Guns of Bull Run A Story of the Civil War's Eve

Alexander Altsheler Joseph

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pubOne.info present you this new edition. HARRY KENTON, A Lad Who Fights on the Southern Side.

Informations

• Publié par: Pub One Info
• Date de parution: 06 novembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9782819949633
• Langue: English

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THE GUNS OF BULL RUN
A STORY OF THE CIVIL WAR'S EVE
by
JOSEPH A. ALTSHELER
THE CIVIL WAR SERIES
VOLUMES IN THE CIVIL WAR SERIES
THE GUNS OF BULL RUN.
THE GUNS OF SHILOH.
THE SCOUTS OF STONEWALL.
THE SWORD OF ANTIETAM.
THE STAR OF GETTYSBURG.
THE ROCK OF CHICKAMAUGA.
THE SHADES OF THE WILDERNESS.
THE TREE OF APPOMATTOX.
PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS IN THE CIVIL WAR SERIES
HARRY KENTON, A Lad Who Fights on the SouthernSide.
DICK MASON, Cousin of Harry Kenton, Who Fights onthe Northern Side.
COLONEL GEORGE KENTON, Father of Harry Kenton.
MRS. MASON, Mother of Dick Mason.
JULIANA, Mrs. Mason's Devoted Colored Servant.
COLONEL ARTHUR WINCHESTER, Dick Mason's RegimentalCommander.
COLONEL LEONIDAS TALBOT, Commander of theInvincibles, a Southern Regiment.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL HECTOR ST. HILAIRE, Second inCommand of the Invincibles.
ALAN HERTFORD, A Northern Cavalry Leader.
PHILIP SHERBURNE, A Southern Cavalry Leader.
WILLIAM J. SHEPARD, A Northern Spy.
DANIEL WHITLEY, A Northern Sergeant and Veteran ofthe Plains.
GEORGE WARNER, A Vermont Youth Who LovesMathematics.
FRANK PENNINGTON, A Nebraska Youth, Friend of DickMason.
ARTHUR ST. CLAIR, A Native of Charleston, Friend ofHarry Kenton.
TOM LANGDON, Friend of Harry Kenton.
GEORGE DALTON, Friend of Harry Kenton.
BILL SKELLY, Mountaineer and Guerrilla.
TOM SLADE, A Guerrilla Chief.
SAM JARVIS, The Singing Mountaineer.
IKE SIMMONS, Jarvis' Nephew.
AUNT “SUSE, ” A Centenarian and Prophetess.
BILL PETTY, A Mountaineer and Guide.
JULIEN DE LANGEAIS, A Musician and Soldier fromLouisiana.
JOHN CARRINGTON, Famous Northern ArtilleryOfficer.
DR. RUSSELL, Principal of the Pendleton School.
ARTHUR TRAVERS, A Lawyer.
JAMES BERTRAND, A Messenger from the South.
JOHN NEWCOMB, A Pennsylvania Colonel.
JOHN MARKHAM, A Northern Officer.
JOHN WATSON, A Northern Contractor.
WILLIAM CURTIS, A Southern Merchant and BlockadeRunner.
MRS. CURTIS, Wife of William Curtis.
HENRIETTA GARDEN, A Seamstress in Richmond.
DICK JONES, A North Carolina Mountaineer.
VICTOR WOODVILLE, A Young Mississippi Officer.
JOHN WOODVILLE, Father of Victor Woodville.
CHARLES WOODVILLE, Uncle of Victor Woodville.
COLONEL BEDFORD, A Northern Officer.
CHARLES GORDON, A Southern Staff Officer.
JOHN LANHAM, An Editor.
JUDGE KENDRICK, A Lawyer.
MR. CULVER, A State Senator.
MR. BRACKEN, A Tobacco Grower.
ARTHUR WHITRIDGE, A State Senator.
HISTORICAL CHARACTERS
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President of the United States.
JEFFERSON DAVIS, President of the SouthernConfederacy.
JUDAH P. BENJAMIN, Member of the ConfederateCabinet.
U. S. GRANT, Northern Commander.
ROBERT B. LEE, Southern Commander.
STONEWALL JACKSON, Southern General.
PHILIP H. SHERIDAN, Northern General.
GEORGE H. THOMAS, “The Rock of Chickamauga. ”
ALBERT SIDNEY JOHNSTON, Southern General.
A. P. HILL, Southern General.
W. S. HANCOCK, Northern General.
GEORGE B. McCLELLAN, Northern General.
AMBROSE B. BURNSIDE, Northern General.
TURNER ASHBY, Southern Cavalry Leader.
J. E. B. STUART, Southern Cavalry Leader.
JOSEPH HOOKER, Northern General.
RICHARD S. EWELL, Southern General.
JUBAL EARLY, Southern General.
WILLIAM S. ROSECRANS, Northern General.
SIMON BOLIVAR BUCKNER, Southern General.
LEONIDAS POLK, Southern General and Bishop.
BRAXTON BRAGG, Southern General.
NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST, Southern Cavalry Leader.
JOHN MORGAN, Southern Cavalry Leader.
GEORGE J. MEADE, Northern General.
DON CARLOS BUELL, Northern General.
W. T. SHERMAN, Northern General.
JAMES LONGSTREET, Southern General.
P. G. T. BEAUREGARD, Southern General.
WILLIAM L. YANCEY, Alabama Orator.
JAMES A. GARFIELD, Northern General, afterwardsPresident of the United States.
And many others
IMPORTANT BATTLES DESCRIBED IN THE CIVIL WARSERIES
BULL RUN
KERNSTOWN
CROSS KEYS
WINCHESTER
PORT REPUBLIC
THE SEVEN DAYS
MILL SPRING
FORT DONELSON
SHILOH
PERRYVILLE
STONE RIVER
THE SECOND MANASSAS
ANTIETAM
FREDERICKSBURG
CHANCELLORSVILLE
GETTYSBURG
CHAMPION HILL
VICKSBURG
CHICKAMAUGA
MISSIONARY RIDGE
THE WILDERNESS
SPOTTSYLVANIA
COLD HARBOR
FISHER'S HILL
CEDAR CREEK
APPOMATTOX
THE GUNS OF BULL RUN
CHAPTER I
NEWS FROM CHARLESTON
It would soon be Christmas and Harry Kenton, at hisdesk in the Pendleton Academy, saw the snow falling heavilyoutside. The school stood on the skirt of the town, and the forestcame down to the edge of the playing field. The great trees, oakand ash and elm, were clothed in white, and they stood out a vastand glittering tracery against the somber sky.
The desk was of the old kind, intended for two, andHarry's comrade in it was his cousin, Dick Mason, of his own yearsand size. They would graduate in June, and both were large andpowerful for their age. There was a strong family resemblance andyet a difference. Harry's face was the more sensitive and at timesthe blood leaped like quicksilver in his veins. Dick's featuresindicated a quieter and more stubborn temper. They were equalfavorites with teachers and pupils.
Dick's eyes followed Harry's, and he, too, looked atthe falling snow and the white forest. Both were thinking ofChristmas and the holiday season so near at hand. It was a richsection of Kentucky, and they were the sons of prosperous parents.The snow was fitting at such a time, and many joyous hours would bepassed before they returned to school.
The clouds darkened and the snow fell faster. A windrose and drove it against the panes. The boys heard the blastroaring outside and the comfort of the warm room was heightened bythe contrast. Harry's eyes turned reluctantly back to his Tacitusand the customs and manners of the ancient Germans. The curriculumof the Pendleton Academy was simple, like most others at that time.After the primary grades it consisted chiefly of the classics andmathematics. Harry led in the classics and Dick in themathematics.
Bob Turner, the free colored man, who was janitor ofthe academy, brought in the morning mail, a dozen letters and threeor four newspapers, gave it to Dr. Russell and withdrew on silentfeet.
The Doctor was principal of Pendleton Academy, andhe always presided over the room in which sat the larger boys,nearly fifty in number. His desk and chair were on a low dais andhe sat facing the pupils. He was a large man, with a ruddy face,and thick hair as white as the snow that was falling outside. Hehad been a teacher fifty years, and three generations in Pendletonowed to him most of the learning that is obtained from books. Heopened his letters one by one, and read them slowly.
Harry moved far away into the German forest with oldTacitus. He was proud of his Latin and he did not mean to lose hisplace as first in the class. The other boys also were absorbed intheir books. It was seldom that all were studious at the same time,but this was one of the rare moments. There was no shuffling offeet, and fifty heads were bent over their desks.
It was a full half hour before Harry looked up fromhis Tacitus. His first glance was at the window. The snow wasdriving hard, and the forest had become a white blur. He lookednext at the Doctor and he saw that the ruddy face had turned white.The old man was gazing intently at an open letter in his hand. Twoor three others had fallen to the floor. He read the letter again,folded it carefully, and put it in his pocket. Then he broke thewrapper on one of the newspapers and rapidly read its columns. Thewhiteness of his face deepened into pallor.
The slight tearing sound caused most of the boys tolook up, and they noticed the change in the principal's face. Theyhad never seen him look like that before. It was as if he hadreceived some sudden and deadly stroke. Yet he sat stiffly uprightand there was no sound in the room but the rustling of thenewspaper as he turned its pages.
Harry became conscious of some strange and subtleinfluence that had crept into the very air, and his pulse began toleap. The others felt it, too. There was a tense feeling in theroom and they became so still that the soft beat of the snow on thewindows could be heard.
Not a single eye was turned to a book now. All wereintent upon the Doctor, who still read the newspaper, his facewithout a trace of color, and his strong white hands trembling. Hefolded the paper presently, but still held it in his hand. As helooked up, he became conscious of the silence in the room, and ofthe concentrated gaze of fifty pairs of eyes bent upon him. Alittle color returned to his cheeks, and his hands ceased totremble. He stood up, took the letter from his pocket, and openedit again.
Dr. Russell was a striking figure, belonging to aclassic type found at its best in the border states. A tall man, heheld himself erect, despite his years, and the color continued toflow back into the face, which was shaped in a fine strongmold.
“Boys, ” he said, in a firm, full voice, although itshowed emotion, “I have received news which I must announce to you.As I tell it, I beg that you will restrain yourselves, and makelittle comment here. Its character is such that you are not likelyever to hear anything of more importance. ”
No one spoke, but a thrill of excitement ran throughthe room. Harry became conscious that the strange and subtleinfluence had increased. The pulses in both temples were beatinghard. He and Dick leaned forward, their elbows upon the desk, theirlips parted a little in attention.
“You know, ” continued Dr. Russell in the full voicethat trembled slightly, “of the troubles that have arisen betweenthe states, North and South, troubles that the best Americans, withour own great Henry Clay at the head, have striven to avert. Youknow of the election of Lincoln, and how this beloved state ofours, seeking peace, voted for neither Lincoln nor Breckinridge,both of whom are its sons. ”
The trembling of his voice increased and he pausedagain. It was obvious that he w