the squad, Ocie said again, “I’m sure glad you came, Jeff. That was bad back there—but I knew that Jesus would send somebody.”
10
A Casualty
J eff looked around at his squad, all of them thirsty and hungry and exhausted. They had all hoped that Grant, who lost thousands of men in the Battle of the Wilderness, would turn and go back to Washington. All the other Federal commanders had done exactly this, including General McClellan.
“Grant’s a different sort of general,” Colonel Majors said. He had stopped by to encourage the boys. “He’s not going to back up, no matter how many men he loses. We’ll just have to keep on fighting.”
As Ocie watched the colonel walk on, speaking to other squads, he said, “That’s some pappy you got there, Jeff! He is really something!”
Jeff felt a wave of pride sweep through him but said only, “Yes, he is, isn’t he?” He had always been proud of his father but never more so than now. Some officers stayed at the rear, but Colonel Majors was always at the front. As Charlie Bowers said, “All you got to do is look around, and there’s the colonel right up in the front with the rest of us.”
One morning the colonel came to say, “We’re moving out.”
“Where we going, Colonel?” a lieutenant asked wearily.
“Spotsylvania. That’s where Grant will hit next. At least that’s what General Lee says.”
The lieutenant looked puzzled. “How in the world can General Lee
know
that?”
“General Lee’s got a lot of respect for Grant,” Colonel Majors said. “He said it’s what he would do if he were Grant. So here we go—Spotsylvania.”
Both armies moved out at night, General Grant indeed marching toward Spotsylvania. But General Lee moved his men faster, and when Grant got there he found the Confederates in place before him. During the next twelve days, Grant threw his troops again and again against the Southern positions. Union losses mounted higher and higher— much higher than those of the Confederates. The Federal forces, however, had replacements, while Lee’s army was steadily growing weaker, for there were too few men left in the South to fill the ranks.
One morning, when the battle had been going on for several days, Jeff saw his father coming back to camp, his face downcast. “What’s the matter?” Jeff asked.
“It’s General Jeb Stuart. He’s been killed in battle at a place called Yellow Tavern.”
Jeb Stuart was the greatest of the great cavalry commanders—the greatest on either side, most people said. The loss of this leader saddened Jeff. He had once met General Stuart in company with his father and admired him greatly. “That’s too bad. He was a great man.”
Colonel Majors stood silent for a moment. Then, “They’re getting us one by one,” he said quietly. “There’s only one end to that.”
“You don’t think we can win the war?” Jeff asked. This had never really seriously occurred to him.
Colonel Majors looked at Jeff, his eyes holding those of his son. “We’re just not strong enough, Jeff.We do our best, but they’re just too many for us— too many men, too many guns.” He turned and walked away sadly.
And there, at the Battle of Spotsylvania, Jeff Majors realized for the first time that the South was going to lose the war.
After several hard-fought battles, the armies found themselves at a place called Cold Harbor. The Confederates had retreated almost daily. Now, General Grant decided to make a supreme effort to finish the Southern army. He faced his generals and said, “We’ll throw everything we have at Lee. We’ve got to stop this thing!”
Several of his officers tried to warn him. “General Grant, the Confederates have dug-in positions here. It will be suicide to put our men across that field.”
But Grant would not be swayed. He gave the command, and thousands of Union troops rose up and marched against the Confederate position.
Jeff was standing beside the colonel in the line of
10
A Casualty
J eff looked around at his squad, all of them thirsty and hungry and exhausted. They had all hoped that Grant, who lost thousands of men in the Battle of the Wilderness, would turn and go back to Washington. All the other Federal commanders had done exactly this, including General McClellan.
“Grant’s a different sort of general,” Colonel Majors said. He had stopped by to encourage the boys. “He’s not going to back up, no matter how many men he loses. We’ll just have to keep on fighting.”
As Ocie watched the colonel walk on, speaking to other squads, he said, “That’s some pappy you got there, Jeff! He is really something!”
Jeff felt a wave of pride sweep through him but said only, “Yes, he is, isn’t he?” He had always been proud of his father but never more so than now. Some officers stayed at the rear, but Colonel Majors was always at the front. As Charlie Bowers said, “All you got to do is look around, and there’s the colonel right up in the front with the rest of us.”
One morning the colonel came to say, “We’re moving out.”
“Where we going, Colonel?” a lieutenant asked wearily.
“Spotsylvania. That’s where Grant will hit next. At least that’s what General Lee says.”
The lieutenant looked puzzled. “How in the world can General Lee
know
that?”
“General Lee’s got a lot of respect for Grant,” Colonel Majors said. “He said it’s what he would do if he were Grant. So here we go—Spotsylvania.”
Both armies moved out at night, General Grant indeed marching toward Spotsylvania. But General Lee moved his men faster, and when Grant got there he found the Confederates in place before him. During the next twelve days, Grant threw his troops again and again against the Southern positions. Union losses mounted higher and higher— much higher than those of the Confederates. The Federal forces, however, had replacements, while Lee’s army was steadily growing weaker, for there were too few men left in the South to fill the ranks.
One morning, when the battle had been going on for several days, Jeff saw his father coming back to camp, his face downcast. “What’s the matter?” Jeff asked.
“It’s General Jeb Stuart. He’s been killed in battle at a place called Yellow Tavern.”
Jeb Stuart was the greatest of the great cavalry commanders—the greatest on either side, most people said. The loss of this leader saddened Jeff. He had once met General Stuart in company with his father and admired him greatly. “That’s too bad. He was a great man.”
Colonel Majors stood silent for a moment. Then, “They’re getting us one by one,” he said quietly. “There’s only one end to that.”
“You don’t think we can win the war?” Jeff asked. This had never really seriously occurred to him.
Colonel Majors looked at Jeff, his eyes holding those of his son. “We’re just not strong enough, Jeff.We do our best, but they’re just too many for us— too many men, too many guns.” He turned and walked away sadly.
And there, at the Battle of Spotsylvania, Jeff Majors realized for the first time that the South was going to lose the war.
After several hard-fought battles, the armies found themselves at a place called Cold Harbor. The Confederates had retreated almost daily. Now, General Grant decided to make a supreme effort to finish the Southern army. He faced his generals and said, “We’ll throw everything we have at Lee. We’ve got to stop this thing!”
Several of his officers tried to warn him. “General Grant, the Confederates have dug-in positions here. It will be suicide to put our men across that field.”
But Grant would not be swayed. He gave the command, and thousands of Union troops rose up and marched against the Confederate position.
Jeff was standing beside the colonel in the line of
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