother’s consent. The news from home +was so favorable, that the soldier boy was pleased to hear that +Jack had realized his darling wish, and that he was now in his +element.</p> +<p>Intelligence from home, accompanied with letters, papers, books, +comforts, and luxuries of various kinds, reached him every two or +three weeks; and when the news went back that Tom had been made a +sergeant for gallant conduct, there was a great sensation in +Pinchbrook. The letters which reached him after the receipt of this +gratifying announcement contained all the gossip of the place in +regard to the important event. Of course, Tom was delighted by +these letters, and was more than ever determined to be diligent and +faithful in the discharge of his duties, and never to disgrace the +name he bore. He was confident his friends would never have +occasion to blush for his conduct—including the original of +the photograph, the author of the letter and of the socks.</p> +<p>Tom recovered from the effects of his wound, as we have before +intimated, and took his place in the regimental line as a sergeant. +January and February passed away without any very stirring events; +but in the month of March came indications of activity. The rebels +began to draw in their lines, by abandoning various points, till +the nation was startled by the evacuation of their strongly +fortified position at Manassas, and the forts in front of +Budd’s Ferry were suddenly left for the occupation of the +Federal troops.</p> +<p>Hooker’s men crossed the Potomac, and Tom was once more on +the sacred soil of Virginia. Skirmishers were sent out in various +directions, and though a deserted camp, which had been hastily +abandoned, was found, there were no rebels to be seen. The Union +boys were not disposed to leave their investigations at this +interesting point, and they pursued their way still farther into +the country. Somehow or other, Tom and his party did not receive +the order to return, and the enterprising young hero continued his +march in search of further adventures. It was altogether too tame +for him and the congenial spirits in his section to retire without +seeing a live rebel or two; and I am not sure, if their desire had +not been gratified, that they would not have penetrated to +Fredericksburg, and captured that citadel of rebellion in advance +to General Augur, who visited the place in April.</p> +<p>As it was, they stumbled upon the pickets of a rebel force, and +as soon as their uniform was identified they had the honor of being +fired upon, though none of them had the honor of being killed in +the midst of their virtual disobedience of orders. But their +appearance created a panic among the Confederates, who had no means +of knowing that they were not the pioneers of a whole division of +Union troops, for General McClellan had removed the spell which +bound the loyal army to its camps, and corps, divisions, and +brigades were pushing forward into the dominion of the +traitors.</p> +<p>The alarm was given, and Tom saw that he was rushing into a bad +scrape; and as prudence is as much a requisite of the good soldier +as bravery, he ordered his men to fall back. Rebels are very much +like ill-natured curs, ever ready to pursue a retreating foe, or +run away from an advancing one. The Confederates chased them, and +as the legs of the former seemed to be in remarkably good +condition, the sergeant came to the conclusion that it would not be +safe to run too fast.</p> +<p>“Halt!” shouted he; and the men promptly obeyed the +order.</p> +<p>They discharged their muskets, and then made a demonstration +towards the enemy, who, obeying their instinct, ran away as fast as +their legs would carry them. Taking advantage of this movement on +their part, Tom again ordered a retreat.</p> +<p>“They are after us again,” said Hapgood. “I +hope there ain’t no cavalry within hearing. If there is, we +may take a journey to Richmond.”</p> +<p>“They have stopped to load their guns,” replied Tom. +“We will use our legs now.”</p> +<p>“See that, Tom!” said Hapgood, suddenly.</p> +<p>“What?”</p> +<p>“There’s one of them rushing towards us all +alone.”</p> +<p>“He has thrown up his gun. The others are yelling to him +to come back. What does that mean?”</p> +<p>“He is a deserter; he wants to get away from them. There +he comes.”</p> +<p>“Yes, and there comes the rest of them—the whole +rebel army—more than a million of them,” said Fred +Pemberton. “It’s time for us to be going.”</p> +<p>“See! They are firing at him. Forward!” added Tom, +leading the way.</p> +<p>The party rushed forward, for a short distance; but the dozen +rebels had been reënforced, and it was madness to rush into +the very teeth of danger. Tom ordered his men to halt and fire at +will. The deserter, probably finding that he was between two fires, +turned aside from the direct course he was pursuing, and sought +shelter in the woods. The sergeant then directed his men to retire, +for whether the retreat of the runaway rebel was covered or not, it +was no longer safe to remain.</p> +<p>Fortunately the Confederates were more in doubt than the +Unionists; and perhaps expecting to fall upon a larger body of the +latter, they abandoned the pursuit, and returned to their posts. +Nothing was seen of the deserter for some time, and Tom concluded +that he had lost his way in the woods, or had missed the direction +taken by the Federal scouts.</p> +<p>“He was a plucky fellow, any how,” said one of the +men, “to attempt to run away in the very face of his +companions.”</p> +<p>“Well, he timed it well, for he started just when their +guns were all empty,” added another.</p> +<p>“I’m not sorry he missed us,” continued +Hapgood. “I don’t like a desarter, no how. It goes +right agin my grain.”</p> +<p>“But he was running from the wrong to the right +side,” replied Tom.</p> +<p>“I don’t keer if he was. Them colors on +t’other side were his’n. He chose ’em for +himself, and it’s mean to run away from ’em. If a +man’s go’n to be a rebel, let him be one, and stick to +it.”</p> +<p>“You don’t know any thing about it, uncle. Thousands +of men have been forced into the rebel army, and I don’t +blame them for getting out of it the best way they can. I should do +so.”</p> +<p>“That may be. Tom; that may be,” added the veteran, +taking off his cap and rubbing his bald head, as though a new idea +had penetrated it. “I didn’t think of that.”</p> +<p>“He’s a brave man, whoever he is, and whatever he +is.”</p> +<p>“He must want to get away from ’em pretty bad, or he +wouldn’t have run that risk. I shouldn’t wonder if they +hit him.”</p> +<p>“Perhaps he is wounded, and gone into the woods there to +die,” suggested Tom.</p> +<p>“Halloo!” shouted some one in the rear of them.</p> +<p>“There’s your man,” said Hapgood.</p> +<p>“Halloo!” cried the same voice.</p> +<p>“Halloo, yourself!” shouted Hapgood in reply to the +hail.</p> +<p>The party halted, and after waiting a few moments, the rebel +deserter came in sight. He was apparently a man of fifty; and no +mendicant of St. Giles, who followed begging as a profession, could +have given himself a more wretched and squalid appearance, if he +had devoted a lifetime to the study of making himself look +miserable. He wore a long black and gray beard, uncut and unkempt, +and snarled, tangled, and knotted into the most fantastic forms. +His gray uniform, plentifully bedaubed with Virginia mud, was torn +in a hundred places, and hung in tatters upon his emaciated frame. +On his head was an old felt hat, in a terribly dilapidated +condition. He wore one boot and one shoe, which he had probably +taken from the common sewer of Richmond, or some other southern +city; they were ripped to such an extent that the +“uppers” went flipperty-flap as he walked, and had the +general appearance of the open mouth of the mythic dragon, with +five bare toes in each to represent teeth.</p> +<p>As he approached, the unthinking soldiers of the party indulged +in screams of laughter at the uncouth appearance of the whilom +rebel; and certainly the character in tableau or farce need not +have spoken, to convulse any audience that ever assembled in +Christendom. Rip Van Winkle, with the devastations and +dilapidations of five-and-twenty years hanging about him, did not +present a more forlorn appearance than did this representative of +the Confederate army.</p> +<p>“What are you laughing at?” demanded the deserter, +not at all delighted with this reception.</p> +<p>“I say, old fellow, how long since you escaped from the +rag-bag?” jeered one of the men.</p> +<p>“What’s the price of boots in Richmond now?” +asked another.</p> +<p>“Who’s your barber?”</p> +<p>“Silence, men!” interposed Tom, sternly, for he +could not permit his boys to make fun of the wretchedness of any +human being.</p> +<p>“We’ll sell you out for paper stock,” said Ben +Lethbridge, who had just returned from three months’ service +in the Rip-Raps for desertion.</p> +<p>“Shut up, Ben!” added Tom.</p> +<p>“Dry up, all of you!” said Corporal Snyder.</p> +<p>“Who and what are you?” asked Tom, of the +deserter.</p> +<p>“I’m a Union man!” replied the stranger with +emphasis; “and I didn’t expect to be treated in this +way after all I’ve suffered.”</p> +<p>“They thought you were a rebel. You wear the colors of the +rebel army,” answered the sergeant, willing to explain the +rudeness of his men.</p> +<p>“Well, I suppose I do look rather the worse for the +wear,” added the grayback, glancing down at the tattered +uniform he wore. “I joined the rebel army, after I had tried +every way in the world to get out of this infernal country; but I +never fired a gun at a Union man. Seems to me, sergeant, I’ve +seen you before somewhere. What’s your name? Where did you +come from?”</p> +<p>“Pinchbrook, Massachusetts; and most of us hail from the +same place.”</p> +<p>“Creation!” exclaimed the deserter. “You +don’t say so!”</p> +<p>“Your voice sounds familiar to me,” added Tom; and +for some reason his chest was heaving violently beneath his +suddenly accelerated respiration.</p> +<p>As he spoke, he walked towards the dilapidated rebel, who had +not ventured to come within twenty feet of the party.</p> +<p>“Did you say Pinchbrook?” demanded the stranger, who +began to display a great deal of emotion.</p> +<p>“Pinchbrook, sir,” added Tom; and so intensely was +he excited, that the words were gasped from his lips.</p> +<p>“What’s your name?”</p> +<p>“Thomas Somers,” replied the sergeant.</p> +<p>“Tom!” screamed the deserter, rushing forward.</p> +<p>“Father!” cried Tom, as he grasped the hand of the +phantom Confederate.</p> +<p>The soldiers of the party were transfixed with astonishment at +this unexpected scene, and they stood like statues gazing at the +meeting of father and son, till the final development of their +relationship, when the muscles of their faces relaxed, and the +expression of wonder gave place to joyous sympathy.</p> +<p>“Captain Somers, of Pinchbrook!” shouted old +Hapgood; and the men joined with him in a roar of intense +satisfaction, that made the woods ring.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_28" name="Ch_28">Chapter XXVIII.</a></h3> +<h2>On the Peninsula.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>The scene between Captain Somers and his son was very affecting +and very exciting; and if the soldiers had all been uncles and +first cousins of the parties, they could not have manifested more +interest on the joyous occasion. The father wept, and the son wept; +for each, amid the terrible experience of these troublous times, +had hardly expected to meet the other.</p> +<p>For several minutes they held each other by the hand, laughing +and weeping alternately, and neither being able to express the +intense emotions which agitated him. The men shouted and laughed in +full sympathy with the reunited sire and son.</p> +<p>“I’m glad to see you, Tom,” said Captain +Somers, as he wiped away the tears that were sliding down upon his +grizzly beard. “I haven’t cried before for thirty +years; I’m ashamed of it, Tom, but I can’t help +it.”</p> +<p>“I didn’t expect to find you here, father, and +clothed in the rebel uniform; but I’m glad to see you in any +uniform,” replied the soldier boy.</p> +<p>“So you’re in the army, Tom,” continued the +father, gazing with satisfaction at the neat appearance of the +sergeant.</p> +<p>“Yes, sir; I enlisted within a fortnight after we heard +that the traitors had bombarded Fort Sumter.”</p> +<p>“I see you’ve got three stripes on your +arm.”</p> +<p>“Yes, Cap’n Somers,” said Hapgood; “Tom +was made a sergeant for gallant conduct on the river in December; +and he deserved his promotion too.”</p> +<p>“I’m glad to see you with that uniform on your back, +Tom; and glad to hear that you have behaved well.”</p> +<p>“I was in the battle of Bull Run, father, and was taken +prisoner, but I got away.”</p> +<p>“Well, Tom, we’ll hear about that bimeby,” +said the old man, stopping and looking nervously into the face of +his son. “I want to ask a great many questions, Tom, but I +hardly dare to do it. You know I haven’t heard a word from +home since I left, and it’s almost a year now.”</p> +<p>“You needn’t be afraid, father; the folks are all +well. I have got a heap of letters at the camp, and you shall read +them all as soon as we get there.”</p> +<p>“Is your mother well, Tom?”</p> +<p>“First rate.”</p> +<p>“And John?”</p> +<p>“Yes, sir; but he’s gone into the navy. He was bound +to be in the fight any how.”</p> +<p>“John’s a chip of the old block. He wanted to snuff +the salt water afore he was a week old. John’s a good sailor, +and he ought to have a good lay wherever he goes,” added the +father.</p> +<p>Captain Somers and Tom sat upon the ground for half an hour, +until the fugitive from the rebel army was in some degree rested +after the hard run he had had through the woods. The soldiers +gathered around them, as much interested as though they had been +members of the Somers family. Tom’s father had a multitude of +questions to ask about Pinchbrook and its people, all of which were +answered to his satisfaction.</p> +<p>The sergeant thought it was time for the party to move on, and +his father declared that he was able to walk any distance which +would bring him nearer to the home of his wife and children. The +order was given, and the little band resumed its march.</p> +<p>“How have you been all this time, father?” asked +Tom, as he walked along by the side of Captain Somers.</p> +<p>“I’ve been pretty fairly most of the time. I’m +tough and hardy, or I should have been dead afore this time. +We’ve been half starved and half frozen in the camp; but I +managed to live through it, hoping and expecting to get away from +those rascally rebels.”</p> +<p>“Where have you been all the time?” asked Tom. +“Have you been in the rebel army long?”</p> +<p>“About four months; but I may as well begin at the +beginning, and tell you the whole story,” added the captain. +“I got to Norfolk all right, and was there when the news came +up that the rebels had taken Sumter. Every body was mad, and I was +as mad as the rest of them, though not exactly in the same way. I +let on a little with my tongue, and came pretty near being tarred +and feathered, and I think I should have been, if your uncle Wyman +hadn’t interfered.”</p> +<p>“Did he settle with you, father?”</p> +<p>“After a while he did. He had some fifteen thousand +dollars in New York, which had just been sent over from England, +and as he was secesh, he was terribly afeard the Lincoln government +would confiscate it; so he settled with me, and gave me a power of +attorney to draw his money, pay myself, and take care of what was +over. I’ve got the papers safe in my waistbands +now.”</p> +<p>“Good! Glory, hallelujah!” shouted Tom. “We +can pay off old Pemberton now, for it goes against my grain to owe +a dollar to a traitor. But if uncle Wyman is a rebel, and I suppose +he is, I hope the government will confiscate what’s over +after you have paid yourself.”</p> +<p>“Well, I don’t know. We will see about that bimeby. +He used me fair, and I don’t wish him any harm; but I hate +his principles. Well, just then, Tom, when I had got my accounts +squared, the rascals took my vessel, and sunk it in the channel to +keep the Union fleet out. My pipe was out then, and I +couldn’t do any thing more. I hung round the city of Norfolk +till I saw there was no chance to get out in that direction; and +then I left. I was up near Bull Run—the rebels call it +Manassas—when the battle was fought; but our folks got licked +so badly, that it was no use to try to get through there.</p> +<p>“I tried half a dozen times to crawl through, and had +nearly starved to death in the woods; but some rebel cavalry +pickets spied me out, called me a traitor, and sent me back. My +money was all gone by this time, and I went over to Norfolk again. +Your uncle Wyman told me I had better keep quiet where I was, for +just as sure as his name was Somers, the North would all fall to +pieces in less than six months. He expected the rebel army would be +in New York afore long, and I should be a great deal better off +where I was. He tried to get a pass to send me through the rebel +lines, but he couldn’t do it.</p> +<p>“Things went on in this way till your uncle Wyman went to +Charleston on business, and I haven’t seen him from that day +to this. The rebels tried to make me go into their navy, but I +wouldn’t do it, of course; but when I couldn’t do any +other way, I went into the army, hoping I should be sent to the +front, and find a chance to get away. I’ve been watching ever +since, but I never happened to get within twenty miles of the Union +pickets before. But here I am, and I’m perfectly satisfied +with the past, though I’ve suffered a good deal in one way +and another.”</p> +<p>By the time Captain Somers had finished his narrative, the party +arrived at the camp. Tom was reprimanded very gently for detaching +himself from the main body of the regiment; but when he reported +the events of his excursion, as he had safely returned with his +command, nothing more was said about his adventure.</p> +<p>At the camp the Union refugee was provided with comfortable +clothing; his hair and beard were trimmed down to decent +proportions, and he was otherwise purged of the barbarisms of the +rebel camp. But even then he did not look like the stout, hearty, +healthy Captain Somers who sailed from Boston in the Gazelle nearly +a year before. He was haggard and emaciated from anxiety and +semi-starvation.</p> +<p>Captain Somers was warmly welcomed by the members of Company K, +who came from Pinchbrook; and when his physical wants had been +satisfied, he was sent to General Hooker, to communicate to him +such intelligence as he possessed in regard to the position and +numbers of the rebel army. He remained at the camp but two days, at +the end of which time he was sent to Washington, and from there +hastened to his home in Pinchbrook. A letter from Tom, announcing +the joyful intelligence of his return, had preceded him.</p> +<p>In ten days after parting with his father, the sergeant received +a full and glowing account of the reception of Captain Somers, who +became quite a lion in Pinchbrook for the time being. He received +his money as he passed through New York, though not without the aid +of a government order which he had procured in Washington, and only +the amount that was actually due to him, for uncle Wyman’s +funds were then in process of being confiscated.</p> +<p>The only drawback upon his father’s happiness was the +absence of John, who had been drafted into a vessel bound to the +South. He had not seen him for a year, and another year would +probably elapse before he could expect to realize this pleasure. +But the captain’s patriotism had been intensified a hundred +fold by his bitter experience in Virginia; and while his twin sons +were gallantly serving their country in the army and the navy, he +was willing to sacrifice the yearnings of his paternal heart, and +he hoped and prayed that they might do their duty faithfully.</p> +<p>Tom’s regiment remained on the Potomac but a short time +after the event we have related. Sharper and sterner experience was +before these tried soldiers, and the first indications of active +service were greeted with joyous enthusiasm. Suddenly the camp was +broken up, and the order to march given. The men wondered and +speculated upon their destination, and though the prophets of the +regiments gave them certain information in regard to the direction +they were to take, most of them were incredulous. One declared they +were going to Richmond by the way of Fredericksburg; another, by +the way of Manassas; and a third was positive, from hints he had +seen in the newspapers, that they were going down the valley of the +Shenandoah, to take the capital of Rebeldom on the flank and +rear.</p> +<p>While the prophets and wise men were speculating, the regiment +marched on; and to the astonishment of all, and to the utter +confusion of the seers, they were embarked in a transport—the +steamer Napoleon—bound no one knew where. One regiment and +half of another belonging to the brigade were huddled on board of +this one steamer. Every foot of standing room was occupied, and, of +course, the boys were not very comfortably quartered; but, as Tom +expressed it, there was music ahead, and the brave hearts on board +were ready to stand any thing if they could only get a fight out of +the rebels. The mortification of their defeat at Bull Run still +hung heavily on their spirits, and they were panting for an +opportunity to retaliate upon the foe, and win the laurels they had +lost upon that disastrous field.</p> +<p>The prophets, though their failure to foretell the coming event +had cast them into disgrace, were still ready to volunteer an +opinion. They declared that the transports were bound to North +Carolina, to follow up Burnside’s successes; but most of the +men were content to wait till the future should develop itself.</p> +<p>The troops were eager for active duty, and if they could get +into the field and strike a heavy blow at the rebellion, they did +not care where it was. They had unbounded confidence in the young +general who was to organize victory for them, and they were willing +to obey orders, and leave every thing to him.</p> +<p>It “thundered all around” them. Roanoke, Pea Ridge, +Newbern, Winchester, Donelson, were a succession of Union +victories, which inspired them with zeal and courage to endure all +hardships, and face any peril which might be in their path.</p> +<p>The transport descended the Potomac, and came to anchor in the +bay, where they lay one day; the steamer then continued on her +course, and landed her troops in Cheseman’s Creek, an +indentation of the peninsula between the York and James Rivers. +After lying in camp a few days, they marched again, and Tom learned +that the regiment was before Yorktown, which had been strongly +fortified by the rebels to resist the advance of the Union +army.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_29" name="Ch_29">Chapter XXIX.</a></h3> +<h2>The Battle of Williamsburg.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>What the army of the Potomac achieved and suffered before +Yorktown, we must leave for the historian. Our soldier boy was only +one hero among thousands who toiled in the soft mud of the early +spring, who watched and waited for the tremendous events which have +now passed into history, and whose actors will be honored and +remembered by future generations.</p> +<p>Tom Somers bore his full share of the trials and hardships of +that eventful period; and when McClellan’s scientific +engineering had driven the rebels from their strong works without a +struggle to retain them, he moved forward with the gallant army. +“On to Richmond!” again sounded along the lines, and +the soldiers toiled through mud and mire, hoping and expecting to +strike the final blow that would crush out the rebellion.</p> +<p>Yorktown was evacuated. The rebels were fleeing from their +frowning batteries, and the order came for Hooker’s division +to join in the pursuit. At noon the brigade—now under command +of General Grover commenced its forward movement.</p> +<p>“Rather rough,” said Hapgood, as the regiment +struggled on through the mire. “Rather soft, I think,” +replied Tom, laughing.</p> +<p>“I hope we haven’t got to march far through this +mud,” added Ben Lethbridge.</p> +<p>“That will depend upon how soon we come up with the +rebels. If it rests with Hooker, I tell you he will get a fight out +of the rebs, if such a thing is possible.”</p> +<p>After the regiment had marched five or six miles, the order came +to halt; and the intelligence passed along the column that the +cavalry had come up with the enemy, and were waiting the arrival of +an infantry force to assist in the attack.</p> +<p>“Good!” shouted Tom. “We shall have a battle +before night.”</p> +<p>“Perhaps not,” added Hapgood. “It takes the +cat a good while to catch the mouse, even after she smells the +critter.”</p> +<p>“Why don’t we march? What are we stopping here +for?” said Tom, impatiently.</p> +<p>“They say Smith’s division has got in ahead of us. +Keep cool, Tom; never be in a hurry for a battle. Some of us that +stand here now won’t be alive in twenty-four hours from now; +for I don’t believe the rebs are going to let us have it all +our own way,” said the veteran.</p> +<p>“Nor I,” added Fred Pemberton. “I shall be +killed in this fight.”</p> +<p>“How do you know, Fred?” demanded Hapgood, +sternly.</p> +<p>“Of course I don’t know, but I feel it in my bones +that I shall fall in the first battle.”</p> +<p>“Your bones ain’t no guide at all. I know something +about this business, and I’ve seen croakers afore to-day. +Don’t talk about being killed, or even hit. Be ready to die, +do your duty like a soldier, and leave all the rest to your +Maker,” said the veteran, solemnly.</p> +<p>“I don’t have any such feeling as that. I know I +shan’t be killed,” laughed Ben. “The bullet +hasn’t been cast yet that will stop my wind.”</p> +<p>“Perhaps it has, my boy. It may be in some rebel +soldier’s cartridge box over yonder, even now. I tell you, +boys, you don’t know any thing about it. Just afore we went +in at Cerry Gordy, a feller by my side said the same thing you did, +Ben; and he was the first man that went down. I tried to pick him +up, and do something for him, but he was stone dead. I tell you, +Ben, you don’t know any thing about it. Leave it all to the +Almighty.”</p> +<p>“Pooh, uncle!” sneered Ben, trying to laugh down the +solemn words of the old man. “Don’t you think +we’d better have a prayer meetin’ before we go +in?”</p> +<p>“I think we should fight the better for it, for he who +trusts in God don’t fear death.”</p> +<p>But it was evident that the words of Hapgood, especially the +incident of Cerro Gordo, had made a deep impression upon the mind +of the thoughtless young man. Though the division did not move for +three hours, he was very silent and sober. He seemed to feel that +he had been tempting Providence by his bold speech, and even +expressed his regret to Tom for what he had said.</p> +<p>It was dark when the order to march was given. The night was +exceedingly gloomy, and the rain poured down upon the devoted army, +as it moved forward to do its great work. Hour after hour, in the +deep darkness and the pouring rain, the men struggled through the +mire, expecting every moment to be hurled upon the rebel +battalions, or to meet the impetuous onset of the foe.</p> +<p>Between ten and eleven, when the men were nearly worn out by the +exhausting labors of the march, they were ordered to halt in the +road, and bivouac for the rest of the night. What a time and what a +place for repose! They could only wrap themselves up in their wet +blankets, and stretch themselves upon the ground, soaked with +water, and with the rain still pouring down upon them. But they +slept, and enjoyed their rest, for Nature was imperative in her +demands.</p> +<p>At daylight the march was resumed; for the intrepid Hooker, ever +faithful to the trust confided to him, was wholly in earnest. At +half-past five the column was halted in the woods. The rebel works +before Williamsburg were in sight, and General Hooker rode to the +front to examine the position of the enemy.</p> +<p>In front of the rebel batteries, and on each side of the roads, +the trees had been felled, in order to give the guns in the field +works full play upon an approaching force.</p> +<p>“Hurrah!” shouted some of the boys on the right of +the column. “Our brigade is to commence the +attack.”</p> +<p>“How do you know?” growled Hapgood, who did not +think a soldier ought to know any thing about the plan of the +battle.</p> +<p>“We are ordered to move,” replied Tom. “I +suppose that’s all they know about it.”</p> +<p>The prophets on the right were correct this time, for the +regiment was soon sent to the right of the road, and ordered to +deploy as skirmishers. A battery was thrown forward in front of the +felled timber; but before a gun could be fired, two officers and +two privates were seen to fall before the unerring aim of the rebel +sharpshooters, occupying the rifle pits which dotted the cleared +land in front of the forts.</p> +<p>“That’s a hot place,” said Ben Lethbridge.</p> +<p>“We shall all see hot work before the sun goes down +to-night,” replied Tom. “But let us stand up to it like +men.”</p> +<p>“That’s the talk, Tom!” exclaimed Hapgood.</p> +<p>“Have you got those socks on, my boy?”</p> +<p>“I have, uncle; and I have the letter and the photograph +in my pocket.”</p> +<p>“Good, Tom! After this day’s work is over, you can +write the lady a letter, and tell her that her socks have been in a +battle.”</p> +<p>“And that I didn’t run away in them.”</p> +<p>The roar of the guns in Fort Magruder interrupted the +conversation. The gunners of the battery in front of them had been +driven from their pieces; but it was almost instantly manned by +volunteers, and a destructive fire poured into the works. Other +batteries were brought up, and the fort was soon silenced. The roar +of battle sounded all along the line; the thunder of cannon and the +crash of musketry reverberated through the woods and over the +plain, assuring the impatient troops that they were engaged in no +trivial affair; that they were fighting a great battle, of which +thousands yet unborn would read upon the pages of history.</p> +<p>Our regiment closed up its lines, and the gallant colonel gave +the order to move forward in the direction of the field works. On, +on, steadily and firmly marched the men of Massachusetts, through +ditch and swamp, through mud and mire, loading, firing, and +charging, as the enemy presented opportunity. The hot work of the +day had commenced; for, from every bush, tree, and covert, which +could conceal a man, the rebels poured a deadly fire into the ranks +of the advancing Federals.</p> +<p>Tom stood as firm as a rock. The doubts and fears which beset +him in his first battle had no existence on this day. So thoroughly +had he schooled his mind to the fearful ordeal of carnage, that he +felt quite at home. He was cool and determined, and continually +encouraged those around him by his cheering words as well as by his +example.</p> +<p>“Ben is down!” exclaimed Hapgood.</p> +<p>“Poor fellow!” replied Tom, without taking his eye +off the foe in front.</p> +<p>“There goes Bob Dornton!” added Hapgood.</p> +<p>“Stand up to it, my men!” said Tom, firmly, for he +had no time then to think of the fallen.</p> +<p>“Forward!” shouted the impetuous colonel, who, if he +had never been popular with the men before, was rapidly +establishing himself in their good graces by his unflinching +heroism. “Forward! double quick! march!”</p> +<p>And on dashed the gallant regiment, mounting the enemy’s +lofty works, and driving the foe before them like sheep, at the +point of the bayonet. This was the first experience of this +exciting description which Tom had seen, and he entered into the +spirit of it with a hearty zeal.</p> +<p>“Halt!” was the order, as a regiment filed out in +front of them, with a flag of truce flying on its front. +“Steady—don’t fire,” repeated several +officers along the line.</p> +<p>“What regiment are you?” shouted a person, as the +flag came within speaking distance.</p> +<p>“What are you?” demanded an officer of the storming +party.</p> +<p>“We’re the Alabama eighth!”</p> +<p>“We are the Massachusetts —th,” replied our +men.</p> +<p>“Then you are the villains we want!” returned the +rebel, plentifully interlarding the sentence with oaths.</p> +<p>The flag of truce dropped, and the dastardly foe poured in a +volley of musketry, before which a dozen of our brave boys fell, +either killed or wounded.</p> +<p>“Fire!” yelled the colonel; and the order was obeyed +with a will. “Charge bayonets! Forward—double +quick—march!”</p> +<p>The men, burning with indignation at the treachery of the rebel +horde, sprang forward to wreak their righteous vengeance upon the +cowardly traitors. So impetuous was the charge, that the rebel +regiment broke, and sought safety in flight.</p> +<p>“Down with them!” hoarsely screamed Tom, as the line +swayed forward, and pursued the panic-stricken foe into the woods +on the left. The even line was broken, and the boys scattered to do +their work to the best advantage.</p> +<p>Tom’s legs seemed to be in excellent condition, +notwithstanding the toilsome marches of the last twenty-four hours; +and he dashed forward into the woods followed by only a dozen +choice spirits, whose enthusiasm was equal to his own. A squad of +flying rebels in front of them was the object of their present +anxiety, and they soon distanced their companions.</p> +<p>The rebels, seeing by how small a force they were pursued, +rallied and formed line again.</p> +<p>“Give it to them!” cried Tom, as he led his little +force upon the rebels.</p> +<p>“Hold on, Tom!” said Hapgood; “we have gone +far enough. There’s a rebel regiment forming behind +us.”</p> +<p>“Can’t help it,” said Tom, as he rushed +forward, with the veteran by his side. “Give it to +them!”</p> +<p>Tom and his men threw themselves upon the rebel squad, and a +sharp fight ensued, in which the parties fought with bayonets, +clubbed muskets, and even with the death grip upon each +other’s throats. The traitors could not stand it, and fled +again.</p> +<p>The sergeant glanced behind him, and saw the rebel regiment +formed ready to charge upon his own. He was cut off from his +friends, with the enemy on his front and rear. Three of his men had +fallen in the sharp encounter with the rebels, and most of them +were wounded or bruised, and all of them out of breath. To add to +the peril of the situation, the squad they had been pursuing were +rallying and being reënforced by their fugitive +companions.</p> +<p>“Bad, Tom, bad,” said Hapgood, who was puffing and +blowing like a porpoise, as he ominously shook his head.</p> +<p>“Follow me!” said Tom, confidently, as he led the +way in a direction at right angles with the advance of the +party.</p> +<p>Our regiment had reformed again, and soon gave that in front of +them enough to do. The rebels in their rear caused the +sergeant’s squad no little annoyance; but they continued on +their course, loading and firing as they retreated.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_30" name="Ch_30">Chapter XXX.</a></h3> +<h2>More of the Battle.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>While Tom and his little command were working their way back to +the Union lines, followed up by the disorganized band of rebels, a +series of most unearthly yells swept over the field, for they had +emerged from the woods. It was the rallying cry of the Confederate +regiment which had formed in their rear. They were charging upon +the Massachusetts —th; but they might as well have charged +upon the Rock of Gibraltar, for presently Tom was delighted to see +them retiring before the tremendous onslaught of his friends.</p> +<p>“Hurrah!” shouted he, forgetting the foe in his +rear, and pressing forward to that on his front, at the same time +changing his course so as to approach the right wing of the rebel +regiment.</p> +<p>“Don’t be rash, Tom,” said the old soldier, +who never permitted the sergeant to leave his side.</p> +<p>“Follow me, boys!” roared Tom, breathless with +excitement, as he started off on the double quick towards the +breaking lines of the enemy.</p> +<p>“Here we are!” replied the gallant fellows behind +him, pushing forward with a zeal equal to that of their leader, +from whom they derived their inspiration. “Go in, sergeant, +and we’ll stand by you.”</p> +<p>But the bold soldier boy had discretion as well as gallantry; +and he saw that if he threw his little force upon the rebel line, +the whole party would be instantly annihilated. A covert of bushes +fortunately lay on the right flank of the retreating regiment, and +Tom ordered his men to conceal themselves behind it, until a +favorable moment should arrive to take their places in the +lines.</p> +<p>The men were glad enough to obtain a breathing spell; but, at +such a tremendous moment as that, idleness would have been treason, +for such a glorious opportunity to strike a heavy blow had not +before occurred.</p> +<p>“Load up, and fire at will,” said Tom, as he charged +his musket. “Don’t throw your lead away +either.”</p> +<p>“We are a dead shot here if we are any where,” added +Hapgood, as he and the rest of the party hastily loaded their +muskets.</p> +<p>Pop went Tom’s piece first, and over went the rebel at the +extreme right of the rebel regiment. There was no such thing as +missing the mark, for they were on the flank of the Confederate +line, which the united efforts of the officers could hardly +preserve. The men in the covert fired when they were ready; and as +they carefully observed the injunction of Tom not to waste their +lead, every shot told upon the rebels.</p> +<p>The Confederate officers glanced nervously at the clump of +bushes, which glowed with flashes of fire as the sergeant’s +little command poured in their volleys; but they were too closely +pressed by the Federals in front to attempt to dislodge them. The +rebel privates were not long in ascertaining what was so clear to +their officers—that they were flanked, and were being shot +down like sheep, from a quarter where they could not defend +themselves. They had been slowly and doggedly retiring before the +advancing Federals, disputing every inch of ground; but when they +realized that the bolts of death were dropping among them from +another direction, they could no longer endure that awful suspense +which takes possession of the minds of men when they are suspended, +as it were, between life and death.</p> +<p>Tom saw them waver, and he knew what it meant. The rebel line +was just abreast of him, and he had seen at least a score of men +fall before the deadly fire of his party.</p> +<p>“Give it to them, boys! They shake!” shouted Tom, as +he delivered his fire again. “Pour in as fast as you can, but +don’t waste your powder.”</p> +<p>The men redoubled their exertions, and the rapidity of their +fire was sensibly increased. The effect was soon perceptible in the +rebel ranks; for the right of the line, probably supposing a +company, if not a whole regiment, of sharp-shooters was concealed +in the covert, suddenly broke and fled with the utmost +precipitation, in spite of the gallant efforts of their officers to +rally them.</p> +<p>The Federal regiment instantly took advantage of this partial +panic, and charged furiously upon the rebel line. A desperate +hand-to-hand encounter ensued, during which Tom and his companions +emerged from their concealment, and ran along the rear of the +victorious line. They soon satisfied themselves of what they had +before believed—that the regiment was their own; and they +lost no time in finding the company to which they belonged. They +joined in the pursuit, which soon ended in the utter rout of the +rebel force.</p> +<p>The position of the enemy’s lines did not permit them to +follow the advantage to any great extent, and the order was soon +given to fall back. At this juncture the regiment, which had been +constantly engaged for several hours, was relieved; and not too +early in the day, for the men were completely exhausted by the +furious onslaughts they had made.</p> +<p>“Who were those men in the bushes on the flank of the +rebel regiment?” demanded the colonel, as he reined up his +jaded horse in front of Company K.</p> +<p>“Sergeant Somers and others,” replied Captain +Benson.</p> +<p>“Somers again!” exclaimed the colonel.</p> +<p>“Yes, sir. They pursued the regiment into the +woods—the one that showed the flag of truce—till they +were separated from the rest of us.” “Forward, Sergeant +Somers,” added the colonel.</p> +<p>Tom modestly stepped forward, and he would have blushed if his +face had not been so reddened by his previous exertions as to leave +no room for a deepening of its tint.</p> +<p>“You did a big thing, Sergeant Somers. You broke that +rebel line by your steady fire. Sergeant Somers, I thank you and +the men you commanded for your good service.”</p> +<p>Tom bowed, and the regiment cheered. It was the proudest moment +of his life to be thanked on the field, while the guns were roaring +and the musketry rattling, for the good service he had rendered. It +would form an excellent paragraph for his letter to Lilian Ashford, +especially as he had more than once, in the perils of that exciting +hour, thought of the socks he wore, and of the letter and the +photograph which nestled in his breast pocket, and upon which his +quick throbbing heart was beating the notes of glory and +victory.</p> +<p>“We gave you up for lost,” said Captain Benson, as +Tom returned to the line.</p> +<p>“We are safe, thank God!” replied Tom, “though +three of our number fell in the woods, or on the field where we +were chased by the rebels.”</p> +<p>“Sergeant Somers saved us,” added uncle Hapgood. +“If he hadn’t been as cool as cowcumber, and as stiff +as the mainmast of a frigate, we should have been taken, every one +of us.”</p> +<p>“Bravo, Tom!” said the captain.</p> +<p>“The men stood by me like heroes, or it would have been +all up with the whole of us. They are good fellows, and they +deserve as much credit as I do.”</p> +<p>The battle continued to rage with increasing fury, till the +roar, and the crash, and the sweep of armed legions beggared +description. Regiments and brigades advanced and fell back with the +varying fortunes of the day, but as yet there was nothing to +indicate the final result.</p> +<p>When the men of our regiment had recovered their breath, an +order came for them to proceed to the left. On their arrival at the +position assigned to them, they were immediately led to the front, +where the batteries which had been pouring a hot fire into the +enemy were in imminent danger of being surrounded. Indeed, the +swoop of the rebel infantry upon the guns had already been made, +and the cannoneers had been driven from their stations. With the +colonel on the right, and the adjutant in command on the left, the +regiment charged upon the foe, as it had twice before charged on +that eventful day, with an enthusiasm bordering upon fury.</p> +<p>The rebels had even spiked one of the guns, and they maintained +their position with an obstinacy which promised the annihilation of +one or the other of the contending forces. A desperate strife +ensued, in which the least perceptible advantage was gained by the +Federals. But if they could do no more, they held the enemy in +check, till the gunners could charge their pieces with grape and +canister, which they poured into the rebels with the most deadly +effect.</p> +<p>“Hurrah!” shouted Tom, as the rebels quaked before +the withering storm of shot belched forth by the guns of the +battery. “They shake! Give it to them!”</p> +<p>“Steady, my men! steady,” said Captain Benson. +“The ammunition of the battery is expended,” he added, +as the cannon ceased their work of destruction. “We must hold +these pieces, and every man must do his duty.”</p> +<p>“Ay, ay, sir!” replied Tom, vigorously, and the cry +was repeated through the company.</p> +<p>As soon as the guns were thus rendered useless, the enemy swept +down upon the supports again, intent upon capturing the pieces. +They advanced with that terrific yell which is enough of itself to +frighten a nervous man, and with an impetuosity which nothing human +could resist. Our regiment recoiled under the shock; but it was +forced back by the sheer stress of numbers.</p> +<p>“Rally men! Rally, my brave fellows!” shouted the +adjutant, in command of the left wing.</p> +<p>“Stand stiff! Roll them back!” roared the +colonel.</p> +<p>“Steady, men!” added Captain Benson.</p> +<p>“Now, give it to them!” screamed Tom, as he plunged +his bayonet into the vitals of the rebel in front of him, and +pushed forward into the very midst of the foe.</p> +<p>The sergeant seemed suddenly to be endowed with the strength of +a giant, and he held his own till Hapgood sprang to his assistance. +The rest of the line, inspired by this daring conduct, rushed +forward, and fell upon the foe with a fury that could not be +resisted.</p> +<p>“Bravo! Bravo, Tom!” shouted the captain. “Go +in, boys!” roared the lieutenant.</p> +<p>And the boys “went in,” and forced back the rebel +line, and held the guns until another battery with a supply of +ammunition arrived upon the ground to relieve them. The enemy was +again repulsed, and the guns were saved by the unflinching heroism +of our gallant Massachusetts regiment—another paragraph for +the letter to Lilian Ashford.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_31" name="Ch_31">Chapter XXXI.</a></h3> +<h2>Glory and Victory.</h2> +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of +Contents</a></p> +<p>The battle now raged more fiercely than ever, and hotter and +hotter became the fire on every side. The shouts of the enemy +indicated the arrival of reënforcements. +“Johnston!” “Long-street!” resounded over +the field, and roused the rebels to renewed activity. More +certainly was the increase of the enemy’s force determined by +the gradual falling back of the brigade at the left of the road; +but the men fought with desperate courage, and yielded not a foot +of ground without enriching it with their best blood.</p> +<p>There were no signs of reënforcements for over exhausted +troops, though a whole corps was within hearing of the booming guns +that were slaughtering our outnumbered and exhausted brigades. On +the field the aspect began to be dark and unpromising, and Tom +prayed with all his soul that he might be spared the pain of +beholding another defeat, another rout.</p> +<p>Our regiment was ordered to the support of the yielding brigade +on the left. The woods were full of rebels, and the issue of the +conflict in this part of the field was almost hopeless. The enemy +seemed to be inspired by the slight advantage they had gained, and +their yells were fiercer and more diabolical than ever, as they +gathered themselves up for a desperate onslaught.</p> +<p>The Federal brigade was overmatched, and the result seemed to +waver upon a balance; then the equilibrium was slightly disturbed, +and the Union force fell back a little, but only a little, and +doggedly resisted the advance of the foe. It needed but little to +restore the equilibrium, and our regiment, after struggling through +the mud with all attainable speed, arrived upon the spot when the +prospect was so gloomy for the loyal cause.</p> +<p>The men were almost exhausted by the tremendous strain which had +all day long been imposed upon their nervous systems, and by the +physical exertion required of them. But the battle was going +against the North, and they were ready again to make a desperate +effort to redeem the field.</p> +<p>“One more of your Massachusetts charges, colonel,” +said General Hooker, as the weary soldiers moved up to the +endangered position.</p> +<p>“You shall have it, general. My men are always ready, +though they are nearly used up.”</p> +<p>“Hancock and Kearney are close by, and if we can hold out +a few minutes longer, all will be well with us.”</p> +<p>“We’ll drive them back, general!” shouted the +colonel.</p> +<p>“Go in, then!” added the gallant Hooker, waving his +sword to encourage the soldiers. “Forward! You have no time +to lose!”</p> +<p>The fiery colonel briefly stated to the regiment the nature of +the work before them, admonished the men to do as they had done all +day, and Massachusetts would be proud of them. A ringing cheer was +the reply to the stirring words of the colonel, and the orders were +given for the advance.</p> +<p>On went the brave fellows like a wall of iron, and precipitated +themselves upon the rebels, buoyant with hope as they followed up +their temporary advantage. The point of attack was all in their +favor, and their exhilarating shouts as they sprang upon the foe +kindled up the expiring enthusiasm of the yielding brigade to whose +assistance they had come. The shock was terrible—more fearful +and destructive than any which our boys had before experienced.</p> +<p>“Steady, my men!” shouted Captain Benson.</p> +<p>“Give it to them!” roared Tom, maddened to +desperation by the awful strife around him, and by seeing so many +of our men fall by his side.</p> +<p>“Stand up to it!” shouted the excited colonel. +“They run!”</p> +<p>At this moment an inequality of the ground beneath the men of +Company K placed them in a bad position, and the rebels in front of +them, taking advantage of the circumstance, pressed forward, and +actually broke through the line, trampling some of our soldiers +beneath their feet, and transfixing them with their bayonets.</p> +<p>A terrible scene ensued at this gap in the ranks, for the whole +rebel regiment began to press into the weak place. The breach was +made by the side of our sergeant, so that he was not borne down by +the pressure of the rebel battalion.</p> +<p>“Close up!” yelled Tom. “Close up! Hail, +Columbia! and give it to them!”</p> +<p>Drawing a revolver which he had been permitted to retain after +the capture of the contraband craft on the Potomac, he discharged +its six barrels into the foremost of the assailants; and Hapgood +and Fred Pemberton, who were armed in like manner from the same +source, imitated the example of the sergeant.</p> +<p>“Now give them the bayonet, boys!” screamed Tom, +hoarsely, as he plunged into the midst of the rebels.</p> +<p>The men on the other side of the gap pushed forward with equal +energy, and the ranks closed up again over a pile of dead and +wounded rebels, and Federals, who had fallen in that sharp +encounter.</p> +<p>“Bravo!” shouted General Hooker, whose attention had +been drawn to the break in the line. “Bravo, sergeant! You +shall have a commission! Forward, my brave boys! Massachusetts sees +you!”</p> +<p>“Up and at them,” cried Tom, as the rebels began to +yield and break before the tremendous charge of our regiment.</p> +<p>The young sergeant’s throat was raw with the shouting he +had done, and his limbs were beginning to yield to the fatigues of +the day; but the words of the commander of the division made him +over new again, and his husky voice still rang along the line, full +of new courage and new energy to his exhausted comrades. The rebels +were driven back for the time, and fled before the iron masses that +crowded upon them.</p> +<p>The regiment was recalled, and the weary troops, now almost +decimated by the slaughter which had taken place in their ranks, +were permitted to breathe once more.</p> +<p>“This is awful,” said the veteran of Company K, +panting from the violence of his exertions. “I never saw any +thing like this before.”</p> +<p>“Nor I,” replied Tom, dropping upon the ground with +exhaustion.</p> +<p>“I know something about this business. I thought Cerry +Gordy was consid’able of a battle, but ’twas +nothin’ like this.”</p> +<p>“It’s awful,” sighed Tom, as he thought of the +good fellows he had seen fall upon the field.</p> +<p>“Heaps of our boys have gone down!”</p> +<p>“Attention—battalion!” came ringing with +startling effect along the line, in the familiar tones of the +intrepid colonel.</p> +<p>“If we win the day, we can afford to lose many. Victory or +death!” shouted Tom, as he sprang to his feet, in obedience +to the command. “More work for us!”</p> +<p>“How do you feel, Tom?” demanded the veteran, as +they sprang into the line.</p> +<p>“All right,” replied Tom, with a forced buoyancy of +spirits.</p> +<p>“Are you sure, my boy?” continued the veteran, +gazing with deep anxiety into the face of the sergeant.</p> +<p>“I’m first rate, uncle. I think I can stand it as +long as any body else.”</p> +<p>“You have done wonders to-day, Tom. I’m proud of +you, but I’m afeared you are doing too much. If you are used +up, it wouldn’t be any disgrace for you to go to the rear. +After what you’ve done, nobody will say a word. Don’t +kill yourself, Tom, but go to the rear.”</p> +<p>“I go to the rear!” exclaimed Tom, with +indignation.</p> +<p>“If you are disabled, I mean, of course,” apologized +the veteran.</p> +<p>“I’m not disabled. If I go to the rear with these +socks on, it won’t be till after the breath has left my +body.”</p> +<p>“Socks!” replied Hapgood, with a sneer. +“I’m afeared that gal will be the death of +you.”</p> +<p>“I don’t sulk in these socks,” replied Tom, +with a faint smile, as the regiment moved off on the double quick +to some new position of peril.</p> +<p>“The rebels are flanking us!” shouted an officer in +another command, as our regiment hurried forward to the endangered +point.</p> +<p>“That’s what we are wanted for,” said +Hapgood.</p> +<p>The enemy had nearly accomplished their purpose when our gallant +colonel and his jaded force reached the left of the line, and in a +few moments more would have poured a flanking fire into our devoted +battalions, which were struggling with terrible energy to roll back +the pressure in front of them.</p> +<p>The colonel had his men well in hand, and he manoeuvred them +with consummate skill, so as to bring them advantageously to the +work they were to perform. The regiment was hurled against the head +of the flanking column, and the boys rushed forward with that dash +and spirit which had characterized their conduct half a score of +times before in various parts of the field.</p> +<p>Tom’s muscles had become loose and soft after the long +continued strain upon them, and if his soul had not been ten times +as big as his body, he must have sunk under the exhaustion of the +day. Another desperate onslaught was required of the men of our +regiment, and commanding all his energies, Tom braced himself up +once more for the fearful struggle.</p> +<p>“How do you feel now, Tom?” demanded the anxious +veteran, as he bit off the cartridge, and rammed it home.</p> +<p>“First rate, uncle!” replied Tom, as the regiment +poured a withering volley into the rebel line.</p> +<p>“For Heaven’s sake, Tom, don’t kill +yourself,” added the old man, as they loaded up again. +“Your knees shake under you now.”</p> +<p>“Do you think I’m afraid, uncle?” demanded the +sergeant with a grim smile.</p> +<p>“No, no, Tom; of course I don’t think any thing of +the kind. I’m afeared you’ll bust a blood-vessel, or +something of that sort.”</p> +<p>“If I do, I’ll let you know, uncle.”</p> +<p>“Charge bayonets! Double quick—march!” rang +along the line.</p> +<p>“Have at them!” cried Tom, who was always the first +to catch the orders of the commanding officer. “Down with +them! Give ’em Yankee Doodle, Hail, Columbia, and the Red, +White, and Blue.”</p> +<p>The advancing column, shaken by the furious fire of our +regiment, recoiled before the shock. Slowly the foe fell back, +leaving heaps of their slain upon the hotly-contested ground. Our +boys halted, and poured in another destructive volley.</p> +<p>The Confederate officers rallied their men, and, maddened by the +check they had received, drove them forward to recover the lost +ground.</p> +<p>“Once more, boys! Give it to ’em again,” cried +Tom, as the order to advance was repeated.</p> +<p>His words were only representations of his actions; for, as he +spoke, he rushed on a little in front of his comrades, who, +however, pressed forward to keep up with him. He did not exceed the +orders of his superior, but he was one of the promptest to obey +them. On dashed the regiment, and again the rebel line recoiled, +and soon broke in spite of the admirable efforts of their officers +to keep them steady.</p> +<p>“Kearney! Kearney! Kearney is here!” shouted the +weary heroes in various parts of the field.</p> +<p>“Down with them!” roared Tom, as the inspiring words +rang in his ears. “Down with them! Kearney has come, and the +day is ours!”</p> +<p>He had scarcely uttered the words, and sprung forward, before he +was seen to drop upon the ground, several paces in front of the +line, though the undaunted old Hapgood was close by his side. The +enemy had fled; the danger of being flanked was averted; and when +Kearney’s men dashed on the field, the sad-hearted veteran, +assisted by Fred Pemberton, bore the silent form of the gallant +sergeant to the rear.</p> +<p>Kearney and Hancock rushed gallantly to the rescue of the +exhausted troops, and Hooker’s division was ordered to the +rear to act as a reserve. The strife raged with unabated fury as +those who had borne the brunt of the battle slowly fell back to +give place to the fresh legions.</p> +<p>Poor Tom was tenderly carried by the wiry veteran and his +friends to the surgeon’s quarters in the rear. There were +tears in the eyes of the old man as he laid the silent form of his +<em>protégé</em> upon the wet ground. There he sat by +his charge, sorrowful beyond expression, till tremendous shouts +rent the air. Tom opened his eyes.</p> +<p>“Glory and Victory!” shouted he, in husky tones, as +he sprang to his feet.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_32" name="Ch_32">Chapter XXXII.</a></h3> +<h2>Honorable Mention.</h2> +<p>The surgeon examined Tom’s wound, and found that he had +been struck by a bullet over the left temple. The flesh was torn +off, and if the skull was not fractured, it had received a +tremendous hard shock. It was probably done at the instant when he +turned to rally the men of Company K, and the ball glanced under +the visor of his cap, close enough to scrape upon his skull, but +far enough off to save his brains. Half an inch closer, and the +bullet would have wound up Tom’s earthly career.</p> +<p>The shock had stunned him, and he had dropped like a dead man, +while the profusion of blood that came from the wound covered his +face, and his friends could not tell whether he was killed or not. +He was a pitiable object as he lay on the ground by the +surgeon’s quarters; but the veteran soon assured himself that +his young charge was not dead.</p> +<p>Hapgood washed the gore from his face, and did what he could in +his unscientific manner; and probably the cold water had a salutary +effect upon the patient, for when Hancock and Kearney had completed +their work, and the cry of victory rang over the bloody field, he +was sufficiently revived to hear the inspiring tones of triumph. +Leaping to his feet, faint and sick as he was, he took up the cry, +and shouted in unison with the victors upon the field.</p> +<p>But he had scarcely uttered the notes of glory and victory +before his strength deserted him, and he would have dropped upon +the ground if he had not been caught by Hapgood. He groaned heavily +as he sank into the arms of his friend, and yielded to the +faintness and exhaustion of the moment.</p> +<p>The surgeon said the wound was not a very bad one, but that the +patient was completely worn out by the excessive fatigues of march +and battle. In due time he was conveyed to the college building in +Williamsburg, where hundreds of his companions in arms were +suffering and dying of their wounds. He received every attention +which the circumstances would permit. Hapgood, by sundry vigorous +applications at headquarters, was, in consideration of his own and +his <em>protégé’s</em> good conduct on the +battle field, permitted to remain with the patient over night.</p> +<p>The sergeant’s skull, as we have before intimated, was not +very badly damaged, as physical injuries were measured after the +bloody battle of that day. But his wound was not the only detriment +he had experienced in the trying ordeal of that terrible day. His +constitution had not yet been fully developed; his muscles were not +hardened, and the fatigues of battle and march had a more serious +effect upon him than the ounce of lead which had struck him on the +forehead.</p> +<p>The surgeon understood his case perfectly, and after dressing +his wound, he administered some simple restoratives, and ordered +the patient to go to sleep. On the night of the 3d of May, he had +been on guard duty; on that of the 4th, he had obtained but three +hours’ sleep; and thus deprived of the rest which a growing +boy needs, he had passed through the fearful scenes of the battle, +in which his energies, mental and physical, had been tasked to +their utmost. He was completely worn out, and in spite of the +surroundings of the hospital, he went to sleep, obeying to the +letter the orders of the surgeon.</p> +<p>After twelve hours of almost uninterrupted slumber, Tom’s +condition was very materially improved, and when the doctor went +his morning round, our sergeant buoyantly proposed to join his +regiment forthwith.</p> +<p>“Not yet, my boy,” said the surgeon, kindly. +“I shall not permit you to do duty for at least thirty days +to come,” he added, as he felt the patient’s pulse.</p> +<p>“I feel pretty well, sir,” replied Tom.</p> +<p>“No, you don’t. Your regiment will remain here, I +learn, for a few days, and you must keep quiet, or you will have a +fever.”</p> +<p>“I don’t feel sick, and my head doesn’t pain +me a bit.”</p> +<p>“That may be, but you are not fit for duty. You did too +much yesterday. They say you behaved like a hero, on the +field.”</p> +<p>“I tried to do my duty,” replied Tom, his pale cheek +suffused with a blush.</p> +<p>“Boys like you can’t stand much of such work as +that. We must fix you up for the next battle; and you shall go into +Richmond with the rest of the boys.”</p> +<p>“Must I stay in here all the time?”</p> +<p>“No, you may go where you please. I will give you a +certificate which will keep you safe from harm. You can walk about, +and visit your regiment if you wish.”</p> +<p>“Thank you, doctor.”</p> +<p>Hapgood had been compelled to leave the hospital before his +patient waked, and Tom had not yet learned any thing in regard to +the casualties of the battle. Armed with the surgeon’s +certificate, he left the hospital, and walked to the place where +the steward told him he would find his regiment. Somewhat to his +astonishment he found that he was very weak; and before he had +accomplished half the distance to the camp, he came to the +conclusion that he was in no condition to carry a knapsack and a +musket on a long march. But after resting himself for a short time, +he succeeded in reaching his friends.</p> +<p>He was warmly received by his companions, and the veteran of the +company had nearly hugged him in his joy and admiration.</p> +<p>“Honorable mention, Tom,” said Hapgood. “You +will be promoted as true as you live.”</p> +<p>“O, I guess not,” replied Tom, modestly. “I +didn’t do any more than any body else. At any rate, you were +close by my side, uncle.”</p> +<p>“Yes, but I followed, and you led. The commander of the +division says you shall be a lieutenant. He said so on the field, +and the colonel said so to-day.”</p> +<p>“I don’t think I deserve it.”</p> +<p>“I do; and if you don’t get a commission, then there +ain’t no justice left in the land. I tell you, Tom, you shall +be a brigadier if the war lasts only one year more.”</p> +<p>“O, nonsense, uncle!”</p> +<p>“Well, if you ain’t, you ought to be.”</p> +<p>“I’m lucky to get out alive. Whom have we lost, +uncle?”</p> +<p>“A good many fine fellows.” replied Hapgood, shaking +his head, sadly.</p> +<p>“Poor Ben dropped early in the day.”</p> +<p>“Yes, I was afraid he’d got most to the end of his +chapter afore we went in. Poor fellow! I’m sorry for him, and +sorry for his folks.”</p> +<p>“Fred Pemberton said he should be killed, and Ben said he +should not, you remember.”</p> +<p>“Yes, and that shows how little we know about these +things.”</p> +<p>“Bob Dornton was killed, too.”</p> +<p>“No, he’s badly hurt, but the surgeon thinks he will +git over it. The cap’n was slightly wounded.” And +Hapgood mentioned the names of those in the company who had been +killed or wounded, or were missing.</p> +<p>“It was an awful day,” sighed Tom, when the old man +had finished the list. “There will be sad hearts in +Pinchbrook when the news gets there.”</p> +<p>“So there will, Tom; but we gained the day. We did +something handsome for ‘Old Glory,’ and I s’pose +it’s all right.”</p> +<p>“I would rather have been killed than lost the +battle.”</p> +<p>“So would I; and betwixt you and me, Tom, you didn’t +come very fur from losing your number in the mess,” added the +veteran, as he thrust his little fingers into a bullet hole in the +breast of Tom’s coat. “That was rather a close +shave.”</p> +<p>“I felt that one, but I hadn’t time to think about +it then, for it was just as we were repelling that flank +movement,” replied Tom, as he unbuttoned his coat, and thrust +his hand into his breast pocket. “Do you suppose she will +give me another?” he added, as he drew forth the envelope +which contained the letter and the photograph of the author of his +socks.</p> +<p>A minie ball had found its way through the envelope, grinding a +furrow through the picture, transversely, carrying away the chin +and throat of the young lady. The letter was mangled and minced up +beyond restoration. Tom had discovered the catastrophe when he +waked up in the hospital, for his last thought at night, and his +first in the morning, had been the beautiful Lilian Ashford. He was +sad when he first beheld the wreck; but when he thought what a +glorious assurance this would be of his conduct on the field, he +was pleased with the idea; and while in his heart he thanked the +rebel marksman for not putting the bullet any nearer to the vital +organ beneath the envelope, he was not ungrateful for the splendid +testimonial he had given him of his position during the battle.</p> +<p>“Of course she’ll give you another. Won’t she +be proud of that picture when she gets it back?”</p> +<p>“If I had been a coward, I couldn’t have run away +with those socks on my feet.”</p> +<p>Tom remained with the regiment several hours, and then, in +obedience to the surgeon’s orders, returned to the hospital, +where he wrote a letter to his father, containing a short account +of the battle, and another to Lilian Ashford, setting forth the +accident which had happened to the picture, and begging her to send +him another.</p> +<p>I am afraid in this last letter Tom indulged in some moonshiny +nonsense; but we are willing to excuse him for saying that the +thought of the beautiful original of the photograph and the +beautiful author of his socks had inspired him with courage on the +battle field, and enabled him faithfully to perform his duty, to +the honor and glory of the flag beneath whose starry folds he had +fought, bled, and conquered, and so forth. It would not be +unnatural in a young man of eighteen to express as much as this, +and, we are not sure that he said any more.</p> +<p>The next day Tom was down with a slow fever, induced by fatigue +and over-exertion. He lay upon his cot for a fortnight, before he +was able to go out again; but he was frequently visited by Hapgood +and other friends in the regiment. About the middle of the month, +the brigade moved on, and Tom was sad at the thought of lying idle, +while the glorious work of the army was waiting for true and tried +men.</p> +<p>Tom received “honorable mention” in the report of +the colonel, and his recommendation, supported by that of the +general of the division, brought to the hospital his commission as +second lieutenant.</p> +<p>“Here’s medicine for you,” said the chaplain, +as he handed the patient a ponderous envelope.</p> +<p>“What is it, sir?”</p> +<p>“I don’t know, but it has an official +look.”</p> +<p>The sergeant opened it, and read the commission, duly signed by +the governor of Massachusetts, and countersigned and sealed in +proper form. Tom was astounded at the purport of the document. He +could hardly believe his senses; but it read all right, and dated +from the day of the battle in which he had distinguished himself. +This was glory enough, and it took Tom forty-eight hours thoroughly +to digest the contents of the envelope.</p> +<p><em>Lieutenant Somers</em>! The words had a queer sound, and he +could not realize that he was a commissioned officer. But he came +to a better understanding of the subject the next day, when a +letter from Lilian Ashford was placed in his hands. It was actually +addressed to “Lieutenant Thomas Somers.” She had read +of his gallant conduct and of his promotion on the battle field in +the newspapers. She sent him two photographs of herself, and a +sweet little letter, begging him to return the photograph which had +been damaged by a rebel bullet.</p> +<p>Of course Tom complied with this natural request; but, as the +surgeon thought his patient would improve faster at home than in +the hospital, he had procured a furlough of thirty days for him, +and the lieutenant decided to present the photograph in person.</p> +<h3><a id="Ch_33" name="Ch_33">Chapter XXXIII.</a></h3> +<h2>Lieutenant Somers and Others.</h2> +<p>Tom Somers had been absent from home nearly a year; and much as +his heart was in the work of putting down the rebellion, he was +delighted with the thought of visiting, even for a brief period, +the loved ones who thought of and prayed for him in the little +cottage in Pinchbrook. I am not quite sure that the well-merited +promotion he had just received did not have some influence upon +him, for it would not have been unnatural for a young man of +eighteen, who had won his shoulder-straps by hard fighting on a +bloody field, to feel some pride in the laurels he had earned. Not +that Tom was proud or vain; but he was moved by a lofty and noble +ambition. It is quite likely he wondered what the people of +Pinchbrook would say when he appeared there with the straps upon +his shoulders.</p> +<p>Of course he thought what his father would say, what his mother +would say, and he could see the wrinkled face of gran’ther +Greene expand into a genial smile of commendation. It is quite +possible that he had even more interest in his reception at No +—— Rutland Street, when he should present himself to +the author and finisher of those marvellous socks, which had +wielded such an immense influence upon their wearer in camp and on +the field. Perhaps it was a weakness on the part of the soldier +boy, but we are compelled to record the fact that he had faithfully +conned his speech for that interesting occasion. He had supposed +every thing she would say, and carefully prepared a suitable reply +to each remark, adorned with all the graces of rhetoric within his +reach.</p> +<p>With the furlough in his pocket, Tom obtained his order for +transportation, and with a light heart, full of pleasant +anticipations, started for home. As he was still dressed in the +faded and shattered uniform of a non-commissioned officer, he did +not attract any particular notice on the way. He was enabled to +pass through Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York, without being +bored by a public reception, which some less deserving heroes have +not been permitted to escape. But the people did not understand +that Tom had a second lieutenant’s commission in his pocket, +and he was too modest to proclaim the fact, which may be the reason +why he was suffered to pass through these great emporiums of trade +without an escort, or other demonstration of respect and +admiration.</p> +<p>Tom’s heart jumped with strange emotions when he arrived +at Boston, perhaps because he was within a few miles of home; +possibly because he was in the city that contained Lilian Ashford, +for boys will be silly in spite of all the exertions of parents, +guardians, and teachers, to make them sober and sensible. Such +absurdities as “the air she breathes,” and other +rhapsodies of that sort, may have flitted through his mind; but we +are positive that Tom did not give voice to any such nonsense, for +every body in the city was a total stranger to him, so far as he +knew. Besides, Tom had no notion of appearing before the original +of the photograph in the rusty uniform he wore; and as he had to +wait an hour for the Pinchbrook train, he hastened to a +tailor’s to order a suit of clothes which would be +appropriate to his new dignity.</p> +<p>He ordered them, was duly measured and had given the tailor his +promise to call for the garments at the expiration of five days, +when the man of shears disturbed the serene current of his +meditations by suggesting that the lieutenant should pay one half +of the price of the suit in advance.</p> +<p>“It is a custom we adopt in all our dealings with +strangers,” politely added the tailor.</p> +<p>“But I don’t propose to take the uniform away until +it is paid for,” said Tom, blushing with mortification; for +it so happened that he had not money enough to meet the demand of +the tailor.</p> +<p>“Certainly not,” blandly replied Shears; “but +we cannot make up the goods with the risk of not disposing of them. +They may not fit the next man who wants such a suit.”</p> +<p>“I have not the money, sir;” and Tom felt that the +confession was an awful sacrifice of dignity on the part of an +officer in the army of the Potomac, who had fought gallantly for +his country on the bloody fields of Williamsburg and Bull Run.</p> +<p>“I am very sorry, sir. I should be happy to make up the +goods, but you will see that our rule is a reasonable +one.”</p> +<p>Tom wanted to tell him that this lack of confidence was not a +suitable return of a stay-at-home for the peril and privation he +had endured for him; but he left in disgust, hardly replying to the +flattering request of the tailor that he would call again. With his +pride touched, he walked down to the railroad station to await the +departure of the train. He had hardly entered the building before +he discovered the familiar form of Captain Barney, to whom he +hastened to present himself.</p> +<p>“Why, Tom, my hearty!” roared the old sea captain, +as he grasped and wrung his hand. “I’m glad to see you. +Shiver my mainmast, but you’ve grown a foot since you went +away. But you don’t look well, Tom.”</p> +<p>“I’m not very well, sir; but I’m improving +very rapidly.”</p> +<p>“How’s your wound?”</p> +<p>“O, that’s almost well.”</p> +<p>“Sit down, Tom. I want to talk with you,” said +Captain Barney, as he led the soldier boy to a seat.</p> +<p>In half an hour Tom had told all he knew about the battle of +Williamsburg, and the old sailor had communicated all the news from +Pinchbrook.</p> +<p>“Tom, you’re a lieutenant now, but you haven’t +got on your uniform,” continued Captain Barney.</p> +<p>“No, sir,” replied Tom, laughing. “I went into +a store to order one, and they wouldn’t trust me.”</p> +<p>“Wouldn’t trust <em>you</em>, Tom!” exclaimed +the captain. “Show me the place, and I’ll smash in +their deadlights.”</p> +<p>“I don’t know as I blame them. I was a stranger to +them.”</p> +<p>“But, Tom, you mustn’t go home without a uniform. +Come with me, and you shall be fitted out at once. I’m proud +of you, Tom. You are one of my boys, and I want you to go into +Pinchbrook all taut and trim, with your colors flying.”</p> +<p>“We haven’t time now; the train leaves in a few +moments.”</p> +<p>“There will be another in an hour. The folks are all well, +and don’t know you’re coming; so they can afford to +wait.”</p> +<p>Tom consented, and Captain Barney conducted him to several +stores before he could find a ready-made uniform that would fit +him; but at last they found one which had been made to order for an +officer who was too sick to use it at present. It was an excellent +fit, and the young lieutenant was soon arrayed in the garments, +with the symbolic straps on his shoulder.</p> +<p>“Bravo, Tom! You look like a new man. There isn’t a +better looking officer in the service.”</p> +<p>Very likely the subject of this remark thought so too, as he +surveyed himself in the full-length mirror. The old uniform, with +two bullet-holes in the breast of the coat, was done up in a bundle +and sent to the express office, to be forwarded to Pinchbrook. +Captain Barney then walked with him to a military furnishing store, +where a cap, sword, belt, and sash, were purchased. For some reason +which he did not explain, the captain retained the sword himself, +but Tom was duly invested with the other accoutrements.</p> +<p>Our hero felt “pretty good,” as he walked down to +the station with his friend; but he looked splendidly in his new +outfit, and we are willing to excuse certain impressible young +ladies, who cast an admiring glance at him as he passed down the +street. It was not Tom’s fault that he was a handsome young +man; and he was not responsible for the conduct of those who chose +to look at him.</p> +<p>With a heart beating with wild emotion, Tom stepped out of the +cars at Pinchbrook. Here he was compelled to undergo the penalty of +greatness. His friends cheered him, and shook his hand till his arm +ached.</p> +<p>Captain Barney’s wagon was at the station, and before +going to his own home, he drove Tom to the little cottage of his +father. I cannot describe the emotions of the returned soldier when +the horse stopped at the garden gate. Leaping from the vehicle, he +rushed into the house, and bolted into the kitchen, even before the +family had seen the horse at the front gate.</p> +<p>“How d’ye do, mother?” cried Tom, as he threw +himself pell-mell into the arms of Mrs. Somers.</p> +<p>“Why, Tom!” almost screamed she, as she returned his +embrace. “How <em>do</em> you do?”</p> +<p>“Pretty well, mother. How do you do, father?”</p> +<p>“Glad to see you,” replied Captain Somers, as he +seized his son’s hand.</p> +<p>“Bless my soul, Tom!” squeaked gran’ther +Greene, shaking in every fibre of his frame from the combined +influence of rhapsody and rheumatism.</p> +<p>Tom threw both arms around Jenny’s neck, and kissed her +half a dozen times with a concussion like that of a battery of +light artillery.</p> +<p>“Why, Tom! I never thought nothin’ of seein’ +you!” exclaimed Mrs. Somers. “I thought you was sick in +the hospital.”</p> +<p>“I am better now, and home for thirty days.”</p> +<p>“And got your new rig on,” added his father.</p> +<p>“Captain Barney wouldn’t let me come home without my +shoulder-straps. I met him in the city. He paid the +bills.”</p> +<p>“I’ll make it all right with him.”</p> +<p>“I’ll pay for it by and by. You know I have over a +hundred dollars a month now.”</p> +<p>“Gracious me!” ejaculated Mrs. Somers, as she gazed +with admiration upon the new and elegant uniform which covered the +fine form of her darling boy.</p> +<p>Presently Captain Barney came into the house, and for two hours +Tom fought his battles over again, to the great satisfaction of his +partial auditors. The day passed off amid the mutual rejoicings of +the parties; and the pleasure of the occasion was only marred by +the thought, on the mother’s part, that her son must soon +return to the scene of strife.</p> +<p>The soldier boy—we beg his pardon; Lieutenant +Somers—hardly went out of the house until after dinner on the +following day, when he took a walk down to the harbor, where he was +warmly greeted by all his friends. Even Squire Pemberton seemed +kindly disposed towards him, and asked him many questions in regard +to Fred. Before he went home, he was not a little startled to +receive an invitation to meet some of his friends in the town hall +in the evening, which it was impossible for him to decline.</p> +<p>At the appointed hour, he appeared at the hall, which was filled +with people. The lieutenant did not know what to make of it, and +trembled before his friends as he had never done before the enemies +of his country. He was cheered lustily by the men, and the women +waved their handkerchiefs, as though he had been a general of +division. But his confusion reached the climax when Captain Barney +led him upon the platform, and Mr. Boltwood, a young lawyer +resident in Pinchbrook, proceeded to address him in highly +complimentary terms, reviewing his career at Bull Run, on the +Shenandoah, on the Potomac, to its culmination at Williamsburg, and +concluded by presenting him the sword which the captain had +purchased, in behalf of his friends and admirers in his native +town.</p> +<p>Fortunately for Tom, the speech was long, as he was enabled in +some measure to recover his self-possession. In trembling tones he +thanked the donors for their gift, and promised to use it in +defence of his country as long as a drop of blood was left in his +veins—highly poetical, but it required strong terms to +express our hero’s enthusiasm—whereat the men and boys +applauded most vehemently, and the ladies flourished their cambrics +with the most commendable zeal. Tom bowed—bowed +again—and kept bowing, just as he had seen General McClellan +bow when he was cheered by the troops. As the people would not stop +applauding, Tom, his face all aglow with joy and confusion, +descended from the platform, and took his seat by the side of his +mother.</p> +<p>The magnates of Pinchbrook then made speeches—except +Squire Pemberton—about the war, patriotism, gunpowder, and +eleven-inch shot and shells. Every body thought it was “a big +thing,” and went home to talk about it for the next week. +Tom’s father, and mother, and sister, and gran’ther +Greene, said ever so many pretty things, and every body was as +happy as happy could be, except that John was not at home to share +in the festivities. Letters occasionally came from the sailor boy, +and they went to him from the soldier boy.</p> +<p>Mrs. Somers was not a little surprised, the next day, to hear +her son announce his intention to take the first train for the +city; but Tom could not postpone his visit to No —— +Rutland Street any longer, for he was afraid his uniform would lose +its gloss, and the shoulder-straps their dazzling brilliancy.</p> +<p>Tom’s courage had nearly forsaken him when he desperately +rang the bell at the home of Lilian Ashford; and he almost hoped +the servant would inform him that she was not at home. Lilian was +at home, and quaking like a condemned criminal before the gallows, +he was ushered into the presence of the author of his socks.</p> +<p>Stammering out his name he drew from his pocket the battered +photograph and the shattered letter, and proceeded at once to +business. Lilian Ashford blushed, and Tom blushed—that is to +say, they both blushed. When he had presented his relics, he +ventured to look in her face. The living Lilian was even more +beautiful than the Lilian of the photograph.</p> +<p>“Dear me! So you are the soldier that wore the socks I +knit,” said Lilian; and our hero thought it was the sweetest +voice he ever heard.</p> +<p>“I am, Miss Ashford, and I did not run away in them +either.”</p> +<p>“I’m glad you did not,” added she, with a +musical laugh, which made Tom think of the melody of the spheres, +or some such nonsense.</p> +<p>“I have to thank you for my promotion,” said Tom, +boldly.</p> +<p>“Thank me!” exclaimed she, her fair blue eyes +dilating with astonishment.</p> +<p>“The socks inspired me with courage and fortitude,” +replied Tom, in exact accordance with the programme he had laid +down for the occasion. “I am sure the thought of her who knit +them, the beautiful letter, and the more beautiful photograph, +enabled me to do that which won my promotion.”</p> +<p>“Well, I declare!” shouted Lilian, in a kind of +silvery scream.</p> +<p>Bravo, Tom! you are getting along swimmingly. And he said sundry +other smart things which we have not room to record. He stayed half +an hour, and Lilian begged him to call again, and see her +grandmother, who was out of town that day. Of course he promised to +come, promised to bring his photograph, promised to write to her +when he returned to the army—and I don’t know what he +did not promise, and I hardly think he knew himself.</p> +<p>But the brief dream ended, and Tom went home to Pinchbrook, +after he had sat for his picture. The careless fellow left +Lilian’s photograph on the table in his chamber a few days +after, and his mother wanted to know whose it was; and the whole +story came out, and Tom was laughed at, and Jenny made fun of him, +and Captain Barney told him he was a match for the finest girl in +the country. The lieutenant blushed like a boy, but rather enjoyed +the whole thing.</p> +<p>A sad day came at last, and Tom went back to the army. He went +full of hope, and the blessing of the loved ones went with him. He +was received with enthusiasm by his old companions in arms, and +Hapgood—then a sergeant—still declared that he would be +a brigadier in due time,—or, if he was not, he ought to be. +His subsequent career, if not always as fortunate as that portion +which we have recorded, was unstained by cowardice or vice.</p> +<h2>FINIS.</h2> +<hr class="full" /> +<h3>Reasons why you should obtain a Catalogue of our +Publications</h3> +<ol> +<li> +<p>You will possess a comprehensive and classified list of all the +best standard books published, at prices less than offered by +others.</p> +</li> +<li> +<p>You will find listed in our catalogue books on every topic: +Poetry, Fiction, Romance, Travel, Adventure, Humor, Science, +History, Religion, Biography, Drama, etc., besides Dictionaries and +Manuals, Bibles, Recitation and Hand Books, Sets, Octavos, +Presentation Books and Juvenile and Nursery Literature in immense +variety.</p> +</li> +<li> +<p>You will be able to purchase books at prices within your reach; +as low as 10 cents for paper covered books, to $5.00 for books +bound in cloth or leather, adaptable for gift and presentation +purposes, to suit the tastes of the most critical.</p> +</li> +<li> +<p>You will save considerable money by taking advantage of our +SPECIAL DISCOUNTS, which we offer to those whose purchases are +large enough to warrant us in making a reduction.</p> +</li> +</ol> +<p class="cen"><em>A postal to us will place it in your +hands</em></p> +<p class="cen">HURST & CO., <em>Publishers</em>,<br /> +395, 397, 399 Broadway, New York.</p> +<hr class="full" /> +<h3>The Famous Alger Books</h3> +<h4>By Horatio Alger, Jr.</h4> +<h4>The Boy’s Writer</h4> +<p>A series of books known to all boys; books that are good and +wholesome, with enough “ginger” in them to suit the +tastes of the younger generation. The Alger books are not filled +with “blood and thunder” stories of a doubtful +character, but are healthy and elevating, and parents should see to +it that their children become acquainted with the writings of this +celebrated writer of boys’ books. We publish the titles named +below:</p> +<table summary="Alger books" style="margin:auto;"> +<tr> +<td>Adrift in New York.</td> +<td>Making His Way.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Andy Gordon.</td> +<td>Only an Irish Boy.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Andy Grant’s Pluck.</td> +<td>Paul the Peddler.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Bob Burton.</td> +<td>Phil the Fiddler.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Bound to Rise.</td> +<td>Ralph Raymond’s Heir.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Brave and Bold.</td> +<td>Risen from the Ranks.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Cash Boy.</td> +<td>Sam’s Chance.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Chester Band.</td> +<td>Shifting for Himself.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Do and Dare.</td> +<td>Sink or Swim.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Driven from Home.</td> +<td>Slow and Sure.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Erie Train Boy.</td> +<td>Store Boy.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Facing the World.</td> +<td>Strive and Succeed.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Hector’s Inheritance.</td> +<td>Strong and Steady.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Helping Himself.</td> +<td>Tin Box.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Herbert Carter’s Legacy.</td> +<td>Tony, the Tramp.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>In a New World.</td> +<td>Tom the Bootblack.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Jack’s Ward.</td> +<td>Try and Trust.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Jed, the Poor House Boy.</td> +<td>Young Acrobat.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Julius, the Street Boy.</td> +<td>Young Outlaw.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Luke Walton.</td> +<td>Young Salesman.</td> +</tr> +</table> +<p>Any of these books will be mailed upon receipt of 50 cents. Do +not fail to procure one or more of these noted volumes.</p> +<p class="cen">A Complete Catalogue of Books will be sent upon +request.</p> +<h3>HURST & CO., Publishers, NEW YORK</h3> +<hr class="full" /> +<h4>A BOOK OF THE HOUR</h4> +<h3>The Simple Life</h3> +<h4>By CHARLES WAGNER</h4> +<p class="cen">Translated from the French by H.L. WILLIAMS</p> +<p>The sale of this book has been magnetic and its effect +far-reaching. It has the endorsement of public men, literary +critics and the press generally.</p> +<p><em>This is the book that President Roosevelt preaches to his +countrymen.</em></p> +<p>The price is made low enough to be within the reach of all. +Don’t fail to purchase a copy yourself and recommend it to +your friends.</p> +<p>Cloth binding, 12mo. Price, postpaid, 50c.</p> +<p class="cen">Get Our latest Catalogue—Free Upon +Request.</p> +<p class="cen">HURST & CO., Publishers, NEW YORK</p> +<hr class="full" /> +<h4>Mirthful Books Worth Reading!</h4> +<h3>Peck’s Books of Humor</h3> +<p>No author has achieved a greater national reputation for books +of genuine humor and mirth than GEORGE W. PECK, author of +“Peck’s Bad Boy and His Pa.”</p> +<p>We are fortunate to be able to offer, within everyone’s +reach, three of his latest books. The titles are</p> +<ul> +<li>Peck’s Uncle Ike,</li> +<li>Peck’s Sunbeams,</li> +<li>Peck’s Red-Headed Boy.</li> +</ul> +<p>CLOTH Binding, 60c., Postpaid.<br /> +PAPER Binding, 30c., Postpaid.</p> +<p>By failing to procure any one of these books you lose an +opportunity to “laugh and grow fat.” When you get one +you will order the others.</p> +<p class="cen">Send for our Illustrated Catalogue of Books.</p> +<p class="cen">HURST & CO., Publishers, 395-399 Broadway, New +York.</p> +<hr class="full" /> +<h3>Helen’s Babies</h3> +<p class="cen">By</p> +<h4>John Habberton</h4> +<p class="cen">Interesting!<br /> +Entertaining!<br /> +Amusing!</p> +<p>A book with a famous reputation. It is safe to say that no book, +illustrating the doings of children, has ever been published that +has reached the popularity enjoyed by “HELEN’S +BABIES.” Brilliantly written, Habberton records in this +volume some of the cutest, wittiest and most amusing of childish +sayings, whims and pranks, all at the expense of a bachelor uncle. +The book is elaborately illustrated, which greatly assists the +reader in appreciating page by page, Habberton’s +masterpiece.</p> +<p>Published as follows:</p> +<p>Popular Price Edition, Cloth, 60c., Postpaid.</p> +<p>Quarto Edition, with Six Colored Plates, Cloth, $1.25, +Postpaid.</p> +<p>We guarantee that you will not suffer from “the +blues” after reading this book.</p> +<p class="cen"><em>Ask for our complete catalogue. Mailed upon +request.</em></p> +<p class="cen">HURST & CO., Publishers, 395-399 Broadway, New +York.</p> +<hr class="full" /> +<h4>Elegant Gift Books</h4> +<h3>Hurst’s Presentation Series</h3> +<p class="cen">A Distinctive Cover Design on Each Book</p> +<p>A beautiful series of Young People’s Books to suit the +tastes of the most fastidious. The publishers consider themselves +fortunate in being able to offer such a marvelous line of choice +subjects, made up into attractive presentation volumes. Large type, +fine heavy paper, numerous pictures in black, inserted with six +lithographic reproductions in ten colors by eminent artists, bound +in extra English cloth, with three ink and gold effects.</p> +<p>Price, postpaid, $1.00 per volume.</p> +<table summary="Presentation books" style="margin:auto;"> +<tr> +<td>Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass.</td> +<td>Mother Goose, Complete.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Andersen’s Fairy Tales.</td> +<td>Palmer Cox’s Fairy Book.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Arabian Nights.</td> +<td>Peck’s Uncle Ike and the Red-Headed Boy.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Black Beauty.</td> +<td>Pilgrim’s Progress.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Child’s History of England.</td> +<td>Robinson Crusoe.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Grimm’s Fairy Tales.</td> +<td>Swiss Family Robinson.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Gulliver’s Travels.</td> +<td>Tales from Scott for Young People.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Helen’s Babies.</td> +<td>Tom Brown’s School Days.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Lamb’s Tales from Shakespeare.</td> +<td>Uncle Tom’s Cabin.</td> +</tr> +</table> +<p>Books sure to be a delight to every boy and girl who becomes the +proud possessor of any or all of them.</p> +<p class="cen">Write for our Complete Catalogue.</p> +<p class="cen">HURST & CO., Publishers, 395-399 Broadway, New +York.</p> +<hr class="full" /> +<h3><em>The Works of Mary J. Holmes</em></h3> +<p>This popular novel writer has written a large number of +successful books that have been widely circulated and are +constantly in demand. We issue twenty of them as below:</p> +<ul> +<li>Aikenside,</li> +<li>Bad Hugh,</li> +<li>Cousin Maude,</li> +<li>Darkness and Daylight,</li> +<li>Dora Deane,</li> +<li>Edith Lyle’s Secret,</li> +<li>English Orphans,</li> +<li>Ethelyn’s Mistake,</li> +<li>Family Pride,</li> +<li>Homestead on the Hillside,</li> +<li>Leighton Homestead,</li> +<li>Lena Rivers,</li> +<li>Maggie Miller,</li> +<li>Marian Grey,</li> +<li>Mildred,</li> +<li>Millbank,</li> +<li>Miss McDonald,</li> +<li>Rector of St. Marks,</li> +<li>Rose Mather,</li> +<li>Tempest and Sunshine.</li> +</ul> +<p>Any of these books will be supplied, postpaid, in cloth binding, +at 30c. In paper binding, 15c.</p> +<p class="cen">Obtain our latest complete catalogue.</p> +<p class="cen">HURST & CO., <em>Publishers</em>, 395-399 +Broadway, New York.</p> +<hr class="full" /> +<h3>Dictionaries of the English Language</h3> +<p>A dictionary is a book of reference; a book that is constantly +looked into for information on various meanings and pronunciations +of the several thousand words of our language. The publishers, +recognizing the importance of placing before the public a book that +will suit all pocket-books and come within the reach of all, have +issued several editions of Dictionaries in various styles and +sizes, as follows:</p> +<table summary="Dictionary" style="margin:auto;"> +<tr> +<td>Peabody’s Webster Dictionary,</td> +<td style="text-align:right;">20c.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Hurst’s Webster Dictionary,</td> +<td style="text-align:right;">25c.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>American Popular Dictionary,</td> +<td style="text-align:right;">35c.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>American Diamond Dictionary, (Small—adaptable to +ladies.)</td> +<td style="text-align:right;">40c.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Hurst’s New Nuttall,</td> +<td style="text-align:right;">75c.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Hurst’s New Nuttall, With Index,</td> +<td style="text-align:right;">$1.00.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Webster’s Quarto Dictionary, Cloth,</td> +<td style="text-align:right;">$1.25.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Webster’s Quarto Dictionary, 1/2 Russia,</td> +<td style="text-align:right;">$1.75.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Webster’s Quarto Dictionary, Full Sheep,</td> +<td style="text-align:right;">$2.25.</td> +</tr> +</table> +<p>Any of the above will be mailed, postpaid, at the prices +named.</p> +<p class="cen">Send for our complete catalogue of books.</p> +<p class="cen">HURST & CO., Publishers, 395-399 Broadway, New +York.</p> +<hr class="full" /> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 14595 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + |