The Tree of Appomattox

delayed it was with good cause. As Colonel Winchester was high in the general's confidence Dick saw the commander every day. He soon learned that he

Sheridan, and from the appearance of things they had warrant, but Dick had faith in their leader. Yet another period of depression had come in the North. The loss of life in Grant's campaign through the Wilderness had been tremendous, and now he seemed to be held indefinitely

h. Young, eager, brave, he never fell into the fault some of the other Union commanders had of overestimating the enemy. He always had a cheery word for his young officers, and when he was not poring over the maps with his lieutenant of engine

Dick that he was in the mountains hemming in the valley on the west, and that the statement of his having formed a junction with a band

o be burning with an inward fire, not a fire that consumed him, but a fire of triumph. Dick, who had formed a great friendship with him and who saw him often, had never known him to speak more sanguine words. Always cautious and reserved in his opinions, he talked now of the certainty of victor

time. Then, to the intense disappointment of the valiant young troops, the orders were countermanded and the whole army settled back into its quarters. Dick, who persistently refused to be a grumbler, knew

n's escort," he said, "and we're to go

. The mission must be of great importance or the commander himself would not ride upon it

l you why we were going to

N

to receive the surrender

lau

" he said, "and I've heard, too, that he's just as hard a fighter. I don't think he'

"I was only joking, but

he whole troop swept away with a thunder of hoofs and the blood leaping in their veins. It was now almost the middle of September, and the wind that blew down from the crest of the mountains had a cool bre

waited. Dick saw Colonel Winchester's face express great expectancy and he must know why th

. It was General Grant, Commander-in-Chief of all the armies of the Union, and Sheridan hastened forward to meet him. Th

portance," said Warner, "but I didn't dream tha

a give you any hint

It doesn't talk and waste

tous. But it was even more crowded with the beginnings of great events than he thought. Grant, as he wrote long afterward, had come prepared with a plan of campaign for Sheridan, but, as he wrote, "seeing that he was so clear and so positive in his vi

le Phil, and, when they parted, he gave him a free rein and an open road. Sheridan, when they rode away from the conference, was sober and thoughtful. He wa

it. Now that Grant himself had come to see Sheridan the army was bo

ld Jube," he said, "but we're coming. And

ly, "that we'll have a big bill of lives to

gton. "Haven't I been learning

ck and his friends rose very high. They did not know that daring Southern spies had learned of the meeting of Grant and Sheridan, and Early, judging that

his blood tingled with expectancy. At midnight the Winchester regiment rode off to the left to join the cavalry

ant Whitley, ready for use as a scout. Shepard had disappeared already in the darkness. They joined Wilson's command and waited

they were anxious to come to grips with their foe. Dick still rode knee to knee with Warner and Pennington, as they went on at a rapid pace in the starlight, the fields and strips of forest glidi

ave a big force at the

what we've heard of Early's army t

for a brush the

pierced in the east by a lance of light. The rift widened, and the pale light of the first dawn appeared over the hills. Dick, using his glasses, saw a flash which he knew was

was now deepening rapidly, its pallor turning to silver, and the river, for a long length, lay clear to view before

atening. The yellow light of the sun, replacing the silver of the first dawn, gilded them with gold, glittering on the upraised blades and tense faces. The bullets of the South

uthern skirmishers increased in volume and accuracy. No great Southern force was there, but the men were full of courage and activity. Their rifle fire emptied m

rmishers and sharpshooters, who were hidden among the trees and thickets. The water itself proved but little obstacle. It was ch

eating hoofs, and charged straight on, driving the scattered Southern riflemen before them. Dick's exultati

gallop the whole length of th

tious, despite his rejoic

the valley, Frank!" he ex

nington, carried away by his

so great was the sweep of the cavalry that they charged directly upon it. The defenders, too few to h

at we were going to gallop the whole length of

Listen to the trumpets sounding the halt, and yo

were advancing to retake the little fort. The cavalry was reduced in an instant from the offensive to the defensive, and dismounting and sending their horses to the rear, where they were held by every tenth man, they waited with carbines read

nchester, going down the ran

fort a sheet of bullets poured upon them, and drove them back, leaving the ground sprinkled with

d Warner, "but they can't

ter, where heavy columns came to their support. But the Winchester men had time to breathe, and also to exult, as they had suffered but little loss. Wh

is glasses, the only success yet achieved was that of the cavalry at the fort. Sheridan himself had not yet appeared, and the hopes of t

enveloping the west. The rifles crashed incessantly and the heavy thunder of the cannon gave the steady s

aid Warner, looking at the sun, whic

urn your glasses to the right, and look at that regiment of horses by the edge of the grove. I see at the head of it two

t mistake Colonel Leonidas Talbot and Lieutenant Colonel Hector St. Hilaire, both of whom were watching the progress of the battle

incibles. The glasses were powerful and they told him much. He inferred from the manner in which the men were drawn up that they would charge soon. Near them a ba

in the front of the Invincibles, and one of them was his own cousin, almost his brother. He did not know a soul i

fast as the men could reload and fire. The Invincibles who carried short rifles, much like the carbines of the N

ther his eye or his fancy saw the Invincibles lean forward a little, fasten their rifles, shake loose the reins with

, the men raising their sabers and flashing them above their heads. Dick drew deep breaths and his pulses beat painfully. Had he realized what his wishes were th

though it seemed an hour to Dick, and then he saw the blue infantry reeling back, their advance checked by the charge of the Invincibles. A cheer rose in Dick's throat, but he c

it's been effective, too. Our men are falling back, whil

cibles returned from their victorious charge in a close mass it was impossible for him to tell. A number of saddles had been

of our cavalry

ushed and eager and his eyes blazing. He was a little man, but he was electric in his energy, and his very presence seemed to communicate mor

e Northern center. Beyond the taking of the fort by the cavalry the Army of the Shenandoah had made no progress, and the Souther

t. There were many groups of trees, and from every one of these the Southern riflemen sent swarms of bullets. It seemed to Dick that he was preserved miraculously. Ma

began to reply to those of the South. Yet the Confederate lines still held fast. Clouds of smoke floated over the field, but whenever they lifted sufficiently Dic

mathematical eye. "We have the greater numbers but our infantry are comi

Dick. "I thought we'd make a g

e to be. There's not much marching over

ging on his troops, but the reserves were slow in coming and he was not yet able to hurl his full strength upon his enemy. Noon came, the battle a

l have to draw off

n refuses to recognize necessities when they're not in his

g movement, but they could still see most of the field. For the moment they were not

ly broke from his calm and pointe

s of artillery and infantry are coming

s for the attack, and soon the trumpets sounded the charge along the whole front. The Northern batteries

vering in its fortunes ensued. The wing to which the Winchesters belonged pressed forward, driving their enemy before them, only to be caught when they went too far by a savage flanking fir

sent new troops. With charge after charge he drove the Confederates out of the gap and closed it up. A whole division was then hurled w

e wondered why. Perhaps the thought came into his own dauntless heart that he might not succeed at all, but, if so, he hid it, and called up fresh resources of streng

e song that summoned men to death the young men unconsciously tightened the grip of the knee on their horses, and leaned a little forward, as if

the Winchester regiment, and he knew their char

ing to win or lose he

I think you can put your money on the caval

with all its might, th

t of the United States and also high in the councils of the Confederacy. Breckinridge was inspiring his command with the utmos

as if through one body, and when the final command was given they swept forward in a mighty, irresistible line. In

apeshot and bullets that had swept so often around him. In spite of the most desperate courage, the Southern troops gave way before the terrific onset-they had to give grou

attle lifted they saw that the Union army elsewhere was triumphant also. Sheridan along his whole line was forcing the enemy back toward Winchester, raking him with his

front of steel to the enemy, covered the retreat. Neither infantry nor cavalry could break it, although every man in the Southern command knew that the battle was los

t morning, but the bullets and shells seemed resolved to spare the four youths and the two colonels, or at least not to doom them to death. Nearly every one of them

n defeated, Hector," sai

inflicted great loss upon the enemy. As you see, we are protecting our withdrawal. Every attack of the e

s feat of arms! But the Yankee general, Sheridan, is not like the other Yankee ge

have now no Stonewall Jackson to meet hi

y of twilight was already showing on the eastern hills, and Early's men still held the broad turnpike leading into the South. Here, fighting with all the desperation of imminent need, they beat off every effort of the Northern cavalry to gain

*

rs knew it. The spell of Southern invincibility in the famous valley, where Jackson had won so often, was broken, and the star of Sheridan had flashed out with brilliancy, to last until the war's close. They knew, too, that they now held all of the

g and seemingly endless deadlock a terrible blow had been struck at the flank of Lee, and the news of the triumph filled the North with joy. It was also g

them. They had escaped without hurt, and they were very happy over the achievement of the day. The night was crisp, filled w

ing that we would

that we would win, when w

his men, and I think our Little Phil has the same quality. Since we first came to him here I haven'

ttle Phil-I intend to call him that when I'm not in his presence, because it'

ning before us, but the fire that makes him see obstacles little, and advantages big

rical, perhaps, but that can be attributed to

I come. If so many youths in blue didn't come from that same region t

the writers and when this war is ended victoriously they'll give the credit of all the fighting to N

should learn to read and write. Why

Dick, without a word, passed him a plate of hot ham and a tin cup of sizzling coffee. The colonel, who looked worn t

message. The news will also be sent to the nearest telegraph station, and then it will travel on hundreds of

aid Dick. "I suppose we

teen hours of marching and fighting. I've been very proud of my reg

arner, respectfully. "If we've been marching

hy the rest of you should delay. How that coffee and

more,

nt to sleep. We don't know what is before us tomorrow, but whatever it is it won't

ot yet quiet, and sleep did not come for a little while. The long lines of fires still glowed, and the sounds of an army came to them. Dick looked up into the starshine. He was still rejoicing in the victory, not because the other side had lost, but

self upon his

ebra tell you anything about

apped hi

fits this case. Let x equal the Army of Northern Virginia, let y equal the army of Early here in the valley, and let x plus y equal a possibly successful defense by the South. But when

problem, George, but still I'm putting

how to do a thing, but proves how we've done it. As for me, I'm pinning my faith to Little Phil. He won a great victory tod

e, Frank," said Dick. "I didn

I'm real brig

ular belief,

se my talents,"

ght to. The

lau

e. Don't argue with him. With him the best proof t

which can be said of very few o

and lay down again, resting the

es, began to sing, and the three, astonished, raised themselves up again. It was a chorus, beautiful and s

n't it?" sai

to hear,"

k, "and the cannon and the rifles frightened 'em so much that they stayed c

at such a time and such a place? How these little fellows must be sw

e sung to sleep tonight," said D

to slumberland it was to the thrilling