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fugitive urging his well…nigh spent horse down the slope of the hill
toward town。 In an agony of anxiety they hurried forward to meet him and
learn his news。
The first messenger who rushed into Job's presence to announce the
beginning of the series of misfortunes which were to afflict the upright
man of Uz is a type of all the cowards who； before or since then； have
been the first to speed away from the field of battle to spread the news
of disaster。 He said：
And the Sabeans fell upon them； and took them away ； yea； they have
slain the servants with the edge of the sword； and I only am escaped
alone to tell thee。
So this fleeing Virginian shouted to his expectant friends：
〃The boys are all cut to pieces； I'm the only one that got away。〃
The terrible extent of his words was belied a little later； by the
appearance on the distant summit of the hill of a considerable mob of
fugitives； flying at the utmost speed of their nearly exhausted horses。
As they came on down the hill as almost equally disorganized crowd of
pursuers appeared on the summit； yelling in voices hoarse with continued
shouting； and pouring an incessant fire of carbine and revolver bullets
upon the hapless men of the Sixty…fourth Virginia。
The two masses of men swept on through the town。 Beyond it； the road
branched in several directions； the pursued scattered on each of these；
and the worn…out pursuers gave up the chase。
Returning to Jonesville； we took an account of stock； and found that we
were 〃ahead〃 one hundred and fifteen prisoners； nearly that many horses；
and a considerable quantity of small arms。 How many of the enemy had
been killed and wounded could not be told； as they were scattered over
the whole fifteen miles between where the fight occurred and the pursuit
ended。 Our loss was trifling。
Comparing notes around the camp…fires in the evening； we found that our
success had been owing to the Major's instinct； his grasp of the
situation； and the soldierly way in which he took advantage of it。 When
he reached the summit of the hill he found the Rebel line nearly formed
and ready for action。 A moment's hesitation might have been fatal to us。
At his command Company I went into line with the thought…like celerity of
trained cavalry； and instantly dashed through the right of the Rebel
line。 Company K followed and plunged through the Rebel center； and when
we of Company L arrived on the ground； and charged the left； the last
vestige of resistance was swept away。 The whole affair did not probably
occupy more than fifteen minutes。
This was the way Powell's Valley was opened to our foragers。
CHAPTER III。
LIVING OFF THE ENEMYREVELING IN THE FATNESS OF THE COUNTRYSOLDIERLY
PURVEYING AND CAMP COOKERYSUSCEPTIBLE TEAMSTERS AND THEIR TENDENCY TO
FLIGHTINESSMAKING SOLDIER'S BED。
For weeks we rode up and downhither and thitheralong the length of
the narrow； granite…walled Valley； between mountains so lofty that the
sun labored slowly over them in the morning； occupying half the forenoon
in getting to where his rays would reach the stream that ran through the
Valley's center。 Perpetual shadow reigned on the northern and western
faces of these towering Nightsnot enough warmth and sunshine reaching
them in the cold months to check the growth of the ever…lengthening
icicles hanging from the jutting cliffs； or melt the arabesque frost…
forms with which the many dashing cascades decorated the adjacent rocks
and shrubbery。 Occasionally we would see where some little stream ran
down over the face of the bare； black rocks for many hundred feet； and
then its course would be a long band of sheeny white； like a great rich；
spotless scarf of satin； festooning the war…grimed walls of some old
castle。
Our duty now was to break up any nuclei of concentration that the Rebels
might attempt to form； and to guard our foragersthat is； the teamsters
and employee of the Quartermaster's Departmentwho were loading grain
into wagons and hauling it away。
This last was an arduous task。 There is no man in the world that needs
as much protection as an Army teamster。 He is worse in this respect than
a New England manufacturer； or an old maid on her travels。 He is given
to sudden fears and causeless panics。 Very innocent cedars have a
fashion of assuming in his eyes the appearance of desperate Rebels armed
with murderous guns； and there is no telling what moment a rock may take
such a form as to freeze his young blood； and make each particular hair
stand on end like quills upon the fretful porcupine。 One has to be
particular about snapping caps in his neighborhood； and give to him
careful warning before discharging a carbine to clean it。 His first
impulse； when anything occurs to jar upon his delicate nerves； is to cut
his wheel…mule loose and retire with the precipitation of a man having an
appointment to keep and being behind time。 There is no man who can get
as much speed out of a mule as a teamster falling back from the
neighborhood of heavy firing。
This nervous tremor was not peculiar to the engineers of our
transportation department。 It was noticeable in the gentry who carted
the scanty provisions of the Rebels。 One of Wheeler's cavalrymen told me
that the brigade to which he belonged was one evening ordered to move at
daybreak。 The night was rainy； and it was thought best to discharge the
guns and reload before starting。 Unfortunately； it was neglected to
inform the teamsters of this； and at the first discharge they varnished
from the scene with such energy that it was over a week before the
brigade succeeded in getting them back again。
Why association with the mule should thus demoralize a man； has always
been a puzzle to me； for while the mule； as Col。 Ingersoll has remarked；
is an animal without pride of ancestry or hope of posterity； he is still
not a coward by any means。 It is beyond dispute that a full…grown and
active lioness once attacked a mule in the grounds of the Cincinnati
Zoological Garden； and was ignominiously beaten； receiving injuries from
which she died shortly afterward。
The apparition of a badly…scared teamster urging one of his wheel mules
at break…neck speed over the rough ground； yelling for protection against
〃them Johnnies；〃 who had appeared on some hilltop in sight of where he
was gathering corn； was an almost hourly occurrence。 Of course the squad
dispatched to his assistance found nobody。
Still； there were plenty of Rebels in the country； and they hung around
our front； exchanging shots with us at long taw； and occasionally
treating us to a volley at close range； from some favorable point。
But we had the decided advantage of them at this game。 Our Sharpe's
carbines were much superior in every way to their Enfields。 They would
shoot much farther； and a great deal more rapidly； so that the Virginians
were not long in discovering that they were losing more than they gained
in this useless warfare。
Once they played a sharp practical joke upon us。 Copper River is a deep；
exceedingly rapid mountain stream； with a very slippery rocky bottom。
The Rebels blockaded a ford in such a way tha