"Drink this, General, won't you?" he said.
He seized it, drank all of the coffee eagerly, and then handing back the
cup, said:
"I never before in my life drank anything that refreshed me so much."
Then he, with his staff, Stuart and some other generals rode over the
bridge, disappearing in their turn into the darkness and mist that had
swallowed up the others, but emerging, as the others had done, into the
safety of the Southern shore.
Meade and his generals had held a council the night before but nearly all
the officers advised against attack. This night he made up his mind to
move against Lee anyhow, and was ready at dawn, only to find the whole
Southern army gone.
CHAPTER IX
IN SOCIETY
Harry, when the dawn had fully come, was sent farther away toward the
ford to see if the remainder of the troops had passed, and, when he
returned with the welcome news, the rain had ceased to fall. The
army was rapidly drying itself in the brilliant sunshine, and marched
leisurely on. He felt an immense relief. He knew that a great crisis
had been passed, and, if the Northern armies ever reached Richmond,
it would be a long and sanguinary road. Meade might get across and
attack, but his advantage was gone.
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