The Brigade Commander Read online

isolated clusters, that the miraculousimmunity of Waldron terminated, and he received his death wound. Aquarter of an hour later Fitz Hugh found a sorrowful group of officersgazing from a little distance upon their dying commander.

  "Is the Colonel hit?" he asked, shocked and grieved, incredible as theemotion may seem.

  "Don't go near him," called Gildersleeve, who, it will be remembered,knew or guessed his errand in camp. "The chaplain and surgeon are there.Let him alone."

  "He's going to render his account," added Ga-hogan. "An' whativer he'sdone wrong, he's made it square to-day. Let um lave it to his brigade."

  Adjutant Wallis, who had been blubbering aloud, who had cursed therebels and the luck energetically, and who had also been trying to prayinwardly, groaned out, "This is our last victory. You see if it ain't.Bet you two to one."

  "Hush, man!" replied Gahogan. "We'll win our share of um, though we'llhave to work harder for it. We'll have to do more ourselves, an' getless done for us in the way of tactics."

  "That's so, Major," whimpered a drummer, looking up from his duty ofattending to a wounded comrade. "He knowed how to put his men in theright place, and his men knowed when they was in the right place. Butit's goin' to be uphill through the steepest part of hell the rest ofthe way."

  Soldiers, some of them weeping, some of them bleeding, arrivedconstantly to inquire after their commander, only to be sent quietlyback to their ranks or to the rear. Around lay other men--dead men,and senseless, groaning men--all for the present unnoticed. Everything,except the distant pursuit of the cavalry, waited for Wal-dron to die.Fitz Hugh looked on silently with the tears of mingled emotions in hiseyes, and with hopes and hatreds expiring in his heart. The surgeonsupported the expiring victor's head, while Chaplain Colquhoun kneltbeside him, holding his hand and praying audibly. Of a sudden thepetition ceased, both bent hastily toward the wounded man, and afterwhat seemed a long time exchanged whispers. Then the Chaplain rose, cameslowly toward the now advancing group of officers, his hands outspreadtoward heaven in an attitude of benediction, and tears running down hishaggard white face.

  "I trust, dear friends," he said, in a tremulous voice, "that all iswell with our brother and commander. His last words were, 'God is withus.'"

  "Oh! but, man, _that_ isn't well," broke out Gahogan, in a groan. "Whatdid ye pray for his soul for? Why didn't ye pray for his loife?"

  Fitz Hugh turned his horse and rode silently away. The next day he wasseen journeying rearward by the side of an ambulance, within which laywhat seemed a strangely delicate boy, insensible, and, one would say,mortally ill.