ther side. Four fifths of the Southern men and their cannon were
captured, while Early, several of his generals and a few hundred soldiers
escaped to the woods. His army, however, had ceased to exist, and
Sheridan and his muddy victors rode on to the ancient town of
Charlottesville, which, having no forces to defend it, the mayor and the
leading citizens surrendered.

Dick, Warner and Pennington walked through the silent halls of the
University of Virginia, the South's most famous institution of learning,
founded by Thomas Jefferson, one of the republic's greatest men.

"I hope they will re-open it next year," said Warner generously, "and
that it will grow and grow, until it becomes a rival of Harvard. We want
to defeat the South, but not to destroy it. Since it is to be a part of
the Union again, and loyal forever I hope and believe, we want it strong
and prosperous."

"I'm with you in that," said Dick, "and I feel it with particular
strength while I am here. There have been many great Virginians and I
hope there'll be many more."

They also visited Monticello, the famous colonial mansion which the
great Jefferson had built, and in which he had lived and planned for the
republic. They trod there with light steps, feeling that his spirit was
still present. Virginia was the greatest of the border states, but it
seemed to Dick that here he was in the very heart of the South. Virginia
was the greatest of the Southern fighting states too, and it had
furnished most of the great Southern leaders, at least two of her sons
ranking among the foremost military geniuses of modern times. For nearly
four years they had barred the way to every Northern advance, and had won
great victories over numbers, but Dick was sure as he stood on a portico
at Monticello, in the very heart of valiant Virginia, that the fate of
the South was sealed.

They did not stay long at Charlottesville and Monticello, but a portion
of the army, including the Winchester men, went on, tearing up the
railroad, while another column demolished a canal used for military
purposes. Then the two forces united at a town called New Market,
but they could go no farther. The heavy rains and the melting snows had
swollen the rivers enormously, all the bridges before them were destroyed,
and their own pontoons proved inadequate in face of the great rushing
streams. Then they turned back.

Dick and his comrades were secretly glad. The rising of the waters