As night descended, the whole Southern line fell back. The
pallid moonlight shone on the upturned faces of the innumerable dead.
Longstreet sat on a fence, cutting a stick with his penknife, when an
English officer near him exclaimed:--
"I would not have missed this for any thing?"
Longstreet, laughed grimly.
"I would like to have missed it very much!"[1] he said.
[Footnote 1: His words.]
XXVI.
THE CHARGE OF THE VIRGINIANS.
Lee's great blow at the enemy's left had failed. He had thrown his
entire right wing, under Longstreet, against it. The enemy had been
driven; victory seemed achieved;--but suddenly the blue lines had
rallied, they had returned to the struggle, their huge masses had
rolled forward, thrown Longstreet back in turn, and now the pale moon
looked down on the battlefield where some of the bravest souls of the
South had poured out their blood in vain.
Lee had accomplished nothing, and one of his great corps was panting
and bleeding. It was not shattered or even shaken. The iron fibre would
stand any thing almost. But the sombre result remained--Longstreet had
attacked and had been repulsed.
What course would Lee now pursue? Would he retire?
Retire? The army of Northern Virginia lose heart at a mere rebuff?
Lee's veteran army give up the great invasion, after a mere repulse?
Troops and commander alike shrunk from the very thought.
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