Thousands were placed on the train for Washington and so great was the pitiful suffering among them Betty left with the first load. There would be more work in the hospitals there than in Burnside's camp. It would be many a day before his shattered army could be ready again to give battle.
The worst trouble with it was not the bleeding gap torn through its ranks by Lee's shot and shell. Not only was its body wounded, its soul was crushed. Its commanding generals were divided into warring factions2, the rank and file of its stern fighting men discouraged.
Again an epidemic3 of desertions broke out and ten thousand men were lost in a single month.
Burnside assumed the full responsibility for the disaster and asked to be relieved of his command. The third union General had gone down before Lee—McClellan, Pope and Burnside.
The President, heartsick but undismayed, called to the head of the army the most promising4 general in sight, Joseph Hooker, popularly known as "Fighting Joe Hooker." There was inspiration to the thoughtless in the name, yet the Chief had misgivings5.
On sending him the appointment he wrote his new general a remarkable6 letter:
"General:
"I have placed you at the head of the Army of the Potomac. Of course, I have done this upon what appears to me to be sufficient reasons; and yet I think it best for you to know that there are some things in regard to which I am not quite satisfied with you.
"I believe you to be a brave and skillful soldier—which of course I like. I also believe you do not mix politics with your profession—in which you are right. You have confidence in yourself—which is a valuable if not indispensable quality. You are ambitious—which within reasonable bounds does good rather than harm; but I think that during General Burnside's command of the army you have taken counsel of your ambition and thwarted7 him as much as you could, in which you did a great wrong to the country, and to a most meritorious8 and honorable brother officer.
"I have heard in such a way as to believe of you recently saying that both the army and the Government needed a dictator. Of course it was not for this, but in spite of it, that I gave you the command. Only those generals who gain successes can set up as dictators.
"What I now ask of you is military success, and I will risk the dictatorship.
"The Government will support you to the utmost of its ability—which is neither more nor less than it has done and will do for all commanders. I much fear that the spirit which you have aided to infuse into the army of criticising their commander and withholding9 confidence from him, will now turn upon you. I shall assist you as far as I can to put it down. Neither you nor Napoleon, if he were alive again, could get any good out of an army while such a spirit prevails in it.
"And now beware of rashness—but with energy and sleepless10 vigilance go forward and give us victories."
While Hooker lay in winter quarters reorganizing his army his picket11 lines in speaking distance with those of his opponent across the river, the President bent12 his strong shoulders to the task of cheering the fainting spirits of the people. On his shaggy head was heaped the blame of all the sorrows, the failures and the agony of the ever deepening tragedy of war. Deeper and deeper into his rugged13 kindly14 face were cut the lines of life and death, and darker grew the shadows through which his sensitive lonely soul was called to walk.
And yet, through it all, there glowed with stronger radiance the charm of his quaint15 genius and his magnetic personality—tragic, homely16, gentle, humorous, honest, merciful, wise, laughable and lovable.
He found time to run down to Hampton Roads with Gideon Welles, his loyal Secretary of the Navy, to inspect the ships assembled there. He saw a narrow door bound with iron.
"What is that?" he asked sharply.
"Oh, that is the sweat box," the Secretary replied, "used for insubordinate seamen17——"
"Oh," the rugged giant exclaimed, "how do you work it?"
"The man to be punished is put inside and steam heat is turned on. It brings him to terms quickly."
The tall figure bent curiously18 examining the contrivance:
"And we apply this to thousands of brave American seamen every year?"
"Undoubtedly19."
"Let me try it and see what it's like."
It was useless to protest. He had already taken off his tall silk hat and there was a look of quiet determination in his hazel-grey eyes.
He stepped quickly into the enclosure, which he found to be about three feet in length and about the same in width. His tall figure of six feet four was practically telescoped.
"Close your door now and turn on the steam," he ordered. "I'll give you the signal when I've had enough."
The door was closed and the steam turned on.
He stood it three minutes and gave the signal of release.
He stepped out, stretched his long legs, and breathed deeply. He mopped his brow and there was fire in his sombre eyes as he turned to Welles:
"Mr. Secretary, I want every one of those things dumped into the sea. Never again allow it to be found on a vessel20 flying the American flag!"
In an hour every sailor in the harbor had heard the news. The old salts who had felt its shame and agony lifted their caps and stood with bared heads, cheering and crying as he passed.
One by one, every country of Europe heard the news and the sweat box ceased to be an instrument of discipline on every sea of the civilized21 world.
Seated at his desk in the White House, he received daily the great and the humble22, and no man or woman came and left without a patient hearing. There were over thirty thousand cases of trial and condemnations by court-martial every year now—only a small portion with the death penalty attached—but all had the right to appeal. They were not slow in finding the road to the loving heart.
Stanton, worn out by vain protests against his pardons, sent Attorney General Bates at last.
The great lawyer was very stern as he faced his Chief:
"I regret to say it, Mr. President, but you are not fit to be trusted with the pardoning power, sir!"
A smile played about the corner of the big kindly mouth as he glanced over his spectacles at his Attorney General:
"It's my private opinion, Bates, that you're just as pigeon-hearted as I am!"
Judge Advocate General Holt was sent to labor23 with him and insist that he enforce the law imposing24 the death penalty.
"Your reasons are good, Holt," he answered kindly, "but I can't promise to do it. You see, so many of my boys have to be shot anyhow. I don't want to add another one to that lot if I can help it——"
He paused and went on whimsically:
"I don't see how it's going to make a man better to shoot him, anyhow—give them another trial."
In spite of all Holt's protests he steadfastly25 refused to sanction any death warrant against a man for cowardice26 under fire. "Many a man," he calmly argued, "who honestly tries to do his duty is overcome by fear greater than his will—I'm not at all sure how I'd act if Minie balls were whistling and those big shells shrieking27 in my ears. How can a poor man help it if his legs just carry him away?"
All these he marked "leg cases," put them in a separate pigeon hole and always suspended their sentence.
He would smile gently as he filed each death warrant away:
"It would frighten that poor devil too terribly to shoot him. They shan't do it."
On one he wrote:
"Let him fight again—maybe the enemy will shoot him—I won't."
Betty Winter came with two cases. The first was a mother to plead for her boy sentenced to die for sleeping at his post on guard.
"You see, sir," the mother pleaded, "he'd been on watch once that night and had done his duty faithfully. He volunteered to take a sick comrade's place. He was so tired he fell asleep. He was always a big-hearted, generous boy—you won't let them shoot him?"
"No, I won't," was the quick response.
The mother laughed aloud through her tears and threw her arms around Betty's neck.
The President bent over the paper and wrote across its back:
"Pardoned. This life is too precious to be lost."
Betty waited until the crowd had passed out and he was alone with Colonel Nicolay. She hurried to his desk with her second case which she had kept outside in the corridor until the time to enter.
A young mother walked timidly in, smiling apologetically. She carried a three-months-old baby in her arms. She was evidently not in mourning, though her eyes were red from weeping.
"What's the matter now?" the President laughed, nodding to Betty.
"Tell him," she whispered.
"If you please, sir," the woman began timidly, "we ain't been married but a little over a year. My husband has never seen the baby. He's in the army. I couldn't stand it any longer, so I come down to Washington to get a pass to take the baby to him. But they wouldn't let me have it. I've been wandering 'round the streets all day crying till I met this sweet young lady and she brought me to you, sir——"
The President turned to his secretary:
"Let's send her down!"
The Colonel smiled and shook his head:
"The strictest orders have been given to allow no more women to go to the front——"
The big gentle hand stroked the shaggy beard.
"Well, I'll tell you what we can do," he cried joyfully28, "give her husband a leave of absence and let him come to see them here!"
The secretary left at once for the Adjutant General's office and the President turned to the laughing young mother, who was trying to thank Betty through her tears:
"And where are you stopping, Madam?"
"Nowhere yet, sir. I went straight from the depot29 to the War Department and then walked about blind with crying eyes until I came here."
"All right then, we'll fix that. I'll give Miss Betty an order to take you and your baby to her hospital and care for you until your husband comes and he can stay there a week with you——"
The mother's voice wouldn't work. She tried to speak her thanks and could only laugh.
The big hand pressed Betty's as she left:
"Thank you for bringing her, little girl, things like that rest me."
The hour was swiftly coming when he was going to need all the strength that rest could bring body and soul. His enemies were sleepless. The press inspired by Senator Winter had begun to strike below the belt.
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1
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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factions
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| 组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 ) | |
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epidemic
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| n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的 | |
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promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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misgivings
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| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕；疑虑，担心，恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 )；疑惧 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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thwarted
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| 阻挠( thwart的过去式和过去分词 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过 | |
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meritorious
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| adj.值得赞赏的 | |
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withholding
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| 扣缴税款 | |
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sleepless
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| adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的 | |
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picket
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| n.纠察队；警戒哨；v.设置纠察线；布置警卫 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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homely
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| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
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seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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steadfastly
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| adv.踏实地，不变地；岿然；坚定不渝 | |
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cowardice
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| n.胆小，怯懦 | |
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27
shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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depot
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| n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站 | |
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