second　line　and　drove　the　enemy　back　with　great　slaughter　until
  his　advance　was　checked　by　the　fire　of　the　Northern　artillery。
  All　day　the　fight　went　on；　the　Federals　attempting　to　crush　the
  Confederate　artillery　by　the　weight　of　their　fire　in　order　that　their
  infantry　columns　might　again　advance。　But　although　outnumbered
  by　more　than　two　to　one　the　Confederate　guns　were　worked　with
  great　resolution；　and　the　day　passed　and　darkness　begun　to　fall
  without　their　retiring　from　the　positions　they　had　taken　up。'　Just　at
  sunset　General　Stuart　ordered　all　the　batteries　on　the　right　to
  advance。　　This　they　did　and　opened　their　fire　on　the　Northern
  infantry　with　such　effect　that　these　fell　back　to　the　position　near
  the　town　that　they　had　occupied　in　the　morning。
  On　the　left　an　equally　terrible　battle　had　raged　all　day；　but　here　the
  Northern　troops　were　compelled　to　cross　open　ground　between　the
  town　and　the　base　of　the　hill；　and　suffered　so　terribly　from　the　fire
  that　they　never　succeeded　in　reaching　the　Confederate　front。
  Throughout　the　day　the　Confederates　held　their　position　with　such
  ease　that　General　Lee　considered　the　affair　as　nothing　more　than　a
  demonstration　of　force　to　feel　his　position；　and　expected　an　even
  sterner　battle　on　the　following　day。　　Jackson's　first　and　second
  lines；　composed　of　less　than　15；000　men；　had　repulsed　without
  difficulty　the　divisions　of　Franklin　and　Hooker；　55；000　strong；
  while　Longstreet　with　about　the　same　force　had　never　been　really
  pressed　by　the　enemy；　although　on　that　side　they　had　a　force　of
  over　50；000　men。
  In　the　morning　the　Northern　army　was　seen　drawn　up　in　battle
  array　as　if　to　advance　for　fresh　assault；　but　no　movement　was
  made。　　General　Burnside　was　in　favor　of　a　fresh　attack；　but　the
  generals　commanding　the　various　divisions　felt　that　their　troops；
  after　the　repulse　the　day　before；　were　not　equal　to　the　work；　and
  were　unanimously　of　opinion　that　a　second　assault　should　not　be
  attempted。　After　remaining　for　some　hours　in　order　of　battle　they
  fell　back　into　the　town　and　two　days　later　the　whole　army
  recrossed　the　Rappahannook　River。　　The　loss　of　the　Confederates
  was　1；800　men；　who　were　for　the　most　part　killed　or　wounded　by
  the　enemy's　artillery；　while　the　Federal　loss　was　no　less　than
  13；771。　General　Burnside　soon　afterward　resigned　his　command；
  and　General　Hooker；　an　officer　of　the　same　politics　as　the
  president　and　his　advisers；　was　appointed　to　succeed　him。
  The　cavalry　had　not　been　called　upon　to　act　during　the　day；　and
  Vincent's　duties　were　confined　to　carrying　orders　to　the
  commanders　of　the　various　batteries　of　artillery　posted　in　that　part
  of　the　field；　as　these　had　all　been　placed　under　General　Stuart's
  orders。　　He　had　many　narrow　escapes　by　shot　and　fragments　of
  shells；　but　passed　through　the　day　uninjured。
  General　Lee　has　been　blamed　for　not　taking　advantage　of　his
  victory　and　falling　upon　the　Federals　on　the　morning　after　the
  battle；　but　although　such　an　assault　might　possibly　have　been
  successful　he　was　conscious　of　his　immense　inferiority　in　force；
  and　his　troops　would　have　been　compelled　to　have　advanced　to　the
  attack　across　ground　completely　swept　by　the　fire　of　the
  magnificently　served　Northern　artillery　posted　upon　their
  commanding　heights。　　He　was　moreover　ignorant　of　the　full　extent
  of　the　loss　he　had　inflicted　upon　the　enemy；　and　expected　a
  renewed　attack　by　them。　　He　was　therefore；　doubtless；　unwilling　to
  risk　the　results　of　the　victory　he　had　gained　and　of　the　victory　he
  expected　to　gain　should　the　enemy　renew　their　attack；　by　a
  movement　which　might　not　be　successful；　and　which　would　at　any
  rate　have　cost　him　a　tremendous　loss　of　men；　and　men　were
  already　becoming　scarce　in　the　Confederacy。
  As　soon　as　the　enemy　had　fon　back　across　the　river　and　it　was
  certain　that　there　was　little　chance　of　another　forward　movement
  on　their　part　for　a　considerable　time；　Vincent　showed　to　General
  Stuart　the　permit　he　had　received　to　return　home　until　the　spring
  on　leave；　and　at　once　received　the　general's　permission　to　retire
  from　the　staff　for　a　time。
  He　had　not　been　accompanied　by　Dan　on　his　railway　journey　to　the
  front；　having　left　him　behind　with　instructions　to　endeavor　by
  every　means　to　find　some　clew　as　to　the　direction　in　which　Dinah
  had　been　carried　off。　　He　telegraphed　on　his　way　home　the　news　of
  his　coming；　and　found　Dan　at　the　station　waiting　for　him。
  〃Well；　Dan；　have　you　obtained　any　news？〃　he　asked　as　soon　as　his
  horse　had　been　removed　from　its　box；　and　he　had　mounted　and　at　a
  foot…pace　left　the　station；　with　Dan　walking　beside　him。
  〃No；　sah；　I　hab　done　my　best；　but　I　cannot　find　out　anyting。　　The
  niggers　at　Jackson's　all　say　dat　no　strangers　hab　been　there　wid　do
  old　man　for　a　long　time　before　de　day　dat　Dinah　was　carried　off。　　I
  have　been　over　dar；　massa；　and　hab　talked　wid　the　hands　at　do
  house。　　Dey　all　say　dat　no　one　been　dere　for　a　month。　　Me　sure　dat
  doy　no　tell　a　lie　about　it；　because　doy　all　hate　Massa　Jackson　like
  pison。　　Den　de　lawyer；　he　am　put　do　advertisement　you　told　him　in
  the　papers：　Five　hundred　dollars　to　whoever　would　give
  information　about　do　carrying　off　of　a　female　slave　from　Missy
  Wingfiold；　or　dat　would　lead　to　de　discovery　of　her　hiding…place。
  But　no　answer　come。　　Me　heard　Missy　Wingfield　say　so　last
  night。〃
  〃That's　bad；　Dan；　but　I　hardly　expected　anything　better。　　I　felt　sure
  the　old　fox　would　have　taken　every　precaution；　knowing　what　a
  serious　business　it　would　be　for　him　if　it　were　found　out。　　Now　I
  am　back　I　will　take　the　matter　up　myself；　and　we　will　see　what　we
  can　do。　　I　wish　I　could　have　set　about　it　the　day　after　she　was
  carried　away。　　It　is　more　than　a　fortnight　ago　now；　and　that　will
  make　it　much　more　difficult　than　it　would　have　been　bad　it　been
  begun　at　once。〃
  〃Well；　Vincent；　so　you　have　come　back　to　us　undamaged　this
  time；〃　his　mother　said　after　the　first　greeting。　〃We　wore　very
  anxious　when　the　news　came　that　a　great　battle　had　been　fought
  last　Friday；　but　when　we　heard　the　next　morning　the　enemy　had
  been　repulsed　so　easily　we　wore　not　so　anxious；　although　it　was
  not　until　this　morning　that　the　list　of　killed　and　wounded　was
  published；　and　our　minds　set　at　rest〃
  〃No；　mother；　it　was　a　tremendous　artillery　battle；　but　it　was　a　little
  more　than　that…at　least　on　our　side。　　But　I　have　never　heard
  anything　at　all　like　it　from　sunrise　to　sunset。　　But；　after　all；　an
  artillery　fire　is　more　frightening　than　dangerous；　except　at
  comparatively　close　quarters。　The　enemy　must　have　fired　at　least
  fifty　shots　for　every　man　that　was　hit。　　I　counted　several　times；　and
  there　wore　fully　a　hundred　shots　a　minute；　and　I　don't　think　it
  lessened　much　the　whole　day。　　I　should　think　they　must　have　fired
  two　or　three　hundred　rounds　at　least　from　each　gun。　　The　roar　was
  incessant；　and　what　with　the　din　they　made；　and　the　replies　of　our
  own　artillery；　and　the　bursting　of　shells；　and　the　rattle　of　musketry；
  the　din　at　times　was　almost　bewildering。　　Wildfire　was　hit　with　a
  piece　of　shell；　but　fortunately　it　was　not　a　very　large　one；　and　he　is
  not　much　the　worse　for　it；　but　the　shock　knocked　him　off　his　legs；
  of　course　I　went　down　with　him；　and　thought　for　a　moment　I　had
  been　hit　myself　　No；　it　was　by　far　the　most　hollow　affair　we　have
  had。　　The　enemy　fought　obstinately　enough；　but　without　the
  slightest　spirit　or　dash；　and　only　once　did　they　get　up　anywhere
  near　our　line；　and　then　they　wont　back　a　good　deal　quicker　than
  they　came。〃
  〃And　now　you　are　going　to　be　with　us　for　three　months；　Vincent？〃
  I　hope　so；　mother；　at　least　if　they　do　not　advance　again。　　I　shall　be
  here　off　and　on。　　I　mean　to　find　Dinah　Morris　if　it　is　possible；　and
  if　I　can　obtain　the　slightest　clew　I　shall　follow　it　up　and　go
  wherever　it　may　lead　me。〃
  〃Well；　we　will　spare　you　for　that；　Vincent。　　As　you　know；　I　did
  not　like　your　mixing　yourself　up　in　that　business　two　years　ago；　but
  it　is　altogether　different　now。　　The　woman　was　very　willing　and
  well　conducted；　and　I　had　got　to　be　really　fond　of　her。　　But　putting
  that　aside；　it　is　intolerable　that　such　a　piece　of　insolence　as　the
  stealing　of　one　of　our　slaves　should　go　unpunished。　　Therefore　if
  you　do　find　any　clew　to　the　affair　we　will　not　grumble　at　your
  following　it　up；　even　if　it　does　take　you　away　from　home　for　a
  short　time。　　By　the　by；　we　had　letters　this　morning　from　a　certain
  young　lady　in　Georgia　inclosing　her　photograph；　and　I　rather
  fancy　there　is　one　for　you　somewhere。〃
  〃Where　is　it；　mother？〃　Vincent　asked；　jumping　from　his　seat。
  〃Let　me　think；〃　Mrs。　Wingfield　replied。　　〃Did　either　of　you　girls
  put　it　away；　or　where　can　it　have　been　stowed？〃　The　girls　both
  laughed。
  〃Now；　Vincent；　what　offer　do　you　make　for　the　letter？　Well；　we
  won't　tease　you；〃　Annie　went　on　as　Vincent　gave　an　impatient
  exclamation。　　〃Another　time　we　might　do　so；　but　as　you　have　just