eben holden-第56部分

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day　from　which　I　should　return　shortly　to　visit　them。

All　about　me　seemed　to　be　sleeping　…　some　of　them　were　talking　in　their　dreams。　As　it　grew　light；　one　after　another　rose　and　stretched　himself；　rousing　his　seat　companion。　The　train　halted；　a　man　shot　a　musket　voice　in　at　the　car　door。　It　was　loaded　with　the　many　syllables　of　'Annapolis　Junction　。　We　were　pouring　out　of　the　train　shortly；　to　bivouac　for　breakfastin　the　depot　yard。　So　I　began　the　life　of　a　soldier；　and　how　it　ended　with　me　many　have　read　in　better　books　than　this；　but　my　story　of　it　is　here　and　only　here。

We　went　into　camp　there　on　the　lonely　flats　of　east　Maryland　for　a　day　or　two；　as　we　supposed；　but　really　for　quite　two　weeks。　In　the　long　delay　that　followed；　my　way　traversed　the　dead　levels　of　routine。　When　Southern　sympathy　had　ceased　to　wreak　its　wrath　upon　the　railroads　about　Baltimore　we　pushed　on　to　Washington。　There　I　got　letters　from　Uncle　Eb　and　Elizabeth　Brower。　The　former　I　have　now　in　my　box　of　treasures　…　a　torn　and　faded　remnant　of　that　dark　period。

DEAR　SIR'pen　in　hand　to　hat　you　know　that　we　are　all　wel。　also　that　we　was　sorry　you　could　not　come　horn。　They　took　on　terribul。　Hope　she　wrote　a　letter。　Said　she　had　not　herd　from　you。　also　that　somebody　wrote　to　her　you　was　goin　to　be　married。　You　had　oughter　write　her　a　letter；　Bill。　Looks　to　me　so　you　hain't　used　her　right。　Shes　a　comm　horn　in　July。　Sowed　corn　to　day　in　the　gardin。　David　is　off　byin　catul。　I　hope　God　will　take　care　uv　you；　boy；　so　goodbye　from　yours　truly

EBEN　HOLDEN

I　wrote　immediately　to　Unde　Eb　and　told　him　of　the　letters　I　had　sent　to　Hope；　and　of　my　effort　to　see　her。

Late　in　May；　after　Virginia　had　seceded；　some　thirty　thousand　of　us　were　sent　over　to　the　south　side　of　the　Potomac；　where　for　weeks　we　tore　the　flowery　fields；　lining　the　shore　with　long　entrenchments。

Meantime　I　wrote　three　letters　to　Mr　Greeley；　and　had　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　them　in　the　Tribune。　I　took　much　interest　in　the　camp　drill；　and　before　we　crossed　the　river　I　had　been　raised　to　the　rank　of　first　lieutenant。　Every　day　we　were　looking　for　the　big　army　of　Beauregard；　camping　below　Centreville；　some　thirty　miles　south。

Almost　every　night　a　nervous　picket　set　the　camp　in　uproar　by　challenging　a　phantom　of　his　imagination。　We　were　all　impatient　as　hounds　in　leash。　Since　they　would　not　come　up　and　give　us　battle　we　wanted　to　be　off　and　have　it　out　with　them。　And　the　people　were　tired　of　delay。　The　cry　of　'ste'boy！'was　ringing　all　over　the　north。　They　wanted　to　cut　us　loose　and　be　through　with　dallying。

Well；　one　night　the　order　came；　we　were　to　go　south　in　the　morning　…　thirty　thousand　of　us；　and　put　an　end　to　the　war。　We　did　not　get　away　until　afternoon　…　it　was　the　6th　of　July。　When　we　were　off；　horse　and　foot；　so　that　I　could　see　miles　of　the　blue　column　before　and　behind　me；　I　felt　sorry　for　the　mistaken　South。　On　the　evening　of　the　i8th　our　camp…fires　on　either　side　of　the　pike　at　Centreville　glowed　like　the　lights　of　a　city。　We　knew　the　enemy　was　near；　and　began　to　feel　a　tightening　of　the　nerves。　I　wrote　a　letter　to　the　folks　at　home　for　post　mortem　delivery；　and　put　it　into　my　trousers'pocket。　A　friend　in　my　company　called　me　aside　after　mess。

'Feel　of　that；'he　said；　laying　his　hand　on　a　full　breast。

'Feathers！'he　whispered　significantly。　'Balls　can't　go　through　'em；　ye　know。　Better　n　a　steel　breastplate！　Want　some？　

'Don't　know　but　I　do；'said　I。

We　went　into　his　tent；　where　he　had　a　little　sack　full；　and　put　a　good　wad　of　them　between　my　two　shirts。

'I　hate　the　idee　o'bein'hit　'n　the　heart；'he　said。　'That's　too　awful。　

I　nodded　my　assent。

'Shouldn't　like　t'have　a　ball　in　my　lungs；　either；'he　added。　'　'Tain't　necessary　fer　a　man　t'die　if　he　can　only　breathe。　If　a　man　gits　his　leg　shot　off　an'don't　lose　his　head　an'keeps　drawin'his　breath　right　along　smooth　an　even；　I　don't　see　why　he　can't　live。　

Taps　sounded。　We　went　asleep　with　our　boots　on；　but　nothing　happened。

Three　days　and　nights　we　waited。　Some　called　it　a　farce；　some　swore；　some　talked　of　going　home。　I　went　about　quietly；　my　bosom　under　its　pad　of　feathers。　The　third　day　an　order　came　from　headquarters。　We　were　to　break　camp　at　one…thirty　in　the　morning　and　go　down　the　pike　after　Beauregard。　In　the　dead　of　the　night　the　drums　sounded。　I　rose；　half…asleep；　and　heard　the　long　roll　far　and　near。　I　shivered　in　the　cold　night　air　as　I　made　ready；　the　boys　about　me　buckled　on　knapsacks；　shouldered　their　rifles；　and　fell　into　line。　Muffled　in　darkness　there　was　an　odd　silence　in　the　great　caravan　forming　rapidly　and　waiting　for　the　word　to　move。　At　each　command　to　move　forward　I　could　hear　only　the　rub　of　leather；　the　click；　click　of　rifle　rings；　the　stir　of　the　stubble；　the　snorting　of　horses。　When　we　had　marched　an　hour　or　so　I　could　hear　the　faint　rumble　of　wagons　far　in　the　rear。　As　I　came　high　on　a　hill　top；　in　the　bending　column；　the　moonlight　fell　upon　a　league　of　bayonets　shining　above　a　cloud　of　dust　in　the　valley　…　a　splendid　picture；　fading　into　darkness　and　mystery。　At　dawn　we　passed　a　bridge　and　halted　some　three　minutes　for　a　bite。　After　a　little　march　we　left　the　turnpike；　with　Hunter's　column　bearing　westward　on　a　crossroad　that　led　us　into　thick　woods。　As　the　sunlight　sank　in　the　high　tree…tops　the　first　great　battle　of　the　war　began。　Away　to　the　left　of　us　a　cannon　shook　the　earth；　hurling　its　boom　into　the　still　air。　The　sound　rushed　over　us；　rattling　in　the　timber　like　a　fall　of　rocks。　Something　went　quivering　in　me。　It　seemed　as　if　my　vitals　had　gone　into　a　big　lump　of　jelly　that　trembled　every　step　I　took。　We　quickened　our　pace；　we　fretted；　we　complained。　The　weariness　went　out　of　our　legs；　some　wanted　to　run。　Before　and　behind　us　men　were　shouting　hotly；　'Run；　boys！　run！'The　cannon　roar　was　now　continuous。　We　could　feel　the　quake　of　it。　When　we　came　over　a　low　ridge；　in　the　open；　we　could　see　the　smoke　of　battle　in　the　valley。　Flashes　of　fire　and　hoods　of　smoke　leaped　out　of　the　far　thickets；　left　of　us；　as　cannon　roared。　Going　at　double　quick　we　began　loosening　blankets　and　haversacks；　tossing　them　into　heaps　along　the　line　of　march；　without　halting。　In　half　an　hour　we　stood　waiting　in　battalions；　the　left　flank　of　the　enemy　in　front。　We　were　to　charge　at　a　run。　Half…way　across　the　valley　we　were　to　break　into　companies　and；　advancing；　spread　into　platoons　and　squads；　and　at　last　into　line　of　skirmishers；　lying　down　for　cover　between　rushes。

'Forward！'was　the　order；　and　we　were　off；　cheering　as　we　ran。　O；　it　was　a　grand　sight！　our　colours　flying；　our　whole　front　moving；　like　a　blue　wave　on　a　green；　immeasurable　sea。　And　it　had　a　voice　like　that　of　many　waters。　Out　of　the　woods　ahead　of　us　came　a　lightning　flash。　A　ring　of　smoke　reeled　upward。　Then　came　a　deafening　crash　of　thunders　…　one　upon　another；　and　the　scream　of　shells　overhead。　Something　stabbed　into　our　column　right　beside　me。　Many　went　headlong；　crying　out　as　they　fell。　Suddenly　the　colours　seemed　to　halt　and　sway　like　a　tree…top　in　the　wind。　Then　down　they　went！　…　squad　and　colours　…　and　we　spread　to　pass　them。　At　the　order　we　halted　and　laid　down　and　fired　volley　after　volley　at　the　grey　coats　in　the