Part 9 (2/2)

”Flag of truce with a letter for General Grant.”

An officer took the letter, and hastened down the slope, across the meadow, up to the house on the Dover road, where General Grant had his head-quarters.

During the night there had been a council of war at General Floyd's head-quarters. Nearly all the Rebel officers commanding brigades and regiments were there. They were down-hearted. They had fought bravely, won a victory, as they thought, but had lost it. A Rebel officer who was there told me what they said. General Floyd and General Pillow blamed General Buckner for not advancing earlier in the morning, and for making what they thought a feeble attack. They could have escaped after they drove McClernand across the brook, but now they were hemmed in. The prospect was gloomy. The troops were exhausted by the long conflict, by constant watching, and by the cold. What bitter nights those were to the men who came from Texas, Alabama, and Mississippi, where the roses bloom and the blue-birds sing through all the winter months.

What should be done? Should they make another attack, and cut their way out, or should they surrender?

”I cannot hold my position a half-hour. The Yankees can turn my flank or advance directly upon the breastworks,” said General Buckner.

”If you had advanced at the time agreed upon, and made a more vigorous attack, we should have routed the enemy,” said General Floyd.

”I advanced as soon as I could, and my troops fought as bravely as others,” was the response from General Buckner,--a middle-aged, medium-sized man. His hair is iron gray. He has thin whiskers and a moustache, and wears a gray kersey overcoat, with a great cape, and gold lace on the sleeves, and a black hat with a nodding black plume.

”Well, here we are, and it is useless to renew the attack with any hope of success. The men are exhausted,” said General Floyd,--a stout, heavy man, with thick lips, a large nose, evil eyes, and coa.r.s.e features.

”We can cut our way out,” said Major Brown, commanding the Twentieth Mississippi,--a tall, black-haired, impetuous, fiery man.

”Some of us might escape in that way, but the attempt would be attended with great slaughter,” responded General Floyd.

”My troops are so worn out and cut to pieces and demoralized, that I can't make another fight,” said Buckner.

”My troops will fight till they die,” answered Major Brown, setting his teeth together.

”It will cost the command three quarters of its present number to cut its way through, and it is wrong to sacrifice three quarters of a command to save the other quarter,” Buckner continued.

”No officer has a right to cause such a sacrifice,” said Major Gilmer, of General Pillow's staff.

”But we can hold out another day, and by that time we can get steamboats here to take us across the river,” said General Pillow.

”No, I can't hold my position a half-hour, and the Yankees will renew the attack at daybreak,” Buckner replied.

”Then we have got to surrender, for aught I see,” said an officer.

”I won't surrender the command, neither will I be taken prisoner,” said Floyd. He doubtless remembered how he had stolen public property, while in office under Buchanan, and would rather die than to fall into the hands of those whom he knew would be likely to bring him to an account for his villany.

”I don't intend to be taken prisoner,” said Pillow.

”What will you do, gentlemen?” Buckner asked.

”I mean to escape, and take my Virginia brigade with me, if I can. I shall turn over the command to General Pillow. I have a right to escape if I can, but I haven't any right to order the entire army to make a hopeless fight,” said Floyd.

”If you surrender it to me, I shall turn it over to General Buckner,”

said General Pillow, who was also disposed to s.h.i.+rk responsibility and desert the men whom he had induced to vote to secede from the Union and take up arms against their country.

”If the command comes into my hands, I shall deem it my duty to surrender it. I shall not call upon the troops to make a useless sacrifice of life, and I will not desert the men who have fought so n.o.bly,” Buckner replied, with a bitterness which made Floyd and Pillow wince.

It was past midnight. The council broke up. The brigade and regimental officers were astonished at the result. Some of them broke out into horrid cursing and swearing at Floyd and Pillow.

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