ed a hundred and sixty-five prisoners and two
hundred horses. He had struck terror to the hearts of a sturdy foe, and
thrilled the South with new courage.

Jackson's victorious little army joined Lee at Gaines' Mill on the
twenty-seventh of June, and on the following day McClellan was in full
retreat.

On the first of July it ended at Malvern Hill on the banks of the James.
Of the one hundred and ten thousand men who marched in battle line on
Richmond, eighty-six thousand only reached the shelter of his gunboats.

The first great battle of the war had raged from the first of June until
the first of July. Fifty thousand brave boys were killed or mangled on
the red fields of death. Washington was in gloom. The Grand Army of more
than two hundred thousand had gone down in defeat. It was incredible.

Richmond had been saved. The glory of Lee, Jackson and Stuart filled the
South with a new radiance. But the celebration of victory was in minor
key. Every home was in mourning.

Six days later Stuart once more clasped his wife to his heart. It had
been a month since he had seen her. The thunder of guns she had heard
without pause. She knew that both her father and her lover were
somewhere in the roaring hell below the city. Stuart never told her how
close they had come to a charge and counter charge at the battle of
Gaines' Mill.

The old, tremulous question she couldn't keep back:

"You didn't see my daddy, did you, dear?"

Stuart shouted in derision at the idea.

"Of course not, honey girl. It's not written in the book of life. Forget
the silly old fear."

"And they didn't even scratch my soldier man?"

"Never a scratch!"

She kissed him again.

"You know I've a little woman praying for me every day. I lead a charmed
life!"

She gazed at his handsome, bronzed face.

"I believe you do, dearest!"

CHAPTER XLI

McClellan fell before the genius of Lee, and Pope was put in his place.

They met at Second Manassas. The new general ended his brief campaign in
a disaster so complete, so appalling that it struck terror to the heart
of the Nation. Lee had crushed him with an ease so amazing that Lincoln
was compelled to recall McClellan to supreme command. When the toll of
the Blood Feud was again reckoned twenty-five thousand more of our brave
boys lay dead or wounded beneath the blazing sun of the South.

The Confederate Government now believed its army invincible, led by Lee.
In spite of poor equipment,