d
as they rubbed and wrung. Every day the recovered from hospitals, and
the footsore stragglers, and the men detached or furloughed, came home
to camp. There came in recruits, too--men who last year were too old,
boys who last year were not old enough. "Look here, boys! Thar goes
Father Time!--No, it's Rip Van Winkle!"--"No, it's Santa Claus!--Anyhow,
he's going to fight!" "Look here, boys! here comes another cradle. Good
Lord, he's just a toddler! He don't see a razor in his dreams yet!
Quartermaster's out of nursing-bottles!" "Shet up! the way those
children fight's a caution!"

October drifted on, smooth as the Opequon. Red and yellow leaves drifted
down, wood smoke arose, sound was wrapped as in fine wool, dulled
everywhere to sweetness. Whirring insects, rippling water, the
wood-chopper's axe, the whistling soldiers, the drum-beat, the
bugle-call, all were swept into a smooth current, steady, almost
droning, somewhat dream-like. The 2d Corps would have said that it was a
long time on the Opequon, but that on the whole it found the place a
pleasing land of drowsy-head.

Visitors came to the Opequon; parties from Winchester, officers from the
1st Corps commanded by Longstreet and encamped a few miles to the
eastward, officers from the headquarters of the commander-in-chief.
General Lee came himself on Traveller, and with Stonewall Jackson rode
along the Opequon, under the scarlet maples. One day there appeared a
cluster of Englishmen, Colonel the Honourable Garnet Wolseley; the
Special Correspondent of the _Times_, the Honourable Francis Lawley, and
the Special Correspondent of the _Illustrated London News_, Mr. Frank
Vizetelly. General Lee had sent them over under the convoy of an
officer, with a note to Stonewall Jackson.

MY DEAR GENERAL,--These gentlemen very especially wish to make your
acquaintance. Yours,

R. E. LEE.

They made it, beneath a beautiful, tall, crimson gum tree, where on a
floor of fallen leaves Lieutenant-General T. J. Jackson's tent was
pitched. A camp-stool, a wooden chair, and two boxes were placed. There
was a respectful silence while the Opequon murmured by, then Garnet
Wolseley spoke of the great interest which England--Virginia's mother
country--was taking in this struggle.

"Yes, sir," said Jackson. "It would be natural for a mother to take an
even greater interest."

"And the admiration, general, with which we have watched your
career--the career of genius, if I may say so! By