"
A stalwart and powerful colored woman emerged from the darkness and put
her arm around Mrs. Mason's waist.
"Don't you get too much excited, chile," she said soothingly.
Juliana stood beside her mistress, a very tower of defense, glaring at
the soldiers about them as if she would resent their curiosity.
"I thought I would come and try to see Dick," continued Mrs. Mason.
"My relatives sought to persuade me not to do it. They were right,
I know, but I wanted to come so badly that I had to do it. We slipped
away yesterday, Juliana and I. We stayed at a farmhouse last night,
and this morning we rode through the woods. We expected to be in the
camp this afternoon, but as we were coming to the edge of the forest we
heard the cannon and then the rifles. Through three or four dreadful
hours, while we shook there in the woods, we listened to a roar and
thunder that I would have thought impossible."
"The battle was very fierce and terrible," said Colonel Winchester.
"I don't think it could have been more so. We saw a part of it, but
only a confused and awful sweep of smoke and flame.
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