The Washington times., 1913-09-01
CHAPTER XIX.
In the Wilderness.


Virginia in 1854 The asphodel
meadows of the dead were thick
with the crimsoned amaranthine
blossoms that spring from heroic hu-
man hearts. The gray and the blue had
been fighting again in the wilderness.
May had been ushered in by a confused
battle OF incredible fierceness in the
impenetrable thickets of the virgin
woods south of the Rapidan- For two
long and weary days the armies had
blindly grappled with each other.
There had been headlong charges and
countercharges, success and failure In
the gloom of the forest primeval. The
great contest had finally degenerated
into a series of hand-to-hand struggles
between companies, regiments, brigades,
divisions. The generals lost touch with
their men in the tangles of the track
less depths Only by the fitful roarinG
o. musketry, or artillery outbursting
Suddenly here and there along the far
flung lines were the leaders able to keep
track of the writhing battle. Men stum-
bling through the painless woodland
net others in the shadowy twilight Of
the leaves and fired face tc face. Men
crashed through the underbrush and
fought breast TO breast Each forest
glade vas red with blood and filled with
slain. The suspense and incertitude
were something horrible. To struggle
On. to fight, to die without order, plan,
or purpose-such was the battle.
The heat was something terrific. There
had been little rain Cor a long time
The woods, set on fire by shells, were
soon blazing IN every direction. Men
charged over flaming breastworks. The
impartial fire fought both sides indIf-
ferently and nnaily tore the combat
ants from each others throats and
compelled a pause The helpless wound
ed were necessarily left to be burned
alive. 10 perish miseFably In the flames.
The advantage, II advantage there
was, was on the side Of Lee. Grant had
crossed the Rapidan in that final cam
paign which had Richmond as its OBJ
Jective. Lee had not waited to be as
saulted, but with brilliant courage and
soidierly decision had attacked him
wilderness. The loss had fallen on the
greater, and the few had held the many
back. Both sides had suffered terribly,
and during the 9Th Of May both paused
for breathing space If It could be got
In that acrid smoke-laden air, to deter
mine the next move.
Grafton had been with General Lee
for three months now. Such had been
his efficiency that he had been promoted
TO the rank of captain. He was one OF
the great generals most trusted aides.
a most valuable officer he was on ac-
count of his close study Of the nitric
scies Of the law, his college training,
his long experience in actual war, and
his absolute devotion to his duty, a de-
votiop which the general himself knew
how to measure, for Grafton had taken
advantage Of the first opportunity
frankly to confide in his chief-to whom
the humbiest soldier had access with
bis complaints, by the way-the story
of his lost wife and mis- misfortune. In
deed. Lee had naturally asked for Mrs.
Grafton when first he had welcomed the
young subaltern to his military fam
lily. Grafton had confessed all to him
with entire uBreserye. and the general
had encouragingly held out hopes to the
young officer that some day he wouiS
FIND his wife. Meanwhile he honored
him for putting aside his grief and the
terrible demands her continued absence
made upon him: to serve his country.
On the morning of the 1th of May
Grafton had been dispatched with an
order TO Stuart. commanding the cav
airy then skirmishing on the far left
and rear of the Union army. He re-
turned about noon with grave tidings.
As he galloped to headquarters on the
edge of the Widow Tapp's farm he saw
a few small tents, very much tattered,
with little to distinguish them from
those of any other general officer,
pitched under the shade Of some trees
near e running stream. A sentry paced
up and down.
To one side the horses were tethered
by single battered wagon. Back Of