The Sword of Antietam

ched for a few days from the regiment by Colonel Winchester, partly that he might have a da

ere all silent like stoics as they passed over the bridge to a hospital in Washington. His side

r a window and the pleasant sunshine poured in. It was now the opening of September, and the hot days

ile," he said lightly to Dick, "and I'm glad to se

They didn't outfight us, but they had the best generals. As so

k. That's what you ought to do. I hear tha

, and it's taken over the Army of Virginia. We hear tha

s so tremendously cautious that he'll never trap anything h

eve in him. And George, our man in the east hasn't come yet. The generals we've ha

you know the r

Shiloh. Surprised at both places, he won anyhow. He wouldn

run him down. Halleck has been transferred to Washington as a sort of general

eerfulness. The most terrible suspense reigned there. Never before or since was Washington in such alarm. A hostile and victorious army was within a day's march. Pope almost to the last had

on had twice gone down in disaster. It was said, and there was ample cause for the saying of it, that Lee and Jackson with their victorious veterans wou

the stamina of the troops, if indeed it were ever lost, which he doubted very much. He had seen how splendidly they fought at the Second Manassas, and he knew

ore the Second Manassas. The lobby was packed with men, and there was but one topic, the military situation. Would Lee and Jackson advance, hot upon the

he had fought in many battles and these men had fought in none. He retained the natural modesty of youth, and knowing that one wh

a heavy man of middle age, whom he remembered well, approached a

Mr. Watson," sa

hought so, but I was not sure, as you are thinner than you w

tor dropped into it. Then he crossed his legs, an

ip since I last saw yo

go so ter

kes a trip. It's what yo

undred times more tha

ne cigars from his vest po

d the boy, "I've nev

When you see a thing so thick around you, you don't care for it. Well, we'll talk

against us, which com

hrashed. There'

trying

t you were a young man of sense. I'm glad t

many good

suppose that more monumental foolishness has been hidden under cocked hats and gold lace than under anything else, since the world began. Easy now,

he best they can. You will let me s

young man.

s at Bristoe Station. The rebels burned there several million dollars worth

out of his mouth with the other hand, blew several rings of fine b

t it had all been paid for by a perfectly solvent Union government. So, if I were to consider it from the purely material standpoint, which you imagine to be the only one I hav

what

own envelope, and he took from the envelope a l

le gave it to me at once. It came from somebody within the Confederate lines. You know how the Northern and Southern pickets exch

on, Washin

justified in making to you a complaint which I am sure you will agree with me is well-founded. At a little place called Bristoe Station I recently obtained a fine, blue un

e fit was a little tight, but work well done would not yield so quickly. I also picked out a pair of beautiful shoes, bea

not use any harsher word. We do not expect you to supply us with goods of t

bedient

R ST.

t 'The In

S.

hat?" said Watson. "It has its humorous side, I admit, and y

else as particular about his clothes, and it seems that the uniform and shoes you furnished him are not all right. He's a gentleman and he wouldn't lie. I met him at Cedar Run, when th

. Clair-it's an easy name to remember-I'll strip my uniform

ither him or his comr

th me about many things, but you're only a boy and you'll know better later on

w," said Dick, who saw that the

d-bye. I see a sen

ried away with great lightness

seeing with gladness his rapid improvement. When he was with him the last t

me about it-but if I didn't it was not because I wasn't grateful. Up in Vermont we're not much on words-our trainin

as a matter of course. You'd ha

d I shall be up in time for it. You'll be there, too. Couldn't you get yourself shot late in the afternoon, lie

of Warner's jest lay a resolve to match t

he said. "I'll look

ys. McClellan will n

capital he had advanced into Maryland, a Southern state, but one that had never seceded. The Southerners expected

's heel is

yla

is at thy

yla

he patri

the streets

battle qu

d, my M

he Maryland line and its great deeds. Many of the Marylanders had already come to Lee and Jackson, and now that the Southern army, led by its famous lea

e organized with all speed to meet him. Dick heard that Lee was already at Frederick, giving his troops

y returned. It suddenly disappeared from Frederick, and McClellan became extremely cautious. He h

ained bitterly to Dick, who wa

e double, and we haven't got him yet. We must spend l

ed then that he was right, and I believe it yet. If General G

ppreciated the position of General McClellan. No one in the Union army or in the North knew the plans of Lee and Jackson

t be absolutely sure they intended an important invasion of Maryland. They might be planning to fall upon the ca

lthough a very young man for so high a position, had already changed much. His face was thinner, and it seemed to Dick that he had lost something of his confident look. The awful Seven Days and his bitter disappointment had left their impr

n the confidence of his army he must have great qual

er Pope, but behold the spirits of the men, although the Second Manassas is only a few days away. McClellan looks after

. But it soon rose again. The Army of the Potomac was now a veteran body. It had b

se disappearances were always full of sinister omens, portending a terrible attack from an unknown quarter. But when Dick looked upon the great and brave Army of the Potomac, nearly a hundred thousand strong, his ap

he said, "the Southern army ma

we'll have 'em trapped same as they trapped us at Manassas. Wouldn't it b

gnificent. But I wish old George was here. Why did he want to get in

d that youth, clean blood and clean living counted for a lot-I guess George would put it at nin

he's strong enough to ride a ho

houses ahead. What

st have vanished, since no bullets meet us. The colonel is looking through his glass

ust take his place. I like the looks of these Maryl

t either enthusiasm or marked hostility. Yet the Union vanguard obtained news. Lee had been there with his army, but he had gone away! Where! They could not say. The Sout

We know that the Southern army has been h

er or later. I learned from the hunters in Nebraska that when you strike the trail o

d up much gossip. Young women, with strong Southern proclivities, looked with frowning eyes upon their blue uniforms, but the frank and pleasant smile

ls from them. They showed them a grove in which Lee, Jackson, Longstreet and D. H. Hill h

Sorrel, had been worn out by incessant marchings and must rest for a while. The people gave him a splendid horse, but one that had not been broken well.

the general. He had been thrown so hard that he was stunned and had big bruises. That horse did him more damage than all the armies o

t to them a house which the Confederate generals had made their headquarters.

kson and Lee and Longstreet had occupied. Dick caught sight of a small package lying on one of th

the rebels have left b

but I don

l find someone

e floor and put the cigars in his pocket. Dick was about to turn a

t by the words writ

S OF THE AR

ing or command and he obeyed at once. He picked up the paper and smoothe

THE ARMY OF NO

ber 9,

bulging in hi

THE ARMY OF NO

ber 9,

Orders,

h such portions as he may select, take their route toward Sharpsburg, cross the Potomac at the most convenient point and by Friday morning take posses

road as far as Boonsborough, where it will halt wi

treet. On reaching Middletown will take the route to Harper's Ferry, and by Friday morning posses

d a moment

ith the cigars, "there is n

oment," s

ce with it to a superior officer, but

to Lovettsville, take possession of Sundown Heights, if practicable, by Friday morning, Key's Grove on his left, and the road between the end of the mounta

my, pursuing the road taken by the main body. The reserve artill

omeone calling again to hi

ls Longstreet, Jackson and McLaws, and with the main body of the cavalry will cover

omplishing the objects for which they have been detached, wil

march will habitually

ons, for use of the men

d, etc. R.

Adjutant

ent his throat seemed to contract so tightly that he

d be more important. Evidently copies of it had been sent to all his division commanders, and this one by some singular chance either had not reached its destination, or had been tossed ca

tter to Dick then for whom it was intended. He saw at once all the possibilities. Lee and Jackson had divided thei

d Lee himself must be somewhere near at hand. The Union scouts could quickly find him and the ninety thousand veterans of the Army of the Potomac could crush him to powder in a day. W

twenty-five thousand men with him, and Jackson was three or four days' marc

, sir! Take it

e wh

ok! See w

xcited. He hurried with it to General McClellan, and that day the co

and will catch them in my own trap, i

" and sighed a little. Already this general, so bold in design and so great in preparation was