CHAPTER VIII
THE CROSSING
Harry left the wagon at midnight and overtook the staff, an orderly
providing him with a good horse. Dalton, who had also been sleeping in
a wagon, came an hour or two later, and the two, as became modest young
officers, rode in the rear of the group that surrounded General Lee.
Although the darkness had come fully, the Army of Northern Virginia had
not yet stopped. The infantry flanked by cavalry, and, having no fear
of the enemy, marched steadily on. Harry closely observed General Lee,
and although he was well into his fifties he could discern no weakness,
either physical or mental, in the man who had directed the fortunes of
the South in the terrific and unsuccessful three days at Gettysburg and
who had now led his army for nearly a week in a retreat, threatened,
at any moment, with an attack by a veteran force superior in numbers.
All the other generals looked worn and weary, but he alone sat erect,
his hair and beard trimmed neatly, his grave eye showing no sign of
apprehension.
He seemed once more to Harry--youth is a hero-worshiper--omniscient and
omnipotent. The invasion of the North had failed, and there had been a
terrible loss of good men, officers and soldiers, but, with Lee standing
on the defensive at the head of the Army of Northern Virginia, in
Virginia, the South would be invincible.
Pages:
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182