ate victory was to be feared, the presence in Northern
territory of Lee, grasping the handle of a sword, whose splendid blade
was seventy thousand men concentrated, testified. That Lee had lost the
best finger of his right hand at Chancellorsville was but job's comfort
to the threatened government at Washington. That government was still,
after years of stern fighting, trying generals and finding them wanting.
But now the Fates, in secret conclave, weighed the lots of Union and
Disunion; and that of Disunion, though glittering and brilliant like
gold, sank heavily to the ground, as a great eagle whose wing is broken
by the hunter's bullet comes surely if fiercely down, to be put to
death.

Early on the morning of July 1, 1863, Lee found himself in the
neighborhood of a small and obscure town named Gettysburg. A military
invasion is the process of occupying in succession a series of towns.
To occupy Gettysburg, which seemed as possible as eating breakfast, Lee
sent forward a division of a corps, and followed leisurely with all his
forces. But Gettysburg and the ridges to the west of Gettysburg were
already occupied by two brigades of cavalry, and those, with a cockiness
begotten of big lumps of armed friends approaching from the rear,
determined to go on occupying. This, in a spirit of great courage, with
slowly increasing forces, against rapidly increasing forces, they did,
until the brisk and pliant skirmish which opened the business of the
day had grown so in weight and ferocity that it was evident to the least
astute that the decisive battle of the New World was being fought.

XXXI

There was a pretty girl in Manchester, Maryland (possibly several, but
one was particularly pretty), and Aladdin, together with several young
officers (nearly all officers were young in that war) of the Sixth Army
Corps, rather flattered himself that he was making an impression. He was
all for making impressions in those days. Margaret was engaged to
marry Peter--and a pretty girl was a pretty girl. The pretty girl of
Manchester had several girls and several officers to tea on a certain
evening, and they remained till midnight, making a great deal of
noise and flirting outrageously in dark corners. Two of the girls got
themselves kissed, and two of the officers got their ears boxed, and
later a glove each to stick in their hat-bands. At midnight the party
broke up with regret, and the young officers, seeking their quarters,
turne