you　must　not　make　up　your　mind　that　you　will　get　much　benefit
  from　one。　　We　shall　move　rapidly；　and　each　man　must；　shift　for
  himself；　but　at　the　same　time　we　shall　of　course　often　be
  stationary；　and　then　servants　will　be　useful。　　At　any　rate　I　can　see
  no　objection　to　men　having　them。　　We　must　be　prepared　to　rough　it
  to　any　extent　when　it　is　necessary；　but　I　see　no　reason　why　at　other
  times　a　man　should　not；　make　himself　comfortable。　　I　expect　the
  order　to…morrow　or　next；　day　to　begin　formally　to　enroll
  volunteers。　　As　I　have　now　put　down　your　name　there　will　be　no
  occasion　for　you　to　come　in　then。　　You　will　receive　a
  communication　telling　you　when　to　report　yourself。
  〃I　shall　not　trouble　much　about　uniform　at　first。　　High　boots　and
  breeches；　a　thick　felt　hat　that　will　turn　the　edge　of　a　sword；　and　a
  loose　coat…jacket　of　dark…gray　cloth。　That　is　the　name　of　the　tailor
  who　has　got　the　pattern；　and　will　make　them。　　So　I　should　advise
  you　to　go　to　him　at　once；　for　lie　will　be　so　busy　soon　that；　there　is
  no　saying　when　the　whole　troop　will　get　their　uniforms。〃
  Upon　his　return　home　Vincent　related　to　his　mother　and　sisters　the
  conversation　that　he　had　had　with　Major　Ashley。
  〃Certainly　you　had　better　take　a　servant　with　you；〃　his　mother　said。
  〃I　suppose　when　you　are　riding　about；　you　will　have　to　clean　your
  horse；　and　cook　your　dinner；　and　do　everything　for　yourself；　but
  when　you　are　in　a　town　you　should　have　these　things　done　for　you。
  Who　would　you　like　to　take？
  〃I　should　like　to　take　Dan；　mother；　if　you　have　no　objection。　　He　is
  very　strong　and　active；　and　I　think　would　generally　be　able　to　keep
  up　with　us；　besides；　I　know　he　would　always　stick　to　me。〃
  〃You　shall　have　hun　certainly；　Vincent；　I　will　make　him　over
  formally　to　you。〃
  WITH　LEE　IN　VIRGINIA。
  85
  〃Thank　you；　mother；〃　Vincent　said　joyfully；　for　ho　had　often
  wished　that　Dan　belonged　to　him；　as　he　would　then　be　able　to
  prevent　any　interference　with　him　by　the　overseer　or　any　one　else；
  and　could；　if　he　liked；　give　him　his　freedom…although　this　would；
  he　knew；　be　of　very　doubtful　advantage　to　the　lad　as　long　as　he
  remained　in　the　South。
  The　next　morning　the　necessary　papers　were　drawn　up；　and　the
  ownership　of　Dan　was　formally　transferred　to　Vincent。　　Dan　was
  wild　with　delight　when　he　heard　that　Vincent　was　now　his　master；
  and　that　he　was　to　accompany　him　to　the　war。　　It　had　been　known
  two　days　before　that　Vincent　was　going；　and　it　seemed　quite
  shocking　to　the　negroes　that　the　young　master　should　go　as　a
  private　soldier；　and　have　to　do　everything　for　himself…〃just；〃　as
  they　said；　〃like　de　poor　white　trash；〃　for　the　slaves　were　proud　to
  belong　to　an　old　family；　and　looked　down　with　almost　contempt
  upon　the　poorer　class　of　whites；　regarding　their　own　position　as
  infinitely　superior。
  Four　days　later　Vincent　received　an　official　letter　saying　that　the
  corps　would　be　mustered　in　two　days'　time。　　The　next　day　was
  spent　in　a　long　round　of　farewell　visits；　and　then　Vincent　mounted
  Wildfire；　and；　with　Dan　trotting　behind；　rode　off　from　the
  Orangery　amid　a　chorus　of　blessings　and　good　wishes　from　all　the
  slaves　who　could　op　any　pretext　get　away　from　their　duties；　and
  who　had　assembled　in　front　of　the　house　to　see　him　start。
  The　place　of　meeting　for　the　regiment　was　at　Hanover
  Courthouse…a　station　on　the　Richmond　and　Fredericksburg
  Railway；　close　to　the　Pamunky　River；　about　eighteen　miles　from
  the　city。
  The　Orangery　was　a　mile　from　the　village　of　Gaines；　which　lay　to
  the　northeast　of　Richmond；　and　was　some　twelve　miles　from
  Hanover　Courthouse。
  A　month　was　spent　in　drill；　and　at　the　end　of　that　time　the　corps
  wore　able　to　execute　any　simple　maneuver。　　More　than　this　Major
  Ashley　did　not　care　about　their　learning。　　The　work　in　which　they
  were　about　to　engage　was　that　of　scouts　rather　than　that　of　regular
  cavalry；　and　the　requirements　were　vigilance　and　attention　to
  orders；　good　shooting　and　a　quick　eye。　　Off　duty　there　was　but
  little　discipline。　　Almost　the　whole　of　the　men　were　in　a　good
  position　in　life；　and　many　of　them　very　wealthy；　and　while　strict
  discipline　and　obedience　were　expected　while　on　duty；　at　all　other
  times　something　like　equality　existed　between　officers　and　men；
  and　all　were　free　to　live　as　they　chose。
  The　rations　served　out　were　simple　and　often　scanty；　for　at　　present
  the　various　departments　were　not　properly　organized；　and　such
  numbers　of　men　were　flocking　to　the　standards　that　the　authorities
  were　at　their　wit's　end　to　provide　them　with　even　the　simplest
  food。　　This　mattered　but　little；　however；　to　the　regiment；；　whose
  members　were　all　ready　and　willing　to　pay　for　everything　they
  wanted；　and　the　country　people　round　found　a　ready　market　for　all
  their　chickens；　eggs；　fruit；　and　vegetables　at　Hanover　Courthouse；
  for　here　there　were　also　several　infantry　regiments；　and　the
  normally　quiet；　little　village　was　a　scene　of　bustle　and　confusion。
  The　arms　of　the　cavalry　were　of　a　very　varied　description。　　Not；
  more　than　a　dozen　had　swords；　the　rest　were　armed　with　rifles　or
  shot…guns；　with　the　barrels　cut　short　to　enable　them　to　be　carried　as
  carbines。　　Many　of　them　were　armed　with　revolvers；　and　some
  carried　pistols　so　antiquated　that　they　might　have　been　used　in　the
  revolutionary　war。　　A　certain　number　of　tents　had　been　issued　for
  the　use　of　the　corps。　　These；　however；　were　altogether　insufficient
  for　the　numbers；　and　most　of　the　men　preferred　to　sleep　in　shelters
  composed　of　canvas；　carpets；　blankets；　Qr　any　other　material　that
  came　to　hand；　or　in　arbors　constructed　of　the　boughs　of　trees；　for　it
  was　now　April　and　warm　enough　to　sleep　in　the　open　air。
  In　the　third　week　in　May　the　order　came　that　the　corps　was　to
  march　at　once　for　Harper's　Ferry…an　important　position　at；　the　point
  where　the　Shenandoah　River　runs　into　the　Potomac；　at；　the　mouth
  of　the　Shenandoah　Valley。　The　order　was　received　with　the
  greatest　satisfaction。　　The　Federal　forces　were　gathering　rapidly
  upon　the　northern　banks　of　the　Potomac；　and　it　was　believed　that；
  while　the　main　army　would　march　down　from　Washington　through
  Manassas　Junction　direct　upon　Richmond；　another　would　enter　by
  the　Shenandoah　Valley；　and；　crossing　the　Blue　Ridge　Mountains；
  come　down　on　the　rear　of　the　Confederate　army；　facing　the　main
  force　at；　Manassas。　　The　cavalry　marched　by　road；　while　the
  infantry　were　despatched　by　rail　as　far　as　Manassas　Junction；
  whence　they　marched　to　Harper's　Ferry。　　The　black　servants
  accompanied　the　infantry。
  The　cavalry　march　was　a　pleasant　one。　　At　every　village　through
  which　they　passed　the　people　flocked　out；　with　offerings　of　milk
  and　fruit。　　The　days　were　hot；　but　the　mornings　and　evenings
  delightful；　and　as　the　troops　always　halted　in　the　shade　of　a　wood
  for　three　or　four　hours　in　the　middle　of　the　day；　the　marches；
  although　long　were　not　fatiguing。　　At　Harper's　Ferry　General
  Johnston　had　just　superseded　Colonel　Jackson　in　command。　　The
  force　there　consisted　of　11　battalions　of　infantry；　16　guns；　arid
  after　Ashley's　force　arrived；　300　cavalry。　　Among　the　regiments
  there　Vincent　found　many　friends；　and　learned　what　was　going　on。
  He　learned　that　Colonel　Jackson　had　been　keeping　them　hard　at
  work。　　Some　of　Vincent's　friends　had　been　at　the　Virginia　Military
  Institute　at　Lexington；　where　Jackson　was　professor　of　natural
  philosophy　and　instructor　of　artillery。
  〃He　was　the　greatest　fun；〃　one　of　the　young　men　said；　〃the　stiffest
  and　most　awkward…looking　fellow　in　the　institute。　　He　used　to
  work　about　as　if　he　never　saw　anything　or　anybody。　　He　was
  always　known　as　Old　Tom；　and　nobody　ever　saw　him　laugh。　　He
  was　awfully　earnest　in　all　he　did；　and　strict；　I　can　tell　you；　about
  everything。　There　was　no　humbugging　him。　　The　fellows　liked　him
  because　he　was　really　so　earnest　about　everything；　and　always　just
  and　fair。　　But　he　didn't　look　a　hit　like　a　soldier　except　as　to　his
  stiffness；　and　when　the　fellows　who　had　been　at　Lexington　heard
  that　he　was　in　command　here　they　did　not　think　he　would　have
  made　much　hand　at　it；　but　I　tell　you；　be　did。　　You　never　saw　such　a
  fellow　to　work。
  〃Everything　had　to　be　done；　you　know。　　There　were　the　guns；　but
  no　horses　and　no　harness。　　The　horses　had　to　be　got　somehow；　and
  the　harness　manufactured　out　of　ropes；　and　you　can　imagine　the
  confusion　of　nine　battalions　of　infantry；　all　recruits；　with　no　one　to
  teach　them　except　a　score　or　two　of　old　army　and　militia　officers。
  Old　Tom　has　done　wonders；　I　can　tell　you。　　You　see；　be　is　so
  fearfully　earnest　himself　every　one　else　has　got　to　be　earnest。
  There　has　been　no　playing　about　anything；　but　just　fifteen　hours'
  hard　work　a　day。　　Fellows　grumbled　and　growled　and　said　it　was
  absurd；　and　threatened　to　do　all　sorts　of　things。　　You　see；　they　had
  all　come　out　to　fight　if　necessary；　but　hadn't　bargained　for　such
  hard　work　as　this。
  〃How