So you managed to cheat the Yankees altogether?""I should have cheated them, sir; but 'unfortunately I came across an old acquaintance who denounced me, and I had a narrow escape of being shot.""Well, Captain Wingfield, I must see about this business, and give orders at once.Will you come and breakfast with me at half-past eight? Then you can give me an account of your adventures."Vincent returned to his quarters, and spent the next two hours in making a detailed drawing of the enemy's positions and batteries, and then at half-past eight walked over to General Lee's quarters.
The general returned in a few minutes with General Wade Hampton and several other officers, and they at once sat down to breakfast.As the meal was proceeding an orderly entered with a telegram for the general.General Lee glanced through it.
"This, gentlemen, is from the minister of war.I acquainted him by telegraph this morning that Captain Wingfield, who had volunteered for the dangerous service, had just returned from the Federal lines with a plan of the positions and strength of all the works that they are erecting.I said that I trusted that such distinguished service as he had rendered would be at once rewarded with promotion, and the minister telegraphs to me now that he baa this morning signed this young officer's commission as major.I heartily congratulate you, sir, on your well-earned step.
And now, as I see you have finished your breakfast, perhaps, you will give 'us an account of your proceedings."Vincent gave a detailed account of his adventures, which were heard with surprise and interest.
"That was a narrow escape, indeed," the general said, as he finished."It was a marvelous thing your lighting upon this negro, whom you say you had once had an opportunity of serving, just at that moment; and although you do not tell us what was the nature of the service you had rendered him, it must have been a very considerable service or he would never have risked his life in that way to save yours.When these negroes do feel attachment for their masters there are no more faithful and devoted fellows.Well, in your case certainly a good action has met with its reward; if it had not been for him there could be no question that your doom was sealed.It is a strange thing too your meeting that traitor.Iremember reading about that escape of yours from the Yankee prison.He must have been an ungrateful villain, after your taking him with you.""He was a bad fellow altogether, I am afraid," Vincent said; "and the quarrel between us was a long-standing one.""Whatever your quarrel was," the general said hotly, "a man who would betray even an enemy to death in that way is a villain.
However, he has gone to his account, and the country can forgive his treachery to her, as I have no doubt you have already done his conduct toward your-self."A short time afterward Vincent had leave for a week, as things were quiet at Petersburg.
"Mother," he said on the morning after he got home9 "I fear that there is no doubt whatever now how this struggle will end.I think we might keep Grant at bay here, but Sherman is too strong for us down in Georgia.We are already cut off from most of the Southern States, and in time Sherman will sweep round here, and then it will be all over.You see it yourself, don't you, mother?""Yes, I am afraid it cannot continue much longer, Vincent.Well, of course, we shall fight to the end.""I am not talking of giving up, mother; I am looking forward to the future.The first step will be that all the slaves will be freed.Now, it seems to me that however attached they may be to their masters and mistresses tbey will lose their heads over this, flock into the towns, and nearly starve there; or else take up little patches of land and cultivate them, and live from hand to mouth, which will be ruin to the present owners as well as to them.Anyhow for a time all will be confusion and disorder.Now, my idea is this, if you give all your slaves their freedom at once, offer them patches of land for their own cultivation and employ them at wages, you will find that a great many of them will stop with you.There is nowhere for them to go at present and nothing to excite them, so before the general crash comes they will have settled down quietly to work here in their new positions, and will not be likely to go away"It is a serious step to take, Vincent," Mrs.Wingfield said, after thinking the matter over in silence for some time."You do not think there is any probablity of the ultimate success of our cause?""None, mother; I do not think there is even a possibility.One by one the Southern States have been wrested from the Confederacy.
Sherman's march will completely isolate us.We have put our last available man in the field, and tremendous as are the losses of the enemy they are able to fill up the gaps as fast as they are made.
No, mother, do not let us deceive ourselves on that head.The end must come, and that before long.The slaves will unquestionably be freed, and the only question for us is how to soften the blow.
