We
watched the enemy on the hills beyond; and the enemy watched us in
the swamp. And we waited until the enemy had brought all his forces
up into Richmond, and General Lee, his best general, had taken
command. Things began to look desperate with our George, and he
began thinking how he should get safely out of the swamp and change
his base. How was he to fight Mr. Lee with all his strength, when
the strength we ought to have sent him was kept at a safe distance
looking on? George saw that the glories of Williamsburg, of West
Point, of Hanover Court House, and of Fair Oaks would have to be
thrown away because the wisdom of the nation would not send us aid.
This, my son, was the day of our tribulation. The people were
strong, and the army represented the people. I wish, my son, that I
could say also that the Government was strong. But the army, if it
was sick, had not lost its courage, nor its love for the general who
commanded it.
General Lee then came out with his strong and powerful army and
fought us at Gaines's Mill, where he beat us after a desperate
battle. We might as well confess that we were beaten, and badly
beaten, in that battle; and that we had to make the best we could of
our defeat, and get across the Chickahominy Swamp as quick as we
could, and turn our backs on it forever, for we had filled it with
the graves of our brave soldiers.
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