It was Stuart, riding at the
head of his staff and couriers.
In a moment he had come up, and promptly halted me.
"Ah! that's you, Surry!" he exclaimed with a laugh, "wandering about
here in the Wilderness! What news?"
I reported the state of things in front, and Stuart exclaimed:--
"All right; we are ready for them! Coon Hollow is
evacuated--head-quarters are in the saddle! Hear that whippoorwill! It
is a good omen. Whip 'em well! Whip 'em well!--and we'll do it too!"[1]
Stuart laughed, and began to sing--
"Never mind the weather
But get over double trouble!
We are bound for the Happy land of Lincoln!"
[Footnote 1: His words.]
As the martial voice rang through the shadowy thickets, I thought, "How
fortunate it is that the grave people are not here to witness this
singular 'want of dignity' in the great commander of Lee's cavalry!"
Those "grave people" would certainly have rolled their eyes, and
groaned, "Oh! how undignified!" Was not the occasion solemn? Was it not
sinful to laugh and sing? No, messieurs! It was right; and much better
than rolling the eyes, and staying at home and groaning! Stuart was
going to fight hard--meanwhile he sang gayly. Heaven had given him
animal spirits, and he laughed in the face of danger. He laughed and
sang on this night when he was going to clash against Grant, as he had
laughed and sung when he had clashed against Hooker--when his proud
plume floated in front of Jackson's veterans, and he led them over the
breastworks at Chancellorsville, singing, "Old Joe Hooker, will you
come out of the Wilderness!"
Stuart cantered on: we turned into the Brock road, and I found myself
retracing my steps toward the Rapidan.
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