andersonville-第58部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

us　like　the　top　of　a　great　letter　'A。'　The　night　of　the　11th　of　May　it
rained　very　hard；　and　then　came　a　fog　so　thick　that　you　couldn't　see　the
length　of　a　company。　　Hancock　thought　he'd　take　advantage　of　this。
We　were　all　turned　out　very　quietly　about　four　o'clock　in　the　morning。
Not　a　bit　of　noise　was　allowed。　　We　even　had　to　take　off　our　canteens　and
tin　cups；　that　they　might　not　rattle　against　our　bayonets。　　The　ground
was　so　wet　that　our　footsteps　couldn't　be　heard。　　It　was　one　of　those
deathly；　still　movements；　when　you　think　your　heart　is　making　as　much
noise　as　a　bass　drum。

〃The　Johnnies　didn't　seem　to　have　the　faintest　suspicion　of　what　was
coming；　though　they　ought；　because　we　would　have　expected　such　an　attack
from　them　if　we　hadn't　made　it　ourselves。　　Their　pickets　were　out　just　a
little　ways　from　their　works；　and　we　were　almost　on　to　them　before　they
discovered　us。　　They　fired　and　ran　back。　　At　this　we　raised　a　yell　and
dashed　forward　at　a　charge。　　As　we　poured　over　the　works；　the　Rebels　came
double…quicking　up　to　defend　them。　　We　flanked　Johnson's　Division
quicker'n　you　could　say　'Jack　Robinson；'　and　had　four　thousand　of　'em　in
our　grip　just　as　nice　as　you　please。　　We　sent　them　to　the　rear　under
guard；　and　started　for　the　next　line　of　Rebel　works　about　a　half　a　mile
away。　　But　we　had　now　waked　up　the　whole　of　Lee's　army；　and　they　all　came
straight　for　us；　like　packs　of　mad　wolves。　　Ewell　struck　us　in　the
center；　Longstreet　let　drive　at　our　left　flank；　and　Hill　tackled　our
right。　　We　fell　back　to　the　works　we　had　taken；　Warren　and　Wright　came　up
to　help　us；　and　we　had　it　hot　and　heavy　for　the　rest　of　the　day　and　part
of　the　night。　　The　Johnnies　seemed　so　mad　over　what　we'd　done　that　they
were　half　crazy。　　They　charged　us　five　times；　coming　up　every　time　just
as　if　they　were　going　to　lift　us　right　out　of　the　works　with　the　bayonet。
About　midnight；　after　they'd　lost　over　ten　thousand　men；　they　seemed　to
understand　that　we　had　pre…empted　that　piece　of　real　estate；　and　didn't
propose　to　allow　anybody　to　jump　our　claim；　so　they　fell　back　sullen　like
to　their　main　works。　　When　they　came　on　the　last　charge；　our　Brigadier
walked　behind　each　of　our　regiments　and　said：

〃Boys；　we'll　send　'em　back　this　time　for　keeps。　　Give　it　to　'em　by　the
acre；　and　when　they　begin　to　waver；　we'll　all　jump　over　the　works　and　go
for　them　with　the　bayonet。'

〃We　did　it　just　that　way。　　We　poured　such　a　fire　on　them　that　the　bullets
knocked　up　the　ground　in　front　just　like　you　have　seen　the　deep　dust　in　a
road　in　the　middle　of　Summer　fly　up　when　the　first　great　big　drops　of　a
rain　storm　strike　it。　　But　they　came　on；　yelling　and　swearing；　officers
in　front　waving　swords；　and　shoutingall　that　business；　you　know。　　When
they　got　to　about　one　hundred　yards　from　us；　they　did　not　seem　to　be
coming　so　fast；　and　there　was　a　good　deal　of　confusion　among　them。　　The
brigade　bugle　sounded

〃Stop　firing。〃

〃We　all　ceased　instantly。　　The　rebels　looked　up　in　astonishment。　　Our
General　sang　out：

〃Fix　bayonets！'　but　we　knew　what　was　coming；　and　were　already　executing
the　order。　　You　can　imagine　the　crash　that　ran　down　the　line；　as　every
fellow　snatched　his　bayonet　out　and　slapped　it　on　the　muzzle　of　his　gun。
Then　the　General's　voice　rang　out　like　a　bugle：

〃Ready！　FORWARD！　　CHARGE！'

〃We　cheered　till　everything　seemed　to　split；　and　jumped　over　the　works；
almost　every　man　at　the　same　minute。　　The　Johnnies　seemed　to　have　been
puzzled　at　the　stoppage　of　our　fire。　　When　we　all　came　sailing　over　the
works；　with　guns　brought　right；　down　where　they　meant　business；　they　were
so　astonished　for　a　minute　that　they　stood　stock　still；　not　knowing
whether　to　come　for　us；　or　run。　　We　did　not　allow　them　long　to　debate；
but　went　right　towards　them　on　the　double　quick；　with　the　bayonets
looking　awful　savage　and　hungry。　　It　was　too　much　for　Mr。　Johnny　Reb's
nerves。　　They　all　seemed　to　about　face'　at　once；　and　they　lit　out　of
there　as　if　they　had　been　sent　for　in　a　hurry。　　We　chased　after　'em　as
fast　as　we　could；　and　picked　up　just　lots　of　'em。　　Finally　it　began　to　be
real　funny。　　A　Johnny's　wind　would　begin　to　give　out　he'd　fall　behind　his
comrades；　he'd　hear　us　yell　and　think　that　we　were　right　behind　him；
ready　to　sink　a　bayonet　through　him'；　he'd　turn　around；　throw　up　his
hands；　and　sing　out：

〃I　surrender；　mister！　　I　surrender！'　and　find　that　we　were　a　hundred　feet
off；　and　would　have　to　have　a　bayonet　as　long　as　one　of　McClellan's
general　orders　to　touch　him。

〃Well；　my　company　was　the　left　of　our　regiment；　and　our　regiment　was　the
left　of　the　brigade；　and　we　swung　out　ahead　of　all　the　rest　of　the　boys。
In　our　excitement　of　chasing　the　Johnnies；　we　didn't　see　that　we　had
passed　an　angle　of　their　works。　　About　thirty　of　us　had　become　separated
from　the　company　and　were　chasing　a　squad　of　about　seventy…five　or　one
hundred。　　We　had　got　up　so　close　to　them　that　we　hollered：

〃Halt　there；　now；　or　we'll　blow　your　heads　off。〃

〃They　turned　round　with　I　halt　yourselves；　you　　Yankee　　

〃We　looked　around　at　this；　and　saw　that　we　were　not　one　hundred　feet　away
from　the　angle　of　the　works；　which　were　filled　with　Rebels　waiting　for
our　fellows　to　get　to　where　they　could　have　a　good　flank　fire　upon　them。
There　was　nothing　to　do　but　to　throw　down　our　guns　and　surrender；　and　we
had　hardly　gone　inside　of　the　works；　until　the　Johnnies　opened　on　our
brigade　and　drove　it　back。　　This　ended　the　battle　at　Spottsylvania　Court
House。〃

Second　Boy　（irrelevantly。）　〃Some　day　the　underpinning　will　fly　out　from
under　the　South；　and　let　it　sink　right　into　the　middle　kittle　o'　hell。〃

First　Boy　（savagely。）　〃I　only　wish　the　whole　Southern　Confederacy　was
hanging　over　hell　by　a　single　string；　and　I　had　a　knife。〃




CHAPTER　XLIV。

REBEL　MUSICSINGULAR　LACK　OF　THE　CREATIVE　POWER　AMONG　THE　SOUTHERNERS
CONTRAST　WITH　SIMILAR　PEOPLE　ELSEWHERETHEIR　FAVORITE　MUSIC；　AND　WHERE
IT　WAS　BORROWED　FROMA　FIFER　WITH　ONE　TUNE。

I　have　before　mentioned　as　among　the　things　that　grew　upon　one　with
increasing　acquaintance　with　the　Rebels　on　their　native　heath；　was
astonishment　at　their　lack　of　mechanical　ski1l　and　at　their　inability　to
grapple　with　numbers　and　the　simpler　processes　of　arithmetic。　　Another
characteristic　of　the　same　nature　was　their　wonderful　lack　of　musical
ability；　or　of　any　kind　of　tuneful　creativeness。

Elsewhere；　all　over　the　world；　people　living　under　similar　conditions　to
the　Southerners　are　exceedingly　musical；　and　we　owe　the　great　majority　of
the　sweetest　compositions　which　delight　the　ear　and　subdue　the　senses　to
unlettered　song…makers　of　the　Swiss　mountains；　the　Tyrolese　valleys；　the
Bavarian　Highlands；　and　the　minstrels　of　Scotland；　Ireland　and　Wales。

The　music　of　English…speaking　people　is　very　largely　made　up　of　these
contributions　from　the　folk…songs　of　dwellers　in　the　wilder　and　more
mountainous　parts　of　the　British　Isles。　　One　rarely　goes　far　out　of　the
way　in　attributing　to　this　source　any　air　that　he　may　hear　that
captivates　him　with　its　seductive　opulence　of　harmony。　　Exquisite
melodies；　limpid　and　unstrained　as　the　carol　of　a　bird　in　Spring…time；
and　as　plaintive　as　the　cooing　of　a　turtle…dove　seems　as　natural　products
of　the　Scottish　Highlands　as　the　gorse　which　blazons　on　their　hillsides
in　August。　　Debarred　from　expressing　their　aspirations　as　people　of
broader　culture　doin　painting；　in　sculpture；　in　poetry　and　prose；　these
mountaineers　make　song　the　flexible　and　ready　instrument　for　the
communication　of　every　emotion　that　sweeps　across　their　souls。

Love；　hatred；　grief；　revenge；　anger；　and　especially　war　seems　to　tune
their　minds　to　harmony；　and　awake　the　voice　of　song　in　them　hearts。　　The
battles　which　the　Scotch　and　Irish　fought　to　replace　the　luckless　Stuarts
upon　the　British　thronethe　bloody　rebellions　of　1715　and　1745；　left　a
rich　legacy　of　sweet　song；　the　outpouring　of　loving；　passionate　loyalty
to　a　wretched　cause；　songs　which　are　today　esteemed　and　sung　wherever　the
English　language　is　spoken；　by　people　who　have　long　since　forgotten　what
burning　feelings　gave　birth　to　their　favorite　melodies。

For　a　century　the　bones　of　both　the　Pretenders　have　moldered　in　alien
soil；　the　names　of　James　Edward；　and　Charles　Edward；　which　were　once
trumpet　blasts　to　rouse　armed　men；　mean　as　little　to　the　multitude　of
today　as　those　of　the　Saxon　Ethelbert；　and　Danish　Hardicanute；　yet　the
world　goes　on　singingand　will　probably　as　long　as　the　English　language
is　spoken〃Wha'll　be　King　but　Charlie？〃　　〃When　Jamie　Come　Hame；〃　　〃Over
the　Water　to　Charlie；〃　　〃Charlie　is　my　Darling；〃　　〃The　Bonny　Blue　Bonnets
are　Over　the　Border；〃　　〃Saddle　Your　Steeds　and　Awa；〃　and　a　myriad　others
whose　infinite　tenderness　and　melody　no　modern　composer　can　equal。

Yet　these　same　Scotch　and　Irish；　the　same　Jacobite　English；　transplanted
on　account　of　their　chronic　rebelliousness　to　the　mountains　of　Virginia；
the　Carolinas；　and　Georgia；　seem　to　have　lost　their　tunefulness；　as　some
fine　singing　birds　do　when　carried　from　their　native　shores。

The　descendants　of　those　who　drew　swords　for　James　and　Charles　at　Preston
Pans　and　Culloden　dwell　to…day　in　the　dales　and　valleys　of　the
A