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Chapter 14

           AshleywasinDarcy’sregiment.

           Onthefifthcameeviltidings,notfromtheNorthbutfromtheWest.Vicksburghadfallen,fallenafteralongandbittersiege,andpracticallyalltheMississippiRiver,fromSt.LouistoNewOrleanswasinthehandsoftheYankees.TheConfederacyhadbeencutintwo.Atanyothertime,thenewsofthisdisasterwouldhavebroughtfearandlamentationtoAtlanta.ButnowtheycouldgivelittlethoughttoVicksburg.TheywerethinkingofLeeinPennsylvania,forcingbattle.Vicksburg’slosswouldbenocatastropheifLeewonintheEast.TherelayPhiladelphia,NewYork,Washington.TheircapturewouldparalyzetheNorthandmorethancanceloffthedefeatontheMississippi.

           Thehoursdraggedbyandtheblackshadowofcalamitybroodedoverthetown,obscuringthehotsununtilpeoplelookedupstartledintotheskyasifincredulousthatitwasclearandblueinsteadofmurkyandheavywithscuddingclouds.Everywhere,womengatheredinknots,huddledingroupsonfrontporches,onsidewalks,eveninthemiddleofthestreets,tellingeachotherthatnonewsisgoodnews,tryingtocomforteachother,tryingtopresentabraveappearance.ButhideousrumorsthatLeewaskilled,thebattlelost,andenormouscasualtylistscomingin,fledupanddownthequietstreetslikedartingbats.Thoughtheytriednottobelieve,wholeneighborhoods,swayedbypanic,rushedtotown,tothenewspapers,toheadquarters,pleadingfornews,anynews,evenbadnews.

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